Southern District of Georgia

AUGUSTA, GA:  A U.S. Army spouse at Fort Eisenhower is in custody on a federal murder charge.

April Evalyn Short, 30, of Fort Eisenhower – formerly Fort Gordon – is charged by federal complaint with Murder, with an aggravating circumstance of the alleged crime occurring during an act of child abuse, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Short has appeared for an initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian K. Epps and has not yet entered a plea. She is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and is awaiting further proceedings. She is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The criminal complaint alleges that on the morning of Nov. 15, 2023, Short used a knife to cut the neck of an 11-month-old child who later was pronounced dead at Eisenhower Army Medical Center.

The case is being investigated by Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr. and Patricia G. Rhodes.

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Burke County man has been sentenced to federal prison after investigators discovered a massive cache of images of sexually exploited children on devices in his possession.

Jason Bonds Connelly, 61, of Waynesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 110 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Connelly to pay a fine and assessment of $2,000, and to register as a sex offender and serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

As described in court documents and testimony, investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office in early 2022 were conducting an online investigation into network sharing of images of child pornography. They discovered an account with nearly 60,000 files believed to contain images of child sexual abuse, and the investigation led them to Connelly’s residence.

During a search of that home, investigators found images of child sexual exploitation, including images depicting sadistic and masochistic sexual contact between adults and children. As noted in court, the GBI identified Connelly’s internet address as one of the top offenders in the state of Georgia for sharing child sexual abuse material.

The case was investigated by the GBI, with assistance from the Coweta County Sheriff’s office, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Richmond County man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to persuading a child to produce sexually explicit images.

Tibius Edwards, 26, of Augusta, was sentenced to 180 months in prison after pleading guilty to Production of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Edwards to register as a sex offender and to serve 20 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“There is an epidemic in this country of adult predators contacting and befriending children online and persuading them to produce sexually explicit images of themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The vigilance of a caring adult rescued the victim from further harm, and this sentence ensures Tibius Edwards will no longer be a danger to the community.”

As described in court documents and testimony, FBI agents interviewed Edwards in 2019 after receiving a minor’s cell phone from the child’s mother. Images discovered on the phone led investigators to Edwards, who had persuaded the minor to produce and provide sexually explicit images and share them with Edwards via an online messaging application.

“The defendants’ heinous behavior is deserving of a lengthy prison sentence to ensure he cannot inflict further harm on other victims,” said Justin Garrick, Acting Supervisory Senior Resident Agent in FBI Atlanta’s Augusta office. “This case shows how important it is that we continue to target and prosecute sexual predators who victimize children.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  An incarcerated leader in a massive, gang-related drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to life in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges brought in the largest-ever indictment in the Southern District of Georgia.

James D. NeSmith, a/k/a “DG,” 26, an inmate serving life in prison for murder at Telfair State Prison, was sentenced to a consecutive term of life in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. NeSmith’s federal sentence would begin if he is released from state custody, and U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood ordered that he would be housed at a facility no less than 500 miles from his Brunswick residence.

“James NeSmith’s sentence and others in this case represent significant milestones in this effort to dismantle a major drug trafficking operation in south Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to disrupt traffickers as they distribute deadly, addictive drugs and endanger the safety of our communities and prison facilities.”

Operation Ghost Busted, unsealed in January as USA v. Alvarez et al., charged 76 defendants with involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy – linked to the white supremacist Ghost Face Gangsters – that distributed large amounts of high-grade methamphetamine, along with fentanyl, heroin, and alprazolam in the greater Glynn County area. Nearly 70 of the defendants have been sentenced or await sentencing after entering guilty pleas in U.S. District Court, while the remainder await further court proceedings and are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

For more than two years, investigators from the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, the Glynn County Sheriff's Office, and the Camden County Sheriff's Office collaborated with multiple federal, state and local agencies to identify a sprawling drug trafficking network operating in multiple south Georgia counties. The network operated inside and outside Georgia prisons, coordinated by members of the Ghost Face Gangsters working with affiliates of other criminal street gangs including the Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, and Gangster Disciples. NeSmith is a member of the Gangster Disciples.

Key figures adjudicated in Operation Ghost Busted include:

• Desiree M. Briley, 26, of McRae-Helena, Ga., sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Methamphetamine. Briley was a guard at Telfair State Prison where she helped move contraband into the facility at NeSmith’s direction.
• John E. Harrison, 26, of Brunswick, sentenced to 190 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. Harrison acted with others as a courier and drug distributor in the conspiracy.
• Charles W. Walrath, a/k/a “Boomer,” 52, of Brunswick, sentenced to 144 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl. Walrath was identified as a mid-level drug distributor in the conspiracy.
• Clinton Taylor, 34, of Brunswick, sentenced to 105 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Taylor, who illegally possessed an SKS assault-style rifle, has two prior convictions for illegal firearms possession, and faces state charges related to a machete attack on a Brunswick resident.
• Marissa D. Davis, 32, of Brunswick, sentenced to 97 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl. Davis worked with Walrath and others as an illegal drug distributor.
• Wendell McClain, 35, of Brunswick, sentenced to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.
• Rachael P. Byrd, a/k/a “Byrd is the Word,” 26, of Brunswick, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine. Byrd served as a leader in the drug trafficking organization, relaying instructions from her boyfriend James NeSmith and distributing multiple kilos of methamphetamine to distributors and dozens of street-level dealers, and delivering contraband to Briley for delivery to NeSmith in prison.

NeSmith’s mother and sister also are being prosecuted for participation in the conspiracy. Authorities also are seeking a fugitive, David D. Young, a/k/a “Khaos,” of Hortense, Ga., on multiple federal charges.

“Gangs that operate out of our prison systems not only bring drugs and violence into prison facilities – they also breed drug-fueled violence in our communities,” said Will Clarke, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Savannah Office. “We are committed to dismantling violent gangs like the Ghost Face Gangsters and holding their members and those who conspire with them accountable for criminal conduct.”

“This action serves as a textbook example of the impact that can be achieved when we blend our investigative resources with our state and local partners as we continue to aggressively dismantle major drug trafficking that plagues our communities,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF remains committed to targeting violent offenders and dismantling their criminal organizations.”

“Illegal drugs are dangerous and threaten the safety of Georgia communities,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI is committed to working with our local and federal partners to investigate the horrific crimes connected to criminal street gangs.”

Operation Ghost Busted was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office; and sheriff’s offices from Pierce, Camden, Wayne, Treutlen, McIntosh, Toombs, Telfair, Dodge, and Ware counties. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Criminal Division Deputy Chief E. Greg Gilluly Jr. 

SAVANNAH, GA: Five people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. 

The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.

“The continuing work toward making our community safer demands the removal of guns from the hands of individuals who illegally possess them,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “That especially includes holding accountable previously convicted felons found in possession of firearms.”  

In the past five years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

Those indicted during the November term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:

• Tacumsa Xcaiver Lovett, A/K/A “GB Poncho,” 24, of Grovetown, Ga., charged with Distribution of Fentanyl; Distribution of Marijuana and Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone; Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Fentanyl; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
• Zanuck Lorenzo Berry, 43, of Martinez, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
• Jeremy Studdard, 42, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
• Robert Antonio Green, 26, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and,
• Matthew Lacey, 29, of Savannah, charged with two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

• Lyondo Larell Ware, a/k/a “China,” 43, of Augusta, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Ware, a member of Augusta’s Loyalty Over Everything (L.O.E.) criminal street gang, was on felony probation when Richmond County deputies and Georgia Department of Community Supervision officers found a loaded pistol while searching his residence in September 2021.
• Arthur Singleton, 46, of Savannah, was sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Singleton in February 2023 while investigating a trespassing call at a Savannah residence and found a bag containing loaded high-capacity gun magazines in Singleton’s waistband.
• Tyrell Smith, 32, of Savannah, was sentenced to 68 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Smith, who had an active arrest warrant related to a March 2022 Savannah exchange of gunfire with a neighbor, ran from Savannah police who arrested him when they found him carrying a pistol.
• Johnny Harris, 23, of Savannah, was sentenced to 44 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He was arrested in October 2022 when Savannah police officers conducting surveillance near Frazier Homes determined Harris possessed an assault-style pistol while fleeing the area.
• Jonathan Bennett Capece II, 54, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Dublin police officers arrested Capece in April 2020 after finding drugs and two pistols in his vehicle during a traffic stop.
• DeShawn Tisdale, 24, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Tisdale’s vehicle while investigating a trespassing call at a Savannah residence in July 2021.
• Calvin Polite, 36, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Polite’s possession in September 2022 while investigating a report of shots fired in a Savannah neighborhood.
• Keith Ponsell, 34, of Jesup, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. A Georgia State Patrol trooper found an illegal “pen” gun in Ponsell’s pocket during a traffic stop in Jesup in June 2022.
• Akeem Ajmia Lanier, 34, of Metter, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Metter police officers found a pistol in Lanier’s vehicle during a May 2022 traffic stop.
• Daiyuonte Reed, 31, of Oak Bluffs, Mass., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Reed’s possession while investigating a disturbance at a Savannah restaurant in July 2021.

Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Metter Police Department, and the Dublin Police Department.

The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. 

For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County man has been indicted on multiple federal charges alleging sexual exploitation of children.

Sheldon Jason Burch, 49, of Savannah, is being held in the Chatham County Detention Center after being arrested on a criminal complaint, and now has been indicted on three counts of Production of Child Pornography, and one count each of Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Conviction on the production charges carries a statutory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to 30 years, while receipt carries a mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction of five years, up to 20, and the penalty upon conviction for possession of child pornography is up to 20 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system, and conviction on any of the charges could include substantial financial penalties and restitution, a requirement to register as a sex offender, and a period of supervised release following any prison term.

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

“Criminal allegations involving the sexual exploitation of children are horrific, particularly when they involve subjecting minor victims to portrayal in pornographic images,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The creation and continued viewing of those images is tremendously traumatizing to victims, and our office works diligently to protect them and hold their abusers accountable.”

The indictment alleges that Burch, from on or about June 2006 through 2016, produced sexually explicit images of three minor victims, and up until June 2023 received and possessed additional images of child sexual exploitation.

Investigators are seeking information on other unidentified potential victims found on images in electronic devices seized from Burch’s residence, located on Cowan Avenue in Savannah, and are asking anyone who might have had contact with Burch to call the FBI Savannah Resident Agency at 877-644-0277. Investigators believe that many of the explicit images of the child victims in this case were taken at Burch’s residence over a period of several years.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Chatham County Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard. 

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Richmond County man has been indicted on federal charges for a bomb threat targeting the Social Security Administration’s Augusta office.

Keyon Tishaye Dickens, 38, of Augusta, currently is being held in the Jefferson County Detention Center after being indicted for Using a Telephone to Make a Threat to Injure a Person or Damage a Building by Explosives, and two counts of False Information and Bomb Hoax, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The phone charge carries a statutory penalty upon conviction of up to 10 years in prison, and each of the hoax charges carry a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“We take seriously any threats of violence against government employees or other workers,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Actions intended to frighten and intimidate innocent people will not be tolerated.”

The indictment alleges that Dickens called the Social Security Administration office in Augusta on Oct. 10, threatening to use an explosive device to harm the building and workers. Later, at the Social Security office, Dickens displayed a note with the handwritten message, “I have a bomb,” to a security officer who alerted the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

The building was locked down and evacuated, and no bomb was found. Richmond County deputies took Dickens into custody. He awaits further court proceedings and is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs III.

SAVANNAH, GA:  This year, the Appellate Division of the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office continued to successfully defend the United States’ efforts to curb violent crime, to prosecute those who exploit children, and to protect American taxpayers, U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg announced.

“The Southern District’s attorneys and staff consistently demonstrate exceptional skill and preparation in the cases they handle in court,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Prevailing on appeal is a resounding affirmation of the hard work of our Appellate Division in shepherding these cases through the complex appeals process.”

