Middle District of Florida

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed has sentenced Italo Rafael Brett Bonini (26, Orlando) to life in federal prison for enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and 30 years’ imprisonment prison for the production of child sexual abuse material. The sentences will run concurrently. The court also ordered Bonini to forfeit a desktop computer, which he used to commit the offenses. Bonini pleaded guilty on May 1, 2025. 

According to court documents, on January 12, 2025, Bonini video chatted from his residence in Orlando with two child victims in Maryland through an online communication platform. During that video chat, Bonini offered currency in an online videogame in exchange for the victims to show their genitals on screen. Both child victims pulled down their pants at Bonini’s request, and one of the child victims complied with Bonini’s request to display his genitals on screen.

Further investigation revealed that Bonini has victimized minor victims across the globe. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has found evidence of chats between Bonini and approximately 30 minor victims, many of whom have been identified. The chats revealed that Bonini engaged in sexual activity with young children online, including exposing himself on camera, requesting and receiving sexually explicit photos, urinating and defecating on camera. Bonini also tried to entice minor victims to perform sexual acts with their minor siblings and to engage in bestiality. 

Prior to his arrest, Bonini was a music teacher at a middle school in Orange County, Florida. He also taught private music lessons to children.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maryland State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Cruz.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Alexis Irnel Cintron Victoria (39, Davenport), a/k/a “Gordo,” with the possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a cocaine. If convicted, Cintron Victoria faces a minimum penalty of five years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Cintron Victoria that the United States intends to forfeit any assets used in the commission of the offense.

According to court records, on November 6, 2025, officers from the Lakeland Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle Cintron Victoria was driving. During the stop, a K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle. A wrapped brick-like object was found under a false bottom within the center console.  It tested positive for the presence of cocaine. 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Sarasota Police Department and the Lakeland Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.

Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced William Isaak Sparks (24, Kalamazoo, Michigan) to 16 years and 9 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempting to entice a child to engage in sexual activity via the internet. After being released from prison, Sparks will be required to register as a sex offender. The court also ordered Sparks to forfeit a cellphone that was used in the offense. Sparks pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025.

On two separate occasions in May 2024, Sparks encountered an online undercover FBI agent posing as the father of an 11-year-old daughter who was available for sex. Sparks described his desire to have sex with the purported child and asked the agent to purchase a bus ticket so that Sparks could travel from Michigan to Jacksonville to have sex with the purported child. Before Sparks could make the trip to Jacksonville, he was arrested trying to meet a different fictitious 11-year-old for sex in Michigan. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Township of Kalamazoo (Michigan) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.

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

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Heidi Richards (52, Brandon) guilty of conspiring to traffic in illicit Microsoft certificate of authenticity (COA) labels. Richards faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 26, 2026.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Richards, doing business as Trinity Software Distribution, paid co-conspirators millions of dollars for thousands of genuine, standalone Microsoft COA labels at prices significantly lower than the retail price of the associated software. Richards and her employees harvested product key codes from the labels and then sold them in bulk to her customers. Federal law prohibits the trafficking of standalone COA labels separate from the software programs they were intended to accompany.

COA labels authenticate Microsoft software, assist customers in identifying genuine software, and bear security features intended to dissuade counterfeit duplication. There is an illicit, secondary market for COA labels because they bear product key codes used to activate Microsoft software. COA labels are not to be sold separately from the license and hardware that they are intended to accompany, and they hold no independent commercial value.

The Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Risha Asokan of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jared Hosid of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) prosecuted the case.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. 

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Evin Scott Young (39, Texas) to 35 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Young pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025.

According to court documents, Young pursued four children solely for sex. Using various social media applications, he drew each of the victims – ranging from 15 to 17 years old – out of their homes after their parents went to sleep, instructed them to meet him at the front of their neighborhoods, and brought each back to his apartment. Young recorded himself having sex with two of the victims and invited another man to have sex with one victim. Over a 10-month period, Young continued his sexual abuse of another victim, sent him CSAM he made of the victim, and told the victim never to get caught with it. Over six months, Young repeatedly groomed and courted the final victim for sex. Law enforcement caught Young after following the thread of a CyberTip identifying explicit communications between him and one of the victims. From there, further investigation revealed evidence of his crimes.

