Western District of North Carolina

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Dion Lamont Lowman, 48, of Asheville, was sentenced today to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger ordered Lowman to begin serving the federal sentence after the defendant completes the 19-month state sentence he is currently serving for a drug conviction.

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department (APD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on June 13, 2023, APD officers encountered Lowman in Asheville. The officers, who knew that Lowman had outstanding arrest warrants, observed Lowman drive a vehicle with a South Carolina license plate and proceeded to follow him. The officers continued to follow Lowman, and saw the defendant park his vehicle into the back parking area of a residence. The officers then observed another individual get into Lowman’s front passenger side. While the officers were pulling up, they observed the other individual quickly exit Lowman’s vehicle and walk away. The officers approached Lowman’s vehicle and ordered the defendant to come out. Lowman complied and the officers placed Lowman and the other individual under arrest. The officers then searched Lowman’s vehicle and seized a loaded firearm. The officers checked the firearm’s serial number and determined it was stolen. Lowman has prior criminal convictions, to include drug trafficking, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

On April 15, 2024, Lowman pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

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

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Douglas Aaron Holcomb, 48, of Asheville, was sentenced today to 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. This sentence runs consecutive to an additional 24 months in prison Holcomb was sentenced to on May 30, 2024, for violating his federal supervised release.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Sheriff Lowell S. Griffin of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), and Sheriff Chuck Owenby of the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in June 2023, Holcomb was placed on federal supervised release after serving a prison term for a federal firearms offense. On June 27, 2023, law enforcement in Henderson County observed Holcomb driving a vehicle with an expired license plate and proceeded to conduct a traffic stop. Over the course of the stop, a police K9 alerted to the presence of drugs. Law enforcement searched Holcomb’s vehicle and located a black backpack in the middle of the back seat floor. Inside the backpack, law enforcement found a pistol brace device designed to convert a semiautomatic pistol to function with a stock as a rifle would, and a box of 28 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. Law enforcement also opened the hood and searched the engine compartment of the vehicle. There, law enforcement located a plastic container and a black zippered pouch attached to the vehicle with blue painter’s tape. The plastic container contained over 100 grams of methamphetamine and a 1911 style .45 caliber pistol magazine containing eight rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. The black zippered pouch contained a Sig Sauer model 1911, .45 caliber pistol loaded with one round of .45 caliber ammunition in the chamber and a magazine containing seven rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. In total, officers recovered 51 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition from Holcomb’s possession.

On February 26, 2024, Holcomb pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville.  Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a criminal indictment this week, charging Joshua Herman Phillips, 39, of Claremont, N.C., with gun trafficking, possession of a machinegun, and dealing in firearms without a license, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

According to allegations in the indictment, between July and August 2024, in Catawba County, Phillips engaged in the trafficking of 23 firearms. The firearms included handguns and AR type rifles. The indictment also alleges that Phillips possessed a Privately Made Firearm, AR Style Rifle chambered in 7.62 x 39, which is classified as a machinegun.

This case is prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

This week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also filed charges against 10 defendants for illegal possession of firearms and related offenses. Among those charged are:

U.S. v. Jodeic Savage – Savage, 28, of Pembroke, N.C., is charged with two counts of carjacking and two counts of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

U.S. v. Rodney Regan Dunham – Dunham, 43, of Rock Hill, S.C. is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

U.S. v. Ismael Jarquin Cortes – Cortes, 39, of Charlotte, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien.

In June, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced efforts to enhance safety across communities in Western North Carolina, especially during the summer months when violent crime historically increases. As a result of those efforts, over the summer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted 65 individuals for illegally buying, selling, or possessing firearms, committing a violent crime, or using a firearm in the commission of the crime.

“Our priority is to reduce violent crime, remove illegal firearms from our streets, and keep the people of the Western District of North Carolina safe,” said U.S. Attorney King. “In collaboration with our federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners, we are focusing on investigating and prosecuting individuals that pose a threat to the community, spread violence and drugs in our neighborhoods, traffic or possess illegal firearms, and drive-up violent crime.”

In addition to bringing criminal charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continues to enhance community safety through community partnerships and crime prevention programs.

“Our crime reduction efforts extend beyond prosecutions,” said U.S. Attorney King. “To enhance public safety, we must incorporate prevention programs and intervention strategies, and work closely with community organizations and stakeholders that share our commitment to a safer community.”

An important initiative in these efforts, especially during the summer months, was the relaunch of Think Again. Think Again is an informational campaign aimed at deterring illegal firearms activity. For this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to educate the public on how to prevent illegal firearms from getting into the wrong hands, the legal consequences of illegally purchasing and selling firearms, and the importance of reporting suspected criminal activity. Through social media messaging and billboard advertisements throughout the Western District of North Carolina, Think Again strives to increase public awareness about gun crimes and the dangers of illegal firearms purchasing or misuse. 

In collaboration with law enforcement agencies, community organizations, nonprofit entities, and school districts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to engage in violence prevention initiatives, particularly with adolescents and emerging adults. Earlier this summer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Asheville Police Department (APD), hosted an outreach event at My Daddy Taught Me That, a youth development program in Asheville, designed to support young people through advocacy, education, and mentoring. During the event, U.S. Attorney King introduced APD Police Chief Michael Lamb to a group of young males and facilitated a group discussion about APD’s community engagement goals under Chief Lamb’s leadership.

In August, the U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered again with APD to host a community forum with Asheville community leaders where U.S. Attorney King discussed partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement to reduce violent crime and explore ways law enforcement can partner with community organizations and stakeholders to assist in these joint efforts.

Throughout the summer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Attorney King continued collaborating with youth programs and school districts in the Western District and the Qualla Boundary, home to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, to hold listening sessions and have impactful conversations with young people on the causes and consequences of violence.

Also, in July, U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel joined the Charlotte and Asheville winners of the “Do the Write Thing” (DtWT) essay contest, for the National Recognition Week in Washington, D.C. DtWT is a contest organized by the National Campaign to Stop Violence and seeks to encourage middle school students to express the impact of violence in their lives through writing, and to empower students to become catalysts for positive change by sharing their ideas on ways to reduce youth violence. U.S. Attorney King serves as Chair of the DtWT Committee in Asheville.

For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office and programs centered on enhancing community safety, please visit our website.

The charges contained in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court of law.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office joined the North Carolina State Board of Elections and the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections in an educational forum hosted by Ebenezer Baptist Church in Charlotte, to provide the public with important information about voting rights and protections for voters and elections officials.

The topics discussed included how to report suspected violations, including election fraud, issues related to ADA compliance and accessible polling places, incidents of voter intimidation or discrimination at polling locations, and threats of violence against election officials and poll workers; changes and new voting laws; voting registration deadlines; and resources on the various voting methods available to eligible voters.

“Protecting the right to vote is one of the Justice Department’s highest priorities. The resources shared today can help voters understand their voting rights and promote public confidence in the election process,” said Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

The Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Offices play an integral role in ensuring that all eligible voters can exercise their right to vote. In line with longstanding Justice Department practices, the U.S. Attorney’s Office works with the Department’s Civil Rights Division, Criminal Division, and National Security Division, to protect the integrity of the election process and guard against foreign malign influence.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division (CRT) is responsible for enforcing federal statutes that protect voting rights, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, and the Help America Vote Act. These laws aim to prevent discriminatory election practices, ensure accessibility for voters with disabilities, and protect eligible citizens’ right to vote.

Key protections include:

• Prohibiting discriminatory practices and protecting voters from intimidation and interference.
• Ensuring voters with disabilities receive the assistance they need.
• Requiring accessible voting systems and minority language assistance.
• Offering absentee voting for military members and U.S. citizens living abroad.

The Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are responsible for enforcing federal laws related to election fraud and threats against election workers. These crimes include vote-buying, submission of fraudulent ballots, destruction of ballots, and voter intimidation. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices designate federal prosecutors as District Election Officers (DEOs), responsible for overseeing election crime matters and coordinating with election-crime experts in Washington, D.C. DEOs also work with specially trained FBI agents to respond to election-related complaints, to ensure that those are handled appropriately.

The Department of Justice’s National Security Division (NSD) oversees investigations related to national security threats, including foreign interference in elections and violent extremist threats to the electoral process.

The public can report suspected violations to the Civil Rights Division through the Justice Department’s toll-free line at 800-253-3931 or submit a complaint online at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.

In the Western District of North Carolina, suspected election crimes should be reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 704-344-6222 in Charlotte, and 828-271-4661 in Asheville. The local FBI field office can be reached at 704-672-6100.

Violence or threats of violence at polling places should be reported to local authorities immediately by calling 911, followed by notifying the Justice Department.

For more information about the Justice Department’s efforts to protect voting rights and ensure secure elections, visit https://www.justice.gov/voting.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Rogelio Vega Evans, 26, of Lexington, N.C. was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for engaging in sexual contact with a minor by force in Indian Country, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Upon his release from prison, Evans will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, and Chief Carla Neadeau of the Cherokee Indian Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on or about June 18, 2022, Evans sexually abused a child under the age of 12. The minor victim is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band Cherokee Indians (EBCI), and the crime occurred in Indian country, within the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

On December 18, 2023, Evans pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12 by force.

Evans remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and the Cherokee Indian Police Department for their investigation of the case, and the High Point Police Department for its assistance with Evans’s arrest.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has approved an initial set of 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. 

The Justice Department - through its United States Attorney’s Offices (USAOs) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Field Divisions - will partner with each designated jurisdiction to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. 

The designated communities in the Western District of North Carolina are the City of Asheville and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI).

“Our partnerships with federal, local and Tribal law enforcement, service providers, and organizations that service the designated communities are critical in our efforts to address intimate partner violence and protect survivors,” said Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “By joining forces, we can combine and leverage our resources and expertise to combat intimate partner violence. Together, we are committed to strengthening community safety, holding offenders accountable, and ensuring that victims have access to the support they need and protection they deserve.”

“ATF is proud to be part of this collaborative effort aimed at better protecting those affected by domestic violence,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Individuals who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence are prohibited from possessing a firearm. ATF joins our law enforcement partners in efforts to make sure those individuals no longer pose a danger to their families or communities.”

