Savannah Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum for Possession of Ammunition Following Shooting

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SAVANNAH, GA: On December 3, 2025, a Savannah man was sentenced to Statutory Maximum for Possession of Ammunition following a shooting.

Charlie Sapp, 58, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison by U.S.  District Court Judge Randal Hall after being convicted at trial on the charge of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person said Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Sapp received the maximum sentenced allowed by law. Judge Randal Hall also ordered Sapp to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term, in addition to a $1,500 fine. There is no parole in the federal system.

“This prosecution should send a clear message to those that violate the law in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret Heap. “This office will work tirelessly to ensure the community is protected from violent felons.”

According to trial documents, on October 8, 2021, Sapp retrieved a loaded firearm from a vehicle, confronted an individual in an apartment complex parking lot, pointed the firearm at that individual, and then fired three shots. The individual Sapp shot died on the scene. While the weapon used in the shooting was never recovered, officers with the Savannah Police Department recovered two shell casings on the scene. Those shell casings were enough to convict Sapp in the U.S. District Court. Sapp was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of previous felony convictions in the Superior Court of Chatham County.

At sentencing, Judge Hall agreed to the Government’s request to enhance Sapp’s sentence on the ammunition charge because his conduct constituted second-degree murder. Due to Sapp illegally possessing ammunition, a Savannah man lost their life.

Sapp was previously tried for this conduct in November 2022 by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. That trial did not result in a conviction.

“Every bullet represents a potential threat to public safety; we will continue to work diligently to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.

The case was being investigated by the ATF, Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura.

Former Pike County police officer sentenced to 10 years in prison for running steroid, cocaine ring

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Pike County man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison for leading a drug trafficking ring responsible for mailing more than 2,500 parcels of steroids and distributing 11 kilograms of cocaine.

Mark Anglemyer, Jr., 42, of Waverly, Ohio, imported precursor chemicals from China and traveled across the country and internationally to secure narcotics. Anglemyer previously worked as a police officer with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office and the Piketon, Waverly and Wellston police departments.

According to court documents, from 2019 to 2024, Anglemyer ran a drug trafficking operation out of Waverly, dealing both anabolic steroids and cocaine.

As part of his operation, Anglemyer imported raw materials from China to manufacture the steroids. He then produced the powder and liquid steroid mixtures at various co-conspirators’ residences in Pike County. Finally, the defendant shipped the steroids to customers across the country via the United States Postal Service.

Anglemyer also obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from California for local distribution in Waverly.

When Anglemyer’s California cocaine suppliers were arrested by federal authorities, he and a co-conspirator flew to Colombia to seek another supplier and attempted to mail cocaine from Colombia to Waverly.

Anglemyer and three co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. The defendant pleaded guilty in April 2025 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and anabolic steroids.

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit; and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in this case.

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Colby CPA sentenced to prison for defrauding clients

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas accountant was sentenced to 48 months in prison for defrauding clients of his accounting firm, who were also his relatives, of more than $400,000.

According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.

As a certified public accountant (CPA), Flanagin used his status as a signatory on his clients’ business account and trust account to make unauthorized transactions. Between December 2021 and August 2022, he wrote checks and initiated wire transfers totaling $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch, a fictitious name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. He wrote false verbiage in the memo lines indicating the transactions to be payments for farm operations. Flanagin then used the stolen money to help pay for the construction on his new home.

In October 2022, after his victims noticed discrepancies and confronted him, Flanagin took several actions to conceal his crimes including removing Middle Finger Ranch from his personal account. Federal investigators later found a note Flanagin wrote stating that prosecutors couldn’t prove who input the check for processing and that he could likely feign innocence and say his company wasn’t monitoring the account.

“The name of Mr. Flanagin’s fictitious ranch speaks for itself. After stabbing his family in the back, Flanagin lied to their faces. When the victims directly questioned him about accounting inconsistencies, he fabricated convoluted flowcharts and blamed third parties for the fraudulent checks,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “In his hubris, Flanagin thought he could outsmart federal investigators and forensic accountants. He was wrong. My office will continue to use the full force of the federal government to prosecute financial crimes.”

“Mr. Flanagin was entrusted with a fiduciary duty to protect the financial interests of the victims in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “Instead of acting with integrity and in the interest of his clients, the defendant used his position to personally benefit from the scheme. Today’s sentencing reiterates the severity of the case and the seriousness by which the FBI takes financial fraud schemes.”  

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case.

