Southern District of Mississippi

Jackson, Miss. – A Fayette woman pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining possession of a controlled substance.

According to court documents and facts admitted in open court, Rosie Marie George, 57, used her position as a pharmacy technician at a pharmacy in Jefferson County, Mississippi to fraudulently acquire large numbers of prescription hydrocodone pills from the pharmacy’s inventory. 

George will be sentenced on April 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the DEA as well as the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.

Gulfport, Miss. –  A Biloxi man was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 4000 pills containing fentanyl. 

Raushaud Ladarius Davis, 28, was sentenced in U.S. District in Gulfport. 

According to court records, On June 2, 2023, Davis was pulled over for a traffic violation in Harrison County, Mississippi.  Officers searched the vehicle and found over 4000 pills which tested positive for fentanyl. 

Davis was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 21, 2023. He pled guilty on October 4, 2023, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.   

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. 

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

JACKSON, MS – A Mexican National who was living in Richland, Mississippi, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, Ivonne Elena Cortez-Acosta, 51, was first apprehended by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) in 2000, when she attempted to smuggle 23.84 kilograms of marijuana in the backseat of her vehicle. As a result, she was booked, placed in removal proceedings, and subsequently removed from the United States and returned to Mexico as a Mexican national.

At some point, Cortez-Acosta reentered the United States without inspection and assumed the name and identity of a United States citizen. After assuming the identity, Cortez-Acosta fraudulently applied for Transportation Worker Identity Credential (TWIC). This document can be used to gain access to critical infrastructure areas or sites. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Transportation Security Administration Office were able to intervein and apprehend Cortez-Acosta prior to her receiving a TWIC card.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations, and Special Agent in Charge Phil Spampinato of the Transportation Security Administration made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Transportation Security Administration investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart prosecuted the case.

Gulfport, Miss. -- A Moss Point man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

According to court documents, on April 15, 2022, Anthony Loyd Parson, Jr., 37, fled on foot after making an erratic stop in a vehicle he was driving when Moss Point Police Department officers were attempting to conduct a traffic stop. Officers found outside Parson’s door a cell phone and a firearm with a serial number that had been removed. Parson had previous felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and a drive-by shooting.

Parson was indicted by a federal grand jury, and he pled guilty on October 19, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Moss Point Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss.  - A Brandon man pleaded guilty today to brandishing a firearm during two convenience store robberies.

According to court documents and admissions during public court proceedings, Tramaine Jadell Pettaway, 35, used a firearm to commit two convenience store robberies along with another individual in January and February of 2018.  One store was in Clinton and the other was in Ridgeland.  The Ridgeland Police Department was able to arrest both Pettaway and his co-defendant after a short chase following the Ridgeland convenience store robbery in February 2018.  Pettaway and his co-defendant have been in custody since their 2018 arrest.

Pettaway is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years in prison up to a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, as to each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

The Ridgeland Police Department, the Clinton Police Department, and the FBI are investigating the case.

Deputy Criminal Chief S. Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, Miss. – Two Louisiana men pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Johnson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Colonel Jerry Carter of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.  

Brandon Scott Favre, 49, of Baton Rouge, pled guilty on November 8, 2023; and Jason Martin, 50, of Hackberry, pled guilty on January 19, 2024.  Both defendants pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of conspiring to transport a live white-tailed deer from the state of Louisiana to the state of Mississippi in violation of state and federal laws. 

Favre was sentenced to a 4-year term of supervised probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. He was also ordered to implement a four-year Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) sampling and testing plan on an 850-acre enclosure and ordered to pay $59,808.19 in restitution for the costs of the CWD sampling and testing plan that will be conducted by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP).  As part of this plan, 40 white-tailed deer will be harvested each of the four years by the MDWFP for CWD testing.

Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 1 year imprisonment and a $10,000 fine. A federal magistrate judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

According to court documents and statements made in open court, from October 2020, through June 2021, Favre and Martin entered into an agreement to transport and receive from Louisiana into Mississippi a live white-tailed deer.  In April 2021, Martin transported the deer as agreed upon and delivered to Mistletoe Properties, a permitted 850-acre high-fence enclosure for white-tailed deer operated by Favre, located in Adams County, Mississippi.  Once delivered, the deer was put into an unpermitted breeding pen located on the property.  The deer was transported from Louisiana without documentation, in violation of Louisiana law, and transported into Mississippi, in violation of Mississippi law, and all in violation of federal law.

