Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Handguns from Local Gun StoresRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Bruquanna Griffin (21, Jacksonville) today pleaded guilty to stealing firearms, and conspiring to steal firearms from federally-licensed firearms dealers. She faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, throughout the summer of 2017, Griffin and another individual worked together to steal firearms from at least three Jacksonville gun stores. At each location, Griffin’s co-conspirator would distract the sales staff, while Griffin would sneak behind the counter to steal handguns. She stole as many as five guns from a single location. On August 23, 2017, Griffin was arrested after she attempted to leave a gun store with two stolen pistols in her purse. She eventually admitted her involvement in the conspiracy, explaining that after she stole the firearms, her co-conspirator would either keep, sell, or trade the guns for drugs.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being 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.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Seven Years and Four More Indicted for Scheme Involving Impersonating Homeland Security Agents and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Court Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Ronnie Rolland Montgomery (28, Orlando) to seven years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He pleaded guilty to the offense on September 6 2017. Five others were previously charged in this conspiracy, have pleaded guilty, and are awaiting sentencing.
According to court documents, from at least August 1, 2015, through July 6, 2017, Montgomery was a manager/leader in a criminal organization that demanded money from victims by claiming to be agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and/or the Cyber Crimes Center (C3). The scheme typically began by one of the conspirators placing a fraudulent post on adult dating websites claiming to be a “nerdy girl seeking nerdy guy.” When the victims responded to the ads, the conspirators would continue to pretend that they were a female seeking companionship. A couple of days later, the conspirators would contact the victims pretending to be federal agents assigned to the “C3 Child Exploitation Division” or other components of DHS. They would accuse the victims of soliciting a minor on the internet and falsely claim that there was an outstanding warrant for the victims’ arrest. Victims were contacted from fraudulent email addresses that appeared to be from a law enforcement agency. The conspirators also used spoof apps on the victims’ phones to make it appear as if they were calling from a law enforcement number. After contact, victims were told that they could pay a “fine” or “fees” so that the purported warrant would be “purged” or “cleared.” To pay these “fines” or “fees,” victims were instructed to go to a money service business, and use either Ria, MoneyGram, or Western Union to wire money to satisfy their “fines” or “fees.” Victims were directed to address these wire transfers to a real name of one of the conspirators or to one of their aliases, after which the defendants would take turns picking up the payments. Victims were then traded among the conspirators to continue deriving more money from the scheme. The victims, many of which were members of the military, or elderly, would send multiple extortion payments, ranging from $200 to $1,900, per transaction because they feared arrest. Law enforcement estimates that the scheme generated over $342,000 in profits.
In addition, on March 7, 2018, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Donte Sherrick Harris (30, Kissimmee), Jean David Jules, a/k/a ‘Zoe,” a/k/a “Zoe Chappo” (33, Haitian national), Jonathan Wayne Thorne (27, Kissimmee), and Jason Tyiwuan Green (21, Orlando) with wire fraud for their involvement in the same scheme.
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. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Professional Responsibility, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI/San Diego), with assistance from the following partnering agencies – the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (San Diego), and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Christina R. Downes and Brandon Bayliss, who are both on assignment from the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, ICE.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Five Years for Possession of Loaded Firearms and Felony Assault on A Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Court Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Oniel Christopher Russell, a/k/a “O G Russell” (40, Jamaican national), to five years in federal prison for possessing two loaded firearms while being in the United States illegally, and for committing a felony assault on a federal law enforcement officer, causing bodily injury. A federal jury found Russell guilty on December 28, 2017, after a two-day trial.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Russell last entered the United States on October 29, 2008, as a non-immigrant visitor for pleasure with subsequent authorization to remain within the United States only until January 3, 2009. However, Russell failed to depart the United States, and he remained without any lawful immigration status thereafter. On August 24, 2013, Orange County Sheriff’s deputies pulled Russell over for a traffic violation. They subsequently conducted a lawful search of his vehicle, where they discovered two loaded firearms, one in the glove compartment box, and another under the passenger seat. Russell confessed to possessing the firearm in the glove compartment, but denied knowledge of the other. He was charged by the State Attorney’s Office for carrying a concealed firearm.
In October of 2016, deportation officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were alerted to Russell’s presence in the United States when he placed a call to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and made several threatening verbal statements. After verifying that he was in the United States illegally, on April 25, 2017, they located Russell and attempted to execute an administrative warrant for his arrest, during which he resisted and a federal officer suffered injuries to his shoulder and ankle.
At sentencing, the Court imposed an upward variance of 30 months, citing Russell’s apparent hatred for the United States, and law enforcement, his actions when arrested, and his lack of remorse or acceptance of responsibility. The Court also specifically noted that it also had taken into consideration the exhibits submitted into evidence by the United States, which included still shots and a transcription of the lyrics from Russell’s YouTube video on October 23, 2015, titled “Cop Killer.” In the still shots from the video, Russell could be seen brandishing a firearm, and mimicking one with his hand, while singing explicit lyrics.
“Russell’s sentence sends a clear message that assaulting a federal officer will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. His actions on April 25th showed no respect or regard for our officers and his sentence was fitting of his crime,” said Marc Moore, field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case was primarily investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Protective Service. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Christina R. Downes, who is on assignment from ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor in the Middle District of Florida.
Okeechobee Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing over Half-Kilogram of Cocaine and Six Ounces of Fentanyl Found in CarRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Kenneth McQueen (58, Okeechobee) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He faces a minimum of 5, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, a City of Arcadia police officer pulled McQueen over for a minor traffic violation. McQueen volunteered that he was in possession of marijuana, but claimed he had just cleaned the car, so no other contraband would be found. A search of the vehicle revealed over a half-kilogram of cocaine and six ounces of fentanyl in multiple locations throughout the passenger compartment.
This case was investigated by the Arcadia Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Trafficking in Counterfeit Identity Documents and Alleged Document Producer ArrestedRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Gerard Ibarra (57, Mexico) to 10 months in federal prison for fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. The court also ordered him to forfeit $5,752, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. Ibarra pleaded guilty on September 25, 2017.
According to court documents, in May 2017, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information from local law enforcement about an individual known as “Perfume Cuco” (later determined to be Ibarra) who was selling fraudulent identification documents to illegal immigrants in Kissimmee. These documents were being sold for $150 to $200 a piece, and included immigrant visas (i.e., “Green Cards”), social security cards, and Florida driver licenses. Agents from HSI and the USSS conducted an undercover investigation during which Ibarra sold a counterfeit Green Card and a counterfeit social security card to an undercover agent. Ibarra was arrested on August 16, 2017, following a second undercover purchase. A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed 10 counterfeit Green Cards, 21 counterfeit social security cards, a counterfeit California driver license and $5,752 in cash. Ibarra later told agents that he had been selling counterfeit cards for about two years and that “business was good.” He estimated that he had sold approximately 2,000 cards.
Further investigation revealed that an individual named “Jimmy,” later identified as Jaime Gaspar (37, Kissimmee), had been supplying the counterfeit cards to Ibarra. On March 7, 2018, Gaspar was arrested and charged by criminal complaint for his involvement in the scheme.
According to court records, Ibarra sent photos and biographic information to Gaspar using a cellphone app. Upon Gaspar’s arrest, agents located his cellphone in his room and confirmed it was the same phone used to perpetuate the fraud with Ibarra.
“HSI places a high priority on investigating document and benefit fraud,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “This crime poses a threat to national security and public safety because it creates a vulnerability that may enable criminals and illegal aliens to gain entry to and remain in the United States.”
“The results of this investigation are a testament to the Secret Service’s commitment to strong partnerships between local and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Gerard Doret, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Orlando Field Office.
A criminal complaint 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. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service as result of HSI’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), which was created to combat visa fraud and other similar crimes by building upon existing partnerships with other federal and state law enforcement investigators with document and benefit fraud expertise. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina R. Downes, who is on assignment from the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, ICE.
