MIL Security Engine-1

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

            WASHINGTON – Edward Devon Gadson, 27, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 21 months in prison in connection with his possession of 35 illegal machine gun conversion devices within the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Gadson pleaded guilty on July 11 to a charge of unlawful transfer and possession of a machine gun and aiding and abetting. In addition to the 21-month prison term, Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Gadson to serve three years of supervised release.

            Joining in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony A. Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            According to court documents, on Oct. 2, 2024, about 5 p.m., MPD officers stopped Gadson as he was in the driver’s seat of a Dodge Durango with heavily tinted windows on the 2300 block of Green St. SE, in Anacostia.

            MPD officers noticed a clear plastic bag in plain view on the back passenger side floor. The bag appeared to have firearms accessories in it. Officers removed the bag from the car and determined it contained dozens of machine gun conversion devices (aka MCDs or “switches”). Each device would allow a pistol to be converted into an automatic firearm. The devices had been 3-D printed and included distinctive images of an internet meme known as  “Not ATF Guy.”

            This case was investigated by the MPD and the ATF Washington Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John D. Crabb and Thomas Strong. 

 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Defendant possessed an UZI machinegun containing an extended magazine loaded with 24 rounds

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Baltimore, Maryland – Kelly Bowers, 36, of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD), and Chief Edward Jackson, Annapolis Police Department (APD).

According to the guilty plea, in August 2022, FBI investigators identified Bowers as a member of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) known as Newtowne (collectively, “the Newtowne 20 DTO”) that supplied drugs to individuals in the Annapolis area. 

During the period of the conspiracy, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland authorized wiretaps on DTO members’ electronic devices. Law enforcement intercepted numerous conversations which allowed investigators to identify individuals, including Bowers, involved in drug trafficking with Newtowne 20 DTO members.  Other charged members include Leonard Simms, sentenced to 57 months on July 1, 2025; Isiah Naylor, who pled guilty on May 23, 2025; Raheem Allsup, sentenced to 48 months on May 9, 2025; and Keith Williams, sentenced to 68 months on November 19, 2024.

Bowers served as one of the Newtowne 20 DTO’s main distributors.  Law enforcement intercepted and recorded several calls between Bowers and his customers and conversations between him and his co-conspirators.

During the investigation, law enforcement conducted surveillance and observed Bowers engaging in a drug transaction. On November 27, 2023, AACOPD investigators saw Bowers driving in Annapolis. After AACOPD officers watched Bowers conduct a hand-to-hand transaction with a known user of controlled substances, they initiated a traffic stop. Officers stopped the buyer and recovered drugs from her which later tested positive for cocaine. Additionally, law enforcement recovered cocaine from Bowers’ vehicle.

The federal wiretap led to an eventual takedown on January 25, 2024. During the investigation, law enforcement identified multiple vehicles and locations in and around Annapolis used by the Newtowne 20 DTO as stash houses and residences for drug trafficking. Then on January 25, agents executed search warrants on eight locations and four vehicles, and arrest warrants on several individuals.  Law enforcement also recovered drugs of various types and quantities from three of the targeted locations and one firearm from the residence of a co-conspirator.

In his plea agreement, Bowers agreed that he was involved in possessing at least 40 grams of fentanyl in furtherance of this drug trafficking conspiracy.  Bowers faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison, followed by up to lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 12 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, and APD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai Everett and Jon Tsuei who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A newly-unsealed criminal complaint charges Heather Morrow, 44, of Charlotte, with felony assault, resist, or impede a federal officer, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

According to allegations in the criminal complaint, on the morning of November 16, 2025, Morrow and others gathered at a U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement & Removal Operations Office (ICE/ERO) facility in Charlotte in an apparent attempt to impede law enforcement movement on the property. The complaint alleges that a federal officer who was just arriving to work encountered several individuals, including Morrow, blocking the entrance. While the officer attempted to arrest one individual for punching the window of the officer’s vehicle and impeding the officer’s path, Morrow approached the officer from behind and forcibly made physical contact with him, including grabbing the officer’s shoulders and attempting to jump on the officer’s back. Morrow was arrested on the scene.

