Middle District of Florida

Fort Myers, FL - A Ft. Myers, Florida man was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing government funds and corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the internal revenue laws, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District of Florida. 

According to documents filed with the court, Attila Kalmar filed 2007 through 2009 trust returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the name of First AK-Open Sec Trust, a nominee entity, seeking more than $480,000 in fraudulent refunds.  Kalmar deposited a refund check he received as a result of these filings into a bank account, and then used the proceeds to purchase real property, acquire thousands of dollars in gold coins, and wire money overseas.  Moreover, Kalmar attempted to impede the internal revenue laws by transferring funds between nominee bank accounts and falsely representing to the IRS that an IRS revenue officer was the trustee for First AK-Open Sec Trust.

In addition to the term of prison imposed, U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell ordered Kalmar to serve three years of supervised release, forfeit $274,019 and a piece of real estate to the United States, and pay $274,019 in restitution to the IRS. 

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys William M. Montague and Grace E. Albinson of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.  

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Joshua Lee Hill (32, Jacksonville) with possessing a short-barreled rifle that was not registered to him and with possessing a firearm while he was subject to a state order of protection against repeat violence.  If convicted on all counts, Hill faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, on August 28, 2018, Hill possessed a Smith & Wesson rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches in length, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Rifles with barrels of less than 16 inches in length are required by federal law to be registered. The indictment also charges that, at the time Hill possessed the short-barreled rifle, he was subject to an injunction for protection against repeat violence that had been issued in 2015 and that prohibited Hill from stalking or threatening an intimate partner.  Individuals who are subject to such an order are prohibited from possessing any firearms.

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.

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 October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Christopher Brent Heath (36) and Christine Marie Beaulieub (37), both of Bunnell, with manufacturing, passing, and possessing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. Heath and Beaulieu made their initial appearance in federal court on August 27, 2018, and have been detained. Their trial is set for October 1, 2018.  

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, the Ormond Beach Police Department, and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Troy Alex Freeman to seven years in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a conviction felon. Freeman pleaded guilty on June 12, 2018. 

According to court documents, on October 29, 2017, Freeman held a loaded firearm to his girlfriend’s face and threatened to kill her. This offense occurred in the home that Freeman shared with his girlfriend and their minor children, who were in the residence at the time. When police responded to the girlfriend’s 911 call, all five minor children were hiding in a bedroom. During a search, police found the loaded firearm located under the bed belonging to Freeman’s six-year-old child.

As a previously convicted felon, Freeman is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Freeman was charged in this case only with possession of the ammunition, because the firearm did not travel in interstate commerce as required by federal law. At the time of the incident, Freeman was on federal supervised release for a prior federal firearms conviction.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Sanford Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara M. Wick.

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 October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. 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 – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury today found Richard H. Crawford, Jr. (60) guilty of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Crawford faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 26, 2018.

Crawford had been indicted on March 30, 2018.

According to the evidence presented at trial, from February 10 to February 28, 2018, Crawford engaged in email and text communications, with a person he believed to be the father of a 12-year-old girl, about the possibility of engaging the child in sexual activity. Crawford agreed to pay between $50 and $75 to engage the girl in oral sex and intercourse. Crawford also indicated that he wanted the child to be nude or wearing something with “easy access” at the time of the meeting. 

On February 28, 2018, when Crawford arrived at the agreed location to have sex with the girl, he was arrested by federal agents. During a search of Crawford, agents found that he was carrying $80 and had a condom in his pants pocket. The agents also searched Crawford’s truck, finding an emergency contraceptive pill, massage oil, a phallic device, a sexual performance enhancement pill, adult pornography, a DVD player, and condoms. In addition, the agents found Crawford’s cellphone, which was searched. The cellphone contained the emails and text messages between Crawford and the undercover officer acting as the father of a 12-year-old child.

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. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.

Orlando, FL –U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Windesthon Junior Pierre (22, Winter Garden) to 12 years and 3 months in federal prison for robbery. Judge Mendoza also sentenced Stephon Tevonta Johnson (22, Kissimmee) to 11 years and 9 months’ imprisonment for the same offense. Another individual, Sly Shaniel De Los Santos (23, Kissimmee), is awaiting sentencing for his role in this case. All three pleaded guilty earlier this year.

According to court documents, on September 21, 2017, Pierre, Johnson, and De Los Santos robbed a Walgreens store in Orlando. During the robbery, the men wore Halloween masks and latex gloves, and carried firearms. They corralled pharmacy employees into an office and demanded that they open two safes. They then attempted to gain access to the pharmacy by firing a gun into the pharmacy door, but were unsuccessful. However, they were able to steal $4,850 in cash.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alejandro J. Salicrup.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that William Matthew Napolitano (35, New Port Richey) today pleaded guilty to enticing and coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity and to possessing child pornography. Napolitano faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the

plea agreement , beginning in 2014, Napolitano, while employed by Pasco County Schools as a Transportation Manager, knowingly enticed a 15-year-old student from a local school to engage in sex acts. Napolitano had met the teen on the mobile application “Grindr.” Napolitano then engaged the student in an ongoing sexual relationship for several years. During that time, Napolitano invited the student to view his collection of child pornography, invited him to watch live productions of child pornography on the internet, and invited him to engage in group sex with other adults and minors. Napolitano also produced and distributed child pornography of the student. 

Napolitano’s electronic devices contained conversations that addressed Napolitano’s interest in enticing and having sex with minors and detailed his pattern of targeting and achieving those sexual encounters. Napolitano also had amassed a large collection of child pornography and sexually explicit material, which included young children and sadistic and masochistic conduct.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces today that Atlantic Mobile Imaging Services, Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $321,388.50 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing the government for services while it was unlicensed.

The settlement relates to the expiration of Atlantic Mobile’s license with the State of Florida in 2015. Atlantic Mobile allegedly billed federal healthcare programs for mobile x-ray services it had provided at various locations without a valid license.  According to the settlement agreement, from June 9, 2015, through December 28, 2015, Atlantic Mobile billed over $160,000 for services it was not licensed to provide, in order to receive payment from the United States. 

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office seeks to protect Medicare, TRICARE, and other federal health care programs from unlicensed providers,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “We will continue to protect the people in our district from providers who do not follow the law.”

