Western District of Tennessee

Memphis, TN – A former Memphis Police Department (MPD) officer pleaded guilty in federal court in the Western District of Tennessee to one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law for assaulting an arrestee in January 2021.

According to the defendant’s admissions at the plea hearing, Armando Bustamante was working as an MPD officer in January 2021. While on duty, Bustamante struck a man in the head using his service weapon and his hands, without legal justification. Bustamante’s assault caused bodily injury to the man.

“This former Memphis police officer abused his authority by violently assaulting a man without basis,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Officers who willfully use excessive force without basis are not above the law and will be held accountable. Whether in Memphis or any corner of the country, the Justice Department stands ready to vigorously prosecute those law enforcement officers who defy the Constitution and violate people’s civil rights.”

“The United States cares deeply about violations of civil rights, here in Memphis and throughout America,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The overwhelming majority of police officers do their jobs honorably and lawfully. As this case shows, we will not hesitate to hold those who violate civil rights laws to account.”

“This plea is the result of the efforts of law enforcement to ensure that any officer who violates the civil rights of those they are sworn to protect is brought to justice,” said Douglas S. DePodesta, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all people and wearing a badge does not make one above the law."

Bustamante faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release. A sentencing date has been set for June 15.

Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Ritz, Assistant Director Quesada and Special Agent in Charge DePodesta made the announcement.

The FBI Memphis Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Nikhil Ramnaney of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Jose Anastacio Osorio Diaz, a/k/a Kenneth Rodriguez, 48, from Mexico, has been sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess illegal narcotics with intent to distribute. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, in 2018 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began investigating the drug trafficking activities of Diaz, who used couriers to transport narcotics from Mexico into the Western District of Tennessee and elsewhere. One such courier was arrested in Laredo, Texas, on May 12, 2019, in possession of 3.98 kilograms of cocaine. A second courier, in possession of 976 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin and fentanyl, was arrested on July 1, 2019, in Braselton, Georgia.

On October 17, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a four-count superseding indictment against Jose Anastacio Osorio Diaz a/k/a Kenneth Rodriguez for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana with the intent to distribute.

The defendant pled guilty on May 16, 2019.

On February 14, 2023, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Diaz to 210 months imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations and organized criminal enterprises, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

This case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Darius Harshaw, 36, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, in August 2021, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation jointly with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Darius Harshaw. On September 15, 2021, officers executed a search warrant where Harshaw resided and located numerous narcotics, including 873 grams of fentanyl, a firearm, and a money counter.

As a result of his prior felony history, Harshaw is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.

Harshaw pled guilty to ownership of the narcotics and the firearm on November 7, 2022.

On February 9, 2023, United States District Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Harshaw to 180 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was jointly investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance of ATF and the Department of Homeland Security Investigation.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Allen, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Kevin G. Ritz will be formally installed as the 51st United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. Nominated by President Joe Biden on July 29, 2022, Ritz was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on September 22, 2022. As the United States Attorney, Ritz is the chief federal law enforcement officer in West Tennessee. The Honorable S. Thomas Anderson, United States District Judge, for the Western District of Tennessee will convene the Investiture. Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta will be among those providing remarks.

DATE: Friday, February 17, 2023

TIME: 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Memphis City Hall

City Council Chambers

125 North Main Street

Memphis, Tennessee

NOTE: Credentialed members of the media are invited to participate. Please RSVP to Cherri.Green@usdoj.gov or 601.961.9192.

 Memphis, TN – Joel Evan Lattimer, 43, of Bartlett, TN., has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for solicitation of child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, between October and November 2021, FBI undercover agents communicated with Lattimer using social networking applications, such as Whisper, Kik, and Wickr. During the investigation, the undercover agents posed as a father and his minor daughter who told Lattimer that the father frequently sexually abused his 12-year-old daughter. He requested to see photos and videos of the sexual abuse of the minor. In November, Lattimer sent the minor two videos of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Lattimer pled guilty to the charges brought in a two-count Information.

On February 9, 2023, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Lattimer to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The Court also assessed a $10,000 fine under the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act of 2015.

This case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Delery, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of
Tennessee, issued the following statement today:

“Last week, we announced that the United States had opened a federal civil rights investigation  into the circumstances leading to the tragic death of Tyre Nichols.

Earlier this week I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Nichols's mother, father, grandmother, and  aunt. I had the privilege of hearing from them about Tyre, a young man who enjoyed skateboarding,  Starbucks, and sunsets at Shelby Farms.

I would like to share with the community what I told Mr. Nichols's family. What I said was that the 
Department of Justice cares deeply about potential violations of constitutional rights, here in 
Memphis and throughout America. I said we have opened a criminal civil rights investigation. I told  them this federal civil rights investigation will be thorough. It will be methodical. And it will  continue until we gather all the relevant facts. As with any other federal investigation, we will  go where those facts take us.

I delivered that message to them. I want this community to hear that message as well. As I told Mr. 
Nichols's family, our federal investigation may take some time. These things often do. But we will  be diligent, and we will make decisions based on the facts and the law.

My office is working hand in hand with the Civil Rights Division in Washington, as well as the FBI  and other law enforcement partners. Our team includes very experienced federal prosecutors from our  office here in Memphis. It includes very experienced FBI agents from the FBI's Memphis Field 
Office. It also includes a very experienced attorney from the Civil Rights Division.

We have been in constant, very constructive communication with the Shelby County District Attorney  and state and local law enforcement agencies about this case. I am thankful for that, and I expect that to continue.

Finally, I know there is significant public interest in the release of the video that was shown to 
Mr. Nichols's family. The state and local authorities have responsibility for determining when to  release video from this incident to the public. What I will say on behalf of the federal  authorities is that we want people to express their right to be heard, but we want them to do so in  a peaceful and non-violent way.

I'll close by saying that I grew up in this city and care deeply about it. I want this city to be a  place where justice is done. The United States is committed to following the facts and the law,  guided by principles of justice every step of the way.”

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901)
544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

 

Memphis, TN – Cody James Dimmett, 29, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for assault of a federal officer and the use and discharge of a firearm during the assault. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, on May 25, 2021, the FBI and the Southaven Police were notified that Dimmett, wanted for multiple warrants, would be travelling through the area. When law enforcement noticed Dimmett's vehicle, they began a pursuit that ended in Memphis. Dimmett got out of his car with an SKS rifle and fired multiple rounds, striking an officer in the arm. He fled the scene in the officer’s vehicle and was later spotted in Arkansas. During the chase, Dimmett used the vehicle’s blue lights and led officers on a high-speed chase of more than 120 miles per hour, into Palestine, Arkansas, where he crashed and fled on foot. After several hours, the defendant surrendered.

On January 20, 2023, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Dimmett to 183 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Southaven Police Department, DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, Memphis Police Department, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia - State and Local Police Departments.

United States Attorney Ritz said: "This significant prison sentence justly reflects the severity of the crimes this defendant committed. I am glad we could hold him to account for his armed assault on law enforcement officers.”

“Federal law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect and defend our communities from violent criminals on a daily basis, and all too often those acts of violence are directed against law enforcement,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “This sentencing reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to hold violent members of society accountable and send to prison those who commit crimes against the brave men and women who dedicate themselves to upholding and enforcing the law.”

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lorraine Craig and Greg Wagner, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates

Memphis, TN – Kelli L. Pollard, 50, of Lakeland, Tennessee pled guilty to a criminal information, charging her with education loan fraud. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the guilty plea today.

According to the charging document and information presented in court, Kelli Pollard attended the University of Memphis as an undergraduate and graduate student between 2016 and 2022. In each of the five academic years between 2017 and 2022, Pollard obtained federally guaranteed student loans through fraud. She submitted falsified documentation for each student loan request to the University of Memphis Financial Aid Office, including three different fake doctors’ notes, falsified medical bills, and a false auto repair bill.

Sentencing is set for April 23, 2023, before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker, where Pollard faces up to five years’ imprisonment, a $20,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Education Office of the Inspector General and the University of Memphis Police Department.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Murrell Foster, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, issued the following statement today:

“Last week, Tyre Nichols tragically died, a few days after he was involved in an incident where Memphis Police Department officers used force during his arrest. State authorities have publicly announced that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating. In addition, the United States Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the FBI Memphis Field Office and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, has opened a civil rights investigation. As this is an open investigation, we are not able to provide additional comment or release further information at this time.”

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Gary Osborne, 50, of Buchanan, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 210 months in federal  prison for drug trafficking and firearms charges.  United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced  the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, on August 15, 2018, members of the Metro Crime 
Unit, in Henry County, Tennessee, executed a search warrant at Osborne's residence. Officers  located methamphetamine, digital scales, and more than $5200 in cash and a .243 rifle. As a result  of his extensive felony history, Osborne is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and  ammunition.

Osborne pled guilty to ownership of the narcotics and the rifle.

On January 17, 2023, United States Chief District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Osborne to 210  months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in  the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Henry County Sheriff’s Department, Paris Police Department, and  the Puryear Police Department.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matt Wilson, who  prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – A former Memphis resident, Ocho Edi Monso, 59, charged in a fraud conspiracy was  recently arrested in France and extradited to Memphis. In September 2016, Monso was charged in a  three-count indictment. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the charges and extradition  today.

According to the indictment, between July 2013 and January 2014, Monso conspired with Dasse Romain 
Yobo and other persons to defraud Regions Bank and other financial institutions. The indictment  alleges the conspiracy was carried out in some instances by obtaining customer account information  and causing fraudulent transfers to be made from customer accounts to accounts controlled by the  conspirators. In other instances, the indictment alleges that the conspirators carried out the  scheme by depositing altered or counterfeit checks to accounts they opened at financial  institutions and then withdrawing or transferring funds from the account of deposit to accounts  they controlled at other financial institutions.

In December 2013, Monso provided co-conspirator Yobo with fraudulent identification to open an  account at Regions Bank under the name KEM Construction.  On December 30, 2013, the indictment  alleges that a check payable in the amount of $130,949.96 with an altered payee name was deposited  to the account.  On January 9, 2014, the conspirators requested that $77,023.83 be wire-transferred  from the KEM Construction account to an account styled "Peniel Energy" in Lawrenceville, GA. Monso  was also charged in two other counts with possession of 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized  access devices and device-making equipment with intent to defraud.

Monso was arrested in France in early December 2021, where he had been awaiting extradition. Monso  made his initial appearance in the Western District of Tennessee on January 17, 2023, before United 
States Magistrate Judge Annie T. Christoff, who ordered him temporarily detained pending a  detention hearing currently set for 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 20, 2023.