“Reducing intimate partner violence and seeking justice for its survivors is a top priority for the Asheville Police Department,” said Asheville Police Chief Michael Lamb. “We value our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and appreciate the willingness of the Department of Justice and the ATF to work alongside us in our efforts to reduce and eliminate domestic violence.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina, in partnership with law enforcement, service providers, and community organizations, will continue to strengthen efforts to combat domestic violence through comprehensive training, increased federal prosecutions, and the allocation of federal resources.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office plans to conduct a series of specialized trainings for law enforcement and partner agencies. The goal of the trainings is to enhance the response to domestic violence incidents, improve victim safety, hold perpetrators accountable, and support local agencies that address these crimes and provide vital services to survivors.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with state prosecutors, will continue to review cases for potential federal prosecution, focusing on cases that involve individuals with misdemeanor or felony domestic violence convictions, or individuals who are subject to domestic violence restraining orders, that illegally possess firearms or ammunition.  

The U.S. Attorney’s Office will deploy resources through federal grants to continue to support community organizations that combat intimate partner violence and assist victims of violence, survivors, and their families. The federal funding is administered to local organizations to ensure continuity of services, expand access to legal support, and help meet the integral needs and address the unique challenges of victims and survivors of domestic violence.  

“Helpmate is pleased to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on this important initiative to address domestic violence. For nearly 50 years, Helpmate has provided shelter, safety, and support for survivors of intimate partner domestic violence. We applaud this initiative to bring increased focus on this issue that impacts thousands of families in our community each year,” said April Burgess-Johnson, Executive Director of Helpmate in Asheville.

According to the Department of Justice, communities were designated in close coordination with community stakeholders. The Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from increased focus on intimate partner violence resources and where the local jurisdiction is committed to partnering with the Department to increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g). The designation represents the partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.

The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated as USAOs continue coordination with their local stakeholders.  All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.  

For additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office please visit our website. Contact details and information about our Victim Witness Unit can be found here.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Paul Gordon Day, 37, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 147 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for the armed robbery of a bank in Asheville, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and evidence presented at Day’s trial, on November 9, 2022, at approximately 4:20 p.m., Day rode a bicycle to the PNC Bank branch

located at 8 O’Henry Avenue, in Asheville, which is across the street from the federal courthouse. Day parked the bicycle and entered the bank wearing a blue cap, sunglasses, a blue surgical mask, a grey sweatshirt, and gloves. Upon entering the bank, Day drew from his waistband a firearm wrapped in a black plastic bag secured to the barrel with rubber bands and approached the bank tellers. Day held up a firearm, ordered a customer who was in the bank to the ground, and demanded money from tellers. The tellers complied and gave Day the cash, including a GPS tracking device concealed within the money. Day then fled the scene on the bicycle.

Court documents show that law enforcement tracked the GPS device and determined it was located inside a vehicle traveling on Interstate 26 toward Weaverville, North Carolina. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and arrested Day, who was alone in the vehicle. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and recovered the firearm Day used during the robbery, the stolen cash and the GPS tracking device, the bicycle, and numerous articles of clothing worn by Day during the commission of the robbery.

On January 10, 2024, a federal jury found Day guilty of bank robbery using a dangerous weapon, and possessing and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Day remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI, the Asheville Police Department, and the Weaverville Police Department for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

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

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Christopher DeShawn Nelson, 42, of Asheville, was sentenced to 141 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Nelson after learning he was trafficking drugs and guns in and around Hillcrest Apartments in Asheville. Beginning in late June 2022, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant (CI) to conduct drug and gun purchases from Nelson. For example, on July 19, 2022, the CI communicated with Nelson about purchasing a 9mm firearm and methamphetamine. The same day, the CI traveled to Hillcrest Apartments where he purchased a firearm and methamphetamine from Nelson in exchange for $1,130. Court records show that from June 28 to August 18, 2022, Nelson sold the CI more than 88 grams of methamphetamine and three firearms.

On August 25, 2023, Nelson pleaded guilty to distributing five grams or more of actual methamphetamine. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger ordered Nelson to begin serving the federal sentence after the defendant completes the 30-month state sentence he is currently serving for a drug conviction.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF, the DEA, and the Asheville Police Department.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Russell J. Martini, 47, of Bay Shore, New York, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for cyberstalking a female victim and related offenses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, in April and May of 2022, Martini sent repeated harassing and threatening communications to an individual identified in court documents as “Jane Doe.” Jane Doe knew Martini and had obtained a protection order in New York that prohibited the defendant from contacting her. In April 2022, Jane Doe moved from New York to Charlotte. Soon thereafter, Martini began a cyberstalking campaign against Jane Doe, and used texts, emails, and social media platforms to send Jane Doe and members of her family harassing messages and threats of death and bodily injury. Martini also created a public social media account in Jane Doe’s name and used a compromising photo of the victim as a profile picture. Court documents show that Martini threatened to publish sexual photos and videos of Jane Doe online and on popular social media websites if Jane Doe did not respond to his communications.

According to filed court documents, in May 2022, Martini sent Jane Doe emails in which he threatened to kill her, “cave her face in,” “leave her in a pool of blood,” and kill her animals.  Then, Martini traveled to Charlotte and attempted to kidnap Jane Doe. Martini waited at Jane Doe’s apartment complex and attacked her as she walked up the stairs to her apartment. Martini then attempted to drag the victim to his car, but a bystander intervened, and Martini fled. After the attack, Martini sent Jane Doe an email asking her if she was “ready for round two” and threatened to kill her.

Court records show that Martini was convicted of stalking another female victim in 2018. In support of Martini’s 15-year sentence, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. cited Martini’s lengthy criminal history involving similar behavior, his inability to comply with previous terms of probation, and the need to protect the public from Martini.

On September 28, 2023, Martini pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, stalking, and communicating interstate threats.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of this case.

Assistant United States Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuted the case.              

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Randy Rashawn Moorehead, 34, of Charlotte, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on January 12, 2022, a CMPD officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Moorehead’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Moorehead did not comply and instead drove off. The officer continued to follow Moorehead, who eventually turned into a dead-end street and the officer was able to block Moorehead’s vehicle. During the traffic stop, law enforcement detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Law enforcement proceeded to conduct a search of the vehicle. Over the course of the search, law enforcement recovered a bag that contained a firearm, a quantity of cocaine base, marijuana, and digital scales. Moorehead has a prior felony conviction of Intentional Child Abuse Causing Serious Physical Injury, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

Moorehead is currently in federal custody. The statutory maximum for the charged offense is 15 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been sent.

The ATF and CMPD conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

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

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Russel Edward Hester, 72, of Rutherfordton, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf yesterday and pleaded guilty to federal charges for embezzling $374,807.10 from the Alcohol Beverage Control Board of Rutherfordton, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Clint Ingle of the Rutherfordton Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed plea documents, from December 2021 to October 2023, Hester embezzled at least $374,807.10 from the Alcohol Beverage Control Board of Rutherfordton (the Board) which manages the ABC Store where Hester worked as a manager for nearly 10 years. As store manager, Hester had access to, and control over, the Board’s financial accounts and records, wrote checks to pay bills, and was responsible for creating the budget each year. Hester was also responsible for providing all information needed for the annual independent third-party audit of the ABC Store.

According to court records, beginning as early as December 19, 2021, Hester used the Board’s debit card to withdraw funds at Two Kings Casino. Continuing until October 22, 2023, Hester used this debit card at the casino 192 times to withdraw funds totaling $374,807.10, and used the money to gamble, primarily playing slot machines. On days where Hester used the Board’s debit card, he won jackpots totaling $1,469,368.31, and deposited the winnings into his personal bank accounts. For example, on July 4, 2023, Hester used the Board’s debit card to withdraw $3,000 at Two Kings Casino. Hester then placed these funds into a slot machine and won a jackpot of $18,350. Hester elected to have this jackpot issued in the form of a check, which he deposited into a bank account under his control.

Plea documents also show that Hester took steps to cover up the embezzlement. For example, during the Board’s 2023 annual independent audit, Hester provided multiple altered and falsified bank statements to the auditor. In furtherance of the fraud, Hester removed transactions from the casino, added fabricated transactions, and falsified bank account balances on the statements before providing them to the auditor.

Hester pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. He is currently released on bond. At sentencing, Hester faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud charge and 10 years in prison for the money laundering charge. A federal district court judge will determine Hester’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not been set.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended IRS-CI, USPIS, and the Rutherfordton Police Department for their investigation of the case and thanked the Rutherford County District Attorney’s Office for its invaluable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has intensified federal efforts to address the surge in mail thefts by increasing the prosecution of cases involving stolen mail, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Federal prosecutors and investigators are also urging residents and businesses to take proactive measures to prevent thefts and report stolen mail promptly.

“Mail theft is not a victimless crime. Not only does it disrupt the delivery of important mail, but it can be a conduit to identity theft and financial fraud, with significant consequences for victimized individuals and businesses,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My Office is committed to protecting and securing our postal system, but we also need individuals and businesses to remain vigilant and take steps to secure their mail. Working together, we can stop mail thefts and uphold the integrity of our postal services.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought charges and secured convictions against defendants for crimes related to mail theft. The cases involve mail stolen from residential and business mailboxes and mail processing centers, used to commit financial fraud, bank fraud, and identity theft. Among the defendants charged are former postal employees, who misused their position and access to commit mail theft and engage in criminal schemes involving stolen mail.

“The safety and security of the U.S. mail and its customers are core to the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Inspector-in-Charge Tommy D. Coke of the Atlanta Division.  “Mail theft can have devasting consequences for victimized individuals and businesses.  This effort would not be successful without the cooperation between our federal, state, and local law enforcement counterparts. We will continue to work collectively to pursue criminals who victimize postal customers.”

“We appreciate the outstanding effort by both our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice,” said Jeffrey Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “The vast majority of Postal Service employees are honest, hardworking individuals who would not violate the public’s trust in this manner. An employee who decides otherwise, will be aggressively investigated by OIG Special Agents. These cases serve as an excellent example of the successful collaboration between the USPS-OIG, our federal and state law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue and prosecute Postal Service employees and their co-conspirators involved in criminal activity.”