Federal law makes it unlawful to transport live white-tailed deer from one state to another without proper documentation and without required animal health records. These records include certifying that captive-bred animals are free from diseases such as chronic wasting disease.  The Mississippi Board of Animal Health has declared that white-tailed deer are considered chronic wasting disease susceptible animals and are not allowed entry into Mississippi.  The State of Louisiana requires any person who keeps, breeds, raises, contains, harvests, buys, sells, trades, or transfers ownership of any type of farm-raised alternative livestock for commercial purposes shall obtain a farm-raising license prior to engaging in such activity.  Additionally, the State of Louisiana requires any person with a farm-raising license to maintain records, for not less than 60 months, of all sales, trades, or transfers of any farm-raised alternative livestock.  White-tailed deer are considered farm-raised alternative livestock.  Chronic wasting disease is the chief threat to wild deer and elk populations in North America. The disease, which ultimately ends in the death of infected animals, is a transmissible neurological disease that produces small lesions in the brain of deer and elk and is characterized by loss of body condition and behavioral abnormalities.

USFWS Acting SAC Stephanie Johnson stated: "This prosecution is an excellent example of what we can accomplish through the collaboration that occurs every day between the USFWS and our enforcement partners. The MDWFP and USFWS share a vested interest in combating the spread of diseases which threaten our native wildlife populations and are potentially spread through the interstate transport of deer in violation of state and federal laws."

MDWFP Colonel Jerry Carter stated: “The MDWFP takes the interstate transport and unlawful importation of White-tailed deer into the State of Mississippi seriously. We will continue to work collaborative criminal investigations with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service & the U.S. Attorney’s Office to detect and prosecute those who choose to violate the laws of this state.”

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks – Investigations Unit, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Law Enforcement investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway is prosecuting the case.

Gulfport, MS – A Grand Bay, Alabama man pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 991 grams of methamphetamine. 

Charles Oliver Trahan, III, 51, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. 

According to court documents, in early 2023, law enforcement officers received intelligence that an individual named Linda Mizell was selling methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mississippi. Further investigation revealed that Mizell was working with another individual to sell methamphetamine.  Law enforcement identified and corroborated trips where Charles Trahan traveled from Alabama to Mizell’s residence.  On August 22, 2023, officers observed Trahan leaving Mizell’s residence and initiated a traffic stop which led to the recovery of 991 grams of methamphetamine.  Trahan was placed under arrest and analysis of his cell phone revealed that he had frequent contact with Mizell since July 2023 and multiple digital cash payments were sent from Trahan to Mizell.

Trahan is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2024.  He faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Linda Mizell pled guilty on January 17, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2024. She also faces up to twenty years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.

I am Todd Gee, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.  Today we are announcing the arrests of approximately 40 individuals, who are being charged in 10 federal indictments of large-scale drug trafficking crimes that occurred throughout East Mississippi with connections to Mexico, California, Texas, Alabama, and elsewhere.

The persons arrested today were engaged in trafficking major quantities of dangerous drugs, such as methamphetamine, MDMA, and cocaine.  They peddled this poison for profit, affecting the lives of so many. 

During this investigation, agents seized large quantities of these drugs and uncovered evidence of their trafficking in many forms, such as methamphetamine pills, liquid methamphetamine, crystal methamphetamine (“ICE”), powder cocaine, and crack cocaine.  These deadly drugs kill tens of thousands of persons every year throughout Mississippi and our nation.  Some of these defendants are even charged with committing a methamphetamine drug offense while minors, including a young toddler, were at the location.  They choose to harm the health and life of the youngest in our community. 

Investigators also seized large amounts of cash and firearms.  From one bust alone, agents seized over $48,000 in cash, a semi-automatic weapon, another firearm, numerous rounds of ammunition, and thousands of dollars in narcotics. 

The arrests and federal indictments we are announcing today prove the commitment our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have to working together to destroy the networks of large-scale drug traffickers operating in Meridian and the East Mississippi area. 

I have a simple message for the drug traffickers in East Mississippi that are still on the streets after today’s arrests: Get out of the business, or like those arrested today, you will eventually spend a large portion of your life behind bars. 

To the citizens of Meridian, East Mississippi, and the other areas affected by these traffickers, we hope and expect that these arrests will make your families and community safer.  But we need your help to keep making a difference.  If you see trafficking and other dangerous crimes going on, say something.  Pull aside that police office you trust in church and tell them what you saw, call 911, or report a tip about what you saw to the hotlines maintained by the DEA, HSI, ATF, MBN, and other agencies here with me today.

The large number of arrests made today is the product of several years of cooperation by federal, state, and local agencies.  I want to particularly thank the agencies whose leadership is here with me today: the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the U.S. Marshal’s Service; the Mississippi Department of Public Safety; the 

Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; the East Mississippi Drug Task Force; the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department; the Newton County Sheriff’s Department; the Scott County Sheriff’s Department; the office of District Attorney Kassie Coleman; the office of District Attorney Steven Kilgore; the office of District Attorney Gregory Griggers; and the Alabama 17th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force.

I thank all of you for joining us here today to announce the product of our teamwork.  The Department of Justice looks forward to continuing to work with all of you to fight drug trafficking and violent criminals throughout Mississippi.

