Category: Georgia

ATLANTA – Two Georgia Department of Corrections inmates, Carmelo Reyes-Lozano and Bautista Toledo-Ramirez, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine.

“Keeping our citizens safe by combatting illegal distribution of dangerous drugs within and outside prisons is a top priority of this office,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “These defendants and their 12 conspirators trafficked a staggering amount of illegal narcotics. Their prison sentences reflect the seriousness of their conduct and the grave danger posed to communities impacted by their drug trafficking.”

“Regardless of how sophisticated these criminal organizations think they are, they’re no match for the professionalism and dedication of the DEA,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division. “This case brought 14 people to justice and cut off a significant supply chain for methamphetamine.”

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: During a federal wiretap investigation in the summer of 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intercepted several inmates in Dooley State Prison and Washington State Prison using contraband cell phones to discuss narcotics deals. In response, the DEA in February through April 2020, extended the investigation and discovered that Carmelo Reyes-Lozano and Bautista Toledo-Ramirez served as leaders of a drug trafficking organization and were directing a series of drug transactions in the Atlanta area from their prison cells.

On February 15, 2020, agents intercepted communications between Reyes-Lozano and co-defendant Luis Carlos Vite-Garcia discussing a large drug shipment that arrived in the Atlanta area. Federal agents were then able to identify an address in Rex, Georgia being used as a “stash house” for narcotics. Agents searched the stash house pursuant to a warrant and discovered approximately 588 kilograms of methamphetamine (crystal and powder form), approximately 100 gallons of liquid methamphetamine in the process of being converted to a crystal form, a drug ledger, and a Mossberg 500 shotgun. Investigators saw siblings Hector Hugo Miranda-Fernandez (“Miranda”) and Jessie Miranda-Fernandez (“Fernandez”), who conspired with Reyes-Lozano and Toledo-Ramirez, at the residence and arrested Fernandez later that evening.

The next day, agents intercepted a conversation between Reyes-Lozano and Miranda, during which Miranda stated that he was fleeing to Mexico due to the DEA’s discovery of the stash house and his brother’s arrest. On February 20, 2020, agents learned that Miranda was in Texas and traveling to the border. That afternoon, officers with the Encinal Police Department in Texas located and arrested Miranda.

On February 28, 2020, the DEA intercepted another set of communications, this time between Toledo-Ramirez and co-defendant Delshawn Morrow. During the calls, the men discussed plans to smuggle methamphetamine into Washington State Prison. Utilizing intel from these intercepts, investigators arrested co-defendant Bertha Daniels the following day as she entered the prison with approximately 180 grams of methamphetamine hidden on her person. The investigation revealed a video recording of co-defendant Jhojana Pujol delivering the drugs to Daniels in a motel parking lot near the prison on behalf of Toledo-Ramirez.

On March 23, 2020, the DEA intercepted additional communications indicating that Toledo-Ramirez and Reyes-Lozano were coordinating a multi-kilogram methamphetamine deal with co-defendant Jason Lloyd Barnum using co-defendant Jean Pierre as an intermediary. Investigators learned that Pierre was a prolific marijuana trafficker who had supplied several of Toledo-Ramirez’s customers in the past. The following day, co-defendants Vite-Garcia, Carlos Andres-Vite, and Ramon Mora-Montalvo delivered approximately four kilograms of methamphetamine to Barnum. The drugs had been stored at Vite-Garcia’s stash house in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Barnum was arrested with those drugs after he traveled from Florida to the Atlanta area in a vehicle that Pierre owned.

On March 30, 2020, DEA agents intercepted more telephonic communications in which co-defendant Lourdes Ayala-Cruz called Reyes-Lozano to coordinate the purchase of a kilogram of methamphetamine for co-defendant Jose Paralta-Sanchez. Ayala-Cruz and Paralta-Sanchez drove from North Carolina to the Atlanta area to complete the deal. The transaction occurred on April 1, 2020, in the parking lot of a hardware store in Atlanta, and the drugs were delivered to Paralta-Sanchez by Mora-Montalvo. The Gaston County, North Carolina, Police Department arrested Ayala-Cruz with the drugs as she drove back to her home in North Carolina.

