Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Assassinate the PresidentRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Christopher Davies (31, Cape Coral) has pleaded guilty to one count of making threats against the President of the United States. Davies faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Davies wrote a letter to an official at the Charlotte Correctional Institution stating in substance that he intended to kill President Donald Trump. Davies claimed that he had “orchestrated the most daring Presidential assassination that this country has ever seen,” and that “Donald J. Trump must perish.” During questioning by Secret Service agents, Davies admitted to writing the letter and explained that he wanted to kill the President. When asked, hypothetically, what he would do if the President Trump was near him, Davies claimed that he would attempt to kill the President with his bare hands.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Federal Jury Finds Davenport Man Guilty of Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Armoni Tyree Moody (24, Davenport) guilty of carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Moody faces a minimum penalty of seven years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 21, 2026.
According to evidence presented at trial, Moody arranged over social media to meet an individual to purchase marijuana. Moody entered the passenger seat of the individual’s car, brandished a loaded handgun, and pressed it against the individual’s head. Moody then forced the victim to hand over the victim’s two cellphones and told the victim to get out of the car or he would shoot the victim, before driving away with the victim’s car.
The following day, a search warrant was obtained for Moody’s residence. The victim’s belongings and the loaded firearm were recovered from Moody’s bedroom, and the victim’s car was found parked nearby. Upon further investigation, detectives recovered text messages from Moody’s cellphone where he discussed his intent to commit the robbery a few hours beforehand and videos of Moody in possession of the same firearm on his social media account.
Prior to this offense, Moody had been convicted of robbery with a weapon for which he was still serving a term of probation at the time of the carjacking. As a convicted felon, Moody is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Arson Resulting in Injury at Soccer StadiumRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Giovanni Isai Ramirez Reyes (38, Orlando) guilty of arson of a building or property resulting in injury. Ramirez Reyes faces a minimum penalty of 7 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 12, 2026.
According to evidence presented at trial, Ramirez Reyes ignited two marine flares and threw them into a crowd of fans during a Major League Soccer match on February 24, 2024, at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. The flares caused damage to the stadium and a burn injury to a four-year-old child. Immediately after he threw the flares, Ramirez Reyes retreated to another section of the stadium, where he attempted to disguise himself by removing his hat and jacket, and watched the flares burn. He then fled the stadium. He was subsequently identified using stadium surveillance footage.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Orlando Police Department, and the Orlando Fire Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced for New Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Daniel Norman Pulley (60, St. Petersburg) to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor, possession of CSAM, and penalties for registered sex offenders. The court also ordered Pulley to forfeit five cellphones, a PlayStation 4, and two flash drives, which are traceable as instrumentalities of the offense. Pulley was found guilty by a jury on July 30, 2025.
According to court documents, Pulley was a registered sex offender following a 2009 federal conviction for possessing CSAM. In 2022, Pulley used Snapchat to communicate with a minor online, coercing her to produce CSAM for him. He also specifically detailed the different ways he wanted to rape the teenage minor. Pulley also possessed various CSAM images on his cellphone, including depictions of young children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Muriel Moore.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Clearwater Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material of an InfantRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virigina M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced William Jack Filing (30, Clearwater) to 15 years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Filing to register as a sex offender and serve a lifetime of supervision following his release. A federal jury convicted Filing on July 15, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, using the online persona “Calcifer_Starflame,” Filing discussed his desire to sexually abuse a baby boy in a one-on-one chat with a co-conspirator on a social media platform. At Filing’s request, the co-conspirator sent videos of an infant child being sexually abused. In response, Filing said that it was his “daydream” to sexually abuse a baby himself and sent explicit photos of himself. When the co-conspirator asked about his preferred age, Filing stated, “1-4, maybe 5 or 6, less words the better.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations–Tampa, with substantial assistance from the Clearwater Police Department and the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce of Central Florida. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Claire Favorit and Abigail K. King.
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.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Clay County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Loaded Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Dustin Neil Haas (38, Clay County) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Haas faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and forfeiture of a Bryco Jennings 9mm pistol and ammunition used in the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Law enforcement arrested Haas on September 22, 2025, and he was subsequently detained.
According to court documents, on August 11, 2025, a deputy from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a motorcycle driven by Haas for driving without a tag. The deputy also determined that Haas was driving on a suspended license. Upon making contact with Haas, the deputy observed a large bulge in the vest Haas was wearing. During a subsequent search of the vest, the deputy located a black Bryco Jennings 9mm pistol, loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. At the time, Haas had multiple prior felony convictions which prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Two Local Harvesters Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jacinto Luna (54, Immokalee) and Marcelino DeLeon (45, Felda) each to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, after they both pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and engaging in illegal monetary transactions in connection with the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.
In April 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). CFAP provided relief to farmers and ranchers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, in August and September 2020, DeLeon and Luna conspired with others to defraud CFAP by each submitting two different fraudulent CFAP applications on behalf of their harvesting companies. DeLeon and Luna’s applications misrepresented crop production, crop revenue, and ownership interests.
In total, DeLeon’s fraudulent representations in his CFAP applications caused the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency to approve his applications and deposit $1,051,710.11 into a bank account controlled by him. Following the disbursement of the CFAP proceeds, DeLeon engaged in an illegal monetary transaction by using some of the fraudulent CFAP proceeds to purchase a vehicle. Prior to sentencing, DeLeon cooperated with the government and fully paid his restitution and forfeiture obligations totaling $2,103,420.22.
In total, Luna’s fraudulent representations on his CFAP applications caused the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency to approve his applications and provide him a total of $994,216,96. Some of these funds were deposited into a bank account controlled by Luna. Following the disbursement of CFAP proceeds, Luna engaged in an illegal monetary transaction by using some of the fraudulent CFAP proceeds to purchase a vehicle. Prior to sentencing, Luna cooperated with the government and fully paid his restitution and forfeiture obligations totaling $1,988,433.92.
Anyone who suspects fraud or other wrongdoing related to the pandemic should report it to the COVID-19 Pandemic Fraud Hotline at www.pandemicoversight.gov/contact/about-hotline, by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Twice-Convicted North Carolina Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Geoffrey Lee Dudding (39, Concord, NC) has pleaded guilty to using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Dudding faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 14, 2026. Dudding, a registered child sex offender who was previously convicted in North Carolina of indecent liberty with a minor (2007) and solicitation of a child by computer to commit an unlawful sex act (2024), was arrested by FBI agents in Concord, North Carolina on May 8, 2025.
