Tag: us-attorneys-office

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Interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Named

Joseph “Joe” Murphy Jr.

First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph “Joe” Murphy Jr. succeeded former United States attorney D. Michael Dunavant this morning as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. Per precedent, Dunavant stepped down from the position following the change of federal administration.

The Memphis resident was able to naturally assume Dunavant’s former position due to a clause in the Vaccines Reform Act, which allows the First Assistant to the office to become the office’s acting officer. Murphy is a graduate of Lambuth College and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Murphy has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Memphis office since 1989.

Prior to being named first assistant, Murphy served as the office’s criminal chief and as chief of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. During his career, Murphy has tried approximately 125 felony cases to verdict in U.S. District courts. He has also represented the government in over 200 cases litigated before the United States Court of Appeals.

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Aspiring Rapper Sentenced to 10 Years for Sex Trafficking

Osbie Sea

An up-and-coming Memphis rapper will serve a decade in prison for trafficking a 14-year-old for sex. 

Osbie Sea, a 32-year-old rapper known by the monikers “Mr. Money” and “Hard Money,” has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.

In 2013, Sea met a then-14-year-old girl at Kmart in the city’s Raleigh community. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Sea introduced himself to the teenage girl, handed her a flyer, and told her to call him if she wanted to make some money.

After getting into an argument with a family member, the teen ran away from home. She contacted Sea, and he reportedly took her to his apartment. Sea later took her to the Extended Stay America near the intersection of Kirby Parkway and Poplar Avenue.

While at the hotel, Sea took provocative pictures of the victim and posted them on Backpage.com — a site allegedly used by people to solicit prostitution.

Sea reportedly knew the victim was underage. However, he instructed her to tell people that she was 18.

Under Sea’s direction, the victim had intercourse with at least two individuals for money, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. Sea took all of the money she earned from the commercial sex acts.

In addition to his 10-year prison sentence, Sea will have to serve five years of supervised release.

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Five Men Face Prison Time for Counterfeit Money Operation

Five men face up to 20 years in prison for purchasing video game consoles with counterfeit money.

The defendants include Deandre Wright, 24, Demetrius James, 20, Keartic Threatt, 20, Tauris White, 20, and Travis Raggs, 19.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Wright and James began manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes in early 2014. Upon completion, Wright, James, Threatt, White and Raggs targeted individuals selling PlayStations, Xboxes, and cell phones on Craigslist.

Once the defendants came across a seller that fit the bill, one of them would contact the person and arrange a location to meet and make an exchange. However, multiple victims were able to discover the money being used during exchanges was counterfeit. This led to the defendants becoming forceful and fleeing from meeting locations, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

An investigation revealed the group defrauded approximately 50 victims, which included both teens and adults. The PlayStations and Xboxes were reportedly being sold to the defendants for between $200 and $400. 

All five men have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit United States currency to individuals selling items on Craigslist. They each face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

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Former Chickasaw Country Club Clerk Faces 20 Years

A 58-year-old woman faces up to 20 years in prison for defrauding Chickasaw Country Club of $736,000.

On Tuesday, Sue M. Winfrey, a former payroll clerk at Chickasaw Country Club, entered a guilty plea to charges of submitting fraudulent payroll data to Chickasaw’s payroll processor, Paychex.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Winfrey received approximately $736,000 as a result of submitting the fraudulent data between 2003 and August 2013. The money was deposited electronically into bank accounts she maintained at Bank of America. 

“This case underscores our unwavering commitment to bring to justice those who steal from others and brazenly line their pockets by committing white collar crimes,” said Edward Stanton, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, in a statement. “When employees such as Sue Winfrey fraudulently divert funds from employers, the United States Attorney’s office will work with law enforcement partners to ensure those individuals are held accountable and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Winfrey was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2014. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. She is scheduled to be sentenced April 1st.