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Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty in String of Twelve Armed Business Robberies

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Memphis, TN – On December 4, 2025, a federal jury delivered a guilty verdict in the case of a Memphis-based convicted felon, Fredrick Buford, 29, who was charged with committing a series of armed robberies of businesses in the summer of 2022.  Buford faces a mandatory statutory minimum of 75 years in federal prison. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.

According to information presented in court, Buford conducted a series of armed robberies of local businesses in Memphis, Tennessee:

  • May 23, 2022: Dollar General, 3129 Thomas Street
  • May 23, 2022: Family Dollar, 1688 Jackson Avenue
  • May 29, 2022: Exxon, 4491 Poplar Avenue
  • May 29, 2022: Mapco, 979 East Brooks Road (Buford broke into the store and threatened to shoot the store employee. However, he was not successful in obtaining money.)
  • June 4, 2022: Dollar General, 2469 Elvis Presley Boulevard
  • June 6, 2022: Dollar General, 1760 Winchester Road
  • June 6, 2022: Mapco, 3333 Thomas Street
  • June 11, 2022: Family Dollar, 2743 North Watkins Street
  • June 11, 2022: Dollar General, 1294 Lamar Avenue
  • June 12, 2022: Family Dollar, 3255 Hickory Hill Road
  • June 15, 2022: Dollar General, 2939 Lamar Avenue
  • June 16, 2022: Dollar General, 2245 Lamar Avenue

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “Robberies of businesses with a firearm are especially dangerous and violent due to the high risk of death and serious bodily injury by the simple squeeze of a trigger. Business robberies also have a substantially negative impact on the local economy and interstate commerce, which victimizes the entire community. Within the short span of 25 days, this recidivist violent offender’s selfish and impulsive greed terrorized multiple victims across our city – and will rightly earn him a long sentence in a federal prison.”

“This guilty verdict should serve as a reminder that the FBI will not waver when it comes to protecting Tennesseans and taking dangerous criminals off the streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI will continue to combat these issues through strong partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement via task forces and other relationships to ensure the safety of our communities.”

After a four-day trial, Buford was convicted on December 4, 2025 of eleven counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, and eleven counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  Sentencing is set on March 24, 2026 before United States District Judge Mark S. Norris.

The FBI Nashville Field Office-Memphis Resident Agency’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Memphis Police Department investigated this case. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Will Crow and Eileen Kuo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. 

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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaine

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PLANO, Texas –A Mexican national illegally living in Dallas has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Tomas Perez-Guerrero, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 8, 2025.

According to information presented in court, Perez-Guerrero was involved in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas.

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.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson.

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PANAMA CITY FELON SENTENCED FOR POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE AND POSSESSION OF FIREARM

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Marlow Allen, 45, of Panama City, Florida, has been sentenced to a five-year term of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our communities safe and drug-free remains a top priority of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and my office will pursue aggressive prosecutions of crimes like this with the full force of the law. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have preyed upon our communities for far too long, and this successful prosecution delivers on that promise.”

Court documents reflect that in June 2022, as part of an ongoing drug investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at multiple residences connected to Allen in Panama City, Florida. During the search of the two residences, investigators located “crack” cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, two firearms, as well as other items indicative of drug distribution. Allen is a convicted felon, who has previously been convicted of numerous felony offenses, including Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine, Sale of Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine, Unlawful Firearms Possession, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm, and Tampering with a Witness.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin.

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.

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.

NINE INDIVIDUALS CHARGED WITH FEDERAL CRIMES

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today that nine individuals were indicted in the Pensacola division of the Northern District of Florida.

The following indictments were filed in the Pensacola division:

  • Basilio Coxcahua-Arohua, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
  • Luis Manuel Moscoso-Vidal, a citizen of Guatemala, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
  • Marco Olavarrieta-Beranza, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
  • Roberto Rios-Narvaez, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
  • Melvin Roberto Saavedra-Vasquez, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
  • Edin Francisco Trinidad-Moradel, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
  • Yunior Joehl Vasquez-Garcia, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
  • Tyronzia Roquza Levineof Pensacola, Florida, indicted for one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (more than five grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana), one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
  • Isaiah Markeis Sims, of Pensacola, Florida, indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Law enforcement agencies conducting the investigations included the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brooke A. DiSalvo and Jessica S. Etherton.

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.

These cases are 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.

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.

ROMANIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED FOR BANK FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENT TO A FEDERAL AGENCY IN ATM “SKIMMING” SCHEME

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Daniel Balan, 47, of Bacau, Romania, was sentenced to more than three years in prison after previously pleading guilty to five counts of bank fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of possessing 15 or more access devices, and making a false statement to a federal agency in connection with an ATM “skimming” scheme. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This offender exploited numerous innocent victims for his own financial gain, but thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners he will enjoy an extended stay behind bars. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to vindicate the victims exploited by these offenses and hold the fraudsters accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Court documents reflect that beginning on January 28, 2025, the defendant placed “skimming” devices and cameras on multiple ATMs in the Tallahassee, Florida area. The devices and cameras were used to capture customer account and access device information. Then, between February 8 and 9, 2025, the defendant used the stolen information to fraudulently obtain $56,340 in customer funds. At the time of arrest, law enforcement found 28 gift cards in the defendant’s pocket that had been encoded with stolen account information and labeled with a corresponding PIN.

“ATM skimming is not just a crime against individual account holders—it undermines public trust in our banking systems,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Victims suffer financial losses and stress, banks and businesses face increased costs, and law enforcement resources are diverted to investigate these schemes. This sentence demonstrates HSI’s commitment to work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to protecting our community from these fraud schemes and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.”

“The successful resolution of this case highlights the strength of our partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and federal prosecutors. Together, we were able to stop a sophisticated scheme that targeted innocent people across Leon County,” said Sheriff Walt McNeil, Leon County Sheriff’s Office.

The case involved a joint investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and Eric W. Welch.

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.

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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Tucson Man Indicted for Unauthorized Excavation and Trafficking of Archeological Resources from the Gila River Indian Community

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

TUCSON, Ariz. – On December 3, 2025, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a two-count indictment against Leo Reynoso, 46, of Tucson, Arizona, for violations of the Archeological Resources Protection Act.

The indictment alleges that Reynoso excavated, removed, or damaged archeological resources, without authorization, that were located on the Gila River Indian Community, a federally recognized Indian tribe. Reynoso excavated and removed numerous artifacts from known archeological sites located on tribal land. The items included Indian Trader tokens, coins, buttons, crucifixes, jewelry, and other items. The indictment also alleges that Reynoso trafficked archeological resources by selling some of the items that were excavated without a permit. An archeological damage assessment estimated the commercial value of the artifacts to be approximately $5,700; the archeological value to be approximately $29,000; and the cost of restoration and repair of the sites to be approximately $23,000.

A conviction for each count of Unauthorized Excavation of Archeological Resources and Trafficking in Archeological Resources carries a maximum penalty two years imprisonment and a $20,000 fine.

The United States Forest Service and the Gila River Indian Community Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:          25-CR-05253-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-172_Reynoso


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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Department of Justice Rule Restores Equal Protection for All in Civil Rights Enforcement

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Today, the Justice Department issued a final rule updating its regulations under Title VI of the Civil Rights of 1964. This rule ensures that our nation’s federal civil rights laws are firmly grounded in the principle of equal treatment under the law by eliminating disparate-impact liability from its Title VI regulations.

“For decades, the Justice Department has used disparate-impact liability to undermine the constitutional principle that all Americans must be treated equally under the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No longer. This Department of Justice is eliminating its regulations that for far too long required recipients of federal funding to make decisions based on race.”

“The prior ‘disparate impact’ regulations encouraged people to file lawsuits challenging racially neutral policies, without evidence of intentional discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our rejection of this theory will restore true equality under the law by requiring proof of actual discrimination, rather than enforcing race- or sex-based quotas or assumptions.”

“For over 50 years, the prior disparate-impact rule fostered the very thing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited — discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. But with today’s rule,” said Chief of Staff and Supervisory Official for the Office of Legal Policy Nicholas Schilling. “The Department reaffirms Congress’ commitment to measure all Americans by merit.”

Congress enacted Title VI, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d, as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. In 1973, the federal government added to the law a new rule — disparate impact — that was not part of the law. The term “disparate impact” refers to the concept of imposing liability on a federal fund recipient only because there may be different outcomes for different people, not based on prejudice or intent. That prior disparate-impact rule was already enjoined in one state, prohibiting DOJ from enforcing it there.

The Department’s new rule reflects the best reading of Title VI, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized for over twenty years. Title VI has and will continue to prohibit intentional discrimination. The Department’s new rule ensures that recipients of federal funding will be judged on their actual conduct, not on statistical outcomes or circumstances beyond their control.

Despite decades of case law, the Department’s prior Title VI disparate-impact regulations remained on the books, sowing confusion and creating costly compliance obligations for states, local governments, nonprofits, and private organizations receiving federal financial assistance. This new rule eliminates these burdens, promotes consistent enforcement across agencies, and restores public confidence in civil rights law by aligning the Department’s regulations with the Constitution.