On April 6, 2020, investigators arrested Vite-Garcia, Andres-Vite, and Mora-Montalvo en route from Decatur, Georgia to the stash house in Lawrenceville with approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine. The DEA searched the Lawrenceville residence that day pursuant to a warrant. During the search, federal agents seized more methamphetamine, approximately two kilograms of heroin, a digital scale, two firearms, and over $22,000 in U.S. currency.

For his role in the conspiracy, Reyes-Lozano, 34, of Jalisco, Mexico, received a sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg of 17 years, six months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Reyes-Lozano was convicted on October 19, 2021, after he pleaded guilty.

Bautista-Toledo, 42, of Michoacán, Mexico, received a sentence of 23 years in prison, followed by 12 years of supervised release. Bautista-Toledo was convicted on August 10, 2022, after pleading guilty just days before his trial was set to begin. Reyes-Lozano’s and Bautista-Toledo’s federal sentences will run consecutive to the state prison sentences the men are already serving.

The defendants’ 12 conspirators previously entered guilty pleas for their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy and received the following sentences imposed by Judge Grimberg:

• Hector Hugo Miranda-Fernandez, 36, of Jalisco, Mexico, was sentenced to eleven years and one month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Jessie Miranda-Fernandez, 23, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Luis Carlos Vite-Garcia, 39, of Reynoso, Mexico, was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.

• Ramon Mora-Montalvo, 29, of Reynoso, Mexico, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Carlos Andres-Vite, 23, of Reynoso, Mexico, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Jhojana Pujol, 26, of Boston, Massachusetts, was sentenced to time served in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Delshawn Morrow, 45, of Thomasville, Georgia, was sentenced to 14 years in prison to run consecutive to any sentence he is currently serving, followed by four years of supervised release.

• Bertha Mae-Daniels, 47, of Thomasville, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Jason Lloyd Barnum, 42, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Jose Paralta-Sanchez, 53, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Lourdes Suyapa Ayala-Cruz, 44, of Choloma Cortez, Honduras, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

• Jean Pierre, 46, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Georgia State Patrol, Gaston County, North Carolina, Police Department and Encinal, Texas, Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebeca M. Ojeda and C. Brock Brockington, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miguel R. Acosta and Scott McAfee, prosecuted the case.

This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

ATLANTA – Esteban Niere has been sentenced for conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.  Niere was a member of a drug trafficking organization operating in southwest Atlanta that was successfully disrupted following a federal, state, and local law enforcement investigation.

“This group of drug traffickers targeted vulnerable communities in our district for distributing illegal narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan.  “Through the diligent efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we dismantled the organization’s distribution chain and prosecuted the suppliers.  This case demonstrates our commitment to removing dangerous drugs from our streets as well as the dealers who peddle them.”

“The DEA is committed to deploying resources to combat and interrupt the dangerous drug trafficking organizations that have set up business in the Atlanta area,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “We will continue to work aggressively to hold accountable those who are trafficking dangerous drugs.”

According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In 2019, DEA special agents identified a prolific drug trafficker, Kevin Clark, who coordinated multiple narcotics transactions in and around his residence in southwest Atlanta. Through an investigation that followed, law enforcement was able to disrupt and eventually dismantle a drug trafficking organization comprising Clark’s sources-of-supply, including Esteban Niere, Alejandro Elias-Miranda, and Eduardo Gutierrez, and mid-level traffickers, including Christopher Jones, Christopher Allen, and Tierre Freeman.  Law enforcement also seized multiple vehicles, firearms, cash, and jewelry, which were used in the commission, or purchased with the proceeds, of the offenses.

Each of the following defendants in the case pleaded guilty to the charge of drug trafficking conspiracy and received the following sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown:

• Kevin Clark, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, entered a guilty plea to the drug trafficking conspiracy and received a sentence of seven years, three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

• Esteban Niere, a/k/a “Perfecto Neri-Diaz,” 50, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, entered a guilty plea to the drug trafficking conspiracy and received a sentence of ten years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

• Eduardo Gutierrez, a/k/a “Santos Campos-Rios,” 43, of Morelia, Mexico, entered a guilty plea to the drug trafficking conspiracy and received a sentence of sentence of six years, eight months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

• Christopher Jones, 42, of Norcross, Georgia, entered a guilty plea to the drug trafficking conspiracy and received a sentence of 15 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

• Tierre Freeman, a/k/a “Tierre Ford,” 46, of Stockbridge, Georgia, entered a guilty plea to the drug trafficking conspiracy and received a sentence of 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release.

