Category: United States Department of Justice

Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the August Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Wilmer Ulvin Aguilar-Miranda. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Aguilar-Miranda, 30, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2013. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Heign is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-308

Christopher Ray Barrett; Jessica Marie Johnson; Katelyn Mary LeBlanc. Carjacking; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Conspiracy to Tamper with a Witnesses, Victims, and Informants (second superseding). Barrett, 40, Johnson, 37, both of Tulsa, and LeBlanc, 27, a transient, are charged with taking a vehicle by force. They further conspired to intimidate and persuade witnesses and victims not to cooperate with the investigation. Barrett is charged with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and for possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Flesher and Jessica Wright are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-024

Joshua Lee Cornog. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Cornog, 43, of Commerce, is charged with intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-314

Jerry Charles Creek, Jr. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 3); Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country (Counts 2 & 7); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 4); Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Counts 5 & 9); Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country (Count 6) (superseding). Creek, 53, of Collinsville, is charged with strangling and assaulting an intimate partner, which resulted in serious bodily injury. He is charged with using a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Nov. 2023 and Apr. 2024. Plus, sexually assaulting the victim by force and threat in Nov. 2023 and Mar. 2024. Additionally, it is alleged that Creek assaulted the victim with intent to commit murder. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-259

Cameron David Joshua Cox. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Cox, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly receiving, possessing, and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-307

Henry Joseph Jaquez. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition (Count 1); Kidnapping in Indian Country (Count 2); Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling in Indian Country (Count 3); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 4 & 6); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 5); Abusive Sexual Contact by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Count 7). Jaquez, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing several firearms and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. In Aug. 2025, Jaquez allegedly kidnapped, strangled, and assaulted the victim with a taser and a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-296

Marcus Antonio Jones. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Jones, 46, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-313

John David Landrum. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Landrum, 45, of Quapaw, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wyandotte Nation Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-306

Antonio Juan Paredes. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Paredes, 35, of Tulsa, is an individual who is knowingly required to register as a sex offender. He is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from March to July 2025. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-305

Issac Eli Pigeon. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Kidnapping in Indian Country. Pigeon, 23, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with breaking into an occupied home with the intent of committing a crime. He is further charged with kidnapping the victim and keeping them from leaving. The FBI, the U.S. Marshal Service, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-312

Sidney Peter Rivas; Marcus Allen Bearpaw; Michael Anthony Collum; Lindsey Stark Cornell; William Boyd Jones; Jennifer Suzanne Swanson; Juan Carlos Perez-Hernandez.  Continuing Criminal Enterprise (Count 1); Drug Conspiracy (Counts 2 through 4); Money Laundering Conspiracy (Count 5); Concealment Money Laundering (Count 6); International Concealment Money Laundering (Counts 7 through 9). Rivas, 46, incarcerated, is charged with organizing, leading, and profiting from the distribution of methamphetamine while in prison. Rivas, Bearpaw, 30, incarcerated, Collum, 41, of Noble, Cornell, 45, of Grove, Jones, 39, and Swanson, 48, of Lindsay, and Perez-Hernandez, 43, is incarcaerate and an El Salvador national, are charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and or heroin. Additionally, Rivas, Cornell, Jones, and Swanson are charged with conspiring with others to obtain physical and digital currency from the drug distribution and transferring it to other locations in the United States and Mexico. Rivas and Cornell are charged with concealing or disguising funds received from the unlawful activity. Lastly, Rivas, Cornell, and Swanson are charged with concealing or disguising funds from the unlawful activity and transferring them to Mexico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the IRS, and the Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-295

Alejandro Aguilar Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Aguilar Rodriguez, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jan. 2025. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
25-CR-303

Jimmy Ray Spencer. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Spencer, 67, of Sapulpa, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-294

Jesus Vargas-Gutierrez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Vargas-Gutierrez, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jan. 2019. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 
25-CR-304

Gualberto Vega. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Vega, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Further, Vega is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a felony and in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Scaife is prosecuting the case. 
25-CR-302

Raphiel Andrew Williams. Cyberstalking (Counts 1 & 2). Williams, 26, of Tulsa, is charged with causing reasonable fear or substantial emotional distress by using an electronic communication service with intent to kill, injure, harass, and intimidate two victims. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert and Steve Briden are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-301

Ismael Moreno Zuniga. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Moreno Zuniga, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-300

Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, unlawfully living in Longview, has been charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Humberto Hernandez-Fornue, 43, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

The indictment alleges that on August 14, 2025, Hernandez-Fornue was found illegally in the Eastern District of Texas and in possession of a firearm.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

If convicted, Hernandez-Fornue faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; and the Tyler Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Farahnak.

