Man Who Operated Sex Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison

Soloman Mustafa Used Violent Sex Acts, Duct Tape and Handcuffs, and Violence to Prevent Women from Escaping

ATLANTA—The operator of an Atlanta sex trafficking ring who committed violent sexual acts against his victims, bound them with duct tape, took their identification, and committed other atrocities in order to hold them captive was sentenced today to life in prison by United States District Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr.

Soloman Manasseh Mustafa, 38, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was convicted on July 18, 2012, after an eight-day jury trial of sex trafficking, kidnapping, transporting women across state lines for prostitution, document servitude, and enticement of a minor for sexual activity. His co-defendant, Kalandra Annette Wallace, 25, of Jonesboro, Georgia, pleaded guilty on October 11, 2011, and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of the case, “This defendant brutally assaulted young women and forced them into acts of prostitution in three states. Many of the victims were beaten, raped, handcuffed, and forced to snort cocaine by the defendant and his co-conspirator. Today’s sentence demonstrates that sex traffickers will pay a heavy price for victimizing young women.”

Ricky Maxwell, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, said, “Today’s sentencing removes a violent predator from the streets and prevents him from harming and exploiting others. The FBI’s Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force (MATCH) will continue its hard work in identifying, investigating, and bringing forward for prosecution individuals such as Mustafa who prey on others in such a violent manner.”

According to the indictment and evidence presented during trial: Mustafa and co-defendant Wallace recruited and enticed young women via advertisements on Internet sites such as Craigslist.com and Backpage.com, luring them into prostitution in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Once Mustafa and Wallace began working with the women, however, they physically assaulted many of the victims, prevented them from leaving hotels or apartments, and forced them to engage in commercial sex acts.

During trial, the government presented evidence that two victims were bound with duct tape and placed in a closet. These victims, still bound with duct tape, were ultimately taken against their will to Homewood, Alabama, for the purpose of having sex with men. Other victims were forced to have sex with men and all the money earned by the victims was required to be turned over to Mustafa and Wallace. According to the evidence, one victim had a gun pointed at her head and was ordered to remove her clothes and stand naked in a corner of the room. Other women were forced to inhale a white powdery substance that appeared to be cocaine. Two victims were handcuffed to the bed to keep them from leaving.

The evidence also showed that Mustafa communicated via text messaging with a young girl whom he believed to be 14 years old. In those text messages, he instructed the juvenile to send him photos of herself. Once Mustafa saw the photos, he told the juvenile that she could be his sex slave, and he went to the juvenile’s home to pick her up. The juvenile left her home by tying bed sheets together and climbing out the window. Fortunately, Mustafa let the young girl go in a subdivision close to her home.

Mustafa and Wallace also took the identification, telephones, and wallets of some of the victims, with the purpose of making the victims feel trapped. After one victim escaped, Mustafa and Wallace kept her identification and used it to rent hotel rooms and a house.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the FBI’s Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes the Atlanta Police Department, the Cobb County Police Department, the Fulton County Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the City of Marietta Police Department, and the Sandy Springs Police Department. Other departments that assisted in the investigation are the Holly Springs Police Department, the DeKalb County Police Department, the Clayton County Police Department, and the Homewood (Alabama) Police Department.

The United States Attorney’ Office maintains information and resources about human trafficking on its website at http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/community/humantrafficking/index.html. If anyone has any information about any human trafficking case, they are encouraged to report that information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 404-679-9000.

Assistant United States Attorneys Yonette Buchanan, Nekia S. Hackworth, and Susan Coppedge prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at USAGAN.Pressemails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.

Jury Convicts Man Who Operated a Sex Trafficking Ring

ATLANTA—After an eight-day jury trial, a federal jury convicted Soloman Manasseh Mustafa, 38, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, for operating a sex trafficking ring in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Mustafa was known for committing violent sexual acts against his victims; binding them with duct tape; taking their identification; and committing other atrocities in order to hold them captive. The jury found Mustafa guilty of sex trafficking, kidnapping, transporting women across state lines for prostitution, document servitude, and enticement of a minor for sexual activity. Mustafa and his co-defendant Kalandra Annette Wallace, 25, of Jonesboro, Georgia, were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 10, 2011. Wallace pleaded guilty on October 11, 2011, and testified against Mustafa.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of the case, “This defendant brutally assaulted young women to force them into acts of prostitution in three states. While all of the victims managed to escape from the defendant, many were beaten, raped, handcuffed, and forced to snort cocaine by the defendant and his co-conspirator. Now, he faces a lengthy sentence in federal prison.”