The Southern District of Georgia represents the interests of the United States in criminal cases in 43 Georgia counties and litigates civil cases in federal court.  Highlights of those cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit include:  

• United States v. Graham:  Traditionally, grand juries indict defendants by meeting in one location, where they hear witnesses in person and review other evidence. During COVID-19, social-distancing requirements made that practice nearly impossible. The Southern District of Georgia adopted a unique, temporary approach: 10 or fewer grand jurors convened in each of three federal courthouses, with the three groups linked to each other remotely by secure video-teleconference. The district kept the wheels of justice rolling, continuing to fully investigate and indict cases during that time.

James L. Graham was one of them. Graham was indicted and later convicted for participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On appeal, Graham argued that his conviction was invalid because his indictment under the remote procedure violated several laws, including his constitutional right to an indictment by a grand jury. The 11th Circuit affirmed Graham’s conviction, holding that the Southern District of Georgia’s innovative remote process did not change the grand jury’s basic nature, infect the jurors’ decision to indict Graham, result in any security breach, or cause any flaw in the presentation of evidence.

During COVID-19, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration to issue billions of dollars in Economic Injury Disaster Loans to eligible small businesses. Two of the Southern District’s prevailing decisions involved those cases:

• United States v. Oudomsine: The defendant lied about owning a small business to fraudulently obtain an $85,000 loan. This case received national attention because the defendant used some of that money to purchase a $57,000 Pokemon trading card. On appeal, the 11th Circuit ruled that the defendant’s 36-month prison sentence was reasonable.
• United States v. Mack: The defendant lied about owning businesses to fraudulently obtain a $150,000 loan. She used some of the funds to vacation in Miami and gave some to her boyfriend. On appeal, the 11th Circuit ruled that her 48-month prison sentence was reasonable.

The Southern District of Georgia also continues to aggressively pursue cases that involve the exploitation of children by sexual predators and abusers.

• United States v. Gunn:  Michael Peyton Gunn took pornographic pictures of a child in his custody and distributed those images on the internet. He also repeatedly sexually abused and prostituted the child. At trial, he was convicted of conspiring to sex traffic a child, coercing and enticing a child to engage in sexual activity, producing child pornography, possessing child pornography, and obstructing a child sex-trafficking investigation. On appeal, Gunn alleged that the government had withheld exculpatory evidence, but the 11th Circuit confirmed that the government committed no discovery violation. The Court affirmed Gunn’s conviction and sentence.

The Appellate Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia is led by Division Chief Justin Davids, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Stuchell and Channell Singh, and assisted by Paralegals Taylor Workman and Leiandra Moran.  

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A New York man was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to enticing a Georgia minor and persuading her to travel from Georgia to New York with him.

Jordan Harris, 25, of Queens, N.Y., was sentenced to 127 months in prison after pleading guilty to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Harris to register as a sex offender and to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“A nightmare scenario for every parent is the prospect of their child being persuaded by a predatory adult to leave home,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The community is safer with Jordan Harris behind bars.”

As described in court documents and testimony, a Chatham County woman approached the Garden City Police Department in December 2021 for help in locating her missing minor daughter. A few days later, the mother received information that her daughter was in New York and retrieved her to return to Georgia.

Interviews with the victim revealed Harris had used online messaging applications to communicate with the minor for nearly a year before persuading her to leave with him via Greyhound bus to travel back to New York, instructing her along the way to remove the SIM card from her phone to prevent them from being tracked.

Harris was arrested in November 2022 when he again traveled to Savannah to make contact with the minor. Investigators seized Harris’ phone and found evidence of at least seven other minors with whom he had similarly communicated.

“Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting our children from online predators,” said Acting Special Agent in charge Travis Pickard who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “This sentence sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the exploitation of our children. We will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe from those who seek to harm our most vulnerable members.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Garden City Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania D. Groover.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Chatham County man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to robbing mailbox keys from a U.S. Postal Service employee.

Andre Rasheed Barnes, 24, of Garden City, Ga., was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to Robbery of Money, Mail, or Other Property of the United States, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Barnes to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“The safety and security of our mail carriers is vitally important for the well-being of these employees and the smooth operation of our mail system,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “It’s fortunate the mail carrier in this case was unhurt, and thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners Barnes and his co-defendant are being held accountable.”

As described in court documents and testimony, a carrier was delivering mail to community mailboxes at Chatham City Apartments in Garden City on July 16, 2022, when Barnes approached her and asked her to open a mailbox for him. She asked for his identification, and he then asked how to get a new key and left after she provided the information. Two days later, Barnes approached again with the same questions, and then fought with the carrier as he forcibly took her keys and fled.

Garden City police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service later identified Barnes and an accomplice, Keyuhn Washington, 24, of Garden City, and found the stolen keys in Washington’s vehicle. After his arrest Washington was held in the Chatham County Detention Center and sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to Theft of Post Office Keys. He is now serving three years of supervised release.

“A large part of the Postal Inspection Service mission is the protection and safety of our postal employees,” said Tommy D. Coke, US Postal Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “This is a great example of Postal Inspectors working with our law enforcement partners to pursue criminals involved in violent acts in our local communities and bringing them to justice.”  

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Garden City Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo.

SAVANNAH, GA:  The U.S. Department of Justice has announced more than $1.2 million in grants awarded to agencies and entities to support law enforcement and public safety initiatives in the Southern District of Georgia.

These federal grants include funding for the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, a key component of the Department of Justice’s strategy for reducing violent crime, and funding from the Office on Violence Against Women, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

“In addition to fueling the fight against violent crime through Project Safe Neighborhoods, these grants will assist local agencies and communities in keeping their residents safe and improving outcomes for vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg.

The end-of-fiscal-year 2023 PSN grant to the Southern District of Georgia of $98,657, administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance through Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, will distribute funding to Savannah, Augusta, and Brunswick, the three most populous cities in the Southern District, in collaboration with local public safety agencies to help achieve reductions in violent crime.

“Every sector of our society – not only the justice system, but nonprofit and faith-based groups, local leaders, and advocates, and people with lived experience who serve as credible messengers – plays a critical role in ensuring public safety and public health,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “The Office of Justice Programs is proud to make these substantial investments in building community infrastructure and supporting communities as co-producers of safety and justice.”

Additional Department of Justice grants awarded during the regular end-of-fiscal-year funding cycle include:

Office on Violence Against Women:

• Waycross Area Shelter for Abused Persons Inc.: $500,000. This award, through the Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Grant Program, is aimed at improving the greater Ware County area criminal justice system’s response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by focusing on victim safety. The collaborative effort with the city of Waycross will implement a project that serves communities throughout the region.
• East Georgia State College, Swainsboro, Ga.: $399,117. With this award, East Georgia State College, in coordination with Sunshine House and the Swainsboro Police Department, will provide planning, education and training activities to prevent and respond to incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Bureau of Justice Assistance: Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program:

• City of Savannah, $119,429. This funding will be used to purchase two new bomb suits for the Savannah Police Department’s Bomb Unit; to replace outdated equipment used by the SPD Underwater Search and Recovery Team; and to purchase new traffic enforcement equipment for the Garden City Police Department.
• Glynn County, $23,925. This grant will be used to purchase five bicycles for the Glynn County Police Department’s patrol division for use in community oriented policing strategies.
• City of Waycross, $10,328: The funding will be used to purchase an air purification system for the Waycross Police Department’s evidence room, and to purchase ballistic shields for the Ware County Sheriff’s Office.

Bureau of Justice Assistance: The Kevin and Avonte Program:

• Liberty County, $99,990. Through its Bringing the Lost Home Project, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, primarily through its K9 Unit, will partner with Senior Citizens Inc. and Magnolia Manor Nursing Home and in each public school to operate a proactive program to locate or prevent the wandering of individuals with dementia or developmental disabilities.

More information on the implementation of these grants is available from the individual recipient agencies, and from the U.S. Department of Justice grants information page at justice.gov/grants.

SAVANNAH, GA: Six people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. 

The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.

“Removing illegally possessed firearms from convicted felons plays a key role in reducing violent crime in our communities,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to prioritize taking these tools of violence out of the hands individuals who are prohibited from possessing them.”  

In the past five years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

Those indicted during the October term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:

• Ricky Rich, 41, of East Dublin, Ga., charged with four counts of Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Distribution of Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl; three counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
• Othnell Christian Ferguson, 27, of Pembroke, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
• Jamal Brashad Hawkins, 20, of Swainsboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
• Jamario D. Owens, 24, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
• Keith Alan Scorza, 53, of Savannah, charged with False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, referring to a domestic violence protective order; and,
• Pedro Walker, 24, of Savannah, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

• Reginald General Jackson, 36, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Savannah Police officers found Jackson in possession of multiple pistols after they were called in June 2022 to a Savannah motel room that Jackson was refusing to leave.  
• Tony Lavardo Blount Jr., 32, of Augusta, was sentenced to 78 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a Grovetown, Ga., home to investigate a report of domestic violence and arrested Blount after a brief foot chase when he pulled a pistol from his pocket.
• Calvin Lomont Powell Jr., 22, of Waynesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 41 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia State Patrol troopers found a pistol, drugs, and cash in Powell’s car during a June 2022 traffic stop.
• Derrick Drurell Long, 32, of Augusta, was sentenced to 56 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia Department of Community Supervision officers arrested Long in June 2020 after finding a pistol in his apartment during a search.
• Reco Casey, a/k/a “Rico,” 33, of Augusta, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In September 2021, Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found a pistol in the vehicle where Casey was a passenger. Casey was on state felony probation at the time of his arrest.
• Tavares L. Freeman Jr., 22, of Augusta, was sentenced to 45 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Freeman was arrested in August 2022 after he was seen tossing a pistol from a window of his home as Richmond County sheriff’s deputies and agents from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision arrived to conduct a search of the residence. Freeman was on probation from a state felony conviction at the time.
• Cortez Timmie Dinh, 27, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to three years’ probation, fined $1,500 and ordered to serve 40 hours of community service after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. During an August 2019 traffic stop, Richmond County deputies found guns and drugs in a vehicle in which Dinh was a passenger. The driver, Jose Ramon Valero Jr., 25, of Stonecrest, Ga., is serving 84 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Marijuana, and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Dinh acted as a straw purchaser in buying one of the guns found in the vehicle for Valero, who was prohibited from possessing firearms because of a previous conviction for domestic violence.
• Jesu Aurelius Fox, 27, of Savannah, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers found Fox in possession of a pistol while behind the wheel of his vehicle in August 2021.

• David Wayne Cleland, 34, of Ridgeland, S.C., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Garden City police officers investigating a suspicious vehicle in a motel parking lot found Cleland asleep in the car with a handgun in his lap.
• Steve Shontell Heath, 46, of Hephzibah, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Burke County sheriff’s deputy found a pistol in Heath’s vehicle during a December 2021 traffic stop. 

Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Statesboro Police Department, the Swainsboro Police Department, and the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.

The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. 

For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

 

75-23

SAVANNAH, GA:  Two Georgia men, including one from Bryan County, have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Darien Cothern, 34, of Marietta, Ga., was sentenced to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and Javarus McKinney, a/k/a “Jody,” 34, of Richmond Hill, Ga., was sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

McKinney was convicted after a four-day trial in March on charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Fentanyl; and Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Fentanyl in or Near Schools, but acquitted on enhanced charges related to the death of an overdose victim. Cothern pled guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl, and his plea acknowledged that the death resulted from the fentanyl the victim purchased from Cothern.

“Fentanyl is an addictive synthetic opioid that has flooded this country, and nearly 300 people in the United States die each day from drug overdoses including those from fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who deal in deadly illegal drugs.”

Richmond Hill Police officers initiated an investigation Aug. 12, 2020, after a 25-year-old male victim was found dead in a residential pool. An autopsy determined the man had a fatal dose of fentanyl in his system at the time of his death. Working with agents from the Savannah Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, investigators identified McKinney as a Richmond Hill-area distributor of counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and determined Cothern obtained the pills from McKinney and sold them to the victim.