Jackson, Miss. – Approximately 40 individuals were arrested today pursuant to 10 federal indictments filed in the Southern District of Mississippi charging defendants from Lauderdale, Newton, Neshoba, Scott, and Jasper counties in Mississippi, as well as Mexico, California, Texas, and Alabama. The charges stem from a four-year federal investigation of multiple drug trafficking operations distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illegal drugs.

The indictments charge various drug trafficking crimes, including, but not limited, to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to do so.  Several defendants face mandatory minimum sentences because of the significant quantities of illegal drugs involved, and some defendants face enhanced penalties for crimes involving methamphetamine where minors were present, or for drug trafficking near schools. Additionally, some defendants have been charged with firearms-related crimes or using a telephone to threaten injury or death to another by means of an explosive device.  

The following defendants were arrested today: 

Tavia Armstrong, 32, of Meridian; Alyssia Boose, 32, of Newton; Billy Boose, 46, of Newton; Fred Campbell, 49, of Meridian; Jacoby Clayton, 29, of Meridian; Mario Cole, 37, of Meridian; Bobby Coleman, 35, of Union; George Collier, 46, of Pelahatchie; Christopher Evans, 47, of Union; Tabbgrinn Graham, 33, of Decatur; James Green, 52, of Meridian; Cassady Harris, 37, of Union; Yvette Herring, 45, of Riverside, CA; Dakota Holt, 32, of Meridian; Edward House, 46, of Meridian; Jeffery Jennings, 40, of Meridian; James Johnson, 50, of Louin; Cedric Jones, 52, of Houston, TX; Lajason Jones, 43, of Decatur; Markee Jones, 44, of Meridian; Nathan Kendricks, 46, of Meridian; Kevin King, 41, of Meridian; Todrian Laphand, 30, of Meridian; John Little, 31, of Meridian; Nicholas Massey, 35, of Decatur; Kenneth McCurdy, 43, of Forest; Jeffery Murrell, 54, of Newton; Johnny Patton, 42, of Quitman; Darius Powell, 35, of Meridian; Marcus Powell, 38, of Meridian; Raykeitdgrith Ricks, 41, of Lawrence; Znthony Ruffin, 38, of Toomsuba; Dustin Jamal Russell, 33, of Newton; Steven Savell, 48, of Union; Carlos Seals, 42, of  Meridian; Brandon Slaughter, 31, Meridian; Jacorie Smith, 27, of Meridian; Curtis Spivey, 39 of Philadelphia; Billy Wilson, 52, of Cuba, AL;  and Crisseta Woods, 46, of Union.

Additional defendants charged in the indictments have not yet been arrested.  

Initial court appearances are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judges F. Keith Ball and LaKeysha Greer Isaac in U.S. District Court in Jackson.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations, Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Marshal Mark Shepherd.

The cases are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the East Mississippi Drug Task Force and Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Alabama 17th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force, the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, and the Scott County Sheriff’s Department. 

The following agencies also assisted in the investigation: U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department, Decatur Police Department, Union Police Department, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Mississippi Commercial Truck Enforcement Division, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control,  and the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla J. Clark is prosecuting the cases.  The Office of Enforcement Operations in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division also provided assistance. 

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Gulfport, Miss. –  A Moss Point man was sentenced to a total of 195 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 14 grams of fentanyl.  

Richard Terrell Magee, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.     

According to court documents, on July 28, 2022, agents conducted a controlled purchase of 14 grams of fentanyl from Magee in Jackson County, Mississippi. Magee was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 21, 2023.  He pled guilty on October 19, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. 

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.  More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.   

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

Gulfport, Miss. –   A Moss Point man was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute over 112 grams of methamphetamine.

Ronald Charles Glaude, Jr. AKA “Bug”, 34, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.

According to court documents, on February 22, 2019, law enforcement agents utilized a confidential informant to purchase a clear plastic bag containing a total package weight of approximately 112.5 grams of methamphetamine for $1600.00 from Glaude at a residence in Moss Point, Mississippi.

Glaude was indicted by a federal grand jury and he pled guilty on October 26, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebekah Day of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.  

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pascagoula Police Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

A federal jury in the Southern District of Mississippi convicted Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, with sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. The co-defendant, Jonzie Hamilton, 35, previously pleaded guilty to interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.

“The defendant preyed upon this vulnerable victim and used sexual violence and threats of physical harm to coerce her into commercial sex for his own financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We thank this victim for bravely facing her trafficker. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute these cases to hold human traffickers accountable and bring justice to their victims.”

“This way this victim was trafficked across multiple states and then into Mississippi is an example of how human trafficking affects our entire nation,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute human traffickers, like the defendant, as part of our efforts to bring an end to this horrible crime.”

“The FBI takes allegations of sex trafficking very seriously and we are determined to rigorously investigate human trafficking actors,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Jackson Field Office.

The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Fulcher used sexual assault, threats of violence, isolation, control, psychological manipulation and emotional abuse to compel the victim to engage in commercial sex between April and June 2020. Fulcher lured the physically injured victim into his car in Las Vegas by making false promises to help her, but then brought her to his home, where he sexually assaulted her.  

