Middle District of Florida

Jacksonville, Florida – Antony Eugene Woody (31, Orange Park) has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with advertising child pornography for sale using the internet. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, and up to 30 years, in federal prison. Woody is currently detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for September 13, 2019.

According to the

complaint , in February 2019, the FBI in Boston received information that an individual there was using a particular social media application to distribute child pornography online. That individual was arrested, and agents identified another user, “imsoofreakyy,” who was offering child pornography for sale on the internet. Meanwhile, in Florida, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) had learned from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that the same user (“imsoofreakyy)” was using an email address to advertise for the sale images of children being sexually assaulted. Through further investigation, CCSO detectives identified this individual as Antony Eugene Woody.

On March 22, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Woody’s residence. Woody was later located at a local supermarket. During an interview, Woody admitted that he had obtained images of child pornography from the internet, labeled these images with titles, prices, and his contact information, and then re-posted them using a social media app. He also admitted that online consumers responded to his advertisements intending to buy the images, and that he had received money for these sales using Venmo or CashApp. He further admitted that he had defrauded those individuals by refusing to send them the purchased image collections. A search of Woody’s cellphone revealed at least one video depicting the sexual abuse of a young child.       

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Westbrook (Maine) Police Department, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston and Jacksonville, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It is being 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.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Changa Bush (41, New York) with possession of credit card manufacturing equipment. If convicted, Bush faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Federal authorities arrested Bush on September 6, 2019. During the course of the court hearings, it was determined that Bush is currently on parole of out New York State for the crime of assault causing serious physical injury. Bush has been detained pending trial, which is set for November 4, 2019.          

According to the

indictment , Bush possessed equipment that could be used to manufacture fraudulent credit cards.

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.        

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service (Jacksonville Field Office) and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Maria Bassi Lauro (65, Davenport) with six counts of mailing threatening communications and transmitting false information and hoaxes. If convicted on all counts, Lauro faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.

FBI special agents arrested Lauro at her home in Davenport today. She made her initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Sean P. Flynn and has been released on restrictive bail conditions.

According to the

indictment  and information presented in court, Lauro mailed threatening letters containing white powder to three different elementary schools in Polk and Lake Counties, where she had previously worked as an elementary school teacher. The recipients of the mailings had believed that the powder could be harmful and called for emergency assistance. Because anthrax, ricin, and other toxins can appear as a white powder, law enforcement and other first responders treated each of the mailings as hazardous and potentially lethal. Later analysis of the powder contained in the mailings, however, proved that it was harmless.

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.        

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Health, and various HAZMAT and Fire/Rescue teams. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel George.

Tampa, Florida – The United States Attorney’s Office announces the unsealing of an indictment charging attorney Nelson Israel Alfaro (48, Miami and Colorado) and Gilberto Eduardo De Los Rios (50, Miami) with conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruct the administration of justice, make false statements to federal law enforcement officers, and six substantive counts of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal law enforcement officers. If convicted on all counts, Alfaro faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in federal prison and De Los Rios faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Alfaro and De Los Rios that the United States intends to forfeit any money or other ill-gotten gains that are traceable proceeds of the offenses.

Alfaro is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Florida. He represents criminal defendants in state and federal courts, including the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Between 2010 and 2011, Alfaro represented De Los Rios, a/k/a “Kiko,” in a criminal case in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

According to the

indictment , Alfaro and De Los Rios concocted a scheme to charge an already-sentenced defendant tens of thousands of dollars for information that they then fraudulently presented as “cooperation” and “substantial assistance” by the defendant in order to trigger a motion to the court for a sentencing reduction. The indictment also charges Alfaro and De Los Rios with obstructing justice by interfering with the sentencing process and with making multiple false statements to federal agents.

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 the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Simon A. Gaugush and Josephine W. Thomas.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Harris (58, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin, the weight of cocaine being at least five kilograms. 

Harris had pleaded guilty on June 3, 2019.

According to court documents, during 2016, Harris and others had received approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine. Harris was responsible for distributing a total of 10 kilograms in Jacksonville. He also distributed smaller quantities of heroin. On July 26, 2016, Harris was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol.

 This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.

Tampa, Florida – Frank Monte (40, Valrico) and Kimberley Anderson (52, New Port Richey) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay healthcare kickbacks. Each faces up to five years in federal prison and each has also agreed to forfeit $1,717,925.50 in assets.