Former NASCAR driver indicted for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activityRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A grand jury has returned an indictment charging Richard Hoyt Crawford, Jr. (59, Port Orange) with attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, he faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Crawford that the United States intends to forfeit an iPhone, which was used in furtherance of the offense.
According to court documents, between February 10 and February 28, 2018, Crawford engaged in email and text communications with an undercover agent acting as the father of a 12-year-old girl. Crawford asked the “father” for a photo of the “child” and negotiated a price to have sex with her. He offered to pay between $50 and $75 for the sexual encounter and asked that the “girl” be nude in the back of the “father’s” car and ready for sexual activity. On February 28, 2018, Crawford traveled from Port Orange to Seminole County to meet the “child,” and was arrested by federal agents.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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.
Duval County High School Teacher Arrested and Charged with Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Jeremy Scott Clark (44, Ponte Vedra) was arrested today and charged by federal criminal complaint with distributing child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison, and a potential lifetime of supervision. Clark has been detained pending a hearing scheduled for March 13, 2018, in Jacksonville.
According to the criminal complaint, on February 22, 2018, an individual using the screen name “LLCoolJack1973” responded to a message on an internet bulletin board frequented by individuals with a sexual interest in children. This message had been posted by an undercover FBI agent. The user (LLCoolJack1973), later identified as Jeremy Scott Clark, began an online conversation with the undercover FBI agent. After some conversation about sexual activity with children, the user sent an image of an adult male on a bed displaying his penis, and later sent a link to the FBI agent that contained images of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Further investigation revealed that the internet protocol address used by “LLCoolJack1973” traced back to Clark’s residence in Ponte Vedra, and that Clark was a teacher at First Coast High School in Jacksonville.
On March 8, 2018, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Clark’s residence and seized several items of computer media and at least one Apple iPhone. Through interviews, agents were able to confirm that the picture of the naked male sent to the undercover FBI agent depicted Clark on his bed, in a bedroom at his residence. Clark was placed under arrest.
A criminal complaint 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 and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact the FBI Jacksonville office at (904) 248-7000. This case 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.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Bradenton Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced Michael Bernard Code (36, Bradenton) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute controlled substances. He pleaded guilty on December 13, 2017.
According to court documents, on June 15, 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office conducted surveillance of known narcotics trafficking locations in Manatee County. They observed a white Buick sedan leaving a suspected drug house and determined that the registered owner of the car had a suspended driver license. As officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle initially kept moving. When it finally stopped, Code exited the passenger side of the car carrying a black object, and fled on foot. The driver, Tony Marvin Johnson, was patted down for weapons, during which a deputy located a pill bottle containing approximately 8.5 grams of a white substance that appeared to be cocaine base. The substance field-tested positive for cocaine. Officers also recovered $237 from a fanny-pack strapped to Johnson’s waistband and another $207 from his front pants pockets.
Shortly thereafter, Code returned to the vehicle and was detained. Witnesses advised law enforcement that they saw Code throw objects on the ground in two separate locations. A search of those locations revealed a black magnetic type box containing the following: a digital scale, a plastic baggy containing Xanax pills, a plastic baggy containing approximately 13.5 grams of suspected fentanyl, a plastic baggy containing 13 smaller baggies with suspected fentanyl weighing approximately 8.2 grams, and a third plastic baggy containing 26 individual small baggies with an off-white powdery substance (weighing approximately 5.7 grams). The white substance field-tested positive for cocaine. The suspected fentanyl later lab-tested positive for MDMA.
Code later told law enforcement that Johnson had told him to run from the car and get rid of the objects. He also stated that he used narcotics and tested narcotics.
Johnson previously pleaded guilty for his role in this case. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 3, 2018.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale. This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled “Hot Batch.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Alabama Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nearly Eight Years in Federal Prison for Downloading Child Sex Abuse Videos in FloridaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Christopher Jaye Boykin (35, Lisman, Alabama) to 7 years and 11 months in federal prison for downloading child sex abuse videos. He was also ordered to serve a 5-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and pay $4,000 in restitution to two victims. Boykin was previously convicted of two felony drug offenses in Jacksonville in 2013.
According to court documents, in February 2014, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) determined that a host computer in Jacksonville, where Boykin was residing, was offering child pornography on a file-sharing network. Boykin later pawned that computer at a shop in Jacksonville, and it was seized by law enforcement.
On November 14, 2014, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Boykin’s home and seized another computer that he had used to download at least 50 videos depicting sexual abuse of young children. During an interview, Boykin admitted that both computers contained child pornography for his own “viewing pleasure.”
“This child predator thought he could be anonymous behind a computer screen,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “But thanks to the investigative work of HSI special agents, and our partners at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, this criminal will be held accountable for his crimes.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Beach Police Department. 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 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 Man Sentenced to Forty-Five Months’ Imprisonment for Identity Theft and Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced Rany Smith a/k/a “Abdelmajid Wahbi” (48, Tampa) to 45 months’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He pleaded guilty to charges on December 6, 2017.
According to court records, Smith, originally of Morocco, stole the identities of other North African immigrants and used them to carry out fraud schemes throughout Florida. In one scheme, he obtained employment as a manager at Tampa-area and South Florida businesses, using stolen identities to hide his prior felony conviction. He then used his managerial authority to hire “ghost employees,” whose wages he then collected and kept for himself. In other schemes, Smith obtained lines of credit using the personal identifying information of various identity theft victims and purchased goods and services from a variety of businesses across the United States. As a result, he incurred debts that he never repaid, causing tens of thousands of dollars in losses to the underwriting banks.
"This criminal stole the identities of other immigrants and used those identities to shield himself from being held accountable for illegal activities," said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. "He victimized the immigrants whose identities he stole, Florida retailers and online merchants, and the U.S. taxpayers."
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations – National Security Division, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Gerard.
Pinellas Doctor Pleads Guilty to Receiving Kickbacks for Writing Prescriptions for Compounded MedicationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Dr. Anthony Baldizzi (54, Largo) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy and receiving illegal kickbacks related to a federal health care benefit program. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Baldizzi, a medical doctor practicing in Pinellas County, wrote prescriptions for compounded creams for scars and pain, among other things. These creams, which were prescribed to TRICARE beneficiaries and others, cost between $900 and $21,000 for a one-month supply.
Beginning in May 2014, Baldizzi entered into an agreement with the owners of Lifecare Pharmacy, a Pinellas County-based compounding pharmacy, and the principals of Centurion Compounding, Inc., a Pasco County-based marketing firm that promoted compounded creams. Lifecare and Centurion agreed to pay Baldizzi 10 percent of each paid claim resulting from a prescription for a compounded cream written for his patients and filled at Lifecare. These prescriptions were often billed to TRICARE.
Also, at the request of Centurion’s owners, Baldizzi conducted “pop up” medical clinics at a hotel, retail store, and other locations in order to see high volumes of Centurion-recruited patients and prescribe Centurion-promoted compounded creams, many of which were paid for by TRICARE.
Lifecare received approximately $5.3 million from TRICARE for claims made for prescriptions for compounded medications prescribed by Baldizzi as a result of this illegal kickback scheme. The conspirators made cash payments to Baldizzi and bought him a $72,000 luxury car in return for writing the prescriptions for compounded creams for individuals covered by federal health care benefit programs.
Baldizzi’s co-conspirators, pharmacists Carlos Mazariegos and Benjamin Nundy, who owned and operated Lifecare Pharmacy, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in related cases and are set to be sentenced in June 2018. This investigation is ongoing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mandy Riedel and Megan Kistler.
Texas Man Arrested and Charged with Interfering with the Duties of A Flight AttendantRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Colby Isaac Hilleary (24, Greenville, Texas) has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with interfering with the duties of a flight attendant. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on March 2, 2018, Hilleary was a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Dallas, Texas. Shortly after takeoff, he left his seat and ran to the front of the aircraft; a flight attendant told him that he needed to return to his seat. Hilleary responded, "the plane is going the wrong way," and "there are no pilots on the plane." A flight attendant then told Hilleary that there were pilots flying the plane and that it was currently over the water, but would turn and head towards Dallas shortly. Hilleary eventually returned to his seat.