Shortly afterwards, Fulcher brought the victim to California, where he acted in concert with Hamilton to compel the victim to engage in commercial sex acts over the course of several weeks. Fulcher required the victim to follow his strict rules, threatened the victim with physical harm, confiscated her money and Social Security debit card and even had an unlicensed dentist pull out her teeth. Fulcher also sent the victim and Hamilton across the country for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex, stopping in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and eventually Mississippi where the victim ran away.

While the victim was on the road, Fulcher required the victim to send him all of her earnings and continued his coercive scheme by threatening the victim with physical harm, controlling her access to her phone, isolating her from anyone she knew and refusing to allow her to receive much-needed medical treatment.

A sentencing hearing for Fulcher is scheduled for April 30. Fulcher faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and mandatory restitution for the sex trafficking charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Hamilton’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 31.

The FBI Gulfport Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones for the Southern District of Mississippi.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

A federal jury in the Southern District of Mississippi convicted Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, with sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. The co-defendant, Jonzie Hamilton, 35, previously pleaded guilty to interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.

“The defendant preyed upon this vulnerable victim and used sexual violence and threats of physical harm to coerce her into commercial sex for his own financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We thank this victim for bravely facing her trafficker. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute these cases to hold human traffickers accountable and bring justice to their victims.”

“This way this victim was trafficked across multiple states and then into Mississippi is an example of how human trafficking affects our entire nation,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute human traffickers, like the defendant, as part of our efforts to bring an end to this horrible crime.”

“The FBI takes allegations of sex trafficking very seriously and we are determined to rigorously investigate human trafficking actors,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Jackson Field Office.

The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Fulcher used sexual assault, threats of violence, isolation, control, psychological manipulation and emotional abuse to compel the victim to engage in commercial sex between April and June 2020. Fulcher lured the physically injured victim into his car in Las Vegas by making false promises to help her, but then brought her to his home, where he sexually assaulted her.  

Shortly afterwards, Fulcher brought the victim to California, where he acted in concert with Hamilton to compel the victim to engage in commercial sex acts over the course of several weeks. Fulcher required the victim to follow his strict rules, threatened the victim with physical harm, confiscated her money and Social Security debit card and even had an unlicensed dentist pull out her teeth. Fulcher also sent the victim and Hamilton across the country for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex, stopping in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and eventually Mississippi where the victim ran away.

While the victim was on the road, Fulcher required the victim to send him all of her earnings and continued his coercive scheme by threatening the victim with physical harm, controlling her access to her phone, isolating her from anyone she knew and refusing to allow her to receive much-needed medical treatment.

A sentencing hearing for Fulcher is scheduled for April 30. Fulcher faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and mandatory restitution for the sex trafficking charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Hamilton’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 31.

The FBI Gulfport Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones for the Southern District of Mississippi.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – During National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and his staff continue to bring awareness to the fight against human trafficking.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to bringing traffickers to justice, assisting trafficked victims, and enhancing public awareness through community outreach. 

U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff, Human Trafficking Coordinator for the office, will participate in “SOAP Up Hattiesburg: Outreach Event to End Human Trafficking” on Saturday, January 20.  The event will be hosted by members of the Coalition Against Trafficking student group and the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Center for Human Trafficking Research and Training (CHRT). The program will offer participants training on the signs of human trafficking and the opportunity to assist with a community impact project. Additional information about this event and The Soap Project can be found here:  https://www.usm.edu/news/2024/release/soap-up-hattiesburg.php.

U.S. Attorney Todd Gee’s announcement on Human Trafficking Prevention Month:  https://youtu.be/fhk2DetoaGE?si=Qckg5CxYy_wBkFLy

Anyone who has information about a potential human trafficking situation or a person who may be experiencing human trafficking should contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.

Gulfport, Miss. –  A Saucier, Mississippi man was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Damion Xavier Giglio, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.    

According to court documents, on February 11, 2023, Giglio was encountered by Marine Resource Officers on a piece of property located in Saucier, Harrison County, MS.  During the contact, Mr. Giglio was arrested for trespassing, not wearing hunter’s orange, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Giglio was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 21, 2023.  He pled guilty on October 17, 2023, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.  

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

Gulfport, MS – A Moss Point woman pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Linda Renee Mizell, 41, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in early 2023, law enforcement officers received intelligence that  Mizell was selling methamphetamine at her residence in Jackson County, Mississippi. A search warrant executed at the residence recovered a digital scale and methamphetamine paraphernalia.  Linda Mizell was interviewed and admitted to her involvement in the conspiracy.

Mizell pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2024, and faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district  judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty in federal court to production of child pornography.

According to court documents, in April 2021, Delvan Jerrod Howard, 43, video recorded himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a minor.

Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jessica Orench of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes is prosecuting the case.    