According to the plea agreement, in May 2014, Monte and Anderson, acting on behalf of their marketing company Centurion Compounding, Inc., entered into a marketing agreement with the owners of a Pinellas County-based pharmacy called Lifecare. Centurion employed sales representatives to market compounded medications, specifically creams for pain and scars, among others, to beneficiaries of healthcare plans, especially TRICARE. These creams typically ranged in price from $900 to $21,000 for a one-month supply. Between June and November 2014, Monte, Anderson, the owners of LifeCare pharmacy (Carlos Mazariegos and Benjamin Nundy), and a Pinellas-based physician (Dr. Anthony Baldizzi), agreed that, in exchange for paying kickbacks to Baldizzi equal to 10% of the after-cost amount of each claim paid by TRICARE or other health care benefit programs, Baldizzi would write prescriptions for compounded medications filled by LifeCare for Centurion-recruited patients. Mazariegos, acting on behalf of the conspirators, made cash payments and provided other things of value to Baldizzi as kickbacks, including a new BMW M3. 

During the conspiracy, Baldizzi wrote prescriptions for compounded creams and the conspirators caused the submission of claims for these creams to TRICARE, which resulted in TRICARE paying LifeCare more than $4.4 million. The profit to LifeCare for these creams was approximately $4 million. A substantial portion of these claims resulted from TRICARE patients recruited by Centurion. Pursuant to the agreement of the parties, LifeCare received 45% of the profits, Centurion expected to receive 45% of the profits, and Baldizzi was promised 10% of the profits. 

Using the profits from the conspiracy, Monte and Anderson purchased real property and luxury automobiles. The following items were seized and forfeited: $8,730.50 in cash; a 2009 Bentley Continental; a 2012 Lamborghini Aventador; a 2012 Itasca motorhome, a 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG; a 2014 Maserati; a 2005 Ford GT; a 2012 Fisker Karma; real property in Land O Lakes; a 2010 Ferrari California; a 2013 McLaren 12C Spider; a 2012 Porsche Panamera; and real property in Plant City.

Separately charged co-conspirators Carlos Mazariegos and Benjamin Nundy previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Anthony Baldizzi previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and receiving healthcare kickbacks. Mazariegos, Nundy, and Baldizzi are scheduled to be sentenced in November and December 2019.

 The guilty pleas of Monte and Anderson conclude a multi-agency investigation that lasted more than five years, resulting in the successful prosecution of 10 defendants. As a result of this investigation, TRICARE claims totaling more than $58 million have been repaid or reversed, and an additional $6 million has been repaid to TRICARE by the conspirators.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Defense Investigative Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mandy Riedel, Colin McDonell, and Suzanne Nebesky.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jo’Shwan Danquell Hamilton (26, Fort Myers) to 11 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, distributing controlled substances, and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered Hamilton to forfeit a firearm and ammunition.

Hamilton had pleaded guilty on April 25, 2019.

According to court records, on three separate occasions in January and February 2018, Hamilton sold an undercover agent controlled substances (heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl). On one of those occasions, Hamilton also sold the undercover agent a stolen, loaded handgun. At the time of the offenses, Hamilton was a previously convicted felon and, therefore, was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Hamilton had been released from a state prison in Florida six months before committing these new offenses.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

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.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John E. Steele today sentenced Aaron Eyerman (38, Cape Coral), a former southwest Florida real estate broker to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison wire fraud, money laundering, and false oath in relation to a bankruptcy proceeding. As part of his sentence, the court also entered a money judgment of $562,407.38, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

Eyerman was found guilty by a jury on June 4, 2019.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Eyerman met the victim, a retired schoolteacher from Pennsylvania, working in the real estate industry. In 2015, Eyerman made false statements to the victim and convinced her to invest $300,000 in a real estate venture. Specifically, Eyerman indicated they would “flip” houses; that is, buy, rehab, and re-sell properties. Instead of using the money for that purpose, Eyerman gambled away a large portion of the money at casinos and, over a matter of seven weeks, spent the remainder on personal luxury goods, including a custom Porsche 911, a $12,700 Rolex watch, and a $50,000 down payment on his personal luxury waterfront residence in Cape Coral.

Without telling the victim that he had already spent all of her initial investment, Eyerman went back to her in August 2015, seeking seek more money.  This time, Eyerman lied about a second business opportunity – a purported new home construction company. Eyerman convinced the victim to provide him with another $261,000, which he immediately spent for personal use, including gambling most of it away at the Seminole Indian Casino in Immokalee. In total, Eyerman defrauded the victim of $561,000. 

