Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to File False Claims Against the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Jose Acevedo (39, Connecticut) pleaded guilty today to conspiring to file false claims against the United States. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the facts presented at the plea hearing, Acevedo joined in a conspiracy with others to file false and fraudulent income tax returns as claims against the United States. He and fellow conspirators used the personal identification information of persons they knew, and others, to file false and fraudulent income tax returns claiming refunds. These returns contained false information, including that the purported taxpayers had paid withholding taxes to the IRS associated with their supposed employment with business entities created by the conspirators when, in truth, the purported taxpayers were not employees of such entities and had not paid the claimed withholding taxes. Acevedo also caused the filing of several amended income tax returns with the IRS on his own behalf, using the same type of false information, causing the issuance of fraudulent refunds to himself. As a result, the IRS paid conspirators approximately $90,359 in fraudulent refunds and stopped payment on significantly more refund claims.
This case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Career Criminal Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison on Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Jovan Demetrius Fredericks (40, Ocala) to 25 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. A federal jury had found Fredericks guilty of the offenses on March 5, 2019.
According to testimony and evidence presented in court, on the morning of September 29, 2018, officers from the Ocala Police Department encountered Fredericks at the Parkside Gardens public housing complex. Fredericks, a felon with multiple convictions, immediately tried to conceal a hand-rolled cigarette containing illegal drugs from the officers. When the officers stopped to investigate, they saw a loaded, full-size handgun with a 30-round ammunition magazine tucked into the waistband of Fredericks’s pants. After arresting Fredericks for the firearm, a search of his person revealed multiple packages of illegal drugs ready for sale, including MDMA (“ecstasy”), N-Ethylpentylone (“bath salts”), and cocaine. Fredericks’s extensive criminal record—which includes prior convictions for robbery, possession of a firearm by a felon, and repeated sales of illegal drugs—qualified him as both an Armed Career Criminal and a Career Offender for federal sentencing purposes.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This case was jointly investigated by the City of Ocala Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
St. Augustine Registered Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Soliciting A Child to Produce Sex Abuse VideoRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Kenneth Brian Hanger (47, St. Augustine) to 15 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a child over the internet to produce a sexually explicit video of herself. Hanger was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release. In 1994, Hanger was convicted of aggravated indecent assault of a 4-year-old child in Pennsylvania and was required to register as a child sex offender. Hanger has been detained since his arrest on June 5, 2018. He had pleaded guilty to this charge on December 18, 2018.
According to court documents, on May 22, 2018, a detective with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJSO) reviewed sex offender registration information provided by Hanger. Hanger disclosed his use of a social media account that did not list his true name. Posing as a 13-year-old child, the detective sent a “friend request” to this account, and Hanger accepted the request and made online contact with the “child.” Between May 24 and June 5, 2018, Hanger and the “child” engaged in online conversations on several occasions using a texting application. Hanger was advised, and acknowledged several times, that the “child” was 13 years old.
On June 1, 2018, Hanger raised the topic of sexual activity between himself and the “child” and suggested meeting to engage in sex. On June 4, 2018, Hanger and the “child” again discussed meeting for sex, and Hanger sent the “child” an explicit photo of himself. Later that day, Hanger asked the “child” to send him a sexually explicit video. The following day, SJSO detectives arrested Hanger at his home. During an interview, Hanger admitted that he engaged in online conversation with the 13-year-old “child,” that he had sent “her” a photo of his own genitalia, and that he had stated that he intended to engage in sex with the “child.”
“This previously convicted sex offender has proven to society that he remains a threat to our communities,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “This sentencing represents the hard work of HSI, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.”
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations as part of Operation “Rip Current.” It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Realtor Pleads Guilty to Making A False Statement to A Financial InstitutionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Brannon Rue (47, Oviedo) has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a financial institution. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Rue executed a scheme to influence financial institutions to approve short sales of real estate at a loss by making false statements on various documents. In furtherance of his scheme, Rue formed and controlled Hatley Partners, which he used to mask his role as the true purchaser of short-sale properties and to profit from the subsequent sale of the properties.
The purchase contracts for the short sales that were submitted to the financial institutions falsely represented that someone other than Rue was the buyer’s/seller’s agent. The related HUD-1 Settlement Statements also falsely stated that real estate agent commissions were to be paid to third-party realtors. In reality, Rue was the real estate agent who should have been listed on the purchase contracts and the HUD-1s because Rue ultimately received the real estate commissions.
Additionally, each short sale transaction included a Short Sale Affidavit signed and certified by Rue, stating that no relationship existed between the buyer/seller and the real estate agents. Rue falsely certified the affidavits to influence the financial institutions to approve the short sales. The Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac insured or guaranteed the balance and interest for the mortgage loans associated with the affected properties.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development –Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Brevard County Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Roberto Oquendo (38, Brevard County) to 50 years in federal prison for conspiracy to produce child pornography and production of child pornography. The court also ordered Oquendo to forfeit two cellphones that he had used in connection with the offense.
Oquendo had pleaded guilty on January 30, 2019.
According to the plea agreement, on September 15, 2016, Oquendo was the subject of a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, deputies from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that Oquendo possibly had child pornography in his possession. As a result, task force agents with the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations interviewed Oquendo. During the interview, Oquendo admitted that, for several years, he had used a cellphone to search for and view child pornography. Oquendo also disclosed that while residing in Brevard County, he had used a cellphone to take explicit photos of two female children in his custody.
Further investigation led to the seizure of several items of computer media from a place in Brevard County where Oquendo had resided. The computer media contained thousands of images and videos of the two young girls, who were toddlers at the time, as well as other children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Oquendo’s collection of child pornography contains depictions of infants, toddlers, and young children engaged in sexual activity, including sadistic conduct.
In addition, Oquendo had used a social media application to engage in live chats with a co-conspirator, Rose Beth Litzky, during which Litzky engaged two female children in sexually explicit conduct for Oquendo’s viewing and sexual gratification. At the time, Oquendo resided in Virginia, and Litzky resided in Florida. Oquendo created screenshots of the visual depictions involving the two girls.
A federal jury previously found Litzky guilty of conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Her sentencing hearing is set for October 15, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
Ocala Convicted Felon Gets 30 Months in Federal Prison After Shooting Himself with A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Michael Guell (37, Ocala) to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Guell had pleaded guilty on May 14, 2019.
According to court documents, on November 28, 2018, Guell was admitted to a hospital in Ocala with gunshot wounds. When detectives from the Ocala Police Department arrived at the hospital, Guell told them that he had been robbed at gunpoint and shot by an unknown assailant. Investigating further, police located Guell’s car and saw ammunition and shell casings through the car’s window. When interviewed a second time, Guell admitted that he had been drinking in his car and had accidentally shot himself. A search of Guell’s vehicle revealed a semi-automatic handgun, 26 rounds of ammunition, and multiple shell casings. At the time, Guell had five prior felony convictions, including possession of a controlled substance, theft by taking, and fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer. As a convicted felon, Guell is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the City of Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Cape Coral Member of Drug Distribution Ring Sentenced to Ten YearsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Tafawah Horrobin (39, Cape Coral) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Horrobin had pleaded guilty on May 13, 2019. His uncle, co-defendant Michael Horrobin, was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months’ imprisonment on August 12, 2019. A third co-defendant, Travis Lee Watkins, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2019.
