Federal Executive Branch
Here's a look at documents from the U.S. Executive Branch
Featured Stories
State Dept. Issues Readout of Deputy Secretary Landau Meeting With Canadian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Morrison
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following readout by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott on Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau's meeting on Jan. 8, 2026, with Canadian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison:
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Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met today with Canadian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison to discuss several pressing topics of mutual interest, including border security, relations with various other nations in the Western Hemisphere, and the need for close coordination to ensure the success of the upcoming
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following readout by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott on Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau's meeting on Jan. 8, 2026, with Canadian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison:
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Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met today with Canadian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison to discuss several pressing topics of mutual interest, including border security, relations with various other nations in the Western Hemisphere, and the need for close coordination to ensure the success of the upcomingFIFA World Cup taking place in both countries and Mexico.
Deputy Secretary Landau recognized Canada's continued engagement in Haiti, including progress on the Gang Suppression Force.
The Deputy Secretary and the Deputy Minister reaffirmed the general alignment of interests between the two countries and the importance of working together to advance these common goals.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/01/deputy-secretary-landaus-meeting-with-canadian-deputy-minister-of-foreign-affairs-morrison/
State Department Issues Public Schedule for Jan. 9, 2026
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for Jan. 9, 2026:
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SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO
Secretary Rubio attends meetings and briefings at the White House.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER LANDAU
Deputy Secretary Landau attends meetings and briefings at the Department of State.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES MICHAEL J. RIGAS
Deputy Secretary Rigas attends meetings and briefings at the Department of State.
UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS ALLISON M. HOOKER
10:30 a.m. Under Secretary Hooker meets with Bangladesh
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for Jan. 9, 2026:
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SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO
Secretary Rubio attends meetings and briefings at the White House.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER LANDAU
Deputy Secretary Landau attends meetings and briefings at the Department of State.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES MICHAEL J. RIGAS
Deputy Secretary Rigas attends meetings and briefings at the Department of State.
UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS ALLISON M. HOOKER
10:30 a.m. Under Secretary Hooker meets with BangladeshNational Security Advisor and High Representative Dr. Khalilur Rahman at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
3:45 p.m. Under Secretary Hooker meets with Omani Ambassador to the United States Talal bin Sulaiman Al Rahbi at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
BRIEFING SCHEDULE
No Department Press Briefing.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/01/public-schedule-january-09-2025/
Fed: Firm Dynamics, Inflation, and the Transmission of Monetary Policy
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (TNSres) -- The Federal Reserve issued the following white paper abstract (No. 2026-003) on Jan. 8, 2026, by William L. Gamber entitled "Firm Dynamics, Inflation, and the Transmission of Monetary Policy."
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Firm Dynamics, Inflation, and the Transmission of Monetary Policy
Abstract:
I study how fluctuations in business formation and destruction affect inflation and the transmission of monetary policy. To do this analysis, I extend a New Keynesian model to include endogenous business formation and destruction and heterogeneous producers. A decline in the number of producers
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (TNSres) -- The Federal Reserve issued the following white paper abstract (No. 2026-003) on Jan. 8, 2026, by William L. Gamber entitled "Firm Dynamics, Inflation, and the Transmission of Monetary Policy."
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Firm Dynamics, Inflation, and the Transmission of Monetary Policy
Abstract:
I study how fluctuations in business formation and destruction affect inflation and the transmission of monetary policy. To do this analysis, I extend a New Keynesian model to include endogenous business formation and destruction and heterogeneous producers. A decline in the number of producersputs upward pressure on inflation, and I find that this mechanism can explain about half of the missing deflation following the Great Recession. I then study the transmission of monetary policy in this framework. I show that endogenous fluctuations in entry generate an intertemporal trade-off in monetary policy; a contractionary shock leads employment and inflation to decline on impact, but inflation later overshoots, as the shock also causes a decline in entry and an increase in exit.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17016/FEDS.2026.003
PDF: Full Paper
Disclaimer: The economic research that is linked from this page represents the views of the authors and does not indicate concurrence either by other members of the Board's staff or by the Board of Governors. The economic research and their conclusions are often preliminary and are circulated to stimulate discussion and critical comment. The Board values having a staff that conducts research on a wide range of economic topics and that explores a diverse array of perspectives on those topics. The resulting conversations in academia, the economic policy community, and the broader public are important to sharpening our collective thinking.