“Medicare licensure requirements help to ensure that patients receive services from competent providers,” said Special Agent in Charge Shimon R. Richmond of HHS OIG. “On behalf of patients and taxpayers, we will hold violators accountable who fail to meet those requirements.” 

This settlement resulted from an investigation coordinated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor, with assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The settlement resolves the United States’ claims. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating health care fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

Ocala, FL – A federal jury has found Juan Pablo Malagon-Alvarez (40), Jose Lucio Mendoza-Servin (35), and Aurelio Gomez-Andrade (40), all of Ocala, guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Each faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison for that charge. In addition, the jury found Malagon-Alvarez guilty of possession with the intent to distribute heroin; the charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The sentencing hearings are scheduled for November 14, 2018.

Malagon-Alvarez, Mendoza-Servin, and Gomez-Andrade had been indicted on January 11, 2018.     

According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, between June 2015 and December 14, 2017, Malagon-Alvarez distributed multiple ounces of heroin on a weekly or bi-monthly basis to two Ocala drug dealers. During several transactions, Malagon-Alvarez was assisted by Mendoza-Servin and Gomez-Antrade. The drug deals typically occurred on horse farms in Ocala. One cooperating witness obtained 49 grams of heroin from Malagon-Alvarez on June 16, 2017.

This case was investigated by the Gainesville resident office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale Campion.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Richard Plummer (37, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor. Plummer was also ordered to serve 25 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty on May 25, 2018.

According to court documents, in March 2018, Plummer exchanged over 160 text messages with an individual whom he believed was 14 years old. During the conversations, Plummer attempted to induce the child to meet him for a casual sexual encounter. Plummer also sent the child explicit photographs and video of himself. The 14-year-old boy, in reality, was an undercover officer from the Tampa Police Department. Officers arrested Plummer after he showed up to a residence to have sex with the child.

This case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Fiore. 

This represents 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.

Ocala, Florida – Heather Lee Kussoff (31, Cape Coral) today pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federal law enforcement agency. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Kussoff worked as a correctional officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Center. In 2014, she developed an improper personal and romantic relationship with an inmate at that facility. In direct violation of her job responsibilities and training, Kussoff romantically corresponded with the inmate, shared extensive details of her personal life, and communicated directly with members of the inmate’s family. When confronted by federal authorities on March 18, 2015, Kussoff lied under oath about the existence of the romantic relationship and then abruptly resigned from the Bureau of Prisons.

This case was investigated by the Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

 

Ocala, Florida – Tommie Raymond Thomas (50, Sumter County, Florida) today pleaded guilty to one count of stalking. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, while Thomas was an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex, he anonymously sent a series of five threatening and disturbing letters to a female member of the prison staff. Those letters contained detailed threats involving kidnapping and sexually abusing the staffer and others. The letters included photographic collages with cutout pictures of children pasted onto images of adult pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Ocala Resident Agency. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces a $4 million settlement with Dermatology Healthcare, LLC; Robert A. Norman, D.O, P.A.; Robert A. Norman, D.O.; and Carol Norman (collectively, Dermatology Healthcare).

As part of the settlement, the parties resolve allegations that Dermatology Healthcare violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to obtain millions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer with superficial radiation therapy.

According to the settlement agreement, from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2016, the United States contended that Dermatology Healthcare: (1) failed to adequately supervise the administration of superficial radiation therapy, (2) up-coded claims for procedures related to superficial radiation therapy, and (3) over-utilized radiation simulations. 

“Health care providers will be held accountable for the claims they submit to federal health care programs,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “As this settlement makes clear, our civil division continues to make healthcare fraud enforcement a core part of the mission of our office.”

“The rules are simple: bill government health programs only for services actually needed and provided.  No more, no less,” said Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to protect federal health care programs and beneficiaries by holding providers accountable.”

“The FBI is committed to working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to protect federally funded healthcare programs from abuse by providers,” said Eric W. Sporre Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division. “Protection of these important programs is a shared responsibility which can best be accomplished with the support of an engaged community willing to bring these abuses to the attention of authorities.”

This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Emden led the investigation.

This settlement concludes a lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Theodore, A. Schiff, M.D, a dermatologist from Palm Beach County, Florida. Dr. Schiff filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act permitting a private citizen to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in the recovery. The Case is captioned United States of America and the State of Florida ex rel. Theodore A. Schiff, M.D. v. Robert A. Norman, D.O., et al., Case No. 8:15-cv-1506-T-23AEP (M.D. Fla.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating health care fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

 

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Henry L. Adams today sentenced Darrick “Block” Stafford (41, Jacksonville) to six years in federal prison for selling crack cocaine and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Stafford had pleaded guilty on May 30, 2018. 

According to court documents, Stafford participated in a series of firearms sales to an undercover special agent and a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The weapons included a stolen firearm and assault-style rifles with high-capacity magazines. Stafford also sold the undercover agent powder cocaine and crack cocaine. 

When Stafford was arrested by detectives from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, they located a loaded .45-caliber pistol hidden under the hood of the car that he had been driving. As a previously convicted felon for offenses including robbery and firearms violations, Stafford is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. 

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.

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 October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams today sentenced Maurice Sanders (27, Jacksonville) to six years and one day in federal prison for possessing with the intent to sell crack cocaine and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Sanders had pleaded guilty on May 18, 2018.

According to court documents, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) conducted a citywide buy-bust operation on September 21, 2017. During the operation, a JSO detective observed Sanders pull a pill bottle from his pocket and give three different individuals crack cocaine in exchange for money. When Sanders was searched following his arrest, a JSO officer found a loaded .38 revolver in his pocket. 

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

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 October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. 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 – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Akbar Fard (54, formerly of Tampa) to three years in federal prison for wire fraud. The court also ordered Fard to forfeit $ 1,472,082, proceeds which are traceable to of the offense.

A federal jury found him guilty on February 9, 2018.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Fard defrauded the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and the U.S. Navy. He diverted for his personal benefit $1,472,082 that should have been used to research critical national research priorities related to spacecraft, satellites, and the protection of naval assets from fires. With the money, Fard went on an international vacation, paid for a car, funded his retirement, and purchased retail items and groceries.

This case was investigated by NASA’s Office of the Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.