According to court documents, on five occasions between February and August 2018, law enforcement officers purchased heroin laced with fentanyl from Tafawah Horrobin in Cape Coral. During the investigation, officers learned that although Tafawah Horrobin resided in Cape Coral, he frequently visited a house in Lehigh Acres where Travis Lee Watkins and Michael Horrobin lived. Investigators determined that the Lehigh Acres residence served as a “safe house” for a drug distribution ring where large quantities of controlled substances were stashed for safekeeping.
On August 16, 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cape Coral Police Department simultaneously executed search warrants at Tafawah Horrobin’s Cape Coral residence and the Lehigh Acres safe house. Inside the Cape Coral residence, investigators found and arrested Tafawah Horrobin who confessed to distributing more than $10,000 in heroin and fentanyl for the organization monthly. From that house, law enforcement also seized various items used to facilitate the distribution of drugs, an illegally possessed firearm, and cash. Inside the Lehigh Acres safe house, law enforcement seized approximately one kilogram of heroin, approximately 400 grams of cocaine, smaller amounts of crack cocaine and methamphetamine, and four firearms.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cape Coral Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Kissimmee Man Sentenced to 15 Months for Threatening to Behead Senator Bernie SandersRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Robert Pratersch (58, Kissimmee) to 15 months in federal prison for threatening a federal official and interstate transmission of a threat to injure. A federal jury had found Pratersch guilty on April 30, 2019.
According to court documents, Pratersch left three threatening voicemail messages at the Office of Senator Bernie Sanders in Burlington, Vermont. These profanity-laced messages included a threat to “behead” Senator Sanders, “ISIS-style,” and videotape the execution. The messages also included numerous anti-Semitic remarks directed at Senator Sanders.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Air Marshals Service, and the United States Capitol Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.
Carrollwood Man Sentenced for $8 Million Investment FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Larry A. Carr (84, Tampa) to four years in federal prison for the sale of unregistered securities. The court also ordered Carr to pay more than $8 million in restitution to his victim-investors.
Carr had pleaded guilty on May 9, 2019.
According to court documents, Carr served as the president and/or sole operator of Cita Trust N.A., Inc., Cita Trust Company, N.A., Cita Trust Company, Ltd., and Cita Trust Company, A.G. (collectively, “Cita Trust”). One or more of the Cita Trust entities operated in Florida while others purported to be trusts or firms in Switzerland.
In 2015, Carr sold unregistered securities in the form of Cita Trust Investment Notes to a victim-investor. The victim-investor used the proceeds of her late husband’s life insurance policy to invest $400,000 with Cita Trust. Carr told the victim-investor that $100,000 was deposited into a money market account earning 1.77% interest, and that the remaining $300,000 was invested in a two-year Cita Trust Investment Note that earned 4.77% interest. Later in 2015, the victim-investor used proceeds from the sale of a building related to her late husband’s business to invest an additional $350,000. The victim-investor gave Carr a check, which he deposited into a bank account in the name of Cita Trust. Carr claimed that the entire $350,000 was invested in an 18-month Cita Trust Investment Note that earned 4.77% interest.
In fact, Carr did not invest the victim-investor’s funds. Rather, he used the funds to make purported interest payments to earlier victim-investors, to pay his employees’ salaries, and to pay for personal expenses, including the lease payment for his luxury car, country club expenses, credit card bills, and a tithe to his church.
The Cita Trust Investment Notes constituted securities, which were required to be registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Knowing that the notes were not registered with the SEC and not exempt from registration, Carr willfully sold them to the public, including to this victim-investor. His fraud scheme resulted in losses to multiple victim-investors in the total amount of at least $8.174 million.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle DesVaux Bedke.
Jacksonville Woman Convicted of Conspiracy to Import CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found Karen Collins (51, Jacksonville) guilty of one count of conspiracy to import at least five kilograms of cocaine. She faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 19, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, Collins recruited young women from her place of employment to carry suitcases roundtrip, from Jacksonville to Jamaica and Trinidad, with either currency or cocaine that was concealed in secret compartments. This conspiracy extended to Chicago, Baltimore, Charlotte, and Texas.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (Jacksonville, Baltimore, and Miami Divisions), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Charlotte, North Carolina). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Taylor.
Jacksonville Contractor Agrees to Pay $500,000 to Settle False Claims Act LiabilityRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Sunrise Systems of Brevard, Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims for government funds in violations of Small Business Administration regulations.
The settlement relates to a Small Business Administration (SBA) grant for a NASA demolition project. The SBA provides opportunities and grants to minority owned small businesses to partner as joint ventures with larger businesses, such as Sunrise. According to the settlement agreement, from December 10, 2013, through February 9, 2016, Sunrise partnered with a minority-owned small business, V&R Enterprises of Jacksonville, Inc., but violated the SBA’s labor and work performance requirements in order to access SBA set-aside funds. The government alleged that Sunrise performed nearly all of the work on the joint venture project and received nearly all of the profits, in violation of the law.
“Violating SBA regulations harms small business and hampers economic growth,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to enforcing federal law to ensure a fair playing field for all government contractors.”
This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, NASA - Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor led the investigation.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Former University Student Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Faisal Buarki (23, Tampa) to 18 months in federal prison for possession of firearms by an alien who was admitted under a non-immigrant visa.
Buarki had pleaded guilty on June 3, 2019.
According to court documents, in February 2019, officers from the Tampa Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a car that Buarki was driving in south Tampa due to a mismatched license plate. A subsequent search of the car’s passenger area revealed two bullets on the front floorboard, a small amount of marijuana, and MDMA. Officers also found two handguns among Buarki’s possessions in the trunk, including a Glock .23 40-caliber pistol, containing 18 rounds of ammunition in the magazine, and an FNX-9 9mm pistol, both of which had been previously reported stolen. Buarki later admitted that he had possessed the two guns.
Under federal law, Buarki, who had been admitted to the United States from Kuwait on an F1 non-immigrant visa to study at the University of Tampa, was prohibited from possessing any firearms while he resided in the United States. Buarki’s status in the United States has since been terminated, and he faces removal from the United States upon his release from custody.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Scruggs.
Fort Myers Man Charged with Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Keith Dewayne Drayton, Jr. (23, Ft. Myers) with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Drayton faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on May 15, 2019, Drayton illegally possessed a firearm. Due to his prior state conviction for unlicensed carrying of a concealed firearm, Drayton is prohibited from carrying a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case is part of Operation Triple Beam (OTB), a U.S. Marshals-led 90-day operation to reduce violent gang crime. OTB was designed to target and arrest violent fugitives and criminal offenders who committed high-profile crimes such as homicide, felony assault and sexual assault, illegal possession of firearms, illegal drug distribution, robbery and arson. The operation concluded on August 1, 2019, and resulted in 120 arrests.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The operation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force, along with the Fort Myers Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff's Office, the Cape Coral Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
Florida Man Arrested for Child-Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A Florida man was arrested today following the return of an indictment by a federal grand jury charging him with two counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity and two counts of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on March 9, 2015, and again on Feb. 23, 2016, Christopher Edwin Day, 49, of St. Petersburg, Florida, allegedly traveled in interstate and foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. In addition, starting in at least in or around December 2014, he allegedly attempted to use electronic devices to persuade two minors to engage in criminal sexual conduct.
