Federal Crimes

Recent Cases

Federal drug conspiracy sentence reversed due to court’s improper application of the federal sentencing guidelines

October 10, 2009

The Eleventh Circuit recently vacated the sentence of a defendant after determining that the district court improperly found that he was a leader in a drug conspiracy for purposes of the Sentencing Guidelines. That erroneous finding had increased his sentence by four levels. In US v. Martinez, the defendant, Martinez, pled guilty to conspiring to […]

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Macon Georgia criminal lawyer gets bond for client in federal fraud case

June 11, 2009

A federal judge has set a bond for a woman accused of swindling more than $2 million from investors in an alleged Ponzi scheme. The granting of bond comes after a prior judge refused to set bond The Macon Telegraph has the story. Saundra McKinney Pyles, 52, and Gary Sheldon Hutcheson, 56, are accused of […]

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Athens Georgia criminal gambling and fencing cases may go federal

May 19, 2009

On Tuesday, police raided 14 stores and homes in Clarke, Oconee, and Gwinnett counties which capped a three-month investigation into fencing and gambling operations. The Athens Banner-Herald has the story. Police say that convenience store owners and employees placed orders with criminals to steal certain items from homes, businesses, and vehicles. Authorities grew suspicious when [&h…

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Federal criminal charges brought against Macon, Georgia residents for their alleged involvement in Ponzi scheme

May 2, 2009

U.S. Marshals arrested two Macon residents in Colorado on Tuesday for their involvement in a Ponzi scheme which took in over $2 million. The Macon Telegraph has the story. Federal authorities have charged both Gary Hutcheson and Saundra McKinney Pyles with five counts of mail fraud and five counts of money laundering in connection with […]

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Marietta Georgia lawyer pleads guilty in Ponzi scheme in federal court

April 23, 2009

On Monday, Robert Price Copeland, a Marietta Georgia lawyer, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges in connection with a $28 million Ponzi scheme. The government alleges that the scheme defrauded over 125 people. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has the story. The 48 year old was accused of scamming victims across the nation from 2004 […]

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