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Seven Defendants Sentenced for Roles in Marshall County Drug Trafficking Organization

Source: US FBI

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Seven men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a Marshall County Drug Trafficking Organization that was being directed from Mexico, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Division.

United States District Judge Corey L. Maze imposed the following sentences on the defendants:

  • Armando Trevino-Vazques, 42, of Crossville, Alabama, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.

  • Carlos Antonio Hernandez-Corona, 32, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

  • Juan Hernandez, 44, of Albertville, Alabama, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

  • Gregory Allen Huff, 43, of Arab, Alabama, was sentenced to 61 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

  • Angel Hernandez, Jr., 25, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 50 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

  • Thomas Gaspar, 35, of Boaz, Alabama, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for unlawful use of a communications facility.

  • Juan Damian Cortes, 33, of Albertville, Alabama, was sentenced to five months in prison for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

According to plea agreements, the Drug Trafficking Organization used a series of dead drops to coordinate the distribution of methamphetamine and the receipt of bulk currency. Purchasers contacted the source of supply in Mexico. After that, the purchaser received a phone call providing a location to meet an individual to pay for the drugs purchased. Following that meeting, the purchaser received another call providing the location where the drugs could be picked up.

“My office will use every tool in our toolbox to dismantle drug trafficking organizations intent on flooding the Northern District of Alabama with illegal drugs, focusing our effort on drugs originating from cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “We are committed to ending the devastating impact these drugs have had on communities within our District. I am grateful for the strong partnership between the FBI and state and local law enforcement in Marshall County that led to these convictions and sentences.”

“These sentencings demonstrate the FBI’s relentless determination to eradicate drug trafficking organizations that are plaguing communities,” said FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples.  “Disrupting organizations like this one is a priority objective of the FBI’s mission. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners and use every legal means available to hold accountable those who threaten our neighborhoods.”

The FBI’s North Alabama Criminal Enterprise Task Force investigated the cases. The Marshall County Drug Task Force and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Drug Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell E. Penfield and John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the cases.

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FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge Announces Retirement

Source: US FBI

BIRMINGHAM—Carlton Peeples, special agent in charge of the Birmingham Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced his retirement effective March 28, 2025, culminating over 27 years of distinguished service to the FBI and more than 30 years of government service.

Mr. Peeples entered on duty as an FBI special agent in 1998. After training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, his first assignment was to the Washington Field Office. During his career, as a special agent, Mr. Peeples worked counterintelligence, public corruption, civil rights, violent crime, and gang investigations and served on the Washington Field Office SWAT team.

In 2005, Mr. Peeples was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent and transferred to the Civil Rights Unit of the Criminal Investigative Division at FBI Headquarters where he also served as Chief of the Civil Rights Unit. In 2008, Mr. Peeples was promoted to Senior Supervisory Special Agent in the Atlanta Field Office, supervising the FBI’s resident agencies in Macon and Athens, Georgia.

In 2014, Mr. Peeples returned to FBI Headquarters, Inspection Division, as an Assistant Inspector. In 2016, Mr. Peeples was promoted to Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Jacksonville Field Office in Florida. In 2019, he returned to FBI Headquarters, for a third time, where he served as an Inspector prior to being appointed by the FBI Director to lead the FBI Birmingham Division in November 2022.

Looking back on his career, Mr. Peeples noted, “It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead the Birmingham Division, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the dedicated men and women of the FBI for the past 27 years. Their dedication to upholding the Constitution and protecting the American people is astonishing. I am just as proud of the partnerships I have fostered in our community; public and private sector; and with our local, state, and federal law enforcement and intelligence agency partners, who all share the same passion of serving and protecting our communities.”

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U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Multiple Defendants with Immigration-Related Violations

Source: US FBI

CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments for the following individuals on charges of immigration-related law violations. These are separate cases and are not related.

Ana Alvarez-Limonche, 20, a citizen of Venezuela, was indicted on two charges of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents for having fraudulent permanent resident and Social Security cards. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).

Gildardo Alvarez-Rodriguez, 59, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Sept. 24, 2020. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CBP.

Franklin Calix-Romero, 34, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person for possessing a Ruger 9mm semiautomatic pistol and 9mm ammunition. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by a joint FBI/State/Local Task Force.

Jose Cruz-Aguilar, 41, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Feb. 27, 2017. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by a joint FBI/State/Local Task Force.

Carlos Garcia-Garcia, 45, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Feb. 19, 2005. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CBP.

Jhofran Andres Laya-Gutierrez, 28, a citizen of Venezuela, has been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer; destruction, alteration, or falsification or records; fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents; and misrepresentation of a Social Security number. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CBP and the FBI Toledo Field Office.