According to court documents, on January 13, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation to identify adults seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the UC posted several short messages in a public chat room on a particular online social messaging platform (app). An individual using the app name “metalh34d321,” who was subsequently identified as Dudding, contacted the UC by private text message on the app and expressed sexual interest in the UC’s “daughter.” Dudding told the UC, “Let me know if ya ever down to let me do her.” Despite being advised several times that the “child” was 11 years old and lived in Florida, Dudding stated that he wanted to meet the “child” to “[h]ave a good time and sex.” Dudding described sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child” and sent the UC an explicit video of himself to show to the “child.” Dudding and the UC also communicated by cellphone text messaging. They discussed plans for Dudding to travel to Jacksonville so that he could engage in sexual activity with the “child.” Dudding told the UC that he intended to book a hotel room in Jacksonville.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cabarrus County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has sentenced Obmar Garcia-Galban (25, Tennessee) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute over 124 grams of fentanyl and approximately 2 kilograms of a substance containing MDMA and ketamine, also known as “Tusi,” as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The court also ordered Garcia-Galban to forfeit a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle, which was involved in the offense. Garcia-Galban pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025.
According to court documents, on December 19, 2024, Garcia-Galban possessed 124.6 grams of fentanyl, 1.99 kilograms of Tusi, and a firearm with the serial number removed in his vehicle. During an interview with law enforcement, Garcia-Galban stated that he planned to sell the fentanyl, Tusi, and firearm to an individual in Florida.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Telemarketing Company Operators Sentenced for Roles in Genetic Testing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Two men from Texas and Florida were sentenced today to four years and two years in prison, respectively, for their roles as leaders of a marketing company that solicited Medicare beneficiaries for medically unnecessary genetic testing. The Florida man received an additional two years in prison, to be served concurrently, for his role in falsifying the ownership information in Medicare enrollment documentation for a clinical laboratory.
According to court documents, Paul Wexler, 56, of Spring, Texas, and Paul Bleignier, 64, of Seminole, Florida, operated a telemarketing company that recruited Medicare beneficiaries for cancer genetic (CGx) testing that was medically unnecessary. CGx testing uses DNA sequencing to detect mutations in genes that could indicate a higher risk of developing certain types of cancers in the future. It is not a method of diagnosing whether an individual presently has cancer, and Medicare covers CGx testing in limited circumstances. Further, Wexler, Bleignier and their co-conspirators solicited and received kickbacks in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries for CGx testing that was not eligible for Medicare reimbursement. Through the scheme, Wexler and Bleignier caused Medicare to be billed $17.3 million, and they were paid $5.2 million.
While the criminal case for genetic testing fraud was pending, Bleignier opened a clinical laboratory and enrolled it in Medicare. Medicare requires a certification listing anyone with 5% or more ownership interest, but Bleignier used other people’s identities to disguise his involvement. The claims related to that laboratory were further tainted by kickbacks. Bleignier and his co-conspirators billed Medicare for $3,012,156 in claims that were ineligible for reimbursement, and they were paid $916,106.
In April 2024, Wexler pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. In November 2022, Bleignier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive kickbacks, and in November 2024, he pleaded guilty to making false statements related to health care matters. At sentencing the two were ordered to pay $1.2 million in forfeiture each and $5.2 million in restitution. Bleignier was ordered to pay an additional $916,106 in forfeiture for his role in falsifying the ownership information in Medicare enrollment documentation.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Tampa Woman Pleads Guilty to Forcibly Impeding Federal Agent During Immigration ArrestRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Luz Mary Vasquez Cruz (45, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, or interfering with a federal officer engaged in official duties. Vasquez Cruz faces a maximum penalty of eight years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents were conducting an immigration arrest of a Honduran national at a residence in Tampa when Vasquez Cruz and her co-defendant, Alfredo Javier Fuentes, exited the residence and placed themselves between agents and the subject of the arrest. Vasquez Cruz and Fuentes shoved an agent backwards, which allowed the subject of the arrest to flee into the residence and escape through a back window.
The case against Javier Fuentes is pending trial.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Retired Army Colonel Pleads Guilty to Unauthorized Communication of Classified Military Strike PlansRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Kevin Charles Luke (62, Parrish) has pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized communication of information relating to the national defense. Luke faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Luke retired from the United States Army in June 2018 with the rank of Colonel. Thereafter, he worked as a contractor and civilian employee. Throughout his time in the Army, and thereafter as a civilian employee, he held a security clearance that authorized him to access classified information related to the national defense.
In October 2024, Luke was a government civilian employee at United States Central Command in Tampa, Florida. Luke met a woman online and began communicating with her via his personal cellphone and computer. On October 1, 2024, Luke sent that woman a text message stating, “sent to my boss earlier, gives you a peak at what I do for a living.” Luke then sent a photograph of a computer screen displaying a classified email message that he had authored and sent using a government email address intended for classified email communications. The email contained classified markings of SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY that Luke had himself added. The photograph of the classified email that Luke sent to the woman discussed a then-future U.S. military operation. This information was classified at the time and remains classified. The photograph of the classified email also revealed the number of targets of the planned U.S. military operation as well as the future date of the operation, the means of executing the operation, and the goal of the operation. Luke knew that his personal cellphone was not authorized for storing or transmitting national defense information, and that the woman was not authorized to receive national defense information.
This case was investigated by the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Lindsey Schmidt and Department of Justice National Security Division Counterintelligence and Export Control Section Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Orlando Middle School Employee Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Mitchell Regan (36, Leesburg) to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for distribution and possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). Regan pleaded guilty on February 24, 2025.
According to court documents, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Regan’s home on October 17, 2024. During a search of Regan’s cellphone, an HSI computer forensic agent located an image of CSAM in the phone gallery. Regan told law enforcement that he was employed by a middle school and the Boys and Girls Club and added that he taught the chess club and gave music lessons to children. A subsequent review of Regan’s social media applications by law enforcement revealed Regan had distributed two videos of CSAM on June 24, 2024.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Orange County Man Sentenced to 170 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced David Andrew Ogden (40, Winter Park) to 170 years in federal prison for production and possession of child sexual abuse material. Ogden pleaded guilty on August 20, 2025.
According to court documents, on September 8, 2024, Ogden entered an apartment without permission where three minor children were sleeping. He began touching two of the children and used his cellphone to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of them. Following Ogden’s arrest later that night, a search warrant was executed on his cellphone which revealed additional CSAM Ogden had produced in 2022 and 2024 involving two other minor children. Ogden’s phone also contained more than1,000 AI-generated CSAM images and 10 AI-generated videos, some of which portrayed the abuse of children between the ages of 2 and 6 years old.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Winter Park Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
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 the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ocala Man Who Pointed A Laser at A Marion County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter Faces Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Adam Santiago Lugo (41, Ocala) with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. If convicted, Santiago Lugo faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on August 2, 2025, Santiago Lugo knowingly aimed the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. The specific aircraft was a helicopter operated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Air Marshals, and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Ocala Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to A MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Nicholas Robert Davis (30, Ocala) to two years in federal prison for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor. Davis previously entered a guilty plea on May 7, 2025.