A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Michael Stephen Johnson, 58, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.

Johnson is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida, on August 28, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.

If convicted, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison up to life imprisonment.  

The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

ATLANTA – Michael Ferrell Price, a/k/a “Cheese,” a Cherokee County drug user, has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine from a backwoods shed in which he stored explosive devices, unregistered silencers, machineguns, and other firearms. In an adjacent structure, Price operated an illegal moonshine still.

“Price posed a clear danger to the community by selling methamphetamine and distilling moonshine while maintaining an illegal stash of explosive devices and more than 150 firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to the collaboration of federal agents and local law enforcement, Price has been brought to justice for his crimes.”

“This case demonstrates the results we achieve when federal, state, and local law enforcement work hand-in-hand,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “By combining resources and expertise, we were able to dismantle a criminal operation that threatened both public safety and the rule of law.”

“Stockpiling weapons while trafficking drugs is a recipe for tragedy,” said Major Walter Jones, Director of Drug Enforcement-Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad. “Price’s sentencing should make clear that those who choose that path will face serious consequences.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In September 2024, agents of the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad began investigating Price for trafficking methamphetamine from his 90-year-old mother’s home in eastern Cherokee County. On October 22, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at the property and recovered more than three ounces of highly pure crystal methamphetamine, several gallons of homemade moonshine, dozens of illegal explosive devices, and more than 150 firearms.

Among Price’s 150 firearms were two machineguns, a short-barreled rifle, a privately manufactured firearm without a serial number, five firearm silencers, and a stolen revolver. Because Price was a years-long abuser of methamphetamine, federal law prohibited him from possessing firearms or explosives.

On August 21, 2025, United States District Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Michael Ferrell Price, 68, of Ball Ground, Ga., to 87 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. Price was convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user, after he pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad. The Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance.

U.S. Attorney Hertzberg prosecuted the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at www.justthinktwice.gov and www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, recognized six local and federal law enforcement officers for their work on significant investigations as recipients of the 2025 Guardian of Justice Award.

The award recipients were honored on Aug. 21, 2025, during the 23rd Annual Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee Training Seminar in Springfield, Mo. The prestigious law enforcement award is presented annually by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Isaac McPheeters was recognized for his investigation of two members of the self-styled 2nd American Militia who conspired to go “to war with border patrol.” The conspiracy to murder Border Patrol officers and immigrants was thwarted after one of the conspirators attempted to murder FBI agents by firing at them as they executed a search warrant on the eve of their planned trip to the United States – Mexico border.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent Jerry Wine, along with ATF Task Force Officers David Schroeder (Greene County Sheriff’s Office), Justin Gargus (Christian County Sheriff’s Office), Eric Pinegar (Springfield Police Department), and Evan Nicholson (Springfield Police Department) were recognized for their efforts in reducing violent gun crime and gang activity in the Springfield, Mo. area.

“I would like to congratulate and commend the agents and task force officers for their effort on these investigations. As a result of their hard work and dedication, these violent individuals are off the streets and citizens of the Western District are safer,” said U.S. Attorney Price.

Conspiracy to Murder Border Patrol

After a two-week jury trial in October and November 2024, Bryan C. Perry, of Clarksville, Tenn., and Jonathan S. O’Dell, of Warsaw, Mo., were found guilty of their 2022 conspiracy to murder officers and employees of the United States government. They also were found guilty of seven counts of the attempted murder of FBI special agents, seven counts of assaulting FBI special agents with a deadly weapon, three counts of assaulting FBI special agents, 14 counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of damaging federal property.