Once seated, Hilleary continued behaving in a disruptive manner. The flight attendant approached Hilleary in his seat in an attempt to address his concerns and calm him down, but he continued his erratic behavior. Hilleary stated, "The plane has been hijacked," and became increasingly agitated. He then jumped up from his seat and physically attacked the flight attendant. During the altercation, the flight attendant was punched in the face before other passengers could subdue him. The flight attendant notified the captain and the plane was diverted for an emergency landing in Tampa.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
Two South Florida Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Hundreds of Pounds of High-Grade MarijuanaRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida– U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Juan Almeida (59) and Andrew Cassara (38), both of Boca Raton, to six and seven years in federal prison, respectively, for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. They pleaded guilty on November 6, 2017.
A third co-conspirator, Wade Jones, Jr., previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced on February 7, 2018, to 13 months’ imprisonment.
According to court documents, in January 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating the conspirators’ drug trafficking activities, which involved the distribution of large amounts of high-grade marijuana to individuals and groups. In August 2014, another group of drug traffickers had stolen approximately $250,000 of marijuana from the conspirators. In February 2015, during a recorded meeting, the conspirators discussed recouping their debt from the drug traffickers and continuing their drug distribution activities. A few days later, law enforcement seized more than 1,300 pounds of high-grade marijuana from a storage facility in Orlando and a house linked to Cassara.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
Winter Haven Resident Convicted of Obtaining U.S. Citizenship by FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury yesterday found Enite Alindor a/k/a Odette Dureland (56, Winter Haven) guilty of obtaining her naturalization as a United States citizen contrary to law and making false statements in a proceeding relating to naturalization. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 7, 2018.
According to the testimony and evidence presented at trial, Alindor, a citizen of Haiti, applied for asylum with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in Miami in February 1997. After the INS denied that application, the United States Immigration Court ordered her to be removed from the United States in absentia. Shortly thereafter, Alindor presented herself to the INS as “Odette Dureland” and filed for asylum protection under that new identity. She concealed the fact that she had previously applied for status in the United States as Enite Alindor, and concealed the fact that she was also under a final order of removal from the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services personnel, unaware of the Alindor identity and order of removal, approved Dureland for citizenship in July 2012 and she was naturalized as a United States citizen under that name in July 2012.
“When individuals lie on immigration documents, the system is severely undermined and the security of our nation is put at risk,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “HSI places a high priority on investigating document and benefit fraud.”
“The integrity of our nation’s legal immigration system is paramount,” said USCIS Tampa Acting District Director Tracy Tarango. “This conviction sends a clear message that attempting to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship will not be tolerated. Our nation’s citizens deserve nothing less.”
The investigation that led to this prosecution was part of “Operation Second Look”, a nationwide investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which has reviewed multiple cases across the United States of aliens who gained citizenship by concealing from the INS their prior orders of deportation and orders of removal from the United States.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fraud Detection and National Security group in Tampa, and the USCIS Asylum Office in Miami, Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Tampa Woman Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich today sentenced Samika Garcia (39), formerly of Riverview, to four years and three months in federal prison on one count of wire fraud and one count aggravated identity theft in connection with income tax fraud. As part of her sentence, she was also ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Garcia pleaded guilty to these charges on November 15, 2017.
According to court documents, in February and March 2014, Garcia electronically filed false and unauthorized tax returns in other peoples’ names from a laptop computer, claiming fraudulent tax refunds that were then deposited onto debit cards, in an amount totaling over $192,000. In doing so, Garcia unlawfully used those individuals’ personally identifying information, and kept track of this information in detailed ledgers at her residence.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Scheme to Defraud RV Park and Immigration InvestorsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL –U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan yesterday sentenced Karamchand “Raj” Doobay (44, Orlando) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud related to a scheme to defraud investors in an RV Park, and immigrant investors in a senior citizen facility, both located in Hamilton County. In addition, the Court ordered him to pay restitution to the 85 victim–investors in the amount of $8,663,264.58. Doobay was also ordered to forfeit real property that was used in the commission of the offenses.
Doobay pleaded guilty on January 31, 2017.
According to court documents, Doobay operated business entities in Hamilton County, Florida, through which he acquired a parcel of land located at 7516 SE 113th Boulevard, in Jasper, Florida. From in or about March 2009, through in or about December 2015, he solicited investors to purchase subdivided lots on the land, guaranteeing returns between 9 to 41 percent for investments in RV lots and other lots for sale by his entity (Florida Gateway Resort). Doobay utilized various bank accounts to collect funds for the purchase of RV lots that he purported to sell to investor–purchasers. However, Doobay failed to disclose that he had previously contracted to sell and purportedly sold the same lots to other investors.
Doobay was unable and failed to deliver the RV lots as promised. Despite being unable to deliver titles to the lots, he continued to represent to investors, through 2015, that “clean title is going to be provided” and that the land at Florida Gateway Resort was zoned and planned for an RV resort. Doobay routinely solicited new investor funds to pay previous investors returns while failing to disclose to the new investors that their funds would be used to pay pre-existing investors’ guaranteed returns.
Further, from about May 2011, through May 2016, Doobay conspired to commit wire fraud by promising immigrant investors, who were seeking permanent residence in the United States through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, that he would use their investments for the development, renovation, and/or new construction of Senior Premier Living, a proposed retirement community in Jasper, Florida. Instead, Doobay used a portion of the immigrant investor funds to pay Florida Gateway Resort a small fraction of the promised returns and for his own personal use and enjoyment.
“Having no remorse or sympathy for those he stole from, Doobay continued to defraud victims even after his 2015 arrest,” said FDLE Tallahassee Special Agent in Charge Mark Perez. “I appreciate the efforts of investigators and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in stopping Doobay’s continued hunt for new victims.”
"This case demonstrates the lengths that some criminals will go to target and take advantage of innocent victims," said Charles P. Spencer, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division, "but the FBI will work equally hard to hold those criminals accountable and protect their victims both here and abroad."
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
Jacksonville Man Arrested and Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force on Cruise ShipRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – Brian Holland (23, Jacksonville) has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with aggravated sexual abuse by force. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a potential lifetime of supervision. Holland made his initial appearance in federal court today and was temporarily detained pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.
According to the complaint, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation were notified by the security department of the Carnival Cruise Line vessel Elation that a passenger onboard the ship had been involved in an incident of sexual abuse on February 27, 2018. The victim stated that she was in the Jacuzzi with Holland on the cruise ship when he kept attempting to put his arm around her and she attempted to move further away from him. Holland then tried to put his hand on her shoulder and pull her back toward him. The victim stated that Holland touched her on her genitals over her bathing suit and then under her bathing suit, digitally penetrating her by force. The victim left the Jacuzzi and immediately reported what happened to family, who then reported it to ship security. The victim was examined by medical personnel on the ship, who found abrasions on her genitals consisted with digital penetration by force.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Washington and Jay Taylor.
Florida Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Using an Infant and a Toddler to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Middleburg, Florida man who used an infant and a toddler to produce child pornography was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison yesterday, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Tampa, made the announcement.
Andrew Leslie, 23, a former software engineer, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis on Oct. 21, 2017.
“Andrew Leslie committed unspeakable crimes against the most vulnerable of victims, children so young that they literally cannot speak for themselves” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan. “Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting offenders like Andrew Leslie and securing sentences like today’s, which ensures that he will never harm another child.”
“Yesterday’s sentence demonstrates the severity of the crimes committed in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Lopez. “We intend to continue our pursuit in prosecuting such egregious crimes as this, in hopes that justice will be served for the victims.”
“This predator has committed atrocities that are beyond comprehension,” said Special Agent in Charge Spero. “We hope yesterday’s sentencing can bring some solace to the victims in their recovery process.”