After the victim sued to get her money back, Eyerman declared bankruptcy to avoid his debt, and lied under oath about how he had spent the money. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Schmitz and Kyle Cohen.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington today sentenced Terry Alonzo Wilson (53, Tampa) to 25 years in federal prison for planning and carrying out an armed robbery of a Tampa pawnshop. The court also ordered Wilson to forfeit $63,543, which includes the $61,943 in jewelry and $1,600 in cash that Wilson and his co-defendant, Jeremy Williams (35, Miami), had taken from the pawnshop during the robbery.

On June 18, 2019, a jury found Wilson guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial and the sentencing hearing, Wilson recruited Williams to rob the Value Pawn & Jewelry, located at 5401 North 40th Street in Tampa. During the robbery, on September 14, 2018, Wilson pointed a loaded pistol at two employees and a customer who were inside the store and threated to kill them. Wilson also brought zip ties to the robbery and instructed Williams to tie up the employees and the customer. Wilson forced the store manager to disconnect the store’s security video recording system, which Wilson took with him when he left the store.

In total, Wilson and Williams took $63,543 worth of jewelry and cash from the pawnshop. At the time of the robbery, Wilson had recently completed a 20-year sentence for robbing another Tampa pawnshop at gunpoint. He was released from prison less than four months before committing the armed robbery of the Value Pawn & Jewelry.

Williams pleaded guilty to his role in the case and testified during Wilson’s trial. On July 16, 2018, Williams was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout.

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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Carlos A. Rodriguez Fernandez (48, Orlando) to 40 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl and for possessing child pornography. The court also ordered Rodriguez Fernandez to forfeit the electronic devices that he had used to commit the offenses.

A federal jury had found Rodriguez Fernandez guilty on June 14, 2019.

According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial and sentencing hearing, Rodriguez Fernandez hid a webcam in the victim’s bathroom and recorded sexually explicit videos of the child. He also used an online file-sharing program to download and view child pornography. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Cybercrimes Task Force identified Rodriguez Fernandez after he had shared child pornography through a file-sharing program. 

During the execution of a search warrant at Rodriguez Fernandez’s residence, agents recovered several electronic devices containing 160 images and 6 videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of young children and teens. The agents also located a webcam that Rodriguez Fernandez had concealed behind an electrical outlet plate across from the toilet in the 14-year-old’s bathroom. Rodriguez Fernandez ran the camera’s USB cord through the bathroom wall to his office, where he had attached it to his computer. Rodriguez Fernandez recorded and saved the illicit videos of the child on his computer.

This case was investigated by the FDLE Cybercrimes Task Force, whose members include FDLE, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Clermont Police Department, the Kissimmee Police Department and the Altamonte Springs Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.

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.  

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Lenardra Griffin (30, Grand Island) to three years and four months in federal prison, and Christina Scott (35, Orlando) to two years and six months in federal prison, for access device (credit card) fraud. In addition, the court also ordered Griffin and Scott to pay restitution in the amounts of $812,909.53 and $703,483.50, respectively. Griffin had pleaded guilty to two counts of access device fraud on January 8, 2019, and Scott had pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud on June 20, 2019. 

On June 26, 2019, a third participant in the scheme, Shannon Bentley (34, Sorrento), was sentenced to nine years and three months in federal prison. She was also ordered to pay $812,990.53 in restitution.  

According to court documents, from August 2014 through July 2018, the conspirators obtained personal identifying information (“PII”) from victims, obtained fake credit card accounts and cards in the victims’ names or linked to their accounts, and used those credit cards to obtain goods, gift cards, and cash at retail establishments and banks throughout Orlando and surrounding areas. Griffin was involved in all aspects of this scheme and, along with Bentley, exploited the advanced age of their elderly victims to steal their identities, causing them to incur fraudulent charges. Scott was involved in the use of, and trafficking in, fraudulent credit cards. The total amount of loss was estimated to be more than $812,000.   

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. 

Ocala, Florida – Daprix Devon Gadson (29, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Gadson, who qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal, faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison for the firearm offense and up to 40 years’ imprisonment for the narcotics offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on April 16, 2019, Gadson led officers from the Ocala Police Department on a high-speed vehicle chase when they attempted to pull him over for a traffic offense. After fleeing for approximately two miles, Gadson crashed his car into a stop sign, disabling the car. Gadson then fled on foot, but was soon apprehend and arrested. During a subsequent search of Gadson’s vehicle, officers recovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun, 55 rounds of handgun ammunition, and at least 20 grams of methamphetamine. At the time of his arrest, Gadson had 13 prior felony convictions, including 5 for serious drug offenses, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was jointly investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Vorarut Vorasiangsuk (37, Orlando) to 14 years in federal prison for receipt and possession of child pornography. The court also ordered Vorasiangsuk to forfeit multiple computers and hard drives, which he had used to commit the offenses.