• Christopher Allen, 48, of Austell, Georgia, entered a guilty plea to the drug trafficking conspiracy and received a sentence of two years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release.

• Lamon Brown, 50, of Jonesboro, Georgia, entered a guilty plea to the drug trafficking conspiracy and received a sentence of two years, seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

• Alejandro Elias-Miranda, 37, of Toluca, Mexico, entered a guilty plea to the drug trafficking conspiracy and received a sentence of six years, eight months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia State Patrol, Atlanta Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, Henry County Police Department, Douglasville Police Department, Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, Cartersville Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Covington Police Department, Troup County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brock Brockington prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Patrick Polidore was arraigned by United States Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke on charges that he and co-defendant Dennis Wolfolk conspired to purchase and illegally transport into New York more than two dozen handguns.  Wolfolk is in federal custody at the Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility located in Lovejoy, Georgia, and will be removed to the Eastern District of New York for arraignment on the charges at a later date.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John B. Devito, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau District Attorney announced the charges.

“As alleged, these defendants illegally trafficked over two dozen guns across state lines, distributing them to street-level buyers in New York where at least 11 were then used in numerous violent crimes, including multiple shootings across Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who exploit state and federal gun laws directly leading to deadly gun violence in our communities.”

Mr. Peace thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the ATF’s Atlanta Field Division, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, the Nassau County Police Department, and the Hempstead Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

“Straw purchasers undermine federal laws and enable violent criminals to obtain firearms that destroy lives and devastate communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge DeVito. “This investigation was initiated by the ATF Long Island Firearms Task Force after a 2020 murder in Hempstead, NY. Evidence recovered by ATF led to Polidore. As alleged, further investigation revealed he conspired to illegally traffic approximately 27 firearms from Georgia to Long Island. ATF is on the frontline in the fight against firearms trafficking alongside our partners. We will use every resource to save lives and stop the flow of illegal guns into our communities. Thank you to our law enforcement partners, including: Nassau County Police Department’s Gang Investigation Squad, Nassau County District Attorney and Hempstead Police Department for all their work and effort.”

“The arraignment of defendant Patrick Polidore and continued investigation into defendant Dennis Wolfolk is a clear example how law enforcement working together continues to arrest and prosecute these criminals to ensure the safety of our neighborhoods.  The defendants illegally transported dozens of handguns to Long Island and surrounding areas.  Some of these weapons were used in the commission of multiple shootings and other violent crimes.  We will continue to investigate all who break the law in order to reduce gun violence in all communities.  Lastly, I would like to thank all of the investigators who assisted with this investigation for their commitment and dedication to suppressing crime,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.

Nassau District Attorney Donnelly said: “Illegal firearms are flooding into Long Island every day and causing untold destruction. To date, our county law enforcement partners have seized 272 weapons in 2022. As of this date last year, that number was 193. Patrick Polidore and Dennis Wolfolk are part of that problem. These defendants allegedly conspired to purchase firearms in Georgia and trafficked those weapons to Long Island, where at least 11 of them have already been recovered at crime scenes. Stemming the flow of illegal weapons into Long Island requires great partners and I thank U.S. Attorney Breon Peace; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the Nassau County Police Department for their work in bringing these alleged gun runners to justice.”

As alleged in an 11-count Indictment and detailed at Polidore’s arraignment, between October 2020 and January 2021, Polidore visited numerous federally licensed retailers and acted as the straw purchaser for approximately 27 handguns, many of which were purchased in rapid succession on the same date.  For example, as alleged, on November 4, 2020, Polidore purchased six handguns at multiple locations in Georgia; on November 18, 2020, and November 23, 2020, he purchased a total of ten handguns.  On federal records that document firearms transactions, Polidore falsely affirmed that he was the actual purchaser of the weapons when, in actuality, he had conspired with Wolfolk, who, as a convicted felon, was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm, to traffic the handguns to New York, where they were distributed to street-level buyers.