Monso faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine and five years’ supervised release on the conspiracy charge and ten years imprisonment, $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release on the access device fraud charge and 15 years’  imprisonment, $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release for possession of access device  making equipment.  Each charge also carries a $100.00 mandatory assessment.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States 
Secret Service. The United States Department of Justice Office of International Affairs assisted in  the extradition proceedings and the U.S. Marshals Service carried out the extradition of Monso from 
France.

An indictment is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Carroll Andre’, who  prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case, including  the U.S. Marshals who carried out the extradition.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or  cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
 

 Memphis, TN – Julius Armstrong, 20, Adairius Armstrong, 20, Barium Martin, 20, and Malik McCoy, 19, have received significant federal prison sentences after being convicted of carjacking, assaulting a federal officer, and using a weapon during those crimes. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentences today.

According to the information presented in court, in early May 2021, Julius Armstrong, Adairius Armstrong, Barium Martin, and Malik McCoy committed a string of violent armed carjackings in the city of Memphis. On May 7, 2021, the individuals were spotted on a traffic camera crashing out in one of the stolen vehicles. They were confronted by two law enforcement officers: a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and a sergeant with the Memphis Police Department. The individuals, who were armed with a handgun and an assault rifle, fired on the vehicle the officers were in, injuring both officers.

At the time these crimes were committed, Julius Armstrong was 18 years old; Adairius Armstrong and Barium Martin were 19 years old; and Malik McCoy was 17 years old. McCoy was originally charged as a juvenile before being transferred to adult status in federal court.

United States Attorney Ritz stated: “These young men engaged in violent criminal acts, including shooting at and injuring law enforcement officers. Their serious crimes deserved serious sentences. Protecting Americans from gun violence is one of our top priorities, and our efforts in this area will remain robust and unrelenting.”

Julius Armstrong pled guilty to carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a carjacking, assault on a federal officer, and discharging a firearm during the assault. He was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker on November 10, 2022, to 264 months imprisonment.

Adairius Armstrong pled guilty to carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a carjacking. He was sentenced by Judge Parker on November 21, 2022, to 216 months imprisonment.

Barium Martin pled guilty to carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a carjacking, and assault on a federal officer. He was sentenced by Judge Parker on November 18, 2022, to 156 months imprisonment.

Malik McCoy pled guilty to carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a carjacking, and assault on a federal officer. He was sentenced by Judge Parker on January 11, 2023, to 156 months imprisonment.

“Protecting the public from violent criminals who illegally possess firearms is at the core of the mission of the men and women of ATF. In this instance, an act of violence was perpetrated upon law enforcement including an ATF agent. Today’s actions bring that matter to a close and the court’s sentencing reaffirms the commitment to the public of holding violent members of our society accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the ATF-Nashville Field Office.

“The FBI and our Federal and State partners will continue to combine our efforts and resources to target those who commit violent crimes in our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan McCloskey of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The law enforcement response and investigation, collaboration by law enforcement and prosecutors, and the sentences imposed serve notice to all that crimes of violence, especially those that threaten the lives of law enforcement, will be met with swift and exacting justice.”

This case was investigated by the ATF and the FBI.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Rogers, Dean DeCandia, and Greg Wagner, who prosecuted the case, as well as the law enforcement officers who conducted the investigation.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

 Memphis, TN – After a two-day trial, Gary Crawford, 32, has been found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the guilty verdict today.

According to information presented in court, on October 27, 2021, it was reported that a male on Porter Street and Ioka Avenue was armed with a machete. Memphis Police Officers responded to the 700 block of Porter and spoke with a complainant who advised that a man named Gary from the neighborhood threatened her with a machete and left it on her porch. Officers recovered the machete.

While still on the scene, officers responded to another call that a man fitting the same description began firing shots in the area. Crawford was found sitting on a couch on the porch of a home on Ioka Avenue. After noticing the officers, Crawford stood up and began waving a firearm and yelling at the officers. He was ordered to drop the weapon but did not comply and a standoff began. A short time later, the firearm fell from his lap, he stood up, walked off the porch, and undressed in the front yard before officers rushed and took him into custody. A Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol was recovered where Crawford was sitting.

As a result of his felony convictions, Crawford is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.

Sentencing is set on April 7, 2023, before United States District Judge Samuel H. Mays.

This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), and the Memphis Police Department. PSN is 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.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Regina Thompson and Stephen Hall, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Daniel Kirtman, 25, and Michael Thomas, 24, have been sentenced to a total of 15 years in federal prison for federal firearms crimes. Kirtman was sentenced to eight years for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession and transfer of a short-barrel rifle. Thomas was sentenced to seven years for possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime.

According to information presented in court, in June 2021, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Multi-Agency Gang Unit investigated individuals who were illegally possessing firearms and machine gun conversion devices.

On two separate occasions, Thomas sold machine gun conversion devices, known as “Glock switches.” On another occasion, Kirtman, a convicted felon, sold a short-barrel rifle. Agents arrested Thomas and seized an AR-style pistol. Agents also arrested Kirtman and seized a Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device. During the investigation, agents purchased and seized 10 firearms from Kirtman and Thomas.

On June 29, 2022, Thomas pled guilty to possessing a machinegun and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On August 26, 2022, Kirtman pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing and transferring a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act.

On December 1, 2022, United States District Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Thomas to 84 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. On December 7, 2022, Judge McCalla sentenced Kirtman to 102 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Allen, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

 Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, is pleased to announce the appointment of four new Assistant United States Attorneys for the district: Mary Morris, Jermal Blanchard, Courtney Lewis, and Bryce Phillips. All four of the new AUSAs will work out of the Memphis office.

United States Attorney Ritz said: “With the hiring of Mary, Jermal, Courtney, and Bryce, we have recruited top legal talent to fulfill the Department’s mission of upholding the rule of law, protecting civil rights, and keeping Americans safe. These four attorneys are already hard at work promoting and defending the interests of our great country. I’m thankful for their commitment to a career in federal public service.”

Mary Morris joins the office from the University of Memphis School of Law, where she was a professor for several years. Mary was previously a member at Burch, Porter & Johnson in Memphis, where she had a broad litigation practice with a focus on federal cases, including federal criminal and habeas matters. Mary clerked for Judge Julia Gibbons of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Samuel H. Mays, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. She graduated from the University of Alabama and Yale Law School. Mary has been appointed Appellate Chief and Special Counsel.

Jermal Blanchard joins the office from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, where he was a prosecutor for over six years. Jermal has extensive courtroom experience and has handled a variety of complex criminal matters, including murder, human trafficking, and sexual abuse cases. He graduated from the University of Memphis and Florida Coastal School of Law. Jermal is assigned to the office’s Firearms and Violent Crimes Unit.

Courtney Lewis joins the office from the United States Navy, where she has had a decorated career. She served as a Judge Advocate for 16 years and is also certified as a military judge. Courtney is an experienced prosecutor who has litigated several dozen criminal jury trials and supervised thousands of additional investigations and trials. She graduated from Villanova University and Suffolk University Law School. Courtney is assigned to the office’s General Crimes Unit.

Bryce Phillips joins the office from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, where he served as a prosecutor for more than a decade. Bryce has managed all sorts of criminal investigations and has tried dozens of cases. He was a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office from 2017 to 2019. Bryce graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Memphis School of Law. Bryce is assigned to the office’s Organized Crime and Narcotics Unit.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

 

Memphis, TN – Antwon Brown, 30, has been sentenced to 138 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, possession of marijuana and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, in February 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began an investigation into Antwon Brown, a convicted felon and known member of the Unknown Vice Lords street gang.

On February 14, 2022, a confidential informant purchased a firearm and approximately half a pound of marijuana from Brown in a parking lot on Whitten Road.

On April 15, 2022, Brown was arrested and found to be in possession of marijuana, methamphetamine, digital scales, plastic baggies, and a pistol. On September 12, 2022, Brown pled guilty to all 7 counts of a federal indictment charging him with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms (2 counts); possession of marijuana and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute (3 counts); and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking (2 counts).

On December 15, 2022, United States District Judge Sheryl Lipman sentenced Brown to 138 months imprisonment to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the ATF.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Wendy K. Cornejo and P. Neal Oldham, who prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901- 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

 Memphis, TN – Travis Lester, 42, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison as a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. A federal jury convicted Lester of this offense after a four-day trial earlier this year. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on May 19, 2021, the United States Marshals Service and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office apprehended a wanted fugitive, Travis Lester, at a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. Lester was found in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol with 16 live rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine. The gun had been reported stolen on December 26, 2020, in a theft from a motor vehicle.

As a result of his prior felony convictions, Lester is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.

On December 9, 2022, United States District Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced Lester to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. At the time of his arrest, Lester was on federal supervised release and was sentenced to an additional 17-months incarceration to be served consecutive to his sentence of 120 months incarceration.

This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the United States Marshals Service, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Memphis Police Department, and the ATF. PSN is 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.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin, who prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901- 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Curtis Boyd, 28, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on March 8, 2021, Memphis Police officers initiated a traffic stop at Jackson and North Watkins and observed a 2012 Infiniti M37x traveling at a high rate of speed. The license plate was registered to a different vehicle.

Upon approaching the vehicle, officers saw Boyd, the driver, reaching between his legs. An officer asked Boyd what he was reaching for, to which he responded, “My gun.” As Boyd was removed from the car, a Glock 9mm pistol fell to the ground.

Officers recovered 181.6 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, a box of plastic baggies, two 10mg oxycodone pills, and $1,650 in cash. The gun was loaded with one live round in the chamber and 9 live rounds in the magazine.

As a result of a prior felony conviction, Boyd is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.

Boyd pled guilty on June 16, 2022.

On December 7, 2022, United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Boyd to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the ATF and DEA.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin, who prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Following a four-day trial, a federal jury awarded $70,500 in damages to six women who rented homes in Lexington, Tennessee, from defendant Chad David Ables. The jury found that Ables sexually harassed these women at his properties, located in or near his trailer park known as Pop’s Cove, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in December 2018, alleged that since 2012, Ables subjected female tenants to a continued barrage of vulgar sexual comments, unwelcome physical touches, propositions for sex and offers to reduce rent in exchange for sex. Trial was originally scheduled for May 2020, but was postponed several times because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Justice Department will continue to take action against landlords who sexually harass and exploit vulnerable tenants,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This verdict recognizes the significant sexual abuse that female tenants were subjected to by the defendant.”