A federal jury had found Vorasiangsuk guilty on May 14, 2019.

According to court documents, evidence presented at trial, and information discussed during the sentencing proceeding, Vorasiangsuk used an online file-sharing program to download and view child pornography for years. The FBI initially identified Vorasiangsuk after he distributed child pornography to an undercover agent through the file-sharing program. 

Upon executing a search warrant at Vorasiangsuk’s residence, agents recovered numerous electronic devices that contained more than 3,800 images and more than 140 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including many young children. During an interview with agents, Vorasiangsuk admitted that he had been viewing child pornography for approximately 16 years. During that same timeframe, he had worked with infants and children as a respiratory therapist at a local hospital.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

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.

Tampa, Florida – Joshua David Jordan (30, Seffner) today pleaded guilty to two counts of discharging a firearm during and in relation to attempted carjackings and one count of arson. The firearms charges each carry a minimum mandatory, consecutive sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The arson charge carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in prison.

According to the

plea agreement , on the night of October 3, 2017, Jordan attempted to commit two armed carjackings in Hillsborough County, firing a semi-automatic handgun during each one. In the second attempted carjacking, Jordan shot the driver, who escaped and survived. Jordan then stole and set fire to a landscaping company’s spray truck, resulting in its destruction.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Murray and Callan Albritton.

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.

Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Dajor Marquis Atkins (27, Tampa) guilty of four offenses related to a takeover-style armed robbery. The jury found Atkins guilty of one count of conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Atkins faces a minimum mandatory penalty of seven years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 4, 2019.

According to evidence presented during the five-day trial, on June 2, 2018, Atkins served as the lookout and getaway driver while his co-defendant, Riley Harris, entered the AT&T store located at 21561 U.S. Highway 19 North in Clearwater. Harris held the employees at gunpoint, forced them to open the inventory storage locker and cash register, bound the employees’ hands and feet with packing tape, and stole cash and merchandise worth more than $47,000. Harris then fled the store in the waiting vehicle as Atkins drove the pair from the scene. Law enforcement officers tracked the getaway vehicle as it fled the scene and identified Harris and Atkins as the robbery team.

This was the fourth in a series of similar takeover-style armed robberies of AT&T stores committed by Harris between December 2017 and June 2018. Atkins only participated in the fourth and final armed robbery.

Harris previously pleaded guilty. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 6, 2019.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Clearwater Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.

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.

Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Lelia Vanessa Perdomo Zapata (26, Colombia) guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, as well as one count of possession with the intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine on that vessel. She faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each count. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 5, 2019.

According to evidence presented at trial, Perdomo Zapata was part of an international maritime drug smuggling operation involving at least 440 kilograms of cocaine worth approximately $13 million. Perdomo Zapata was the Colombian load guard for a Cartagena, Colombia-based cocaine smuggling crew. Prior to their interdiction by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Perdomo Zapata and one of her co-conspirators were transporting 18 bales of cocaine onboard a 60-foot sailing vessel from Cartagena, Colombia to Cancun, Mexico. Ultimately, USCG law enforcement officers from Tactical Law Enforcement Team (TACLET) Pacific boarded the sailing vessel and discovered the 18 bales of cocaine and multiple electronic devices consistent with cocaine trafficking. Subsequent analysis of these devices yielded crucial digital evidence of the cocaine smuggling operation.  

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, 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 Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas DeRenzo.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Ahmet Sakarya (30, Istanbul, Turkey) with bulk cash smuggling. If convicted, Sakarya faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Sakarya that the United States intends to forfeit any assets that are traceable to the offense.

According to the indictment, on August 13, 2019, Sakarya attempted to board a flight from Tampa International Airport to Frankfort, Germany after falsely declaring that he was only carrying $14,000 in U.S. Currency. Upon further investigation, U.S. Custom and Border Patrol officers discovered that Sakarya was transporting $55,000 in cash that was hidden in his luggage.

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.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Baggé-Hernández.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Aaron Michael Rohrer (25, Tampa) with distribution of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl that resulted in the death of an individual, B.G. If convicted, Rohrer faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison.  