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View full text here: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/feds/firm-dynamics-inflation-and-the-transmission-of-monetary-policy.htm
[Category: Fed]
FAA Fact Sheet: Engineered Material Arresting System
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration issued the following fact sheet:
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Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS)
Background
The runway safety area (RSA) enhances the safety of aircraft that undershoot, overrun, or veer off the runway. The RSA provides a clear, graded area which provides additional space for pilots to bring their aircraft to a safe stop. Though RSAs vary in size by runway, they can be as large as 500 feet wide and often extend 1,000 feet beyond each end of the runway. Many airports were built before the current
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration issued the following fact sheet:
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Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS)
Background
The runway safety area (RSA) enhances the safety of aircraft that undershoot, overrun, or veer off the runway. The RSA provides a clear, graded area which provides additional space for pilots to bring their aircraft to a safe stop. Though RSAs vary in size by runway, they can be as large as 500 feet wide and often extend 1,000 feet beyond each end of the runway. Many airports were built before the currentRSA dimensional standards were adopted in the 1980s. In some cases, it is not practicable to achieve the full standard RSA because there may be a lack of available land. There also may be obstacles such as bodies of water, highways, railroads, and populated areas or severe drop-off of terrain.
The FAA began conducting research in the 1990s to determine how to improve safety at airports where the full RSA cannot be obtained. Working in concert with the University of Dayton, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Engineered Arresting Systems Corporation (ESCO, now Runway Safe Inc., of Logan Township, New Jersey), a new technology emerged to safely arrest overrunning aircraft. Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS) use crushable material placed at the end of a runway to help stop an aircraft that overruns the runway end. The tires of the aircraft sink into the lightweight material and the aircraft rapidly decelerates as it rolls through the EMAS bed.
Current FAA Initiatives
The FAA's Office of Airports has helped facilitate RSA improvements at more than 500 commercial service airports. This means that all practicable improvements, including the use of EMAS technology, have been made at approximately 1,000 runway ends at these airports. These RSAs have been improved to full standards or to the extent practicable including the relocation of FAA-owned navigational equipment. As a result of the success in addressing commercial service airport RSA's, the Office of Airports has started a similar strategy to improve General Aviation RSA's across the country.
Benefits of the EMAS Technology
EMAS technology improves safety benefits in cases where land is not available for an RSA of standard dimensions. A standard EMAS installation will stop most aircraft overrunning the runway at 70 knots (approximately 80 miles per hour).
EMAS Arrestments
To date, EMAS safely stopped 25 overrunning aircraft carrying 491 crew and passengers aboard those flights.