Jacksonville, Florida – Christopher Michael Picher (26, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to receiving over the internet videos and images depicting child sexual abuse. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Picher has been detained since his arrest on March 22, 2018.

According to court documents, in early 2018, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI conducted an undercover child exploitation investigation and determined that an account with an online data storage company and an account with a popular online mobile messaging app were both being used to receive, distribute, and store child pornography. These accounts were traced to email addresses used by Picher and residences where Picher had lived in 2017 and 2018. 

On March 22, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Picher’s last known residence in Jacksonville. Picher had moved out of this home the day before and had taken his smart phone with him. Further investigation revealed that Picher had relocated to a different residence in Jacksonville. Agents traveled to that residence, where they encountered Picher asleep on the couch. His smart phone was located and recovered. 

During an interview, Picher stated that he had been using his smart phone for at least one year, that he had viewed child pornography using the particular mobile messaging app, and that he knew that pictures of child pornography could be posted within the group or that users could send private messages. Subsequent forensic analyses of Picher’s phone revealed that it contained at least 15 videos and at least 1,486 images of child pornography. 

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. 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 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, FL – A federal jury has found Carlos Arturo Cuerro Borja (51), a Colombian national, 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. Cuerro Borja faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 19, 2018.

According to evidence presented at trial, Cuerro Borja was part of an international maritime drug smuggling operation involving approximately 240 kilograms of cocaine bound for the United States. Cuerro Borja was the load guard for a Manta, Ecuador-based cocaine smuggling crew. While in international waters, hundreds of miles off the coast of Mexico, Cuerro Borja and his crew offloaded eight bales of cocaine to a Sinaloa, Mexico-based smuggling go-fast vessel. They then joined the Mexican crew for the run to Sinaloa, after scuttling their vessel in the Pacific Ocean.

On October 10, 2017, a U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft spotted the go-fast vessel speeding towards Mexico. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter ASPEN and its crew launched two over-the-horizon boats to catch the go-fast smuggling vessel crewed by Cuerro Borja and his five co-conspirators. The ASPEN crew seized cartel cocaine smuggling equipment and approximately 102 kilograms of jettisoned cocaine.

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 U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, 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 Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Palermo and Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas DeRenzo.

Jacksonville, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Steven Timothy Jolly (40) and Eric Mark Hamilton (34), both of Jacksonville, with manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and possessing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. If convicted, Jolly and Hamilton each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count.

Jolly made his initial appearance on August 15, 2018, and was detained on August 21, 2018. His trial is set for October 1, 2018. Hamilton will make his initial appearance in federal court on August 28, 2018.

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 U.S. Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced William Harvey Gulkis (30, Jacksonville) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for producing child pornography. The court also ordered Gulkis to pay $8,000 in restitution to the victims of his offenses, register as a sex offender, and serve a life term of supervised release.

Gulkis pleaded guilty on November 3, 2017.

According to court documents, in January 2017, law enforcement began an investigation after learning about the prolific sharing of child pornography files linked to Gulkis’s residence. Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations also learned that an individual at Gulkis’s residence was sharing self-produced child erotica files on a photo-sharing website.

During the execution of a search warrant at Gulkis’s residence, agents discovered that Gulkis had produced and shared child erotica and child pornography files and had produced photographs of himself masturbating with young children in the background of the images. Gulkis also produced child pornography depicting sleeping children whose clothing he had removed to display their genitals.

In addition to the files he produced, Gulkis had collected more than 6,000 files of child pornography. 

“This predator took advantage of these young children at their most vulnerable moments,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “Our greatest hope is that today’s sentencing will bring some small measure of closure to the innocent victims.”  

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.

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 – A federal jury has found Jean David Jules (33, citizen of Haiti) guilty of two counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud. Three co-defendants, Donte Sherrick Harris (30, Kissimmee), Jason Tyiwuan Green (22, Orlando), and Jonathan Wayne Thorne (27, Kissimmee), previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting wire fraud. In addition, six others have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to the same fraud scheme.

According to court documents, from at least August 2015 through June 2017, Jules and others participated in a criminal organization that gained money from victims by impersonating agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and/or the Cyber Crimes Center (C3). The scheme began with the defendants placing fraudulent posts on adult dating websites, claiming to be a “nerdy girl seeking nerdy guy.” When a victim responded to a fraudulent ad, a defendant continued to pretend he was a female seeking companionship. Days later, a defendant would contact the victim and pretend to be a federal agent assigned to the “C3 Child Exploitation Division” or other components of DHS. The defendant then would accuse the victim of soliciting a minor on the internet and falsely claim that there were outstanding warrants for the victim’s arrest. 

The defendants used fraudulent email addresses that appeared to be from law enforcement agencies, or phone applications disguised as law enforcement phone numbers. They told their victims that they could pay a “fine” or “fees” so that the purported warrants could be “purged” or “cleared.” Victims were directed to wire funds, in the names of the defendants or their aliases, to the purported “agents” using a money service business. Many sent multiple extortion payments, ranging from $200 to $1,900 each. Law enforcement estimates that the scheme resulted in at least $311,000 in profits. 

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Office of Professional Responsibility, and Homeland Security Investigations (San Diego), with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (San Diego), and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.  It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Bayliss, on assignment from the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, ICE. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Chang assisted with the prosecution.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Michael Paige Palmer (41, Virginia) to eight years and one month in federal prison for transportation and possession of child pornography. Palmer was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.

Palmer was charged by a criminal complaint on December 24, 2017. He pleaded guilty on April 17, 2018.    

According to court documents and evidence presented during the sentencing hearing, Palmer initially came to the attention of Canadian law enforcement officials when they identified him during an investigation as someone who had shared child pornography with others. As a result, Palmer was identified when he disembarked a cruise ship in Port Canaveral (Florida). During a routine border search of Palmer’s electronic devices, law enforcement located five videos containing child pornography. In total, Palmer possessed 84 images and 254 videos of child pornography, some of which included the sexual abuse of young children.

“HSI’s border search authority allowed us to stop this child predator in his tracks,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “This significant sentencing underscores the severity of this crime and should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can harm children and get away with it.”

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Bayliss, on assignment from the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, ICE. 

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 Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Kevin Michael Hutchinson (36, Orlando) to 10 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. Hutchinson was also ordered to serve a 7-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.