“The Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) is committed to collaborating with and assisting our fellow law enforcement agencies,” said CNT Director Michael G. Sarhatt. “This year alone, Chatham County has encountered over 65 overdose deaths, exceeding numbers from 2022. This abundant influx of fentanyl creates a significant threat to not only our community but to surrounding counties as well. CNT considers this a significant concern and is utilizing every asset to rid this hideous poison from our community. The sentences given to these defendants send a clear message to those distributing fentanyl on our streets: they will be caught and serve a lengthy prison term.”

“Fentanyl is extremely dangerous to the consumer and leaves behind a trail of devastation and destruction,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “The defendants in this case had total disregard for the safety of others.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, and the Richmond Hill Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and Frank M. Pennington II.

AUGUSTA, GA:  An Atlanta-area man has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to siphoning money from a private individual’s bank account.

Marqualdis Antwon Logan, a/k/a “Alphonso Baugh,” 38, of Stone Mountain, Ga., was sentenced to 51months in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of Bank Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Logan to pay restitution of $272,097 and to serve five years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Hard-working individuals sacrifice to save money for their future needs, including retirement,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Marqualdis Logan’s greed-driven scheme stole hundreds of thousands of dollars and damages the financial security of his innocent victims.”

As described in court documents and testimony, a Columbia County woman and her daughter alerted their bank and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office in September 2020 when they noticed suspicious activity in their money market account. The FBI determined that a fraudulent online profile had gained access to the account and was cashing and depositing online checks into other bank accounts controlled by Logan and others.

The investigation determined Logan wrote checks on the account totaling more than $500,000 and succeeded in depositing or cashing checks totaling $497,136. The restitution in the case represents the outstanding unrecovered funds, which Logan used for purchases and travel. He was arrested in November 2022 while traveling in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

As part of the plea agreement, Logan acknowledged his prior involvement in a scheme in which he withdrew more than $100,000 from another victim’s account by using identifying information stolen from the victim’s deceased husband. Unreimbursed funds from that case, and from Logan’s receipt of $20,832 in funds from a fraudulently obtained COVID-19 small business relief loan, are calculated as part of his restitution.  

“These fraud scams, although not violent, are not victimless and can be devastating to individuals and their personal livelihoods,” said Brian Ozden, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This guilty plea shows the FBI’s dedication to working with our partners to hold anyone accountable who would steal from hard working and honest individuals, rather than put in the work themselves.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer A. Stanley.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Camden County man has been sentenced to 100 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually exploiting multiple children.

Michael Williams Kersey, 45, of St. Marys, Ga., was sentenced to 1,200 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Engage in Sexual Exploitation of Children; three counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children; and Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Michael Kersey and his co-defendant exploited vulnerable children for their warped gratification without regard for the lifelong trauma they inflicted on their innocent victims,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Their lengthy sentences help protect the community from such predatory behavior and reinforces the seriousness of these offenses.”

As described in court documents and testimony, FBI agents in Milwaukee, Wis., infiltrated a private online messaging group in which members shared images and videos of child sexual abuse. That investigation led FBI agents to Kersey’s Camden County residence, where agents found hundreds of images depicting sexual exploitation of at least four children on Kersey’s cell phone and computers. Agents also identified Lesley Henry, 47, of St. Marys, and determined she produced sexually explicit images and sent them to Kersey.  

Henry is serving 420 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood has scheduled hearings to determine any restitution Henry and Kersey will be ordered to pay.

“Kersey’s determination to pursue lurid desires shows his lack of fear of the law and a willingness to harm children no matter how young they are,” said FBI Senior Supervisory Special Agent Will Clarke of the FBI's Savannah office. “Although the FBI can never fully repair the damage inflicted by these predators, we can ensure that justice is served on those who commit these terrible crimes.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Navy Criminal Investigative Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Kingsland Police Department, the St. Marys Police Department, and the Camden County Sheriff's Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tania D. Groover and Jennifer J. Kirkland.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Georgia man has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay substantial restitution for leading a conspiracy that stole nearly $2 million in COVID-19 small business relief funding.

Bernard Okojie, 41, of McDonough, Ga., was sentenced to 64 months in prison after being convicted at trial in March of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering Conspiracy, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Okojie to pay $1,946,283 in restitution, and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Bernard Okojie devised a complex and far-reaching scheme to steal federal funding intended to provide relief to small businesses struggling from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This sentence imposes a strong measure of accountability for these blatant acts of fraud.”

As described at trial and in court documents, Okojie used information for non-existent companies to file at least 46 fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program loans for himself and others from April 2020 through May of 2021, seeking more than $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Okojie received nearly $2 million in funding directly, or was paid by other recipients of the fraudulently obtained funding for his work in submitting the EIDL applications on their behalf. Okojie then conspired to launder the fraudulent proceeds to hide the source of the funds.

Funds from the nearly $2 million Okojie and others received through the schemes were used to purchase a home, vehicles, shopping trips to Versace, for personal investments, and a toy poodle. Okojie also was intercepted as he attempted to leave the United States with nearly $40,000 in cash.

“Mr. Okojie chose greed over compassion by fraudulently obtaining funds from the PPP and EIDL programs. He will now spend more than five years in prison and must pay all the money back,” said FBI Savannah’s Senior Supervisory Special Agent Will Clarke. “Theft of government funds will not be tolerated, and prosecuting PPP fraud remains a priority for law enforcement.”

“Lying to gain access to economic stimulus funds will be met with justice,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent-in-Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “This sentence showcases that SBA OIG will continue to aggressively pursue evidence of fraud against SBA’s programs to expose wrongdoers’ actions. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer A. Stanley and Matthew A. Josephson.

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

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Laurens County, Ga., man identified as a drug supplier in a Southeastern drug trafficking organization has been sentenced to federal prison, and his four co-defendants are serving prison terms after all pled guilty to charges related to the conspiracy.

Dennis Rodriguez Kinchen, 46, of Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 150 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, 500 Grams or More of Cocaine, and an Amount of Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Marijuana; and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also fined Kinchen $40,000 and ordered him to serve four years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“The defendants in this case not only distributed massive amounts of addictive, illegal drugs throughout middle and coastal Georgia, but also defrauded taxpayers through blatant abuse of COVID-19 relief programs,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “All of them deservedly have been sentenced to long prison terms for their crimes thanks to outstanding investigative work from our law enforcement partners.”

As part of his guilty plea, Kinchen agreed to forfeit an Atlanta condominium purchased with COVID-19 relief funds, and a certificate of deposit of $297,336 purchased with pandemic relief funds.

Kinchen and his co-defendants were identified during “Operation All Eyes On Me,” an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation of drug traffickers distributing cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana in middle and south Georgia and in Florida. The five co-conspirators were identified through a series of controlled purchases, phone surveillance and searches of multiple properties conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and agents from the Savannah-Chatham Counter Narcotics Team.

The investigation identified Angel Amaral, 57, of Hollywood, Fla., as the supplier of illegal drugs to Kinchen, who delivered the drugs to distributors in Georgia. Amaral is serving a 70-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Cocaine.

Kinchen used the Savannah residence of his girlfriend, former Savannah-area strip club owner Jaqueline Somesso, 54, as a stash house for drugs and firearms. Somesso is serving an 18-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to Misprision of a Felony for knowingly allowing her home to be used in illegal activity and to Bank Fraud for submitting a fake pandemic relief application resulting in losses of $570,236.54. She was ordered to pay restitution in that amount. The court also entered a consent order forfeiting her interest in a certificate of deposit of $350,236 and a bank account of $3,520, both containing fraud money seized from her during the investigation.

Two other defendants are serving prison terms after pleading guilty in the conspiracy: Sherman Levon Scott, 54, of Pooler, Ga., who was identified as a drug distributor; and Tony Heldore, 52, of Richmond Hill, Ga., a marijuana supplier who worked at two of Somesso’s clubs – Karma Entertainment and Lux Gentlemen’s Club, in Hardeeville, S.C. Scott is serving 145 months in federal prison, and Heldore is serving a 35-month term.

“Poisonous drugs continue to flow into our communities at the expense of too many lives,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “These traffickers must now face the consequences of their actions.”

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Operation All Eyes On Me was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Savannah District Office and the Savannah-Chatham County Counter Narcotics Team, with assistance from the DEA Miami Field Division, the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney and OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Bishop Ravenel and Lindsay Berman-Hansell.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sharing images depicting sexual exploitation of children.

Jason Arthur Holloway, 43, of Savannah, was sentenced to 135 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Holloway to pay restitution of $23,000, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The digital vigilance of agencies engaged in protecting vulnerable children helps ensure that online predators are discovered and held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Removing such predators improves the safety of our communities.”

As described in court documents and testimony, a CyberTip to the Savannah Police Department’s Special Victims Unit alerted investigators to the online transfer of sexually explicit images of children. With assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, agents identified the source of those uploaded images and searched Holloway’s Savannah residence.

Investigators seized multiple electronic devices with dozens of images of child sexual abuse, and found evidence that those illegal images had been uploaded to the internet via multiple file-sharing applications.  

Holloway also faces state charges of sexual exploitation of children and child molestation in a case unrelated to the federal child pornography prosecution.

“Jason Holloway shamefully exploited the most vulnerable members of our community, for his own perverse desires, and will now face the severe consequences for his actions,” said Acting Special Agent in charge Travis Pickard who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI Atlanta and its law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting children from abuse and holding accountable those individuals who would victimize minors.”

The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department’s Special Victims Unit and Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

SAVANNAH, GA: Four people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. 

The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.

“Guns in the hands of convicted felons present a danger to the community,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “With our law enforcement partners, we continue to identify and prosecute individuals who violate firearms laws.”  

In the past four years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

Those indicted during the September term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:

• Wilbur Zaccaeus Hightower, 43, of Blackshear, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Machine Gun, referring to a pistol with an illegal “Glock switch”;
• Hunter W. Taylor, 25, of Hephzibah, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, referring to a short barrel rifle;
• Joshua Bowser, 28, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; and,
• Zytavious Beck, 26, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

• Melvin Jamarcus Lanier, 42, of Statesboro, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Statesboro police officers arrested Lanier in January 2021 during a traffic stop after finding a pistol in his vehicle.
• Demmerio Swint, 29, of Augusta, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Swint’s pocket and another in his vehicle after a November 2021 traffic stop.
• Nygeria Tasheema Brown, 32, of Savannah, was sentenced to three years’ probation and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. Brown assisted Javonte Deshawn Washington, 30, of Savannah, in buying a pistol despite knowing he was a convicted felon. Garden City police officers found Washington in possession of the gun later that month when responding to a report of a man pointing a gun at motorists outside an apartment complex. Washington is serving a 44-month term in federal prison after pleading guilty to Straw Purchase of a Firearm.
• Tekayo Spencer, 39, of Savannah, was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Spencer in June 2022 during an investigation into a man brandishing a firearm during a domestic dispute.
• Caleb Earl Riggs, 38, of Claxton, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. One of 32 defendants indicted in October 2022 as part of a drug trafficking conspiracy in Operation Carpet Ride, Riggs was found in possession of a pistol during a traffic stop by Evans County sheriff’s deputies and the Georgia State Patrol.
• Milton Parker III, 37, of Savannah, was sentenced to 51 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Parker in September 2022 while investigating reports of shots being fired in a Savannah neighborhood, and finding Parker with a pistol in his waistband.
• Jonathan Duncan, 38, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found a pistol in Duncan’s vehicle during a November 2022 traffic stop.
• Tori Davis, 33, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone and Fentanyl. Garden City police officers found drugs and a pistol in Davis’ vehicle during a traffic stop. When Davis was federally indicted in February 2023, investigators found multiple guns and extended magazines in his residence during his arrest.
• Alvin York, 47, of Swainsboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Swainsboro police officers found multiple firearms in York’s vehicle during a December 2021 traffic stop.
• Michael Floyd, 30, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. An Oglethorpe Mall security officer contacted the Savannah Police Department after observing what appeared to be a gun inside Floyd’s clothing, and officers later determined Floyd was prohibited as a convicted felon from carrying a gun.

Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. 

For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Laurens County man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to possession of sexually explicit images of children.

Christopher Scott Andrews, 41, of East Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 96 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Andrews to pay fines and restitution of $4,000, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Christopher Andrews sought and downloaded sexually explicit images of children, thereby perpetuating their victimization,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “With our vigilant law enforcement partners, we will identify and hold accountable those who engage in such predatory behavior.”

As described in court documents and testimony, investigators from the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office in December 2022 received a CyberTip alerting them to potential child pornography linked to a cell phone number located in the greater Dublin area. With assistance from the FBI, investigators identified Andrews and questioned him at his residence, located in the rear of a retail store in East Dublin.

Investigators found hundreds of sexually explicit images of children in devices seized from Andrews. He was indicted on federal charges in March 2023 and pled guilty in May.

“Collecting sexually explicit images and videos of children is a despicable act,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden of FBI Atlanta. “Our continued work to investigate individuals who possess, receive and distribute child pornography should serve notice to those who may consider engaging in this behavior that it will not be tolerated.” 

The case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Columbia County man who serves in the U.S. Army has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison after uploading sexually explicit images of children to the internet.

Joshua Paul Barnhill, 41, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 151 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Barnhill to pay restitution of $21,000, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Joshua Barnhill shared sexually explicit images of young children to online messaging applications for exploitation by other viewers,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Such exploitative conduct has earned him substantial prison time.”

As described in court documents and testimony, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a CyberTip to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to alert investigators about sexually explicit images and videos of children shared by the KIK internet messaging app.

Agents learned the images originated from Barnhill’s location, and found hundreds of images and videos on devices Barnhill used to upload images to the KIK and Wickr applications.

Barnhill is a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, serving as a recruiter operating from Fort Jackson, S.C.

“The GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit will continue to work tirelessly to protect innocent victims of online exploitation,” said Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We are grateful for the partnerships we maintain with our local and federal agencies to bring these predators to justice.”

The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Camden County woman has been sentenced to more than 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to production of sexually exploitive images of a child.

Lesley Henry, 47, of St. Marys, Ga., was sentenced to 420 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood scheduled a hearing for Oct. 24 to determine restitution in the case, and ordered Henry to register as a sex offender and serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Lesley Henry and her co-defendant sentenced a child to a lifetime of devastating trauma with their horrific actions,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This prosecution will not heal that trauma, but it will protect the community from Henry for decades.”

As described in court documents and testimony, FBI agents in Milwaukee, Wis., infiltrated an online messaging group in which members shared images and videos of child sexual abuse. That investigation led FBI agents to Michael Williams Kersey, 45, of St. Marys, Ga., where agents found multiple images depicting sexual exploitation of a child on Kersey’s cell phone. Agents also identified Henry and determined she produced sexually explicit images and sent them to Kersey.  

After Henry pled guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography, Kersey pled guilty to Conspiracy to Engage in Sexual Exploitation of Children; three counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children; and Possession of Child Pornography. He awaits sentencing and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

“Henry's actions are the worst of depravity and no sentence can lessen the harm she has caused. But at least she will no longer be able to pursue these egregious acts,” said FBI Savannah Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke. “We hope this sentencing sends a strong warning to predators that the FBI will go to great lengths to protect our most vulnerable citizens from those who seek to manipulate and do them harm.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tania D. Groover and Jennifer J. Kirkland.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Georgia state prison inmate who participated in a drug trafficking operation while behind bars has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Jonathan Alvin Pope, 39, of Waycross, Ga., was sentenced to 240 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Heroin, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Pope to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. 

“The sentencing of Jonathan Pope represents a key victory in the investigation and prosecution of a significant drug trafficking network distributing illegal narcotics in multiple south Georgia counties,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We applaud the outstanding work of the local, state and federal agencies who collaborated to dismantle this network and make our communities safer.”

The indictment in Operation Pope’s G.O.A.L., an Organized Crime Drug Trafficking Task Force investigation, was unsealed in July 2022. The indictment charged 14 defendants involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl since as early as 2018. The drug traffickers operated in Glynn, Brantley, Bacon, Pierce, Coffee, Camden, and Ware counties, and beyond.  Pope used contraband cell phones and electronic devices to participate in the conspiracy while imprisoned on unrelated state charges.

All of the defendants have pled guilty to various charges related to the conspiracy, including:

• Lena Leigh Davis, 46, of Homeland, Ga., who conducted drug transactions at Pope’s direction. She pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl, and is serving 135 months in federal prison.

• Richard Reginald Perkins Jr., a/k/a “Reggie,” 47, of Nahunta, Ga., sentenced to 168 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.

• Kristina Ashley Montgomery, a/k/a Kristina Ashley Crews, 38, of Hortense, Ga., who conducted drug transactions as part of the operation. She is serving 126 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl. And,
• Clark Bennett, 51, of Blackshear, Ga., is serving 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

“Poisonous drugs, such as methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin have taken a terrible toll on our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Division. “Drug trafficker Jonathan Pope must now deal with the consequences of his actions.”

“This case exemplifies our commitment to prevent drug violence and criminal activity from poisoning our communities,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “It also sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute the leaders and members of these violent drug enterprises.”

“Contraband cell phones in the hands of inmates as a tool to carry out crimes continues to be a challenge within correctional facilities across our state, and we are using every resource at our disposal to combat this issue,” said GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “Our Agents work closely with our law enforcement partners each and every day in our common goal of public safety, and this case is another great example of that vital collaboration at every level,” continued Oliver. “We are pleased to see justice being served on this individual for his role in jeopardizing the safe operations of our facilities and the safety of the public.”

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

The investigation was conducted by the Savannah Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Georgia Department of Corrections Investigative Unit; the Brantley County Sheriff’s Office; the Ware County Sheriff’s Office; the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office; the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office; the Charlton County Sheriff’s Office; and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank M. Pennington II and OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County woman has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to the violent armed robbery of a vendor stocking an automatic teller machine.

Shannan Barnwell, 25, of Savannah, was sentenced to 170 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Interference with Interstate Commerce by Robbery; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Barnwell to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“It is extraordinarily fortunate that no one was hurt during this robbery,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The sentence imposed by the court is a direct consequence of Barnwell’s decision to put innocent individuals’ lives in danger for her own financial gain.”

As described in court documents and testimony, a vendor was restocking an automatic teller machine on Burroughs Street in Savannah on Sept. 27, 2022, when Barnwell brandished a handgun and declared a robbery. As Barnwell took containers of cash from the vendor, the attendant drew his firearm and Barnwell ran away, firing two shots with one striking the ATM. No individuals were struck by gunfire, and the vendor did not fire his weapon.

Savannah police officers located and arrested Barnwell at a nearby park, and recovered the cash receptacles and two pistols that Barnwell had dropped as she fled. At the time of the robbery, Barnwell was on parole from a previous conviction for armed robbery and carjacking, and her sentence will be served consecutive to the incarceration for the state parole violation.

“Barnwell terrorized and threatened her innocent victim,” said FBI Savannah Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke. “This lengthy prison sentence hopefully provides some peace to the victim by ensuring Barnwell cannot terrorize anyone for decades to come.”

The Savannah Police Department and the FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Criminal Division Chief E. Gregory Gilluly Jr. and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese.

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Columbia County man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for creating sexually explicit images of children.

Edmund Brown, 36, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 360 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Brown to pay $113,460.25 in restitution, serve 20 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“By creating sexually explicit images of minors, Edmund Brown has sentenced these victims to a lifetime of trauma,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Although this prosecution will not erase that trauma, it will hold him accountable for his predatory behavior.”

As described in court documents and testimony, agents from Homeland Security Investigations reviewed images found on multiple electronic devices seized from Brown in May 2022 and discovered Brown had used his cell phone and a hidden camera to capture sexually explicit images of two children during a more than two-year period.

Brown later was charged via information and pled guilty in U.S. District Court in March 2023.

“Every time one of these disturbing images is shared or viewed it revictimizes a helpless child and prevents them from healing,” said HSI Atlanta acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting our vulnerable population from exploitation.”

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County man convicted of murder after his indictment on federal drug trafficking charges has been sentenced to federal prison for fentanyl and heroin trafficking.

Dyanta Samuels, 25, of Savannah, was sentenced to 149 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Heroin, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker ordered the sentence to run consecutively with the life sentence Samuels is serving in state prison, and for Samuels to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his federal prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“This investigation took an illegal drug merchant off the streets along with numerous firearms that are dangerous tools of the violent drug trade,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We commend our law enforcement partners for outstanding work in bringing Samuels and his co-defendants to justice.”

As described in court documents and testimony, the Savannah Police Department and a U.S. Marshals Task Force were conducting surveillance at a Savannah apartment complex in April 2021 regarding a suspect in a homicide when they observed activity consistent with drug trafficking. Four individuals left the apartment complex in three vehicles, and subsequent traffic stops and searches of those vehicles yielded large amounts of marijuana and fentanyl, along with cash, multiple firearms, and ammunition.

In a search of the apartment, investigators found drug trafficking paraphernalia, quantities of heroin and fentanyl, multiple firearms, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Samuels’ plea agreement includes the forfeiture of eight firearms, including semi-automatic pistols and assault-style rifles, along with ammunition and multiple high-capacity magazines.

Samuels and three co-defendants were indicted in May 2022 by a U.S. District Court grand jury. While under indictment, Samuels was convicted in state court for the 2020 shooting death of Kareem Samuels in Savannah, and is serving a life sentence in Jenkins Correctional Facility.

One co-defendant, Shantanese Anderson, 28, of Savannah, is serving a 37-month sentence after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. Two other defendants facing similar charges – Samuels’ girlfriend, Kya Key, 23, of Savannah, and Ismail Maxwell, 26, of Savannah – await sentencing after pleading guilty to similar charges.

“Our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office is key to the Savannah Police Department’s ability to prevent those who choose to bring violence and drugs to our neighborhoods from being able to do so,” said Savannah Police Chief Lenny Gunther. “This is yet another example of how much we can accomplish through collaboration.”

 The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Frank M. Pennington II.

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Burke County man has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting he coerced a child to produce sexually explicit images.

Keyshawn Omar Cooper, 21, of Waynesboro, Ga., was sentenced to 200 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Production of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Cooper to pay $3,000 in restitution, and to serve 15 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender after completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“This predatory crime represents a nightmare scenario for parents whose children connect with others to play games over the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Thanks to the vigilance of one of those parents and diligent law enforcement partners, Keyshawn Cooper is no longer a danger to children.”

As described in court, in May 9, 2021, Cooper communicated via an internet application with an 11-year-old child in Missouri, and persuaded the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating visual depictions that the victim then sent to Cooper. The child’s mother discovered the activity and reported it to police in Cape Girardeau, Mo., who enlisted the assistance of the FBI in identifying and locating Cooper.

The investigation determined that the child and Cooper met online while playing the “Grand Theft Auto” video game, and Cooper pretended to be a young girl to persuade the child to send sexually explicit photos. Agents found those images, along with other sexually explicit images of children, saved on a phone seized from Cooper.

“The internet is a very important and useful resource, but unfortunately can also be used for illegal activity as criminals like Cooper seek to prey on the most vulnerable of our population,” said Brian Ozden, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Let this be a reminder to parents and caregivers, people can pretend to be anyone online, and you need to remain vigilant with monitoring your child’s online gaming activity and educating them about the risks of communicating with strangers.”

The case was investigated by the Cape Girardeau, Mo., Police Department and the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

SAVANNAH, GA:  As part of a coordinated nationwide effort to fight COVID-19 fraud, the Southern District of Georgia has taken action against individuals who illegally obtained nearly $11 million in funds intended to help struggling small businesses during the global pandemic.