“Protecting our nation's children from predators who exploit and abuse children is among the most critical responsibilities we hold as a society,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Cochran. “This sentence reflects HSI’s unwavering commitment, alongside our state, local and federal partners, to ensuring justice is served and safeguarding the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Milliron.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Charles William Maitski (60, St. Cloud) to life in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and enticing children to engage in sexual activity. Maitski pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025.

According to court documents, after following up on a tip in June 2024, law enforcement discovered that Maitski had been sexually exploiting children using the internet since at least 2012. Through a series of search warrants and victim interviews, law enforcement learned that Maitski hid behind an online persona of a 14-year-old boy named “Chuck.” He met his young victims online and then groomed them using the social media platforms Instagram and Discord.

To build trust with his victims, Maitski sent his victims hundreds of messages a day, including explicit images and videos of the young teenaged boy he had adopted as his persona. In return, Maitski demanded that his victims perform for him on video calls and record and send him increasingly graphic and degrading CSAM. Maitski also attempted to convince a victim to molest children she was babysitting. Between 2023 and 2024, Maitski exchanged more than 50,000 messages with his victims, contacted nearly 300 minors and suspected minors on Instagram and Discord, and sent, received, or directed the production of hundreds of images and videos of CSAM.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Cloud Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

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.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Adam Santiago Lugo (41, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to a federal indictment charging him with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft. Santiago Lugo faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, on the night of August 2, 2025, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopter (“Air 1”) was in flight over Ocala working a burglary investigation when it was repeatedly struck with a green laser coming from Santiago-Lugo’s residence. The laser strikes interfered with the two-man flight crew’s ability to operate the helicopter and placed it in danger. The crew was forced to fly the helicopter primarily by instrumentation, shielding their eyes with their hands from the laser strikes.  

Using the helicopter’s cameras, the crew located Santiago Lugo in his front yard. He was wearing binoculars and holding a laser pointer in his right hand.

Santiago Lugo in his driveway with the laser pointer and binoculars

(as seen from “Air 1’s” cameras).

Santiago Lugo pointing the laser at “Air-1.”

A deputy was quickly dispatched to the residence and arrested Santiago Lugo. He was still wearing the binoculars around his neck and had the green laser pointer in his hand. After waiving his constitutional rights, Santiago Lugo admitted that he was “just being silly” when he repeatedly struck the helicopter with the green laser. He said he knew the aircraft was a sheriff’s office helicopter because it “flies over his house all the time.”     

This case was investigated by the Federal Air Marshals, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales (55, Jacksonville) with making false statements in an application for a U.S. passport, falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen to obtain a Florida driver license (3 counts), falsely claiming that a Social Security number had been assigned to him (4 counts), falsely claiming to be a U.S citizen to vote in an election, voting by an alien in a federal election, and aggravated identity theft (9 counts). If convicted, Grajales faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the passport fraud count, 5 years for each false claim of U.S. citizenship count and each fraudulent use of a Social Security number count, 1 year imprisonment for the voting by an alien count, and a mandatory 2 years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence.

According to the indictment, Grajales is a Colombian citizen who used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for a passport. He used those same identifiers and claimed to be a U.S. citizen to obtain a Florida driver license on three occasions and to vote in the November 2020 general election.

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, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek has sentenced Derick Desir (28, Cape Coral) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for his role in a firearm trafficking conspiracy. Desir pleaded guilty on July 23, 2025, to conspiring to make a false statement to a firearms dealer and making false statements to a firearms dealer.

According to court records, in May 2022 Desir joined a conspiracy to “straw purchase” handguns on behalf of others. In June 2022, in coordination with another conspirator, Desir purchased approximately twelve Glock handguns across seven transactions from six different federally licensed firearms dealers in Lee County.  While making these firearms purchases, Desir falsely represented to each firearm dealer that he was the “actual buyer or transferee” of the firearms, when he knew that the firearms he was purchasing would be trafficked to Canada by others. At least five of the twelve handguns purchased by Desir during the conspiracy have since been recovered in Canada during various Canadian law enforcement investigations.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.

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).

Tampa, FL – VRA Enterprises, LLC dba Precision Rx (VRA), a pharmacy located in Tampa, Florida, has agreed to pay the United States $17,069,371 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims to Medicare for Over-The-Counter (OTC) Covid-19 tests that were not provided to beneficiaries, or that were sent to beneficiaries months after VRA had billed them to Medicare.