“No one should have to endure sexual harassment in order to have a safe and secure living situation,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “I am gratified the jury held this landlord accountable for these unlawful acts.”

“It is illegal for landlords to subject their tenants to any form of sexual harassment,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Demetria L. McCain of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD is pleased that the Department of Justice took appropriate action to put a halt to this unlawful behavior and applauds today's decision by the jury.”

The case began when two women filed a sexual harassment complaint about Ables with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD investigated the matter and referred it to the Justice Department, which filed this lawsuit. The women

intervened in the lawsuit and were represented by West Tennessee Legal Services. The Justice Department later sought relief on behalf of five additional women, and one of the intervenors dropped out of the lawsuit.

The jury award includes compensatory damages for the emotional harms the women have suffered as a result of Ables’s conduct and punitive damages to punish the defendant. The Justice Department also informed the District Court Judge that it intends to seek a civil penalty against Ables to vindicate the public interest and a court order prohibiting Ables from managing the rental properties or having contact with residents or prospective tenants.

The Justice Department launched its Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative in October 2017. The initiative, which is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, seeks to raise awareness about and address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing. Since launching the Initiative, the department has filed 26 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $9.6 million for victims of such harassment.

If you think you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord, property manager, or rental agent, you may contact the Justice Department at 1-844-380-6178, or submit an online report at https://civilrights.justice.gov/. Reports also may be made by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing an online complaint at https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing/fileacomplaint%20.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on sex, race, color, national origin, religion, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901- 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Jackson, TN – Jimmy Horton, Jr., 54, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession of over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today. 

According to information presented in court, on March 14, 2020, officers with the Paris Police Department conducted a traffic stop for speeding near the intersection of Highway 218 and Fairgrounds Road in Paris. During a roadside interview of a female passenger, officers discovered that the passenger was in possession of around a half-ounce of crystal methamphetamine. The female passenger told officers that she was staying in a motel room in Paris, that there was around three ounces of crystal methamphetamine and a pistol in her room, and that the items belonged to Horton.

Officers conducted a consent search of the motel room and located Horton in the room, along with around 87 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine that was bagged for resale on the bed. Officers also located and seized digital scales, baggies, drug paraphernalia, multiple bags of marijuana, and a loaded Lorcin L380 pistol in the room.

Later on June 15, 2020, Horton was found in possession of 11 baggies containing over 16 grams of methamphetamine and $340 in cash during a traffic stop in Paris.

Horton was charged in federal court with several offenses, including possessing over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on March 14, 2022. He pled guilty to that offense on August 16, 2022.

On December 9, 2022, Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Horton to 120 months imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Paris Police Department, TBI, DEA and the ATF. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow, who prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury has indicted two Memphis business owners with conspiring to defraud the Federal Paycheck Protection Program of over $786,000. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the indictment today.

Lisa Evans, 40, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, owner of USA Taxes in Memphis, and Kevin Shaw, 33, of Memphis, owner of Freight Masters, Inc., are charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud and making false statements to a federally insured bank. These offenses each carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.

According to the indictment, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was a federal program administered by the Small Business Administration designed to provide emergency financial assistance to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount of a PPP loan that a small business may have been entitled to was determined by the number of employees and amount of payroll the business had. Evans and Shaw are alleged to have submitted a fraudulent PPP application for Shaw’s business, Freight Master’s Group Inc., to a bank participating in the PPP program. Evans is alleged to have provided Shaw with fake IRS documents to support his fraudulent application and then taking a kickback/fee from Shaw after Shaw obtained the $786,202 in loan proceeds.

U.S. Attorney Ritz said: “These federal aid programs were designed to lift hardworking citizens and small businesses in a time of need. But, as the indictment alleges, these individuals sought to defraud the aid programs. Thanks to our partners for investigating these offenses. We will continue to prosecute those who abuse and misuse COVID-19 relief funds.”

“Today’s arrests demonstrate the FDIC OIG, and our law enforcement partners continue to combat and prevent COVID-19 related fraud by investigating and holding accountable criminals who exploit the Paycheck Protection Program for personal gain via our nation’s banking system,” said Anand Ramlall, Special Agent in Charge, Dallas Region, Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration aggressively pursues those who attempt to abuse the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and its Paycheck Protection Program, which was created to assist legitimate business owners during the pandemic,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “We appreciate the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure individuals engaged in criminal activity are held to account.”

“The Secret Service remains steadfast in our commitment to investigating the exploitation of pandemic relief funds,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ben Zack Rogers. “We are thankful for the hard work and continued support of our partners as we work together to ensure that our country’s financial environment remains safe and secure.”

“Manufacturing false information to wrongfully obtain funds from SBA programs intended for the nation’s small businesses is a theft from taxpayers,” said SBA OIG’s Central Region Special Agent in Charge Sharon Johnson. “OIG is committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

“Celtic Bank and other members of the Federal Home Loan Banks support small businesses and their workers by properly distributing Paycheck Protection Program funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Edwin S. Bonano of FHFA-OIG’s Southeast Regional Office. “We are proud to work with our partners in the OIG community to root out PPP fraud and recover the taxpayer dollars intended for small business owners and employees under the CARES Act.”

The case was investigated by special agents with five different federal agencies – U.S. Secret Service, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Office of Inspector General, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tony Arvin, who is prosecuting this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – A Tennessee man was sentenced today to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers during the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His and others’ actions disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Ronald Sandlin, 35, of Millington, Tennessee, was sentenced in the District of Columbia.

According to court documents, Sandlin and two co-conspirators – Nathaniel DeGrave and Josiah Colt – planned to interfere with the peaceful transition of presidential power, beginning in December 2020. For example, on Dec. 31, 2020, Sandlin posted to Facebook that he was organizing a caravan to travel to Washington and sought donations on a GoFundMe site. The same day, he, DeGrave, and Colt began a private chat on Facebook to plan for Jan. 6. In the chat, they discussed “shipping guns” to Sandlin’s residence in Tennessee, where they planned to meet prior to their trip.

On Jan. 4, 2021, before heading to Washington, Sandlin posted to Facebook a picture of Colt lying on a bed holding a firearm, with the caption, “My fellow patriot sleeping ready for the boogaloo Jan 6.” Sandlin understood at the time that the term “boogaloo” referred to civil war.

On Jan. 6, after watching live television coverage of the “Stop the Steal” rally near the Ellipse, at a nearby restaurant, Sandlin live-streamed a video in which he called on “other patriots” to “take the Capitol.” In the video, Sandlin stated four times that “freedom is paid for with blood.”

Sandlin, DeGrave, and Colt then traveled together to the Capitol wearing protective gear, including gas/face masks, helmets, and shin guards. Sandlin was armed with a knife, while DeGrave carried bear spray. The trio then marched towards the Capitol. After arriving on the Capitol grounds, the men scaled dismantled bike barricades and past law enforcement officers, pushing past members of the crowd to get closer to the Capitol Building. Sandlin repeatedly yelled things such as “we’re not here to spectate anymore,” “the time to talk is over,” and “if you’re not breaching the building, move out of the way.”

The three men entered the Capitol through the Upper West Terrace door, at approximately 2:35 p.m. While inside, Sandlin and DeGrave pushed against officers guarding an exterior door to the Capitol Rotunda, slowly forcing the door open and letting a mob stream inside. Sandlin shouted at the officers, “you’re going to die, get out of the way,” before later grabbing an officer’s helmet.

The three men then went together up a set of stairs and to a hallway outside the Senate Chamber. Sandlin incited others in the mob to prevent U.S. Capitol Police officers from locking the doors to the Senate Gallery, shouting “grab the door.” He began shoving officers in an attempt to keep the doors open. As he did this, his hand made contact with the side of an officer’s head. The trio and dozens of other rioters then gained access to the Senate Gallery, where Sandlin recorded a selfie-style video with his cellphone, exclaiming: “We took it. We did it.”

After leaving the Senate Gallery, Sandlin smoked a marijuana joint in the Rotunda of the Capitol. He also stole a book from a desk in a Senate-side office, which he later described to Colt as a “souvenir.” He also picked up an oil painting from the Capitol and slung it over his shoulder before others in the mob took it off his shoulder. He finally exited the Capitol at approximately 3:16 p.m.

Shortly after the riot, Sandlin deleted photographs and messages regarding the events of Jan. 6 from his group chats with Colt, DeGrave, and others.

Colt, 35, of Meridian, Idaho, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2021, to obstruction of an official proceeding. DeGrave, 33, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty on June 27, 2022, to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. Both are awaiting sentencing.

In addition to the term of incarceration, Sandlin was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s

National Security Division are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Nevada and the Western District of Tennessee.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Memphis Field Offices, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 23 months since Jan. 6, 2021, close to 900 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more 270 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Jackson, TN – Charles Anthony Anderson, 56, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for production of child pornography and committing that offense as a registered sex offender. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, Anderson was convicted in Florida in 2003 of two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a minor under 12 years of age. Anderson served 60 months on community corrections in that case. As part of that case, Anderson was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

In February 2021, Anderson asked a few people to do some cleaning and fix a security camera for him at his business in Buchanan, Tennessee. Anderson was part-owner of Mountain Top Vapors, a vape/smoke shop in Henry County. While one of them was working on the security camera, he saw a cellphone hidden on top of a China cabinet. He took the phone home with him, charged it, and powered it up to see if he could determine the owner of the phone. When he turned it on, he saw a photo of a naked prepubescent girl as the phone’s screen saver. He then went into the photo gallery on the phone and saw other images, including one which depicted the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Other information on the phone indicated that it belonged to Anderson. When he confronted Anderson about the images, Anderson admitted to taking the pictures. Anderson was reported to the police.

On May 5, 2021, Anderson appeared at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. He gave a full recorded confession and admitted to taking the photos found on his phone.

Federal agents were contacted and obtained a federal search warrant to search Anderson’s phone. Images recovered from the phone corroborated Anderson's admissions and the information provided to the police.

Forensic review of Anderson’s phone identified several images that had metadata indicating that they were produced using that phone on specific dates in 2019, including the image set forth in the first count of the indictment, which was produced on September 1, 2019, and which depicted a minor victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

As noted above, Anderson was required to register as a sex offender under SORNA when he committed the offense set forth in Count 1 of the indictment on or about September 1, 2019.