The case is being investigated by HSI. Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace G. Rich of the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Man Arrested for Child-Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - A Florida man was arrested today following the return of an indictment by a federal grand jury charging him with two counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity and two counts of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa made the announcement.
According to the
indictment , on March 9, 2015, and again on Feb. 23, 2016, Christopher Edwin Day, 49, of St. Petersburg, Florida, allegedly traveled in interstate and foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. In addition, starting in at least in or around December 2014, he allegedly attempted to use electronic devices to persuade two minors to engage in criminal sexual conduct.The case is being investigated by HSI. Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace G. Rich of the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Two Colombian Nationals and One Belizean National Sentenced for Roles in International Cocaine Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Rudolph Randolph Meighan (28, Belize), Jorge Ramon Newball-May (49, Colombia), and Calbot Reid-Dilbert (59, Colombia) each to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for their roles in an international maritime cocaine trafficking conspiracy. In May 2019, a federal jury found Randolph Meighan, Newball-May, and Reid-Dilbert each guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on that vessel.
According to evidence presented at trial, Randolph Meighan, Newball-May, and Reid-Dilbert were part of an international maritime drug smuggling operation involving more than 600 kilograms of cocaine, worth approximately $18 million, bound for the United States. Randolph Meighan was the Belizean load guard for a Cartagena, Colombia-based cocaine smuggling crew, which included Newball-May and Reid-Dilbert as crewmembers. Prior to their interdiction by the U.S. Coast Guard, the individuals were transporting approximately 30 to 40 bales of cocaine onboard a go-fast vessel from Colombia to Belize, following a known cocaine smuggling route known as the “Honduras Rise.”
On December 1, 2018, a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 aircraft deployed from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C. spotted and recorded the defendants onboard a go-fast vessel traveling north at a high rate of speed, approximately 110 nautical miles southwest of Jamaica. In an attempt to destroy evidence and evade capture, the defendants jettisoned all of the cocaine bales onboard the vessel and sank them to the ocean bottom by tying the bales to the outboard engines and throwing the engines (their only means of propulsion) overboard.
Later that day, Randolph Meighan, Newball-May, and Reid-Dilbert and their now engine-less vessel were interdicted and boarded by USCG officers from the Tactical Law Enforcement Team (TACLET) Pacific. That boarding yielded crucial evidence consistent with cocaine trafficking, including trace amounts of cocaine present both on the smuggling vessel and on the defendants.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas DeRenzo and Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Members of the 69ers Motorcycle Club Convicted of Murdering Chapter President of Rival Outlaws Motorcycle ClubRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury today found Christopher Brian Cosimano, a/k/a “Durty,” (31, Gibsonton) and Michael Dominick Mencher, a/k/a “Pumpkin,” (52, Tarpon Springs) guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms offenses. Cosimano and Mencher face a mandatory penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Cosimano and Mencher were indicted, along with three codefendants who later pleaded guilty, on May 22, 2018. Cosimano and Mencher went to trial, which commenced on July 29, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, Cosimano and Mencher were members of the 69’ers Motorcycle Club, a criminal organization engaged in acts of violence and narcotics distribution.
In 2017, the 69’ers Motorcycle Club was entangled in an increasingly violent feud with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. The feud escalated, culminating with the murder of Paul Anderson, President of the Cross Bayou Chapter of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, on December 21, 2017. On that date, Cosimano, Mencher, and their three codefendants stalked Anderson for several miles down the Suncoast Parkway. Cosimano and Mencher rode their motorcycles with their faces covered and license plates obscured.
After following Anderson for miles, Cosimano and Mencher pulled alongside his truck and shot him repeatedly at the busy intersection of Suncoast Parkway and State Road 54, during rush hour. After the murder, the defendants took steps to cover up the crime, including removing identifying markings from and disassembling their motorcycles.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the State Attorney’s Office for the Sixth Judicial Circuit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Natalie Hirt Adams.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Holiday Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft at Seminole Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Catherine Trinidad De Jesus Santana (43, Holiday) to three years in federal prison for access device (credit card) fraud and aggravated identity theft stemming from De Jesus Santana’s use of counterfeit credit cards at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, located on the Seminole Indian Reservation in Tampa.
De Jesus Santana had pleaded guilty on March 27, 2019.
According to court documents, De Jesus Santana obtained breached and stolen credit card and debit card information, which she used to manufacture counterfeit credit cards. In June 2014, on multiple occasions, De Jesus Santana used those counterfeit cards to obtain cash from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino. The total loss amount from the use and attempted use of the counterfeit cards was $20,352.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seminole Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
Three Orlando Men Indicted for Scheme to Facilitate Employment of Illegal Aliens and Evade Payroll Taxes and Workers’ Compensation LawsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging three Honduran nationals, Gregorio Fuentes-Zelaya (26), Santiago Erazo-Zelaya (25), and Dennis Barahona (36), with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Fuentes-Zelaya is also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit tax fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and two counts of tax fraud. Additional charges against Erazo-Zelaya include one count of conspiracy to commit tax fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of tax fraud. Barahona is also charged with one count of wire fraud.
Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and each tax fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to seek forfeiture of a total of $1,367,625, the approximate amount obtained as a result of the wire fraud offenses, as well as a 2014 Land Rover, and two bank accounts (totaling $230,764) that were utilized during the scheme.
Fuentes-Zelaya and Erazo-Zelaya are Honduran citizens who are illegally present in the United States. On May 8, 2019, an immigration judge ordered Erazo-Zelaya to be deported to Honduras. Barahona is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Honduras.
According to the indictment, the three men established shell companies that purported to be the employers of construction work crews that were mostly made up of illegal aliens. The shell companies entered into agreements with construction contractors in which the shell companies purported to be subcontractors. The workers then performed construction work as directed by the contractors, but were paid through the shell companies. By obtaining and paying the workers through the shell companies, the contractors avoided responsibility for ensuring that the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States, that required state and federal payroll taxes were paid, and that adequate workers’ compensation insurance was provided.
Florida law requires any business that engages in construction work to secure and maintain workers’ compensation insurance. The defendants applied for workers’ compensation insurance policies to cover a few employees and a minimal payroll. The defendants then “rented” those insurance policies to numerous construction work crews employing hundreds of workers. The contractors wrote payroll checks to the shell companies for work performed by the work crews and then deposited those payroll checks into a bank and distributed the payroll to the work crew leaders, who in turn paid the workers. The defendants kept at least 6% of the amount of each payroll check as a fee.
During the period of the scheme, the defendants cashed payroll checks totaling approximately $22,793,748, and their fees totaled approximately $1,367,625. Had workers’ compensation policies been purchased for the payroll amount, the policy premiums would have totaled approximately $3.6 million. The policies purchased and then “rented” out by the defendants were for estimated payrolls of $80,800 to $100,800, and the insurance company issued those policies for annual premiums ranging from $15,206 to $31,268.