Examples of recent charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office include:

U.S. v. Miguel Bridges and U.S. v. Jaleesa Bridges and Ryan Bridges – Miguel Bridges, 34, of Charlotte, worked as a postal employee at a mail distribution center in Charlotte. Today, he pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit offense against the United States for stealing cell phones from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and selling them for profit. Jaleesa Bridges, 36, of Charlotte, and Ryan Bridges, 32, of Florence, South Carolina, were charged separately in August 2024, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and possession of stolen mail. Their charges are still pending. According to allegations in the charging documents, Miguel Bridges took advantage of his position as a postal employee to open mail parcels and steal cellular phones, which he and his co-conspirators then sold to ecoATM automated kiosks and other locations, as well as to third parties. During the conspiracy, it is alleged that more than 1,400 stolen cell phones were sold for approximately $400,000.

U.S. v.  John Davis – On August 28, 2024, John Calvin Davis, III, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release for executing a scheme involving stolen checks. Court documents show that, from August 2022 to January 2023, Davis obtained approximately 50 checks that were stolen from USPS mail collection boxes in Charlotte. The defendant then fraudulently endorsed the stolen checks, used ATMs to deposit the checks into bank accounts he controlled, and quickly withdrew the funds via ATMs or mobile transfers before the victims or the bank discovered the checks were stolen. Through this scheme, Davis fraudulently obtained $304,355.56 in fraudulent proceeds.

U.S. v. Quadarius Thomas – On August 7, 2024, Quadarius Thomas, 30, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of stolen mail, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Court records show that, in December 2023, Thomas had in his possession a U.S. Treasury Check that had been mailed to a victim company. The check was in the amount of $2,463,923.52, and it had been stolen from a letter box or post office. Thomas also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records show that Thomas possessed two firearms despite having prior criminal convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms. Thomas is currently in federal custody and is awaiting sentencing.

U.S. v. Jessica Sowell – On August 5, 2024, Jessica Bailey Sowell, 31, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Court records show that, from March 2023 to February 2024, Sowell executed an identity theft and bank fraud scheme using personal identifying information (PII) of identity theft victims. Sowell obtained the PII through various means, including stealing mail, from the internet, and other sources. Sowell used the stolen PII to create fraudulent identification documents which she used at banks, hotels, and retail stores in order to obtain money and merchandise, and to rent hotel rooms and cars. During that time, Sowell also illegally possessed a firearm. Sowell is currently detained. A sentencing hearing has not been set.

U.S. v. Douglas Gumbs – On August 1, 2024, Douglas Gumbs, 39, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release for bank fraud. Court records show that, from 2022 to 2023, Gumbs conspired with others to steal large quantities of U.S. mail from residential and business mailboxes. The stolen mail included business and individual checks, credit cards, tax forms, bank and other financial statements, packages, as well as victims’ PII. Gumbs carried out the fraud by altering the amounts of the stolen checks and changing the names of the payees to his own name, then cashing the stolen checks. In other instances, Gumbs obtained stolen blank checks and wrote the checks to himself. Gumbs also created false identification documents, including drivers’ licenses, that contained his picture with the names and drivers’ license numbers of identity theft victims, which he used in furtherance of the scheme.

U.S. v. Tressa Baucom, et al. – In July 2024, Jennings Peter Keziah, also known as Christian Thomas Carpenter, 37, of Stanley, N.C., was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess stolen mail, for stealing thousands of pieces of mail in North Carolina and South Carolina. Keziah’s co-defendant, Tressa Nichole Baucom, 31, of Charlotte, has pleaded guilty to the same offense and is awaiting sentencing. According to court records, from October to December 2021, the defendants executed a mail theft scheme that targeted residential mailboxes in Charlotte and Gastonia, N.C., and York County, S.C. Over the course of the scheme, Baucom and Keziah allegedly stole more than 3,700 pieces of mail, including credit cards, checks, gift cards, driver’s licenses, bank statements and a passport. Court records show that the defendants used the stolen cards for personal expenditures, including to make purchases at Walmart, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Quick Trip, and Best Buy.

U.S. v. Nakedra Shannon, et. al. – Nakedra Shannon, 30, Donnell Gardner, 28, and Desiray Carter, 30, all of Charlotte, were indicted for a scheme involving stolen checks. In July 2024, Gardner was sentenced to 54 months in prison, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of government money, property, or records. According to court records, Shannon, who was employed by the USPS as a mail processing clerk, stole incoming and outgoing checks from the U.S. mail, which Shannon, Gardner, and Carter then sold to other individuals. Over the course of the conspiracy, the defendants stole checks totaling more than $24 million, including more than $12 million in stolen checks which were posted for sale on the Telegram channel OG Glass House, and more than $8 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks. Shannon and Carter have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of government money, property, or records and are awaiting sentencing.

U.S. v. Montavius Hancock, et al. – In May 2024, a federal grand jury charged Montavius Hancock, 28, and Marquez Gaston, 28, both of Charlotte, with conspiracy to commit offense against the United States for theft of U.S. mail and unlawful possession of USPS universal keys, also known as “arrow keys,” amongst other charges. According to allegations in the indictment, Gaston used his position as a USPS employee to steal the arrow keys, which he then sold to other individuals, including to Hancock. Hancock and others used the arrow keys to steal U.S. mail, including checks and bank cards, from USPS mail receptacles. During the conspiracy, Hancock obtained checks with a face value of more than $400,000. Hancock pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit offense against the United States and is awaiting sentencing. The charges against Gaston are pending.

U.S. v. Jakia McMorris – In April 2024, Jakia McMorris, 33, of Charlotte pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for stealing more than $40,000 in checks, including checks stolen from the U.S. mail. According to court records, McMorris was a USPS employee. On or around September 13, 2021, McMorris reported that, while she was delivering mail, she lost a USPS universal key that could open many U.S. mailboxes. After that day, McMorris stopped reporting for work at the USPS. During the scheme, McMorris’s co-conspirators used the stolen universal USPS key to open multi-unit outdoor mailboxes in Charlotte and steal mail. The stolen mail included business checks, which were deposited into various bank accounts, including in bank accounts in McMorris’s name. The co-conspirators then quickly withdrew the cash from the accounts before the banks detected the fraud. McMorris received a portion of the funds as payment for using her bank accounts to perpetuate the scheme. McMorris is released on bond and is awaiting sentencing.

U.S. v. Kyree Corbett – In February 2024, Kyree Jamayl Corbett, 23, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 78 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release for conspiracy and robbery of property of the United States. Court records show that, in December 2021, Corbett participated in a robbery at gunpoint of a U.S. postal employee, using the threat of force to steal a USPS universal key. Corbett and his co-conspirators then used the key on multiple occasions to steal large quantities of mail from U.S. Postal collection boxes throughout the Charlotte area. Corbett and his co-conspirators would then open and remove the contents of the stolen mail, which included individual and business checks. David Miller, a co-conspirator in Corbett’s mail theft conspiracy, was sentenced to 14 months in prison in March 2023.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office advises the public to take the following steps to protect their mail and avoid becoming a victim of mail theft:

1. Promptly Retrieve Mail: Collect your mail daily and avoid leaving it in the mailbox overnight.
2. Secure Mailboxes: Use secure, lockable mailboxes for incoming and outgoing mail.
3. Inquire About Overdue Mail: If you have not received valuable or important mail you’re expecting, contact the sender to inquire about it.
4. Don’t Send Cash: Avoid mailing cash, gift cards, or other items of value. When doing, so utilize the package tracking and signature confirmation options.
5. Hold Mail When Away: Use the USPS Hold Mail service when you are out of town.
6. File a Change of Address: When moving, file a change of address with USPS.
7. Report Suspicious Activity: Immediately report any suspicious individuals or activities near mailboxes to local law enforcement.
8. Monitor Financial Statements: Regularly review bank and credit card statements for any unusual activity.
9. Sign up for Informed Delivery and get daily digest emails that preview your mail and packages scheduled arriving soon.

Customers are encouraged to report stolen mail as soon as possible by submitting an online complaint to the Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov/report or calling 877-876-2455.

Additionally, report the theft to your local police department to ensure they are aware of potential criminal activity in your area. Individuals are also encouraged to report allegations of Postal Service employee misconduct, including attempts to corrupt a Postal Service employee, to the USPS OIG at 1-888-877-7644 or www.uspsoig.gov.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Bobby Lee Fish, Jr., 44, of Catawba, N.C., was sentenced today to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department (HPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in 2022, HPD was investigating Fish’s drug trafficking activities in Catawba County. During the investigation, HPD utilized a confidential informant (CI) to conduct a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Fish. Court records show that one of the drug transactions occurred on April 6, 2022, where Fish sold the CI approximately 52.8 grams of actual methamphetamine. A few days later, on April 21, 2022, Fish sold the CI approximately 105.9 grams of actual methamphetamine. On May 2, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Fish’s vehicle. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, HPD officers seized four packages from the car. Laboratory testing revealed the packages contained 919.3 grams, 916.9 grams, 918.8 grams, and 919.1 grams of actual methamphetamine, respectively.

On April 3, 2024, Fish pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. Fish has an extensive criminal history for crimes committed in North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. Fish is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and HPD for their investigation of the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Durell Smith, 22, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 54 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for possession of a machinegun, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on February 10, 2023, CMPD officers observed Smith park a vehicle that displayed a fictitious tag in front of a residence in Charlotte. An officer approached the vehicle and saw a Glock, model 17, 9mm caliber handgun with distinctive white skulls painted on it with a machinegun conversion device, also known as a Glock switch, installed. The firearm with the skulls had been stolen and had a 30-round magazine inserted into the weapon. A further search of the car revealed a second machinegun, a Glock model 33 .357 caliber handgun with a Glock switch installed. Court records show that Smith had previously posted photos online posing with the firearm with the painted skulls.   According to court documents, several months after CMPD seized the two machineguns, Smith was arrested at the same residence. CMPD executed a search warrant on the property and recovered several stolen firearms from the residence.