Brian D. Lamkin, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta, said, “Combating human trafficking begins with an aggressive investigation and culminates with a relentless prosecution. Today’s guilty verdict in one of the most heinous human trafficking matters to be addressed in this region is most heartfelt by those directly involved. The FBI is proud of the role that it played in removing an individual such as Mr. Mustafa from the streets where he preyed on and exploited these vulnerable women, to include juveniles.”

According to the indictment and evidence presented during trial: Mustafa and co-defendant Wallace recruited and enticed young women via advertisements on Internet sites such as Craigslist and Backpage, luring them into prostitution in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Mustafa and Wallace physically assaulted many of the victims, preventing them from leaving hotels or apartments and forcing them to engage in commercial sex acts.

During trial, the government presented evidence that two victims were bound with duct tape and placed in a closet. These victims, still bound with duct tape, were ultimately taken against their will to Homewood, Alabama, for the purpose of having sex with men. Other victims were forced to have sex with men, and all the money earned by the victims was required to be turned over to Mustafa and Wallace. According to the evidence, one victim had a gun pointed at her head and was ordered to remove her clothes and stand naked in a corner of the room. Other women were forced to inhale a white powdery substance that appeared to be cocaine. Two victims were handcuffed to the bed to keep them from leaving.

The evidence also showed that Mustafa communicated via text messaging with a young girl whom he believed to be 14 years old. In those text message,s he instructed the juvenile to send him photos of herself. Once Mustafa saw the photos, he told the juvenile that she could be his sex slave, and he went to the juvenile’s home to pick her up. The juvenile left her home by tying bed sheets together and climbing out the window. Fortunately, Mustafa let the young girl go in a subdivision close to her home.

Mustafa and Wallace also took the identification, telephones, and wallets of some of the victims, with the purpose of making the victims feel trapped. After one victim escaped, Mustafa and Wallace kept her identification and used it to rent hotel rooms and a house.

The sex trafficking, kidnapping, and enticement of a minor charges each carry a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, the court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

Sentencing has been set for September 19, 2012, at 10 a.m. before United States District Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr.

If anyone has any information about any human trafficking case, they are encouraged to report that information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 404-679-9000.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the FBI’s Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes the Atlanta Police Department, the Cobb County Police Department, the Fulton County Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the City of Marietta Police Department, and the Sandy Springs Police Department. Other departments that assisted in the investigation are the Holly Springs Police Department; the DeKalb County Police Department; the Clayton County Police Department; and the Homewood, Alabama Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Yonette Buchanan and Nekia S. Hackworth are prosecuting the case.

Suspect Sought in Two Cobb County Bank Robberies

ATLANTA—Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Brian D. Lamkin, along with Cobb County Police Chief John R. Houser, requests the public’s assistance in identifying and locating the individual responsible for two Cobb County, Georgia bank robberies that occurred earlier this month.

On Friday, May 11, 2012 at approximately 10:27 a.m., a lone black male entered the Wells Fargo Bank branch located at 5010 Floyd Road in Mableton, Georgia and presented a demand note to the teller. The robber departed the bank without further incident, having obtained an undisclosed amount of money.

On Friday, May 18, 2012 at approximately 11:54 a.m., this same individual entered the Regions Bank branch located at 2048 Macland Crossing in Marietta, Georgia and again presented a demand note to the teller announcing a robbery. The robber departed the bank without further incident, having obtained an undisclosed amount of money.

The robber is described as being a black male, late 20s to early 30s in age, 6’2” to 6’3” in height, weighing 180 lbs., and having black hair (possibly dreadlocks), a possible mustache, and a slender build. On May 11, 2912, he was observed wearing black shorts, a black jacket, black tennis shoes with white stripes on top, a black Atlanta Falcons stocking hat, and had a blue lollipop in his mouth. On May 18, 2012, he was observed wearing white shorts, a white T-shirt, dark hat, silver-framed sunglasses, and white tennis shoes.

Anyone with information regarding this matter should contact Crime Stoppers at (404) 577-8477 or FBI Atlanta at (404) 679-9000. There is a reward of up to $2,000 through Crimes Stoppers for information leading to the arrest/conviction of the individual responsible for these robberies.