Date ... Crew and Passengers ... Incident
May 1999 ... 30 ... A Saab 340 commuter aircraft overran the runway at John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in Jamaica (New York City), New York
May 2003 ... 3 ... A Gemini Cargo MD-11 overran the runway at JFK International Airport in Jamaica (New York City), New York
January 2005 ... 3 ... A Boeing 747 overran the runway at JFK International Airport in Jamaica (New York City), New York
July 2006 ... 5 ... A Mystere Falcon 900 overran the runway at Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) in Greenville, South Carolina
July 2008 ... 145 ... An Airbus A320 overran the runway at Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD) in Chicago, Illinois
January 2010 ... 34 ... A Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jet overran the runway at Yeager Airport (CRW) in Charleston, West Virginia
October 2010 ... 10 ... A G-4 Gulfstream overran the runway at Teterboro Airport (TEB) in Teterboro, New Jersey
November 2011 ... 5 ... A Cessna Citation II overran the runway at Key West International Airport (EYW) in Key West, Florida
October 2013 ... 8 ... A Cessna 680 Citation overran the runway at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) in West Palm Beach, Florida
January 2016 ... 2 ... A Falcon 20 overran the runway at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) in Wheeling, Illinois
October 2016 ... 37 ... A Boeing 737 overran the runway at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in Flushing (New York City), New York
April 2017 ... 2 ... A Cessna 750 Citation overran the runway at Bob Hope Airport (BUR) in Burbank, California
February 2018 ... 4 ... A Beech Jet 400A overran the runway at Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL) in Cleveland, Ohio
December 2018 ... 117 ... A Boeing 737 overran the runway at Bob Hope Airport (BUR) in Burbank, California
February 2019 ... 1 ... An Embraer Phenom 100 overran the runway in Kansas City Airport (MCI) in Kansas City, Missouri
February 2021 ... 2 ... A Dassault F900 overran the runway at Chicago Executive-Wheeling Airport (PWK) in Chicago, Illinois
July 2021 ... 9 ... A Cessna Citation Excel overran the runway at Reading Regional Airport (RDG) in Reading, Pennsylvania
September 2021 ... 2 ... An Aero Vodochody F-13 overran the runway at Witham Field Airport (SUA) in Stuart, Florida
March 2021 ... 2 ... A Cessna 650 overran the runway at Key West International Airport (EYW) in Key West, Florida
April 2023 ... 7 ... A Cessna 402C overran the runway at Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
October 2023 ... 2 ... A Beechcraft BE30 overran the runway at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) in Atlanta, Georgia
July 2024 ... 2 ... A Hawker 900XP overran the runway at Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) in Telluride, Colorado
September 2025 ... 2 ... A Gulfstream G150 overran the runway at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) in Wheeling, Illinois
September 2025 ... 4 ... A Bombardier Challenger 300 overran the runway at Boca Raton Airport (BCT) in Boca Raton, Florida
September 2025 ... 53 ... An Embraer ERJ-145 overran the runway at Roanoke/Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) in Roanoke, Virginia
EMAS Manufacturers
Runway Safe acquired the EMASMAX(R) product range from ESCO as of February 2020. Runway Safe is the sole manufacturer of EMAS products that meet the FAA standards of Advisory Circular 150-5220-22B, "Engineered Materials Arresting Systems for Aircraft Overruns." Currently, Runway Safe has two EMAS systems, the cellular concrete block system called EMASMAX(R) and a silica foam system called greenEMAS(R).
The FAA reviews and accepts each EMAS proposal prior to installation.
EMASMAX(R) is the latest, most durable version of Runway Safe's block based EMAS, developed with and technically accepted by the FAA. EMASMAX(R) arrestor beds are composed of blocks of lightweight, crushable cellular cement material.
Runway Safe's greenEMAS(R) is a foamed silica bed which is made from recycled glass and is contained within a high-strength plastic mesh system anchored to the pavement. The foamed silica is poured into lanes bounded by the mesh and covered with a poured cement layer and treated with a topcoat of sealant.
Both EMAS products are located at the end of the runway and are typically the full width of the runway. The bed length and offset from the end of the runway depends on the airport configuration and the aircraft fleet using the airport.
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Original text here: https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/engineered-material-arresting-system-emas-0
Colorado Man Convicted of Trafficking Fentanyl, Illegally Possessing Firearms
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri, Jan. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri posted the following news release on Jan. 7, 2026:
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Colorado Man Convicted of Trafficking Fentanyl, Illegally Possessing Firearms
A Denver man was convicted by a federal trial jury of trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms.
Jason S. Thompson, 50, was found guilty of one count each of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
In the early morning hours of
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SPRINGFIELD, Missouri, Jan. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri posted the following news release on Jan. 7, 2026:
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Colorado Man Convicted of Trafficking Fentanyl, Illegally Possessing Firearms
A Denver man was convicted by a federal trial jury of trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms.