As announced by U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg, and in conjunction with the Justice Department’s nationwide effort, the Southern District of Georgia conducted more than 20 enforcement actions from May through July 2023, involving a total of $10.9 million in alleged COVID-19 relief fraud.

“Funding through the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided more than more than $650 billion to assist small businesses navigating the financial challenges of the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Unfortunately, fraudsters tapped into this program for their own profit, and this nationwide effort seeks to hold them accountable for their widespread fraud.”

The CARES act provided small business assistance primarily with grants and forgivable loans available through the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). The Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office, working with its law enforcement partners, conducted multiple enforcement actions during the May-June period including:

• Kamario Thomas, 42, of Augusta, Ga., was sentenced to 38 months in prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering. Thomas submitted more than 60 fraudulent loan applications for pandemic relief and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks for his fraud. Thomas was ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $4,546,945. 
• Bernard Okojie, 41, of McDonough, Ga., was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering after a three-day jury trial. As detailed during trial, Okojie used information for non-existent companies to file more than 20 fraudulent loan applications for pandemic relief aid, causing losses in excess of $3.5 million. He awaits sentencing. 
• Jacqueline Somesso, 55, of Savannah, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for Bank Fraud and Misprision of a felony. Somesso submitted a fake pandemic relief loan application resulting in losses of $570,736.87. She was ordered to pay restitution in this amount and to forfeit a money judgment in that amount. The Court also entered a consent order forfeiting her interest in a certificate of deposit of $350,236.54 and a bank account of $3,520.91, both containing fraud money seized from her during the investigation. 
• Kyle Waldron, 58, of Douglas, Ga., received service of a civil forfeiture complaint arising from his filing of numerous fraudulent loans applications for pandemic relief aid. The complaint seeks forfeiture of $326,461.33, the amount of fraud money seized from his bank account. 
• A civil forfeiture complaint was filed and continues to be litigated concerning an Atlanta condominium on Peachtree Road Northwest. This property, valued at $328,000, was purchased with money obtained fraudulently through pandemic relief loans. 

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

These cases were investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

The enforcement actions were prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew A. Josephson, Jennifer A. Stanley, Ryan C. Grover, Lindsay Berman-Hansell, J. Bishop Ravenel, Alex Hamner, Marcella Mateo, David H. Estes, and Senior Litigation Counsel Jennifer G. Solari.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County man has been convicted after trial for the robbery of a Savannah bank.

Omar Lockhart, 35, of Savannah, was found guilty after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court of Bank Robbery, a charge that subjects Lockhart to a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

In addition, the jury found Lockhart guilty of Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence, which subjects him to an additional seven years in prison consecutive to the sentence for bank robbery. The jury also found Lockhart guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Omar Lockhart terrorized the employees of a business by brandishing a gun during a robbery,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We commend our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in safely bringing him to justice.”

As described at trial, Lockhart entered the Synovus Bank on Paulsen Street in Savannah on March 7, 2022, produced a pistol, and pointed it at a teller. He declared he was robbing the bank and handed grocery bags to the teller, demanding the money in her drawer. He then took the money and left the bank, telling everyone to “have a nice day.”

Savannah Police officers and the FBI later located Lockhart at a Savannah hotel where he had paid cash to rent a room and arrested him after a brief standoff with the SWAT team.

Lockhart remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. will schedule sentencing following completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.

“No one should ever be terrorized physically or emotionally, like the victims in this armed robbery, simply because they work at a business or patronize that business,” said FBI Savannah RA Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Will Clarke. “We are committed to keep our communities safe from violence and seek justice for the victims of these crimes.”

The case was investigated by the Chatham County Police Department, the Savannah Police Department, and the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and John P. Harper III.

STATESBORO, GA:  A former Candler County bank teller faces prison time and substantial restitution after pleading guilty to skimming money from a convenience store’s deposits.

Kayla Monroe Evans, 32, of Metter, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Bank Fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Evans to a statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, along with substantial fines and restitution, followed by up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Bank customers count on their financial institutions to operate with honesty and integrity, and Kayla Evans violated that trust,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This plea offers assurance that Evans will be held accountable for her theft.”

As described in the plea agreement and in court, Evans worked as a teller for the Synovus Bank in Metter, where a local convenience store kept its account. An auditor for the store began noticing substantial discrepancies between the amount of cash presented to the bank for deposit compared to the amount credited to the store and worked with the bank to determine the cause.

A subsequent investigation found that from July 2019 through February 2021, Evans personally handled the store’s deposits, frequently skimming large amounts of cash for her personal use from the amount presented and crediting a smaller deposit to the store. In total, Evans stole approximately $87,748 from the convenience store’s deposits.  As part of her plea, Evans agrees to pay restitution for the full loss caused by her criminal conduct, and to never seek employment in any financial institution.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing in the case following a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services. 

“We are pleased to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing to justice those who commit bank fraud for their own personal gain,” said Brian Tucker, Special Agent in Charge, Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The federal investigation was led by the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The investigation received support from the Candler County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office for the Middle Judicial Circuit, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Josephson.

SAVANNAH, GA: Three people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal charges including illegal possession of firearms. 

The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.

“A key factor in our fight against violent crime is to remove guns from the hands of those who are prohibited from possessing them – particularly convicted felons,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We commend our law enforcement partners for their diligent work in keeping our streets safe.”  

In the past four years, more than 800 defendants have been prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

Those indicted during the August term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:

• Tommy Cowart, 60, of Statesboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
• Donyah Rayquan Hardaway, 27, of Statesboro, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of a Stolen Firearm; and,
• Jamell Williams, 44, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.

Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

• Olajuwon Raheem Williams, 25, of Augusta, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Williams after he threatened to shoot up his ex-girlfriend’s home and fled from police while firing at the pursuing officer with an AR-style pistol. Williams was previously convicted of armed robbery.
• Tyrique Marquez Mills, 25, of Waycross, Ga., was sentenced to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Mills was wanted on felony warrants related to a shooting when he was arrested in July 2022 by Waycross Police officers who found a loaded pistol in his pocket.
• Horatio Trimane Bynes, 65, of Augusta, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $2,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found drugs, cash, and a .357 caliber revolver in Bynes’ car during a traffic stop.
• Javonte Deshawn Washington, 30, of Savannah, was sentenced to 44 months in prison after pleading guilty to Straw Purchase of a Firearm. In his plea, Washington agreed that in November 2022 he aided and abetted Nygeria Tasheema Brown, 32, of Savannah, in purchasing a semi-automatic pistol for Washington from a Chatham County gun store even though he knew that, as a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Garden City police officers found Washington in possession of the gun later that month when responding to a report of a man pointing a gun at motorists outside an apartment complex. Brown awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm.
• Dequan Donte Payne, 31, of Augusta, was sentenced to 110 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s investigators arrested Payne in March 2022 after finding drugs and guns during a search of his residence as part of a drug investigation. Payne previously was convicted of armed robbery.
• Daquan Marquise Rolack, 25, of Grovetown, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Richmond County deputies arrested Rolack as part of Operation Grace during a June 2022 traffic stop in which they found Rolack in possession of a pistol while engaging in drug trafficking.
• Daquan Minor, 32, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers found a pistol in Minor’s possession during an August 2022 traffic stop. Minor previously was convicted of illegal gun possession and drug trafficking offenses.
• Joquan K. Clark, 25, of Waynesboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Waynesboro Police officers responding to a domestic dispute arrested Clark after finding a pistol in his pocket.
• Jovonn Courtney Stokes, 26, of Springfield, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to three counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and one count of Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. In his plea agreement, Stokes admitted that he brandished a handgun while robbing two Chatham County convenience stores and an Effingham County convenience store in November and December 2022.
• Stephan Dewaine Jackson, 28, of Brunswick, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Glynn County Police officers found a pistol in Jackson’s vehicle during a January 2022 traffic stop.   
• Tyrell Smith, 32, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Smith, who had an active arrest warrant related to a Savannah shooting, ran from police who arrested him when they found him carrying a pistol.
• Isaac Wilford Stewart, 23, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Waynesboro Police officers found a pistol in the floorboard of Stewart’s vehicle in October 2022 after an attempted traffic stop led to a chase and crash. 
• Tyrone Dion Lyons Sr., 39, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies and U.S. Marshals found a pistol in Lyons’ vehicle while serving a warrant for his arrest on Gwinnett County, Ga., charges.  
• Jared Tyrese Adger, 23, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment. In June 2022, Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies found Adger in possession of two firearms during a traffic stop as part of Operation Grace.
• William Beau Devore, 21, of Martinez, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Devore in January 2022 as a suspect in a burglary, and determined that he was illegally in possession of five guns.

Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol.

The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. 

For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

Homeland Security Investigations

 

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Georgia man has been indicted on multiple child exploitation charges, and investigators are seeking information from individuals who might have had prior contact with the defendant.

Todd Eric Sisk, 48, of Baxley, Ga., is charged via federal indictment with Attempted Production of Child Pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction of 15 years in prison, up to 30. He also is charged with Distribution of Child Pornography, Possession of Child Pornography, and Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

“We are committed to protecting our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we will strive to keep our children and our communities safe.”

After initiating an investigation into suspicious online activity in November 2021, the Walton County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office identified Sisk as a suspect and contacted investigators from Homeland Security Investigations in Savannah for assistance.

HSI investigators found suspected child sexual abuse material on Sisk’s cell phone and in online applications. Sisk was indicted on federal charges in July, and currently is in custody awaiting further court proceedings.

Sisk works as a truck driver with regular routes to Atlanta and Charleston, with occasional trips to Alabama and Tennessee. He previously lived in Ohio and in multiple locations in Florida and Georgia. HSI investigators are seeking information from anyone who might have had contact with Sisk. Those with information are asked to call the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423.

An indictment contains only charges, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Walton County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Baxley Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A California man has been found guilty at trial for his role in a conspiracy to steal aircraft design and testing information in a plot to shorten the regulatory approval process for another company’s aircraft technology.

Juan Martinez, 53, of Yorba Linda, California, was convicted after a five-day trial in U.S. District Court in Savannah on one count of Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The conviction subjects Martinez to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“The conspirators in this case schemed to abuse a position of trust inside a major company in the Southern District of Georgia in order to steal proprietary engineering information to provide an unfair advantage to competing products,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We commend the hard work of our law enforcement partners in bringing this investigation and prosecution to a successful conclusion.”

As the evidence showed at trial, Martinez was a contractor who worked as a technical lead for a small aeronautics company. He and the other co-conspirators schemed to steal proprietary trade secret information from a large aircraft company for use in developing and marketing their own technology, with the intent to market and sell that technology to the true owner’s competitors.   

U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker will schedule sentencing for Martinez upon completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.

Two of the conspirators are serving federal prison terms after pleading guilty in the case. Craig German, 60, of Kernersville, North Carolina, is serving 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets, plus 20 months for Perjury and False Statements to a Government Agency for providing false information during testimony given in his first sentencing. Gilbert Basaldua, 63, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is serving 80 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property.

The fourth conspirator, Joseph Pascua, 61, of Escondido, California, awaits sentencing after being found guilty at trial in February for Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets. His conviction is under appeal.

“Martinez was a part of a bold scheme to steal the secrets of a U.S. company rather than commit to putting in the money and hard work necessary to succeed on his own,” said Will Clarke, Senior Resident of FBI Atlanta's Savannah office. “As this conviction proves, the FBI is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting anyone who engages in illegal and deceptive practices to steal protected information.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard and Senior Litigation Counsel Jennifer G. Solari. 

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Columbia County man has been indicted on federal charges involving a scheme to sell expensive computer equipment to more than 30 customers who never received their orders.