On November 16, 2022, Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced the defendant to a total of 25 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Deb Ireland and Josh Morrow, who prosecuted this case for the government.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Jackson, TN – Lavokeous Ivory, 29, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm and violating his federal supervised release. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.

On August 6, 2021, officers with the Milan Police Department were dispatched to a residence for an unwanted person call. The caller advised dispatch that the suspect, Lavokeous Ivory, was beating on her windows and front door and demanding that she let him in. One of the responding officers saw a man walking near the home who matched the description of the suspect. After telling the officer his name, Ivory started walking away and then started running from the officer. Ivory ran around the house and the officer followed him on foot.

While running, a pistol dropped from Ivory's waistband. Ivory stopped to pick up the pistol, and then tried to throw it on the roof of the home. While throwing the gun, it discharged, and the bullet hit the side of the house. The officers then attempted to detain Ivory, and while doing so Ivory picked up the gun. After other officers arrived on the scene, Ivory dropped the gun and was arrested.

Ivory had been previously convicted of a felony and was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense for illegally possessing two firearms on separate dates in February 2016. As a result of his prior felony convictions, Ivory is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.

On November 30, 2022, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Ivory to 70 months imprisonment for his illegal possession of a firearm on August 6, 2021, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Breen also determined that Ivory violated the terms of his federal supervised release by illegally possessing the firearm and imposed a 14-month prison sentence in that case, to run consecutively to the 70-month sentence for a total of 84 months imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Milan Police Department and the ATF.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow, who prosecuted the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Tony Jackson, 35, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition and a firearm, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentencing today.

According to the information presented in court, in May 2017, members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) began investigating the criminal activities of Tony Jackson. Investigators identified Jackson as a heroin distributor who utilized the proceeds from such sales to acquire both residences and vehicles in other individuals’ names to conceal the source of his income.

Additionally, despite Jackson’s prohibited status, he was known to go armed. In April 2018, investigators with the Memphis Police Department responded to a shooting on East Waldorf and South Third, in which Jackson was observed in a neighboring business surveillance video exiting a vehicle and firing several rounds at the victim. A search of the area led to the recovery of a spent nine-millimeter shell casing.

In August 2019, a search of Jackson’s residence led to the recovery of a Glock 26 9mm pistol.

Jackson pled guilty on April 19, 2022.

On December 5, 2022, United States District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Jackson to 180 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years’ supervised release. Jackson agreed to pay a money judgement in the amount of $56,000 which represents the proceeds from the distribution of narcotics.

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations and organized criminal enterprises, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service, and the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted the case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-

544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and

updates.

Memphis, TN – A now-33-year-old former California native has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison following a year-long investigation by local state and federal law enforcement agencies into a drug trafficking organization with ties to the Grape Street Crips gang.

In July 2019, a federal grand jury indicted 16 individuals in an eleven-count indictment for federal drug and gun charges. The indictment charged that the defendants conspired to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl.

The defendants charged in the indictment were:

• Travon Allen a/k/a "Little Y," 30, Los Angeles, California

• Ozene Benson, 27, Memphis, Tennessee

• Vincent Boykin a/k/a "Veto," 31, Memphis, Tennessee

• Antwan Brown, 31, Memphis, Tennessee

• Christopher Brown, 29, Memphis, Tennessee

• Lonnell Davis, 41, Memphis, Tennessee

• Clifton Graves, 35, Memphis, Tennessee

• Preston Hampton a/k/a "Grape da Shooter," 26, Memphis, Tennessee

• Amber Howe, 31, Memphis, Tennessee

• Claude Cordell Irby, 23, Memphis, Tennessee

• Eddie Johnson a/k/a "Eddie Grape," 36, Memphis, Tennessee

• Lapheal Johnson a/k/a "Peaches," 25, Jackson, Tennessee

• Tionna Jones, 24, Memphis, Tennessee

• Terrell Kennedy, 34, Memphis, Tennessee

• Antonio Lurry, 37, Memphis, Tennessee

• Tarzell Worles a/k/a "Snugg," 26, Memphis, Tennessee

• Lapheal Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. On May 5, 2022, she was sentenced to time served, followed by 4 years supervised release.

• Amber Howe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram of heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. On June 23, 2020, she was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release.

• Vincent Boykin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. On April 29, 2021, he was sentenced to 150 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release.

• Clifton Graves pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On May 11, 2021, he was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, followed by 4 years supervised release.

• Ozene Benson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. On June 1, 2021, he was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release.

• Terell Kennedy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. On November 5, 2020, he was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 4 years of supervised release.

• Eddie Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. On December 2, 2020, he was sentenced to time served, followed by 4 years of supervised release.

• Antwan Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. On December 3, 2020, he was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release.

• Christopher Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or less of heroin. On July 1, 2021, he was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release.

• Lonnell Davis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. On June 29, 2021, he was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 4 years supervised release.

• Tionna Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. On June 22, 2021, she was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release.

• Antonio Lurry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. On May 27, 2021, he was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 4 years supervised release.

• Tarzell Worles pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. On April 26, 2022, he was sentenced to 150 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years supervised release.

• Preston Hampton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. On May 13, 2021, he was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years supervised release.

• Claude Cordell Irby pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. On January 25, 2022, he was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release.

• Travon Allen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. On November 15, 2022, he was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations and organized criminal enterprises, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Shelby County Sheriff's Office

Narcotics Division, Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit, Bartlett Police Department, and West Tennessee Drug Task Force all investigated this case.

United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Mark Erskine, who prosecuted this case.

Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury has indicted five former Methodist Hospital Employees for conspiring with Roderick Harvey, 40, to unlawfully disclose patient information in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly known as “HIPAA.” United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the indictment today.

HIPAA was enacted by Congress in 1996 to create national standards to protect sensitive patient information from being disclosed without a patient’s knowledge or consent. HIPAA’s provisions make it a crime to disclose patient information, or to obtain patient information with the intent to sell, transfer or use such information for personal gain.

According to the indictment, between November 2017 and December 2020, Harvey paid Kirby Dandridge, 38, Sylvia Taylor, 43, Kara Thompson, 30, Melanie Russell, 41, and Adrianna Taber, 26, to provide him with names and phone numbers of Methodist patients who had been involved in motor vehicle accidents. After obtaining the information, Harvey sold the information to third persons including personal injury attorneys and chiropractors.

The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three-year period of supervised release.

Harvey was also charged with seven counts of obtaining patient information with the intent to sell it for financial gain on various dates between November 12, 2017, and September 7, 2019. Each of those charges carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and three years’ of supervised release.

Dandridge, Taylor, Thompson, Russell, and Taber were each charged with separate violations of disclosing the information to Harvey in violation of HIPAA. That charge carries a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment, a $50,000 fine and a one-year period of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Carroll L. André III, who is prosecuting the case.

The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Three individuals, Robert L. Pryor, 46, Elaine Pryor, 43, and Joshua L. Pryor, 44,  have been sentenced for preparing and filing false tax returns under the business name Better Dayz 
Tax Services, LLC. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentences today.

According to information presented in court, Robert L. Pryor owned a tax-preparation business,  Better Dayz Tax Services, LLC, in Memphis, Tennessee. His wife Elaine Pryor and his brother Joshua 
L. Pryor also worked at Better Dayz. He and his co-defendants prepared false income tax returns for  clients and for themselves, resulting in fraudulent tax refunds and total lost tax revenue of more  than $122,000 over three years.  Each defendant pled guilty to one count of preparing a false tax  return.

On October 12, 2022, United States District Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Robert L. Pryor to a  total of 15 months in federal prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release.  Pryor may  not own or operate a tax preparation business or engage in tax preparation services during his  supervised release.  Pryor also was ordered to pay restitution of $57,672.00.

On October 12, 2022, Judge McCalla sentenced Joshua L. Pryor to three years of federal probation  and ordered him to pay restitution of $25,064.00. Joshua Pryor may not own or operate a tax  preparation business or engage in tax preparation services during his probation.

On November 4, 2022, Judge McCalla sentenced Elaine Pryor to six months in federal prison, to be  followed by 18 months of supervised release. Six months of her supervised release term must be  served on home detention, and she may not own or operate a tax preparation business or engage in  tax preparation services during her supervised release. She also was ordered to pay restitution of 
$57,853.59. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Ritz, said “I hope these sentences send a message to others who are robbing  the government through fraudulent tax practices that their illegal acts will not go unchecked.”

“Those who might consider preparing false tax returns should be aware of the extremely negative  consequences as evidenced today," said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the 
Charlotte Field Office. "Today's sentencing of the defendants again emphasizes that the Internal 
Revenue Service and U.S. Attorney’s office will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who  would attempt to defraud America's tax system."

This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Murre Foster, who  prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901- 544-4231 or  cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
 

Jackson, TN – Bridget Nicole Bickings, 31, of Hardin County, Tennessee, has been sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison for conspiring with others to possess with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on April 18, 2021, at approximately 1:45 a.m., officers with the Savannah Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a silver vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign. Bickings was driving the vehicle and a male subject in the front passenger seat. Officers immediately smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Bickings gave the officers a small marijuana joint and stated that she had smoked marijuana approximately 45 minutes ago.

After both occupants were removed from the vehicle, Bickings handed the officers a Ruger .380 pistol, and the male passenger told the police that there was a 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat. Officers found $4,000 in cash on her person along with a small white envelope containing multiple small blue Xanax pills. As officers attempted to place Bickings in custody, she ran away but was eventually captured and arrested. A further search of the vehicle revealed over 12 ounces of methamphetamine, a box of baggies, a digital scale, and multiple rounds of 9mm and .22 caliber ammunition.

During a post-arrest Mirandized interview, Bickings admitted to buying and selling over 200 pounds of methamphetamine during the past few years.

On November 3, 2022, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Bickings to 151 months imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department, FBI, DEA, and ATF.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow, who prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901- 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Jackson, TN – Bobby Joe Claybrook, Jr., 41, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for  assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon and discharging a weapon during and relation to a  crime of violence. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.

United States Attorney Ritz stated: “This defendant pled guilty to committing a violent assault on  federal law enforcement officers. That’s an extremely serious crime, deserving of this extremely  serious sentence. The United States will not hesitate to bring significant resources to bear when  citizens attack our law enforcement partners.”

United States Marshal Tyreece Miller added: “Law enforcement are public servants that place their  lives on the line everyday, enforcing laws throughout our communities. Sadly, the possibility of  physical danger and harm are part of what it means to wear a badge. But trying to hurt a Deputy 
U.S. Marshal has serious consequences. We are glad our Deputy Marshals weren’t seriously injured,  and thankful for the steadfast work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing this case to  closure.”

