“Operation Last Call” Effort Results in Arrests of 44 for Illegal Firearms and Narcotics Offenses

NASHVILLE - Forty-four individuals were arrested on federal indictments over the weekend of August 19-23, 2026, as a part of a joint enforcement initiative combating the illegal sale of firearms and narcotics in Nashville, United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek announced today. Dubbed "Operation Last Call", the Summer 2026 initiative combined the law enforcement efforts of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD).

"This operation resulted in the indictments and arrests of dozens of individuals who have been illegally selling firearms and dangerous drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine, and crack on the streets of Nashville," said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. "This large-scale, months long effort shows that the combined efforts of federal and local law enforcement can have positive effects in the fight against the illegal trafficking of firearms and drugs."

As described in court filings, ATF, USMS, and MNPD utilized undercover federal agents to make controlled firearm and narcotics purchases from individuals in multiple areas of Nashville. The areas were determined after a three-year review of shots fired calls, shooting crimes, and analysis provided by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). Another law enforcement agency in another state then reviewed the collected data to determine focus areas without regard to population or socioeconomic factors. "This was a data driven operation," U.S. Attorney Boucek said, "focused on real incidents of shootings and violent crime, many of which are drug related, that have victimized innocent civilians."

The operation seized over 160 firearms off the street, many of them assault-style rifles equipped with high-capacity magazines. Law enforcement also seized multiple "switches" or machine gun conversion devices which are illegal add-ons that turn pistols into machine guns. Finally, agents and detectives removed over two kilograms of methamphetamine, over one kilogram of fentanyl, and over half-kilogram quantities of powder cocaine and crack from Nashville's streets.

"Every illegal firearm removed from the hands of a violent offender or prohibited person and every illegal narcotic removed from our communities potentially saves lives," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet. "The ATF is committed to disrupting violent crime in our communities, but 'Operation Last Call' would not have been successful without the partnerships and collaborative efforts of the men and women from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the United States Attorney's Office."

"The U.S. Marshals Service specializes in apprehending fugitives, and we are always ready to work with our local and federal partners to make sure that defendants are apprehended so they can be held accountable in a court of law," said Denny King, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Tennessee. "This hard work we put in during this operation shows that when law enforcement works together, we can deliver positive results for the citizens of our community."

"Operation Last Call is precision policing in the truest sense," said Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake. "The guns seized, totaling more than 150, will not be part of a future homicide, robbery or shooting incident. I am grateful to the front-line detectives in our Specialized Investigations Division, ATF agents, deputy U.S. Marshals and the U.S. Attorney's Office for partnerships that are, indeed, making Nashville safer. That's especially true in the vulnerable communities where data showed Operation Last Call should focus, including the Harding Place/I-24 corridor, Bell Road-Murfreesboro Pike area, Brick Church Pike-Trinity Lane corridor, and the Napier-Sudekum neighborhood. Residents in those communities deserve peaceful surroundings."

Twenty-seven of the forty-four individuals arrested have previous felony convictions for crimes such as aggravated assault, attempted aggravated robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated burglary, and narcotics trafficking. Ten defendants arrested were already on probation, parole, supervised release, or bond at the time of the alleged offenses.

The individuals arrested on federal indictments during the operation include:

• KeDarious Bell, age 21, charged in two indictments with distribution of methamphetamine (two counts); possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; use or carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; possession of a machine gun; unlawful transfer of firearms (six counts); dealing firearms without a license (five counts)
• Kenyon Blackman, age 21, unlawful transfer of firearms (two counts); dealing firearms without a license (three counts)
• Taurus Booker, age 51, distribution of cocaine; felon in possession of a firearm
• Corian Bowling, age 26, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
• James Braden, age 47, distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine; felon in possession of a firearm
• Gregory Brooks, age 30, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine; felon in possession of a firearm
• Imari Calloway, age 20, unlawful transfer of firearms (three counts); dealing firearms without a license (four counts)
• Aron Capps, age 27, distribution of fentanyl
• Waldorf Coleman, age 42, felon in possession of a firearm
• Alexi Contreras, age 39, distribution of fentanyl
• Cory Cotton, age 45, distribution of fentanyl; distribution of crack cocaine; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl
• Ulises Cruz, age 26, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
• Brandon Dardy, age 39, distribution of cocaine; felon in possession of a firearm with prior convictions
• Lewis Dawson, age 26, felon in possession of a firearm; distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of crack cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
• Miguel De La Rosa, age 24, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; unlawful transfer of firearms
• Danny DeMoss, age 38, distribution of fentanyl; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl
• Terry Fields, age 42, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
• Latherio Fizer, age 42, distribution of cocaine, distribution of crack cocaine
• Brian Ging, age 28, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number
• William Givens, age 67, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
• Tiffany Givens, age 42, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine (two counts)
• Easan Harris, age 19, possession of a machine gun conversation device
• William Henderson, age 37, distribution of fentanyl; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine,
• Tyrone Hudson, age 41, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; use or carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
• Jerron Huey, age 40, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
• Aiden Johnson, age 20, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of methamphetamine
• Peter McKinnie, age 46, distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
• Shomari Milliken, age 40, distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl with prior conviction
• Jeremy Mimms, age 38, felon in possession of a firearm (six counts); distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
• Jermaine Morgan, age 27, charged in two indictments with possession of a machine gun conversation device (two counts); distribution of cocaine (two counts); felon in possession of a firearm
• Frank Newsom, age 38, felon in possession of a firearm (two counts); distribution of fentanyl
• James Oliver, age 39, felon in possession of a firearm; attempted distribution of fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
• Lilburn Reynolds, age 56, distribution of crack cocaine (two counts); use or carry of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm
• Barry Robertson, age 40, felon in possession of a firearm
• Ladon Robertson, age 40, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
• Timothy Schields, age 35, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
• Joshua Selmon, age 36, unlawful possession of a firearm after a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction; dealing firearms without a license
• Courtney Skinner, age 41, distribution of fentanyl; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (two counts); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm
• Tyler Sloan, age 30, distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
• Cameron Thompson, age 26, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of methamphetamine
• Andre Vaughn, age 37, distribution of 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
• Ronnie Wellington, age 47, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; distribution of fentanyl
• Corey Wilson, age 43, distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (two counts); distribution of fentanyl; distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm

The indictments against all of the individuals arrested are allegations only. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The ATF's Nashville Field Office, the USMS for Middle Tennessee, and the MNPD conducted the investigations for this operation. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Stephens, Dina Shabayek, Brian Enright, Alex Bergida, and Carlin Hess are prosecuting the cases charged.

#####