At least 11 of the handguns Wolfolk transported to New York have been recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes in and around Long Island.  For example, shortly after Polidore’s November 4, 2020 purchase of six handguns from different retailers in Georgia, Wolfolk traveled to Long Island with the weapons. Within months, three of the firearms purchased by Polidore were recovered by police on Long Island:

• On January 13, 2021, during a traffic stop in Hempstead, New York—where Wolfolk had previously resided—three individuals, including a juvenile, were found in possession of a 9mm Ruger handgun purchased by Polidore. This gun was linked to an earlier shooting in Uniondale on November 25, 2020, in which unknown individuals fired shots at a vehicle.  The shell casings from that shooting incident matched the firearm purchased by Polidore just two days earlier.
• On May 28, 2021, during a traffic stop in Patchogue, New York, police arrested an individual in possession of a .22-caliber Walther handgun purchased by Polidore.
• On October 3, 2021, police arrested an individual fleeing the scene of an armed robbery in Bethpage, New York, who was in possession of a .40-caliber Smith & Wessen handgun purchased by Polidore. This same firearm was subsequently linked to a shooting incident in Hempstead on December 16, 2020

Additionally, on December 22, 2020, police investigating the scene of a homicide in Hempstead, New York, located a gun box that had been purchased along with a .40-caliber Glock handgun by Polidore.

To date, the whereabouts of at least 16 firearms purchased by Polidore are still unknown.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Bagnuola and Mark E. Misorek are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

PATRICK POLIDORE
Age: 32
Powder Springs, Georgia

DENNIS WOLFOLK
Age: 29
Lovejoy, Georgia

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-347 (JMA)

AUGUSTA, GA:  A member of a violent white supremacist street gang has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison after pleading guilty to trafficking methamphetamine.

Donnie Lee Curtis Jr., 37, of Tunnel Hill, Ga., was sentenced to 144 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and To Distribute, 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also fined Curtis $1,500 and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Drug-trafficking felons are a malignant source of a significant amount of the violent crime in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “With our law enforcement partners, we will make our streets safer by identifying and removing these criminals from our neighborhoods.”

Curtis’ co-defendant, Robert Lewis Coney Jr., 50, of North Augusta, S.C., faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to life, after also previously pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and To Distribute, 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.

As described in court documents and testimony, Curtis and Coney were identified as methamphetamine traffickers during an investigation in 2021 initiated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. With assistance from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the two were arrested during a drug deal in the parking lot of a motel in Grovetown, Ga., on May 19, 2021.

In subsequent searches of their vehicle and hotel rooms in Grovetown and in Trenton, S.C., authorities seized large amounts of high-grade methamphetamine and multiple firearms. Curtis, a member of the Aryan Brotherhood criminal street gang who was on felony probation on state drug charges at the time of his arrest, was identified as Coney’s source of supply for the illegal drugs.

“Residents in Augusta and elsewhere can sleep better tonight knowing that this violent ‘meth’ distributor can no longer peddle insidious drugs on the streets,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The DEA and its law enforcement partners presented a united front to protect our communities by bringing these dangerous drug traffickers to justice.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremiah L. Johnson.

MACON, Ga. –Ten Milledgeville, Georgia, and two Atlanta residents are facing federal drug and firearms charges alleging their participation in the armed distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and other controlled substances.

Arrest operations which occurred this week were the result of April 2021 and Feb. 2022 search warrants where agents seized approximately 92 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl, two kilograms of heroin, two kilograms of cocaine, 15 pounds of marijuana and 15 firearms.

The federal indictment was unsealed today charging the following defendants:

Lagary Williams aka Frog, of Atlanta, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;

Brandon Ector aka Big, of Atlanta, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;

Damon Hayes aka D-5, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of cocaine base, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;

Quintavious Horton aka Bloody Bae, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;

Earnest Hamilton, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;

Antonio Mason, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute;

Travarious Davis aka D Red, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances;

Alonzo Vasser aka Tie, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances;

Derrick Ingram, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances;

Kimdra Wilkerson, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances;

Johnnie Halligan, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; and,

Billy Harper, of Milledgeville, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

If convicted, each defendant is facing a maximum term of life imprisonment and a $10,000,000 fine.