On April 24, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina partnered with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina and the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, to provide an informational session on The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Opioid Crisis: Combating Discrimination Against People In Treatment and Recovery from Opioid Use Disorder, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

The presentation was a component of a four-part series sponsored by MAHE­­­C. The first module presented today by the Civil Rights Coordinators of each U.S. Attorney’s Office focused on an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its applicability to individuals in treatment to address Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The presentation also encompassed a review of complaints and outcomes of prior investigations that alleged discrimination against individuals in treatment for OUD or with a history of past drug use.

The presentation aimed to ensure that skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and other medical establishments do not discriminate on the basis of disability, as such establishments are places of public accommodation under the ADA. Persons in need of care and services at skilled nursing facilities, outpatient rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, and medical offices cannot be denied access to these services because they are in treatment for OUD or had a history of past drug use. Under the ADA, no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation. Persons in recovery for substance use disorder are individuals with a disability within the meaning of ADA and its accompanying regulations, and thus are covered by the ADA’s protections.

“As chief law enforcement officer in the Western District and Chair of the U.S. Attorney General’s Subcommittee on Civil Rights, I am committed to enforcing the ADA and all civil rights statutes,” said U.S. Attorney King. “As we work to combat the spread of illegal drugs in our communities, we must also support those seeking to rebuild their lives through treatment at licensed medical facilities. Ensuring that individuals are receiving the proper care they need to overcome substance use disorder without experiencing discrimination is a matter of critical importance for all of us.”

Individuals who believe they have been victims of discrimination may file an ADA complaint online at https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).

MAHEC was established 50 years ago, and is a leader in healthcare, education, and innovation. Headquartered on a 14-acre campus in Asheville, with family medicine, ob/gyn, internal medicine, psychiatry, and dentistry offices in various locations across its 16-county Western N.C. service area, MAHEC is the largest of nine Area Health Education Centers in the state and home to branch campuses of UNC schools of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and public health. Among MAHEC’s focus areas is recruiting, training, and retaining the workforce needed to create a healthy North Carolina, with particular emphasis on primary care in rural communities and for those with less access to resources. A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike, MAHEC is one of the largest nonprofit employers in the mountain region with a staff of more than 1,000. For more information, visit mahec.net.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michael Lamar Gaines, 40, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court records, on February 6, 2023, a deputy with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Gaines’s vehicle on I-77 for a traffic violation. Gaines did not comply and instead fled at a high rate of speed. Court records show that the deputy reported that Gaines had left the roadway multiple times and nearly struck other vehicles in his attempt to evade law enforcement. Ultimately, Gaines crashed his vehicle after exiting I-77 and running a stop sign. Gaines then attempted to flee on foot before he was apprehended. After Gaines was taken into custody, law enforcement searched his vehicle and found a handgun with an extended magazine and two bags that contained nearly half a kilogram of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also seized $8,940 in cash that Gaines had on his person. Court records show that Gaines has multiple prior criminal convictions including drug trafficking and theft and he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

On February 2, 2024, Gaines pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

The ATF and the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office handled the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – John Calvin Davis, III, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for executing a scheme involving stolen checks, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court records and court proceedings, from August 2022 to January 2023, Davis obtained approximately 50 checks that were stolen from U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes in Charlotte. Davis fraudulently endorsed the stolen checks, used ATMs to deposit the checks into bank accounts he controlled, and quickly withdrew the funds via ATMs or mobile transfers before the victims or the bank discovered the checks were stolen. Through this scheme, Davis fraudulently obtained $304,355.56 in fraudulent proceeds.

In February 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

U.S. Attorney King thanked the USPIS and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Monwazee Raymon Boston, 32, of Charlotte was sentenced today to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a loaded firearm fitted with an extended magazine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, on July 21, 2021, law enforcement were surveilling an area known for frequent drug trafficking and illegal firearms activity, when they observed the defendant, with an extended firearms magazine sticking out of his pants, leave the area in his vehicle. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement located Boston’s parked vehicle with Boston already outside the vehicle. When Boston saw the officers, he fled on foot and hid behind a truck parked in a driveway. The officers located Boston and placed him under arrest. The officers also found a Glock pistol behind the same truck where Boston hid. The pistol was fitted with a fully loaded 30-round extended magazine, with an additional round in the chamber. Officers also conducted a search of Boston’s vehicle where they located 445 methamphetamine pills, and almost half a kilogram of marijuana. 

Court documents show that, in 2011, Boston was convicted of drug trafficking and firearms offenses in federal court in South Carolina. Boston was on federal supervised release for that conviction when he possessed the loaded firearm.

On May 1, 2023, Boston pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carlos Fernandez, 33, of Porterville, California, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to smuggle 20 pounds of cocaine through the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, on July 27, 2021, law enforcement conducting routine interdiction operations at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport questioned Fernandez for suspected drug trafficking, after a drug detecting dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in the defendant’s suitcase. Fernandez had just arrived in Charlotte on a flight that originated in California. Court documents show that law enforcement searched Fernandez’s suitcase and found a smaller suitcase that contained three vacuum-sealed packages, or “bricks.” A lab analysis of the bricks confirmed that the substance was cocaine, weighing approximately nine kilograms, or 20 pounds, total. A forensic analysis of Fernandez’s seized cell phones revealed messages discussing drug trafficking activity. During the investigation, law enforcement also determined that Fernandez had frequently traveled between California and Charlotte as a drug courier.

On November 7, 2023, Fernandez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, Jomeir Zakied McCutchen, 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on October 10, 2022, at approximately 5:46 p.m., a CMPD officer was at a Quick Trip (“QT”) gas station in Charlotte, when he observed an individual, later identified as McCutchen, engage in a hand-to-hand drug transaction. Specifically, the officer observed an individual hand McCutchen U.S. currency in exchange for a clear bag containing suspected narcotics. Court records show that when McCutchen saw the officer he quickly walked into the QT and then was picked up at a side door of the store by a juvenile female, who drove away from the gas station in a white SUV at a high rate of speed. The officer followed McCutchen and attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the juvenile driver did not obey and drove away. A little while later, the officer located the unoccupied white SUV parked in the parking lot of an apartment complex. While looking through the vehicle’s windows, the officer observed in plain view drugs and drug paraphernalia, including digital scales. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle, seizing a bag containing more than 12 grams of fentanyl. The officers also located identifying documents in the vehicle in the name of the defendant.  Further investigation revealed that McCutchen was a convicted felon on parole in Pennsylvania.

According to court records, on October 11, 2022, law enforcement located McCutchen at a gas station in Charlotte. Law enforcement observed McCutchen exit the gas station and approach a red vehicle. CMPD Officers attempted to stop McCutchen, but the defendant fled on foot, dropping a black pistol to the ground as he ran off. McCutchen was arrested and detained. Law enforcement searched the red vehicle and seized over 83 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also recovered the discarded firearm and determined it was loaded with a round in the chamber.

On February 21, 2024, McCutchen pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. McCutchen is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell noted that prior convictions and probation from other courts had not deterred the defendant. 

U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Gleason with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rami Mahmod Mhana, 46, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 68 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today for selling stolen and fraudulently obtained iPhones and other electronic devices to buyers overseas, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In May 2023, a federal jury convicted Mhana of conspiracy, international transportation of stolen goods, and money laundering,

Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service (USSS), Charlotte Field Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Mhana was the owner of Wireless City Fashions, Inc. (Wireless City) and Protocol Business Group Inc. (Protocol), located at 441 Bradford Drive in Charlotte, as well as multiple Boost mobile stores in the Charlotte area. From at least May 2017 through October 2019, Mhana purchased thousands of brand-new Apple iPhones and other electronic devices that were stolen and fraudulently obtained. Mhana then sold and shipped the iPhones to the United Arab Emirates (the U.A.E.) and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (Hong Kong).

Court records show that Mhana obtained a significant portion of the stolen and fraudulently obtained devices from multiple local “boosters.” A booster is a person who steals or obtains through fraud goods and products and sells them for profit. Mhana’s store on Bradford Drive was known to local boosters as a place they could sell stolen devices for cash with no questions asked. In fact, as trial evidence established, Mhana provided his employees with a  pricelist of how much they should pay for certain new model iPhones and other electronic devices, which was significantly less than retail value of the devices. The Court ordered Mhana to pay restitution in the amount of $3,649,033 to the victims of the fraud scheme. The Court also ordered Mhana to forfeit $229,118 and more than 100 new-in-the box iPhones seized during the investigation.

Mhana will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In a separate case, two Charlotte businessmen were sentenced to prison in August 2023, for  orchestrating a similar scheme.

Both cases were the result of the investigative efforts of CMPD and the Secret Service, which have established a fully integrated partnership to combat the most significant organized criminal groups operating in Charlotte. Through this partnership, this unit has successfully leveraged local and federal resources, personnel, expertise and authorities to identify and combat the criminals and criminal organizations that have the largest negative impact on the community.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Savage, William Bozin, and Benjamin Bain-Creed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the cases.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned a criminal indictment last week against Jaminata Starks, 29, of Charlotte, for her role in a scheme involving fraudulent bank accounts, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Starks had her initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.

Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to allegations in the indictment, Starks was employed by a financial institution (Victim Bank) and worked for a branch in Charlotte. As part of her duties, Starks was authorized to, among other things, open new bank accounts for existing customers and transfer funds between customers’ accounts. The indictment alleges that, between April 13, 2022, and May 23, 2022, Starks conspired with others to misuse the Victim Bank’s customers’ personal identifying information (PII) to fraudulently open new bank accounts in the victims’ names and transfer funds out of the victims’ existing accounts into the fraudulent accounts, without the customers’ knowledge or consent. Starks and her co-conspirators then allegedly used various methods to withdraw the stolen funds.

According to the charges, during the scheme, Starks allegedly transferred at least $120,000 from the custody of the Victim Bank and made false entries in the Victim Bank’s books and records. It is further alleged that Starks was offered $1,000 for each fraudulent new account she created. In addition to the charges, the indictment contains a notice for a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of at least $30,000, that the government contends constitutes the proceeds of Starks’s alleged criminal conduct referenced in the indictment.