Jason S. Thompson, 50, was found guilty of one count each of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
In the early morning hours ofAug. 30, 2024, officers with the Nixa, Mo., Police Department contacted Thompson, who was camping in a minivan in the parking lot of the Nixa Walmart. Thompson initially provided officers with a false name and date of birth. When officers attempted to arrest him, Thompson fled on foot but was quickly apprehended. Once Thompson gave officers his actual name and identifying information, they learned that he had a federal probation and parole warrant for his arrest.
Officers searched Thompson and found a small bag of cocaine and more than $1,000 in cash. Officers also located two loaded firearms, drug paraphernalia, and a large plastic bag containing nearly 140 grams of fentanyl pills in the minivan.
Thompson has an extensive criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and theft.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for about two hours before returning guilty verdicts yesterday to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
Under federal statutes, Thompson faces a sentence of 15 years to life in federal prison, without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver, James J. Kelleher, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Lucas. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nixa, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/colorado-man-convicted-trafficking-fentanyl-illegally-possessing-firearms
Cocaine Trafficker Who Distributed Millions of Dollars of Illegal Drugs Sentenced to Federal Prison
ATLANTA, Georgia, Jan. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia posted the following news release on Jan. 7, 2026:
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Cocaine trafficker who distributed millions of dollars of illegal drugs sentenced to federal prison
Maurice Lynch has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a nationwide cocaine trafficking conspiracy, during which he sold approximately two million dollars' worth of cocaine from a Fairburn, Georgia residence.
"Lynch was part of a large network of cocaine traffickers that peddled millions of dollars of deadly drugs from a metro-Atlanta
... Show Full Article
ATLANTA, Georgia, Jan. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia posted the following news release on Jan. 7, 2026:
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Cocaine trafficker who distributed millions of dollars of illegal drugs sentenced to federal prison
Maurice Lynch has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a nationwide cocaine trafficking conspiracy, during which he sold approximately two million dollars' worth of cocaine from a Fairburn, Georgia residence.
"Lynch was part of a large network of cocaine traffickers that peddled millions of dollars of deadly drugs from a metro-Atlantaresidence," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Our office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold dangerous drug dealers accountable."
"This case demonstrates how illegal drug and firearms possession can create a serious public safety threat," said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. "DEA will continue working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to identify and dismantle drug operations that endanger our communities."
"Let the word get out that if you spread poison in our community there is no way you can run and hide from the U.S. Marshal's service," said U.S. Marshal Thomas E. Brown. "We will hunt and find you, there is no rock large enough to conceal your whereabout from us."
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Lynch participated in a conspiracy that distributed cocaine from stash houses located across the United States, including in the Northern District of Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Buffalo, New York; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; and northern New Jersey. Lynch operated one of the organization's stash houses in Fairburn, Georgia. From there, Lynch distributed 86 kilograms of cocaine, worth approximately two million dollars, during the summer of 2022.
On July 18, 2022, Lynch departed the Fairburn stash house in a ride-share vehicle, carrying two bags. When a Georgia State Patrol trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, Lynch fled on foot, tossing the two bags into nearby trees. He was quickly apprehended, and troopers found two kilograms of cocaine inside the bags. Law enforcement subsequently searched the Fairburn stash house and found two firearms under a couch, over $100,000 in cash, and a drug ledger.
Maurice Lynch, 50, of Tacoma, Washington, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Lynch was convicted of conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute on September 25, 2025, after he pleaded guilty.
Lynch was charged with eight other defendants, four of whom have pleaded guilty:
* Tyronne Johnson, Jr., 49, of Queens, New York, pled guilty to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute on August 20, 2025. He was sentenced to six years, six months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release on November 19, 2025.
* Elisa Johnson, 35, of Kirkland, Washington, pled guilty to conspiring to maintain a premise to distribute a controlled substance on August 20, 2025. She was sentenced to two years, six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release on November 21, 2025.