According to court documents, Hayes, Davis and Vasser are convicted felons who have prior felony convictions for a serious drug felony in the Superior Court of Baldwin County, Georgia.

Williams and Ector remain at-large; initial appearances for the remaining defendants began today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle in the Macon, Georgia, U.S. Courthouse.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office, Jones County Sheriff’s Office, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office and Atlanta-Carolina’s HIDTA Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kalim is prosecuting the case.

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

A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Georgia returned an indictment yesterday charging five alleged members of the Gangster Disciples with murder and racketeering related to the alleged murder of three people, as well as various other offenses including drug trafficking and obstruction of justice.

Philmon Deshawn Chambers, aka Dolla Phil, 33, of Atlanta; Andrea Paige Browner, aka Light Brite, aka Shawty, 27, of Athens, Georgia; Lesley Chappell Green, aka Grip, 34, of Stone Mountain, Georgia; Robert Maurice Carlisle, aka Different, 33, of Lithonia, Georgia; and Shabazz Larry Guidry, aka Lil L, aka L, aka Lil Bro, aka Lil Larry, 27, of Decatur, Georgia, are each charged with Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) conspiracy. Chambers and Browner are additionally charged with murder in aid of racketeering; the carry, use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and use of a firearm resulting in death.

The Gangster Disciples are a national gang with roots in Chicago, Illinois, dating back to the 1970s, and are now active in at least 25 states. Among the crimes alleged in the indictment are three gang-related murders triggered by the murder of a Gangster Disciple member. After that murder, other Gangster Disciples allegedly sought to identify and retaliate against those responsible for the victim’s death. Chambers allegedly followed Rodriguez Apollo Rucker to his Athens residence where he shot and killed Rucker.

According to the indictment, after learning that police suspected Chambers of Rucker’s murder, Chambers and Browner fled from Georgia to Texas. In order to cover up this crime, Chambers allegedly ordered that fellow gang members he suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, Derrick Ruff and Joshua Jackson, be killed. Defendants Green, Guidry and Carlisle allegedly shot and killed Ruff and Jackson and left their bodies in a storage unit in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where they were discovered four months later.

Chambers allegedly held a “Position of Authority” with the Gangster Disciples organization, which included overseeing members of the “Enforcement” or “Elimination” team (E-Team); Browner was allegedly a member of the “Sisters of the Struggle” or “SOS,” a parallel female component of the Gangster Disciple organization; Green allegedly was a member of the E-Team; Carlisle was a member of the GD organization; and Guidry allegedly held a “Position of Authority” as the “Assistant Literature Coordinator.”

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary for the Middle District of Georgia made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by FBI Athens Resident Agency Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, and Gwinnett County Police Department.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ken Kaplan of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison of the Middle District of Georgia.

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

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

The 12th defendant prosecuted as part of an extensive investigation into a dog-fighting and cocaine distribution network spanning three states was sentenced for his crimes in federal court today.

Shelley Johnson aka Gold Mouth, 40, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to 37 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $25,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III after he previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture. As a condition of his supervised release, Johnson is prohibited from owning or possessing dogs. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, law enforcement investigated a criminal organization involved in both cocaine distribution and organized dog fighting based out of Roberta, Georgia, which extended into North Georgia, Florida and Alabama from May 2019 until February 2020. In February2020, law enforcement executed 15 residential search warrants and seized more than 150 dogs that were being used for organized dog-fighting. A 136- count indictment was unsealed on Jan. 29, 2021, charging 11 individuals with various criminal activities. Three other individuals, including Johnson, were charged by criminal information.

During this time period, Johnson communicated with co-conspirator Jarvis Lockett about fighting and breeding dogs, dogs mauled and killed as a result of fighting, sharpening a dog’s teeth for fighting purposes, cash prizes for fights, and various topics detailing the business and the brutality of dog-fighting. Johnson attended a dog fight and participated as a handler inside the ring during the dog fight. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Johnson’s Macon residence on Feb. 26, 2020, recovering 13 pit bull terrier type dogs with scarring consistent with dog-fighting. In addition, agents found evidence of dog fighting activities including a digital scale, weighted collars, heavy chains, ground stakes and a variety of medical supplies to treat animals for injuries sustained from dog fighting activities.