America's Most Wanted Fugitive Captured in Port Wentworth, GA

Savannah, GA – Jennifer Segrest, on the run for the past two years, was arrested by members of the Savannah Office of the United States Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Port Wentworth Police Department and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office on February 7, 2012.

Jennifer Segrest, 38, was wanted by the Cobb County Police Department for the offenses of child molestation and enticement of a child. According to the warrant, Segrest knowingly facilitated the repeated molestation of her two minor daughters, ages five and six to a pedophile in exchange for $30,000. After an investigation into these child abuse allegations the Cob County Police Department charged Segrest with the underlying sex offenses.

The case was referred to the U.S. Marshals South East Regional Fugitive Task Force to help find this dangerous felon. An extensive investigation ensued over the last two years. Recently this case was profiled on America’s Most Wanted as early as December 2011. The segment was shown several times over the ensuing months and recently a concerned citizen provided information that lead law enforcement to an address in Port Wentworth. The Savannah Task Force with the assistance of the Port Wentworth Police Department and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office went to the address of 202 Cantyre Street, Port Wentworth and arrested Segrest without incident. Segrest was taken to the Chatham County Jail to await extradition back to Cobb County.

This case embodies the motto of the United States Marshals Service “You Can Run, But You Cannot Hide”. Through the unwavering perseverance of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Apprehension program along with the assistance of our state and local law enforcement agencies a very dangerous and violent felon was taken off the street.

Annually, investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals result in the apprehension of over 36, 000 federal fugitives. More federal fugitives are arrested by the Marshals Service than all other federal agencies combined. In 2011, U.S. Marshals led task forces arrested more than 86,000 state and local fugitives, which cleared over 113,000 warrants.

The Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force has three offices: Atlanta, Macon, and Savannah. The task force covers the whole state of Georgia. The Savannah Office of the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force is a team comprised of investigators from the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department, the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Department, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department, the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Department, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department, and the United States Marshals Service. The task force objective is to seek out and arrest fugitives charged with violent crimes, drug crimes, sex offenders, and other felonies.

Fugitive apprehended at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport

June 8 wasn't a typical Wednesday morning at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Instead, a major operation was underway. A fugitive – an alleged child predator – was on the loose, attempting to leave the country.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, serving alongside members of the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Task Force and representatives from the Cobb County Sheriff's Department and the Atlanta Police Department, sprang into action.

That individual, Neftali Diaz-Guevara, was wanted by the Cobb County Police Department on felony charges for child molestation, kidnapping and influencing a witness. He was attempting to board a plane back to his native El Salvador.

"The capture of this dangerous fugitive is evidence of ICE's and our law enforcement partners' commitment to uphold public safety," said Felicia Skinner, ICE's Atlanta field office director. "Fleeing the United States to avoid justice and evade law enforcement was not an option."

Diaz-Guevara is currently being held at the Cobb County Jail. He will subsequently be turned over to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers who will initiate removal proceedings.

Operation Spider Web Snags Cocaine, Meth, and Weapons; Fifteen Indicted on Related Drug Trafficking and Firearms Crimes

Over $1,000,000 in Cash Seized During Investigation

ATLANTA, GA—In the past 24 hours, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), have concluded search and arrest actions in Cobb County and today, with the United States Attorney’s Office, announce that 15 individuals have been indicted for alleged drug trafficking and firearms-related crimes stemming from the large-scale investigation, code-named Operation Spider Web.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of the takedown and the case, “The U.S. Attorney's office targets the largest drug trafficking organizations in the district, so that we can reduce the drug trafficking and violence not only in the state of Georgia but the other parts of the country that these organizations touch. Operation Spider Web involves 15 defendants who are alleged to have distributed cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana using tire stores as fronts, and tires as drug packaging. The takedown of this case has a direct impact on the community to make Atlanta safer, with less drugs and fewer guns on the streets.”

“Georgia residents can sleep better tonight knowing that an organized criminal ring has been hit,” said Brock Nicholson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office overseeing Georgia and the Carolinas. “This case demonstrates yet again how law enforcement in Atlanta is committed to working together to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks.”

Rodney G. Benson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said, “DEA and its law enforcement counterparts orchestrated a well-planned and coordinated assault against a high-level, poly-drug distribution network. Because of the unified effort between DEA and its law enforcement counterparts, this organization will no longer be able to wreak havoc on our community.”