According to information presented in court, on August 3, 2020, the United States Marshals received  information that Bobby Joe Claybrook, Jr. was wanted by the Dyersburg Police Department for  attempted second degree homicide and for being a felon in possession of firearm. On November 2,  2020, agents located the defendant at a duplex in Jackson, Tennessee. Federal agents and local law  enforcement, all wearing clothing and badges that clearly established themselves as law enforcement  officials, approached the residence. Prior to the team stepping onto the porch to knock on the  door, Claybrook began firing on the team through the small porch window. A task force officer was  hit in his arm, leg, and another officer was struck by a round from Claybrook’s firearm. The officers were treated for their injuries at the hospital and released.

Several other officers were pinned alongside the house until the Jackson Police Department SWAT 
Team arrived to assist them. The SWAT team took over the scene and negotiated the surrender of 
Claybrook after a lengthy standoff.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation personnel executed a search warrant of the residence and located  a 9mm firearm and several 9mm shell casings inside the residence near the window where Claybrook  carried out his assault on law enforcement.  As a result of Claybrook’s prior felony convictions,  he is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.

On October 28, 2022, Chief United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Claybrook to 
480 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole  in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,  Firearms and Explosives, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Jackson-Madison County Narcotics, and  the Jackson Police Department SWAT Team.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Lawler Parham,  who prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Michael Ransom, 34, has been sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for being a  convicted felon in possession of a firearms as well as being in possession of those firearms after  having a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the  sentence today.

According to information presented in court, in May 2020, Memphis Police Officers responded to an  armed party call that two men were seen near Annie Street carrying assault rifles to a red car. 
When officers arrived, Michael Ransom got out of the red car and immediately started running from  police. Still seated alone inside the red car, were Ransom's two minor children.

Officers recovered from the front seat a Taurus 9mm handgun and a Smith and Wesson assault rifle. 
Both guns were loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and multiple rounds in the  magazines. Officers also recovered a plastic bag containing 4.3 grams of cocaine from the driver's  side door. Ransom was caught and arrested on an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault.

Ransom had previously been convicted in March of 2010 of facilitating carjacking. He was also  convicted in October 2017 of misdemeanor domestic assault with bodily harm. As a result of these  convictions, Ransom is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.

On October 27, 2022, United States District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Ransom to 96  months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ of supervised release. There is no parole  in the federal system.

This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Memphis Police
Department and the ATF. PSN is 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.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin and Special 
Assistant United States Attorney Sam Winnig, who prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Jackson, TN – Bobby Joe Brown, 42, of Obion County, Tennessee has been sentenced to 30 months in  federal prison for unlawfulpossession of firearms, silencers and machine guns. United States 
Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on August 7, 2018, officers with the Union City Police 
Department and agents with the 27th Judicial Drug Task Force and the Tennessee Bureau of 
Investigation received information that the defendant, Bobby Joe Brown, had previously sold three  guns, one of which was stolen. Officers went to Brown's residence in South Fulton to speak with him  regarding the stolen gun. Brown agreed to speak with the officers, and he also allowed them to  search his home.

During the search, officers found a small mill/drill combo machine that appeared to have been used  on multiple occasions to mill and drill aluminum. Officers also observed an 80% lower receiver  lying on top of a workshop table, multiple books on fully automatic firearm and suppressor  manufacturing, and a plastic tote on the floor that contained several different lengths of black  painted pipe that was threaded on either end, along with flashlight tubes and freeze plugs.  
Officers also located several firearms, including handguns and rifles, along with many AR-15 parts,  including assembled upper and lower parts kits used to fully assemble AR-15 lower receivers. One  gun, a Dan Wesson .357 revolver, was found in a closet wrapped in a latex glove. That gun was  reported stolen in 2008 from Obion County.

Officers also located a total of four completed suppressors, and one partially completed  suppressor, one lightning link, and one drop-in auto sear (the latter items are devices that are  used to turn semi-automatic AR-15 rifles into fully automatic weapons). Officers seized all items  related to Brown's manufacturing of firearms, along with a small amount of methamphetamine and other assorted drug paraphernalia found throughout the home.

Brown admitted to making homemade silencers and machine guns. He said he conducted on-line research and had books to assist him in making the machine guns and silencers and did not think it was  illegal to do so. Brown further admitted that he bought and used methamphetamine regularly.

On April 15, 2022, Brown pled guilty to the 15-count indictment in this case charging him with  various firearms-related violations.

On October 14, 2022, Chief United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Brown to 30  months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the  federal system.

Although Brown was not a convicted felon at the time he possessedthe firearms and other related  items in this case, and had very little documented criminal history, the Court determined that a 2 
1/2-year prison sentence was warranted here, particularly because of the number of firearms and  other related items possessed by Brown, the fact that Brown had manufactured silencers and had  converted some of the firearms to fully automatic weapons, and because Brown was an active user of   methamphetamine while  he manufactured and possessed these items.

This case was investigated by the Union City Police Department, the 27th Judicial Drug Task Force,  the TBI and the ATF.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow, who  prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Defendant Sprayed Fire Extinguisher at Officers, Illegally Entered Capitol Office, Tore Open a Box, Went Through Papers

Memphis, TN – A Kentucky man pleaded guilty today to assaulting law enforcement officers with a  dangerous weapon – a fire extinguisher - during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His  actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to  ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Nicholas James Brockhoff, 21, of Covington, Kentucky, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to  assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Brockhoff illegally entered the Capitol grounds,  joining a mob on the West side of the Capitol. At approximately 2:32 p.m., he threw an object from  his position on the West Terrace towards law enforcement officers. During the confrontation with  law enforcement officers, he also discharged the contents of fire extinguishers on multiple  occasions and from at least two different locations. Each time he did so, law enforcement officers  dispersed, interfering their ability to control the crowd.

Additionally, during the afternoon, while very close to the Lower West Terrace tunnel, Brockhoff  obtained a helmet belonging to an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He wore  the helmet like a trophy throughout the afternoon, including when he entered a Senate Conference  room of the Capitol from a broken window. Brockhoff moved into a hallway and then helped kick a  door leading to the entry into another conference room. From inside the conference room, while  still wearing the MPD helmet, Brockhoff tore open a box and went through papers in the office. He  eventually left the Capitol through a broken window.

Brockhoff was arrested on May 27, 2021, in Counce, Tennessee. He is to be sentenced on March 24,  2023. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. A  federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing 
Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the 
Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance  was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky and the U.S. 
Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Brockhoff as 
#255 on its seeking information photos, the FBI’s Louisville Field Office and its Covington,  Kentucky Resident Agency, and the FBI’s Memphis Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by  the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, the 
U.S. Capitol, and the Hardin County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Department.

In the 21 months since Jan.6, 2021, more than 880 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50  states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 270 individuals charged  with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.  The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Jarquez Sigears, 35, has been sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for being a  convicted felon in possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the  sentence today.

According to information presented in court, in April 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,  Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information that Sigears was illegally buying and selling  guns in Memphis. Sigears has a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault. As such, Sigears  cannot legally possess a gun or ammunition.

In May and June of 2019, agents with ATF purchased multiple guns from Sigears including three Smith 
& Wesson .40 caliber pistols, a Ceska Zbrojobka (CZ) 9mm pistol, a Kel-Tel .22 caliber pistol, a 
Taurus 9mm caliber pistol, and a GMMG 9mm semi- automatic rifle. Some of the guns had been reported  stolen and all the guns were loaded with ammunition.

This case was investigated by the ATF.

On October 25, 2022, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Sigears to 151 months in  federal prison to be followed by three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin, who prosecuted  this case on behalf of the government.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Event Aims to prevent addiction and reduce poisoning death
 

Memphis, TN –The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 23rd National Prescription Drug Take 
Back Day on Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers anonymous disposal of  unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop- off locations nationwide. One of these  locations is the Kroger store in Bartlett, Tennessee, at 7615 Highway 70. United States Attorney 
Kevin Ritz will participate in Drug Take Back Day at location with law enforcement partners,  beginning at 10:00 a.m.

For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has provided an easy,  no-cost opportunity to dispose of medicines stored in the home that are susceptible to misuse and  theft.

Opioid  misuse remains at  epidemic levels in  the  United  States.  According to a report  published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of  people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend.

“I encourage everyone across the country to dispose of unneeded medications to help keep our  communities safe and healthy,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The Take Back campaign is part  of DEA’s continued efforts to combat the drug poisoning epidemic and protect the safety and health  of communities across the United States.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, approximately 
107,622 people died as the result of a drug poisoning last year. This means that someone in the 
United States is dying of a drug poisoning every five minutes.

On Saturday, October 29, 2022, DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other forms of prescription drugs. Collection sites will not accept syringes,

sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their  original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage. The event will also continue  to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.

A location finder and partner toolbox are available at www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to  nearby collection sites.  Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and  safely dispose of unneeded medications at close to 15,000 pharmacies, hospitals, and businesses  prescription disposal locations. In addition, many police departments provide year-round drop boxes.

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Contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @ WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Jackson, TN – Tommarion Latrez Williams, 28, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for  being a felon-in-possession of a firearm. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney, announced the  sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, on February 11, 2020, at approximately 10:45 p.m.,  officers with the Bolivar Police Department were dispatched to a disturbing the peace call at E. 
Margin St. in Bolivar. After responding to the scene, one of the officers knocked on the front door  while another officer walked to the back of the residence. The officer that went to the rear of the  home heard people talking inside the residence and they appeared to be arguing.

That officer then stepped off the porch and began walking toward the north side of the residence to  speak with his fellow officers about what he had observed, when he heard someone open the back  door. The officer pointed his Taser in that direction and observed a man, later identified as the  defendant, Tommarion Latrez Williams, walk through the back door onto the porch with a gun aimed at  him. The officer determined that it was too late to draw his firearm, so he deployed his Taser at 
Williams, and Williams fired his gun directly at the officer. Fortunately, Williams did not hit the  officer with his fired round.

Officers were soon able to subdue Williams and placed him in custody. Williams' firearm was located  next to a tree in the backyard. The gun, a Taurus Model PT-111 Millenium Pro, 9mm pistol, was  reported stolen during an automobile burglary in Bolivar on August 16, 2016.