Between April 2022 and May 2023, VRA distributed OTC Covid-19 tests in connection with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) OTC Covid-19 Test Demonstration Project (Demonstration Project). During the Demonstration Project, Medicare Part B beneficiaries could request OTC Covid-19 tests from participating providers, such as VRA, and CMS would reimburse those providers for up to eight OTC Covid-19 tests per beneficiary per month, at a fixed rate of $12 per test.

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that VRA knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medicare for OTC Covid-19 tests in connection with the Demonstration Project. The United States contends that, between August 2022 and May 2023, VRA submitted claims to Medicare for OTC COVID-19 tests that it did not provide to beneficiaries. The United States also contends that, in January 2023, VRA submitted approximately 136,491 claims to Medicare for OTC COVID-19 test it did not ship to beneficiaries until April 2023.  VRA received thousands of complaints from beneficiaries during the Demonstration Project about missing OTC COVID-19 tests. VRA also repeatedly acknowledged internally that it had “billed Medicare” for tests it “failed to ship” and should “issue a refund” to Medicare “immediately” for such tests, but did not do so. As a result of this conduct, the United States contends that VRA knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to the Medicare Program in violation of the False Claims Act.

“The Department of Justice has been vocal in prioritizing the pursuit of civil fraud cases against providers that raided federal health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “This settlement is an excellent example of our district’s commitment to meeting this important challenge.”

“When providers bill for services that were never delivered for matters such as COVID-19, they not only squander taxpayer dollars, but they also drain critical resources in our public health response,” said Christian J. Schrank, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stamp out deceptive schemes that violate the False Claims Act and undermine the integrity of our nation’s federal health care programs.”

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, and HHS-OIG.  This matter was handled by Civil Division Fraud Section Trial Attorney Lindsay DeFrancesco and by AUSA Carolyn Tapie.

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Yitzchak Reuven Baum (37, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempted transfer of obscene material, receipt and access with intent to view child sex abuse material (CSAM). Baum pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.

According to court documents, between August and October 2023, Baum attempted to coerce or entice an individual, whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, to engage in sexual activity. Baum also sent obscene material to the purported minor during the conversations. In March 2024, following the execution of a search warrant, law enforcement located numerous conversations on social media sites in which Baum had requested and received CSAM.

This case was investigated by the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations. 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.

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.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Denzel Ingram (28, Tampa) to six years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Ingram to forfeit the firearms used in the commission of the offense. Ingram pleaded guilty on August 6, 2025.

According to court records, an officer with the Tampa Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle Ingram was driving for a traffic violation. Ingram parked the vehicle in front of a nearby residence and went inside, refusing the officer’s commands to stop. Ingram ultimately fled from the residence and was arrested at a later date. Two loaded handguns were recovered from the driver’s side floorboard where Ingram had been seated. Prior to the offense, Ingram had been convicted of multiple felonies including a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2013. As a convicted felon, Ingram is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Ah’Jhzae Diamondric Artag Berry (30, St. Petersburg) to five years and five months in federal prison for bank fraud and theft of mail. Berry pleaded guilty on June 4, 2025.

According to court documents, on many occasions, usually at night, between January and June 2024, Berry, aided and abetted by others, broke into U.S. Postal Service receptacles using a stolen Postal Service key. Berry stole the mail and opened it to remove contents of value, including debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, and checks. On at least one occasion, Berry stole election ballots. Berry and his accomplices then altered the payee on the stolen checks and fraudulently deposited them at federally insured banks. In total, they victimized hundreds of individuals with a total intended loss of over $380,000.

This case was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.

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, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jack Dymond Leach (43, St. Augustine) has pleaded guilty to attempting to use a minor child to produce and send him videos and photos depicting the child being sexually abused by a child sex trafficker in the Philippines. Leach faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. On May 29, 2025, Leach was arrested by federal agents and has been custody since that time. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 20, 2026.  

According to court documents, in March 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents were investigating child sexual exploitation activities involving a particular telecommunications application (“app”). An HSI analyst in Jacksonville discovered certain information associated with a specific app account that was communicating with two other app accounts had been used by individuals in the Philippines in 2023 to traffic children for sexual exploitation. This app account was determined to have accessed the internet in St. Augustine. Further investigation revealed that this account belonged to and was used by Leach. 