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Gulfport, Miss. - On January 11, 2024, a federal jury convicted Jose Humberto Gandara, 52, of Edinburg, Texas for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2016, Jose Humberto Gandara was stopped in Gulfport, while driving a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta.  The Jetta contained almost $150,000 hidden in a concealed compartment located under the center console.  Gandara initially denied any knowledge of the money. Officers then showed Gandara a pair of shoes, which they located in the hidden compartment.  The officers previously cut the shoes to see if they contained a tracker.  Gandara asked the officers why they cut his shoes, and when they confronted him with the fact that the shoes came from the hidden compartment, Gandara admitted to moving the money for a percentage.  Gandara denied being involved with narcotics, but photographs from his phone appeared to depict bricks of cocaine.

In January of 2015, Gandara bought a different 2012 Volkswagen Jetta that was subsequently stopped at the border of Mexico/Texas.  While Gandara was not driving that Jetta, the driver was an individual that Gandara had previously identified as his employee.  Border Patrol agents found approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment, which matched the hidden compartment in the vehicle Gandara was driving in Gulfport.  

Officers were also able to determine that in September of 2015, Gandara was stopped in Alabama with nearly $360,000.  The money was divided into multiple bundles, each of which were wrapped in green plastic wrap and stuffed inside the front seats of the car Gandara was driving.  Gandara again denied knowledge of the money, but the money found in the seats matched a bundle of money Gandara claimed from his duffle bag.

Subsequent investigation revealed that the $150,000 seized from Gandara in Gulfport was payment for cocaine that was interdicted in Louisiana, while bound for Moss Point, Mississippi.  The evidence and testimony at trial showed that Gandara was acting on behalf of a source of supply, located in Texas, who was importing cocaine directly from Mexico and sending it on to Moss Point, Mississippi.

Gandara is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2024.  He faces a maximum potential sentence of twenty years in prison. 

The DEA, United States Border Patrol, Gulfport Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and Alabama’s 17th Judicial Task Force Team investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Hunter McCreight prosecuted the case with support from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gaines Cleveland and Lee Smith.

Jackson, Miss. – A Vicksburg man was sentenced in federal court to serve a total of 50 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, beginning in January 2022, Samuel Boyd Slade, Jr., 43, produced images and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Slade was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to victims and a $6,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. Slade was also ordered to register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Orench of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Jackson, MS – A Missouri woman was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in prison for helping her co-defendant, who discharged a firearm during the commission of a robbery that killed three people.

According to court documents, Jamison Layne Townsend, 42, and her co-defendant, Joshua Michael Garcia, went to Bill’s Coin & Jewelry on December 17, 2016, to rob the business.  During the robbery, Garcia shot and killed the owner and two co-workers. Townsend and Garcia emptied the display cases of watches, rings, necklaces, bracelets, coins, and other items. Later that day, they entered a pawn shop in Mobile, Alabama, and pawned five items that were stolen from Bill’s earlier that day.

On December 19, 2016, a trooper with the Tennessee Highway Patrol attempted to stop Townsend and Garcia, who were traveling in a red Dodge Charger on Interstate 24. A chase ensued and Townsend and Garcia escaped at a high rate of speed. Two days later, Townsend and Garcia were arrested in Geary County, Kansas. Officers searched the Charger and found numerous items that were stolen from Bill’s, including coins, watches, trays of jewelry, and many items that still contained the sales tags from Bill’s. Additionally, officers recovered four firearms, including a Les Baer .45 caliber handgun that was determined to be the murder weapon by the Mississippi State Crime Laboratory. Ammunition, a cell phone, and numerous items of clothing were also recovered from the Dodge Charger.         

Townsend pled guilty on September 18, 2023, to three counts of accessory after the fact.

Joshua Michael Garcia previously pled guilty to discharging a firearm that resulted in the murder of three persons during the commission of a robbery. He was sentenced to three life sentences.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Orench of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department with assistance from the Geary County, Kansas, Sherriff’s Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Mississippi State Crime Laboratory, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Gulfport Police Department, and the Biloxi Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Criminal Chief Erin Chalk.

Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute approximately 43 grams of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Willie Bernard Lewis, 37, sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on August 20, 2021, and August 31, 2021. On September 1, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant on his residence and located approximately 43 grams of methamphetamine and 10.9 grams of fentanyl. Lewis has prior convictions for sale of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. 

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.  The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.  More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.

Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on April 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department and the ATF investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, MS – A Leake County woman pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine.  

According to court documents, in May of 2021, Kelsy Ann Billie, 24, conspired to distribute over fifty grams of methamphetamine near the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.  Billie was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023.

Billie is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of forty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd Gee, Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Whitney Woodruff, Regional Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, made the announcement.

The Choctaw Police Department, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.

Jackson, MS – A Neshoba County man pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse of a minor on the Choctaw Indian Reservation.

According to court documents, in September of 2017, Scottie Amos, 26, committed a sexual act on a minor who was between the ages of 12 and 16 in the Tucker Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.  Amos was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022.