A check of Williams' criminal history revealed that he is a convicted felon.  On May 8, 2013,  Williams was previously convicted of aggravated burglary in Madison County, Tennessee, and he was  convicted of the same offense in Hardeman County, Tennessee, on May 24, 2017. As a result of his  prior felony convictions, Williams is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

An ATF agent conducted an analysis of Williams' firearm and determined that it was manufactured outside the state of Tennessee.

On April 7, 2022, Williams pled guilty to being a convicted felon-in-possession of a firearm in  violation of federal law.

On October 19, 2022, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Williams to 120 months'  imprisonment -- the highest sentence allowed by law for this offense -- to be followed by three  years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Bolivar Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
(FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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Contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @ WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
 

Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced a former Memphis Police Officer to 12 years in federal  prison for criminal civil rights violations.  U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence  today.

On January 24, 2020, former Memphis Police Officer Sam Blue 63, pled guilty to conspiracy to  violate civil rights by using force, violence, and intimidation, and conspiracy to commit robbery  affecting interstate commerce. On October 25, 2022, United States District Court Judge John T. 
Fowlkes Jr. sentenced Blue to 144 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’  supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz said: “Our citizens have a right to be policed by officers who follow  the law. This officer abused his authority and violated others’ civil rights. He’ll now spend a  significant time in federal prison. My hope is that this sentence sends a clear message that law  enforcement officers who break the law will be held accountable.”
“This sentencing proves that abuse of law enforcement authority will not be tolerated,” said Bryan 
McCloskey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation. “Every citizen has the right to expect law enforcement officers to act in accordance  with the laws they have sworn to uphold, and the FBI is committed to aggressively investigating and  bringing to justice those officers who break the law and violate the public trust.”

According to information presented in court, between 2014 and 2018 Sam Blue, a sworn Memphis Police 
Department Officer, conspired with others to rob drug dealers of drugs or drug proceeds. Prior to  the planned robberies, various co-conspirators would conduct surveillance of the targets. Officer 
Blue provided his co-conspirators with information, such as home addresses for the targets of the robberies, obtained from law enforcement restricted sources. Blue also provided his co-conspirators with equipment, including an official MPD badge, and a car dashboard blue light to use during the planned robberies so that they could falsely claim to appear to be law enforcement.

In July 2018, Eric Cain was selected as a robbery target by the conspirators.  The defendants began  conducting surveillance on Cain and put a GPS tracker on his car. Blue provided the gate code used  by law enforcement to access Cain’s apartment complex in furtherance of the plan to commit the  robbery.

On July 13, 2018, as Cain was leaving his apartment in Memphis around 4:30 a.m., a black car with  flashing blue lights pulled up behind his car. Cain believed he was being stopped by law  enforcement. Two of the defendants, dressed in black clothing with the word "police" on it and  wearing masks and armed with handguns, got out of the car with the flashing lights and ordered Cain  to get out of his car and get on the ground. Cain obeyed and the men handcuffed him, put a hood  over his face, and placed him in the back of their car. The defendants then drove Cain to a house  on Reese Road here in Memphis.
At this new location, Cain was taken inside the house and restrained while the defendants beat him,  burned him on his arms, neck, and head, and demandedthat he tell them where he kept his money  and/or drugs. Cain was able to escape by jumping through the front window of the house. He was  hospitalized for a week in the burn unit and underwent surgery for his injuries.

U.S. Attorney Ritz thanked the FBI Tarnished Badge Task Force, which investigated this case, and 
Assistant United States Attorney David Pritchard, who prosecuted this case on behalf of the  government.

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Contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @ WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, is  pleased to announce the appointment of Reagan Taylor Fondren as First Assistant United States 
Attorney for the district.

Ms. Fondren, a native Memphian and graduate of Central High School, completed her undergraduate  studies at Spelman College and her law degree at the University of Tennessee College of Law. She  has worked in federal public service with the United States Department of Justice for her entire  career and has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for over 14 years.

“As a federal prosecutor for over 14 years, and a career public servant, Reagan Taylor Fondren  brings a wealth of experience and absolute professionalism to a role that is vital to the success  of our office,” said United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz. “I am confident that Ms. Fondren will  lead with skill and integrity in her new role as First Assistant. I look forward to working closely  with her to promote and defend the interests of the United States in our District.”

Ms. Fondren began her legal career as a Presidential Management Fellow with the Drug Enforcement 
Administration. There she servedin the Office of the Chief Counsel and was responsible for the  investigation and institution of charges against DEA registrants accused of violating federal  regulations. In 2008, she joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia,  where she gained significant trial and appellate experience as a violent crime and homicide  prosecutor.

Ms. Fondren has served the Western District of Tennessee since 2014, where she has served as senior  and lead AUSA in the Civil Rights Unit of the Criminal Division. In this role  she  managed   complex  investigations  involving  multiple  law  enforcement partners. Four years ago, Ms. 
Fondren joined the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office, where she has served as 
Senior Litigation Counsel. She has defended the United States in an array of civil cases, such as  employment discrimination, medical malpractice, and prisoner litigation. As head of the Financial 
Litigation and Bankruptcy Divisions, she has worked with government agencies to collect debts and  represent the interests of the United States in bankruptcy litigation. Additionally, Ms. Fondren  has served as the Chair of the Diversity Committee and Special Emphasis Program Manager for Black 
Affairs.
Ms. Fondren is married to Rickey Fondren II and they have two children. Ms. Fondren is active in  community and legal organizations including the National Bar Association, the National Black 
Prosecutors Association, and Girl Scouts Heart of the South.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced today that Assistant United States 
Attorney (AUSA) Scott Smith will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice 
Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. 
AUSA Scott Smith has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Western 
District of Tennessee, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling  of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or  staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

United States Attorney Ritz said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or  discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election  officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. 
Our office and the Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of  the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role  in  deterring and  combatting discrimination and  intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and  election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s  longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the  electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to  report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or  staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying, and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering  vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without  their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they  can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of

their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be  assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or  inability to read or write in English).

United States Attorney Ritz stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. 
We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and  that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of  voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such  complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Smith will be on duty in this 
District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone  numbers: 901-544-4231 and 901-969- 2962.”

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency  throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on  election day. On November 7, 2022, 8am-4pm, and on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 2022,  6am-8pm, the local FBI field office will be available to the public at 901-747-9506. During the  broader election cycle, the local FBI field office can be reached 24/7 by the public at 
901-747-9650.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the 
Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at  https://civilrights.justice.gov/.

United States Attorney Ritz said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the  assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information  about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of 
Justice.”

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911  immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary  jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Nicholus Leavy, 37, has been sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for illegally  possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony and domestic violence. Kevin G. Ritz, United 
States Attorney, announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, the charges stemmed from an incident that occurred  on May 7, 2021 at "Our Bar," a night club on Jackson Avenue in Memphis. Security guards denied 
Nicholus Leavy entry into the club because he was carrying a gun, was intoxicated, and had been in  a verbal altercation with a patron. When security guards asked Leavy to leave the club, he became  irate and made threats to “shoot up the club.” Leavy got in his car and circled the block. As he  drove towards the club, Leavy turned off his headlights, rolled down the window, continued making  threats at the guards, and raised a black pistol. Officers recovered a pistol from the driver's  side door of Leavy's car. The gun was loaded with 1 live round in the chamber and 8 live rounds in  the magazine.

Leavy had prior convictions for a felony and domestic assault.  As a result of his convictions,  Leavy is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.

On October 13, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Leavy to 90 months in  federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal  system.

This case was investigated by Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Memphis Police Department, and  the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is  a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce  gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department  launched a gun violence 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.

Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin and Special Assistant United States Attorney Nathan 
Vrazel prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901-544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – The former owner and operator of a social club in Nashville pleaded guilty today to  violating campaign finance laws to benefit Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey’s 2016 campaign for 
U.S. Congress.

According to court documents, Joshua Smith, 45, of Nashville, Tennessee, secretly and unlawfully  funneled $67,000 of what is commonly referred to as “soft money” (funds not subject to the  limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements of the Federal Election  Campaign Act [FECA])  from Kelsey’s Tennessee State Senate campaign committee to a national political organization that  funded advertisements urging voters to support Kelsey in the August 2016 primary election.

Smith pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the solicitation, receipt, direction, transfer, and  spending of at least $25,000 in “soft money” in connection with a federal election. He is scheduled  to be sentenced on June 9, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal  district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines  and other statutory factors.

In connection with this scheme, Kelsey was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2021 and  charged with conspiracy to defraud the Federal Election Commission, illegally transferring “soft  money” as a federal candidate, illegally transferring “soft money” as a state officeholder and  making and accepting excessive contributions to a federal campaign. The case is scheduled for trial  in January 2023.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and 
U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. 
Attorneys Amanda Klopf for the Middle District of Tennessee and David Pritchard for the Western 
District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.

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

###
 

Memphis, TN – Four defendants have been sentenced for conspiracy to defraud the Small Business 
Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The EIDL program provided grants and  low-interest loans to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, among other disasters. 
Between April 2020 and June 2020, the defendants submitted more than 400 fraudulent EIDL  applications and attempted to get over $7 million in funding.  Kevin G. Ritz, United States 
Attorney, announced the sentences today.

United States Attorney Ritz commented: “These aid programs were meant to lift hardworking citizens  and small businesses. But these individuals illicitly used the funds for their own benefit. I thank  our federal law enforcement partners for uncovering and investigating these crimes. We will  continue to prosecute those who abuse and misuse COVID-19 relief funds.”

“During a global pandemic, the defendants took advantage of aid programs intended to provide  critical relief for hardworking members of our communities impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak,” said 
Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal 
Investigation (IRS-CI) Memphis Field Office. “We will continue to prioritize COVID-19 fraud  investigations on those who fraudulently take intended funds for struggling businesses that truly  needed assistance.”