“Johnson participated in a brutal criminal enterprise that profited from the suffering of animals,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD).“Dog-fighting is a crime, and also closely associated with other serious crimes. The sentences in this prosecution show those who engage in this cruel and inhumane practice face significant prison time.”

“The brutality of dog-fighting alone is sickening; but this case demonstrates the strong union that exists between this bloody and inhumane business and the world of illegal gun and drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our office is committed to not only prosecuting dog-fighting participants, but working alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we will root out the entire criminal network and hold them responsible for their crimes.”

“This investigation and prosecution should send a strong zero-tolerance message to those individuals involved in the inhumane torture of animals for entertainment,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Williams, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “We appreciate the collaboration with our law enforcement partners in pursing these purveyors of death and senseless suffering.”

The following co-conspirators have been convicted and sentenced in this case:

Lekey Davis, aka Kee Boo, 46, of Talbotton, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 210 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base;

Christopher Raines, aka Binky, 51, of Talbotton, was sentenced to serve 135 months of imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release and pay a $10,000 fine after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base;

Jarvis Lockett, aka J-Rock, 41, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 10 years of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and cocaine distribution;

Derrick Owens, aka Doomie, 38, of Woodland, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 10 years of imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine;

Jason Carter, 39, of Phoenix City, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 97 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine;

Vernon Vegas, 50, of Suwanee, Georgia, was sentenced to serve the maximum five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and pay a $10,000 fine after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture;

Shaquille Bentley, 27, of Roberta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve four years of imprisonment after pleading guilty to use of a communication facility;

Rodrick Walton, aka Rodrie Walton, 42, of Shiloh, Georgia, was sentenced to serve two years of imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture;

Reginald Crimes, 39, of Preston, Georgia, was sentenced to serve two years of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture;

Lee Benney, 55, of Reynolds, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 21 months of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to participate in an animal fighting venture; and,

Bryanna Holmes, 25, of Fort Valley, Georgia, was sentenced to serve three years of probation after pleading guilty to use of a communication facility.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Banu Rangarajan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case.

The case was investigated by ENRD, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), USDA-OIG, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the Merriweather County Sheriff’s Office, the Peach County Sheriff’s Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Byron Police Department and the Fort Valley Police Department.

A federal judge in Valdosta, Georgia, yesterday sentenced Ashtyn Michael Rance, 35, to 33 months in prison on each count to run concurrently, a $4,300 fine and three years of post-release supervision. The judge also prohibited Rance from possessing or selling wildlife during the supervisory period. Rance pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2021, to violating the Lacey Act and unlawfully possessing firearms.

In pleading guilty, Rance admitted that on Feb. 22, 2018, he shipped three eastern box turtles and 16 spotted turtles from Valdosta to a customer in Florida, in a package falsely labeled as containing tropical fish and common lizards. He was paid $3,300 for the turtles and knew they were being subsequently trafficked to China.

Rance further admitted that on May 10, 2018, he shipped 15 Gaboon vipers from Valdosta to Florida. The snakes were worth approximately $900 and also headed to a buyer in China. He falsely labeled the package as containing harmless reptiles and ball pythons. Rance had legally imported 100 Gaboon vipers and other venomous snakes from Africa to Atlanta. He received a special permit to transport the snakes out of Georgia, but he later returned to Valdosta with 16 vipers.

Rance possessed and sold the reptiles in violation of Georgia laws. The federal Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking statute and prohibits, among other things, transporting wildlife in interstate commerce if the wildlife is illegal under state laws. It is also a Lacey Act violation to falsely label a package containing wildlife.

The spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) is a semi-aquatic turtle native to the eastern United States and Great Lakes region. The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is endemic to forested regions of the East Coast and Midwest. Collectors prize both species in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, where they are resold for thousands of dollars. The Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) is native to central Sub-Saharan Africa. Its venom can cause shock, loss of consciousness or death in humans. Authorities intercepted the package containing the vipers to minimize the risk of a bite or escape.