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge, Gregory K. Gant said, “The mission of ATF is unwavering—we fight violent crime by investigating and prosecuting those who criminally use firearms that cause immeasurable damage to our communities. Today's enforcement activity is a perfect example of the law enforcement community working together to remove these violent criminals from its streets.”

Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren, on behalf of the Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna Organized Crime Intelligence Task Force (MCS), said, “We often work in conjunction with other local, state and federal agencies in order to maximize our resources in combating illegal activity in our community. These cooperative efforts, especially in the metro area, are especially effective in letting the criminal element know we are all serious about protecting and serving the citizens in our jurisdictions. Job well done.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: In May 2009, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in the metro-Atlanta area and elsewhere. The organization allegedly coordinated the receipt and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana throughout Atlanta and elsewhere, using firearms in furtherance of its illegal activities. The indictment alleges that members of the organization hid, transported, and stored illegal drugs and drug money inside of tires that were then either placed on or inside drug delivery vehicles.

As part of today's takedown, agents searched two tires shops, “Alex Tires and Rims” in Marietta, Georgia, and “Emmy Tires” in Griffin, Georgia. Both tire shops were allegedly operated by SANTIAGO VILLANUEVA PINEDA. Agents also executed three search warrants, including at the tire businesses used by the criminal organization as fronts for its illegal activities. Today’s takedown ensnared 13 defendants, with the arrest of eight additional individuals on state drug charges or for immigration offenses. Items seized during the takedown included 22 guns, several kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine, a meth lab, over $30,000 in cash, and several vehicles. Those seizures supplement the approximately $1,000,000, 75 kilograms of cocaine, over 11 pounds of methamphetamine, 16 firearms, and two grenade hulls already seized in the investigation.

Earlier this week, a federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment related to “Operation Spider Web,” which was unsealed today with the arrests. The indictment charges the defendants with various criminal offenses including conspiring to traffic over five kilograms of cocaine, over 100 kilograms of marijuana, and over 500 grams of methamphetamine; substantive drug trafficking charges; and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes:

SANTIAGO VILLANUEVA PINEDA, a/k/a “Alex,” 36, of Marietta, Georgia;

RAMIRO ALVARADO GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Mori,” a/k/a “Moreno,” 25, of Marietta, Georgia;

JAMES TORRES, a/k/a “El Gordo,” 28, of Marietta, Georgia;

TARSICIO BRAVO-CARBAJAL, a/k/a “Chicho,” a/k/a “Chucho,” 53, of Marietta, Georgia;

BERNALDO MOLINA-CARDENAS, a/k/a “Berna,” 49, of Marietta, Georgia;

ELEAZAR AGUIRRE RIVERA, 27, of Cartersville, Georgia;

JUVENTINO BAZA, 43, of Marietta, Georgia;

PABLO GARCIA, a/k/a “Enrique Farias,” 34, of Cartersville, Georgia;

WILBER AVALOS PEREZ, 36, of Smyrna, Georgia;

JOSE CARLOS SOTO-PINEDA, a/k/a “Pedro Mendoza,” 29, of Sandy Springs, Georgia;

JOSE PATINO-CHAVEZ, a/k/a “Markos Jaimes,” 38, of Marietta, Georgia;

ISAIAS MONDRAGON, a/k/a “Fat Boy,” 30, of Powder Springs, Georgia;

NARCISO FLORES-ORTIZ, a/k/a “Chicho,” 33, of Smyrna, Georgia;

GREGORY EARL HARRISON, 40, of Marietta, Georgia; and

CHADWICK HUDSPETH, 41, of Atlanta, Georgia.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The investigation and prosecution of this case is a coordinated effort through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and the Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna Organized Crime Intelligence Task Force (MCS), which is comprised of officers from Cobb County Sheriff's Office, Cobb County Police Department, Marietta Police Department, Smyrna Police Department, Kennesaw Police Department, Acworth Police Department, and Powder Springs Police Department, along with the Cobb County District Attorney's Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kim S. Dammers, Ryan Scott Ferber and Gerald Sachs are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact Sally Q. Yates, United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.