Starks is charged with conspiring to defraud the United States and to violate the laws of the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; four counts of making false entries in a bank record, which carries a maximum of up to 30 years in prison per count; and four counts of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year prison term, consecutive to any other prison term imposed, per count. Starks was released on bond following her initial appearance.

The charges against Starks are allegations and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King and U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel met with faith leaders in Asheville today, to discuss community matters, address local challenges, and collaborate on joint priorities, including public safety, youth violence prevention and intervention, civil rights, and the protection of houses of worship. The meeting was part of an ongoing effort to further collaboration between law enforcement and faith-based organizations to promote the safety of Asheville communities.

During the meeting, U.S. Attorney King emphasized the importance of a united approach to identifying and addressing the challenges that impact communities. “Faith leaders play a vital role in assisting and uplifting the communities they serve. Their partnership is essential in addressing the root causes of criminal activity that threatens the safety of our citizens, ensuring the protection of civil rights, and fostering trust between law enforcement and the communities we are sworn to protect,” said U.S. Attorney King.

The discussion focused on the unique perspective that faith leaders add to conversations centered on community safety, and how their knowledge, influence, and collaboration can assist federal prosecutors and law enforcement in preventing and combating criminal activity and promoting community safety. Topics covered during the meeting included strategies for reducing violence, intercepting drug trafficking, and removing illegal firearms from the streets. The group also discussed the protection of civil rights and explored ways to enhance collaboration between law enforcement and faith communities to reduce youth violence and foster trust through shared efforts and open dialogue.

“Community safety is not just the responsibility of law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney King noted. “It requires the collective effort of all stakeholders, including our faith-based partners. Together, we can create safer neighborhoods and thriving communities through stronger alliances.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to partnering with faith leaders and other community partners to address issues pressing to local communities. Following today’s discussion, U.S. Attorney King and her team will continue to engage with faith leaders, listen to their concerns, and work collaboratively on proposed solutions.

Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found here.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Allen Lee Henson, 54, of Morganton, N.C., was sentenced today to 168 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Sheriff Banks Hinceman of the Burke County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, in March 2021, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation after learning that Henson was acquiring methamphetamine and then re-distributing it to others within the Burke County area. During the investigation, BCSO investigators used a confidential source to purchase methamphetamine from Henson at his residence on at least two occasions. On April 23, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Henson’s residence. During the search, deputies seized distribution quantities of methamphetamine, marijuana, digital scales, drug paraphernalia, and $23,733 in U.S. currency. Court records show that on February 10, 2022, Henson met with an undercover officer (UC) in Caldwell County, where Henson sold the UC more than 71 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $1,400 in cash.

On November 15, 2023, Henson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Lenoir Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jason Dean Keever, 42, of Asheville, was sentenced to 336 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff William Wilke of the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, Keever and his co-defendant, Joel Wesley Creech, engaged in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Haywood, Buncombe, McDowell, and Transylvania Counties. The investigation began in 2021, after the DEA and the HCSO learned that Keever and Creech were acquiring large quantities of methamphetamine and redistributing it to others within the Western District of North Carolina. On June 21, 2021, law enforcement conducting surveillance of Keever and Creech observed Keever’s vehicle leaving Creech’s residence in Haywood County. Law enforcement initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, detectives located a void area under the steering wheel that contained a semi-automatic pistol with one round of ammunition in the chamber and four rounds in the magazine. Investigators also seized more than $10,000 in cash and two large plastic bags that contained nearly two kilograms of methamphetamine. According to filed court documents, the next day, detectives executed a search warrant at Creech’s residence, where they seized more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine buried in the backyard.

On August 25, 2023, Keever pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.

On November 2, 2023, Creech was sentenced to 11 years in prison, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine,

The investigation was conducted by the DEA, the ATF, and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the DEA and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case, and thanked the McDowell, Buncombe, and Transylvania County Sheriffs’ Offices for their invaluable assistance.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Charlotte has returned a criminal indictment charging Clint Clifford Sicking, 40, of Muenster, Texas, for his role in a $780,000 scheme involving the theft of livestock, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Miles B. Davis, Special Agent in Charge, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA-OIG), Southeast Region, Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, Sheriff Alan Norman of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office

and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to allegations in the indictment and documents in related court proceedings, from April 2018 to October 2022, Sicking conspired with William Dalton Edwards, 25, of Mount Airy, N.C., to defraud livestock markets, also known as sales barns, in Iredell and Cleveland Counties, North Carolina, and in Texas, Oklahoma, and Virginia. The indictment alleges that, on multiple occasions during the relevant time frame, Sicking and Edwards purchased cattle from sales barns in North Carolina and wrote checks to pay for the cattle, knowing the checks were worthless, since there were insufficient funds to cover the checks and pay for the cattle.

As alleged in the indictment, Sicking and Edwards arranged to transport the cattle out-of-state before the defrauded sales barns and financial institutions could determine their checks were worthless. The stolen cattle were then resold in Texas and Oklahoma. Over the course of the scheme, Sicking and Edwards allegedly fraudulently obtained more than 900 head of cattle and caused over $780,000 in losses to sales barns in North Carolina. The sales barns—which are family-owned—incurred these losses because they are required to pay farmers and ranchers immediately after the sale of their livestock.

Sicking is charged with conspiring to defraud the United States and to violate the laws of the United States. One of the objects of the charged conspiracy was to hamper and impede the Packers and Stockyard Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its regulation of fair livestock markets. Other objects of the conspiracy included a scheme to obtain funds under the custody and control of federally insured financial institutions through false statements and representations; to steal livestock valued at more than $10,000; and to transport stolen livestock in interstate commerce. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum prison term of five years. Sicking is also charged with bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and with one count of theft of livestock, two counts of interstate transportation of stolen livestock, and two counts of sale and receipt of stolen livestock, which carry a maximum of five years in prison per charged offense.

On August 2, 2024, Edwards pleaded guilty for his participation in the scheme. A sentencing date for Edwards has not been sent.

The charges against Sicking are allegations and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Secret Service, IRS-CI, and the Cleveland and Iredell County Sheriff’s Offices for their investigation of the case. U.S. Attorney King also thanked the Stanly County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Everette Josiah Phifer, 30, of Charlotte, to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, in 2016, Phifer was convicted in North Carolina of Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury and served a term of imprisonment. As a result of the conviction, Phifer is prohibited from possessing firearms. Court documents show that between February 7, 2022, and March 5, 2022, Phifer illegally possessed a firearm. Specifically, on March 5, 2022, CMPD officers responded to a 911 call for a shooting at an apartment complex in Charlotte. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered that at least 79 shots had been fired from multiple guns, and an innocent resident of the complex had been struck and killed by a stray bullet.

Witnesses directed law enforcement to a particular apartment within the complex believed to be connected to the shooting. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at that apartment. Phifer was located inside along with a quantity of fentanyl pills and several firearms, including an SKS rifle and a loaded Glock handgun with an undermount laser hidden inside a toilet tank, and ammunition. Phifer’s cell phone was also seized and analyzed. Law enforcement recovered from the cell phone photos of Phifer with the same SKS rifle that was found in the apartment, and a video that showed the same Glock handgun also seized from the apartment. 

On June 23, 2023, Phifer pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In January 2024, Marcus Alexander Allen, another individual connected to the March 5th shooting and the apartment where Phifer was found, was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon committed on March 5, 2022.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Sielaff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, delivered opening remarks today at the VALOR Officer Safety and Resilience Training in Charlotte. The program focuses on enhancing all aspects of safety, wellness, resilience, and performance for those who serve in law enforcement.

More than 120 law enforcement officers and personnel from federal, state, and local agencies from across North Carolina are participating in the training, which is sponsored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance as part of the VALOR initiative. This initiative aims to enhance officer resilience; provide the necessary tools to navigate the challenges of a career in law enforcement; promote officer safety; and help prevent the injuries and deaths of law enforcement officers and the people they serve. The program offers resources and practical strategies informed by real-world scenarios and the latest research to assist law enforcement with managing the stressors and risks that come with the job, develop skills to defuse dangerous situations, and strengthen officer safety and performance. 

In her address, U.S. Attorney King expressed her gratitude to those who serve in law enforcement, highlighting their critical role as the frontline defenders of our communities.

“Our law enforcement officers’ dedication and courage serve as the foundation of our justice system,” said U.S. Attorney King. “I want to thank our brave men and women in law enforcement for working hard every day to make our neighborhoods safer, protect our children from harm, and uphold the principles of justice with honor and dignity.”

U.S. Attorney King also talked about the significant risks that come with a career in law enforcement, and paid tribute to fallen officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. “The officers who made the ultimate sacrifice exemplify the highest ideals of the profession,” said U.S. Attorney King. “We honor their memory by continuing to fight for the principles they stood for – justice, integrity, and the protection of the innocent.”

U.S. Attorney King closed her remarks by reinforcing the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department to helping law enforcement officers and the communities they serve stay safe and well.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Christon Jermaine Brewer, 39, of Monroe, N.C., was sentenced today to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of approximately $210,000 for operating an investment scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. 

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court records and court proceedings, from 2018 to 2022, Brewer executed a scheme to defraud at least ten victim-investors of more than $200,000. Brewer’s victims, including friends and acquaintances, were induced to invest in the scheme after Brewer promised he would invest their funds in the stock market. Brewer represented himself to victims as a wealthy investor, who had access to investment opportunities that would return profits and yield guaranteed returns. Relying upon Brewer’s false and fraudulent representations, victims sent thousands of dollars to the defendant in cash, or via mobile peer-to-peer payment methods, such as Apple Pay or Cash App.

Contrary to promises he made to his victims, Brewer did not invest their money as agreed.  Instead, he used it to pay for various personal expenses to support his lifestyle. While he was spending the victims’ money, Brewer convinced victims into believing their investments were safe, by sending them text messages that provided purported updates on their investments and screenshots falsely showing the high returns on their investments.