Steven Drawdy, 39, of Grovetown, Ga., was indicted in U.S. District Court on one count of Wire Fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Even though this alleged scheme involves complicated computer technology, at its core this is still just a case of taking money for goods that weren’t provided,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “With our law enforcement partners, we will work to protect consumers from schemes designed to steal their money.”

The indictment in the case alleges that from about August 2021 through April 2022, Drawdy participated in an online cryptocurrency discussion forum, and received approximately $1 million from at least 30 victims who believed they were paying Drawdy to provide them with cryptocurrency “mining” computers.

The indictment further alleges that after receiving payment in cryptocurrency for the orders, Drawdy would eventually cease communicating with the customers. In some cases, he would offer a partial refund but would require the customer to pay a fee to receive the refund – and then would provide neither the refund nor the computer.

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

The FBI is asking anyone who might have been a victim of the scheme to call 706-722-3702.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer A. Stanley.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A retired U.S. Army soldier has been indicted for the July crash into Fort Stewart’s Third Infantry Division Headquarters building.

Treamon Dominic Lacy, 39, of Dublin, Ga., is charged with Damage to Government Property and Theft of Government Money, Property, or Records, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges subject Lacy to a potential statutory sentence of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution.

The indictment alleges that on July 10, Lacy stole a Humvee from a motor pool at Fort Stewart and drove into the front doors of the U.S. Army’s Third Infantry Division Headquarters, damaging the building.

Lacy had access to Fort Stewart as a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant.

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

The case is being investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Z. Spitulnik.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A south Georgia man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for distributing sexually explicit images of children.

Gary Kreitzman, 36, of Nahunta, Ga., was sentenced to 142 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Kreitzman to register as a sex offender and to serve 10 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Children are re-victimized every time sexually exploitive images are shared,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable the predators who endanger our most vulnerable citizens.”

As described in court documents and testimony, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in July 2020, alerting agents to images of child pornography being transferred through an online chat application. The investigation led the agents to Kreitzman’s residence, and during a search of the property, agents seized multiple electronic devices with hundreds of sexually explicit images of children. Kreitzman told investigators that he shared the images in the online chat application to gain access to more images.

“The GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit is committed to protecting children from these predators,” said Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “This federal prison sentence illustrates the results of a strong and united partnership amongst local, state, and federal agencies.”

The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Brantley County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Kirkland.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

SAVANNAH, GA: The leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed kilos of cocaine and large amounts of other illegal drugs throughout the coastal Georgia area has been sentenced to more than 25 years in federal prison, concluding prosecution of Operation Deadlier Catch.

Joseph Bulloch, a/k/a “Lil Joe,” 34, of Savannah, was sentenced to 310 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 28 Grams or More of Crack Cocaine, and Quantities of Heroin and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearms by a Convicted Felon; and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Bulloch to serve five of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Our law enforcement partners in Operation Deadlier Catch did outstanding work in identifying and shutting down this large-scale drug trafficking network, removing a threat of illegal drugs and its attendant violence from our community,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We will continue to coordinate our efforts to protect our neighborhoods from dangerous drugs.”

Operation Deadlier Catch, as described in court documents and the December 2020 indictment in USA v. Bulloch et al., infiltrated the drug trafficking network to trace the source of supply and points of distribution in the greater Savannah area. The operation, led by investigators from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, and the Savannah Police Department, culminated in a series of searches in which agents seized more than 24 kilograms of cocaine, more than 180 pounds of marijuana, 3 kilograms of heroin, and more than a dozen firearms – many of them illegally possessed by previously convicted felons.

The indictment named 29 defendants on 27 felony counts, and with the exception of one defendant who remains a fugitive, all of the defendants pled guilty to felony charges and have been sentenced, most of them to substantial prison terms. In addition to Bulloch, key figures sentenced in the operation include:

• Ildelfonso Sanchez-Inzunza, 32, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States, sentenced to 125 months in prison followed by deportation after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Heroin; Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien; and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. The investigation identified Sanchez-Inzunza as a representative of the California-based source of supply for the drug traffickers. Agents who searched Sanchez-Inzunza’s Savannah residence found large quantities of drugs including more than 16 kilograms of cocaine and three kilograms of heroin, along with nearly $200,000 in cash.
• Kashif Collins, a/k/a “Fat Boy,” 36, of Savannah, sentenced to 220 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Cocaine; and, two counts of Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Collins managed “stash houses” and coordinated deliveries to lower-level drug dealers.
• Jontae Keel, a/k/a “Blyha,” 31, of Savannah, sentenced to 151 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, 50 Kilograms of More of Marijuana. Keel’s mother, Joann Keel Robinson, a/k/a “Ma Dukes,” 55, of Savannah, and three brothers, Javontae Parrish, 32, Joseph Parrish III, 31, and Jashavious Keel, 29, all of Savannah, also were sentenced after pleading guilty to charges in the conspiracy. 

One defendant, Jarnard Williams, 32, of Savannah, remains a fugitive. He is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 28 Grams or More of Crack Cocaine, and an Amount of Marijuana. He is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.  

“Thanks to the hard work and collaboration of our law enforcement partners, one of the leaders of this extensive drug distribution network will spend significant time behind bars,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Bulloch and his co-defendants were a plague in the community with their drugs, guns, and violence and the FBI is committed to removing every single one of these predators from our streets.”

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, said “This career criminal can no longer distribute dangerous drugs as he now faces serious time for both his drug crimes and violent criminal conduct.”

“This investigation is a prime example of what happens when law enforcement agencies pool their resources together to achieve a common goal of protecting communities from the many perils of illegal and dangerous drugs,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Protecting the nation’s mail system from criminal misuse is core to the mission of the Postal Inspection Service, and I commend the hard work by all of our partners to bring these individuals to justice.”

“Combating narcotics in our community continues to be our core mission. The sentencing of Mr. Bulloch and his co-defendants, along with the dismantlement of his distribution network, signifies our relentless pursuit to eradicate the presence of this poison and violent crime throughout our community,” said Michael G. Sarhatt, Director of the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team. “Today is the result of a strong working relationship between Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics, the FBI, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Savannah Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s office. It is our promise to continue our commitment to keeping our streets safe and clean.”

“Thanks to extensive and trusting partnerships, a dangerous criminal will now be behind bars for decades,” said Savannah Police Chief Lenny Gunther. “Our department is committed to continued focus on partnerships and relationships to help yield similar outcomes into the future.”

Operation Deadlier Catch was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Agencies investigating the case included the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, and the Savannah Police Department. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Pennington II.

DUBLIN, GA:  A former Dublin, Ga., resident is being sought internationally on multiple federal charges alleging he orchestrated a scheme that misdirected more than $30 million donated for Christian ministry in China.

Jason Gerald Shenk, 45, is charged in a newly unsealed federal indictment with four counts of Wire Fraud; three counts of International Concealment Money Laundering; 13 counts of Concealment Money Laundering; 21 counts of Money Laundering Involving Transactions Greater than $10,000; and one count of Failure to File Report of Foreign Bank Account, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Conviction on the charges would subject Shenk to statutory penalties of up to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of any property involved in or traceable to the offenses, substantial financial penalties, and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence.

There is no parole in the federal system.

Warrants have been issued for Shenk’s arrest. He is considered innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

“When people of faith donate money for evangelistic purposes, they reasonably expect those who solicit their donations to act as faithful stewards of those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This case alleges an egregious breach of that trust at the expense of multiple charities and individual donors.”

As spelled out in the indictment, Shenk is alleged to have planned and executed a scheme in which he obtained more than $30 million from faith-based charities and individual donors, primarily from religious communities in Ohio and North Carolina, based on his promises that he would use the funds for producing and distributing Bibles and Christian literature in the People’s Republic of China.

Instead, the indictment alleges Shenk converted a significant amount of the funds to his own use, including:

• Payments of approximately $1 million to an online sports gambling website;
• Purchases of equity shares of approximately $850,000 in a privately held nuclear energy company;
• Approximately $4 million in purchases of at least 16 life insurance policies in various people’s names;
• Purchases of diamonds, gold, and precious metals in amounts totaling approximately $1 million;
• Purchases of domestic and foreign stocks totaling more than $188,000;
• Payments of approximately $7 million to the company running Shenk’s family farm;
• Purchases on at least 10 personal credit cards totaling more than $820,000; and,
• Purchases of $320,000 in real estate in the “Galt’s Gulch” development in Santiago, Chile.

The indictment alleges Shenk obtained approximately $22 million from one charitable organization and its donors, and approximately $10 million from another charity and its donors, along with other donations from individuals. The funds were directed to a variety of shell corporations as a result of Shenk’s claims to those religious communities that he was a missionary dedicated to various Christian mission projects around the world and would use the funding to produce and distribute Bibles and Christian literature in China.

Companies that served as conduits for these donations included Morning Star Ministries, with a bank account in Dublin, Ga.; Connect Connect Asia BV, with multiple bank accounts in Singapore; CLF Asia Limited, owner of a bank account in Hong Kong; Autumnvale Group Limited, owner of multiple bank accounts in Singapore; BCB International LLC, an entity registered in Georgia with bank accounts in the United States; Heartland Plantations LLC, an entity registered in Georgia with bank accounts in the United States; Global Paradigm LTD, an entity associated with bank accounts in the United States; and Shenkland LLC, an entity registered in North Carolina and owner of bank accounts in the United States.

The indictment alleges Shenk perpetrated the scheme from as early as April 2010 until July 2019, and that Shenk renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2016 to avoid financial reporting requirements under federal law.

If you believe you sent money directly or indirectly to Jason Gerald Shenk or one of the entities listed in the indictment for charitable purposes, please contact federal authorities at 478-752-6810. In addition, if you have information regarding the whereabouts of Jason Gerald Shenk, please contact federal authorities at this same number.  

The case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Josephson.

us_dis_gasd_3_22cr19_indictment_as_to_jason_gerald_shenk.pdf

SAVANNAH, GA: Four people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal charges including illegal possession of firearms. 

The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally carry guns.

“In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to the safety and security of our communities,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Removing guns from the hands of violent criminals and convicted felons makes all of us safer.”  

In the past four years, more than 835 defendants have been federally prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

Those indicted during the July term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:

• Marqus Jamal Flanders, 37, of Brunswick, charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and MDMA; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
• Jonathan Duncan, 38, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
• Jaques B. Pope, 31, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and,
• Chester Morgan, 53, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firarm by a Convicted Felon.

Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

• Marshall Lee Cushman, 39, of Augusta, was sentenced to 180 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent retrieved a rifle from an Avera, Ga., residence in September 2021, and Cushman admitted leaving the gun there. Cushman has multiple prior felony convictions.
• Taipai La’Don Brewer, 43, of Augusta, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Brewer in July 2022 after finding a pistol and drugs in his car during a traffic stop as part of the Operation Grace investigation of gang-related crimes in the Augusta area.
• Trevor Elijah Walker, 24, of Augusta, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies were attempting to serve arrest warrants on Walker in November 2019 when he ran away, dropping a pistol as he fled.
• Terrance Webster Dunn, 32, of Augusta, was sentenced to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Dunn was arrested in October 2022 when Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies investigated a report of a man riding a bike in a shopping center parking lot, taking photos of himself while holding a pistol and found Dunn with a pistol in his waistband. Dunn was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest for a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
• Lear A. Williams, 33, of Savannah, was sentenced to 54 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers in September 2022 were investigating reports of a man selling drugs when they found a pistol and ammunition in Williams’ possession.
• Carl Williams, 52, of Savannah, was sentenced to 31 months in prison and fined $4,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Investigators from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division searched Williams’ residence as part of an investigation into stolen military equipment and found three semiautomatic pistols in Williams’ possession. Williams previously pled guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Connecticut on a felony charge of Conspiracy to Traffic in Stolen Government Property for receiving and reselling gun sights and night-vision equipment stolen from the U.S. Navy.
• Devonte Malik Jorame, 25, of Aiken, S.C., was sentenced to 28 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and 40 hours of community service after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Jorame in June 2022 after finding a pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop as part of Operation Grace. Jorame has prior state criminal convictions for domestic violence and gun possession.
• James Travon Walker, 22, of Savannah, was sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Chatham County Police officers arrested Walker while responding to a report of a vehicle break-in and found a backpack belonging to Walker containing two pistols stolen from the vehicle.
• Donald D. Walker, 28, of Hinesville, Ga., was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to False Statement During Attempted Purchase of a Firearm. Walker denied being under indictment when he signed forms required for buying a gun at a Hinesville gun store. Walker’s criminal history includes convictions for assault and family violence.
• Kerry Akeem Milledge, 37, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Milledge was charged in March 2022 by Savannah Police after a traffic stop of a car in which officers found multiple firearms, drugs and cash in the vehicle. Milledge has multiple prior convictions involving guns and drugs. A passenger in the vehicle, Antron Ozier Charles, 19, of Pooler, Ga., was sentenced to five years’ probation after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana.
• Johnny Harris, 23, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He was arrested in October 2022 by Savannah Police officers investigating reports of shots fired near Frazier Homes, and determined Harris possessed an assault-style pistol while fleeing the area. Harris previously was convicted of illegal gun possession.  
• Danny Swinney, 29, of Buford, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to False Statement During Purchase of Firearm. As described in court, Swinney acknowledged acting as a straw purchaser to buy five handguns and shotgun from a Camden County pawn shop. Those guns were recovered days later in New Jersey.

Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol.

The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. 

For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County man has been sentenced to decades in federal prison after pleading guilty to production of child pornography.

Perry Williams III, 24, of Savannah, was sentenced to 360 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of Production of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Williams to pay restitution of $3,000, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Protecting our most vulnerable citizens from harm and exploitation is of paramount importance – and that requires stopping predators and removing them from our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This substantial prison sentence will help ensure our community’s safety.”

As described in court documents and testimony, Savannah Police officers were alerted in January 2022 when a woman discovered videos on Williams’ phone showing the sexual exploitation of a child. During a subsequent search of Williams’ residence, investigators found videos and other evidence that Williams had used his phone to record four videos in which he performed sexually explicit acts on a child.

“Protecting the children in our communities remains a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Acting Special Agent in charge Travis Pickard, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “This sentence is a testament that HSI remains committed to identifying and holding accountable individuals who prey on our most vulnerable population.”

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. Kirkland. 

final_executed_npa_and_civil_settlement_letter_and_agreement.pdf

 

SAVANNAH, GA:  An Ohio company and its Tennessee subsidiary have agreed to pay nearly $4 million to resolve criminal and civil claims related to illegal labor practices reported by a whistleblower who was murdered for revealing the scheme.

Davey Tree Expert Company, of Ohio, and its subsidiary, Wolf Tree, Inc., entered into a non-prosecution and settlement agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to resolve criminal and civil claims stemming from immigration and employment violations.

“Eliud Montoya attempted to expose a scheme where his employer and supervisors profited from the use of unauthorized laborers,” said U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg. “His killers have been convicted and sentenced for their crimes, and this settlement holds the corporate entities financially accountable.” 

The terms of the settlement with Davey Tree and Wolf Tree require a payment of $3,984,325.44 to the U.S. government to resolve all criminal and civil claims against the companies, which includes restitution to the victim’s estate for lost future income and to another employee for back wages. The settlement amount also includes forfeiture of $1,136,521.19 in payments from the companies’ contracts with Georgia Power, and a civil penalty of $1,500,000.

Pablo Rangel-Rubio and his brother, Juan Rangel-Rubio, along with Higinio Perez-Bravo, are citizens of Mexico illegally present in the United States. Pablo and Juan Rangel-Rubio were illegally employed at Wolf Tree, a company under contract to Georgia Power to trim trees along power line rights-of-way in the Savannah, Ga., area.

As determined at trial in October 2022, Pablo Rangel-Rubio, a supervisor at Wolf Tree, led a conspiracy to employ illegal aliens to work for the company, and provided those illegal aliens with assumed identities. The conspirators routed the workers’ paychecks to their own bank accounts where they skimmed a portion of the pay for themselves and paid the illegal aliens in cash to avoid detection. They also created fake employee accounts and directed that pay to themselves.

Eliud Montoya, also an employee of Wolf Tree, reported the illegal activity to the company and to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the conspirators shot and killed him near his home. The conspirators are serving federal prison sentences for their roles in Montoya’s murder

The companies allegedly conducted an audit of their employee files and determined that a percentage of their employees did not or could not provide sufficient documentation to demonstrate their authorization to be employed in the United States. The agreement resolves the government’s allegations that the companies unlawfully employed unauthorized workers and failed to verify their authorization status. The settled civil claims are allegations only and do not constitute admissions of liability by the settling parties.

“This labor exploitation scheme not only exploited our nation’s labor laws, but also led to the death of a whistleblower. Hopefully, the settlement sends a message to anyone involved in such activity that they will not go unpunished and that there is hope for anyone experiencing this horrible situation,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Protecting the integrity of the nation’s immigration and labor laws from those looking to circumvent them is of vital importance and HSI prioritizes this mission.”

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations. The United States was represented by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys, including AUSAs Tania D. Groover and Bradford C. Patrick.

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Criminal charges have been filed in the Southern District of Georgia against a Florida man as part of the Department of Justice’s 2023 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.

“These enforcement actions, including against one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever prosecuted by the Justice Department, represent our intensified efforts to combat fraud and prosecute the individuals who profit from it,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will find and bring to justice criminals who seek to defraud Americans and steal from taxpayer-funded programs.” 

“This nationwide enforcement action demonstrates that the Criminal Division is committed to fighting health care fraud and opioid abuse by prosecuting those who allegedly exploit patients and health care benefit programs for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement includes some of the largest and most complex cases that the Department has prosecuted, and demonstrates the Department’s commitment to seeking justice for those at all levels of the healthcare industry who put profits above patient care, from professionals in doctors’ offices to executives in corporate boardrooms.” 

“In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to protecting the integrity of our nation’s health care system and medical safety net programs from those who would exploit them for profit,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

The charges announced during the 2023 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement sweep that resulted in criminal charges against 78 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of more than $2.5 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled, and, in some cases, used the proceeds of the schemes to purchase luxury items, including exotic automobiles and yachts.

In the Southern District of Georgia, Christopher Ciani, 40, of Land O’ Lakes, Fla., is charged via Information with one criminal count of Conspiracy. The information alleges that Ciani, in 2019, operated a company called Ciani Medical Solutions and conspired with others in a scheme targeted at the Medicare program. As alleged in the information, Ciani brokered relationships between laboratories and various marketing groups that recruited Medicare beneficiaries and sent doctors’ orders and specimens for genetic testing to the laboratories in exchange for approximately $1.4 million in illegal kickbacks and bribes. The case is being prosecuted by Acting Assistant Chief Brynn Schiess of the Dallas Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Grover of the Southern District of Georgia.

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

Descriptions of other cases involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2023-national-hcf-court-documents.

The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Strike Forces in Brooklyn, Dallas, Detroit, the Gulf Coast, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, and Tampa; the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response Strike Force; the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Georgia, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, District of Idaho, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of Ohio, District of South Carolina, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Washington, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and the State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team.

The Fraud Section uses the Victim Notification System to provide victims with case information and updates related to cases charged by the Fraud Section in the National Enforcement Action. Victims with questions may contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Assistance Unit by calling the Victim Assistance phone line at 1-888-549-3945 or by emailing victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov.

STATESBORO, GA: The co-owner of multiple bars and a restaurant in Georgia has been sentenced to federal prison for tax evasion. 

Eugene R. Britt III, aka Trey Britt, 53, of Milledgeville, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Tax Evasion, as jointly announced by Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg of the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randall Hall also ordered Britt to pay $362,249.53 in restitution and a fine of $10,000, and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Trey Britt created a scheme to illegally withhold profits that should have been remitted to the U.S. Treasury,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Avoiding the obligation of paying taxes places a greater burden on all law-abiding taxpayers, and Britt is being held accountable for his actions.”

As described in court documents and testimony, Britt engaged in a scheme to evade taxes owed to the IRS on income from multiple bars and a restaurant he and others owned near college campuses in Georgia. As part of the scheme, Britt and others disguised their ownership in the bars by causing each establishment to be owned on paper by a single person. Britt and the other true owners then shared in the profits by skimming cash and disbursing it amongst themselves.

Britt personally controlled the distribution of cash for three of the establishments. As part of his guilty plea, Britt acknowledged that for approximately two decades he skimmed cash from his bars and restaurants and did not report it on his tax returns.

Additionally, Britt admitted to engaging in a similar cash skimming operation with respect to sales of beer at a music festival in 2015. Britt ensured that his individual tax return was false because he did not inform his accountant of the cash he received from the bars and the music festival during this year.

“Business owners have a responsibility to accurately report their income and not doing so is unlawful,” said Lisa Fontanette, acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will pursue those who disregard that responsibility in order to steal from taxpayers and the federal government.”

“Hard-working taxpayers should not have to shoulder the burden for people like Trey Britt who fail to pay their taxes because of greed,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will work with our partners to make sure there are serious consequences for those who intentionally avoid their tax obligations.”

IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Casey Smith of the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, and the Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Office.

STATESBORO, GA:  A Richmond County man has been sentenced to federal prison for conducting a scheme to submit fraudulent applications for COVID-19 small business relief funding that netted more than $4.5 million in payments.

Kamario Thomas, 42, of Augusta, was sentenced to 38 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Thomas to pay $4,546,945 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration, and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we continue to pursue those who illegally profited from a COVID-19 program designed to help struggling small businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Kamario Thomas defrauded the government and aided other individuals in stealing money from the taxpayers, and this sentence holds him accountable.”

The 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided more than $650 billion in funding for qualifying small businesses facing financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with grants and forgivable loans available through the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).

As described in court documents and testimony, Thomas completed false and fraudulent EIDL applications for himself, and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks in return for completing and submitting fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications on behalf of others. To create those applications, Thomas fabricated IRS forms and tax records.

In total, the scheme caused the disbursement of more than $4.5 million in fraudulent CARES Act loans and grants.

“Individuals who provided fraudulent information to gain access to SBA funds intended to support eligible small businesses will face justice,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

“IRS-CI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who fraudulently received funds from programs under the CARES Act,” said Lisa Fontanette, acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Kamario Thomas’ sentencing sends a clear message that individuals who defraud the government will be held accountable.” 

“Greed has no place in the relief programs intended to aid the nation’s hardworking small business owners who struggled during the pandemic,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This sentence should serve as an example to others that the FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to stop people like Thomas who illegally profit from these programs and hurt law abiding business owners.”

The case was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer A. Stanley.

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

AUGUSTA, GA:  A former Augusta city commissioner was sentenced to prison after being found guilty at trial of destroying records in a federal investigation, and then lying about it to federal investigators researching the case.

Sammie Lee Sias, 68, of Hephzibah, Ga., the former District 4 Augusta Commissioner, was sentenced to 36 months in prison after being found guilty in July 2022. Sias was convicted of Destruction, Alteration, or Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations and False Statement or Representation Made to a Department or Agency of the United States, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Sias to pay a fine of $5,000, and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“The community trusted Sammie Sias to be an upstanding public official, and saw him as someone their community could count on for leadership,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This sentence not only will serve to deter Mr. Sias from committing any similar conduct in the future but it will also serve to deter others in similar positions from betraying the community’s trust. It’s important for the citizens of Richmond County and the Southern District of Georgia to know that their trusted public officials will be held accountable when they engage in illegal conduct. No one is above the law.”