Hutchinson was charged by criminal complaint on April 20, 2018. He pleaded guilty on May 29, 2018. 

According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, Hutchinson initially came to the attention of law enforcement when he distributed child pornography via a mobile application. Then, just hours before a federal search warrant was executed at his home, Hutchinson received multiple images and videos of child pornography via the internet. One of the items downloaded by Hutchinson was a “guide” on how to prepare young children for sex with adults. In total, Hutchinson possessed 5,872 images and 1,625 videos of child pornography. Of those, 630 of the images and 160 of the videos depicted infants or toddlers being sexually abused.

At the time of his arrest, Hutchinson was a deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. He was immediately placed on administrative leave and later terminated as a result of this case.

“The re-victimization of a child is always tragic,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “But it is particularly disturbing when the predator is someone in a position of trust and respect.”

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.

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.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Elizabeth M. Jordan to 21 months in federal prison for aiding and assisting others with the filing of fraudulent tax returns. The court also sentenced Jordan’s daughter, Dolores A. Youmans, to 5 years’ probation for the same offense. In addition, each was also ordered to pay restitution to the IRS – totaling $176,379 for Jordan and $96,769 for Youmans.  

According to court documents, Jordan was the owner and operator of a tax return preparation business in Jacksonville, which she started in 2011. At the business, Jordan, Youmans, and others prepared individual income tax returns on behalf of clients. In doing so, they reported false information, including false deductions, false claims for education and other credits, and false claims of business expenses. These false representations reduced the amount owed by, or increased the amount refunded to, the taxpayers.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Tommy N. Tracy (71, North Fort Myers) with fraud in connection with a major disaster. If convicted, Tracy faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, on September 13, 2017, Tracy applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for a residence located at 18301 Slater Road in North Fort Myers. He claimed that this was his primary residence, that he was living there at the time of the disaster, and that he did not own a rental property affected by the disaster. In fact, the property on Slater Road was not his primary residence, he was not residing there at the time of the disaster, and it was a rental property owned by Tracy.

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 U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Chief Assistant United States Attorney Jesus M. Casas.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Lateasha Monique Perry (34, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to three counts of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud and two counts of theft of government funds. Perry faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on each of the fraud charges and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each of the theft counts. She has agreed to make full restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the federal agency overseeing the benefit program. SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a national program established to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among lower income families.    

According to the plea agreement and evidence presented in court, between June 2013 and February 2016, Perry received SNAP benefits via a debit card. Though these benefits only can be redeemed for certain basic food items, Perry repeatedly cashed out hundreds of dollars of her benefits at a local meat and poultry market in Marion County. This practice is strictly prohibited under both the program’s rules and federal law.

Federal agents analyzed SNAP redemption data and identified Perry as the person with the highest number of fraudulent transactions from the store. Subsequently obtained video surveillance images from the business showed Perry accessing her SNAP account at the counter, receiving large amounts of cash from store personnel, and then leaving with little or no merchandise. The estimated loss to the federal government exceeds $30,000 over 97 transactions. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of the Inspector General and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon, II today sentenced Leone Alfano La Cava (59, Orlando) and Viktoriya Johnson (36, Orlando) to 8 years and 1 month in federal prison, and 3 years and 10 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Court also ordered La Cava and Johnson to forfeit four properties and two luxury vehicles, which are traceable to proceeds of the offenses. 

Johnson was found guilty by a federal jury on April 13, 2018. La Cava had pleaded guilty on March 30, 2018.

According to court documents, La Cava and Johnson orchestrated an international real estate investment scheme that defrauded at least 85 Italian investors out of over $5 million. La Cava solicited individuals, in Italy, to purchase real estate in Orange County that he claimed would generate guaranteed rental income. Johnson and La Cava then used falsified deeds and loan documents to convince investors that they were purchasing property owned by La Cava or Golden Investment, Inc., a real estate investment company incorporated by Johnson in 2010. In fact, those properties either did not exist, were never owned by La Cava, Johnson, or Golden Investment, or had already been sold to another investor.

La Cava and Johnson used portions of the funds sent by investors for their own personal use instead of purchasing the real estate promised to investors. Johnson received over $1.3 million in investor funds, that she used to purchase four properties and two luxury vehicles for herself.

This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan W. Hill, Chauncey A. Bratt, and Roger B. Handberg.

Tampa, FL -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.

On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.

In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.

The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl.

Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.

"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs.  These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”

“The misuse and abuse of opioids in our communities has reached epidemic proportions,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “We intend to work with our partners to use every tool in our arsenal, including prevention, education, and prosecution where necessary, to stem the flow of this devastating scourge.”

“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”

Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.

When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.

The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of three indictments charging the following individuals with the listed federal criminal violations:

Indictment One

Name

Age/City

Charge

Barbara Caylor-Hernandez,  a/k/a Barb, a/k/a Barbie

47, Ormond Beach, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Ramiro Fraire-Chavarria

44, Dalton, GA

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Michael Babin

47, Daytona Beach, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Melanie Kerr

28, Daytona Beach, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Keith Simmons

41, Oak Hill, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;

and distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine

Carla Ray

51, Oak Hill, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Spencer Burkard

49, New Smyrna Beach, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine

Robert Foster

37, St. Augustine, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine

Daniel Barbarino

54, Daytona Beach, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Andrew Shettler,   a/k/a “Yeti”

33, Palm Coast, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Brian Burt, a/k/a “Sledge”

47, Port Orange, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Lawrence Sann

55, Bunnell, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine

Indictment Two

Name

Age/City

Charge

Keith Kirchoff

40, Key West, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; use and carry of a firearm in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime

Andrew Shettler, a/k/a “Yeti”

33, Palm Coast, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Michael Andrews, a/k/a “Clutch”

33, Palm Coast, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

Indictment Three

Name

Age/City

Charge

Cindy Bledsoe  

30, Daytona Beach, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and distribution of more than five grams of methamphetamine

Jason Stringer

38, Daytona Beach, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine; and distribution of more than five grams of methamphetamine

Michael Andrews, a/k/a “Clutch”

33, Palm Coast, FL

Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

If convicted on all counts, Kirchoff, Andrews, Shettler, Bledsoe, Caylor-Hernandez, Fraire-Chavarria, Babin, Kerr, Simmons, Ray, Burkard, Foster, Barbarino, and Burt each face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Sann and Stringer each face a maximum penalty of 40 years’ imprisonment.