According to admissions made in conjunction with the guilty plea, during the execution of a federal search warrant at Leslie’s Middleburg residence, agents located a digital camera next to Leslie’s bed. Inside of the camera was a memory card that contained a series of images depicting Leslie sexually abusing two children, one of which was an infant child and the second who was approximately two years old. The two-year-old child, whom Leslie admitted was in bed with Leslie at the time law enforcement agents entered the residence, was found in the residence and rescued. Forensic analysis of other digital devices seized from the residence revealed that Leslie had produced, received, distributed, and possessed numerous images and videos depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Lauren E. Britsch of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Rodney Brown of the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Using an Infant and A Toddler to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville – A Middleburg, Florida man who used an infant and a toddler to produce child pornography was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison yesterday, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Tampa, made the announcement.
Andrew Leslie, 23, a former software engineer, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis on Oct. 21, 2017.
“Yesterday’s sentence demonstrates the severity of the crimes committed in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “We intend to continue our pursuit in prosecuting such egregious crimes as this, in hopes that justice will be served for the victims.”
“Andrew Leslie committed unspeakable crimes against the most vulnerable of victims, children so young that they literally cannot speak for themselves” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan. “Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting offenders like Andrew Leslie and securing sentences like today’s, which ensures that he will never harm another child.”
“This predator has committed atrocities that are beyond comprehension,” said Special Agent in Charge Spero. “We hope yesterday’s sentencing can bring some solace to the victims in their recovery process.”
According to admissions made in conjunction with the guilty plea, during the execution of a federal search warrant at Leslie’s Middleburg residence, agents located a digital camera next to Leslie’s bed. Inside of the camera was a memory card that contained a series of images depicting Leslie sexually abusing two children, one of which was an infant child and the second who was approximately two years old. The two-year-old child, whom Leslie admitted was in bed with Leslie at the time law enforcement agents entered the residence, was found in the residence and rescued. Forensic analysis of other digital devices seized from the residence revealed that Leslie had produced, received, distributed, and possessed numerous images and videos depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Rodney Brown of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Lauren E. Britsch of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Port Richey Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Brian Scott Ellis (50, New Port Richey) has pleaded guilty to possessing and attempting to produce child pornography. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment, up to 30 years, for the attempted production charge and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession charge.
According to the plea agreement, Ellis attempted to create an explicit video of a young teenage girl as she slept in his house. Ellis also admitted to possessing 2,597 images and 1,807 videos depicting child pornography, including materials involving a toddler,
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.
Eleven Members of Lakeland Drug Trafficking Organization Charged with Causing Four Overdose Deaths, an Overdose Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Associated Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of a 10-count superseding indictment charging 11 individuals with conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, 400 grams of fentanyl, and 100 grams of a fentanyl analogue, the distribution of which resulted in four deaths and serious bodily injury to a victim. Hasan Pearson, a/k/a “Julio,” a/k/a “Hoov” (35, Lakeland); Salik Stevens, a/k/a “Carlito,” a/k/a “Dough” (35, Lakeland); William Jones, a/k/a “Book” (38, Mulberry); Dominic Matthews, a/k/a “Gargamel” (30, Lakeland); Ladarius Oglesby, a/k/a “Hitta” (23, Lakeland); Naboris Lampkin, a/k/a “Beezy” (32, Lakeland); Jeminine Poe (37, Lakeland); Prince Grant (36, Lakeland); Justin Lee Martin (33, Lakeland); John Evit Brown (51, Lakeland); and Dalyshia Dexter (27, Lakeland) each face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment, from at least March 2016 through August 30, 2017, these 11 individuals were part of a conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues in the Middle District of Florida. During the conspiracy, the distribution of these substances resulted in four deaths and serious bodily injury to another individual.
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, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Lakeland Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
U.S./Israeli Man Indicted for Hate Crime and Threats to Jewish Community Centers, Israeli Embassy, Anti-Defamation League, Conveying False Information, and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced the indictment of Michael Ron David Kadar, 19, who holds dual United States and Israeli citizenship, in three jurisdictions for hate crimes and other offenses.
The indictment from Florida charges Kadar with hate crimes as a result of threatening calls he made to Jewish Community Centers in the state. In addition, the indictment from the District of Columbia charges Kadar with threatening the Israeli Embassy and the Anti-Defamation League in Washington, D.C. The third indictment charges Kadar with cyberstalking and conveying false information to police dispatch regarding harm to private residents in Georgia.
An investigation into numerous threats made to individuals and organizations throughout the United States in 2016 and early 2017 led to Kadar being charged initially in criminal complaints on April 21, 2017 in Florida and Georgia following his arrest in Israel. Kadar remains in custody in Israel where he also faces charges.
The indictment from the Middle District of Florida charges that beginning on or about Jan. 4, 2017, and continuing until Feb. 27, 2017, Kadar made multiple threatening calls involving bomb threats and active shooter threats to numerous Jewish Community Centers throughout Florida. Additionally, the indictment charges Kadar with attempting to obstruct the free exercise of religion at the Jewish Community Centers when he made the bomb threats and active shooter threats. Finally, the indictment charges that Kadar made bomb threats to the Orlando International Airport and a middle school in the Middle District of Florida. Although no actual explosives were found, many of the calls resulted in the temporary closure and evacuation or lockdown of the targeted facilities, and required law enforcement and emergency personnel to respond to and clear the area.
The indictment from the District of Columbia charges that on or about March 7, 2017, Kadar made a threatening call to the Anti-Defamation League involving a bomb threat. Additionally, the indictment alleges that on or about March 9, 2017, Kadar sent a threatening email to the Israeli Embassy involving a bomb threat.
The indictment from the Middle District of Georgia charges that on or about Jan. 3, 2017, Kadar made a phone call to a police department conveying false information about an alleged hostage situation in progress at a private residence in Athens, Georgia, which included a threat to kill responding police officers. Police and emergency personnel responded to the scene, only to learn that there was no emergency.
The hate crime charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, the bomb threats charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment, and the interstate threats charge, the hoax charge, and the cyberstalking charge each carry a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. If convicted, Kadar could also be subject to court ordered restitution.
“When individuals target victims of their crimes based on who they are, what they believe, or how they worship, they target the bedrock principles on which our nation was founded,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “These alleged threats of violence instilled fear in the Jewish community and other communities across the country, and it is the Justice Department’s duty to make sure all Americans can live their lives without this type of fear.”
“These alleged threats were very real for those individuals who were evacuated, for the first responders who quickly mobilized to get people out of harm’s way, and for those in Jewish communities across the United States who felt targeted and unsafe,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This indictment demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working together with our partners to protect the safety and civil rights of all Americans, and shows that we will not stand by as someone threatens our communities based on their religion or their beliefs.”
“Threats, intimidation, or violence perpetrated against anyone because of their beliefs, their faith, or how they choose to worship is intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida. “Individuals should be free to exercise these rights without fear. We will continue to use our resources to enforce these precious rights for all individuals.”
“The indictment returned today in the District of Columbia is part of a broader nationwide fight against hate, terror, and threats in all of their forms,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia. “The charges also reflect the tireless dedication of the DOJ, the FBI, and our local and international partners to rooting out and prosecuting those who would terrorize our communities.”
“Hiding behind anonymous phone calls to threaten innocent citizens is cowardly and dangerous,” said U.S. Attorney Charles E. Peeler for the Middle District of Georgia. “The calls that this defendant allegedly made harassed innocent victims, endangered first responders and the victims themselves, and needlessly consumed law enforcement resources vital to protecting our communities.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Tampa Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and FBI Atlanta Division; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia; the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and the Criminal Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this case. Federal authorities also acknowledge and appreciate the assistance and the investigative efforts of the Israeli National Police.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Texas Man Wanted by Federal Authorities Sentenced to Prison for Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Jose Carlos Terra Izquierdo (24, Amarillo, TX) to 24 months in federal prison for credit card fraud, to run consecutive to the 12 month and 1 day prison sentence he received in the District of Nebraska. The court also ordered Izquierdo to pay restitution to the companies that he defrauded.
