BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to highlight three landmark cases that achieved historic outcomes and reflect the Office’s commitment to protecting the public, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.“The good people of north Alabama should know that the federal prosecutors in the Northern District have been setting the bar high with cases that make waves on a national scale. These cases demonstrate the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. “Whether dismantling a sophisticated criminal enterprise, helping bring one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives to justice, or prosecuting those engaged in dog fighting, our mission remains the same: protecting the public and enforcing the rule of law.”Largest Sports Betting Takedown in Department of Justice History The U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted a nationwide illegal sports betting scheme that resulted in the largest sports betting enforcement action in Department of Justice history. In February 2025, Timothy J. Pughsley, Nathan Burdette, Christopher Burdette, Thomas Zito, Gary Rapp, Mark Giaquinto, Matthew Voorhees, David Richards, and Joshua Gentrup pleaded guilty to managing a multi-million-dollar sports betting operation. The organization eventually became known as “Red44,” and bookmaking and betting activities occurred online via an offshore server located in Costa Rica. It is estimated that the organization accepted over $2 billion in wagers during its existence. Within the plea agreements, the defendants—all senior agents within Red44—agreed to pay excise tax restitution totaling $19,777,382.61 to the IRS arising from their acceptance of wagers from sports betters across the U.S. and to satisfy any income tax obligations that remain outstanding.Assistance in the Arrest of an FBI Most Wanted Child PornographerIn this case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office worked alongside law enforcement partners to assist in the arrest of William Michael Spearman. The Office assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida to secure the warrants that led to the FBI executing a no-knock warrant on Spearman’s house in Madison which resulted in the seizure of his servers and his arrest. Prosecutors handled the preliminary and detention hearings in Huntsville to ensure Spearman remained in federal custody. Spearman pleaded guilty in the Florida district to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and received a life sentence. Notably, in June 2026, the Eleventh Circuit issued a published opinion dismissing Spearman’s claim of an illegal search of his home and affirming his conviction.Spearman controlled one of the world’s largest darknet websites dedicated to the advertisement and distribution of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material. It was international in scope. It’s very likely that thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of innocent children were victimized. Spearman oversaw thousands of users, gave directions, and promoted and perpetrated child sexual exploitation in such a size and scope that he became the FBI’s most wanted child pornographer. Second-Largest Animal Rescue in Department of Justice History In another significant case, the Office prosecuted Carlton Lenard Adams for his role in a large-scale dog fighting operation that resulted in the rescue of 78 dogs. At the time of rescue, this was the second largest number of dogs ever recovered from a single defendant in a federal case.Carlton Lenard Adams maintained a stock of 78 fighting dogs among three properties. When they were rescued, some of the dogs bore scars and other injuries, and some were living in conditions of extreme neglect. In addition to the dogs, law enforcement also recovered tools and supplies used in training and keeping dogs used for fighting…
Source: U.S. Department of Justice