According to the indictment, on March 10, 2019, Rohrer distributed a substance containing fentanyl to B.G. B.G. used the substance containing fentanyl, and subsequently overdosed and died. The distribution took place within 1,000 feet of Time of Wonder Academy, a primary school, and the National Louis University.

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.

This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Baggé-Hernández.

Jacksonville, Florida – Nicole Johnson (37, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. 

According to the plea agreement, Johnson was the owner and operator of Financial Asset Tax Service, which offered tax return preparation services. For the tax years 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, Johnson prepared returns for individuals in which she falsified the amounts of deductions and tax credits owed to the taxpayers. As a result, those taxpayers received undeserved tax refunds. Johnson fraudulently claimed the General Business Credit and False Tax Credit for taxpayers who were not entitled to them, and inflated itemized deductions. As a result of the false returns prepared by Johnson, the IRS issued more than $1.3 million in undeserved refunds.  Johnson has agreed to repay the IRS that amount in restitution.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore, Jr. has sentenced Raul Alfaro-Muniz (44, Ocala) to 24 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported. Alfaro-Muniz had pleaded guilty on April 9, 2019. 

According to the facts described in court, on February 4, 2019, Alfaro-Muniz was arrested for battery in Marion County. Agents soon discovered that Alfaro-Muniz had previously been deported from the United States four times. He is a citizen of Mexico and is illegally in the United States. After Alfaro-Muniz serves his prison sentence, he will be deported from the United States.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore, Jr. has sentenced Missael Gonzalez Terrazas (23, Ocala) to seven years in federal prison for possessing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.  Terrazas had pleaded guilty on May 28, 2019. 

According to the facts described in court, Terrazas was apprehended by law enforcement while in possession of more than four kilograms of pure methamphetamine and $9,000 in cash. Terrazas is a citizen of Mexico and is residing in the United States illegally. After serving his prison sentence, he will be deported from the United States.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore, Jr. has sentenced Jesus Gonzalez-Villanueva (35, Ocala) to 17 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported.  Gonzalez-Villanueva had pleaded guilty on May 16, 2019. 

According to the facts described in court, in March 2019, Gonzalez-Villanueva was cited for a traffic offense in Lake County. Agents soon discovered that Gonzalez-Villanueva had previously been deported from the United States on two occasions and had previously been convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Gonzalez-Villanueva is a citizen of Mexico and is illegally in the United States. After he serves his prison sentence, he will be deported from the United States.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Marco Glover (40, Gainesville) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Glover had pleaded guilty on May 21, 2019.

According to court records, on February 22, 2019, Glover and his co-defendant, Harry Covert, Jr., sold three firearms to an undercover ATF agent. On March 1, 2019, Glover sold four ounces of methamphetamine to the same undercover agent. Glover’s extensive criminal record—which includes prior state convictions for sale of cocaine and a federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine—qualified him as an Armed Career Criminal for federal sentencing purposes.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.

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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has sentenced Scharlene Alisa Hudson to 7 years and 10 months in federal prison for fraudulent possession of unauthorized access devices (credit cards) and aggravated identity theft. Hudson had pleaded guilty on May 23, 2019.

According to court documents, in February 2015, law enforcement officers discovered Hudson squatting in an Orlando residence. At the time, Hudson had in her possession approximately 50 debit cards in other people’s names, a notebook, and other documents containing ledgers listing the names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of numerous victims. Hudson used the personal identification information of the victims to file false tax returns and claim fraudulent tax refunds. The total loss to the government exceeded $297,000. During the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that many of the victims were elderly.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Winyontis Quavari Gordon (29, Ocala) to 16 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Gordon had pleaded guilty on May 16, 2019.

According to court documents, on July 5, 2018, detectives from the Ocala Police Department attempted to arrest Gordon on an outstanding state warrant. Upon seeing the approaching detectives, Gordon exited the driver’s side of a parked car and fled on foot. Following a brief chase, the detectives took Gordon into custody and discovered a loaded .45 caliber handgun on the driver’s seat of the car, where Gordon had been sitting. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Gordon admitted that he had possessed the loaded firearm and repeatedly told the agent, “I’ll take that charge.” He also admitted to having an assault rifle in the trunk of the car.

A records check confirmed that Gordon had prior state felony convictions for aggravated battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, domestic battery by strangulation, and felony battery. These felony convictions prohibit Gordon from lawfully possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. They also qualified Gordon for an enhanced sentence as an Armed Career Criminal.   

The City of Ocala Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives jointly investigated this case. It was 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.

 

Ocala, Florida – Travis Antwan Yates (31, Anthony) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Yates had been indicted on August 14, 2019.

