U.S. Department
of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel recognized for outstanding performance
CINCINNATI – U.S. Attorney Gerace announced today awards for outstanding performance for employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in four categories.
The awards include:
Outstanding Performance by an Assistant U.S. Attorney – Kyle J. Healey and Adam Tieger
Mr. Healey has spent most of his career in this district working difficult criminal cases involving sex trafficking of minors, coercion and enticement of minors, and child exploitation. Recent significant case examples include:
- U.S. v. Kelly Richards, in which the defendant gave cocaine to minors, kept them in his apartment, and sex trafficked them. Richards was convicted at trial and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
- U.S. v. William Scott Elam, who pretended to be a teenage boy online while coercing girls into creating nude images and videos that involved sexual conduct. Elam used self-harm as a means of coercion, even instructing one victim to engage in self-harm via cutting live on video. Elam was sentenced to 26 years in prison.
- U.S. v. Daveion Wright, a defendant who sexually exploited a toddler in SnapChat videos. Wright was sentenced in September to 29 years in prison.
Mr. Tieger, a civil AUSA, demonstrated outstanding commitment to the district by playing a key role in civil asset forfeiture matters, litigating civil immigration matters on behalf of the United States, and achieving favorable judgments in defensive litigation on behalf of government agencies.
Outstanding Performance by Staff – Brittany Ewing and Kristine Pfarrer
Ms. Ewing is a docketing technician in Cincinnati. This past year, she has taken on additional duties including coordinating the grand jury in Cincinnati and helping with civil state foreclosure filings. Ms. Ewing has willingly taken on extra work this past year to enable the district to accomplish its mission even with staffing shortages.
Ms. Pfarrer is a criminal paralegal in Dayton. She is a dedicated member of the Department of Justice who has demonstrated selflessness and initiative in the performance of her duties.. Her work is described as detailed, timely and efficient. As a professional, she is described as competent, pleasant and a team player. Ms. Pfarrer supports many attorneys across the district and coordinates the grand jury in Dayton.
Outstanding Performance by a Litigative Team – Timothy D. Prichard, Emily Czerniejewski, Elizabeth A. Geraghty, Heather A. Hill, Kevin W. Kelley, Kim Robinson, Kelly Terry, Carolyn Delery, Deena Antoon, Alexis Williams, Brandon Harmon
These individuals were recognized for their outstanding performance in 2025 due to their participation in one or more of the following three litigative teams.
This case charged 23 total defendants and involved narcotics and human trafficking conspiracies. A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school. In October 2022, the government added 12 defendants and 28 new charges. Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit. The case also involved the overdose death of at least one individual and the violent death of a second victim.
Ricco Maye was sentenced in October 2025 to life in prison for leading narcotics, sex trafficking and financial fraud conspiracies. The defendant caused an overdose death, coerced addicts into prostitution, and used threats, violence, and manipulation of drug dependencies to ensure individuals carried out his criminal schemes. Maye was found guilty on all counts following a three-week jury trial in November 2024. Court documents and trial testimony detail that Maye used individuals to buy and sell drugs, sell women for sex, and fraudulently apply online for COVID-19 relief funds. Proceeds from all the crimes went to the defendant.
In July 2025, Larry Williams received multiple life sentences in prison for murdering three victims and directing others to dismember and bury two of the bodies. A total of 13 defendants were convicted and sentenced in this case. Williams was found guilty on all charges following a three-week trial in December 2024. Williams was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences plus an additional 60 consecutive months in prison for murdering three victims as part of a narcotics conspiracy to rob a local marijuana dealer of drugs and cash. The defendant, who was also sentenced to five other life sentences to run concurrently to all other counts, had others dismember and bury two of the bodies to dispose of evidence of his crimes.
Extraordinary Individual Contribution to the Mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Kelly Norris
Ms. Norris served as Acting U.S. Attorney from February until August 2025 and as First Assistant U.S. Attorney from August 2025 to December 2025. In each role, she has served the Southern District of Ohio selflessly. Ms. Norris’s professional performance has been instrumental in the success that the district has experienced in carrying out the priorities of the Administration and Department of Justice.
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