Amos is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  Amos has previously pleaded guilty to burglary and awaits sentencing in that case as well.

U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jessica Orench of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations all investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.

Jackson, MS – A Jackson man pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud through Facebook Marketplace.

According to court records, Jerrick Floyd, 24, conspired with others to organize a scheme to defraud individuals selling vehicles on Facebook Marketplace. The victim would receive a fake cashier’s check or wire transfer to their bank and Floyd would arrange for an accomplice to pick up the vehicle before the victim discovered they had been deceived.

Floyd will be sentenced on April 3, 2024.  He faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jessica Orench of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case.

Gulfport, MS – A Gulfport man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 81 grams of fentanyl.

According to court documents, on April 21, 2023, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search warrant on the residence of Ashton Craig Cuevas, 19, in Gulfport.  The search took place the day after agents conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl pills from Cuevas.  The search of Cueva’s home yielded 81.1 grams of fentanyl, as well as the pre-recorded buy money from the controlled purchase.

Cuevas is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of forty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.  The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.  More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 146 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

According to court documents, Roger Devonta Stokes, 41, distributed more than 5 grams of methamphetamine in the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in July of 2021.

A federal grand jury indicted Stokes in a two-count indictment involving the distribution of methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation.  On September 7, 2023, Stokes entered a plea of guilty to one of those counts. 

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee, Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerly of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian K. Burns.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Laurel man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 12.46 grams of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

According to court records, Danny Ray Cole, 46, was captured on audio and video recordings distributing pills to a buyer. It was determined that the pills contained methamphetamine.

Cole will be sentenced on April 16, 2024.  He faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans made the announcement.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen is prosecuting the case.

Hattiesburg, Miss. –  A Peoria, Illinois man pled guilty to failure to register as a sex offender in Mississippi.   

According to court documents, Shontia Berry, 47, was convicted in 2009 of a sex offense that required him to register as a sex offender for life in any jurisdiction in which he resides, works, or attends school.  The Mississippi Sex Offender’s registry showed Berry registering in Mississippi in July of 2022. Berry then relocated to Alabama and registered there, but then moved back to Lamar County, Mississippi and did not register or update his Mississippi Registration as required by law. 

The United States Marshal Services located Berry in February, 2023, in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi area.  An investigation revealed that Berry had been working and residing in Mississippi since July 29, 2022.

Berry will be sentenced on April 9, 2024, and faces up to 10 years in prison.  A federal district judge will determine Berry’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Todd W. Gee and United States Marshal Mark Shepherd made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes is prosecuting the case.    

Gulfport, MS – A Bay St. Louis man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 68 grams of methamphetamine.  

According to court documents, On July 13, 2023, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Charles Jamaal Nichols, 37.  Nichols led agents on a foot chase and agents observed him throwing things as he ran. Agents recovered large shards of methamphetamine on the trail where Nichols ran. The methamphetamine was scattered throughout the grass, within gutters that were laying behind a business, and along the fence line. Agents were able to recover 68.5 grams of what was sent to the lab and confirmed to be 97% pure methamphetamine.

Nichols will be sentenced on April 2, 2024, and faces a maximum of twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Durant man pleaded guilty to bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Curtis Lee Williams, 21, robbed the BankPlus branch in Durant on July 7, 2022, wearing all black, sunglasses, a wig, and no shoes. The same day, one of the $50 bait bills from the bank was used to purchase three firearms from a pawn shop in Kosciusko. An arrest was made in Durant later that day following a traffic stop.

Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2023.

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29, 2024. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Durant Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.

Gulfport, Miss. - A Vancleave, Mississippi man pled guilty to possession of more than 9,900 images and videos of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, Cameron Willis Cotrill, 67, was identified in an online child exploitation investigation on the BitTorrent network for offenders possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material.  As part of the investigation, a direct download was completed of 139 files that were being made available from Cotrill’s device at his Vancleave address. On January 11, 2022, the FBI assisted state officers with the execution of a state search warrant at Cotrill’s address.  Full forensic examinations of Cotrill’s electronic devices recovered at the search determined that Cotrill possessed over 9,900 images and videos on his desktop computer depicting the sexual abuse of children.

Cotrill is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Natchez, Miss. – Three individuals were sentenced for their respective roles in a scheme to steal houses from the United States Department of Agriculture.

Barry Martin, 47, of Georgia was sentenced to 46 months in prison; Fiesta Kagler, 59, of Georgia, was sentenced to 46 months in prison; and Ella Martin, 69, of Jayess, Mississippi, a former USDA employee, was sentenced to 35 months in prison.