Between November 19, 2023, and March 20, 2024, Leach’s app account and the other two app accounts used by child traffickers in the Philippines exchanged 1,287 messages and 32 media files. In an app text message that Leach sent to a trafficker on November 21, 2023, Leach stated, “i like 3y, 5y, 8y.” The trafficker responded, “I c[a]n get that age.” On November 22, 2023, Leach texted, “will [the minor child] make dirty pics or vids …,” and “sure, i’ll pay for them.” On December 2, 2023, Leach sent a message offering to pay the trafficker for producing a video depicting a minor child engaging in specific sexually explicit conduct and sending it to Leach. Leach and the trafficker discussed by text message possible methods of payment. On December 5, 2023, Leach sent the trafficker about $160 using an electronic payment system to produce and send the video of the child being sexually abused. 

On May 8, 2025, federal search warrants were executed at Leach’s residence and his business. Law enforcement seized numerous electronic devices belonging to and used by Leach. A forensic examination of these devices revealed that several contained visual depictions of prepubescent children being sexually abused.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

It is another 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, rescue, and seek justice for 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.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Janye B. Evans (19, Plant City) guilty of interstate transmission of a threat. Evans faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 2026. 

According to evidence presented at trial, in June 2024, law enforcement became aware of a social media posting by a man who was pictured in front of a school, and included a caption, “Ill go back to school and kill everybody.” The man also posted a photo of himself pointing a firearm at the camera. Investigators determined that the post was made by Evans, the school was Brandon High School, and Evans was a former student who had recently withdrawn from the school. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.

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, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging two Florida men—Jean Paul Lacruz Romero (30, St. Cloud) and Jordan David Coursey (38, Haverhill)—with one count of wire fraud. If convicted, Romero and Coursey each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit money that is alleged to be traceable as proceeds of the offense—$305,231.34, from Coursey and $479,818.66 from Romero. 

According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, between October 10, 2021, and July 27, 2023, Romero and Coursey knowingly devised a scheme to defraud their employer, Constellation Productions, Inc. Constellation is an aviation and production company in Marion County, Florida. It was part of their scheme that the two pilots personally paid the costs to fuel Constellation aircraft. They then created false invoices with material misrepresentations that overstated the fueling costs and electronically submitted them by email to Constellation for reimbursement. Romero and Coursey fraudulently obtained a total of $785,050 from this overbilling scheme. 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. 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. 

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Jason Peterson (29, Parrish) to 11 years and 5 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Peterson to forfeit the firearms possessed in connection with the offense. Peterson pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025.

According to court records, on November 16, 2024, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from a residence in Parrish. The caller stated that Peterson had previously battered her and was in possession of a firearm. Deputies arrested Peterson and recovered a Smith & Wesson handgun and a Bauer handgun from the residence.

ATF agents interviewed Peterson after his arrest. Peterson admitted to possessing the Smith & Wesson handgun and knowing that he could not possess a firearm as a convicted felon. During the same interview, Peterson also discussed a Rossi shotgun that his wife had purchased for him at a gun store in Sarasota, which he subsequently sold to another felon. ATF agents subsequently recovered surveillance video showing Peterson in possession of the shotgun in October 2024.

Prior to possessing the firearms, Peterson knew he had been convicted of multiple felonies, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and delivery of a controlled substance. As a convicted felon, Peterson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

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. 

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Clarence Gardener (50, Odessa) with one count of wire fraud. If convicted, Gardener faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Gardener that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $261,253.00, which represents the alleged proceeds traceable to the offense.

According to the indictment, between April 2020 and October 2020, Gardener devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting a false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application. The PPP was one source of economic relief provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help small business during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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 Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.

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, FL – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Johnisaac Felix (23, Ocala) to 10 years in federal prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Felix to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offenses. Felix pleaded guilty on February 25, 2025.

According to court documents, at approximately 12:10 p.m. on July 16, 2024, Felix robbed a convenience store on East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala. During the robbery, Felix pointed a loaded firearm at the store’s clerk and demanded money. The clerk gave Felix access to the cash register and handed him a stack of trackable bait bills. Officers with the Ocala Police Department soon located Felix, who attempted to run. After apprehending Felix, the officers discovered more than $700 in cash, the bait bills, and the loaded firearm in his possession.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos.

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.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jorge Mazariegos-De Leon (39, Mexico) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Mazariegos-De Leon faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, at some time between May 2014 and April 2024, Mazariegos-De Leon voluntarily entered the United States, with knowledge that he had previously been removed and that he was not legally permitted to reenter. On April 1, 2024, officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations found Mazariegos-De Leon in Manatee County. Mazariegos-De Leon is a native and citizen of Mexico and was previously removed from the United States on two different occasions in 2014.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.