According to court documents, during an undercover operation on July 24, 2024, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent posed online as a 13-year-old girl (UC). The agent received a message from Davis on a social media platform. After learning the UC’s age, Davis had a video call with an undercover detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office who also was posing as the minor. During the call, Davis exposed his genitalia to the detective and, afterward, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the UC. Davis also sent the UC a sexually explicit video of himself.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Naples Man Indicted for $1.2 Million Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Targeting Elderly Hurricane Ian VictimRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Luis Emilio Hernandez (45, Naples) with two counts of wire fraud and six counts of money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud an elderly victim following Hurricane Ian. If convicted, Hernandez faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each money laundering count. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of more than $1.2 million and other assets traceable to the proceeds of the offenses.
According to court records, following Hurricane Ian in 2022, Hernandez falsely represented himself as a licensed contractor who would repair the victim’s home after it was damaged by the storm. Relying on these misrepresentations, the 85-year-old victim wrote multiple checks to Hernandez for construction supplies, equipment, inspections, and other repair services. Hernandez continued to induce payments from the victim even after the house was sold and demolished in 2023. In reality, Hernandez performed no work on the home and, instead, diverted over $1.2 million for his own personal use.
The money laundering counts allege that Hernandez used the stolen funds to purchase and resell vehicles at car dealerships throughout the area in an effort to conceal the source of the money.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Marion County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Sean Rayvon Hubbard, Jr. (19, Ocala) to three years in federal prison for possession of a machinegun. Hubbard pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025.
According to court documents, on July 28, 2024, officers from the Ocala Police Department approached Hubbard to place him under arrest for outstanding warrants. Hubbard fled from the officers on foot but was ultimately apprehended. On August 7, 2024, officers received a call from an apartment complex about a firearm that had been discovered along the path where Hubbard had been running. The firearm, a black handgun with a tan extended ammunition magazine, had been modified with a “switch” that allowed it to fire more than one round of ammunition with a single pull of the trigger. Officers obtained a search warrant for Hubbard’s cellphone and recovered a video of Hubbard handling the same modified handgun just prior to his arrest on July 28, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Lee County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. (44, Lee County) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Maldonado faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison because he has a qualifying prior conviction for a serious drug felony. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, DeJesus Maldonado worked with his three co-defendants, Esequiel Maldonado (Esequiel), Ron Ramirez, Jr., and Schuyler Jordan Thompson to distribute cocaine. Esequiel was the Texas-based leader of the conspiracy. He authorized sales of cocaine, served as the conspiracy’s broker, and set cocaine prices. On behalf of Esequiel, Ramirez arranged for Thompson to deliver cocaine to DeJesus Maldonado who then distributed it in the Middle District of Florida and arranged for drug proceeds to be paid back to Esequiel. On November 30, 2023, DeJesus Maldonado sold one kilogram of cocaine in Lee County to a confidential human source.
Ramirez pleaded guilty on September 24, 2025. Thompson and Esequiel are set for trial in January 2026.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Lake County Felon Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Brady Kyle Milton Williams (29, Lake County) to four years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. Williams pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025.
According to court documents, on November 3, 2022, during an investigation into a stolen vehicle, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office discovered Williams had a loaded pistol tucked inside his waistband. Several weeks later, on January 13, 2023, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on another suspected stolen vehicle. Williams, the driver of that vehicle, fled from law enforcement. After disabling the vehicle, deputies apprehended Williams. A subsequent search revealed a loaded revolver in the vehicle’s driver-side door pocket. The passenger in the vehicle confirmed the firearm belonged to Williams.
At the time of these events, Williams was a nine-time convicted felon. His previous state convictions include fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, grand theft of a motor vehicle, owning and operating a chop shop, and possession of methamphetamine. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Jacksonville Woman Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Credit Scheme and COVID Relief Fraud Involving the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Carnisha Maurica Rogers (31, Jacksonville) to 36 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, false representation of a Social Security number involving a line of credit scheme, and wire fraud involving COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The court also ordered Rogers to pay $108,867.63 in restitution to the victims she defrauded and to forfeit $20,832, which is traceable to proceeds of the wire fraud offense involving COVID relief fraud. Rogers pleaded guilty in June 2025.
According to court documents, Rogers and her co-conspirators fraudulently obtained the Social Security numbers (SSNs) of others. From November 2017 through September 2019, Rogers and others recruited individuals to obtain lines of credit at various businesses using the SSNs. After fraudulently obtaining the lines of credit, they obtained jewelry and other merchandise. Rogers and her co-conspirators resold some of the merchandise and lines of credit on social media platforms.
In May 2021, Rogers submitted a PPP loan application to a lender authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. The PPP loan application falsely claimed that Rogers operated her own business. Throughout the loan application Rogers made multiple false statements regarding her purported gross income and expenses associated with operating her business. In support of her PPP loan application, she submitted a false IRS Form 1040 - Profit or Loss From Business containing false statements about operating expenses, gross income, and wage expenditures for her purported business. In truth, Rogers’s business did not exist. In reliance on the false statements in her loan application, her application was approved and she received a PPP loan totaling $20,832.
After receiving the PPP loan proceeds in her bank account, Rogers began making withdrawals and spending the funds on personal expenses. In October 2021, Rogers submitted a PPP loan forgiveness application to the SBA that included multiple false representations. In the application, she falsely claimed that she spent more than $18,000 on payroll costs and that the PPP loan proceeds were only used for eligible purposes. In reliance on her false statements, the SBA forgave the entire loan, plus accrued interest.
In March 2025, a related defendant, Crystal Denean Harvell (37, Jacksonville), was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving the line of credit scheme and wire fraud involving COVID Relief Fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program. The court also ordered Harvell to pay $131,782.63 in restitution to the victims she defrauded and to the United States government.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice and Meet an 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Noel Daniel Simonca (48, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. Simonca faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Simonca was arrested by FBI agents on January 19, 2025, and has been in custody since that time.
According to court documents, on December 10, 2024, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adults who were seeking to make contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, UC posted a short message in a public chat room on a particular online social messaging app. A short time later, an individual using the app name “mdesase” contacted UC using a private text messaging feature of the app. User “mdesase” confirmed that he would “love to see [the 11-year-old child],” and indicated that he had a preference for children aged “8-13.” On December 11, 2024, UC and “mdesase,” who was subsequently identified as Simonca, discussed meeting to have a “play date” and to “trade [daughters].”