According to the indictments, the defendants conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine to individuals and groups in the Middle District of Florida, including to members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, an outlaw motorcycle gang.

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 FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Volusia Bureau of Investigation, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Daytona Beach Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.

Tampa, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned a

superseding indictment  charging William Matthew Napolitano (35, New Port Richey) with enticement of a minor and with producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography. If convicted on all counts, Napolitano faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

According to the indictment, between 2015 and January 2017, Napolitano enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexual activity. In June 2015, Napolitano also persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.

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.

Any person who was a victim, or has knowledge of someone who may have been a victim, is urged to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (347-2423) or at http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

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 – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven today sentenced Alejo Tronco-Diaz (52, Lakeland) to 12 months and one day in federal prison for conspiracy to commit federal program theft. As part of his sentence, Tronco-Diaz was also ordered to pay $295,891.65 in restitution. The court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $373,602.42, representing the total proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

Tronco-Diaz pleaded guilty on May 14, 2018.

According to court documents, Tronco-Diaz’s wife, Tracy Dean Tronco, worked as a Transit Coordinator and Passenger Operations Specialist at the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) District 7 office in Tampa from May 2010 through August 2015. Tronco was responsible for administering transportation projects and funds that were intended to benefit Florida residents and taxpayers. As part of her work, she had a role in awarding federal grant funds that the U.S. Department of Transportation provided to the FDOT. 

Tronco-Diaz, who married Tronco in 2012, was an FDOT grant applicant who operated an alleged church, Ministerio A Gran Voz De Trompeta Campus, Inc., in Hillsborough and Polk Counties. Ministerio purported to provide transportation services for underserved populations, such as elderly, disabled, and unemployed individuals.

Tronco used her position at FDOT to award more than $370,000 in federal funds to Ministerio and another religious ministry that claimed to be partnering with Ministerio to provide transportation services. The grant money was supposed to be used to purchase and renovate a commercial property in Hillsborough County, to provide job and transportation-related services, to purchase three new vehicles, and to reimburse the operation’s vehicle maintenance costs. Instead, the funds and vehicles were kept and used by Tronco, her husband, and other co-conspirators. Tronco also failed to disclose to FDOT her personal relationship with Tronco-Diaz, which constituted a conflict of interest that would have prevented her from handling the grant awards.

Tronco resigned from FDOT in lieu of termination on April 27, 2016. She was charged in the same indictment and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft on October 18, 2017.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Scruggs.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces today that Trinity Medical Pharmacy, LLC, (TMP) and several of its principals have agreed to pay the United States $2,244,270.14 to resolve allegations that TMP violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing TRICARE and other government programs for claims generated by illegal kickbacks and by knowingly omitting material information from TMP’s application to become a certified Express Scripts provider.

The settlement relates to TMP’s marketing and sale of compounded medicine that should be uniquely tailored to an individual patient’s need and is often extremely expensive. Between 2013 and 2015, TMP, formerly located in New Port Richey, billed TRICARE seeking millions of dollars in reimbursement for compounded medicine. At the time, Krutika Patel was TMP’s president and chief executive officer, Devan Patel was the company’s chief operating officer, Jay Martinez was TMP’s national sales director, and Nicholas Petrillo was the national account director and top sales representative.

The United States alleges that TMP and these individuals knowingly sought reimbursement for compounded medicine claims generated through illegal kickbacks to patients and providers. The United States also alleges that TMP knowingly failed to disclose a material fact—COO Devan Patel’s previous felony conviction—when seeking to become an authorized provider with Express Scripts. Express Scripts is the pharmacy benefit manager for TRICARE and several carriers associated with the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).

“Protecting TRICARE and other federal health care programs from fraud is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “Those who defraud TRICARE misappropriate money intended to provide quality health care to members of our military and their families. We will continue to protect those who serve our country.”

“This settlement demonstrates the effectiveness of investigations by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our law enforcement partners to ensure that precious taxpayer dollars are not used for unjust enrichment by fraudulent providers. DCIS protects the integrity of DoD programs by rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse which negatively impacts critical programs such as TRICARE,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office.

“I would like to commend the work of our criminal investigators, their law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their tireless efforts on this case,” said U.S. Office of Personnel Management Acting Inspector General Norbert E. Vint. “Their excellent work safeguards the integrity of the FEHBP and serves to protect the millions of Federal employees, retirees, and dependents who benefit from the program.”

“The improper CHAMPVA billings made by Trinity Medical Pharmacy diverted funds intended for the care of Veterans who honorably served in the Armed Forces of the United States,” stated David Spilker, Special Agent in Charge, VA Office of Inspector General. “The continued oversight of the companies that do business with VA, as shown in this investigation, safeguard the integrity of VA programs and funding.”

The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating health care fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General; and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsay Saxe Griffin led the investigation.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

 

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found Tyrone Walker (36, St. Petersburg) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Walker faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 6, 2018. Walker was indicted on March 22, 2018.

According to evidence presented at trial, Walker possessed a firearm that he used to shoot and kill another man during a dispute. At the time of the incident, Walker had a prior felony conviction and therefore was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Callan Albritton and James Preston.

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 October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. 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 – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Anthony Joseph Culotta, Jr. (59, Brevard County) with possession of child pornography. Culotta faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.    

According to the criminal complaint, Culotta has been a NASA contractor since at least 2004, and worked has with the Kennedy Space Center Launch Services Program. Between May 31 and August 7, 2018, Culotta used his NASA-issued laptop computer to search for, view, and possess sexually explicit images of children.

On August 7, 2018, special agents working with the NASA Office of Inspector General interviewed Culotta, who admitted that he used his NASA computer to search for and view images that piqued his curiosity. A search of the computer revealed over 1,000 images of child pornography, including images of known victims previously identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.         

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has violated federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by NASA Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Kennedy Space Center. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.     