“Conspiring to fraudulently obtain federal funds that are meant to provide assistance to nation’s  small businesses is unacceptable,” said SBA Office of Inspector General’s Special Agent in Charge 
Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “Our office will  aggressively pursue evidence of wrongdoing and bring  those responsible to justice. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement  partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”

Sharika L. Carpenter, 43, of Memphis, Tennessee, pled guilty on January 13, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to defraud the EIDL program, one count of wire fraud, two counts

of theft of government property, and one count of preparing a false tax return. According to  information presented in court, Carpenter owned a tax-preparation business, Better Days Tax 
Services, in Memphis, Tennessee. She recruited and trained at least five people to work for her  preparing fraudulent tax returns and fraudulent applications to COVID- 19 relief programs for  clients. Operating out of that business in 2020, Carpenter and her co-conspirators obtained more  than $745,000 in fraudulent EIDL funds.  Carpenter charged her clients up to 50 percent of the  fraudulent EIDL proceeds, and she also submitted fraudulent EIDL applications in her own name. She  paid her employees a flat fee for each fraudulent EIDL application that received funding. In  addition to the EIDL fraud, Carpenter prepared false income tax returns for clients, resulting in  fraudulent tax refunds  and  lost  tax  revenue.   Carpenter also  defrauded the  Small  Business 
Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by obtaining a fraudulent PPP loan of 
$3,548.  And Carpenter defrauded the Department of Labor’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program  by claiming more than $33,000 in unemployment- assistance payments to which she was not entitled.

On October 5, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Carpenter to a total of  four years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Carpenter may  not own or operate a tax preparation business or engage in tax preparation services during her  supervised release. Carpenter also was ordered to pay restitution of
$38,756 and a fine of $20,000. There is no parole in the federal system.

Co-defendant Kevin Maclin, 45, of Memphis, Tennessee, pled guilty on January 18, 2022, to one count  of conspiracy to defraud the EIDL program for his role in the fraud scheme. Maclin recruited  additional clients to Better Days Tax Services, where Carpenter and her employees submitted  fraudulent EIDL applications on the recruits’ behalf. Maclin received a percentage of those  clients’ EIDL funds.  Carpenter also prepared fraudulent EIDL applications for Maclin, for which 
Maclin received $31,000 in his own name. On May 16, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. 
Parker sentenced Maclin to 18 months in federal prison, to be followed by two years of supervised  release. Maclin also was ordered to pay restitution of $31,000 and a fine of $10,000.

Co-defendants Brandy D. Scaife, 44, and Stephanie Johnson, 43, both of Memphis, Tennessee, each  pled guilty on January 12, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to defraud the EIDL program for their  roles in the fraud scheme. Scaife and Johnson both worked for Carpenter preparing fraudulent EIDL  applications for Better Days Tax Services clients. Carpenter paid Scaife and Johnson a flat fee for  each fraudulent application that received funding. Scaife also obtained a fraudulent EIDL loan in  her own name. On April 29, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Scaife to  time served, to be followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered her to pay restitution  of $17,900. On May 18, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Johnson to two  years of federal probation.

This  case was investigated by  IRS-CI, the  Treasury Inspector General for  Tax Administration,  the SBA Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. 
Assistant United States Attorney Murre Foster prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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

For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee,  announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office has implemented new public reporting  procedures for environmental violations and issues relating to environmental justice. Environmental  justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color,  national origin, or income with respect to  the  development, implementation,  and  enforcement of   environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

The Office is implementing this public reporting procedure under the Department of Justice’s 
Comprehensive Environmental Justice Enforcement Strategy, available at 
/media/1221596/dl?inline.  This  Strategy  seeks  to provide “timely  and effective remedies for systemic environmental violations and contaminations and for injury to  natural resources in underserved communities that have been historically marginalized and  overburdened, including low-income communities, communities of color, and Tribal and Indigenous  communities.”

“Working with the EPA and our other federal partners to ensure safe living and working conditions  for our entire community is a priority in the Western District of Tennessee. Notifying the U.S. 
Attorney’s Office about environmental justice concerns helps us protect the community from harmful  violations of federal health and safety law,” said United States Attorney Ritz. “We hope that  concerned individuals, organizations, andcommunity groups in this district will work with us to  address and fix environmental injuries to public health or the environment, or injuries to natural  resources. Together, we will work to reduce public health and environmental harms caused by  violations of our federal laws and regulations—especially to underserved communities that often  suffer from a disproportionate share of adverse health effects.”

The United States Attorney’s Office has included an environmental justice program update on its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/environmental-justice. This

update includes recommendations for how to contact various federal agencies regarding a variety of  environmental concerns, as well as phone numbers and links to submit online complaints to a diverse  group of federal agencies.

In addition to the federal agencies identified on the Office’s website, United States Attorney Ritz  encourages residents to contact the United States Attorney’s Office at 901- 544-4231 or by email 
USATNW.Environment@usdoj.gov when also contacting local, state, or federal agency hotlines or  websites to report environmental, health and safety concerns. Consistent with the Department’s  comprehensive strategy, the United States Attorney also designated an Environmental Justice 
Coordinator for the district to coordinate its environmental justice efforts. When contacting the 
Office, please ask to speak with the Environmental Justice Coordinator.

###

For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN –United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz joins the Department of Justice, the Office on 
Violence Against Women (OVW), advocates, survivors, victim service providers, justice  professionals, police and first responders, and communities across the
U.S. in observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM).

Domestic violence is more prevalent than many realize. The devastating consequences of domestic  violence can cross generations and last a lifetime. Approximately one in four women and one in  seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are  disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, women of Color,  lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with  disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and  encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.

“Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity for our Office to remind the communitythat we  are here and available to support victims and survivors of the Western District,” said United 
States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz.

Purple Thursday is a National Day of Action during DVAM. It is an opportunity to raise awareness  about domestic violence and an easy way for us to show our commitment to promoting safe  communities. Please join us on October 20 by wearing purple and starting a conversation about  domestic violence!

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Memphis, TN – Carl Goodson Ragsdale, 58, of Bruceton, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 12 years for  distribution, possession, and receipt of child pornography. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney,  announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, in October 2018, Tumblr, Inc., a social networking  website, reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) a cyper tip  about apparent child pornography activity on a blog called "sweetbabygirlsdaddy." Tumblr provided  an email address and IP address for the account and disabled the account. The IP address geolocated  to Bruceton, Tennessee. To assist with the investigation, NCMEC forwarded the tip to local law  enforcement. The Martin Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force contacted the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation's Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. Investigators  identified Carl Goodson Ragsdale, of Bruceton, Tennessee, as the owner and user of the account.

FBI special agents interviewed Ragsdale, who admitted that he used the Tumblr account 
"sweetbabygirlsdaddy" to receive and post images, including sexually explicit images of  prepubescent girls. He admitted that he also used a cloud storage site to receive sexually explicit  images of prepubescent children. He told agents that he "constantly" accessed child pornography on  the internet and that he thought about sexual intercourse with women and children "all the time."

Agents reviewed Ragsdale's cell phone and tablet computer and found over 600 images of child sex  abuse and graphic sexually explicit conversations about the children in some of those images of  child sex abuse.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz said: “Thanks to proactive and significant cooperation between  our office and local and federal law enforcement partners, this defendant was brought to justice for his abhorrent crimes.”

On May 16, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Ragsdale, charging  him with distribution, possession, and receipt of child pornography. He pled guilty to the charges  on March 25, 2022.

On October 4, United States Chief District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Ragsdale to 144  months imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervised release. Ragsdale must also register as  a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Martin 
Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Delery prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

###

Contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow 
@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates
 

Memphis, TN – Bereniz Cavazos, 31, formerly of Texas, has been sentenced to 5 years in federal  prison for possessing heroin with intent to distribute. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney,  announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on October 6, 2021, investigators with the West 
Tennessee Drug Task Force stopped a vehicle Cavazos was occupying, along with her two minor  children. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of approximately 5 kilograms of heroin.

A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Cavazos in October 2021. On May 17,  2022, Cavazos pled guilty to one count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute in  violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841.

On October 3, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Cavazos to 5 years  imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal  system.

This case was investigatedby the Shelby County West Tennessee Drug Task Force and the Drug 
Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Deputy Criminal Chief Michelle Kimbril-Parks represented the government at the sentencing hearing.

###

Contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow 
@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
 

Memphis, TN – Five current or former IRS employees have been charged with schemes to defraud the 
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, federal  stimulus programs authorized as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) 
Act.

“The IRS employees charged in these cases allegedly abused the trust placed in them by the public,”  said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal 
Division. “The Criminal Division is committed to safeguarding that public trust and protecting  pandemic relief programs for the American people.”

“This matter demonstrates the brazenness with which bad actors have taken advantage of federal  programs meant to help those who suffered most from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Director for 
COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Kevin Chambers. “The Justice Department will continue to work hard to  root out PPP and EIDL Program fraud, including that committed by government employees.”

According to court documents, the defendants allegedly obtained funds under the PPP and EIDL 
Program by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications that collectively sought over $1  million. They then used the loan funds for purposes not authorized by the PPP or EIDL Program, but  instead for cars, luxury goods, and personal travel, including trips to Las Vegas.

“These individuals – acting out of pure greed – abused their positions by taking government funds  meant for citizens and businesses who desperately needed it,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for  the Western District of Tennessee. “I thank our law enforcement partners for rooting out this  fraud. Our office will not hesitate to pursue and charge individuals who steal from our nation’s  taxpayers.”

Administration’s (TIGTA) mission includes investigating allegations of criminal violations committed by Internal Revenue Service

employees,” said Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George. “We will  continue to aggressively pursue IRS employees who breach the public trust, safeguarding the  integrity of the IRS.”

“It is especially egregious when individuals that hold positions of public trust engage in criminal  activity,” said Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Small Business Administration, Office  of Inspector General (SBA-OIG). “OIG is a ready partner in safeguarding the integrity of SBA’s  programs and in bringing wrongdoers to justice.”

The five individuals charged are:

•  Brian Saulsberry, 46, of Memphis, Tennessee, is charged with two counts of wire fraud and two  counts of money laundering. Saulsberry was employed by the IRS as a Program Evaluation and Risk 
Analyst in the Human Capital Office. According to the indictment, Saulsberry submitted four  fraudulent EIDL  Program applications, seeking at  least
$501,400 in EIDL Program loans and obtaining $171,400 in loan funds. Saulsberry allegedly spent a  portion of the funds on a Mercedes-Benz and deposited additional funds into a personal investment  account.

•  Courtney Quinshe Westmoreland, 38, of Cordova, Tennessee, is charged with three counts of wire  fraud. Westmoreland was employed by the IRS as a Contact Representative in the Wage and Investment 
Service Centers Department. According to the indictment, Westmoreland submitted multiple fraudulent 
PPP and EIDL Program applications on behalf of a purported apparel business, for which she sought  at least $32,500 in loans and obtained $11,500 in loan funds. Westmoreland allegedly used these  funds for personal services, including manicures and massages, and to purchase luxury clothing. In  addition, while employed full-time by the IRS, Westmoreland allegedly submitted fraudulent  applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the Tennessee Department of Labor, in which she  falsely claimed that she was not employed by the federal government. According to  court   documents, Westmoreland fraudulently obtained $16,050 in unemployment insurance benefits.