9 indicted on federal drug charges, accused of conspiring to distribute methamphetamines in the Washington, D.C. area

WASHINGTON - Nine people have been indicted on federal charges of conspiring to sell large quantities of crystal methamphetamine in the Washington area, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ronald C. Machen Jr., MPD Chief Cathy L. Lanier and Special Agent in Charge of ICE HSI in Washington, D.C., John P. Torres.

The indictments were returned yesterday by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They followed the arrests of eight of the nine defendants in recent days at various locations in Atlanta, Ga., and Winston-Salem, N.C. The ninth person remains at large.

As part of the investigation, authorities also conducted numerous searches on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11, 2010. They seized more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine, six pounds of marijuana, three firearms and more than $35,000 in cash in these coordinated law enforcement activities. In addition, five pounds of methamphetamine, one kilogram of cocaine and about five pounds of marijuana were recovered in the weeks leading to the arrests.

According to MPD estimates, the street values of the seized drugs included more than $3.5 million worth of methamphetamine, $118,000 of cocaine and $49,500 of marijuana.

The defendants allegedly have ties to "La Familia," a Mexican drug cartel that operates in that country and the United States. According to an affidavit in support of the arrest warrants, the cartel is known to distribute large quantities of cocaine, marijuana and crystal methamphetamine.

One of the defendants - Esteban Almontes Rodriguez - is described in the affidavit as a major cocaine and marijuana trafficker and is purported to be the main supplier for the cartel in the Washington, D.C. area. Another - Alberto Garcia Calderon - is described in the affidavit as the leader of the distribution route into Washington and the supplier of the drugs for Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, Calderon and the other seven defendants were indicted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, punishable by a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. They have been ordered held without bond after court hearings in Georgia and North Carolina.

"Drug trafficking organizations, like the one just dismantled through our cooperative law enforcement efforts, must be aggressively attacked at all levels - from the street dealer to the international supplier and cartel leaders," said Special Agent in Charge Torres.

"Through the coordinated efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we have effectively stopped this organization from expanding its market into the Washington, D.C. area."

The defendants will be brought to Washington for future proceedings in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Rodriguez, 25, most recently of Temple Hills, Md., and Calderon, 36, were among those arrested in Winston-Salem on December 10. Also arrested in that city were Alejandro Quintana Cardenas, 25, and Moises Ramirez-Perez, believed to be 19. In Atlanta, authorities arrested: Alfonso Martinez-Cruz, 39; Jesus Bustos-Penaloza, 52; Felipe Alvarado-Ponce, 36, and Sergio Garcia-Virelas, 24. The ninth defendant is referred to in the indictment only as "Jorge," because his last name is currently unknown.

"These arrests and seizures cut off a pipeline for trafficking dangerous narcotics from Mexican drug traffickers into the Washington D.C. area and along the Northeast Corridor," said U.S. Attorney Machen. "Our success in shutting down this operation was the result of rock-solid partnerships among federal and local law enforcement. Together, we will continue to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that threaten our community."

"This was an extremely dangerous operation and I applaud the officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's Narcotics and Special Investigations division for their selfless and heroic actions," said MPD Chief Lanier. "With the assistance of our federal partners, we are happy to send the resounding message that this city will not tolerate the proliferation of drugs, and anyone who tries to do so will be arrested and prosecuted."

According to the affidavit, Calderon and others in his organization kept methamphetamine in a home that was being used as a laboratory in the Atlanta area. During a search of that home, authorities found at least 50 pounds of methamphetamine in various states, including crystal and liquid methamphetamine, along with two firearms. Another firearm was found in a search of an apartment in the Atlanta area. About six pounds of marijuana was recovered in a search of an apartment in Winston-Salem.

The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking any money or property obtained through the drug conspiracy.

Numerous agencies provided assistance during the investigation. In Georgia, they included the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Atlanta; DEA Task Force Officers from the Fayette County Sheriff's Office; Alpharetta, Ga. Police, Fire and HAZMAT teams; the Georgia State Patrol; the Sandy Springs Police Department; and ICE HSI Task Force officers from the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, the Cobb County Sheriff's Office, and Marietta and Conyers police departments. In North Carolina, they include the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, Stokes County Sheriff's Office, and the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of License and Theft. The U.S. Attorney's Offices in the Northern District of Georgia and the Middle District of North Carolina also assisted in the investigation and court hearings.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karla-Dee Clark, Vincent Caputy and Nihar Mohanty, of the District of Columbia.