During further online text conversations between UC and Simonca, they discussed meeting in person. On December 26, 2024, Simonca texted UC and described in detail the sexual activity that he intended to engage in with UC’s 11-year-old “child.” Simonca and UC ultimately agreed to meet at a location in Jacksonville Beach so that Simonca could meet the “child” and take photos of “her.”
During text communications between Simonca and UC in January 2025, they discussed the planned photo shoot with the “child,” including the time and location of this meeting. For example, on January 10, 2025, Simonca stated that he was “available to help” teach the “child” about sex. On January 19, 2025, Simonca drove from his residence to the place where he had planned to meet the UC and the “child,” and was arrested by FBI agents.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Hillsborough County Man Indicted for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Jordan O’Keefe Woods (32, Seffner) with two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of inducement to travel to engage in prostitution. If convicted on all counts, Woods faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on or about September 22, 2024, and July 22, 2025, Woods knowingly trafficked Victim 1 knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that means of force, threats of force, fraud and coercion would be used to cause the victim to engage in a commercial sex act. The indictment also alleges that on or about September 20, 2024, and July 20, 2025, Woods knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced Victim 1 to travel from North Carolina to Florida to engage in prostitution and sexual activity.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Former President and Executive Vice President of Local Teachers Union Plead Guilty to Stealing Union Funds in Leave ScamRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Teresa Brady (70, Jacksonville) and Ruby George (82, Jacksonville) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, aiding and abetting wire fraud, and aiding and abetting mail fraud. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Brady also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Brady and George have also agreed to forfeit the traceable to proceeds of the offense, which cumulatively total at least $2.6 million.
According to the plea agreements, Brady and George were the President and Executive Vice President of Duval Teachers United (DTU), a labor union that represents Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) teachers, paraprofessionals, and office personnel. DTU has approximately 6,500 members and represents approximately 80% of eligible DCPS employees. DTU’s annual revenue is approximately $5 million, which is comprised of funds paid by dues-paying members.
Between 2013 and 2022, Brady and George engaged in a conspiracy to steal more than $1.2 million apiece from the DTU by selling leave time to DTU that they had not accrued or earned back. They hid their scheme by providing false information to a DTU’s auditor and by signing each other’s checks when distributing the unaccrued and unearned leave money, hiding those payments from the DTU Secretary/Treasurer. Brady and George also withheld this unearned compensation from the Florida Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC), responsible for public labor unions in Florida, in required annual financial statement filings, some of which were mailed to PERC. Brady then used the fraud proceeds and engaged in at least one monetary transaction of more than $10,000 to pay personal credit card debt.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Milliron.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Thousands of Counterfeit “Scotty Cameron” Golf Putter GripsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Glenn Thomas Berger (50, Lehigh Acres) has pleaded guilty to trafficking in counterfeit golf putter grips. Berger faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $2 million fine. Berger has agreed to forfeit $170,570.45 in proceeds obtained from the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Berger, who owns and operates a company that manufactures and sells sporting goods, sold thousands of counterfeit “Scotty Cameron” branded golf putter grips utilizing an online selling platform. Berger then shipped the counterfeit products through the U.S. mail. From November 2020 through at least August 2024, Berger sold and shipped more than $170,000 worth of counterfeit goods.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Federal Jury Finds Tampa Man Guilty of Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Shane Valmont (45, Tampa) guilty of distributing over 50 grams of methamphetamine. Valmont faces a minimum prison term of 10 years, up to life. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, on December 27, 2022, Valmont sold approximately 112 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with the Clearwater Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clearwater Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman and Muriel Moore.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Federal Correctional Officer Indicted for Receipt of A Bribe by A Public OfficialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Karen Torres (50, St. Cloud) with one count of receipt of a bribe by a public official. If convicted, Torres faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also specifies that the United States will seek an order of forfeiture for $43,550—an amount representing the proceeds of the criminal offense.
According to the indictment, Torres was a public official employed by the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, as a correctional officer. She worked at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County. Between May 2022 and March 3, 2025, Torres received monetary payments in return for being influenced to smuggle contraband into the prison.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Bradenton Woman Indicted for Passport Fraud and Theft Related to Government FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jane Doe, a/k/a Rosario Alaniz (69, Bradenton), with one count of passport fraud, two counts of Social Security fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and two counts of theft of government funds. If convicted, Doe faces a maximum penalty 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the passport fraud count and each theft offense, and a maximum of 5 years in prison for each count of Social Security fraud.
According to the indictment, Doe fraudulently obtained a United States passport and using this fraudulent identity received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from the Department of Agriculture, as well as benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) through disability insurance benefits. Doe failed to disclose employment, fraudulently securing payments when either no payment was due or in a greater amount than authorized. Doe has received government benefits of approximately $183,800.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Darius Lavon Williams (40, Hudson) to 25 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, deputies with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Williams. During a search of the vehicle, deputies located two firearms, two ounces of cocaine, an ounce of fentanyl, over two ounces of cocaine base, marijuana, THC wax, psylocibin gummies, and a digital scale. Williams has an extensive criminal history, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, felon in possession of a firearm, and eight prior convictions for sale of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Cuban Air Force Pilot Indicted for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe and United States Attorney and Jason A. Reding Quiñones announce the unsealing of an indictment charging Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez (64, Cuba) with fraud and misuse of visa, permits, and other documents, and making a false statement to a federal agency. If convicted on all counts, Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
“This man’s past as a longtime military pilot for the evil Castro regime — which has wrought untold suffering on the Cuban people — should have been front and center in his immigration file,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who lies about their past to take advantage of America’s immigration system.”
According to the indictment, on or about April 20, 2025, Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez presented or caused to be presented a Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status containing false statements to the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Specifically, the false statements pertained to his prior membership in the Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force from 1980 to 2009. In the Form I-485 Application, the indictment alleges that Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez falsely stated he had never received any weapons or military training, never participated in any group of any kind that used weapons or threatened to use weapons, and never served in a military or police unit, when in reality, he received such training and served in the Cuban military as part of the Air Defense Force. The indictment included a photograph depicting Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez in the Air Defense Force:
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.
FBI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Jacksonville Field Office, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office. The Middle District of Florida and Southern District of Florida are partners in this investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Milliron for the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida and Assistant United States Attorney Abbie D. Waxman from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Federal Jury Finds Two Men Guilty of Contract Killing of 17-Year-Old High School Student to Prevent Her Testimony in CourtRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida–United States Attorney announces that after a little more than two weeks of trial, a federal jury returned a verdict finding Lenard White (37), a/k/a “Len,” “Mike Williams,” and “Stick,” and Sheldon Robinson (22), a/k/a “Poboy,” guilty of all charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire, premeditated first-degree murder, discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which caused the death of I.S., discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, tampering with witnesses, and obstruction of justice. White and Robinson each face multiple mandatory life sentences. They scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2026.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on February 6, 2023, 17-year-old high school student I.S., a member of her school’s tennis team and ROTC program, and her mother L.P., reported to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office that I.S. had been sexually assaulted. The next day, Sheldon Robinson came to their house and knocked on the door. When the door was opened, Robinson fired a barrage of gunshots at I.S. and L.P., killing I.S. The bullet that killed I.S. struck her in the back as she ran away from her front door for help. L.P. was struck several times but survived. She collapsed on the ground and watched her daughter die.