Although a total of almost $23 million of payroll passed through the shell companies, neither the defendants nor the contractors remitted payroll taxes to the IRS. According to the IRS, the estimated amount of payroll taxes due on the total wages is approximately $5.3 million.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Palm Bay Woman Convicted of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found Rose Beth Litzky (33, Palm Bay) guilty of conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography, involving two female children. Both of the victims, toddlers at the time, were under Litzky’s care. Litzky faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to 30 years, in federal prison on the conspiracy and production counts, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession charge. In addition, Litzky must forfeit an iPhone that was used in furtherance of the offenses. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 15, 2019.
Litzky was indicted on September 26, 2018.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 15, 2016, Litzky’s boyfriend, Roberto Oquendo, was the subject of a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, deputies from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that Oquendo was possibly in possession of child pornography. As a result, task force agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations interviewed Oquendo. Oquendo disclosed to the agents that he had used a cellphone to take pictures of the genital area of two young children under his custody for his sexual gratification.
Further investigation led to the seizure and search of several computers and cellphones from a place in Brevard County where Oquendo had hidden them. Through forensic analysis, investigators found that one of his cellphones contained deleted chats between Litzky and Oquendo where they had discussed taking sexually explicit images and videos of the two children. The forensic evidence revealed that between October 2014 and September 15, 2016, Litzky caused the two children to engage in sexually explicit conduct while chatting with Oquendo through a social media app that allowed Oquendo to see the children in the nude for his sexual gratification. Some of the images depict Litzky as she caused the children to engage in sexual conduct. At the time the images were produced, Oquendo resided in Virginia, and Litzky resided in Florida. Oquendo created hundreds of screenshots of the visual depictions and transported them to Brevard County, where they were found on his cellphone.
Agents interviewed Litzky about the sexual exploitation of the children and she admitted to producing hundreds of visual depictions of the children in the nude that she then sent to Oquendo via text messaging for his sexual gratification. Litzky’s iPhone was searched and found to contain child pornography.
In January 2019, Oquendo pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to 30 years, in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 26, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Jury Convicts Daytona Beach Man in Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury today found Benjamin Greene Robinson (31, Daytona Beach) guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 20, 2019.
Robinson was originally indicted on June 5, 2019. A superseding indictment was returned on July 24, 2019.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in January 2016, Robinson and three conspirators arranged for multiple shipments of cocaine to be sent through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from California. During the investigation, the FBI and the USPS seized three of the packages, each containing two kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tubs of protein powder. Law enforcement identified five additional shipments that the conspirators had successfully shipped through the mail. In 2016, during the month of January, Robinson and his conspirators were responsible for shipping 14 kilograms of cocaine through the mail, estimated to be worth a total $490,000.
Two of Robinson’s co-conspirators, Dondi Kentrail Freeney (Sanford) and Telvin Williams (Sanford) have pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy and will be sentenced on September 19, 2019. Antonio Chandler (Belle Isle), the third co-conspirator, has a change of plea hearing scheduled next week.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Lake County Sherriff’s Office, and the Volusia Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dana E. Hill and E. Jackson Boggs.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Jorge Delgado-Macias (44) to 40 months in federal prison for being an alien unlawfully in the United States in possession of a firearm and for aggravated identity theft.
Delgado-Macias had pleaded guilty on May 23, 2019.
According to testimony and court documents, on October 17, 2018, law enforcement officers searched Delgado-Macias’s home in Hillsborough County and found two firearms, a Taurus .40 caliber pistol and a Taurus 9mm pistol, along with ammunition for each gun. They also discovered that Delgado-Macias was a citizen of Mexico and that he had re-entered the United States unlawfully, after having been deported to Mexico in 1998. Delgado-Macias also admitted, that while in the United States, he used the identity of another person unlawfully and without permission to obtain a Social Security card and a false Florida driver license.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United States Border Patrol, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Husband and Wife Convenience Store Owners Plead Guilty to Fraud Involving Food Stamp ProgramRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Russell Leroy Dotson, Jr. (62) and Maria Luisa Dotson (65), both of Jacksonville, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United States.
According to court documents, the Dotsons owned and operated Asmarina Food Mart, with two locations in Jacksonville. Upon opening the convenience stores, they applied for and received approval from the Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. After receiving this approval, the Dotsons trained their employees how to conduct fraudulent transactions with SNAP recipients using their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The Dotsons instructed their employees to ring up fraudulent transactions to make it appear that SNAP recipients had purchased eligible food products from the store using their EBT cards. The employees then gave the SNAP recipients cash representing approximately one-half of the amount of the fraudulent transaction, while the Dotsons received the remainder of the money. Over approximately 27 months, Russell and Maria Dotson defrauded the United States out of $257,979.
This case is part of a long-term investigation into SNAP fraud occurring at the two Asmarina Food Mart locations in Jacksonville. To date, 11 others have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced for their roles in this scheme. Shelly Rowe Sullivan, Teighlor Michelle Wicker, Tracy Lynn Hammock, Shannon Marie Whaley, Denise Diane Taylor, Ormetre Patterson, Cierra Elizabeth White, Laura Lockwood, Shanelle Bryant, Felicia Meadows, and Theresa Marie Paschall were previously sentenced to supervised release and ordered to pay a total of $218,629.67 in restitution to the United States.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office, and United States Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Brevard County Man Convicted for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found James John Edwards (37, Brevard County) guilty of possession of child pornography. Edwards faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and must forfeit a computer and a one-terabyte hard drive that was used in the commission of the offense. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 15, 2019.
Edwards was indicted on March 6, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, on February 7, 2019, during the execution of a federal search warrant, Edwards was found to be in possession of more than 1,000 videos and over 300 images depicting young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The videos and images depicted toddlers and children under the age of 12 in bondage, being raped and sodomized, and made to perform sadistic sexual acts. The evidence also showed that Edwards had an extensive computer background, and in this case, used a file-sharing software to search for, download, and view child pornography via a computer and hard drive in his bedroom. The computer was connected to a television that was mounted on the wall above Edwards’s dresser. Edwards used the hard drive to store videos and images of child pornography. His collection dated back to 2015.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Palm Bay Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years for Dealing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Gregory Apicella (54, Fort Myers) to 24 years and 4 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in death and, for distributing methamphetamine.
Apicella had pleaded guilty on February 26, 2019.
According to court documents, on December 29, 2017, and January 18, 2018, Apicella sold fentanyl to a 21-year-old male (J.Y.) from his home on South Entrada Drive in Fort Myers. J.Y. ingested the fentanyl and quickly died of an overdose. During the execution of a search warrant at Apicella’s house, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office recovered a large quantity of fentanyl, paraphernalia, and methamphetamine from Apicella’s bedroom.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Schmitz and Kyle Cohen.
Orlando Woman Convicted of Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury today found Deborah Carmona Antonsanti (43, Orlando) guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Carmona Antonsanti faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison on each count. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 20, 2019.