Additionally, Rance acknowledged that he possessed a Bushmaster Carbine .223 caliber rifle and Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun in his Valdosta residence that he was prohibited from owning as a convicted felon.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement in Vero Beach, Florida, ATF and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources conducted the investigation as part of Southern Surge Task Force’s Operation Middleman. The operation focused on the trafficking of reptiles from the United States to China. The government is represented by Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit for the Middle District of Georgia.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Cyianna Ashley Woods, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, to 60 months in prison yesterday on wire fraud and money laundering charges, for executing a scheme that defrauded more than 300 Walmart stores of over $850,000, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Bell also ordered Woods to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $923,915 in restitution.

Judge Bell previously sentenced Woods’s codefendant, Andre Marquese White, 35, of Norcross, Georgia, to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in the conspiracy.

Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King said, “This criminal duo engaged in an extensive scheme that defrauded Walmart of hundreds of thousands of dollars. This type of financial crime impacts not only affected retailers but also consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services.”

“This individual’s long-running and widespread scheme has been thwarted and now she will be held accountable for her crimes.” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Martinez. “Unlawful activity like this hurts businesses and results in higher costs to consumers.  This case should serve as a warning to others thinking they can get away with schemes like this that HSI and our law enforcement and private sector partners are watching.”

According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, from 2013 to 2019, Woods and White organized and executed a counterfeit bank check and wire fraud scheme against 300 Walmart stores in 24 states, including stores located in Iredell, Catawba, Mecklenburg, Anson, Gaston, and Buncombe Counties in North Carolina. To perpetuate the fraud, the defendants made counterfeit checks, which appeared as legitimate bank checks, that they then cashed at various Walmart stores. In this manner, over the course of the scheme the defendants obtained more than $850,000 in pre-paid debit cards, gift cards, Walmart shopping cards, and other merchandise. Court records also show that, the defendants further laundered the illegal proceeds by purchasing pre-paid debit cards from other retail stores. Both Woods and White previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges.

U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI for their investigation of the case.

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

Yesterday, two Georgia men and members of the Nine Trey Gangster national criminal organization pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy.

The Nine Trey Gangsters (NTG) are a national gang that started in the prisons of New York as a subset of the United Bloods Nation and has since spread throughout the East Coast and Southeast. The NTG’s members and associates engage in acts of violence, including murder, assaults, robbery, firearms possession, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, drug trafficking, extortion, and other criminal activities. The NTG have a hierarchical structure and members throughout the country are subdivided into separate groups or “lines,” usually named after the gang’s leaders. Each NTG member has a specific rank within the gang or a specific line, and this rank comes with specific duties and responsibilities. Both of the defendants who pleaded guilty yesterday were part of the gang’s “fire” line and were responsible for planning attacks on rival gangs.

According to court documents, Khajavius Mitchell, aka KJ, 28, of Atlanta, held the rank of “fourth floor” in the gang’s hierarchy, and was responsible for assisting the superiors known as “fifth floors” in running the gang’s activity on a daily basis.

Devonta Marshall, aka Street Monsta, 27, of Atlanta, held the rank of “first floor” in the gang’s hierarchy and was responsible for overseeing the gang members without rank within a certain area.

Both pleaded guilty to count 1 of the second superseding indictment, charging them and nine others with RICO conspiracy for their involvement in planning, facilitating, and executing multiple acts of violence and participating in the gang’s drug trafficking activities. Mitchell and Marshall will be sentenced at a later date by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Totenberg and face a statutory maximum term of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine for the Northern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge JC (Chris) Hacker of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case.

ATLANTA – On June 16, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Atlanta seized 66 boxes of vape pens in a shipment that originated from China, destined for distribution in Georgia.

CBP officers examined the shipments to make a determination for entry of the merchandise into the U.S.  Upon inspection, officers discovered the boxes contained ‘Rick and Morty’ branded vape pens and e-cigarettes.

The popular cartoon characters were printed on the vape pen packaging, which made the merchandise suspect of copyright and trademark law infringement.

“One of our primary missions is to intercept merchandise that could pose a serious health risk to the consumer, but this shipment of counterfeit vape pens violated Intellectual Property Rights,” said Paula Rivera, CBP Port Director-Atlanta. “CBP collaborates with many government agencies to enforce laws to protect the health and safety of the consumer and our communities.”

CBP contacted Warner Bros. Entertainment INC, and it was confirmed they had not licensed their “Rick and Morty” copyright for vape pens.