 

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Rodolfo Quiles (33, Tampa), Melissa Vasquez (28, Tampa), Alejandro Ortiz-Mendez, a/k/a “Andrew,” (43, Tampa), Gil William Garcia-Libran, a/k/a “Giwi,” (48, San Diego, CA), Stephen Johnson (25, San Diego, CA), Mauricio Ojeda, a/k/a “Pariente,” (39, San Diego, CA), Eduardo Trujillo, a/k/a/ “B.E.T.,” (38, Chula Vista, CA), and Melissa Day Swycaffer (22, National City, CA) with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including heroin. If convicted, they face penalties from 40 years to life in federal prison. 

According to court documents, the defendants were part of a drug-trafficking organization that shipped kilogram-quantities of heroin, fentanyl, and other controlled substances from California to Florida and other east coast destinations for distribution. During the investigation, agents seized multiple kilograms of drugs that were destined for central Florida. 

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 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the San Diego Police Department, the El Cajon Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Tampa Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Embry J. Kidd.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Daniel Cardenas (37, Tampa) to 18 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.    

Cardenas pleaded guilty on April 24, 2018.

According to court documents, from as early as October 2007 through May 2008, Cardenas and others conspired to execute a wire fraud scheme affecting financial institutions. The goal of the scheme was to sell condominium units at The Preserve at Temple Terrace, a 392-unit condominium complex in Tampa. To entice buyers to purchase the units, the conspirators offered cash payments to buyers, either before or after closing. Payment of the funds to the individual buyers was neither known to nor approved by the mortgage lenders.

The conspirators made material false statements on loan documents, such as purchase and sale agreements, loan applications, and HUD-1 settlement statements, to induce mortgage lenders to approve loans for otherwise unqualified borrowers. The conspirators used several entities to conceal the payments to buyers from the mortgage lenders.

Cardenas’s role in the conspiracy, as a loan officer at Transcontinental Lending Group’s branch in Tampa, included but was not limited to preparing, signing, and certifying false and fraudulent loan applications submitted to lenders in order to induce the institutions to provide funding for buyers. The false representations submitted to and relied upon by the mortgage lenders included representations concerning occupancy, income, source of funds, and assets.  Cardenas’s participation in the mortgage fraud conspiracy caused approximately $710,000 in losses to the victim mortgage lenders.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor and Assistant United States Attorney Jay Hoffer.

Tampa, FL –U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced David Owen (40, Largo) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit extortion, money laundering, and mail fraud, in connection with several consumer fraud schemes. As part of his sentence, the Court also ordered restitution to the victims in the amount of $697,500, and entered a money judgment in the amount of $1,185,652, representing the proceeds of the fraud.

According to court documents, Owen, who was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on January 30, 2018, and a co-conspirator, Andrew Corrigan, used straw account owners to open bank accounts into which they deposited money from victims of their tax impersonation scheme. The conspirators extorted money from victims by falsely representing that the victims had financial obligations to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Canadian tax authorities, or other entities. They then threatened the victims with arrest, prosecution, or other legal consequences for their purported debts and demanded that they pay the conspirators the “owed” money. 

The conspirators monitored the victims’ deposits online in order to ensure that the straw owners of the accounts (who were controlled by the conspirators) made timely withdrawals. The conspirators provided the straw account owners with the victims’ names, locations, and amounts of deposits. The conspirators then directed the straw account owners to withdraw the funds in cash, and turn it over to them (often less a payment to the straw account owner for opening the account or conducting the transaction) victims were also directed to pay via money transfers and prepaid debit cards, which were also collected and deposited by the defendants. Owen and Corrigan collected more than $850,000 from their victims.

For his role in this scheme, Corrigan was sentenced to 10 years in prison on January 30, 2018. 

Owen also devised another telemarketing fraud scheme, which primarily targeted elderly victims. Callers located outside of the United States contacted at least three elderly victims and falsely represented to those victims that they had won millions of dollars in the Publisher’s Clearing House lottery. The callers then induced the victims to provide financial information and mail large cashier’s checks to a straw business (Edgewater Elite) in Florida, set up by Owen, to pay “advance” taxes on the alleged winnings, or for some other related purpose. Once the victims’ funds were deposited into the Edgewater Elite bank accounts, they were quickly disbursed by the straw business owner, at the direction of Owen. Over $315,000 was collected from the three elderly victims.

"This sentence today represents a victory not just for the IRS, but for the many hard-working Americans who have received an intimidating phone call from the perpetrators of this despicable scam," stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Andy Tsui of IRS Criminal Investigation. ‎"We remind taxpayers that the IRS does not initiate contact by phone and we will never call with threats to arrest you. Education is your best defense, so we invite everyone to spread the word to be on the watch for phone calls from IRS impersonators."

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Largo Police Department, the Gulfport Police Department, the Toronto Police Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelley Howard-Allen and Rachel Jones.

Orlando, FL –U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced William Joseph McClenathan (30, Sanford) to 20 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. McClenathan pleaded guilty on May 16, 2018.

According to court documents, in December 2017, McClenathan distributed an image depicting a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A forensic review of McClenathan’s electronic devices revealed that he possessed 171 images of child pornography and 338 videos of child pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alejandro J. Salicrup.

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, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the guilty pleas of the individuals listed below with charges stemming from conspiracy to distribute more than 1 kilogram of heroin, 400 hundred grams of fentanyl, and 100 grams of a fentanyl analogue, the distribution of which resulted in four deaths and in serious bodily injury to a victim. The defendants face penalties from 10 years to life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. The plea agreements also require certain individuals to make restitution to the families of the victims. 

Salik Stevens Drug Trafficking Organization

Name

Age, Residence

Status

Salik Stevens, a/k/a “Carlito,” ‘Dough”

35, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death.

Faces a minimum mandatory of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment.

Hasan Pearson, a/k/a “Julio,” “Hoov”

36, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death.

Faces a minimum mandatory of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment.

Naboris Lampkin , a/k/a “Beezy”

32, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death.

Faces a minimum mandatory of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment.

Ladarius Oglesby, a/k/a “Hitta”

23, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death.

Faces a minimum mandatory of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment.

William Jones, a/k/a “Book”

39, Mulberry

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment.

Dominic Matthews, a/k/a “Gargamel”

30, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment.

Prince Grant

37, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.

Justin Martin

33, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Faces up to 30 years in federal prison.

Jeminine Poe

37, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

John Brown

54, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of attempted possession of heroin.

Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

Dalyshia Dexter

28, Lakeland

Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

On January 5, 2018, in a related case, Antonorio Nelson, a/k/a “Nep,” (29, Lakeland) pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute furanyl fentanyl resulting in death. He faces a minimum mandatory of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison.

According to the plea agreements, the defendants were part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that conspired to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues, and operated in and around Lakeland. As part of the conspiracy, Stevens and Pearson received controlled substances via packages shipped from New Jersey. They then distributed the drugs, packaged in individual user amounts referred to as “bindles,” to Lakeland dealers. The organization utilized three primary premises for the storage and distribution of controlled substances, including a car wash, a residence, and an apartment complex.     

Law enforcement identified several overdoses in Polk County between February and April 2017, that were linked to the organization. Specifically, investigators identified four victims who had died from ingesting furanyl fentanyl and carfentanil sold by members of the DTO, and one victim who was medically resuscitated after a carfentanil overdose.

During the investigation, law enforcement seized thousands of individual bindles of heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues, three firearms, and over $10,000 in cash.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Lakeland Police Department, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. 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. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Orlando, Florida – A federal jury has found Ramon Lopez-Alvarado (58), a citizen of Mexico, guilty of one count of illegal re-entry into the United States. Prior to trial, Lopez-Alvarado also pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), for failing to register as a sex offender when he returned to the United States. Lopez-Alvarado has previous felony convictions for committing a lewd act on a child and failing to register as a sex offender. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for November 14, 2018.

According to evidence presented at trial, Lopez-Alvarado, an alien of the United States who had previously been removed in 2000, 2009, and 2013, was found to be back in the Orlando area on March 17, 2018. Lopez-Alvarado claimed he was a naturalized United States citizen, despite his naturalization application having been denied.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations and the U.S. Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara M. Wick.

Ocala, Florida – A federal indictment has been unsealed charging Charlie Wayne Harrison, Jr. (32, Leesburg), Trini Thomas, Jr. (34, Wildwood), Allison Nicole Valdez (32, St. Petersburg), James Edward Moss (34, LaGrange, Georgia), Dwayne Edward Moss (32, LaGrange, Georgia), Jasmine Janay Patterson (24, Wildwood), Georgiana Armenakis (40, Paisley), Derick Latrelle Woods (28, Belleview), Brian Adolph McLaren, Jr. (30, Ocala), Christopher Valsechi (28, Weirsdale), and Chantal Monique Harrison (28, Leesburg) with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The indictment also notifies Charlie Wayne Harrison, Jr. that the United States intends to forfeit his 2016 Porsche Panamera, 2014 Chevrolet Corvette, and 2008 Hummer H3, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses.

According to court records, Charlie Wayne Harrison, Jr. was the leader of a large-scale drug operation spanning Marion, Sumter, Lake, and Pinellas Counties. He and his co-conspirators are charged with distributing multi-kilogram quantities of pure crystal methamphetamine and heroin. During the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized 14.5 kilograms of pure crystal methamphetamine (96-100% pure), 5.5 kilograms of heroin, 19 firearms, and approximately 6 pounds of gold jewelry valued at approximately $95,000. In addition, law enforcement seized $1,171,353 in cash, alleged to be profits of Harrison’s drug organization.

“This investigation is evident of the law enforcement community’s ability to work together throughout various counties to fully investigate and bring to justice those involved in drug trafficking” said Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Miami Field Division.

“As subject-matter experts in violent crime, firearms and explosives,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary, “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep illegal firearms out of our communities.”

“FDLE is pleased to participate with our partners in the successful effort to stop a massive, multi-county drug operation,” said John Burke, Special Agent in Charge – FDLE, Jacksonville Regional Operations Center. “Florida families in this region are now safer and more secure thanks to the combined work of law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

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 Drug Enforcement Administration (Gainesville Resident Office) in partnership with the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team in Marion County, as well as the Marion, Lake, and Sumter County Sheriffs’ Offices, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tysen Duva.

Tampa, Florida – Josue Antonio Ortega (36, Dade City) today pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute heroin and to violating the animal fighting provisions of the federal Animal Welfare Act. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the heroin charge, and up to 5 years in federal prison on the Animal Welfare Act charge.

According to the plea agreement, Ortega participated with others in a dogfighting conspiracy. In 2016, he and his co-conspirators, operating as Boricuba Kennels, sponsored pit bull dogfighting in Pasco County. On October 19, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ortega’s property and seized 14 pit bulls—12 of which had wounds and scarring consistent with having recently fought—along with equipment used to condition the dogs for fighting. They also seized over 70 grams of heroin. 

The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony to knowingly sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive any animal, including dogs, for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. Under federal law, an animal fighting venture means “any event, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, that involves a fight conducted or to be conducted between at least two animals for purposes of sport, wagering, or entertainment.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.  

Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that the United States has settled allegations that Pentad Corporation failed to reimburse the Department of the Navy for meals consumed by its employees at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The allegations resolved included liability under the False Claims Act (FCA).

Pentad Corporation is a defense contractor that provides dining-related services at various locations, including at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. Pentad’s contract with the Navy allowed Pentad employees to eat at Navy dining facilities, but required that Pentad reimburse the Navy for meals its employees consumed. From December 2013 to December 2016, Pentad failed to reimburse the Navy for these meals, causing the Navy approximately $150,000 in damages. The settlement compensates the Navy for Pentad’s reimbursement failures.

“Protecting the integrity of services provided to our armed forces is a high priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “We will work vigorously to ensure that defense contractors fulfill their contractual obligations so that our military can accomplish its mission.”

“This settlement is the result of tireless efforts by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and its law enforcement partners to ensure integrity and compliance in all Department of Defense programs,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office. “DCIS investigations focus on fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars in all DoD procurements for goods and services.”

Special Agent in Charge Michael Wiest stated “Fraud is not a victimless crime. In all its forms fraud siphons time, money, and resources from America’s warfighters. NCIS is committed to working with our partner agencies to help hold accountable those who put personal greed above their responsibilities to the Navy and nation.”

This case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Contract Audit Agency, and Assistant United States Attorney Shea Gibbons.

