Southern District of Georgia

WASHINGTON: The U.S. Justice Department announced today that it has opened a statewide civil investigation into conditions of confinement of prisoners held in Georgia’s prisons. The investigation will examine whether Georgia provides prisoners reasonable protection from physical harm at the hands of other prisoners. The department also will continue its existing investigation into whether Georgia provides lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex prisoners reasonable protection from sexual abuse by other prisoners and by staff. “This investigation is an example of our office’s commitment to stamping out violence in our district, no matter where it is found, no matter who the

SAVANNAH, GA:  At least seven defendants face federal charges including those for illegally possessing firearms after separate indictments by a U.S. District Court grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, while recent court action against others includes guilty pleas and criminal sentences.  The cases are being investigated in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, and continue the initiative in the Southern District of Georgia to reduce violent crime by targeting those who illegally possess firearms. “As we continue to combat violent crime with

AUGUSTA, GA: Two Georgia companies and their owners have agreed to pay $900,000 to resolve allegations that they provided unapproved substitute parts to the U.S. Army and that they violated the Buy American Act. The settlement, by Southeastern Equipment Co., Inc., SECO Parts and Equipment Co., and their owners, B. Roy Smith and Byron M. Morris (collectively, “SECO”), resolves allegations under the False Claims Act that SECO knowingly provided unapproved substitute parts through the U.S. Army’s Simplified Nonstandard Acquisition Program (SNAP) and violated the Buy American Act by providing parts manufactured in a non-qualifying country, said David H. Estes, Acting

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Lincoln County man has been sentenced to prison after admitting that he operated a cockfighting venue. Lanier Augustus Hightower Jr., 65, of Lincolnton, Ga., was sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to Sponsoring and Exhibiting an Animal in an Animal Fighting Venture, said Acting U.S. Attorney David H. Estes. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Hightower to pay a fine of $500, prohibited him from owning or keeping any birds or fowl or attending any events related to birds or cockfighting, and to serve two years of supervised release after completion

SAVANNAH, GA:  A member of a violent Chicago street gang, two Ghost Face Gangsters and a conduit for Mexican drug cartels have been sentenced to decades in federal prison for their roles in a major drug trafficking conspiracy that funneled large amounts of methamphetamine and other drugs into coastal and south Georgia. Leroy Bozarth, a/k/a “Jack Turtlehead,” 38, of Springfield, Ill., was sentenced to 235 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S.

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A convicted felon and gang member has been sentenced to more than a decade of additional time in federal prison after admitting he threatened a witness and a judge. Wilbert Stephens, 29, of Brunswick, Ga., was sentenced to 174 months in prison after pleading guilty to Solicitation to Commit a Crime of Violence, and Mailing Threatening Communications, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Stephens to pay $7,500 in restitution to one of the victims, and to serve three years of supervised

SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah woman has been sentenced after admitting she “structured” cash withdrawals, which were part of a scheme to steal millions of dollars from other people’s retirement accounts. Karen Dickerson, 52, of Savannah, was sentenced in U.S. District court to 51 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Structuring to Evade Currency Transaction Reports, said David H. Estes, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Dickerson also forfeited ownership of five bank accounts with deposits totaling $195,815.73, was ordered to pay $644,915.15 in restitution, and must serve three years of supervised release after completion of

SAVANNAH, GA:  An Effingham County resident has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting he aimed a powerful laser at commercial aircraft. Roger Floyd Hendricks, 48, of Rincon, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. also ordered Hendricks to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “With the public’s assistance, the FBI did an outstanding

BRUNSWICK, Ga: Two Brunswick men face substantial federal prison terms after admitting to the armed robberies of six Brunswick area businesses in August 2020. Zaeveon Deveon Cooper, 21, and Marquese Bolden, 20, both of Brunswick, await sentencing in U.S. District Court after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Their guilty pleas subject the two to a minimum of seven years and maximum of life in federal prison for the firearms charge, in

AUGUSTA, GA:  An Atlanta-area man is the third defendant sentenced in U.S. District Court after admitting to a scheme to use a drone to smuggle contraband into a Georgia state prison. Cheik Hassane Toure, 24, of Marietta, Ga., was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Serving or Attempting to Serve as an Airman Without an Airman’s Certificate, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Toure had been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since June 9 after a hearing in which it was determined he had violated

AUGUSTA, GA:  Two Waynesboro, Ga., men and a Greenwood, S.C., man have been sentenced for participating in an illegal gambling operation. Grady Brandon Mobley, 44, of Waynesboro, was sentenced to five years of probation and forfeited $340,084 after pleading guilty to an Information charging him with Prohibition of an Illegal Gambling Business and Fraud and False Statements, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Mobley also must pay $207,716 in restitution to the IRS and Georgia Department of Revenue and pay a fine of $2,000. Two co-defendants also were sentenced after pleading guilty to