According to court documents, in 2016, Izquierdo was convicted of credit card fraud in the District of Nebraska. He was scheduled to turn himself in and begin his prison sentence in March 2017, but instead traveled to Florida in violation of his conditions of release. Federal authorities in Nebraska subsequently issued a warrant for his arrest. On March 2, 2017, Izquierdo was pulled over in Columbia County by the Florida Highway Patrol for an expired Texas tag. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, troopers located a credit card reader and stolen credit card information belonging to more than 50 victims.
This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Threatening to Burn Down A Home Being Purchased by Muslim FamilyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – The Justice Department today announced that David H. Howard, 59, of Tampa, Florida, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, to one count of threatening, intimidating, and interfering with a Muslim family’s enjoyment of their housing rights, in violation of Title 42 U.S.C. § 3631. Howard intimidated and interfered with the victims, who sought to purchase a home in the Davis Islands neighborhood of Tampa, Florida, by threatening to burn down the home, simply because it was being purchased by a Muslim family.
According to court documents, on Nov. 3, 2016, a Muslim man, identified as K.A., and his wife were conducting the final walk-through of a home they had placed under contract. As K.A. arrived for the final walk-through, the defendant approached K.A. and the seller identified as H.D., and the accompanying realtors, and yelled, “This sale will not take place!” Howard threatened to burn the house down, and told K.A., “You are not welcome here!” K.A. and his wife hurried away from the house and cancelled the closing of the home purchase that was scheduled to take place the next day. In the days that followed, Howard retold his version of the incident to neighbors, making insulting remarks about Muslims.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate illegal threats or acts of intimidation against any individual because of their religious beliefs,” said Acting Assistant Attorney John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute hate crime offenders.”
“Individuals and families should have the right to live wherever they choose, without intimidation or fear,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida. “Crimes perpetrated against people because of their race, ethnicity, color, or religious beliefs simply cannot be tolerated. And, we will prosecute those who commit these crimes to the fullest extent possible.”
“Hate motivated crimes are not only an attack on the victim, but are meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community," said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Eric W. Sporre. “Reporting these types of crimes along with cooperation of the community is critical to ensuring a successful outcome in cases like this.”
A sentencing date has not yet been set. Howard faces a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine W. Thomas of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney William E. Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Two-Time Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – William Patrick King (35, Columbia, Maryland) has pleaded guilty to attempted production of child pornography. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 35 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between December 2016 and February 2017, King attempted to persuade a 17-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. King met the victim on a teen-dating website and communicated with her by phone and via Facebook, Skype, and text messages. He told the victim that he was 18 years old, when in fact he was then 34 years old. King asked the girl to produce and send him child pornography. He also engaged in nude chats with the victim, and she sent him photographs.
King is a registered sex offender and has two prior convictions in Maryland for the sexual exploitation of children.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
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.
Jacksonville Human Trafficking Customer Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Using Underage “Models” to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Thomas Leslie Carr (50, Jacksonville) to 15 years in federal prison for using underage “models” to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing pornographic images and videos. A federal jury found him guilty on June 1, 2017.
According to court documents, in 2012, law enforcement officers began a human trafficking investigation involving the prostitution of minor and adult females throughout Florida by an individual named Michael Gallon. The investigation revealed that Gallon had recruited his victims to travel and work at “parties” and “VIP rooms” as “models,” where customers paid to have sex with them. During the investigation, agents identified Carr was one of Gallon’s regular customers.
On October 28, 2013, Gallon was arrested and charged with sex trafficking of minors and distribution of child pornography. Two weeks later, a federal search warrant was executed at Carr’s residence. During an interview, Carr admitted that he had hired about 15 girls from Gallon over a three-year period. He stated that Gallon called him when he had girls available in Jacksonville and that the two would meet so that Carr could pay Gallon to select girls to take back to his residence. At home, Carr paid the females for photo sessions that usually consisted of photographing the female stripping off her clothing and then posing nude. He stated he attempted to have sex with the women and, if they were reluctant, Carr offered them more money.
During the search of Carr’s residence, agents recovered computer media that contained images and videos of at least two minors, ages 15 and 17, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Carr admitted to doing “photo shoots” with each of these minors. The videos depicted Carr engaging in sexual intercourse with one of the girls.
In 2014, Gallon pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 33 years and 9 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Lakeland Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa and Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys D. Rodney Brown, Beatriz Gonzalez, and Stacie Harris.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Undocumented Guatemalan Sentenced for Paying Smugglers to Bring Unaccompanied Minor from Guatemala to the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Miguel Pacheco-Lopez (35), an undocumented alien from Guatemala, to more than seven months in federal prison for sending money to Guatemala to help pay smugglers to bring an unaccompanied minor to the United States. He pleaded guilty on November 21, 2017.
According to court documents, on June 29, 2017, a U.S. Border Patrol agent encountered an unaccompanied 16-year-old Guatemalan boy in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. During an interview, the boy said that he had entered the country illegally and that he intended to live in Jacksonville with a brother-in-law named Miguel Pacheco-Lopez.
As part of an initiative to investigate those who smuggle unaccompanied children into the United States, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations located Pacheco-Lopez in Jacksonville on July 6, 2017. Pacheco-Lopez admitted that he was illegally present in the United States and was then administratively arrested for violating U.S. immigration laws.
During later interviews, Pacheco-Lopez stated that he had wired 20,000 Quetzals (Guatemala currency) to help pay smugglers to bring the boy to the United States. He said that his father-in-law (the boy’s father) had borrowed an additional 25,000 Quetzals to pay the smugglers. The total smuggling fee of 45,000 Quetzals is equivalent to approximately $6,100.
“This criminal jeopardized his own family members by paying human smugglers,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “He endangered a child’s life with a dangerous and unlawful journey into the United States, and now he will be held accountable.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Man Who Regularly Visited the Philippines as A Child Sex Tourist Sentenced to 330 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced David Paul Lynch (56, Venice) to 330 years in federal prison for traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and for possessing, receiving, and producing child pornography. The Court also ordered him to forfeit his home in Venice, Florida, as well as computers and other electronic devices that he had used to commit the offenses.
A federal jury found Lynch guilty on October 13, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Lynch traveled to the Philippines regularly between 2005 and 2016 to have sex with children and make recordings of the abuse. Prior to his trips, he communicated online with individuals in the Philippines in order to locate children to sexually exploit. Lynch produced child pornography of at least three Filipino children on these visits, and he solicited child pornography via email of a fourth. He was arrested in San Francisco as he attempted to board a flight to the Philippines on December 30, 2016. During a simultaneous search of his home in Venice, FBI agents located dozens of self-produced images and videos of child pornography from his trips.
“The FBI is focused not only on the children being victimized here at home, but those across the globe who are being preyed upon by offenders," said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Eric W. Sporre. "Thanks to our strong law enforcement partnerships, there are no borders in these types of cases and
we can achieve great outcomes as demonstrated in this case."This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Sarasota Police Department, the Cape Coral Police Department, the Bradenton Police Department, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Eric K. Gerard.
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.
Five-Time Convicted Felon Found Guilty After Confronting Detectives While Concealing A Stolen PistolRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found Gregory Greer (35) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Greer was indicted on September 21, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on August 17, 2017, members of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office vice squad were conducting an undercover operation at the Hometown Inn and Suites in the Southpoint area of Jacksonville. As the officers were making a prostitution arrest inside a hotel room, Greer knocked on the door. A detective answered the doored and asked Greer how he could be helped, but Greer continued to gesture toward the prostitution arrestee, attempting to get her attention. Greer provided his Georgia identification card to assisting officers, one of whom observed Greer making repeated hand movements toward his right side. The officers instructed Greer to sit on the floor of the hotel hallway, and he complied.