CBP Import Specialists determined the shipments of vape pens did indeed infringe upon the “Rick and Morty” copyright and the 19,800 flavored pens were seized by CBP officers.  Similar pens properly licensed would have a manufactured suggested retail price of more than $590,000.00 dollars.

Sold in underground outlets and on third party e-commerce websites, counterfeit commodities fund smugglers and members of organized crime. Consumers often believe they are buying a genuine product but soon realize the item is substandard.

CBP Trade protects the intellectual property rights of American businesses through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights enforcement program, safeguarding them from unfair competition and use for malicious intent while upholding American innovation and ingenuity. Suspected violations can be reported to CBP here.

Every year, CBP seizes millions of counterfeit goods from countries around the world as part of its mission to protect U.S. businesses and consumers. Sold online and in stores, counterfeit goods hurt the U.S. economy, cost Americans their jobs, threaten consumer health and safety, and fund criminal activity.

Nationwide in Fiscal Year 2020, CBP seized 26,503 shipments containing goods that violated intellectual property rights. The total estimated value of the seized goods, had they been genuine, was nearly $1.3 billion. CBP has established an educational initiative to raise consumer awareness about the consequences and dangers that are often associated with the purchase of counterfeit and pirated goods. Information about the Truth Behind Counterfeits public awareness campaign can be found at Fake Good Real Dangers.

CBP’s border security mission is led at 328 ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations.  Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Atlanta Field Office on Twitter at @DFOAtlanta and on Instagram at @DFOAtlanta for breaking news, current events, human-interest stories and photos.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized more than one gallon of liquid ketamine at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Wednesday, CBP officers referred a 29-year-old Colombia man for further inspection after arriving on a flight from Bogota.

Upon examination of his bags, numerous toiletry bottles were closely examined to better determine the contents.  CBP officers tested the liquids with a handheld elemental isotope analysis tool and identified the contents as ketamine hydrochloride, which is a drug used to induce loss of consciousness or anesthesia.

“Our most valuable asset is the skilled CBP officers on the frontline,” said, Priscilla Frink Atlanta Assistant Port Director. “CBP remains dedicated in stopping illegal drugs before they reach our communities.”

The seized ketamine totaled just over 56 ounces with a street value estimated $11,000. Atlanta CBP officers turned the individual over to Clayton County Police Department for state prosecution.

According to the DEA, ketamine is a Schedule III non-narcotic drug regulated under the Controlled Substances Act. Along with other club drugs, ketamine is popular among teens and young adults at dance clubs and raves. It delivers hallucinogenic effects and is sometimes used to facilitate sexual assault crimes. Ketamine, commonly known on the street as Special K, can induce a state of sedation, immobility, relief from pain, and amnesia as the user may have no memory of events while under the influence.

Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

CBP conducts operations at ports of entry throughout the United States, and regularly screens arriving international passengers and cargo for narcotics, weapons, and other restricted or prohibited products.

On a typical day, CBP seizes an average of 3,677 pounds of drugs. View CBP Snapshot to learn what else CBP achieved ‘On a Typical Day’.

Visit CBP’s Border Security webpage to learn how CBP conducts its border security mission.

Shoes are made for walking and not smuggling narcotics as a traveler arriving at Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport recently found out. Sunday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers referred a 21-year-old Georgia woman for further inspection after arriving on a flight from Jamaica.

Upon closer examination of her bags, seven pairs of shoes were found to have a white powdery substance concealed in the shoe bottoms that field tested positive for cocaine.

“Smugglers go through great lengths to conceal drugs from our officers,” said Paula Rivera, CBP Port Director for the Area Port of Atlanta. “Narcotics interdiction remains a priority CBP enforcement mission, one that we take very seriously.”

The cocaine discovered was seized and weighed approximately three pounds, with a street value estimated at $40,000. Atlanta CBP officers have turned the individual over to Clayton County Police Department for state prosecution.

Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

CBP conducts operations at ports of entry throughout the United States, and regularly screens arriving international passengers and cargo for narcotics, weapons, and other restricted or prohibited products.

On a typical day, CBP seizes an average of 3,677 pounds of drugs. View CBP Snapshot to learn what else CBP achieved ‘On a Typical Day’.

Visit CBP’s Border Security webpage to learn how CBP conducts its border security mission.