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.

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. 

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Juan Jaramillo Vazquez, a/k/a Juan Vazquiz (49, Bradenton), with one count of illegal reentry by a deported alien, two counts of Social Security fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Vazquez faces a minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment for each count of Social Security fraud, and up to two years in prison for illegal reentry. 

According to the indictment, Vazquez was found to be voluntarily present in the United States after having been previously removed from the United States three times in 2012. Vazquez had not received the consent of the Attorney General or Security of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Vazquez is a citizen of Mexico. Vazquez also fraudulently used the Social Security number related to Victim 1 to gain employment and tax benefits, fraudulently representing himself to an employer and the Social Security Administration.

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.

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. 

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. 

Alexander Villatoro Moreno, also known as “Quichi,” 53, made his first appearance in federal court today after the Mexican government recently apprehended and extradited him to the United States. Villatoro Moreno faces four charges, including conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, conspiracy to commit forced labor, conspiracy to obstruct proceedings before agencies, and one count of forced labor for conduct alleged to have occurred between September 2015 and December 2017.   

According to the indictment, Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants fraudulently recruited Mexican nationals to lawfully enter the United States to perform seasonal agricultural work, often lying to the victims about how much they would be paid, the hours they would work, the working conditions, and the reimbursement they would receive for paying recruitment fees and other expenses. Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants then misled the United States to secure valid H-2A visas for the victims.

Once in the United States, Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants compelled the labor and services of the victims by, among other actions, having the victims engage in long hours of physically demanding agricultural work while paying them far less money for their work than they were entitled to under the law. Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants also took the victims’ passports to prevent them from leaving, warned the victims that family members back in Mexico could get harmed if they did not comply with their demands, and threatened them with arrest and deportation.

When officials began investigating, Villatoro Moreno distributed fake reimbursement receipts to the victims to make it appear that Los Villatoros Harvesting (LVH), the Farm Labor Contractor that Moreno helped manage, was reimbursing the workers for their travel-related expenses.

Villatoro Moreno’s four co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the scheme. Bladimir Moreno, Alexander Moreno’s brother, owned LVH and pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Efrain Cabrera Rodas and Christina Gamez, LVH supervisors, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act while Guadalupe Mendes Mendoza, another LVH supervisor, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct a federal investigation. In 2022, Bladimir Moreno was sentenced to 118 months in prison and ordered to pay over $175,000 in restitution to the victims while Rodas and Gamez were sentenced to 41 months and 37 months in prison, respectively. Mendoza was also sentenced in 2022 to serve eight months of home detention and a $5,500 fine to be paid over 24 months of supervised release.

If convicted, Villatoro Moreno faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Task Force received assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Colorado Legal Services Migrant Farm Worker Division, Legal Aid Services of Oregon Farmworker Program and Indiana Legal Services Worker Rights and Protection Project.

The Government of Mexico, including the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), provided significant assistance in the extradition of Villatoro Moreno to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Villatoro Moreno.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa Spergel for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and Villatoro Moreno is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Lester John Parker, Jr. (55, Lehigh Acres) to ten years and one month in federal prison for his role in a multi-million-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme. Parker pleaded guilty on July 9, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

According to court records, between 2020 and 2021, Parker orchestrated and carried out a scheme to defraud the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) and various SBA-approved lenders by submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of himself and numerous other individuals and businesses. Forgivable PPP loans—which were 100% guaranteed by the federal government—were one of the sources of economic relief provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The fraudulent applications submitted by Parker included false documents such as forged bank statements and bogus IRS records, as well as fraudulent representations regarding the PPP applicant’s average monthly payroll, in an effort to deceive the SBA and various SBA-approved lending institutions into approving large PPP loans for applicants who did not qualify for such loans. Altogether, more than 100 fraudulent PPP applications were linked to Parker’s conspiracy, which resulted in over $3 million in fraudulent loan proceeds being disbursed. 

Aside from filing fraudulent PPP applications, Parker’s conspiracy also included an intricate scheme to launder fraud proceeds to bogus employees of sham businesses controlled by Parker. In some instances, stolen identities were used by conspirators in furtherance of the fraud.