After repeatedly warning Greer not to make movements toward his right side with his hand, and advising Greer that he was going to pat down him for safety reasons, Greer said “ok,” stood up, and immediately began running for the hotel stairwell. As officers gave chase down the stairs, through the hotel parking lot, and through the back lots of several businesses, a detective heard a sound consistent with a metal gun being dropped in the stairwell. Another responding officer ran towards the stairwell and found a discarded .45 caliber pistol. Following a brief pursuit, Greer was arrested and officers located an empty nylon pistol holster on his right hip. The rightful owner of the pistol testified that it had been stolen from his home in 2015.
At the time of the incident, Greer had five prior felony convictions, including aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer, distribution of PCP, escape, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a controlled substance. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being 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.
Armed Career Criminal Who Sold Short-Barreled Rifle Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Troy Bennett (30, Orange County) to 25 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for failing to register the firearm, a short-barreled rifle, with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Due to his prior multiple felony convictions, he qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
A federal jury found Bennett guilty of the offenses on December 6, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on two occasions in August 2017, Bennett met with a confidential informant (CI) to sell firearms and drugs. During the first meeting, Bennett sold the CI crack cocaine and discussed his ability to obtain and sell a rifle to the CI. About a week later, during their second meeting, Bennett sold cocaine, a short-barreled rifle, and 28 rounds of ammunition to the CI. As a previously convicted felon, Bennett is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara M. Wick.
“ATF’s primary focus is protecting the public by reducing violent crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary. “ATF continues to aggressively pursue violent offenders and will continue to protect and serve communities with our law enforcement partners.”
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.
United States Citizens and Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Involvement in Brevard Marriage Fraud RingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced three individuals for their involvement in a marriage fraud ring operating out of Brevard County. William Matthew Tex Price (31, Cocoa) was sentenced to two years in federal prison for marriage fraud to run concurrent to a two-year sentence for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Maria Rogacheva (28, Russia) was sentenced to 5 months’ imprisonment and Khagan Mushfig Oglu Nabili (24, Azerbaijan) was sentenced to time served.
According to court documents, in October 2015, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations worked with the Brevard County Clerk of the Court to investigate a significant surge in the number of aliens from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and other former Soviet countries marrying U.S. citizens in Brevard County. This led to the arrest of Denis Yakovlev (40, Russia) and Meghan Toole (28, Cocoa) on July 13, 2016.
After his arrest, Yakovlev admitted to introducing approximately 100 individuals to each other over an 18-month period for the purpose of them entering into sham marriages for immigration benefits. Yakovlev claimed that his payment ranged from $1,000 to $2,000 per sham marriage, and that the American citizens were paid between $10,000 and $20,000 each.
Yakovlev “employed” Price, who recruited at least 20 U.S. citizens to participate in the scheme. In August 2015, Price recruited a U.S. citizen to enter into a sham marriage with Nabili. The citizen then filed an immigration petition on Nabili’s behalf in an attempt to obtain lawful status for him. The following month, Price recruited his ex-wife, Toole, to enter into a sham marriage with Bakhramovich Yadigarov (26, Uzbekistan). Toole filed an immigration petition on Yadigarov’s behalf in an attempt to gain lawful status for him.
Price also engaged in fraudulent marriages with Maria Rogacheva and Svetlana Vladimirovna Shakhramanyan (28, Azerbaijan). Rogacheva attempted to avoid prosecution by filing a lengthy petition falsely claiming to be a battered spouse based on her sham marriage to Price. She later admitted that she had not entered into the marriage in good faith, she had never lived with Price as husband and wife, and she had never been battered by Price.
“These criminals defrauded the government and undermined the integrity of our nation’s legal immigration system” said HSI Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “This case should send a clear message that we will continue to target those who try to circumvent our nation’s immigration laws.”
Denis Yakovlev (40, Russia) and Meghan Toole (28, Cocoa) previously pleaded guilty for their involvement in this conspiracy. In November 2016, Yakovlev was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for encouraging or inducing an alien to reside in the United States, and Toole was sentenced to 4 months’ imprisonment for marriage fraud.
April Coleen Moore (24, Satellite Beach) pleaded guilty on January 2, 2018, for her sham marriage to Valriy Tsoy (33, Kazakhstan). Her sentencing hearing is on March 23, 2018. Tsoy, Yadigarov, and Shakhramanyan are set for trial in May 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. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina R. Downes who is on assignment from the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, ICE.
Sarasota Felon Indicted for Possessing More Than Two Tons of ExplosivesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Marc Jason Levene (56, Sarasota) with three counts of possessing explosives as a convicted felon, two counts of improper storage of explosive materials, and one count of possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each of the possession counts and up to one year in federal prison for each improper storage count. The indictment also notifies Levene that the United States intends to forfeit approximately 4,362 pounds of quick match and 858 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, which are alleged to be explosive materials and ammunition involved in the charged offenses.
According to the indictment, Levene stored explosives in an exterior shed at his home and in a storage unit at a commercial storage facility in Sarasota. Last Thursday, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Levene’s home and storage unit and seized explosives and ammunition.
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, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Gaugush.
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.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Threats Using FacebookRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Seyed Ali Soroushjou (38, Cockeysville, Maryland) has pleaded guilty to sending threatening communications online via Facebook. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison; a sentencing date has not yet been set. Soroushjou has been in federal custody since his arrest.
According to court documents, on August 29, 2016, a Jacksonville resident (Person A) contacted law enforcement to report that she had received threatening messages through Facebook from an individual she did not know who had identified himself by the user name “MobyDick NahanghaVahshi.” A subsequent investigation identified the user as Soroushjou and revealed that he had sent the messages in response to a photograph that Person A had posted on her Facebook page of her posing with three officers from the New York Police Department. In his first message to the victim, sent on August 24, 2016, Soroushjou threatened to assault the officers depicted in the photo. In a second message three days later, Soroushjou graphically stated that he intended to sexually assault Person A.
Following the execution of a search warrant at Soroushjou’s home in Maryland, he was arrested. Agents also seized three computer devices that he had used to access Person A’s Facebook account.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
Felon Who Shot at Plant City Police Officers Ordered to Serve Statutory Maximum Sentence of 15 YearsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Isaac Thomas (Winter Haven, 25) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for possessing a firearm in a school zone. Judge Merryday said Thomas is an immediate and lethal threat to the community and stated that the court had only “one intelligent” option, before sentencing him to the statutory maximum sentence. Thomas pleaded guilty on August 24, 2017.
According to evidence presented during the six-hour sentencing hearing, in January 2017, Thomas and several others were ejected from a Plant City High School basketball game for fighting. They then moved to a parking lot near the school, where fighting again broke out. When officers from the Plant City Police Department responded to the scene in marked vehicles with lights and sirens activated, all but Thomas dispersed. He stood in the middle of the road as the officers arrived, aimed his weapon toward the oncoming vehicles, and fired. He then led the officers on a foot and high-speed vehicle chase that ended with Thomas’s vehicle crashing into a local business. Thomas then exited the damaged vehicle, pointed his firearm at another officer, and was ultimately shot in the buttocks.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Plant City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Natalie Hirt Adams.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 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.
Felon Sentenced to Twelve Months for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Sergio Cuandon-Alvarez (23, Mexico) to one year in federal prison for illegal reentry after deportation. He pleaded guilty on November 7, 2017.
According to court documents, Cuandon-Alvarez, a Mexican citizen, was removed from the United States on three occasions in 2013. On April 30, 2013, he was convicted of illegal entry, a federal misdemeanor.
Following his conviction, Cuandon-Alvarez again illegally reentered the U.S. and has been arrested numerous times resulting in convictions for driving under the influence, possession of cocaine, leaving the scene of an accident without giving information, careless driving, and operating a motor vehicle without a license. On August 28, 2017, after immigration officers encountered Cuandon-Alvarez following his arrest for driving under the influence with property damage or personal injury, he was charged with illegal reentry after deportation.