The murder was organized by Lenard White, the man who had sexually assaulted her, and who left the state prior to her murder to give himself an alibi. White’s cousin, Sheldon Robinson, committed the murder for $6,000.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) immediately began investigating the case. After more than 70 federal and state search warrants, investigators obtained a step-by-step blueprint for how Robinson killed I.S., including the individuals that he too recruited to help him carry it out. Six months after I.S.’s murder, and as the investigation was unfolding, Hernando County detectives and ATF agents executed a second search warrant at Robinson’s home. Buried in a forest area behind his home, investigators found the gun Robinson used to murder I.S.
As the investigation continued, White and Robinson repeatedly attempted to hinder that investigation by disposing of evidence, tampering with witnesses, obstructing justice, and making false statements to law enforcement. The two also discussed plans at having another witness against them killed, just as they did I.S.
A third defendant, Keshawn Woods, previous pleaded guilty to his role in the murder of I.S. and is pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office – Fifth Judicial Circuit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diego F. Novaes and Samantha Newman.
Tampa Man Federally Charged for Threatening to Injure and Kill A Federal Official and His Family MemberRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Robert Logan Shoecraft, III (35, Tampa) with interstate communication of a threat to injure and kill. If convicted, Shoecraft faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, in May 2024, Shoecraft called the office of a Member of the United States House of Representatives and left an offensive, expletive-laden voicemail which included the following: “we’re coming for you, we’re gonna f***ing kill you,” and “we have f***ing guns too, you stupid c***.”
On October 31, 2025, Shoecraft sent a direct message through social media to the wife of a federal official who serves as an Advisor to the President of the United States, stating, “You and your husband will be dragged through the streets like Mussolini and his b**** after all this is done. This is our country, and they will make sure you and your husband suffer for what you've done. You have no idea what's in store for you.”
A 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Capitol Police, and the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
California Man Charged Federally for Mailing Threat to Injure and KillRead the Press Release
TAMPA, Fla. — The Justice Department today announced a criminal complaint charging George Russell Isbell Jr., 69, of San Diego, with mailing a threatening communication. Isbell was arrested on Oct. 7 in San Diego.
“Thanks to the incredible teamwork between state, local, and federal law enforcement, this coward hiding behind a keyboard was taken into custody and charged federally for mailing threatening communications,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many – do not do this, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
“The FBI and our partners will not tolerate threats of violence like the kind allegedly made by the defendant about a media personality,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We will continue to investigate, pursue, and find those responsible for this conduct and ensure such criminals are held to full account in our justice system.”
“Unfortunately, a rise in political threats has been accompanied by a rise in political violence,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We take all threats of violence seriously and will continue to respond in close coordination with our law enforcement partners and prosecute the authors of such threatening communications.”
According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 18, Isbell mailed a letter from San Diego threatening to injure his victim, a media personality located in Tampa, Florida, and telling his victim that the victim needed “to be exterminated.” In the letter, he referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been killed during a public engagement on a college campus. After writing that he hoped that the American flag “strangles the life out of you,” the letter went on to state: “Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”.
If convicted, Isbell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Tampa Field Office and the Tampa Police Department are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Additional support was provided by the FBI San Diego Field Office, the San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wheeler III for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Charged Federally for Mailing Threat to Injure and KillRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a criminal complaint charging George Russell Isbell Jr., 69, of San Diego, with mailing a threatening communication. Isbell was arrested on Oct. 7 in San Diego.
“Thanks to the incredible teamwork between state, local, and federal law enforcement, this coward hiding behind a keyboard was taken into custody and charged federally for mailing threatening communications,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many – do not do this, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
“The FBI and our partners will not tolerate threats of violence like the kind allegedly made by the defendant about a media personality,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We will continue to investigate, pursue, and find those responsible for this conduct and ensure such criminals are held to full account in our justice system.”
“Unfortunately, a rise in political threats has been accompanied by a rise in political violence,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We take all threats of violence seriously and will continue to respond in close coordination with our law enforcement partners and prosecute the authors of such threatening communications.”
According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 18, Isbell mailed a letter from San Diego threatening to injure his victim, a media personality located in Tampa, Florida, and telling his victim that the victim needed “to be exterminated.” In the letter, he referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been killed during a public engagement on a college campus. After writing that he hoped that the American flag “strangles the life out of you,” the letter went on to state: “Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”.
If convicted, Isbell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Tampa Field Office and the Tampa Police Department are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Additional support was provided by the FBI San Diego Field Office, the San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wheeler III for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize Convicted Gun TraffickerRead the Press Release
Today, the United States filed a denaturalization action in the Middle District of Florida against Vladimir Volgaev, a native of Ukraine, who, according to the Department of Justice’s Complaint, concealed and misrepresented his involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle over a thousand firearms components out of the United States and ship them to foreign markets.
Starting in 2011, and continuing for two years after his naturalization, Volgaev engaged in the clandestine purchase, packaging and smuggling of firearm components to individuals in Ukraine and Italy. Also, beginning in 2013, Volgaev underreported his assets and income on applications for federal housing benefits, resulting in his improper receipt of those benefits. A federal court convicted him for these crimes in 2020. Volgaev misrepresented and concealed his crimes throughout his application for naturalization in 2014-15. He naturalized as a U.S. citizen on Jan. 11, 2016.
“This case sends a clear message,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The United States provided Volgaev with safety, housing, and citizenship, and he returned those gains with malice, including by defrauding one of the federal agencies that provided him benefits. We will not reward this kind of behavior by allowing such an individual to retain U.S. citizenship that should not have been granted in the first place.”
This is the eleventh denaturalization action that the Department has filed since Jan. 20.
This case was investigated by the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Felix Romero. The litigation is being handled by Trial Attorney Christopher Lyerla and reviewed by John Inkeles of the Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Jacksonville Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Accessing Child Sexual Abuse Materials Using the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Sean-Michael Smith (36, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The court also ordered Smith to serve a 15-year term of supervised release after incarceration and to forfeit his computer device. Smith is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in federal court in 2014 of distributing videos and photos of children being sexually abused. Smith was arrested on December 18, 2024, and he pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025.