* Jovan Jackson, Sr., 49, of Snellville, Georgia, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering on July 23, 2025. Jackson's sentencing is set for February 16, 2026.
* Dominique Gwinn, 29, of Atlanta, Georgia, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute and conspiracy to commit money laundering on August 6, 2025. Gwinn's sentencing is set for March 2, 2026.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. LaGrone, Sandra E. Strippoli, Elizabeth M. Hathaway, and Nicholas L. Evert, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua May and Norman L. Barnett, prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service, with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia State Patrol.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
This prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/cocaine-trafficker-who-distributed-millions-dollars-illegal-drugs-sentenced-federal
Armed Illegal Alien Sentenced for Operating Atlanta Area Methamphetamine Laboratories
ATLANTA, Georgia, Jan. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia posted the following news release on Jan. 7, 2026:
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Armed illegal alien sentenced for operating Atlanta area methamphetamine laboratories
Ramiro Contreras-Sandoval, an illegal alien from Mexico, will serve a 30-year prison sentence following his convictions for operating two conversion laboratories containing over 135 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine concealed in paint buckets and for possessing firearms as an illegal alien and in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
"This case should
... Show Full Article
ATLANTA, Georgia, Jan. 9 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia posted the following news release on Jan. 7, 2026:
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Armed illegal alien sentenced for operating Atlanta area methamphetamine laboratories
Ramiro Contreras-Sandoval, an illegal alien from Mexico, will serve a 30-year prison sentence following his convictions for operating two conversion laboratories containing over 135 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine concealed in paint buckets and for possessing firearms as an illegal alien and in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
"This case shouldsend a clear message to anyone thinking about running drugs or using deadly weapons to protect their operation: the federal government will relentlessly seek justice and protect the community from drug traffickers," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "The successful prosecutions of Contreras-Sandoval and his codefendant illustrate the positive impact collaboration among law enforcement agencies has on the community."
"Operating methamphetamine labs is a reckless and dangerous crime," said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. "This conviction underscores that DEA will aggressively pursue anyone who engages in drug trafficking activities that put lives at risk."
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between March 2019 and October 2021, Contreras-Sandoval and Genaro Davalos-Pulido operated two separate clandestine liquid methamphetamine conversion laboratories in the Atlanta area. On April 23, 2019, law enforcement seized over 135 kilograms of a methamphetamine mixture concealed in paint buckets that Contreras-Sandoval and Davalos-Pulido removed from the Morrow, Georgia conversion lab and attempted to transport in a vehicle driven by a conspirator. After law enforcement stopped the drug-laden vehicle, both Contreras-Sandoval and Davalos-Pulido fled the jurisdiction to avoid arrest.
In the fall of 2021, agents located Contreras-Sandoval and Davalos-Pulido back in the Atlanta area - this time in a Norcross, Georgia neighborhood. On October 21, 2021, agents searched a Norcross residence and found Davalos-Pulido inside with a full-scale liquid methamphetamine conversion operation, a loaded Baretta handgun, $84,000 in cash, and a .50 caliber rifle that appeared ready to be shipped to Mexico. Agents arrested Contreras-Sandoval nearby and found approximately $12,000 in his vehicle and pockets.
In June 2024, Davalos-Pulido pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Davalos-Pulido was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in October 2024.
Earlier today, U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Contreras-Sandoval, a/k/a Manuel Santiago Vazquez, a/k/a Jorge Gomez-Sandoval, a/k/a Mirin, 41, of Michoacan, Mexico, to 30 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Contreras-Sandoval was convicted by a federal jury on September 16, 2025, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by an alien illegally present in the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol, Lawrenceville Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, and the Long Beach, California Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert and Thomas M. Forsyth, III prosecuted the case.
This case was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
This case was also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Atlanta comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/armed-illegal-alien-sentenced-operating-atlanta-area-methamphetamine-laboratories