According to court documents, the defendants conspired to identify and steal USDA-mortgaged properties. The targeted properties were mortgaged through the Brookhaven office of USDA Rural Development, an agency which helps rural residents buy or rent safe, affordable housing, especially low and very low income individuals. As an employee of that office, Ella Martin had access to a list of abandoned, foreclosed, nearly-foreclosed, or similarly distressed USDA-mortgaged properties and would create fraudulent warranty deeds designed to convey ownership of those properties to her co-conspirators and others. The fraudulent deeds included forged signatures from former homeowners, including at least one deceased individual. The fraudulent deeds were then filed in Chancery Courts around Mississippi with the intent to deprive the actual owners of the use and benefit of the properties and to deprive the United States Government of the actual value of the properties.

All three defendants will be required to pay restitution, which will be determined at a separate hearing.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Dax Roberson of the USDA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) made the announcement.

The USDA OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss.– A former City of Jackson employee was sentenced to 5 years of probation for wire fraud and ordered to pay approximately $54,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, Keyshia Sanders, 48, the City of Jackson’s former Constituent Service Manager, pleaded guilty to engaging in a wire fraud scheme to fraudulently induce the disbursement of grant money for her own benefit.  The scheme involved the use of fraudulent invoices that caused the grant’s fiscal agent to disburse funds to Sanders in clear contradiction to the terms of the grant and Sander’s role as a City of Jackson employee.  The grant was intended to provide project support in the City of Jackson to invest in artists, artist collectives, and small arts organizations.  In total, the fraudulent transactions caused by Sanders over the course of the scheme totaled a loss of approximately $54,000.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office investigated the case.

Gulfport, Miss. - A Biloxi man pled guilty to being in possession of more than 290 visual depictions of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans.

According to court documents, Christopher Lee Parker, 36, was identified in a child exploitation investigation in cyber tip reports coming from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A federal search warrant obtained for Parker’s Biloxi residence resulted in the recovery of Parker’s cell phones, in which Parker, at times through mobile Apps, possessed approximately 291 visual depictions, in still and video formats, of minors, to include those who had not reached 12 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Parker is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., in Gulfport.  He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Biloxi Police Department.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

Jackson, MS – A federal jury convicted Joshua Druid Bryan of Clinton, MS, today for murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and solicitation to commit a crime of violence.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bryan, 28, hired a hitman to murder another person.  He also entered into a conspiracy with Regan Bryan, his sister, to commit the offense. Regan Bryan previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

The ATF investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Payne and Matt Allen prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Neshoba County man pleaded guilty to possessing over 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

According to court documents, on April 28, 2022, Darrell E. McBeath, 38, distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine near the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.  McBeath was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023.

McBeath is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd Gee, Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The Choctaw Police Department, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the  Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian, Mississippi man and Simon City Royals gang member was sentenced to 262 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute approximately 630 grams of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Jeremy Lovell, 45, was found in possession of approximately 630 grams of methamphetamine and two firearms during the execution of a search warrant at his residence on May 3, 2022. Through the investigation, law enforcement determined that from 2020 to 2022, Lovell distributed more than 104 pounds of methamphetamine in Lauderdale County. Lovell has prior convictions for burglary of a commercial building and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, East Mississippi Drug Task Force, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the ATF investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, Miss. – A Mexican man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for unlawful return to the United States after removal, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to court documents, on March 23, 2023, the Pearl Police Department received a report of an intoxicated man with a gun at a Pearl apartment complex. Law enforcement officers responded to the area and located Antonio Andrade-Hernandez, 36, with a gun pointed at his own head. Law enforcement officers were able to get Andrade-Hernandez to surrender peacefully. A records check revealed that Andrade-Hernandez was an illegal alien who had previously been removed from the United States. Additionally, since Andrade-Hernandez is a Mexican national illegally in the United States, it is contrary to federal law for him to possess any firearm.

On April 4, 2023, Andrade-Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury.  He subsequently pled guilty to unlawful return after removal and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans made the announcement. 

The case was investigated by the Pearl Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, Miss. – A Honduran man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to court documents, Tommy Pineda-Guevara, 20, was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop on September 1, 2022. Pineda-Guevara is a citizen and national of Honduras. Under federal law, aliens are prohibited from possessing firearms. 

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans made the announcement.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, MS – A Standing Pine woman pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine. 

According to court documents, on September 9, 2022, Shannen Marie Chapala, 31, distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine in the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.  Chapala was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023.

Chapala is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd Gee, Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff of the Bureau of Indian Affairs made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department, the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.

Gulfport, MS – A Waveland man pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 167 grams of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, law enforcement officials received information that Lance Ali Vaughn, age 40, was selling methamphetamine in Hancock County.  Agents set up a controlled purchase and, when Vaughn arrived at the predetermined location for the drug buy, a K9 alerted to drugs in the vehicle. A subsequent search yielded 167 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.   

Vaughn will be sentenced on March 27, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of forty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case

Gulfport, MS – A Fremont, Ohio man pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

According to court records, Trayvion Joaquin Scott, 25, pled guilty to his involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that began operating in Picayune, MS as far back as 2015.  Scott’s primary involvement in the conspiracy was making drug payments via Walmart to Walmart money transfers on behalf of the trafficking organization. 