Perry was also found guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possessing body armor by a violent felon, and one count of threatening to injure another person.  Additionally, O’Dell was found guilty of one count of threatening to injure another person and pleaded guilty to one count of illegally possessing a firearm while subject to a court order of protection, one count of making a false statement to a federal agent, and one count of escaping from custody. O’Dell and Perry are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, 2025.

Special Agent McPheeters coordinated with numerous local and federal agencies in Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, at various stages of the complex investigation. When O’Dell escaped from custody in October 2023, Special Agent McPheeters and the FBI coordinated a wide-ranging search with numerous law enforcement agencies across the state of Missouri resulting in O’Dell’s apprehension within 48 hours.

“Violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated and recognition of the work to stop these individuals from carrying out their planned attack is greatly appreciated. The FBI will do everything it can to ensure the safety and security of all law enforcement from danger,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus.

Springfield Area Gun Violence

In November 2021, the ATF started investigating numerous shooting incidents including drive-by shootings and homicides in the Springfield, Mo., area involving juveniles and young adults. The shootings were in neighborhoods or crowded areas, endangering innocent citizens. Using crime gun data, social media profiles, and police reports, the ATF was able to identify multiple suspects responsible for the uptick in violent firearms offenses in the area. To date, approximately seven homicides and multiple drive-by shootings have been linked to these groups and their activities.

Many of the shooting suspects were identified as gang members and/or rappers. The primary gangs involved in these shootings were “F**k The Opps” (FTO) and “Only Da Brothers” (ODB). ATF’s investigations into the gangs have included street investigations, surveillance operations, search warrants, adoption of state firearm cases, examining federal firearm licensee paperwork, analyzing crime gun data, close coordination with local law enforcement and other federal law enforcement agencies, studying and understanding these gangs/groups, their associations and their social media, tracing firearms, submitting firearms to local crime laboratories and the ATF’s Firearms & Ammunition Technology Division, and directly assisting in local violent crime and homicide investigations. The ATF has provided vigorous trial support and have testified extensively at sentencing hearings. 

As a result of the ATF’s investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has indicted numerous gang members or associates, including the two identified leaders of FTO, Ezekiel King and Jardell Williams, both of Springfield, Mo. King and Williams were each sentenced to 78 months in federal prison. Of the gang members indicted, nine have been sentenced to federal prison, two were sentenced to supervised release, and nine are pending sentencing after pleading guilty. The indictment of multiple members of FTO and ODB has coincided with a sharp drop in shooting calls in the Greene County, Mo., area.  

“This case is the gold standard for what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement work side by side to confront violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bernard Hansen. “By leveraging our collective resources through a task force, and utilizing crime gun intelligence tools such as NIBIN, we delivered prison sentences for those violent gang members who threatened the safety of our communities and a significant reduction in crime.”

Guardian of Justice Award

The annual Guardian of Justice Award recognizes a state or local officer as well as a federal agent for investigative excellence, selfless collaboration, tireless trial support, commendable diligence and professionalism, and noteworthy assistance to prosecution. The prestigious law enforcement award is presented by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee each year during the law enforcement training seminar.

Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Juve Markie Lequan McAlpin, 24, of Asheville, was sentenced to 15 years  in prison followed by three years of supervised release today for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and  Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. 

According to court records, on August 4, 2022, McAlpin was convicted in federal court of illegal firearm possession and sentenced to prison. Following his release he was placed under federal supervision.

On April 24, 2024, while serving his term of supervised release, McAlpin was arrested at a Shell gas station in Hendersonville, N.C. During the arrest, law enforcement searched the vehicle in which McAlpin was a passenger and recovered a loaded Taurus model 65 .357 caliber revolver with an obliterated serial number from the passenger-side floorboard. Officers also seized a distinctive black hoodie from the vehicle.

Court records show that McAlpin had been wearing that same hoodie on April 20, 2024, when he fired two rounds into a moving vehicle at an apartment complex in Asheville, striking a passenger in the leg. The victim was treated at the hospital for a gunshot wound.

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).