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Keon J. Carwell, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison, 3 years supervised release, for possessing seven firearms as a prior convicted felon after he was located in Hernando, Mississippi.

Harold Cook, 55, of Fort Worth, Texas, pleaded guilty today after a federal jury was selected for his trial. This concludes a major Homeland Security Task Force operation involving 19 defendants, more than 25 kilograms of cocaine and $150,000 in drug proceeds and multiple vehicles seized.  

U.S. Attorney Scott Leary and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced today that a Mexican national, illegally in the United States, was sentenced to 121 months in prison, five years supervised release and $14,000 in restitution for knowingly distributing and receiving visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct through the popular internet application Facebook Messenger. He had previously pled guilty to these charges.  According to court documents, Adolfo Raul Vasquez-Santana, 32, of Southaven, Mississippi, downloaded and shared violent videos that depicted the

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi announced the recognition of the fourth annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day. He affirmed our district will do our part in putting these traffickers behind bars and urged others to join us by spreading the word about the dangers of drug use.

Carleone Pate, Jr., 21, of Lexington, Mississippi had recently been released from MDOC after serving a three-year sentence for aggravated assault convictions. He robbed a Dollar General in Carroll County with a gun and fled from law enforcement. 

U.S. Attorney Scott Leary is proud to have recognized Law Enforcement Ranger Dylan Romine from the National Park Service for his outstanding work and service on behalf of crime victims in the Northern District of Mississippi. Ranger Romine was given the Carolyn Clayton Victims’ Service Award as part of the District’s recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.  

Christopher Mack, 48, of Sardis, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for distribution of cocaine. His co-defendant, Irish Lee of Como, pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine and was sentenced to sixty months in a previous court proceeding. They were a part of a Homeland Security Task Force Initiative investigation. 

Elmer Smith, 39, of Memphis, Tennessee pleaded guil

ty and was sentenced today to over 14 years in prison for federal kidnapping of a domestic partner.

A Lowndes County, MS man was sentenced to thirteen years for trafficking in excess of fifty grams of methamphetamine. 

Luis Carlos Noyola, 50, was sentenced today to over 14 years in prison and five years supervision after release. Noyola forcibly took his victim from Alabama to Mississippi and then to Tennessee where she escaped. 

The US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has affirmed the conviction and sentence of former Amory educator Toshemie Wilson. He was found guilty by a federal jury of sexual exploitation of children and given 24 years for each count. 

A federal grand jury returned indictments charging eight individuals with drug distribution and an additional charge of felon in possession of firearms. They were all arrested today in Cleveland, Mississippi thanks to the U.S. Marshal Service, Cleveland Police Department and FBI.