On June 26, 2023, Brewer pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He is currently released on bond and will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

The FBI led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in   Charlotte prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A previously convicted felon on federal supervised release was sentenced to prison today on drug and gun charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.  Charles Lee Farmer, 50, of Charlotte, was ordered to serve 46 months in prison followed by three years on supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, and possession of multiple firearms by a convicted felon.  Additionally, Farmer was ordered to serve a consecutive six-month prison term for violating conditions of his supervised release, for a total sentence of 52 months in prison.

According to court documents and court proceedings, Farmer was previously convicted in the Western District of North Carolina for a firearms offense. After serving an active prison term, Farmer was placed on court-ordered supervised release under the U.S. Probation Office. On November 20, 2021, federal probation officers conducted a warrantless search of Farmer’s residence, after they received information that Farmer was dealing narcotics. During the search, probation officers located cocaine and cocaine base, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia, and seized multiple firearms and multiple rounds of ammunition.

Farmer remains in federal custody.  He will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Probation Office in the Western District of North Carolina for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michael Mandel Baldwin, 55, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on charges of wire fraud and securities fraud, for orchestrating an $800,000 investment scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to trial evidence, witness testimony, and filed court documents, from 2009 to 2021, Baldwin served as Assistant Pastor and Musical Director for a church in Northern Virginia, and Chief Executive Officer of the Miracle Mansion, LLC (Miracle Mansion). Trial evidence established that Baldwin used his position of trust within the church and fake promotional material to promote his investment scheme to victims that included churches, congregation members, and individual investors. To convince victims to invest in the Miracle Mansion project, Baldwin repeatedly lied about the viability, legitimacy, and success of the project, and used the names of well-known corporations and organizations to falsely claim they had endorsed the project.

According to evidence presented at trial, Baldwin solicited investments from a Charlotte-area church and its congregation members, as well as other entities located throughout the United States, including in Virginia, Arkansas, Florida, and Georgia. As part of the fraud, Baldwin’s promotional material falsely described Miracle Mansion as “a one-of-a-kind entertainment complex that [would] reshape the face of family entertainment in the Washington Metropolitan region,” with a mission that “promotes family-focused inspiration, entertainment and enrichment anchored by a Biblical worldview.” To promote the scheme, Baldwin held in-person and virtual meetings with potential investors, during which he falsely claimed the investors’ money would be used to develop, create, and construct Miracle Mansion, including to purchase the land on which Miracle Mansion would be built.

According to witness testimony, in furtherance of the scheme, Baldwin presented to investors several investment opportunities, including “GroundSwell 73,” which he described as “73 acres = 7,300 people, investing $73 per month, for 73 months.”

As court documents reflect, Baldwin lied to victims and would-be investors that The Kennedy Center and high-level executives at Hobby Lobby and Chick-Fil-A had endorsed and supported Miracle Mansion. However, contrary to Baldwin’s claims, high-level executives with Hobby Lobby and Chick-Fil-A testified at trial that they neither knew nor supported Baldwin and his project.

Rather than using the victims’ money to create, develop, and construct Miracle Mansion as promised, Baldwin spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on his personal lifestyle, including to pay for personal expenses, travel, gym memberships, and meals at restaurants. He also made large credit card payments and cash withdrawals. Baldwin also used a portion of the victims’ money to pay others involved in Miracle Mansion, and to make Ponzi style payments to some of the investors who were questioning the status and the legitimacy of the project.

At today’s sentencing hearing, federal prosecutors contended that Baldwin preyed on his victims’ religious affiliations, charitable inclinations, and trust in the defendant as a friend and religious advisor and noted that Baldwin inflicted emotional and spiritual harm on his victims.

Baldwin will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney King thanked the U.S. Secret Service for leading the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caryn Finley and Kenneth Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Nicki Wayne Parker, 36, of Monroe, N.C. was sentenced today to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, in December 2022, ATF agents initiated an investigation into Parker for suspected distribution of methamphetamine in and around Union County. During the investigation, Parker participated in the distribution of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. In January 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Monroe, N.C., where Parker was residing. Law enforcement found a pound of methamphetamine hidden in a cardboard box in the garage of the residence, and a pistol located inside a toolbox. At the time, Parker was on federal supervised release following a conviction in the Western District of North Carolina for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

On November 28, 2023, Parker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Parker remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending placement by the federal Bureau of Prisons.

This prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the ATF and the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. 

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Jonathan Craig Otuel, 36, of Stallings, N.C., was sentenced today to 181 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine and related firearms offenses.

According to court documents, evidence presented at Otuel’s trial, and witness testimony, on November 19, 2019, officers with the Pineville Police Department responded to a call for service at a hotel room, where they located Otuel and three other individuals. Officers also located methamphetamine and a firearm that Otuel had thrown from the balcony. A search warrant was issued and executed on the hotel room. During the search, law enforcement recovered multiple bags of methamphetamine, and an additional firearm. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Otuel was responsible for trafficking significant amounts of methamphetamine in Mecklenburg and Gaston Counties. 

On August 2, 2023, a federal jury convicted Otuel of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Otuel also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Otuel remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pineville Police Department and the Gaston County Police Department for their investigation of the case.

This effort is part of an 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Regina Pack and Timothy Sielaff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Antonio Abrego-Bega, 37, of Mexico, was sentenced today to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, between September and October 2021, law enforcement learned that Abrego-Bega was selling methamphetamine in the Charlotte area. During the investigation, a confidential informant (CI) working with law enforcement was introduced to Abrego-Bega. In September 2021, the CI and purchased from the defendant over 50 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm. Law enforcement arranged additional controlled purchases between the CI and Abrego-Bega, where the defendant sold the CI additional methamphetamine and firearms. On October 20, 2021, following a controlled purchase of methamphetamine with the CI, law enforcement took Abrego-Bega into custody. Law enforcement recovered approximately 334 grams of methamphetamine and digital scales that he possessed in a bag.

On February 22, 2023, Abrego-Bega pleaded guilty to distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.

The investigation was conducted by the ATF and CMPD.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. 

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

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Ernest D. Pheasant, Sr., 47, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), pleaded guilty today to first-degree murder in Indian Country, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Pheasant entered his guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf.

According to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearing, on December 29, 2013, the body of Marie Walkingstick Pheasant was discovered inside a burned-out vehicle parked near Big Cove Road within the Qualla Boundary in the Western District of North Carolina. Investigators determined that the vehicle had been intentionally set on fire. An autopsy revealed that Marie died from stab wounds to the neck and abdomen. DNA retrieved from a baseball cap found near the vehicle was linked to the defendant, who was Marie’s estranged husband. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Pheasant killed Marie at their home, then transferred her body to the car, drove it to Big Cove Road, and set it on fire. By today’s guilty plea, Pheasant admitted to murdering Marie willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation.

On April 7, 2022, following a review of unsolved homicides in the region, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) opened a full interagency investigation into the case. Today’s guilty plea is the result of the joint investigation conducted by the MMU, the FBI in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, and the EBCI Office of the Tribal Prosecutor.

Pheasant remains in federal custody. At sentencing, Pheasant faces a statutorily required sentence of life in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

Assistant United States Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of cases involving Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) and bringing justice to victims and their families. For more information about the Justice Department’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the MMIP section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website at: https://www.justice.gov/tribal/mmip.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – John Edward Bradley, 50, of Cherokee, N.C., was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

According to court documents and court proceedings, Bradley was previously convicted of a federal firearms offense in the Western District of North Carolina and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment. After serving his prison term, Bradley was placed under court supervision on conditions of federal supervised release. In June 2023, Bradley’s federal probation officer obtained a warrant for Bradley’s arrest on allegations that Bradley had violated the terms of his supervision.

According to court documents, on June 13, 2023, law enforcement observed Bradley driving his vehicle in Cherokee. Knowing that there was an active arrest warrant against Bradley, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Bradley’s vehicle and Bradley was taken into custody. While in custody, Bradley told law enforcement that he had narcotics hidden in his underwear. Law enforcement searched Bradley and retrieved two baggies containing a controlled substance. Following a lab analysis of the substances it was determined that the larger baggie contained fentanyl and the smaller baggie contained methamphetamine. Bradley admitted that he possessed the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it to others.

On December 20, 2023, Bradley pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

This prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the DEA, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, and the Cherokee Alcohol Law Enforcement, with the assistance of the U.S. Probation Office in the Western District of North Carolina.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Scott with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man who was trading guns for drugs was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for distributing fentanyl, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Reginald Williams, 36, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve four years under court supervision after he is released from prison.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to documents filed with the court, on July 9, 2020, law enforcement learned that Williams was trafficking narcotics, including fentanyl, in the Charlotte area. Over the course of the investigation, Williams communicated with an undercover officer (UC) posing as a drug supplier. During a conversation with the UC, Williams told the UC that he wanted to buy two kilograms of cocaine and indicated that he would pay for one kilogram of cocaine in cash and would trade firearms as payment for the second kilogram. On August 12, 2020, Williams met with the UC to execute the drug transaction. At that meeting, Williams and another individual placed four firearms – two rifles and two semiautomatic pistols – in the trunk of the UC’s vehicle, and a bag containing $37,800 in cash in the vehicle of a second UC who was also present for the transaction. Williams was arrested on scene soon thereafter.

A federal search warrant was executed at an apartment Williams used to store drugs. Law enforcement seized fentanyl, plastic baggies, and other items consistent with drug distribution, as well as 28 rounds of ammunition. A search of Williams’s residence yielded quantities of fentanyl, heroin, marijuana, a revolver and ammunition, and $23,748 in cash drug proceeds. During the investigation, Williams admitted to buying kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin, which he further distributed to others. He also admitted to illegally obtaining firearms from a gun trafficking source.

On December 20, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana. He remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The owner of a Charlotte area car dealership and a sales manager have pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. John Harvey Martin, 50, of Charlotte, pleaded guilty today, and Vincent Emmanuel Jefferson, Jr., 47, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.

Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, and Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and court proceedings, Martin was the owner of iNetwork Auto Group Inc. (iNetwork), a car dealership located in Charlotte. Martin owned and operated The Scorpio nightclub, also located in Charlotte. Martin employed Jefferson as a sales manager for iNetwork. Court documents show that, from July 2017, through January 2021, Martin and Jefferson engaged in a money laundering scheme by selling approximately 20 luxury vehicles to G.D., an individual who the defendants knew was a drug dealer or of whom they were willfully blind to that fact. The defendants received cash payments from G.D., also knowing or being willfully blind to the fact that the cash represented property derived from some form of criminal activity. Jefferson and Martin further facilitated the fraud by allowing G.D. to buy the vehicles using the names of straw purchasers in order to conceal G.D.’s identity and hide the illicit source of the cash G.D. was using to pay for the vehicles. To further the conspiracy, Martin and Jefferson at times forged the signatures of straw purchasers on sales, registration, and title paperwork for the vehicles sold to G.D., and frequently notarized the paperwork knowing that the straw purchasers were not the true purchasers of the vehicles. Court records show that Martin and Jefferson received from G.D. cash payments for the vehicles totaling over $520,000.

According to court documents, Martin used at least $200,000 in cash that he received from G.D. to pay for renovations to a building adjacent to iNetwork. Martin also solicited and received at least $100,000 in cash from G.D. to buy The Scorpio nightclub, while concealing G.D.’s ownership interest in The Scorpio. As Martin admitted in court today, he subsequently bought out G.D.’s ownership interest in The Scorpio for at least $100,000 in cash. G.D. gave that money to another individual, identified in court documents as J.M., who then attempted to drive the money to G.D.’s drug trafficking source of supply in California. After law enforcement seized the money from J.M., J.M. – at G.D.’s direction – submitted a fraudulent claim to the United States government under penalty of perjury falsely representing that J.M. was the lawful owner of the money and that he legally obtained the money from the sale of The Scorpio. Court documents show that Martin provided fraudulent documentation and made false representations in support of J.M.’s false and fraudulent claim.

Martin and Jefferson have been released on bond. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

The prosecution was the result of a joint investigation by IRS-CI and the DEA.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor Stout and Thomas Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte fentanyl distributor appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Demetrius Lamar Mattox, 39, will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his sentencing hearing, which has not been scheduled.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to plea documents and the plea hearing, over the course of an investigation into drug trafficking activities in Charlotte, law enforcement identified Mattox as a local fentanyl distributor. The investigation determined that Mattox sold fentanyl and firearms to a confidential source on multiple occasions between September and October 2023.

Mattox is currently in federal custody. The statutory maximum for the charged offense is a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison. A sentencing date has not been sent.

The ATF led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina has joined the Justice Department in announcing today an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC), expanding opportunities for group religious practice throughout the state prison system and allowing access to kosher-for-Passover meals and Seders. The agreement resolves the Justice Department’s investigation of NCDAC pursuant to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).  

“The Constitution and federal law guarantee all Americans the freedom to practice their religion, including people who are incarcerated in jails and prisons,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will protect the religious practices of incarcerated people across North Carolina by allowing members of minority faiths to gather, worship and study. Whether at home with their families, in houses of worship, or behind bars, every person should be able to celebrate religious holidays and gather with their communities of faith.”

“The settlement agreement reaffirms that all individuals in custody retain the right to practice their religion fully and openly during their incarceration,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina. “It is our duty to ensure that incarcerated persons are afforded the same religious rights, freedoms and protections as any other citizen. My office is committed to enforcing these rights and ensuring that they are upheld within all correctional facilities in North Carolina.”

“Federal law guarantees all Americans the right to freely exercise their religion, and institutionalized persons have the right to practice their faith and worship together,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “We are committed to protecting this fundamental right and are grateful to the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction for its willingness to work with us and revise its policies to protect the religious rights of individuals in its custody.”

“Our Constitution protects the religious liberty of all people to exercise their faith,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “In America, that means even those who are incarcerated can continue to worship and pray. NCDAC’s new policies ensure that believers can maintain their faith and religious practices, even after they enter the jailhouse door.”

Under the agreement, NCDAC has adopted a policy that reduces the minimum number of people for group worship to two and no longer requires the presence of a faith helper for religious gathering. Under the prior policy, NCDAC had minimum participant and faith helper requirements for congregate religious practices by “minority faith groups” that often prevented these groups from gathering for worship, celebration and study. Minority faith groups were defined as non-Christian faiths, including adherents of Islam or Judaism.

In addition, when the department began the investigation, NCDAC did not provide certified kosher-for-Passover food to incarcerated people who wished to observe the Passover holiday. The agreement requires that NCDAC provide certified kosher-for-Passover meals every year for the eight days of Passover. In addition, NCDAC will provide the opportunity for people who observe Passover to participate in two Seder ritual observances, which will include a Seder plate of ceremonial foods. 

For additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. The Justice Department issued a report on the 20th Anniversary of RLUIPA in 2020 and a statement and on the Institutionalized Persons Provisions of RLUIPA in 2017. Those interested in finding out more about RLUIPA can visit www.justice.gov/crt/religious-land-use-and-institutionalized-persons-act-0.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Ukrainian national has been extradited to the United States from Germany to face federal charges filed in the Western District of North Carolina, for his alleged involvement in an international “carding” scheme that netted over $1.8 million in fraudulent credit and debit card charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making the announcement.

Viacheslav Alexandrovich Basovych, 49, of Ukraine, was arrested in Germany on December 19, 2023, and was extradited to the United States on August 8, 2024. Basovych is charged with wire fraud conspiracy, access device fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Charlotte, following Basovych’s initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf.

According to allegations in the indictment, from October 2013 to February 2022, Basovych conspired with others to engage in an international “carding” scheme. The term “carding” refers to various criminal activities associated with stealing personal identifiable information (PII) and financial information of victims, including information associated with credit cards, bank cards, debit cards, or other access devices, and using that information to obtain money, goods or services without the victims’ authorization or consent.

The indictment alleges that Basovych and his co-conspirators obtained the PII and payment card information of victims and used the stolen information to make unauthorized credit and debit card charges by merchant accounts associated with Basovych. The fraudulent charges ranged between $7 to $15, and were thus more likely to go unnoticed. In this manner, it is alleged that Basovych and his co-conspirators caused over 148,000 fraudulent transactions totaling over $1.8 million in unauthorized charges. It is further alleged that over 5,100 fraudulent charges were made using payment cards of victims located in Charlotte. According to allegations in the indictment, Basovych and his co-conspirators used a network of money mules to launder the criminal proceeds and to evade detection.

“Greed knows no bounds, but justice has no borders,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The charges announced today are the result of a coordinated effort with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice cyber criminals that exploit victims’ stolen identities and financial information for their personal gain. Whether the perpetrators are on U.S. soil or abroad, we will pursue all investigative avenues and use all enforcement tools available to bring to justice those who engage in this type of criminal activity.”

“The world today doesn’t permit us to physically lock our identities away in a safe. Unfortunately, this vulnerability has given cyber criminals the opportunity to exploit and profit from stolen identities. The FBI is committed to ensuring that international cyber criminals do not operate with impunity,” said Special Agent in Charge DeWitt.

Following his initial appearance, Basovych was remanded into federal custody.

The wire fraud conspiracy charge and the charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charge of access device fraud carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

The charges in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office for the investigation that led to the charges. U.S. Attorney King also thanked the INTERPOL Offices in Wiesbaden, Germany, and Washington, D.C., for their substantial assistance, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for securing Basovych’s arrest and extradition.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Newton, N.C., man was sentenced to prison today for a string of armed robberies in North Carolina, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Adrian Alexander Bryson, 29, was ordered to serve 121 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for Hobbs Act Robbery and possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Ron Campurciani of the Mooresville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court records, between October and December 2022, Bryson planned and executed at least nine robberies of HT Hackney delivery trucks as they were attempting to deliver cartons of cigarettes to convenience stores. During the robberies, Bryson and his co-conspirators wore masks and either displayed firearms to the delivery drivers or behaved as if they were armed. Court records show that the robbers generally knew where the higher end tobacco products would be located on the delivery truck and stole the cartons of cigarettes that were the most valuable. In total, HT Hackney reported a loss of more than $70,800, which consisted of 1,129 cartons of cigarettes stolen during the robberies.

According to court documents, investigators determined that a red/maroon GMC Envoy was involved in some of the robberies. Investigators were able to locate the vehicle in Newton and trace it to an address where Bryson had resided. Law enforcement also determined that Bryson was a former HT Hackney employee, who had worked for the company from May to September 2022, and had left after he had been confronted about missing cigarette cartons. Law enforcement also determined that the targeted delivery routes were routes that Bryson used to deliver as a driver.

On December 28, 2022, Bryson was arrested in Hickory and a search warrant was executed at a hotel room where he was staying. During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement found several containers belonging to HT Hackney, with dates and delivery locations that corresponded with some of the reported robberies. Law enforcement interviewed Bryson, who admitted to arranging and setting up the robberies. Law enforcement also located numerous text messages and photos on Bryson’s phone related to the thefts, as well as photos of Bryson posing with firearms matching the description of those used during the robberies.

On March 6, 2024, Bryson pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the ATF and the Mooresville Police Department for their investigation of the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. 

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Larry Dewayne Colvin, Jr., 51, of Lenoir, N.C., was sentenced today to 168 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug and gun offenses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Sheriff Alan C. Jones, of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Len Hagaman, of the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Brent Phelps of the Lenoir Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, on December 12, 2022, law enforcement received information that Colvin was trafficking methamphetamine in Lenoir and surrounding areas. During the investigation, law enforcement arranged controlled buys during which they observed Colvin sell methamphetamine to a Confidential Informant (CI). Court records show that on December 16, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Colvin’s residence in Lenoir, where they seized methamphetamine and a firearm. A second firearm, an ammunition magazine, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and more than $7,400 in cash drug proceeds were seized from a vehicle parked on the property.

According to court records, a second search warrant was executed at another location where Colvin was using a camper as a stash house for methamphetamine. From the camper, law enforcement seized more methamphetamine, five handguns, two rifles, and a shotgun. During an interview with Colvin, the defendant told law enforcement that he also hid methamphetamine at his workplace. Law enforcement traveled to Colvin’s workplace where they seized over 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as $30,000 in cash drug proceeds from Colvin’s vehicle.