“This case is an example of ICE’s focus on smart, effective immigration enforcement that prioritizes criminal aliens,” said Michael W. Meade, acting field office director for the Miami Field Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Christina R. Downes and Brandon Bayliss, both on assignment from the Office of Principal Legal Advisor, ICE, in the Middle District of Florida.
Federal Jury Finds Miami and Orlando Men Guilty of Multi-Kilo Cocaine Conspiracy, Trafficking, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury has found five individuals guilty of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 280 grams of “crack” cocaine. Jimmy Remy Fernetus (30, Miami), Edson Gelin (40, Orlando), Raymond Mike Ayap (Orlando, 41), Kissinger St. Fleur (36, Orlando), and Gerardson Norgaisse (33, Orlando) were found guilty of separate counts of distribution of cocaine or possession with the intent to distribute cocaine or “crack” cocaine. The jury also found Fernetus and Gelin guilty of two counts each of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Ayap, a citizen of Haiti, faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison, and potential deportation from the United States. Because of their prior felony drug offenses, the remaining individuals each face a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. Fernetus and Gelin each face additional consecutive sentences for the firearms convictions. The sentencing hearings are scheduled for May 15, 2018.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, these individuals were members of a drug trafficking organization with ties to Miami. Fernetus and other conspirators sold cocaine and “crack” cocaine from two houses south of downtown Orlando. Gelin, who was stopped on the Florida Turnpike by law enforcement in June 2016 while heading toward Orlando with two kilograms of cocaine, had also been selling cocaine in Orlando. Fernetus and Gelin were armed with handguns when purchases were made from the houses. Gelin also later sold cocaine from a third house in Orlando. Ayap, St. Fleur, and Norgaisse each purchased distribution amounts of cocaine or “crack” cocaine on numerous occasions during the course of the investigation. Agents recovered multiple firearms, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and thousands of dollars in cash during searches conducted at the three houses.
Members of the Orlando organization had also been expecting to receive at least a portion of the cocaine being transported from Haiti to Miami on a 160-foot cargo ship named the Lady Philomena, which was seized from the Miami River. On March 25, 2017, 47 kilograms of cocaine were unloaded from that ship.
Eric Jean Gilles (37, Miami), Ronny Joseph (33, Orlando), and Cristobal Sotomayor-Cebollero (32, Orlando) previously pleaded guilty to charges related to this investigation and are awaiting sentencing. The cocaine trafficked into Orlando was determined to originate from Miami. Numerous others have been convicted or are awaiting trial in related cases.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Miami-Dade Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Jackson Boggs Jr. and Shawn Napier.
Armed Career Criminal Who Sold Rifle While Working at A Gun Store Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Jose Luis Sanchez-Rosado (44, Volusia County) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Due to his multiple felony convictions, he qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. Sanchez-Rosado pleaded guilty on December 1, 2017.
According to court documents, in June 2017, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received information that Sanchez-Rosado had worked at a gun store in Deltona, handled firearms, and provided tactical training in the use of firearms for customers. Further investigation revealed that Sanchez-Rosado had possessed and pawned a 5.56-millimeter caliber rifle at a pawnshop in Orange City. Due to his prior felony convictions, Sanchez-Rosado is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 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.
Sumter County Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-State Dog Fighting ProsecutionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Patrick W. Riley (67, Sumter County) today pleaded guilty to violating the animal fighting provisions of the federal Animal Welfare Act. He faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the plea agreement, in November and December 2016, Riley arranged for his dog “Rocket” to participate in animal fighting ventures in Mississippi and Texas. In furtherance of the conspiracy, he trained eight dogs to fight. Riley utilized equipment commonly used to train dogs for fighting, including treadmills, water tanks, turntables, leashes, collars, syringes, needles, intravenous solutions, enemas, laxatives, worming medications, charcoal pills, vitamins, collapsible dog rings, and scales. On March 1, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Riley’s property and seized the dogs and dog training equipment.
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, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Attempting to Engage Minors in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. yesterday sentenced Joshua Alan Dunlap (38, South Carolina) to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and traveling to engage in sexual conduct with a minor. The court also ordered him to forfeit an iPhone, which had been used in furtherance of the commission of the offense.
Dunlap pleaded guilty on November 20, 2017.
According to court documents, from July 25 to July 30, 2017, Dunlap communicated with federal and state undercover agents in an attempt to set up meetings with two fictitious minors – ages 11 and 14. He expressed his intent to teach the 11-year-old about bondage, domination, submission, sadistic, and masochist conduct by having sex with her and treating her as his pet and toy. He also said that he wanted to take the girl to his “play dungeon.” Dunlap said that he intended to provide rudimentary sexual education, involving masturbation and oral sex, to the 14-year-old girl. Dunlap was in St. Johns County when he arrived at the home of the older “child.”
During the execution of a search warrant at Dunlap’s home following his arrest, agents found a room consistent with Dunlap’s description of his “play dungeon.” Suitcases containing whips, sex toys, masks, condoms, and personalized dog collars with tags that read “Joshua’s Pet” and “Joshua’s Toy,” were found inside the room, along with a 4-poster bed with chains and eyebolts on the corners.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was 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.
Government Settles Claims Against Accountant for Tainted Compounding Pharmacy ProceedsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – Ronald Combs and the Ronald Combs Healthmark Trust have agreed to pay to the government $650,000 to resolve allegations that Combs wrongfully deposited tainted compounding pharmacy proceeds into the Ronald Combs Healthmark Trust.
The United States previously settled allegations that QMedRx, a compound pharmacy in Maitland, Florida, knowingly billed federal healthcare programs for services that were not reimbursable and thus violated the False Claims Act. In the case at hand, the government contends that proceeds from QMedRx’s improper activities were deposited into the Healthmark Investment Trust and that Combs withdrew funds from the Healthmark Investment Trust and deposited them into the Ronald Combs Healthmark Trust. The government contends that Combs was not entitled to withdraw these funds, as they represented the ill-gotten gains of QMedRx’s misconduct, and the withdrawal was otherwise improper under state law.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting TRICARE and other federal health care programs from any improper practice that harms our nation’s subsidized health programs,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “The diligence required in this case aptly demonstrates the lengths to which we will go to protect the fiscal integrity of these programs.”
“This settlement is the result of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s continuing commitment to protect the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense health care program (TRICARE) against fraud, waste, and abuse,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office. “In partnership with the Department of Justice, DCIS will pursue all remedies to recover ill-gotten proceeds from fraudulent schemes.”
This case illustrates the government’s continued emphasis on pursuing compounding pharmacies that have defrauded federal health care programs. In the Middle District of Florida, the government has recovered almost $60 million in fines and penalties for compounding cases. In fiscal year 2017, over $700 million was recovered in affirmative civil enforcement cases.
Today’s resolution illustrates the government’s commitment to combating improper practices that implicate the nation’s federally subsidized health care programs, using all statutory and common law remedies available to address such schemes. 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 matter was investigated by the Department of Justice and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shea Gibbons, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Chris Sabis in the Middle District of Tennessee.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Federal Jury Finds Ocala Man Guilty of Conspiracy to Traffic over Two Kilograms of Methamphetamine and Trafficking One Kilogram of FentanylRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – A federal jury has found Tirso Hernandez-Astudillo (35, Ocala) guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, on each count. Hernandez-Astudillo, a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally, also faces potential deportation. He remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing on May 17, 2018.
According to court documents, on May 24, 2017, in a parking lot in Ocala, co-defendant Simon Rodriguez-Flores (48, Ocala) sold a cooperating witness approximately 4 ounces of crystal methamphetamine. On June 2, 2017, at the same location, Rodriguez-Flores delivered 2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to the same cooperating witness, but was arrested by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The agents detained Hernandez-Astudillo, a passenger in Rodriguez-Flores’s car.