Scott will be sentenced on March 28, 2024.  He faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. - The Department of Justice is committed to enforcing laws protecting the civil rights of all persons in Rankin County, Mississippi and throughout the nation.  To enforce these laws, it is critical that federal authorities receive information from the public regarding allegations of abuse.  As the Department previously indicated in its press release issued on August 3, 2023, announcing the guilty pleas of six former Rankin County Law Enforcement Officers, the public is encouraged to contact the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI, email tips.fbi.gov or call the FBI Jackson Field Office at 601-948-5000, if you or someone you know has been a victim of abuse by a member of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Pascagoula man pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 60 grams of methamphetamine. 

According to court documents, law enforcement received information that Jerome Clifton Clegg, 38, was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Pascagoula, MS (Jackson County).  In August 2023, agents set up surveillance of Clegg’s apartment and observed two drug transactions take place.  A traffic stop with the first individual who purchased drugs from Clegg yielded 58 grams of methamphetamine and a second traffic stop with the second individual yielded an additional 3 grams.  Based on this information, agents conducted a search of Clegg’s home which yielded additional narcotics and a handgun.

Clegg is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2024.  He faces a maximum penalty of forty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, Jacquis LaShawn Houston, 27, was found in possession of a firearm by a Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Deputy on March 16, 2020, during a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Houston was riding as a passenger.  Houston threw a 9mm caliber pistol from the vehicle.  As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Houston to possess any firearm.

Houston will be sentenced on February 28, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Gulfport, Miss. –   A Carriere man was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 56 grams of methamphetamine.  

Calvin Deshun Vaughn, 48, was sentenced on November 30, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.

According to court records, in 2015, an investigation began into a large-scale drug trafficking organization, located largely in Picayune, MS (Pearl River County).  In 2019, Calvin Deshun Vaughn was identified as being part of the conspiracy.  Federal agents used a confidential source to begin making purchases of methamphetamine from Vaughn.  On January 30, 2019, a confidential source purchased 56 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine from Vaughn in Carriere, MS.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.  

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Gulfport, Miss. –   Two Irvine, California men were sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

David Quinonez, 23, was sentenced to 87 months in prison, and Aaron Torres, 24, was sentenced to 64 months in prison.

According to court records, in March of 2022, law enforcement agents were made aware that David Quinonez was sending pills containing fentanyl to the Southern District of Mississippi.  Undercover agents began communicating with Quinonez and were then able to determine that Aaron Torres was Quinonez’s source of supply.  The agents arranged to purchase fentanyl pills from  Quinonez in California.  When they met with Quinonez, Torres was also present in the car and the pair had pills containing fentanyl that they intended to sell.  The overall conspiracy involved 54 grams of fentanyl and 206 grams of a fentanyl analogue.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

Gulfport, Miss. –   A Los Angeles, California man was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1342 grams of methamphetamine.

According to court records, on October 31, 2019, an anonymous tipster alerted the DEA to a PODS container being shipped by Shaun Patrick Fuller, 41, to Jackson County, Mississippi.  The tipster said the PODS contained drugs that were being sent from California to Mississippi to be trafficked.  A canine alerted on the container and a search warrant was obtained.  The search revealed 1342 grams of meth that tested at 100% purity.  A controlled delivery of the PODS container took place and it was determined that the container was sent to the Jackson County residence by Fuller.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.  

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

Jackson, Miss. –A Pearl River man was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and for being a Habitual Offender of Domestic Violence.

According to court documents, Lee Garrick McMillan, 31, admitted to assaulting his wife while in the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. McMillan fractured his wife’s ribs by kicking her with steel toed boots on May 20, 2023.  This assault marked the third domestic violence incident perpetrated by McMillan against an intimate partner.

U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. 

According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, American Indian women residing on Indian reservations suffer domestic violence and physical assault at rates far exceeding women of other ethnicities and locations.  

The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Bay St. Louis woman pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 dosage units of pills containing fentanyl.

Emma Kate Stoute, 18, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport on November 27, 2023.

According to court documents, on August 29, 2023, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration followed up on a written complaint that alleged there was drug trafficking activity occurring at the Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis. Agents conducted surveillance on the motel and narrowed down the suspected parties and rooms.  During surveillance, agents observed a red Toyota Camry arrive at the hotel to pick up two of the individuals suspected of selling drugs.  Once the vehicle departed, agents conducted rolling surveillance of the vehicle and observed the occupants of the vehicle participate in what appeared to be a drug transaction in Louisiana.  After the transaction, agents followed the vehicle back into Mississippi and conducted a traffic stop.  Stoute was identified as one of the occupants of the vehicle.  She was in possession of 50 dosage units of pills containing fentanyl.  A subsequent search of her cellular device yielded messages confirming that Stoute was trafficking fentanyl pills in the Southern District of Mississippi. 

Stoute is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2024.  She faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.