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Tampa, FL – Steven Paul Burch (43, Cape Coral) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. In his plea agreement, Burch has agreed to forfeit his license to practice law, which was used to facilitate the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in August 2015, Burch was arrested in Sarasota County for driving under the influence of alcohol and causing property damage. In an effort to reduce his charges and avoid punishment from the Florida Bar, Burch recruited co-defendant and client Herbert Battle to send packages of drugs through the mail that Burch could then report to law enforcement as a form of cooperation. Unbeknownst to Burch and Battle, Battle’s wife (Qualonda Battle) recorded one of the conversations at Burch’s law office. In the recording, Burch discusses how the packages were going to be sent, where they were going to go, and how the conspirators would get away with it.

In March 2016, Battle shipped an ounce of heroin from California to Sarasota County. Battle sent the tracking number to his wife who, using a disposable phone, texted the tracking number to Burch, who then forwarded the tracking number to law enforcement. The package was intercepted at the FedEx warehouse in Bradenton, where a search of the package revealed an ounce of heroin that had been concealed in a bag of beef jerky.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office for the 12th Judicial Circuit and, the Florida Bar Association. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza and Diego Novaes.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Jamaar Danglo Hayes (34, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered him to forfeit the firearm. Hayes pleaded guilty on April 25, 2018.

According to court documents, in October 2017, Hayes drove to an apartment complex located on Sligh Avenue in Tampa while in possession of a .38 caliber revolver. Multiple individuals at the apartment complex saw Hayes with the firearm and called 911. The responding officers located Hayes and the revolver. Hayes, a previously convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay G. Trezevant.

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 October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. 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 Virginia Hernandez Covington today sentenced Jorge Eliecer Cifuentes-Cuero (54, Colombia, South America) to 21 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

According to court documents, Cifuentes-Cuero was a principal member of his Colombian and Ecuadorean-based drug trafficking organization. He initially worked as a mechanic and mariner onboard vessels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, and later, as he accumulated wealth, became an organizer of multi-ton cocaine loads transported by vessel from Colombia and Ecuador to locations in Central and Latin America. Cifuentes-Cuero is responsible for several maritime smuggling ventures in the international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. In January 2013 and July 2014, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted loads of cocaine, totaling over 1,000 kilograms that were being smuggled aboard vessels (commonly referred to as “go-fast boats”).

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 Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Palermo. 

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Kyle Lopez (46, Morgantown, West Virginia) to 36 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for failure to register as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Lopez had pleaded guilty on June 11, 2018.

According to court documents, Lopez, who had previous felony convictions for indecency with a child, sexual assault against a child, and failure to register, failed to register as a sex offender in Florida after moving from West Virginia to Florida in September 2017, in an attempt to abscond from his registration requirements. After receiving notification from West Virginia, the U.S. Marshals Service located Lopez on October 31, 2017, in Volusia County, Florida. He was then charged with failure to register as a sex offender in violation of SORNA.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara M. Wick.

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 Attorney’s 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.

West Palm Beach, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Lorenzo Gatti (52, Delray Beach) yesterday pleaded guilty to one count of making materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements in official FBI reports. Gatti faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on July 27, 2013, Gatti, who at the time was a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Deputy, assigned to the FBI as a task force officer, was involved in an automobile accident at an intersection in Boynton Beach, Florida. A few days later, in two separate FBI reports, Gatti stated that he was on official business at the time of the accident. Specifically, he claimed that the accident occurred after he had conducted a 24-mile surveillance on a target of a federal investigation.   

At the time Gatti made these statements, he knew that his claims about conducting surveillance were false. In particular, records indicate that the target of the federal investigation did not, on the date of the accident, drive anywhere near the surveillance route that Gatti said he had followed.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice - Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sean P. Shecter and Ilianys Rivera Miranda.

Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States Judge Richard W. Goldberg has sentenced Jason James Neiheisel (28, Jacksonville) to seven years in federal prison for sharing child sex abuse videos and making them available online for distribution. Neiheisel was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. A federal jury found him guilty in April 2018. 

According to evidence and testimony at trial, an FBI task force officer (TFO) conducted an online investigation of individuals using the internet to trade child pornography and identified a host computer in Jacksonville that was offering child sex abuse videos for distribution. The TFO downloaded approximately 48 videos, several of which depicted young children being sexually abused, from a computer using the internet protocol address at Neiheisel’s apartment in Jacksonville. On April 11, 2017, FBI agents interviewed Neiheisel at his home. He told the agents that he had used a file-sharing network, had downloaded child pornography for “a while,” and that he enjoyed the “thrill of the hunt” to see what kind of child pornography he could find.

Neiheisel’s computer was seized and a forensic examination confirmed that he had used it to access the file-sharing network. Neiheisel also admitted that he knew that he had made the child pornography videos available to anyone on the file-sharing network who wished to participate.

This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. 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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

Ocala, Florida – A federal jury has found Mark Charles Barnett (50, Ocala) guilty of attempted arson, possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) destructive device, and making an unregistered NFA destructive device.  Barnett faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the attempted arson count and up to 10 years in federal prison on each of the destructive device convictions. His sentencing hearing has been set for October 17, 2018.

A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Barnett with these crimes on June 20, 2018. 

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Barnett offered a Confidential Source (CS) $10,000 to place improvised explosive bombs inside Target stores along the east coast of the United States. Barnett purchased the bomb components and assembled at least 10 of the destructive devices, which he disguised inside the packaging of common grocery items. He then delivered the devices to the CS with instructions to put them on the shelves of Target stores from New York to Florida. The CS, however, promptly surrendered the destructive devices to authorities and Barnett was arrested on February 14, 2017.  

Barnett theorized that the company’s stock value would plunge after the explosions, allowing him to cheaply acquire shares of Target stock before an eventual rebound in prices. Barnett told the source, “If someone has to die so that I can make some money, so be it.”  

Federal explosives experts subsequently determined that the resulting fire and explosion from each of the devices would have been capable of causing property damage, serious injury, and death. Searches of Barnett’s house, cellphone, and computer revealed pictures of the grocery items that he had turned into bombs, as well as leftover bomb components and articles describing stock options. 

Barnett, a registered sex offender, had been conditionally released from state prison in 2013, following multiple felony convictions for sexual assault, kidnapping, and grand theft. He was also previously convicted of kidnapping in Mississippi. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Corrections - Probation and Parole, and the Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.