Jeyson Martinez, aka, Jayson Martinez-Juarez, 32, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Nov. 23, 2018. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CBP.

Jose Maximiliano Zepeda-Gutierrez, 45, a citizen of Guatemala, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being July 10, 2019. The defendant was previously convicted in 2018 for conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI Toledo Field Office.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

A team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the USAO’s criminal division are prosecuting these cases.

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, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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Guatemalan Man Unlawfully Residing in the United States and Convicted of Sexual Battery Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of an Unaccompanied Alien Child in the United States

Source: US FBI

On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted a man for his alleged role in smuggling an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to the United States and for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the minor after she entered the United States.

“The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.”

According to the indictment, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Cleveland, illegally entered the United States in 2023. Thereafter, Tiul Xi allegedly encouraged and induced a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the United States and to use the identity of Tiul Xi’s sister as her alias. As a UAC, the Guatemalan girl was placed in the care and custody of ORR. As alleged, Tiul Xi then falsely stated on documents submitted to ORR when he applied to sponsor and obtain custody of the girl that he was the UAC’s brother and that her alias was her actual name. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s alleged false statements when, on or about Sept. 5, 2023, ORR released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care.

Tiul Xi is charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States. This is vital work and through their victim centered approach, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents are perfectly positioned to uncover any similar crimes by predatory sponsors.”

“The Office of Refugee Resettlement is committed to continuing vital policy changes that promote the safety and welfare of unaccompanied alien children related into the Unites States,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “We have significantly increased sponsor vetting with the wellbeing of the child at the core of our process. We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light.”

The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance.

Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

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 other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

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

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Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison

Source: US FBI

TOLEDO, Ohio – Hershel Winbush, 68, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced to prison by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary after he pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery in Lucas County, Ohio, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release for a prior conviction. Imprisonment will be for a total term of 140 months (more than 11 years) for each count to run concurrently and pay $8,210 in restitution. Upon release from imprisonment, the defendant was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release.

According to court documents and court records, Winbush entered several financial institutions in the Toledo, Ohio, area from 2019 through 2024 and threatened bank employees with violence by presenting notes such as “I have a gun, give me all the cash available,” and “This is a hold up. I have a gun.” Federally insured banking institutions that were affected included:

  • Woodforest National Bank, Glendale Ave., Oct. 24, 2019
  • Woodforest National Bank, Glendale Ave., Nov. 5, 2019
  • Jeep Federal Credit Union, Manhattan Blvd., April 8, 2024
  • Key Bank, Secor Rd., April 22, 2024

During the investigation, authorities discovered that Winbush had a decades-long pattern of bank robberies and had multiple incarcerations and prior convictions for crimes of violence in Michigan. Winbush was classified as a Career-Offender by Judge Jack Zouhary.

This case was investigated by the FBI Toledo Field Office and the Toledo Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Simko for the Northern District of Ohio.

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FBI Marks the 75th Anniversary of the FBI’S “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” List

Source: US FBI

Today, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Carlton Peeples, marks the FBI’s commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list.

This initiative is designed to publicize particularly dangerous fugitives and enlist the public to assist the FBI in locating them. It is an extremely important law enforcement tool, and media and public involvement is crucial to its success. At a minimum, a reward of up to $250,000 is offered by the FBI for information which leads directly to the arrest of a “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive.” The “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list began from a newspaper story in late 1949. A reporter for the International News Service asked the FBI for the names and descriptions of the “toughest guys” the FBI would like to capture. The story had such widespread appeal and generated so much positive publicity that on March 14, 1950, former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover implemented the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” program. Since the time of its inception, 496 have been apprehended or located.

Since March 14, 1950, the FBI Birmingham Field Office has added five fugitives to the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list. David Dallas Taylor was the first fugitive from Birmingham Field Office to be placed on the list, March 3, 1953, for Murder. He was captured on May 26, 1953. Eric Robert Rudolph was the last fugitive from the FBI Birmingham Field Office to be placed on the list, May 5, 1998, for Maliciously Damaged, By Means of an Explosive Device, a Building Affecting Interstate Commerce in Which a Death Resulted. He was captured on May 31, 2003.

“The Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list is a reminder of the important role our communities serve as a force multiplier to law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples, FBI Birmingham. “The FBI recognizes the need for the public to be informed and aware of these fugitives. One hundred and sixty-three of the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” apprehensions have been the result of citizen recognition of “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” publicity.”