Carmona Antonsanti was indicted on April 4, 2019, along with her husband, Jerry Sanchez Carrasquillo, who pleaded guilty on July 29, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, Carmona Antonsanti and Sanchez Carrasquillo worked together to receive a package containing more than a kilogram of cocaine, which was sent from Puerto Rico. Carmona Antonsanti and Sanchez Carrasquillo were arrested as part of an operation involving an undercover officer disguised as a delivery person. As part of the arrest, the agents recovered a set of keys and a receipt to a nearby storage unit. The agents located an additional 247 grams of cocaine, inside a bag with the fingerprints of both Carmona Antonsanti and Sanchez Carrasquillo, from inside the storage unit.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Andres Fernandez (37, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 30, 2019.
According to court documents, Fernandez orchestrated an investment scheme that defrauded at least 50 victims out of millions of dollars. Fernandez solicited individuals to invest in concert events that he claimed were being produced by his companies, Kadaae Entertainment Corporation and Kadaae LLC. He told victims that their investment would be used to fund specific concert events from artists, including Julio Iglesias and Pitbull, and promised a return on investment of up to 100 percent. Fernandez used fake contracts and other false documents to convince victims that he and his companies were under contract to produce the events. In fact, neither Fernandez nor his companies were involved in most of the events he had solicited to victims. Fernandez used portions of the funds sent by investors for his own personal use and to pay fraudulent “investment returns” to earlier investors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan W. Hill.
Orlando Woman Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Committing Fraud While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell today sentenced Lavitress Williams (39, Orlando) to six years in federal prison for wire fraud, passing counterfeit checks, and violating her supervised release.
On May 14, 2019, Williams had pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and five counts of passing counterfeit checks. On June 4, 2019, she admitted that she had violated her federal supervised release by committing those crimes.
According to court documents, in 2013, Williams was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for participating in a scheme involving counterfeit travelers’ checks that were passed at Target stores located throughout the southeastern United States. After she was released from prison, and while serving on federal supervised release, Williams engaged in another check fraud scheme in which she passed counterfeit checks at Walgreens and CVS stores in Central Florida.
Over the course of more than five months, Williams passed, or attempted to pass, counterfeit checks at more than 40 drugstores. The total amount of actual and attempted losses associated with the scheme was more than $70,000.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, with assistance from the Eatonville Police Department, the Maitland Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Winter Park Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Bryan L. Brewer (44, Winter Park) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud count, up to 30 years’ imprisonment for the bank fraud count, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the money laundering count. Brewer has also agreed to pay restitution to his victims and a money judgment has been entered for more than $9 million.
According to court documents, Brewer engaged in two fraud schemes that resulted in him receiving more than $9 million. In one scheme, Brewer solicited an individual to invest in a company that manufactured paddleboards by the name of USBoardco (also known as WatersEdge). As part of the scheme, Brewer sent the victim copies of bank statements, tax returns, and other financial documents that had been falsified to inflate the sales, profits, income, and bank account balance for the company. Relying upon those and other misrepresentations, the victim invested over $1 million.
The second scheme related to real estate located in Seminole County. In 2012, an investor loaned more than $4 million to assist Brewer in the purchase of the property. In return, the investor obtained a mortgage on the property. A couple of years later, Brewer defrauded a bank into lending his companies $7.75 million that involved Brewer forging documents and using a fake email account that he had created for his investor. This scheme consisted of two parts. First, Brewer forged a letter that transferred the mortgage from his investor to an entity that Brewer controlled. Second, Brewer forged an estoppel letter from his investor that falsely promised that the investor would release his mortgage for $3.5 million. Brewer used a fake email account that he had established for the investor to send the forged estoppel letter and to pretend to be the investor in communications with the bank. Relying upon the forged letters and his other misrepresentations, the bank loaned one of Brewer’s companies $7.75 million.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
St. Petersburg Man Arrested After Attempted Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the arrest of Terrian J. Knight (29, St. Petersburg) on a criminal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Knight faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the
complaint , on July 30, 2019, Knight attempted to rob the assistant manager of a St. Petersburg Family Dollar store as the manager was leaving the store. During the course of the robbery, Knight produced a firearm and shot the victim twice. After hiding in a retention pond area for approximately seven hours, Knight was taken into custody, and law enforcement recovered the firearm used in the shooting.A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Callan Albritton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to Nearly 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Terrance Maurice Goss (33, Tampa) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for committing four bank robberies and two attempted bank robberies. The court also ordered Goss to forfeit $6,462, the funds he had stolen from the banks.
Goss had pleaded guilty on May 21, 2019.
According to court documents, between January 11 and 25, 2019, Goss robbed four banks. On January 11, 2019, he robbed the Wells Fargo Bank located at 2699 Gulf to Bay Boulevard in Clearwater. He robbed a second Wells Fargo Bank located at 5250 East Bay Drive in Clearwater on January 15, 2019. Two days later, he robbed the Centennial Bank located at 5850 Fruitville Road in Sarasota. On January 25, 2019, Goss robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Davenport. Additionally, Goss attempted to rob the TD Bank located at 6108 U.S. Highway 98 North in Lakeland on January 17, 2019, and the SunTrust Bank located at 1075 Carpenters Way in Lakeland on January 25, 2019.
During each robbery, and attempted robbery, Goss entered the bank and handed the teller a note demanding money. Following Goss’s robbery of the bank in Davenport, he led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase, ultimately crashing his car. The officers recovered a loaded pistol from the car after the crash.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Largo Police Department, the Clearwater Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Lakeland Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Leader of Large-Scale Lee County Drug Ring Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Tony Wilson, Jr. (31, Lehigh Acres) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including cocaine base, fentanyl, heroin, and multiple firearms charges. Wilson faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, from 2013 through 2018, Wilson, known a/k/a “Big Homie” and “Caine,” was the head of a large-scale drug distribution ring operating in the Suncoast Estates neighborhood of North Fort Myers. The drug organization occupied several houses and trailer homes in the neighborhood, inside which dealers worked side-by-side to distribute controlled substances to customers.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted dozens of undercover drug purchases from the dealers at the drug houses. They also executed multiple search warrants resulting in the seizure of tens of thousands of dollars in cash, multiple firearms, and large quantities of cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl. Investigators believe that the organization often generated more than $10,000 per day in sales.
To date, eighteen members of the ring have been federally charged. Wilson is the fourteenth member to plead guilty.
The following is a list of individuals who have been charged in connection with this case:
Name Charge(s) StatusTony Wilson, Jr.
(31, Lehigh Acres)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, and firearms offenses.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to life in federal prison.
Monique Moore
(47, North Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to life in federal prison.
Patrick Graham
(25, Labelle)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Michael Perez
(38, North Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
James Estrella
(50, North Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Danielle Hallmon
(32, Pine Island)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Dorothy Rochford
(27, North Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Darniel Williams
(24, Labelle)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Kenneth Tippins
(48, North Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Eileen Smith
(22, Labelle)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Malik Timbers
(26, St. Petersburg)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Christopher Connor
(30, Labelle)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Pleaded guilty, faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
William Thomas
(26, Labelle)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances.
Trial scheduled for August 19, 2019; he faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Tyrome Wright
(46, North Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances.