After serving his federal prison sentence, and while on supervised release, Smith admitted that he had drawn sketches depicting nude children and had also accessed the internet several times. On December 10, 2024, U.S. Probation Officers conducted a search of Smith’s residence. During an interview, Smith admitted that he had accessed CSAM using the internet during August, September, and December 2024. He advised that he used a particular electronic device to access these materials. Officers seized the device and later forwarded the device and its internal computer chip to the FBI for further investigation.
On February 18, 2025, the FBI extracted the contents of the device’s computer chip. A review of the materials revealed that the device had been used by Smith to access at least 35 photos depicting young children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. 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 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Correctional Officer Arrested for Sexual Abuse of A Federal Inmate and Receipt of A Bribe by A Public OfficialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Cornelius Alexander Thompson (38, Ocala) with one count of sexual abuse of a ward in federal custody and one count of receipt of a bribe by a public official. If convicted on all counts, Thompson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Thompson that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $24,550, representing the proceeds of the bribery offense.
According to the indictment, Thompson was a public official and employed by the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, as a correctional officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman). Between January 2020 and August 9, 2023, Thompson engaged in a sexual act with a federal inmate under Thompson’s custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority at the prison. Furthermore, between January 2020 and April 29, 2024, Thompson received money in return for being influenced to smuggle contraband into FCC Coleman. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Man Sentenced to over 25 Years in Federal Prison for Transporting A Minor from Mexico for Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Christian Hernandez (27, New Port Richey) to 24 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity. Upon release from custody, Hernandez will be required to register as a sex offender. Hernandez pleaded guilty on July 1, 2025.
According to court documents, in 2019, Hernandez began sexually abusing the minor victim when she was approximately 12 years old while the two were in Mexico. In 2022, when the minor victim was 15 years old, Hernandez facilitated the minor victim’s illegal entry into the United States so she could live with him in New Port Richey. While in Florida, Hernandez physically and sexually abused the victim and forced her to work to repay her debt to him for her illegal entry into the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clearwater Police Department and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Lake County Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas Patrick Barber has sentenced Jose G. Medina (50, Leesburg) to 37 months in federal prison for knowingly making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and causing a Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. Medina pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025.
According to court records, between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Medina illegally straw-purchased multiple firearms from FFLs in the Middle District of Florida for other individuals. Some of these firearms were later intercepted by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as other individuals attempted to transport them across the United States’ border into Mexico.
On May 27, 2023, an individual was encountered by CBP as he tried to make entry into Mexico at the Eagle Pass (Texas) Port of Entry. He was attempting to bring 10 handguns, 9 rifles, 7 shotguns, 20 ammunition magazines, and large amounts of assorted ammunition into Mexico. The individual stated that he was traveling from Orlando, Florida, to San Diego de la Union, Guanajuato, Mexico—an area where Mexican cartels are fighting for control of the territory. Medina had purchased one of these recovered firearms nine days earlier.
Firearms and ammunition seized at the U.S. border on May 27, 2023.
On November 17, 2023, CBP officers stopped another individual at the Eagle Pass (Texas) Port of Entry who also was attempting to bring five firearms into Mexico. Medina had purchased two of these firearms less than two weeks earlier.
A record check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) showed that between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Medina had purchased 82 firearms for a total of $42,085.61—an amount that exceeded his reported annual income. The investigation also revealed that another firearm purchased by an associate of Medina had recently been recovered and electronically traced by Mexican law enforcement using ATF’s e-Trace system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Eustis Police Department, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors and Obtaining Fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jared Dean Eakes (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and bank fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Eakes portrayed himself as a legitimate advisor and contacted investment advisors who were looking to sell their advisory businesses. After negotiating to take over management of the advisors’ client assets, between approximately January 2019 and February 2020, Eakes converted approximately $2,737,462 of victim-investor funds to his own benefit by withdrawing the funds in cash, using investor funds to pay personal expenses, transferring investor funds to a Las Vegas-based casino company, and by engaging in unauthorized options trading in a personal brokerage account.
Further, between March 2020 and November 2021, Eakes fraudulently secured approximately $4,752,270 in emergency funds through four Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP)” loans. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was a federal law enacted March 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in potentially forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses were required to use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if the business spent the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and used at least a certain percentage of the loan towards qualifying business expenses.
According to the plea agreement, Eakes caused the submission of four PPP loan applications—including applications for two of the entities involved in the scheme to defraud investors—which contained false and fraudulent supporting documentation and statements regarding the entities’ employees and payroll. Once he obtained the emergency loans, Eakes did not use the funds for qualifying expenses. Instead, he used the funds to engage in options trading or withdrew them in cash.
Eakes has agreed to forfeit $2,737,462.20, the proceeds of the scheme to defraud investors, and $4,752,270, the proceeds of the PPP loan fraud scheme. He also agreed to make full restitution to the victims of his offense conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Federal Jury Finds Tennessee Man Guilty of Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Making A False Claim to the IRSRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Clarence Christofer Ward, a/k/a Khaled Yaqud Mansur-El, guilty of 1 count of wire fraud, 10 counts of money laundering, and 1 count of making a false claim to the IRS. Ward faces a maximum penalty of 125 years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in November 2020, Ward electronically filed a tax return on behalf of a Trust in his name. He falsely claimed on the return that the Trust had paid over $7 million in taxes in 2019. Ward then asked for a $4.1 million refund from the IRS. The tax return was filed from the Middle District of Florida, and it was possessed in Utah, affecting interstate commerce.
Despite Ward’s claim that the Trust had paid over $7 million in federal taxes in 2019, IRS records showed the Trust had never paid any federal taxes. Before the IRS realized that Ward’s claim was untrue, the agency issued the $4.1 million refund. Ward immediately spent the funds on four residential properties, a luxury automobile, vacations, and investment brokerage accounts. As a part of the trial, the jury determined that the residential properties purchased by Ward could be forfeited to the United States.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Semler Scientific Inc. and Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc. to Pay Nearly $37M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to FloChec and QuantaFlo DevicesRead the Press Release
Semler Scientific Inc. has agreed to pay $29.75 million and its former distributor, Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc. and its related companies, has agreed to pay $7.2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733, by knowingly causing, and conspiring to cause, the submission of false claims to Medicare for photoplethysmography tests performed using the FloChec and QuantaFlo devices in connection with the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
“Medicare billing regulations are created, in part, to protect the public fisc,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “It is incumbent upon manufacturers and their distributors to be honest with their customers about the rules and regulations that apply to their products.”
“Government programs expect an honest exchange between suppliers and programs funded by taxpayer dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “When critical information is misrepresented or skewed for profit or personal gain, the limited resources available for our healthcare system are diminished.”