On January 8, 2023, law enforcement in Lenoir responded to a call about Colvin communicating threats to an individual. Law enforcement encountered Colvin at a gas station, where he admitted to having a firearm in the vehicle. Law enforcement retrieved the firearm along with $2,500 in cash drug proceeds.

On October 31, 2023, Colvin pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

The ATF, the SBI, the Caldwell County Sherriff’s Office, the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lenoir Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. 

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – William Dalton Edwards, 25, of Mount Airy, N.C., pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy charge for his role in a $1 million scheme involving the theft of livestock, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Miles B. Davis, Special Agent in Charge, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA-OIG), Southeast Region, Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, Sheriff Alan Norman of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office

and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to plea documents and the plea hearing, from April 2018 to October 2022, Edwards conspired with another person to defraud livestock markets, also known as sales barns, in Iredell and Cleveland Counties, North Carolina, and in Texas, Oklahoma, and Virginia. The investigation determined that, on multiple occasions during the relevant time frame, Edwards and his coconspirator purchased cattle from sales barns in North Carolina and wrote checks to pay for the cattle. Edwards and his coconspirator wrote such checks knowing they were worthless, since there were insufficient funds to cover the checks and pay for the cattle.

According to court records, Edwards and his coconspirator arranged to transport the cattle out-of-state before the defrauded sales barns and financial institutions could determine their checks were worthless. The stolen cattle were then resold in Texas and Oklahoma. Over the course of the scheme, Edwards and his co-conspirator fraudulently obtained more than 3,000 head of cattle and caused over $1 million in losses to sales barns in North Carolina, Virginia and Texas. The sales barns—which are family-owned in North Carolina—incurred these losses because they are required to pay farmers and ranchers immediately after the sale of their livestock.

Edwards pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to violate the laws of the United States. One of the objects of the charged conspiracy was to hamper and impede the Packers and Stockyard Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its regulation of fair livestock markets. Other objects of the conspiracy included a scheme to obtain funds under the custody and control of federally insured financial institutions through false statements and representations; to steal livestock valued at more than $10,000; and to transport stolen livestock in interstate commerce.

The statutory maximum for the charged offense is five years in prison, and any restitution or fines ordered by the Court at sentencing. Edwards is released on bond. A sentencing date has not been sent.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Secret Service, IRS-CI, and the Cleveland and Iredell County Sheriff’s Offices for their investigation of the case. U.S. Attorney King also thanked the Stanly County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Federal prosecutors and personnel with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North

Carolina will join community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners for National Night Out on Tuesday, August 6, 2024.

National Night Out (NNO) is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country. 

To encourage community participation, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King is sharing a special video message, inviting everyone to show support by joining National Night Out events across Western North Carolina. The video can be viewed here.

“National Night Out is vital in building trust and cooperation between law enforcement and our communities. When we engage directly with the people we serve, we get to know and understand the unique challenges and concerns they face. This collaboration not only strengthens our relationships but also enhances our efforts to promote justice and ensure the well-being of our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney King.

During this year’s National Night Out, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will attend a community event organized by the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition at the Arbor Glen Outreach Center, located at 1520 Clanton Road, in Charlotte.

National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.

Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.

For more information, visit https://natw.org/.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jennifer Elaine Roarke, 55, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for embezzling more than $2 million from the clients of the law firm where she was employed as a paralegal, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, from 2007 to 2021, Roarke, who is also known as Jennifer Claveria, was employed as an assistant and a paralegal for a law firm in Hickory. The law firm handled, among other things, the administration and management of trusts for clients, including the trusts’ bank accounts. As part of her duties, Roarke was responsible for opening mail, depositing checks into trust bank accounts, and processing invoices. Court records show that, from 2015 to September 2021, Roarke executed the embezzlement scheme by causing at least 190 fraudulent and unauthorized bank wires, totaling more than $2 million, from the law firm’s clients’ trust bank accounts to bank accounts controlled by Roarke. Roarke used the embezzled funds to pay for personal items, make mortgage, car, and credit card payments, and to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

On December 1, 2023, Roarke pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She is released on bond. She will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Andrea Brawley, 46, of Conover, N.C., was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for stealing more than $300,000 from her elderly relatives, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, from August 2016 to January 2023, Brawley engaged in a scheme to defraud the elderly couple identified in court documents as J.S. and M.S., by exploiting her relationship with the victims to steal their money and property. Brawley gained access to the victims’ personal and company bank accounts, which she was expected to use to manage the couple’s personal and business affairs and to pay routine bills. Instead, Brawley misused her access to transfer funds to herself, causing the victims to sustain significant financial losses. For example, Brawley failed to make payments due on the victims’ home equity line of credit on their residence. As a result, the victims’ residence went into foreclosure and the couple lost their home. Brawley also drained the victims’ retirement accounts by forging retirement distribution forms without the victims’ knowledge and consent, causing them further financial hardship. Over the course of the scheme, Brawley defrauded J.S. and M.S. and M.S.’s company of more than $300,000.

According to court records, Brawley concealed the fraudulent scheme from J.S. and M.S. by making false representations about the cause of the foreclosure and about the state of J.S. and M.S.’s finances and personal affairs. Brawley also isolated J.S. and M.S. and limited their contact with their friends and family by taking the victims’ cell phones, impersonating them in communications with third parties, transporting them to various locations around the state, and preventing them from returning to their residence. In furtherance of the scheme, Brawley engaged in identity theft by using and attempting to use one or more means of identification that belonged to J.S. and M.S., including their names, addresses, and unique account numbers.

On November 28, 2023, Brawley pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She is currently released on bond and will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

In sentencing Brawley, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell described the defendant’s conduct as “outrageous,” and ordered her to pay $628,174.06 in restitution.

The FBI and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 10am-6pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.   

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jamell Tremaine Robinson, 42, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 66 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., Commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and court proceedings, on October 13, 2021, around 11:30 p.m., a trooper with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol was operating stationary radar in the median of Interstate 40 in Catawba County. The trooper observed a gray Chevrolet Impala traveling at a high speed on the interstate and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle did not comply and sped away before losing control of the vehicle and crashing off the roadway in a wooded area. The trooper approached the vehicle and the driver was taken into custody. The trooper asked the driver for his identification and vehicle registration and the driver indicated the documents were inside the vehicle. When the trooper went to the wrecked vehicle to look for the license and registration, he observed a handgun laying beside the gas pedal on the floorboard of the vehicle. The handgun was loaded with one round in the chamber.

According to court records, the driver was identified as Robinson. The trooper conducted a criminal history of Robinson and discovered that he had a prior conviction for armed bank robbery in the Western District of North Carolina. Court documents show that after the vehicle was removed from the wooded area, troopers continued a search of the vehicle. During the search, troopers recovered an AR-556 rifle from the trunk of the vehicle. The rifle was loaded with one bullet in the chamber. A clear plastic bag containing 52 rounds of ammunition was also located inside the trunk next to the firearm. As a convicted felon, Robinson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

On July 21, 2022, Robinson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

The ATF and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol investigated the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – D’Angelo De’Mara McNeil, 34, of Charlotte, appeared in federal court today on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to allegations in the indictment and today’s court proceedings, on June 2, 2022, CMPD responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex in Charlotte, about an individual shooting at children. The caller indicated that after the incident, the individual – later identified as McNeil – had fled the scene in his vehicle. CMPD located McNeil in his parked vehicle in the parking lot of another apartment complex in the area. CMPD officers approached McNeil and the defendant was taken into custody. The arresting officers also retrieved a handgun from underneath the front passenger seat of the vehicle. The firearm’s magazine was empty and there was one round in the chamber.

According to court records, investigating officers spoke with an individual who had witnessed the shooting. The witness told the officers that two young boys had run up to him and told him that McNeil was allegedly shooting at them. The witness also indicated that he then observed McNeil chasing children, heard two gunshots, and saw McNeil put a firearm in his pocket before driving away. A second witness told the officers that two children had run up to her and asked to be let into the apartment complex’s leasing office because a man with a gun was chasing them.

Following the court hearing, McNeil was remanded into federal custody. The charge of possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

The charge in the indictment is an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The ATF and CMPD investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced that the United States has filed a complaint against Murphy Medical Center, Inc. doing business as Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority doing business as Erlanger Health System and Erlanger Medical Center (collectively, Erlanger) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The government alleges that Erlanger, a health care system located in Tennessee and North Carolina, violated the Stark Law and thereby submitted false claims to the Medicare program.

The Stark Law prohibits a hospital from billing Medicare for services referred by a physician with whom the hospital has an improper financial relationship that does not meet any statutory or regulatory exception. The government’s complaint alleges that Erlanger had employment relationships with a number of physicians that did not meet any Stark Law exception because the compensation Erlanger paid to the physicians was well above fair market value. The complaint alleges that Erlanger received referrals from these physicians in violation of the Stark Law and submitted claims to Medicare knowing that the claims for those referred services were not eligible for payment.

“Improper financial relationships between hospitals and physicians threaten the integrity of clinical decision-making and can influence the type and amount of health care that is provided to patients,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that physicians’ treatment decisions are based on the needs of their patients and not their own financial interests.”

“The government’s complaint alleges that Erlanger compromised Stark Law compliance to boost its financial standing, knowingly overpaying physicians whose practices generated profits for the hospital,” said U.S. Attorney King. “We are dedicated to enforcing the Stark Law and protecting patients and the Medicare program from financial relationships that undermine public trust and incentivize overbilling and waste of taxpayer dollars.”

“This complaint serves as a warning to health care entities that attempt to increase profits through improper financial arrangements with referring physicians,” said Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to investigate such deals to prevent financial arrangements that could compromise impartial medical judgment, increase health care costs, and erode public trust in the health care system.”

The United States filed its complaint in a lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it has done here in part. Those who violate the Act are subject to treble damages and applicable penalties.

The government’s intervention in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina handled the case, with assistance from HHS-OIG.

The case is captioned United States of America, the State of North Carolina, and the State of Tennessee ex rel. Alana Sullivan and J. Britton Tabor v. Murphy Medical Center, Inc., et al. No. 1:21-CV-219-MR-WCM (W.D.N.C.).

The claims asserted in the United States’ complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

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