According to court documents, on June 27, 2019, Yates was driving a vehicle with a suspended driver license. During a traffic stop, a canine unit alerted to the presence of illegal drugs inside the car. When officers searched the vehicle, they located a black bag containing cocaine, a loaded handgun, a digital scale, a black cotton ski mask, several pair of black gloves, and Yates’s wallet. Yates admitted that these items belonged to him and that he cannot lawfully possess firearms because he is a convicted felon. A records check subsequently confirmed that Yates has two prior state burglary convictions from 2011. 

This case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the City of Ocala Police Department. 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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Barbara Caylor-Hernandez (48, Dalton, Georgia) to 14 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Caylor-Hernandez had pleaded guilty on January 9, 2019.

According to court documents, in April 2017, the FBI, and later the DEA, started an investigation into the drug trafficking organizations (DTO) that supplied motorcycle clubs operating in the Middle District of Florida with distribution amounts of methamphetamine. To date, 21 individuals have either pleaded or been found guilty as a result of the joint investigation.

As a result of this investigation, law enforcement learned that Caylor-Hernandez was one of the leaders of a DTO that was distributing kilogram amounts of methamphetamine from Georgia to other DTOs and individuals located in central Florida. Members of the Caylor-Hernandez DTO transported methamphetamine from Georgia to various cities in central Florida, including St. Augustine, Holly Hill, and Daytona Beach, for further distribution.

As part of the conspiracy, one of the members of the Caylor-Hernandez DTO distributed methamphetamine to members of the Pagans and Thunderguard Motorcycle Gangs. Georgia Highway Patrol troopers arrested Caylor-Hernandez on May 9, 2018, after she was found in a vehicle with approximately 3.8 kilograms of methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the DEA, the Volusia Bureau of Investigation, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Daytona Beach Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury today found Jonathan Hipps (34, Warner Robins, Georgia) guilty of mail fraud, concealment of material facts from a federal agency, and providing a false document to a federal agency. Hipps faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 4, 2019. Hipps had been indicted on January 16, 2019.

According to evidence presented at trial, Hipps was an employee at STAT Industry, Inc., a company that provided parts and materials to the aerospace industry, including NASA. In the summer of 2014, Hipps handled a contract that required STAT to provide steel rods for use in support of NASA’s Space Launch System/Orion project at Kennedy Space Center. The contract required that the steel rods originate from the United States. During the procurement, Hipps received steel rods originating from India. Instead of replacing the rods with materials from the United States, Hipps used a box cutter to cut off all of the labels from the shipment indicating that the rods were made in India, thus making them to appear that they had originated from the United States. Hipps then shipped the steel rods to the Kennedy Space Center with a certification falsely certifying that the steel rods conformed to all of NASA’s requirements.  

“The NASA Office of Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate those who undermine and defraud NASA efforts to build the SLS launch vehicle and it’s systems,” said Special Agent in Charge John Corbett, Central Field Office. “This jury verdict serves as a staunch reminder that such conduct will not be tolerated. The NASA OIG applauds the efforts of the entire investigative and prosecution team during this investigation, and we look forward to our continued cooperation with our law enforcement partners in the pursuit of justice.” 

This case was investigated by the NASA Office of Inspector General and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.

Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has sentenced Jeffrey McKinney (62, Minneola) to two years in federal prison for wire fraud.  McKinney was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $828,894.25 in restitution.

McKinney had pleaded guilty on May 16, 2019. 

According to court documents, McKinney is a Certified Public Accountant and was the Controller of a local business. In addition to serving as the Controller, McKinney was responsible for moving funds between various accounts held by the business and one of its executives. For more than 18 months, McKinney used his position to embezzle over $750,000 from those accounts on 12 different occasions.  To cover up his thefts, McKinney falsified check stubs, moved money between accounts to hide what he had stolen, and provided the executive with reports that inflated the amount of money that remained in the executive’s accounts. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has sentenced Marvas Aurelien (22, Orlando) to seven years and eight months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as convicted felon. Aurelien had pleaded guilty on May 22, 2019.

According to court documents, on March 14, 2019, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Gang Enforcement Unit located and apprehended Aurelien, who was wanted on an active arrest warrant stemming from aggravated assault with a firearm. While securing Aurelien, deputies located a fully loaded FMK 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in Aurelien’s front pocket. Law enforcement later learned that the firearm had been stolen. Aurelien is a previously convicted felon and, therefore, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.

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.

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.

 

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, 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.

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.