Information about the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list can be found on the www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten; @FBIMostWanted on X, Facebook and Instagram; FBI’s YouTube page; on the FBI Wanted mobile app (available for download on Apple and Android devices); and featured on episodes of Inside the FBI Podcast series. As technology continues to advance and innovative applications surface, the FBI will continue to utilize all the tools available to publicize fugitives and engage the public in helping to locate them.

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Clay County Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

Source: US FBI

ANNISTON, Ala. – A Clay County man has been sentenced for his sexual crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. 

U.S. District Court Judge Cory L. Maze sentenced Michael James Baker, 32, of Ashland, to 960 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release.  In October 2024, Baker pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography. These convictions will require Baker to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

According to court documents, between July 25, 2022, and July 25, 2023, Baker produced a video and an image of child pornography involving his rape of a small child and uploaded the child pornography online. In his chat communication with an undercover agent, Baker expressed his desires to engage in sexual acts with two other children, and he admitted to sexual acts with a 13-year-old child. After Baker’s arrest on the federal child pornography charges, another young child disclosed that Baker had also raped her. 

FBI Birmingham Division and FBI New Orleans Division investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Internet Crimes Against Children, Lineville Police Department, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Oxford Police Department, Anniston Major Crimes Unit, Anniston Police Department, Alabama State Troopers, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Russell County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.

If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

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

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Licking County Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography, Making Notices with Plans to Sexually Abuse Young Boys

Source: US FBI

COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Hamilton, 27, of Heath, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 293 months in prison for child pornography related crimes.

According to court documents, Hamilton and a co-defendant communicated extensively and graphically about their intent to sexually abuse young boys, including boys to whom they could gain access. Their messages on the Telegram app discussed Hamilton’s plans to babysit an approximately 6-year-old boy and then drug him with an anti-depressant and sexually abuse him. Hamilton and his co-defendant also discussed starting a family of all boys whom they could sexually abuse together.

When law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Hamilton’s home, they discovered a bag belonging to Hamilton containing two types of anti-depressants, children’s overnight diapers in a variety of sizes, lubricating jelly, condoms and stuffed animals.

Court documents also detail that the FBI received an additional report from another minor male about Hamilton’s online exploitation activities. Law enforcement learned that Hamilton requested the minor produce images of child pornography for him. Hamilton gave the minor male his username and password to various platforms to upload the created content there, threatening the minor male if he did not comply. The minor male confirmed Hamilton was in online groups that raped, hurt, drugged and killed minors.

On his electronic devices, Hamilton possessed thousands of videos and images of child sexual abuse, including exploitation material involving babies, toddlers and children.

Hamilton pleaded guilty in August 2024 to making a notice for child pornography and possessing child pornography.

Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp announced the sentence imposed on April 21 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Tyler Aagard are representing the United States in this case.

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FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Arrests Local Man for Possession of Unregistered Destructive Device

Source: US FBI

CINCINNATI—A Mason man has been arrested by the FBI for possessing an unregistered destructive device.

James River Phillips, 20, was arrested today by the FBI Cincinnati Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) following federal court-authorized law enforcement activity at locations in Mason, Oxford, and Liberty Township, Ohio.

“The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested James River Phillips after he allegedly possessed a dangerous destructive device,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “The FBI and our partners worked together to ensure his actions were stopped before there was any risk to public safety.”

According to the criminal complaint, Phillips is believed to have possessed an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that was discovered by a Lebanon Police Department patrol officer on September 22, 2024, at an outdoor sports complex. The device was collected by the Butler County Bomb Squad and the components were tested.

Charging documents detail that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force was able to identify Phillips as the primary suspect who left the device at the sports complex. The JTTF has also been able to connect Phillips to other incidents where he is alleged to have possessed and detonated potential explosives.

The FBI is being assisted in this case by the Lebanon Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Mason Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Dayton Police Department, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio is representing the United States in this case.

A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Trussville Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

Source: US FBI

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Trussville man has been sentenced for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Antonio Sedell Ellis, 50, to 48 months in prison. In October 2024, Ellis pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.

According to the plea agreement, on May 9, 2023, a Trussville police officer observed a black Ford F-450 traveling on Interstate 59 and cross the outside fog line several times. The officer initiated a traffic stop of the driver, later identified as Ellis. During the stop, the officer could smell alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and asked Ellis to exit the vehicle. Although Ellis initially complied with the officer’s requests, he then attempted to walk away from the scene and refused to follow the officer’s orders. Additional officers responded and successfully apprehended Ellis. He was placed into the back of the patrol car so that a full search of Ellis’s vehicle could be completed. The search uncovered a package containing one kilogram of cocaine, several bags of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia.

The FBI investigated the case along with the Trussville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.