As described in court documents and testimony, the FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in 2019 were investigating then-Commissioner Sias’ role in expenditures of Richmond County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds. An FBI special agent served Sandridge Community Association (SCA) and Sias, the SCA president, with federal subpoenas for records regarding the SCA, Jamestown Community Center, Jamestown Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), SCA Board of Directors, and SCA Summer Camp. SCA is a private organization that operates the Richmond County government-owned Jamestown Community Center, and Sias served for several years as its leader.

Within hours of the agent’s visit, Sias deleted approximately 7,000 relevant files from a laptop in his possession that belonged to the Jamestown Community Center.

Shortly thereafter, during a recorded interview with an FBI agent, Sias falsely stated that he told the agent that he had provided all files in his possession related to the investigation. A forensic examination later found evidence of those missing files on the laptop, and a U.S. District Court grand jury named Sias in a two-count felony indictment.

After four days of trial testimony, a jury deliberated for just two hours before delivering guilty verdicts on both counts of the indictment.

“This cover-up was not only a violation of the oath taken by Sias, but a theft of the public’s trust,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Public corruption is one of the FBI’s top priorities and we will do everything in our power to pursue officials who abuse their positions.”

“The conviction and sentencing of former Augusta City Commissioner Sammie Lee Sias clearly conveys that no one is above the law, especially public officials entrusted with maintaining higher ethical standards,” said Mike Register, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “Sias’s deliberate destruction of records and subsequent false statements to federal investigators demonstrate a complete disregard for the principles of accountability and transparency. The GBI, alongside our partners at the FBI, worked tirelessly to uncover the truth and ensure justice was served.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the GBI and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Criminal Division Chief Patricia G. Rhodes, and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons.

SAVANNAH, GA: Three people have been indicted in the Southern District of Georgia on felony charges including illegal firearms possession, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal charges including illegal possession of firearms. 

The cases were investigated as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally carry guns.

“In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to the safety and security of our communities,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Removing guns from the hands of violent criminals and convicted felons makes all of us safer.”  

In the past four years, more than 830 defendants have been federally prosecuted in the Southern District of Georgia for illegal firearms offenses – most often for possessing a firearm after conviction for a previous felony. That charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 15 years in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

Those indicted during the June term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include:

• Ashley Chase Lee, 40, of Alma, Ga., charged in a superseding indictment with Escape from Custody; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Stolen Firearm; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
• Thomas Antonio Heard, 36, of Washington, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and,
• Isaac Wilford Stewart, 23, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

• Ricky Maurice Johnson, 35, of Swainsboro, Ga., sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In June 2022, Johnson sped away from a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempting a traffic stop and was arrested after a brief foot chase. Savannah Police officers found a pistol Johnson dropped during the chase. Johnson has a prior felony conviction for illegal firearms possession.
• Robert Triche, 40, of Savannah, sentenced to 110 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In connection with a vehicle stop, Triche was determined to be in possession of a firearm. Triche, who previously was convicted on state drug trafficking charges, was on state parole at the time of his arrest.
• Titus Nathaniel Travis, 23, of Augusta, sentenced to 70 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Travis was on probation from a prior felony conviction in June 2022 when Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies, FBI agents and officers from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision searched Titus’ residence and found two pistols and a rifle. Travis is a member of a Bloods-affiliated criminal street gang.  
• Antonio D’Avaris Bowens, 35, of Gray, Ga., sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, relating to a prior conviction for domestic violence. U.S. Customs and Border Protection found a pistol in Bowens’ vehicle as Bowens attempted to enter the Port of Savannah in May 2022.
• Kevon Quantae Davis, 23, of Augusta, sentenced to 46 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Davis in January 2022 as part of Operation Grace, a gang-focused investigation in coordination with the FBI. A member of the Bolt Alley Drive Boyz street gang, Davis dropped a pistol while running on foot from deputies.
• Amir Dontell Foreman, 27, of Augusta, sentenced to five years’ probation and fined $1,200 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Foreman in August 2022 after finding a pistol in his vehicle during a traffic stop as part of Operation Grace.
• Christopher Washington, 53, of Savannah, sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Washington was charged after a Georgia Ports Authority officer found a firearm in Washington’s vehicle during a routine screening at a port facility in Port Wentworth, Ga. Washington has prior felony convictions for domestic violence, gun possession, and robbery.
• Kenneth Sallen, 43, of Savannah, sentenced to 56 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Sallen was arrested in July 2022 when Pooler police officers found a pistol in his waistband during a traffic stop. Sallen previously was convicted of armed robbery and was on probation for a firearms charge at the time of his arrest.
• Nicholas Robinson, 22, of Savannah, sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah Police officers arrested Robinson in March 2022 after finding two pistols in Robinson’s pockets while investigating a domestic disturbance at a motel.
• Calvin Lomont Powell Jr., 22, of Waynesboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia State Patrol troopers found a pistol, drugs, and cash in Powell’s car during a June 2022 traffic stop.
• Javonte Deshawn Washington, 30, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Straw Purchase of a Firearm. In his plea, Washington agreed that in November 2022 he aided and abetted Nygeria Tasheema Brown, 32, of Savannah, in purchasing a semi-automatic pistol for Washington from a Chatham County gun store even though he knew that, as a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Garden City police officers found Washington in possession of the gun later that month when responding to a report of a man pointing a gun at motorists outside an apartment complex. Brown awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm.
• Tekayo Spencer, 39, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Spencer in June 2022 during an investigation into a man brandishing a firearm during a domestic dispute. Spencer has convictions for assault and gun possession.
• Melvin Jamarcus Lanier, 42, of Statesboro, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Statesboro police officers arrested Lanier in January 2021 during a traffic stop after finding a pistol in his vehicle.
• Lyondo Larell Ware, a/k/a “China,” 43, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Ware was on felony probation when Richmond County deputies found a loaded pistol while searching his residence in September 2021.
• Tavares L. Freeman Jr., 22, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Freeman was arrested in August 2022 after he was seen tossing a pistol from a window of his home as Richmond County sheriff’s deputies and agents from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision arrived to conduct a search of the residence. Freeman was on probation from a state felony conviction at the time.
• Todd Joseph Harbuck, 47, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Harbuck was arrested on an outstanding warrant after a domestic violence incident in Columbia County. Harbuck has a previous federal conviction for gun possession by a convicted felon, and multiple state-level convictions for violent felonies.

Agencies investigating these cases include the ATF, the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Savannah Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Patrol.

The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. 

For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

 

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BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Ware County man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine.

Jarvis Godwin, 39, of Homerville, Ga., was sentenced to 188 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Godwin to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Methamphetamine and other highly addictive illegal drugs deliver devastation to communities, no matter how rural or populous,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “The Ware County area will be much safer with this meth merchant behind bars.”

As described in court documents and testimony, investigators from the Ware County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an investigation of Godwin’s drug trafficking activity in 2020 and documented multiple instances of Godwin selling large quantities of methamphetamine. The investigation culminated in Godwin’s indictment and arrest in September 2022. Godwin pled guilty to one count of methamphetamine distribution in December of 2022 and was scheduled for sentencing in April of 2023.

Godwin’s sentencing was delayed after investigators recovered evidence of Godwin’s continued involvement in the illicit drug trade. While in custody pending sentencing, Godwin engaged other individuals, through the use of jail communication facilities, in a conspiracy to import distributable quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana. The investigation resulted in the successful recovery of the illegal drugs before they could be further distributed.

Godwin has a long history of criminal convictions for drug offenses.

“Driven by greed, the defendant’s trafficking of methamphetamine on multiple occasions was a significant threat to the quality of life,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.  “As a result, he will have to deal with the consequences with significant time behind bars.”

“The sentencing of Jarvis Godwin for methamphetamine distribution underscores our commitment to combating the devastating impact of illegal drugs on our communities. Godwin's repeated convictions for drug offenses demonstrate his disregard for the well-being of our communities, but this outcome will contribute to a safer Ware County area,” said Mike Register, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We commend the collaborative efforts of the Ware County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and our own investigators for their dedication in bringing Godwin to justice.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Ware County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Marcela C. Mateo.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A Camden County man and woman face substantial prison terms after pleading guilty to multiple charges that concern the sexual exploitation of children.

Michael Williams Kersey, 45, of St. Mary’s, Ga., and Lesley M. Henry, 47, of Kingsland, Ga., each await sentencing after pleading guilty to multiple charges before U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Kersey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to 140 years, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Engage in Sexual Exploitation of Children; two counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children; and Possession of Child Pornography. Henry faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to 60 years, after pleading guilty to two counts of Production of Child Pornography. Each defendant also is subject to pay a special assessment of $5,000 and substantial financial penalties and restitution, serve a period of supervised release upon completion of their prison terms, and to register as sex offenders.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“It is exceptionally difficult to fathom the level of victimization of vulnerable children through the despicable acts of these defendants,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “Our law enforcement partners did exceptional work in identifying these defendants and protecting innocent children from further harm.”

FBI agents in 2020 began working to find the origin of child sexual abuse images shared through an internet messaging application, and identified Kersey as the registered user of the account. Agents searched Kersey’s home and found multiple electronic devices with hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse, and subsequently identified Henry as a codefendant. Agents determined she had produced multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse and shared them with Kersey.

Both defendants are in federal custody. Sentencing will be scheduled before Judge Wood upon completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.

“The victimization of a child is particularly heinous when the sexual predators are creating the content to share with other predators. Our office remains relentless in the pursuit to ensure the safety of our children and the punishment of their abusers,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Anyone who suspects a child is being victimized is urged to contact their local law enforcement agency or child protective services.”

The case is being investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service/Kings Bay, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Camden County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Marys Police Department, and the Kingsland Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer S. Kirkland and Criminal Division Deputy Chief Tania D. Groover.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County man has been sentenced to federal prison after an arson spree that damaged multiple vehicles, a residence, and a business.

Calvin Frank Robbins, 41, of Savannah, was sentenced to 41 months in prison after pleading guilty to Destruction of Motor Vehicles, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Robbins to pay nominal restitution, and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Calvin Frank Robbins potentially endangered dozens of lives, including those of first responders extinguishing multiple raging vehicle fires,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This sentence will hold him accountable while protecting the community.”

As described in court documents and testimony, Savannah firefighters were called to a vehicle fire on West Harris Street late in the evening on Dec. 1, 2021, and while extinguishing the fire – which also damaged a nearby building – firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the Savannah Visitor’s Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. That fire damaged a tour bus and a van in the parking lot, while another nearby fire on Purse Street damaged the front porch of an under-renovation residence owned by the Coastal Heritage Society. Other vehicles also received minor damage.

Investigators from the Savannah Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives identified Robbins from witness accounts and surveillance videos, and he was carrying a can of gasoline when agents located and arrested him several days later.

“Arson is an extremely violent crime that not only destroys property but also places firefighters, first responders and the general public at great risk,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the ATF Atlanta Field Division. “The ATF, along with the Savannah Fire Department and our other law enforcement partners, are committed to ensuring that our communities are safe and that those who commit these dangerous acts are held accountable.”

The case was investigated by the ATF and the Savannah Fire Department Arson Unit, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Pennington II.

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Columbia County man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing images of child sexual abuse.

Bradley Fearneyhough, 35, of Martinez, Ga., was sentenced to 172 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Fearneyhough to pay $21,000 in restitution, to register as a sex offender, and to serve 20 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Predators who possess images of child sexual exploitation perpetuate the victimization of these vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This sentence makes it clear that such despicable activity won’t be tolerated in our communities.”

“As described in court documents and testimony, in May 2022, the FBI received an online tip that Fearneyhough possessed images that depicted child sexual abuse. He was arrested after subsequent interviews and searches of his electronic devices. Agents found hundreds of images of child pornography on multiple devices in Fearneyhough’s possession, including videos depicting sexual abuse of children as young as infants.

"Thanks to a public tip submitted to the National Threat Operations Center, Fearneyhough will be held accountable for his heinous crimes," said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "This case is an outstanding example of how partnerships between the FBI and the public are essential in protecting our citizens, in particular, children, our most vulnerable citizens."

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

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