“Medical device companies that misrepresent the capabilities of their products and encourage providers to bill Medicare for services that do not meet coverage requirements drain critical taxpayer-funded resources,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “In addition to this settlement, HHS-OIG has entered into a new five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with Semler Scientific, which agreed to undertake substantial internal compliance measures to help ensure that the company remains appropriate and lawful moving forward.”
PAD in the lower extremities is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood between the heart and legs. Providers traditionally diagnose PAD by conducting a test called an ankle brachial index (ABI) to estimate the severity of the blockage in a patient’s limbs. To qualify for Medicare reimbursement, PAD testing must satisfy the requirements of Current Procedural Technology (CPT) billing codes 93922, 92923 or 93924. Each of these billing codes requires that a provider conduct an ABI test plus certain additional testing. In addition, Medicare does not cover noninvasive vascular tests that use photoelectric plethysmography, also known as photoplethysmography, which uses a light sensor to detect changes in blood volume.
From approximately 2010 through 2024, Semler manufactured, marketed, and distributed the FloChec and QuantaFlo devices to customers throughout the United States for use in connection with the diagnosis of PAD. Both devices use a light sensor to detect changes in blood volume. Additionally, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared FloChec and QuantaFlo, the agency told Semler that the devices did not perform an ABI and could not be called a “digital ABI.”
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Semler and Bard falsely claimed that tests conducted using the FloChec and QuantaFlo devices were reimbursable by Medicare and caused healthcare providers to submit false claims to Medicare. The United States alleged that Semler knew that testing conducted using FloChec and QuantaFlo did not satisfy CPT codes 93922, 93923, or 93924 because the devices do not perform an ABI. Additionally, the United States alleged that Medicare reimbursement for FloChec and QuantaFlo tests is barred because the devices use photoplethysmography. Nevertheless, Semler allegedly represented to healthcare providers that Medicare reimbursed customers for tests performed using Flochec and QuantaFlo if they submitted CPT codes 93922, 93923, and 93924. Even after Semler received concerns from third parties about reimbursement, Semler allegedly continued to market the devices as reimbursable by Medicare.
Bard served as Semler’s distributor from 2012 through 2022. As part of the settlement, Bard admitted certain allegations and received cooperation credit under Justice Department guidelines.
In addition to the civil settlement, Semler has entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), which obligates Semler to undertake substantial internal compliance reforms.
The allegations were originally brought in a lawsuit filed by Robert Kane and Franklin W. West under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the act, private parties may bring suit on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Mr. Kane and Mr. West will receive approximately $6.5 million as their share of the recovery.
The government’s resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. Tips and complaints 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).
The settlement resulted from a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Senior Trial Counsel Kristen M. Echemendia, Trial Attorney Martha Glover, and Investigator Robert L. Jodoin of the Department of Justice, Civil Division, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Bard Settlement US ex. rel Kane v. Semler Scientific Inc. et al..pdf Semler Scientific Inc. Settlement Agreement_0.pdfSemler Scientific Inc. and Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc. to Pay Nearly $37M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Flochec and Quantaflo DevicesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Semler Scientific Inc. has agreed to pay $29.75 million and its former distributor, Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc. and its related companies, has agreed to pay $7.2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733, by knowingly causing, and conspiring to cause, the submission of false claims to Medicare for photoplethysmography tests performed using the FloChec and QuantaFlo devices in connection with the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
“Medicare billing regulations are created, in part, to protect the public fisc,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “It is incumbent upon manufacturers and their distributors to be honest with their customers about the rules and regulations that apply to their products.”
“Government programs expect an honest exchange between suppliers and programs funded by taxpayer dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “When critical information is misrepresented or skewed for profit or personal gain, the limited resources available for our healthcare system are diminished.”
“Medical device companies that misrepresent the capabilities of their products and encourage providers to bill Medicare for services that do not meet coverage requirements drain critical taxpayer-funded resources,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “In addition to this settlement, HHS-OIG has entered into a new five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with Semler Scientific, which agreed to undertake substantial internal compliance measures to help ensure that the company remains appropriate and lawful moving forward.”
PAD in the lower extremities is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood between the heart and legs. Providers traditionally diagnose PAD by conducting a test called an ankle brachial index (ABI) to estimate the severity of the blockage in a patient’s limbs. To qualify for Medicare reimbursement, PAD testing must satisfy the requirements of Current Procedural Technology (CPT) billing codes 93922, 92923 or 93924. Each of these billing codes requires that a provider conduct an ABI test plus certain additional testing. In addition, Medicare does not cover noninvasive vascular tests that use photoelectric plethysmography, also known as photoplethysmography, which uses a light sensor to detect changes in blood volume.
From approximately 2010 through 2024, Semler manufactured, marketed, and distributed the FloChec and QuantaFlo devices to customers throughout the United States for use in connection with the diagnosis of PAD. Both devices use a light sensor to detect changes in blood volume. Additionally, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared FloChec and QuantaFlo, the agency told Semler that the devices did not perform an ABI and could not be called a “digital ABI.”
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Semler and Bard falsely claimed that tests conducted using the FloChec and QuantaFlo devices were reimbursable by Medicare and caused healthcare providers to submit false claims to Medicare. The United States alleged that Semler knew that testing conducted using FloChec and QuantaFlo did not satisfy CPT codes 93922, 93923, or 93924 because the devices do not perform an ABI. Additionally, the United States alleged that Medicare reimbursement for FloChec and QuantaFlo tests is barred because the devices use photoplethysmography. Nevertheless, Semler allegedly represented to healthcare providers that Medicare reimbursed customers for tests performed using Flochec and QuantaFlo if they submitted CPT codes 93922, 93923, and 93924. Even after Semler received concerns from third parties about reimbursement, Semler allegedly continued to market the devices as reimbursable by Medicare.
Bard served as Semler’s distributor from 2012 through 2022. As part of the settlement, Bard admitted certain allegations and received cooperation credit under Justice Department guidelines.
In addition to the civil settlement, Semler has entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), which obligates Semler to undertake substantial internal compliance reforms.
The allegations were originally brought in a lawsuit filed by Robert Kane and Franklin W. West under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the act, private parties may bring suit on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Mr. Kane and Mr. West will receive approximately $6.5 million as their share of the recovery.
The government’s resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. Tips and complaints 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).
The settlement resulted from a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Senior Trial Counsel Kristen M. Echemendia, Trial Attorney Martha Glover, and Investigator Robert L. Jodoin of the Department of Justice, Civil Division, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Mexican National Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Esteban Lopez-Juarez (39, Mexico) to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by deported alien. Lopez-Juarez previously pled guilty on July 1, 2025.