Immediately after the arrest, a search warrant was executed at the residence Hernandez-Astudillo shared with his cousin and co-defendant, Gilberto Astudillo-Carbajal (34, Ocala). Agents recovered items used in the manufacture and packaging of crystal methamphetamine from the home. From another trailer across the street, where Hernandez-Astudillo had been earlier in the day, agents recovered a suspicious package containing approximately one kilogram of an undetermined powdery substance. Subsequent analysis of the substance revealed that it contained fentanyl.
Rodriguez-Flores and Astudillo-Carbajal have previously pleaded guilty and remain in custody pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Gainesville Resident Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, assisted by task force officers from the Gainesville Police Department, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office. The Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team assisted in the execution of the search warrant and the arrests. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale R. Campion.
Sarasota Man Indicted for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Adam Daniel Young (27, Sarasota) with one count of receiving and two counts of possessing child pornography. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
According to the court filings, Young possessed more than 3,000 images and 25 videos of child pornography, including files depicting children under the age 12. Forensic evidence on his computer revealed that he had received and attempted to receive child pornography through an online file sharing program.
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’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which is comprised of local law enforcement agencies, including the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Bradenton Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
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.
Leesburg Gang Member Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Carjacking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Jonathan Kyle Lanier (24, Leesburg) to 13 years and 5 months in federal prison for carjacking, conspiracy to commit carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A federal jury found him guilty on November 15, 2017.
According to court documents, on December 23, 2016, Lanier, along with his co-defendants Avery Tumer, Timotheus Reed, and Amy Scott, conspired to rob an individual of his money, other personal items, and his car by arranging a meeting at a gas station in Leesburg between the victim and Scott. The victim believed he was going to meet the woman only; however, shortly after he arrived, Lanier, Tumer, and Reed pulled the victim from his car and stole his wallet and other personal property. During the robbery, the three men wore masks and pointed firearms at the victim; Tumer later pistol-whipped the victim and took his car. All four individuals were arrested a short time later by officers from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Leesburg Police Department.
On November 30, 2017, a federal jury found Tumer and Reed guilty for their roles in this case and they are currently awaiting sentencing. Scott previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Daytona Resident Agency), the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Leesburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale Campion.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Nine Years for Trafficking in MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Gregorio Lucas-Ramos (29) to nine years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty on October 25, 2017.
According to court documents, Lucas-Ramos is a Mexican citizen who entered the country illegally and resided in Alabama. In June 2015, an individual in Pasco County advised law enforcement that a Mexican man in Alabama, known to him as Gregorio, contacted the individual and discussed selling methamphetamine. During a series of phone calls, Lucas-Ramos arranged to deliver a half pound of methamphetamine to the individual. On June 25, 2015, Lucas-Ramos and a co-defendant, Josuel Ortiz, met the individual in a parking lot near a restaurant in Wesley Chapel. Ortiz retrieved the methamphetamine from under his vehicle and handed it to Lucas-Ramos. After Lucas-Ramos sold the methamphetamine to the individual, he said that his associate would make any future deliveries.
The next day, Lucas-Ramos and the individual working with law enforcement arranged for another delivery of methamphetamine. On July 1, 2015, Ortiz arrived at the agreed upon location, driving the same vehicle he used during the previous transaction. Ortiz and the individual drove to another location and parked their cars. Ortiz exited his vehicle and retrieved methamphetamine from a hidden compartment underneath the car. Law enforcement officers who had been surveilling the transaction then arrested Ortiz, searched his vehicle, and recovered the methamphetamine.
In total, law enforcement seized over four kilograms of high purity methamphetamine. On August 5, 2016, Ortiz, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison.
This case is the result 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. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez and Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Leeman and Michael Sinacore.
Tampa Real Estate Agent Indicted for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging David Lyle Morgan (53, Tampa) with two counts of bankruptcy fraud and one count of falsification of records in a bankruptcy proceeding. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Morgan, a licensed realtor, entered into a contract with a homeowner to sell a property in foreclosure. In order to prevent the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) from lawfully foreclosing on the homeowner’s property, Morgan engaged in a bankruptcy fraud scheme whereby he filed fraudulent bankruptcy petitions in the homeowner’s name, without the homeowner’s knowledge or consent, just prior to the scheduled foreclosure sale dates. These fraudulent bankruptcies invoked the automatic stay provision of the bankruptcy code and prevented Fannie Mae from conducting the sale and obtaining title to the property. They also allowed Morgan to continue his efforts to sell the property to obtain illegal real estate commissions.
The indictment further alleges that Morgan made false declarations on a fraudulent bankruptcy petition that he had filed in the name of the homeowner, impeding the proper administration of a bankruptcy proceeding.
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 Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General. The Office of the United States Trustee for the Middle District of Florida (Tampa Division) also provided substantial assistance. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Tampa Man Caught in Undercover Sting Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Javis D. Wilson (39, Tampa) to 18 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Wilson pleaded guilty on November 8, 2017.
According to court documents, for well over one year, Wilson sold undercover agents cocaine, ammunition, and several firearms, including a Mossberg 30-06 caliber rifle, a Lorcin Engineering .25 caliber handgun, and a Taurus International .40 caliber handgun. In total, Wilson was held responsible for the sale of 9 firearms. Wilson had reason to believe that the firearms would be trafficked to and resold in the New York area.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.
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.
St. Petersburg Man Convicted of Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found Devin Fabian Collins (25, St. Petersburg) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for May 15, 2018.
Collins was indicted on May 18, 2017.
According to evidence presented at trial, Collins drove recklessly through St. Petersburg as he was being followed by a police helicopter. After he pulled into an apartment complex, officers arrived at scene. Collins fled on foot, while tossing drugs and a gun. At the time of the incident, Collins 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 and the Pinellas County Violence Crimes Task Force. The Violent Crimes Task Force is comprised of officers from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Clearwater Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James Preston and Callan Albritton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 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.
Pasco County Assistant Principal Indicted for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Kyle Dale Ritsema (35, Land O’ Lakes) with production, possession, and distribution of child pornography. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years and a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for production of child pornography, 20 years in federal prison for each of two counts for distributing child pornography, and 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.
According to the indictment, in or about March 2015, Ritsema employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. The indictment also states that he distributed two visual depictions of child pornography on or about March 21, 2015.
Government records indicate that Ritsema is an Assistant Principal at Cypress Creek Middle High School, in Pasco County, 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 is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.
Orlando Man Convicted of Two Counts of CarjackingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury today found Eugene Willis (24, Orlando) guilty of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in relation to a carjacking. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of seven years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
Willis was indicted on October 26, 2016, along with two co-conspirators, Sedrick Hamilton and Justin Crumpton.
According to testimony presented at trial, on October 8, 2016, Willis, Hamilton, and Crumpton traveled from Orlando to the Tampa Bay area to commit commercial burglaries. They decided to carjack a victim of his Dodge Charger, after getting the idea from a rap song. After a high-speed chase with law enforcement, they crashed the stolen car and carjacked a second victim of her Kia Optima. The individuals crashed that vehicle as well and fled to a nearby fast food restaurant, where two employees were taken as hostages. Law enforcement ultimately took all three men into custody.
Hamilton and Crumpton previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this case and are currently awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lakeland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Largo Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Viewing Child Sexual Abuse Videos and Images Using the “Dark Web”Read the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Benjamin McKenzie (42, Largo) to four years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse videos and images. He was also sentenced to a 20-year term of supervision and ordered to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
McKenzie pleaded guilty on November 28, 2017.
According to court documents, FBI agents began an online undercover investigation to identify individuals who were using a particular anonymizing website on the “dark web” to access and download images and videos depicting child pornography. Further investigation revealed that McKenzie had accessed child pornography on this website between September 2014 and March 2015. FBI agents executed a search warrant at McKenzie’s residence and a forensic examination of his computer revealed that it contained at least 400 videos and 100 images depicting children being sexually abused, as well as evidence that McKenzie had downloaded child pornography over the Internet.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
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.