•  Fatina Hewitt, 35, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, is charged with one count of wire fraud. Hewitt  was employed by the IRS as a Management and Program Assistant in Information Technology. According  to the information, Hewitt submitted multiple fraudulent EIDL Program applications on behalf of a  purported fashion business, seeking $338,900 in EIDL Program loans and obtaining $28,900 in loan  funds. Court documents allege that Hewitt spent the loan funds on Gucci clothing and a trip to Las 
Vegas. On October 4, 2022, Hewitt pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

•  Roderick DeMarco White II, 27, of Memphis, is charged with one count of wire fraud. White was  employed by the IRS as a Contact Representative in the Wage and Investment Service Centers 
Department. According to the information, White submitted four fraudulent PPP and EIDL Program  applications on behalf of a purported apparel business, seeking $113,311 in PPP and EIDL Program  loans and obtaining $66,666 in loan funds. White allegedly spent the loan funds on personal items,  including a Gucci satchel. On August 25, 2022, White pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

•  Tina Humes, 56, of Memphis, is charged with one count of wire fraud. Humes was employed by the 
IRS as a Lead Management and Program Assistant in the Human Capital Office. According to the  information, Humes submitted four fraudulent PPP and EIDL Program applications, seeking $133,812 in  loans and obtaining $123,612 in loan funds. Humes allegedly spent the funds on jewelry and trips to 
Las Vegas. On July 27, 2022, Humes pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and each count of money  laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will  determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory  factors.

The TIGTA and SBA-OIG investigated the cases.

Assistant Chief Justin Woodard and Trial Attorneys Sara Porter, Kelly Z. Walters, and Thomas D. 
Campbell of the Fraud Section’s Gulf Coast Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll Andre  for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the cases.

These cases were brought as part of an interagency effort to combat and prevent CARES Act fraud by  federal employees. The initiative is led by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division,  Fraud Section, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and agents with TIGTA and SBA-OIG.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. 
Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more  than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently  obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased   with    such   proceeds.   More   information   can   be   found   at  https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to  marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government  to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to  investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists  agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, augmenting and  incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover  fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained  from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic,  please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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

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

Five current or former IRS employees have been charged with schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, federal stimulus programs authorized as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“The IRS employees charged in these cases allegedly abused the trust placed in them by the public,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division is committed to safeguarding that public trust and protecting pandemic relief programs for the American people.”

“This matter demonstrates the brazenness with which bad actors have taken advantage of federal programs meant to help those who suffered most from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Director for COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Kevin Chambers. “The Justice Department will continue to work hard to root out PPP and EIDL Program fraud, including that committed by government employees.”

According to court documents, the defendants allegedly obtained funds under the PPP and EIDL Program by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications that collectively sought over $1 million. They then used the loan funds for purposes not authorized by the PPP or EIDL Program, but instead for cars, luxury goods, and personal travel, including trips to Las Vegas. 

“These individuals – acting out of pure greed – abused their positions by taking government funds meant for citizens and businesses who desperately needed it,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “I thank our law enforcement partners for rooting out this fraud. Our office will not hesitate to pursue and charge individuals who steal from our nation’s taxpayers.”

“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s (TIGTA) mission includes investigating allegations of criminal violations committed by Internal Revenue Service employees,” said Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George. “We will continue to aggressively pursue IRS employees who breach the public trust, safeguarding the integrity of the IRS.”

“It is especially egregious when individuals that hold positions of public trust engage in criminal activity,” said Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG). “OIG is a ready partner in safeguarding the integrity of SBA’s programs and in bringing wrongdoers to justice.”

The five individuals charged are:

• Brian Saulsberry, 46, of Memphis, Tennessee, is charged with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Saulsberry was employed by the IRS as a Program Evaluation and Risk Analyst in the Human Capital Office. According to the indictment, Saulsberry submitted four fraudulent EIDL Program applications, seeking at least $501,400 in EIDL Program loans and obtaining $171,400 in loan funds. Saulsberry allegedly spent a portion of the funds on a Mercedes-Benz and deposited additional funds into a personal investment account.
• Courtney Quinshe Westmoreland, 38, of Cordova, Tennessee, is charged with three counts of wire fraud. Westmoreland was employed by the IRS as a Contact Representative in the Wage and Investment Service Centers Department. According to the indictment, Westmoreland submitted multiple fraudulent PPP and EIDL Program applications on behalf of a purported apparel business, for which she sought at least $32,500 in loans and obtained $11,500 in loan funds. Westmoreland allegedly used these funds for personal services, including manicures and massages, and to purchase luxury clothing. In addition, while employed full-time by the IRS, Westmoreland allegedly submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the Tennessee Department of Labor, in which she falsely claimed that she was not employed by the federal government. According to court documents, Westmoreland fraudulently obtained $16,050 in unemployment insurance benefits. 
• Fatina Hewitt, 35, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, is charged with one count of wire fraud. Hewitt was employed by the IRS as a Management and Program Assistant in Information Technology. According to the information, Hewitt submitted multiple fraudulent EIDL Program applications on behalf of a purported fashion business, seeking $338,900 in EIDL Program loans and obtaining $28,900 in loan funds. Court documents allege that Hewitt spent the loan funds on Gucci clothing and a trip to Las Vegas. On October 4, 2022, Hewitt pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
• Roderick DeMarco White II, 27, of Memphis, is charged with one count of wire fraud. White was employed by the IRS as a Contact Representative in the Wage and Investment Service Centers Department. According to the information, White submitted four fraudulent PPP and EIDL Program applications on behalf of a purported apparel business, seeking $113,311 in PPP and EIDL Program loans and obtaining $66,666 in loan funds. White allegedly spent the loan funds on personal items, including a Gucci satchel. On August 25, 2022, White pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
• Tina Humes, 56, of Memphis, is charged with one count of wire fraud. Humes was employed by the IRS as a Lead Management and Program Assistant in the Human Capital Office. According to the information, Humes submitted four fraudulent PPP and EIDL Program applications, seeking $133,812 in loans and obtaining $123,612 in loan funds. Humes allegedly spent the funds on jewelry and trips to Las Vegas. On July 27, 2022, Humes pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and each count of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The TIGTA and SBA-OIG investigated the cases.

Assistant Chief Justin Woodard and Trial Attorneys Sara Porter, Kelly Z. Walters, and Thomas D. Campbell of the Fraud Section’s Gulf Coast Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll Andre for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the cases.

These cases were brought as part of an interagency effort to combat and prevent CARES Act fraud by federal employees. The initiative is led by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and agents with TIGTA and SBA-OIG. 

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.

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

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

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

Memphis, TN – Adalinda Saucedo, 28, formerly of Arizona has been sentenced to 84 months in federal  prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney,  announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on January 24, 2022, an agent with the Shelby County 
Sheriff’s Office West Tennessee Drug Task Force, while conducting surveillance along I-40, stopped 
Saucedo’s vehicle for speeding. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 5,869  grams of fentanyl.

In March 2022, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Saucedo charging  possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On June 27, 2022, the defendant pled guilty.

On September 29, 2022, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Saucedo to 84 months  imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal  system.

This case was investigatedby the Shelby County West Tennessee Drug Task Force and the Drug 
Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Sean Hord prosecuted this case on behalf of the  government. SAUSA Hord was assigned from the 25th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

###

blic Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or reen@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.
 

Memphis, TN – The Justice Department today announced it has secured an agreement to resolve  allegations that Evolve Bank & Trust, which is headquartered in Memphis, engaged in lending  discrimination on the basis of race, sex and national origin in the pricing of its residential  mortgage loans from at least 2014 through 2019.

Evolve Bank maintains mortgage lending offices and provides mortgage lending services in 15 states  throughout the country. Under the department’s settlement, which is subject to the approval of the 
District Court, Evolve Bank will establish a settlement fund of $1.3 million to compensate affected  borrowers. Evolve Bank will also pay a $50,000 civil penalty.

“This settlement will provide deserved relief to thousands of borrowers who suffered discrimination  due to Evolve Bank’s pricing policies,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the 
Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This case marks the Justice Department’s latest step  to protect Americans from illegal lending practices and shows that we will hold lenders accountable  for the effects of their discriminatory practices.”

“This settlement provides some measure of justice to those wronged by Evolve Bank’s discriminatory  acts,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “I also hope it  sends a strong message to banks and other lenders that the Department of Justice won’t stand for  unlawful barriers in residential mortgage lending. It’s past time for these practices to stop.”

The department opened its investigation after the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System  referred the matter. Consistent with federal law, the Board has long referred matters involving potential fair lending violations to the Department of Justice.

According to the complaint, the Justice Department alleges that Evolve Bank violated the Fair 
Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibit financial institutions from  discriminating on the basis of race, sex or national origin in their mortgage lending services. 
Specifically, the complaint alleges that, from at least 2014 through 2019, Evolve Bank’s loan  pricing practices resulted in Black, Hispanic, and female borrowers paying more in the 
“discretionary pricing” components of home loans than white  or  male borrowers  for  reasons  unrelated to  their  creditworthiness. “Discretionary pricing” means the parts of a loan price that  are left up to Evolve’s loan officers and managers, including fees, charges or rate discounts that  don’t relate to the borrowers’ credit qualifications or loan characteristics.

Since being notified of the department’s investigation of this matter, Evolve has taken steps to  revise its policies and practices that resulted in Black, Hispanic and female borrowers paying more  for home loans than white or male borrowers. During the four- year term of the proposed consent  order, Evolve will maintain policies that reduce loan officer discretion, employ a fair lending  officer who will work in close consultation with the bank’s leadership and provide fair lending  training to its personnel.

The department’s Civil Rights Division has long been engaged in work that seeks to make mortgage  credit and homeownership accessible to all Americans on the same terms, regardless of race, sex or  national origin. In January 2021, President Biden reaffirmed the critical role of the federal  government in addressing legacies of housing segregation and discrimination, declaring that it is  the policy of this Administration to eliminate “racial bias and other forms of discrimination in  all stages of home-buying and renting.”

The Justice Department’s enforcement of fair lending laws is conducted by the Civil Rights 
Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Additional information about the Section’s fair  lending enforcement can be found at the Justice Department webpage. Individuals may report lending  discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination tip line at 
1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.