According to court records, Lopez-Juarez was found in the United States on March 16, 2025, after being arrested by local authorities for driving under the influence. Prior to being found, Lopez-Juarez had been previously deported on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019 and had not received permission from immigration authorities to reenter the United States. Additionally, Lopez-Juarez has three prior convictions for illegal reentry.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Hillsborough County Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jessie Thomas Taylor (43, Tampa) to 24 years and 4 months in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor. Taylor pleaded guilty on June 6, 2025.
According to court documents, beginning in April 2021, and continuing through December 2022, Taylor created and posted advertisements of the 16-year-old victim on adult escort websites advertising sexual acts with the victim. Taylor coordinated and managed communications and reserved hotel rooms for the minor to engage in commercial sexual activity and received proceeds from the victim’s sex acts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Thirteen Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Nationwide Scheme to Defraud Staffing CompaniesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Crispian Atkins (51, Valrico, FL), Henry Bell (61, Tampa, FL), Grace Almonte (44, Miami, FL), Christopher Williamson (39, Daytona Beach, FL), Willie Beard (68, Tampa, FL), Franklin Revels (54, Tampa, FL), Valeria Walker (57, Monroe, GA), Tremayne Eddings (47, Miami, FL), Katrina Osborne (52, Tampa, FL), Natasha Martin (49, Pinellas Park, FL), Cameron Atkins (42, St. Louis, MO), Derrick Stephenson (38, Tampa, FL), and Virgil Thomas (45, Houston, TX) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Crispian Atkins was also charged with aggravated identity theft. He faces up to 284 years in federal prison for his cumulative offenses. The remaining defendants each face a maximum of 40 years’ imprisonment. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit $2,462,992.81, which is alleged to represent proceeds obtained from the offense.
According to the indictment, between May 2021 and March 2024, Crispian Atkins and his co-defendants defrauded eight victim-companies, located throughout the United States, that provide employment and payroll services, as well as financial funding. Atkins falsely represented to the victim-companies that he had business contracts with other companies to perform IT-related work, and that he needed the victim-companies’ services to fulfill those contracts. The victim companies agreed to provide financial funding or hire Atkins and his co-defendants as “temporary employees” to complete the purported work. Atkins submitted fraudulent timesheets to the victim-companies that reflected work performed by the “temporary employees,” and the victim-companies paid Atkins and his associates, via wire transfers, according to those timesheets. Atkins and his co-defendants then transferred the fraudulently obtained proceeds to other accounts, withdrew proceeds in cash to conceal their source, and shared in the fraudulently obtained proceeds.
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 - Las Vegas Division, Reno Resident Agency and Tampa Division, with assistance from the Norwood Police Department (MA) and Polk County Sheriff’s Office (FL). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
Punta Gorda Man Charged in Arson of Jewish CenterRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the issuance of a complaint and arrest warrant charging Blake Richard Hoover (31, Punta Gorda) with arson. If convicted on all counts, Hoover faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on or about September 19, 2025, Hoover set an intentional fire at the Chabad Jewish Center located at 424 W. Hendry Street in Punta Gorda, Florida. The Chabad Jewish Center is a Hebrew school and a community synagogue open to all people of Jewish faith.
On September 19, 2025, at approximately 10:48 p.m., a fire alarm within the Chabad Jewish Center was activated notifying the fire department. Upon the fire being extinguished and subsequent investigation, it was determined that the fire was an act of arson. In addition to the fire damage, three areas were spray painted with the letter “J” and appeared to have been recently painted.
On September 22, 2025, the Punta Gorda Police Department and Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office received information from a person regarding a suspect and continued the investigation. Hoover was identified by the person as having expressed an intent to burn down the Chabad Jewish Center prior to September 19, 2025. The person indicated that Hoover had a hatred towards Jewish people and that Hoover had left his residence on September 19, 2025, and returned that evening with a spray paint can. A gas can went missing when Hoover left earlier in the night and was returned to Hoover’s residence empty. The person confronted Hoover about what Hoover had spray painted and Hoover replied, the letter “J.”
A license plate reader captured Hoover’s motor vehicle in the area of the Chabad Jewish Center at approximately 10:09 p.m., prior to the arson. A search warrant was conducted at Hoover’s residence and law enforcement recovered a spray paint can and gas can.
A complaint is 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 Punta Gorda Police Department, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Lying to the FBI in Connection with an International Terrorism InvestigationRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Islam Doci (Orlando, 47) to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in an interview relating to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Doci pled guilty on October 15, 2024.
According to Doci’s plea agreement and evidence presented at sentencing, Doci promoted ISIS propaganda online, communicated with ISIS members, sent money himself overseas in support of ISIS, and facilitated the provision of money by others to ISIS. In addition to other pro-ISIS posts, Doci shared a post that stated, “If Islam is terrorism, then O God give me more of this terrorism until the day I die. If Islam is radicalism, then O God, give me more of this radicalism until the day I die.” In online communications with his ISIS associates, Doci celebrated the killing of Americans and likened providing money and other support to ISIS to being at war. When interviewed on two occasions by the FBI in relation to these activities, Doci lied about his involvement with and support of ISIS.
“Protecting the American people from terrorist attacks is the FBI’s top priority. I commend the special agents and analysts in this investigation whose proactive efforts and agility prevented the spread of ISIS ideology,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara M. Wick and National Security Division Counterterrorism Section Trial Attorney Andrew J. Dixon.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Ron Ramirez, Jr. (24, Texas) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy, distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, and use of a communication facility in the commission of drug trafficking crimes. Ramirez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5, up to 84 years, in federal prison.
According to the court documents, Ramirez handled logistics and communications for a drug trafficking organization. On behalf of his co-defendant, Esequiel Maldonado, Ramirez recruited and paid a courier, co-defendant Schuyler Jordan Thompson. Ramirez arranged for Thompson to fly to Polk County, Florida and get cocaine that was supplied by Los Chapitos, known to law enforcement as a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, and to deliver the cocaine to Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. in Lee County. Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. then distributed cocaine in the Middle District of Florida and arranged for drug proceeds to be paid back to Esequiel Maldonado.
The cases against Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. and Esequiel Maldonado are pending trial.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
North Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Eight Years for Possessing A Stolen Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Michael Lee Stover (37, North Fort Myers) to eight years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Stover to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Stover pled guilty on June 12, 2025.
According to court documents, Stover took a firearm from the hood of another man’s car at a carwash in North Fort Myers on April 3, 2025. After taking the gun, Stover fled the scene. Deputies later served a search warrant on Stover’s North Fort Myers residence and located the stolen firearm. Stover was previously convicted of five felony offenses – including escape from custody (2021); fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer (2021); burglary (2011); aggravated battery (2011); and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (2009). As a result, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).