Trial scheduled for August 19, 2019; he faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Jeffrey Beard, II
(29, Labelle)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances.
Trial scheduled for August 19, 2019; he faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Elizabeth Kuc
(47, North Fort Myers)
Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances.
Trial scheduled for August 19, 2019; she faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Michelle Gladys
(49, North Fort Myers)
Possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Sentenced to 33 months in federal prison.
Samantha Badger
(23, North Fort Myers)
Possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Sentenced to 15 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Leeman and Trent Reichling.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Mark Wesley Schmit (50, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release.
According to court documents, during the course of the investigation of an unrelated child exploitation case, the FBI learned that an individual had exchanged a series of text messages with Schmit on July 24, 2017. During that conversation, the individual sent several pornographic videos to Schmit, claiming that they depicted his 13-year-old sister. In response, Schmit requested that the individual send him additional graphic sexual videos of the purported child. Schmit then sent an image to the individual depicting an adult male sexually assaulting a young girl.
On April 16, 2019, FBI agents arrested Schmit pursuant to a federal arrest warrant. During an interview, Schmit admitted to sending and receiving child pornography, and that he had a sexual interest in looking at images of underage girls. Schmit also admitted that he had engaged in online conversations with underage girls, while purporting to be a teenage boy, and solicited sexual images of the girls. Forensic analysis of Schmit’s cellphone revealed that it contained at least five images depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Jacksonville Office). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Georgia Man Convicted of Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – A federal jury today found Eric Pedro Valdez (39, Atlanta) guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. Valdez was indicted on October 11, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between November 2015 and May 2016, Valdez conspired with others to distribute more than 70 kilograms of methamphetamine. On March 23, 2016, Valdez hand-delivered 4 kilograms of methamphetamine to two co-conspirators at a business in the Atlanta- area. The methamphetamine was intended for distribution in Sumter County.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Telemarketer and His Companies Agree to Pay $2.5 Million to Settle Allegations That They Operated Telemedicine Schemes Involving Illegal Kickbacks and Unnecessary PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez and U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey for the Eastern District of Tennessee announce that Scott Roix, together with several entities through which he ran his telemarketing business, including HealthRight, LLC; Health Savings Solutions, LLC; Vici Marketing, LLC; and Vici Marketing Group, LLC (hereinafter collectively referred to as “marketing companies”), have agreed to pay $2.5 million to resolve allegations that Roix and these marketing companies violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false claims to federal healthcare programs in connection with telemedicine health care fraud schemes.
The government alleged that: (1) Roix and his marketing companies fraudulently obtained insurance coverage information from consumers across the country to arrange for them to receive prescription pain creams and other similar products, (2) these prescriptions were not medically necessary and did not arise from a valid doctor-patient relationship, and (3) Roix and his marketing companies sold these prescriptions to pharmacies under the guise of marketing services, and the payments solicited were based on the volume and value of the prescriptions.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting TRICARE and other federal health care programs from improper practices that harm our nation’s healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “Those who generate prescriptions for profit and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute will be held accountable.”
“Prescriptions and other medical services resulting from kickbacks undermine the integrity of our health care system,” said U.S. Attorney Overbey. “Telemedicine is a valuable service for our citizens, but it must not be abused. We will take action against individuals who break the law to make a profit at the expense of our federal healthcare programs and ultimately at the expense of the American taxpayer.”
“Telemarketing fraud is a major threat to the integrity of the Medicare program,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta. “Unscrupulous companies collect patient information then sell it to pharmacies and other medical providers in exchange for kickbacks.”
U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely, Eastern Area Field Office, stated, “The U.S. Postal Service spends billions of dollars per year in workers compensation-related costs, most of which are legitimate. However, when medical providers or companies choose to flout the rules and profit illegally, special agents with the USPS OIG will work with our law enforcement partners to hold them responsible. To report fraud or other criminal activity involving the Postal Service, contact our special agents at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG.”
“This settlement demonstrates the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals do not unjustly enrich themselves by abusing the Department of Defense TRICARE program. DCIS protects the integrity of DoD programs by rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse which diverts American taxpayer dollars intended to support our Warfighters,” said Special Agent in Charge, Cyndy Bruce, Southeast Field Office.
“Today’s settlement demonstrates the commitment of the Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General and our law enforcement partners at the Department of Justice to ensuring that federal health care programs, including the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, are protected from fraud and abuse,” said Thomas W. South, the OPM Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations. “I am immensely proud of the work our office has done to not only safeguard taxpayer dollars, but also protect the health and wellbeing of federal employees, annuitants, and their families.”
“This settlement emphasizes the collaborative effort by the FBI and our law enforcement partners to target those individuals who cheat the system and destroy public trust in our federally funded healthcare programs,” said Michael F. McPherson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division.
The settlement resolves allegations that, beginning in September 2014, Health Savings Solutions, at the direction of Roix, received payments from Oldsmar Pharmacy that were based on the value and volume of prescriptions solicited by Health Savings Solutions in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute, and the False Claims Act. These allegations were brought in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims, and to receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case against Roix and Health Savings Solutions was filed by Jennifer Silva and Jessica Robertson and is captioned: United States ex rel. Silva, et al. v. Vici Marketing, LLC, et al., Middle District of Florida (Case No. 8:15-cv-444-T-33TGW). Ms. Silva and Ms. Robertson will receive $287,500 of the settlement.
The settlement also resolves allegations that, from June 2015 through October 2018, HealthRight, at the direction of Roix, received payments from Synergy Pharmacy that were based on the value and volume of prescriptions solicited by HealthRight on behalf of Synergy Pharmacy. These allegations were also the subject of a criminal case captioned United States v. Scott Roix, et al., Eastern District of Tennessee (Case No. 2:18-cr-133), in which Roix and HealthRight pleaded guilty in September 2018.
This investigation was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorneys’ Office of the Eastern District of Tennessee and the Middle District of Florida. It was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Dykes, Michael Kenneth, and Jessica Sievert, with support from HHS-OIG, OPM-OIG, USPS-OIG, DOD-DCIS, and FBI.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Collier County Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced McEndy Alce (33, Immokalee) to 15 years in federal prison for production of child pornography. The court also ordered Alce to forfeit two iPhones and an iPod Touch that had been used to facilitate the offense.
Alce had pleaded guilty on April 30, 2019.
According to court documents, on November 18, 2015, Alce, using the email address [email protected], contacted a 16-year-old girl in California on her iPhone via iMessage. Alce informed the girl that he had hacked her account and instructed her to go to her Twitter account, where she discovered that nude photographs of herself, which had been stored on her phone, had indeed been posted to her Twitter account. Alce told the girl that he had just started posting the photos of her on her Twitter account and, he told her to log onto a video chat site and to change her clothes in front of the webcam. Alce then instructed the girl to log onto Skype, where he told her to remove her clothes for the Skype camera. He positioned her on a bed, and instructed her to remain there until he was finished. Alce told the victim to do what he said, and that, if she did, she would never hear from him again. The girl exposed herself to the webcam, as Alce instructed, until he sent her a message advising that he was done.