SAVANNAH, GA:  A U.S. District Court jury found a previously convicted felon guilty of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition after just 15 minutes of deliberation. Matthew Kearse, 30, of Savannah, now awaits sentencing after his conviction for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The statutory penalty for the crime is up to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. “To prevent violent crime and keep our neighborhoods safe, it

STATESBORO, GA:  A Bulloch County man faces substantial time in federal prison after admitting he persuaded children to send him sexual images and photos. Jasiri Hutchison, 20, of Statesboro, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. The plea consolidates charges brought in both the Southern District of Georgia and the Middle District of Georgia. The plea agreement subjects Hutchison to minimum 15-year prison term, up to 30 years, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, followed by up to a life term of supervised release and registration

SAVANNAH, GA: A former commercial loan officer at a Chatham County bank is facing significant penalties after admitting to obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent loans. Jason McMillan, 45, of Swainsboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to an Information charging him with Bank Fraud, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. McMillan’s guilty plea subjects him to a statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, up to $1 million in fines, significant restitution and asset forfeiture, and up to three years of supervised release after

SAVANNAH, GA:  Two Bryan County men face up to life in prison after another man’s fatal fentanyl overdose. Javarus McKinney, a/k/a “Jody,” 32, of Richmond Hill, Ga., is charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Near a School, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. A co-defendant, Darien Cothern, 32, of Richmond Hill, also is charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death. The primary charge carries a possible statutory penalty of up to life in prison, and there is

SAVANNAH, GA:  Three men face felony firearms charges in separate indictments by a U.S. District Court grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, while nine others have admitted to gun charges.  The cases are being investigated in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “These prosecutions continue to send a strong message,” said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “With our law enforcement partners, we are working to make our communities safer by removing guns from the hands of those who

AUGUSTA, GA:  A multi-agency drug trafficking investigation has culminated in the criminal conspiracy indictment of 21 defendants in the Southern District of Georgia. Operation Wynner Storm, initiated by the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and coordinated through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), targeted gang-related drug trafficking in the Wilkes, Lincoln and McDuffie County areas north of Augusta, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The primary charge in the indictment, Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Marijuana, carries

SAVANNAH, GA:  The former manager of a Savannah bed and breakfast is accused of embezzling more than $500,000 in a 14-count federal indictment. Chiquita Blake, 46, of Pooler, Ga., is charged with 14 counts of Wire Fraud in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a statutory penalty upon conviction of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. “Historic properties are an essential element

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Georgia company and its owner have admitted guilt in a scheme to evade United States national security laws. Dali Bagrou pled guilty in U.S. District Court to Conspiracy, while his company, World Mining and Oil Supply (WMO) of Dacula, Ga., pled guilty to Violation of the Export Control Reform Act, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Bagrou to a statutory sentence of up to five years in prison and substantial financial penalties, followed by up to three years of supervised release, while WMO is subject to a

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Georgia man has been sentenced in federal court in connection with a dog-fighting ring broken up in 2018 in Dodge County. Benjaman Shinhoster III, a/k/a “Benji,” 41, of Louisville, Ga., was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Sponsoring and Exhibiting a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture, said Acting U.S. Attorney David H. Estes. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen Jr. also ordered Shinhoster to pay a fine of $2,500 and to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Savannah tire store owner faces decades in federal prison after a U.S. District Court jury found him guilty of distributing methamphetamine. Reginald Anderson, a/k/a “Red,” 49, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after being found guilty on three counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine, said U.S. Acting Attorney David H. Estes. Anderson faces a possible statutory sentence of up to thirty years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. “Meth is deadly and highly addictive, and its corrosive effects are

AUGUSTA, GA:  With the sentencing of the lead defendant, the prosecution of a major Richmond County drug trafficking conspiracy has resulted in convictions of all eight defendants – including a man and two sons. Terrance Quain Freeman, 50, of Augusta, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and To Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Freeman to pay a fine of $2,500 and serve four years of

WAYCROSS, GA:  A former prison guard has admitted participating in a drug trafficking operation in south Georgia that included smuggling contraband to inmates. Jessica Azaelae Burnett, a/k/a “The Madam,” 41, of Douglas, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine and Marijuana, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Burnett’s guilty plea exposes her to a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and substantial financial penalties, followed by a minimum of three years of supervised release after

SAVANNAH, GA:  A U.S. District Court jury found a previously convicted felon guilty on all charges for a violent 2019 crime spree across south Georgia. Alfred Wisher, 39, faces a minimum sentence of 14 years in prison after jurors convicted him on all 11 counts in a federal indictment related to a July 2019 series of violent crimes and firearm offenses in the Savannah and Waycross areas, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Wisher remains in custody, and sentencing before U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker is set for October.  “Alfred Wisher

DUBLIN, GA:  Thirty defendants are charged in a Laurens County methamphetamine-trafficking indictment unsealed in the Southern District of Georgia. The indictment in USA v. Monroe et. al charges 30 defendants with 56 felony counts, and includes forfeiture allegations listing 77 firearms, including a machine gun, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. All 30 defendants are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and if convicted face a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to life. There is no parole