“Recently in North Carolina, we have seen that the very worst can happen when individuals forcibly gain access to a law enforcement officer’s weapon. We take seriously incidents where that could happen,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Fortunately, the officer in this case was arriving to work and was not armed.”

Morrow had her initial appearance in federal court on Monday and was released on bond.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is joined in making the announcement by Homeland Security Investigations, ICE/ERO, U.S. Border Patrol, and the FBI.

The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago today charged a man with a federal terrorism offense for allegedly setting a passenger on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train earlier this week.

LAWRENCE REED, 50, of Chicago is charged with committing a terrorist attack against a mass transportation system.  The charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.  Reed is scheduled to make an initial court appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally in federal court in Chicago.

According to a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Reed and the victim were passengers on a CTA train traveling through a subway in downtown Chicago at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2025.  Reed approached the victim, who was seated with her back towards him, took the cap off a bottle of liquid and poured the liquid all over the victim’s head and body, the complaint states.  The victim ran but Reed caught up with her, at which point he ignited the bottle and it fell out of his hand onto the floor, the complaint states.  Reed picked up the bottle that was now on fire, approached the victim and used the bottle to light her on fire, the complaint states. 

The victim was engulfed in flames but was able to depart the train.  She remains hospitalized with critical injuries.

The investigation revealed that Reed had purchased gasoline at a Chicago gas station and filled it in a hand-held container approximately 20 minutes before the incident on the train, the complaint states.

Reed was arrested by Chicago Police officers on Nov. 18, 2025, in Chicago.  He was taken into federal custody today.

The complaint and arrest were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Transit Authority.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron R. Bond and Ronald L. DeWald.

“This horrific attack was not just a barbaric assault on an innocent woman riding a train, but an act of terrorism that strikes at the core of our American way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will take immediate and resolute action to bring swift justice to the victim while safeguarding the public as well as the fabric of our society.”

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Prairie City man was sentenced on November 18, 2025, to 180 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography and 24 months in federal prison for revocation of his supervised release.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Anthony Charles VanMeter, 55, was on federal supervised release for a conviction of possession of child pornography. In October 2024, law enforcement visited another individual under federal supervision and located VanMeter. VanMeter admitted two cell phones at the residence belonged to him. One of the cell phones was later found to child sexual abuse material, including more than 75 photographs and 250 videos.

At sentencing, the Court also found VanMeter violated the terms of his federal supervised release for his 2016 conviction for possession of child pornography in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. VanMeter received an 84-month sentence in 2016, was released from prison in 2022, and his supervised release was revoked in October 2022, November 2023, and September 2024.

After completing his term of imprisonment, VanMeter will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Vanmeter was also ordered to pay $24,000 in restitution.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PLANO, Texas – The Attorney General has appointed Jay R. Combs as the interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas on November 19, 2025.

“I am thankful to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for the opportunity they have given me to continue my service to the American people.  It is both a tremendous responsibility and a great privilege,” said Combs. “The office I lead is at the forefront in the mission of pursuing justice and protecting our communities and our country as a part of Operation Take Back America.”

Operation Take Back America is 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.                            

Combs has served as the Acting U.S. Attorney since May 24, 2025, and is the chief federal law enforcement official in the Eastern District of Texas, which includes 43 counties stretching from the Oklahoma border to the Gulf of America. The district includes six fully staffed offices in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tyler with 93 employees, including 50 prosecutors.  Combs is responsible for the prosecution of federal criminal offenses in the district and will represent the United States in all civil litigation in the district.

Prior to serving as Acting U.S. Attorney, Combs worked as the Chief of the Plano Branch Office for the Eastern District of Texas, overseeing the day-to-day operations of that office.  Combs worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) for the Western District of Texas from 2006-2010 when he first joined the Eastern District of Texas as an AUSA.

Before joining the Department, Combs served in the United States Army.  He served two combat tours in the Army earning several awards including the Bronze Star medal.