After the victim reported Alce to law enforcement, FBI agents located him in Immokalee. On May 3, 2016, a search warrant was executed at Alce’s home where he admitted to creating the email address that he had used to contact the victim. He also admitted to scamming multiple people online to get their passwords, including his victim in this case. Alce said that he duped the girl into giving him the password for her email address, and he admitted that he had communicated with the girl on Skype. Alce also admitted that he had tricked the minor, and that a video of the session with the girl could be on the hard drive of his laptop.
The forensic analysis of Alce’s iPhones and iPod Touch revealed messages in which he portrayed himself to be a member of the Snapchat security team, a member of the SKYPE security team, or a member with YOUNOW. The messages read “someone has attempted to change the password on your account,” and the individual was instructed to reply with her password “to disallow the change password to become active.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Innocent Images Task Force, which includes Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, and with assistance from the FBI Office in Sacramento, California. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wellington Couple Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Funds and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Billy Altidor (28, Wellington) and Evanie Louis (27, Wellington) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy charge, and a consecutive mandatory minimum of two years’ imprisonment, on the aggravated identity theft charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Altidor, Louis, and their co-conspirators used stolen personally identifiable information (PII) to access the “My Social Security” (MySSA) online portal and redirect Social Security benefit payments to accounts controlled by the conspirators. The conspirators accessed or attempted to access MySSA accounts belonging to over 1,400 different individuals, without the victims’ knowledge or authorization.
Louis, Altidor, and their co-conspirators also used stolen PII to file false tax returns and directed the fraudulently obtained tax refunds into accounts controlled by the conspirators. In addition, they used stolen identities to activate debit cards and bank accounts to receive the fraudulent tax refunds.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Department of the Treasury – Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
Thirteenth Member of “Manche Boy Mafia” Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Tax and Identity Theft CrimesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Aaron Troupe (30, Tampa) to five years and one month in federal prison for theft of government property and aggravated identity theft stemming from the filing of fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities. The court also ordered Troupe to pay $449,529.97 in restitution to the IRS.
Troupe had pleaded guilty on April 17, 2019.
According to court documents, from 2012 through 2018, Troupe, who was a member of the “Manche Boy Mafia” or “MBM” gang, engaged in stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) and credit card fraud. In August 2016, a property cleaning service unearthed a laptop, notebooks containing personally identifiable information (PII), and firearms from the backyard of a rental property in Tampa that had been abandoned by the most recent tenants. The cleaning service turned the abandoned property over to the Tampa Police Department. Further investigation determined that one of the ledgers contained information, including fingerprints and addresses, linked to Troupe. Troupe also had debit cards issued in his name that had been loaded with fraudulently obtained federal income tax refunds.
The IRS determined that for the tax years 2011-2013, fraudulent tax returns associated with Troupe were filed claiming refunds totaling $1,295,583, which resulted in the IRS paying out refunds totaling approximately $449,529.97.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Lakeland Man Sentenced to More Than 41 Years on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell today sentenced Edwin Santiago (43, Lakeland) to 41 years and 8 months in federal prison for attempted production and possession of child pornography.
Santiago had pleaded guilty on April 22, 2019.
According to court documents, Santiago attempted to produce at least two sex abuse videos of an 8-year-old child. Santiago also distributed videos to individuals on the internet with whom he was discussing an interest in child exploitation. During online chats, Santiago expressed a desire to watch others sexually abuse the child and asked for volunteers to give the child sex lessons. Santiago also discussed and negotiated prices for the child’s virginity.
Santiago used internet-based platforms to distribute sex abuse material that included young children, toddlers, and sadomasochistic conduct. He also possessed over 100 images and over 100 videos of child pornography on his phone.
“The vile crimes committed by this child predator are beyond comprehension,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. “We hope today’s sentencing is another step in the recovery for his victim.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jacksonville Gang Member Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Selling Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Natario Bernard Peterson (22, Jacksonville) to five years in federal prison for distributing crack cocaine. Peterson had pleaded guilty on March 27, 2019.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, Peterson, a mid-level member of the Rollin’ 20s gang, sold crack cocaine to an undercover detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) on three occasions in 2018. On one of those occasions, Peterson teamed up with co-defendant Dashawn Rose to sell the crack cocaine. During the transaction, Rose was concealing a large, AR-style pistol with a drum magazine in his pants.
On July 18, 2019, Rose pleaded guilty to distribution of crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing is set for October 30, 2019.
At the time, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in conjunction with JSO, was conducting a long-term investigation of the Rollin’ 20s gang. In September 2018, Peterson admitted that he had authorized another Rollin’ 20s gang member, David Brian Edwards, to carjack his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint. Edwards entered his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle and forced her, at gunpoint, to follow another vehicle, which was driven by Peterson. After the vehicles came to a stop, Edwards put his gun to the victim’s head and told her that he was there to kill her. Edwards then hit the victim in the face multiple times with the gun and kicked her as she escaped from the vehicle.
Edwards was prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office and sentenced to 20 years in state prison for his role in the armed carjacking.
In September and October 2018, Peterson stated his intention to prevent the carjacking victim and a witness from testifying against him. In one conversation, he stated that he was going to get the witness “out the way” and “we gonna have a funeral.”
“This sentencing represents ATF’s commitment to continually work with our law enforcement partners to protect the citizens of our communities from those that choose to commit violent firearms-related crimes,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the State Attorney’s Office, Fourth Judicial Circuit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
St. Augustine Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice and Meet Two Young Children to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Brian Ray Dunlap (67, St. Augustine) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice two young children to engage in illegal sexual activity. Dunlap faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on October 6, 2018, a detective with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, who was posing online as a custodial family member of two children (ages 9 and 12), received an email message from Dunlap, who identified himself as “Brian.” Between October 6, 2018 and October 9, 2018, Dunlap and the undercover detective exchanged emails and text messages about Dunlap’s desire to meet the “children” to engage in sexual activity with them. Dunlap advised that he was an amateur photographer and that he wanted to “[t]ake their pictures naked” and perform oral sex on them. Dunlap further provided the undercover detective with graphic details about the sexual acts that he wished to perform on the two “children,” and offered to pay the undercover detective $200 for sex with them and pornographic pictures of the “children.”
On October 9, 2018, Dunlap traveled to a prearranged location in St. Johns County to meet the undercover detective and the two “children.” Upon his arrival, he was arrested. During an interview, Dunlap admitted that he had responded to the online notice posted by the undercover detective, had engaged in online conversation with that person, and that he had traveled to the particular location to meet that person and the two “children.”
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Jacksonville Office). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please
visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Prolific Fentanyl Dealer Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Willie Bryant (25, Parrish) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Bryant conspired to distribute fentanyl from at least September 2018 through February 27, 2019. In early 2019, Bryant sold fentanyl in increasing amounts to an undercover detective on multiple occasions. On February 27, 2019, Bryant again met the undercover detective to sell an ounce of fentanyl. When Bryant arrived at the meeting location, law enforcement detained him and recovered the fentanyl. During an interview with investigators, Bryant admitted to having obtained over a kilogram and a half of fentanyl from a variety of sources of supply during the previous six months, which he then distributed.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled “Hot Batch.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Robbing Four Banks in Central and North FloridaRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has sentenced Robert Ray (47, Orlando) to 10 years in federal prison for bank robbery. Ray had pleaded guilty on April 9, 2019.
According to court documents, Ray robbed two banks and attempted to rob a third in central Florida on December 14 and December 17, 2018. On December 20, 2018, he robbed a fourth bank in Live Oak, Florida. At each bank, Ray walked through the front door and waited in line for the teller. When he approached the window, Ray asked the teller for “all the $100s and $50s.” In total, Ray obtained $7,200.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan W. Hill.
Ocala Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Ammunition ChargeRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – David Walter Hendershot (41, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition affecting commerce by a previously convicted felon. Hendershot faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has been set for October 25, 2019.
According to the facts described in open court, on March 30, 2019, a City of Ocala police officer discovered Hendershot asleep behind the wheel of a running automobile. Hendershot told the officer that he had been using illegal drugs and that there likely was a firearm in the automobile. A subsequent search revealed a baggie of fentanyl on Hendershot’s person and a loaded handgun in the center vehicle console.
Hendershot confessed that he had a prior robbery conviction in New York. He also admitted that he illegally carried the firearm because he was not going to be “caught without a gun, need it, and not have it.” As a convicted felon, however, Hendershot is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was jointly investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sex Abuse Photos over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Marc Lionel Lewis (52, Jacksonville) to five years in federal prison for distributing images depicting the sexual abuse of young children over the internet. Lewis had pleaded guilty on April 4, 2019. Lewis was also ordered to serve a 12-year term of supervised release, pay $5,100 in court assessments, and register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation to identify individuals who were using a particular online file-sharing network to access and distribute child pornography. The agents confirmed that a host computer located in Jacksonville was offering files depicting child pornography for sharing over the internet. They downloaded images of an infant, a toddler, and other young children being sexually abused from this host computer. Further investigation revealed that these files were being shared by Lewis.
On July 17, 2017, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Lewis’ residence. Forensic analysis of Lewis’s computer media revealed approximately 40 images of child pornography and 142 images of child erotica. Lewis had unsuccessfully attempted to delete these files using file shredding software. By accessing child pornography through this file sharing program, Lewis knowingly made it available for sharing and distribution.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indian National Sentenced to More Than 20 Years for Filming Sexual Abuse of an 11-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Divesh Valanju (30, India) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for producing child pornography. Valanju had pleaded guilty on April 11, 2019.
According to court documents, Valanju met an 11-year old child via two online messaging apps. He lied about his name on the apps and exchanged sexually-explicit images with the child. On two occasions, Valanju arranged to meet the child at Max Hasse Park in Collier County. After the victim’s parents dropped her off at the park, purportedly to meet her friends, Valanju picked the child up, drove her to a motel and filmed sex acts that he performed with the child.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Innocent Images Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles Schmitz.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Coconut Creek Man Sentenced to Seven Years and Miramar Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years for Counterfeiting SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Wesley Anderson (26, Coconut Creek) to seven years in federal prison, and Christopher Stewart (20, Miramar) to four years and nine months in federal prison for their roles in a counterfeiting check scheme. The court also ordered Anderson and Stewart to pay restitution to financial institutions in the total amount of almost $80,000.
Anderson had pleaded guilty on May 13, 2019, and Stewart had pleaded guilty on April 15, 2019. On May 6, 2019, a third conspirator, Allen Griffin (23, Coral Springs), was sentenced to four years and nine months’ imprisonment in connection with this scheme.
According to court documents, during the summer of 2018, Anderson, Stewart, and Griffin created counterfeit checks and obtained access to individual bank accounts into which they deposited the counterfeit checks. The conspirators then withdrew the funds from the accounts before the fraud was detected. Anderson, Stewart, and Griffin deposited counterfeit checks totaling more than $370,000 in Orlando-area banks.
On August 3, 2018, Anderson and Griffin were arrested at a hotel in Orlando. They had blank check stock paper, a printer, and a laptop that they had used to create counterfeit checks, computerized images of signatures used on the counterfeit checks, and ATM cards that had been used in the scheme. All three individuals were also captured on bank surveillance video depositing counterfeit checks and making withdrawals from accounts where the counterfeit checks had recently been deposited.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Orange County Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Cape Coral Fisherman Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Overharvest Gulf Reef FishRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL - United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Mark E. Zywotko (47, Cape Coral) has pleaded guilty to four counts of mail fraud. Zywotko faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, from January 2013 through December 2017, Zywotko perpetrated a scheme to overharvest more than 50,000 pounds of Gulf reef fish from the waters off Southwest Florida. These illegally-caught fish were worth more than $286,000. Zywotko knowingly and illegally harvested, landed, and sold federally-regulated Gulf reef fish, including red grouper and red snapper, and submitted false documents, via the U.S. Mail, to state and federal agencies in order to conceal his overfishing.
Regulation of the Gulf reef fish fishery is a lawful function of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (“NMFS”). NMFS is tasked with managing the fishery to ensure its sustainability and economic viability in the Gulf of Mexico across the southeastern United States.
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.
“The Individual Fishing Quota program was designed to increase the marketability of our Gulf of Mexico snapper/grouper commercial fishery - an extremely vital fishing resource in the southeast U.S.,” said Manny Antonaras, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Division. “We will not tolerate such violations to our nation’s economy nor our natural resources, and we commend the investigative team who spent hundreds of hours on this case.”
This case was investigated by investigated by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, Southeast Division and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Antonio Morrow (42, St. Petersburg) to eight years and five months in federal prison, for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and hydromorphone, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Morrow had pleaded guilty on May 1, 2019.
According to court documents, on December 1, 2018, officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department initiated a traffic stop of Morrow’s car, after witnessing him fail to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. The officers noticed the smell of marijuana as they approached Morrow’s car. When the officers removed Morrow from his car and collected his identification card to run a records check, Morrow ran away. He went a short distance before tripping and falling down. As he was falling, Morrow attempted to discard a firearm and a small bag of cocaine. The officers recovered the firearm and cocaine and also recovered $2,726 from Morrow’s person during a pat down search. The officers also found 30 hydromorphone pills and 18 pieces of cocaine base in Morrow’s car.
This case was investigated by the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Mother and Son Plead Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution with Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Jeffrey Luis Rodriguez (34, Tampa) and Mary Bell Rodriguez (62, Tampa) have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and heroin, causing serious bodily injury. Jeffrey Rodriguez also pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin causing serious bodily injury, and six counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Mary Bell Rodriguez pleaded guilty to three counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Each faces a mandatory penalty of life in federal prison.
According to court documents, from at least March 2017 and continuing through May 2018, Jeffrey Luis Rodriguez and Mary Bell Rodriguez were members of a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and heroin, from their vehicle, around the Town and Country area of Hillsborough County. During the span of the conspiracy, the fentanyl that they had distributed led to many overdoses, including the serious bodily injury overdose of D.C.H.
Subsequently, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation of members of the conspiracy. Between January and May 2018, undercover law enforcement officers purchased narcotics from Jeffrey Luis Rodriguez and Mary Bell Rodriguez on various occasions.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Baggé-Hernández.