Combs has lived in Texas for over twenty years but originally hails from Springerville, Arizona.  He received his bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and his law degree from the University of New Mexico.  He has been married to his wife, Melissa, for 30 years and they have seven children.

###

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – During the recent federal government shutdown, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama continued its mission to protect public safety and hold criminals accountable, prosecuting cases involving immigration violations, violent crime, drug trafficking, and other federal offenses. 

“During the shutdown, the mission of my office remained the same: to pursue justice for the citizens of the Northern District of Alabama,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. “Our prosecutors’ efforts never stopped. Every day, they were in the office, in the courtroom, and working with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice and keep our communities safe.”

The following cases highlight just a portion of the important work carried out during the shutdown:

• Juan Francisco Castaneda, also known as “Pariente,” 44, pleaded guilty to all counts charged in the superseding indictment, including conspiring to traffic fentanyl, conspiring to commit money laundering, and distribution of fentanyl.
• Juan Martin Sanchez-Suarez, 24, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for production of child pornography.
• Wayne Carnell Brown, 74, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced to 130 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
• Michael Kilgore, 40, of Centre, Alabama, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically methamphetamine.
• Raymone Eugene Tabb, 33, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
• Joel Wesley Dillard, 47, of Morris, Alabama, was sentenced to 189 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release for possession of child pornography.
• Addison Lee Cook, also known as “Adihsun,” 34, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release for production of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.
• Elmer David Hernandez-Garcia, 29, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
• Jamarion Carmaine Walker, 23, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for illegal possession of a machine gun. Walker advertised and sold machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), commonly referred to as “Glock switches.” Walker marketed himself as the “Switch God.”
• Gary Forrest Edwards, 65, of Maylene, Alabama, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for tax evasion and interfering with the administration of federal tax laws. Edwards, a chiropractor, pleaded guilty during his trial.
• Daymon Maurice Collins, 52, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl.
• Jacob Edward Daugherty, 34, of Steele, Alabama, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

These cases were investigated by federal law enforcement partners from ATF, FBI, DEA, IRS-CI and Homeland Security Investigations.  

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

           WASHINGTON – Ricardo Rush, 29, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced on October 23 to 60 months in prison in connection with a March 2025 incident during which he pulled out an Uzi-style semi-automatic pistol on a crowded Metrobus and threatened to kill two parents and their young children, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

           Rush pleaded guilty on June 17 before Judge Amir H. Ali to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, to assault with a dangerous weapon, and to possession of a firearm during crime of violence or dangerous offense. In addition to the five-year prison term, Judge Ali ordered Rush to serve three years of supervised release.

           According to court documents, Rush boarded a WMATA bus on March 8, 2025 about 11:26 a.m. on the 300 block of Ridge Road SE. Four minutes later, a man and a woman accompanying two small children board the same bus on the 4800 block of Texas Avenue SE. 

           The family sat in the row in front of Rush, who began harrassing them. About 11:32 a.m., Rush stood up, stated “Bitch, sit down, this isn’t a toy,” and pointed a black pistol in the woman’s face.

The bus pulled over. Rush continued to intimidate the woman, waved the gun, and threatened to kill all four family members.

           About 11:33 a.m., Rush stepped off the bus and pointed the weapon at the woman for a third time. Two minutes later, Rush reboarded the bus. He threatened again to kill the man and woman as he held the firearm, pointing it at the man. Rush head-butted the man and threatened him.

           After threatening the family again, Rush exited the bus and fled the scene.

           On April 10, 2025, about 11:10 a.m., law enforcement located Rush at his residence.  Officers located a black MasterPiece Arms Defender semi-automatic handgun loaded with one round in the chamber, and which contained a high-capacity magazine loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. They recovered an additional magazine holding 13 rounds.

           Rush had previously been convicted in 2021 of assault with a dangerous weapon in  Superior Court and as a felon was prohibited from possessing any firearm.

           This case was investigated by WMATA and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English and Special Assistant Haley Pennington.