This case was investigated by the United State Secret Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by contacting the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle has sentenced Jorge Hernan Gonzalez-Ortiz (49, Colombia) to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Gonzalez-Ortiz pleaded guilty on January 14, 2025.

According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from 2016 until 2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz established and led a drug trafficking organization in Colombia responsible for transporting cocaine via commercial airplanes and maritime vessels. Conspirators loaded commercial aircraft with cocaine disguised in boxes of fruit at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali, Colombia and intended for Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport in San Andrés Island, Colombia. With the assistance of no less than 20 corrupt Colombian police officers, the conspirators exported the cocaine out of the San Andrés Island airport and then smuggled the narcotics by boat to either Nicaragua or Honduras, then to Mexico and the United States via land routes.

From 2016-2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz’s organization smuggled cocaine onto at least 27 commercial flights in Cali, totaling at least 43,000 kilograms, and worth approximately $1.3 billion (USD). 

In addition to corrupt police officers, Gonzalez-Ortiz’s drug trafficking network included a security supervisor at the Cali airport who was responsible for diverting security cameras away from the airport’s external gates where the cocaine was imported. Other conspirators in the drug trafficking network included airport personnel who altered the cargo manifests, as well as luggage cart drivers and warehouse personnel at both airports who loaded and unloaded the cocaine onto and from the commercial aircraft. On July 29, 2023, one of the organization’s cocaine shipment (1,310 kilograms) was interdicted by the Colombian National Police after it was offloaded from a commercial aircraft in San Andrés Island.

(July 29, 2023, drug interdiction seizure)

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations, and the prosecution was led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.

Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Colombian National Police’s Dirreccion de Antinarcotics (DIRAN), and the Colombian Equipo de Trabajo Investigativo Control Aeronaves (ETICA). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.

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, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Matthew Reid Davisson (36, Jacksonville) to four years and five months in federal prison for possessing destructive devices which were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Davisson pleaded guilty on February 18, 2025.

According to court documents, Davisson was arrested on unrelated state charges on October 26, 2023. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives subsequently received information that Davisson had large amounts of chemicals and possible grenades at his residence in Jacksonville. After obtaining a search warrant for the home, law enforcement recovered two improvised explosive bombs, one improvised explosive grenade, items constituting combinations of parts from which three improvised explosive grenades could be readily assembled, quantities of homemade high explosives and detonators, large volumes of explosive precursor chemicals, and homemade explosive manufacturing equipment. None of the destructive devices were registered to Davisson in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.

One of Davisson’s family members also surrendered to law enforcement one of Davisson’s firearms, which was later determined to be an unregistered machinegun with an unregistered homemade silencer attached to the barrel.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Rachel Lasry.

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, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Eugene Campbell IV (35, Jacksonville) with two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted, Campbell faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each robbery offense, and a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, for each firearms offense.   

According to the indictment, on August 4, 2025, Campbell robbed a pizza shop in Jacksonville while discharging a firearm. The next day, Campbell robbed another pizza shop in Jacksonville while discharging his firearm again.

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, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.

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.

Ocala, FL – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced John Hill (41, Homosassa) to seven years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving young children. The court also ordered Hill to forfeit the cellphone used in the offense. Hill pleaded guilty on April 10, 2025.

According to court documents, in February 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received multiple cyber tips from a cloud-based storage provider reporting that hundreds of files containing CSAM had been uploaded from Hill’s cellphone. Search warrants executed on the storage provider revealed that Hill had uploaded at least 300 images of CSAM, including an image of a young child. In September 2024, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Hill’s residence and seized his cellphone. When interviewed, Hill did not deny that he had CSAM on his phone but claimed that he had been “hacked.”

A subsequent forensic examination of Hill’s cellphone revealed multiple CSAM images involving young children. The images were found within a folder saved to the camera roll, as well as on the phone’s “Clipboard,” which stores screenshots or information that has been otherwise copied by the user. The phone’s browser history revealed hundreds of visits to websites related to CSAM, and the browser’s cache contained images of minors as young as 3 years old. Investigators found no evidence that the phone had been hacked.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos.

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

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.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Southside Communities Fire Protection, Inc. (Southside), a nonprofit entity providing emergency services to Chatham County, Georgia, has agreed to pay a settlement of $3,499,619 to resolve allegations that Southside violated the False Claims Act by improperly obtaining a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized these businesses to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan funds on eligible expenses. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications.  The PPP was administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Under the PPP rules and regulations, nonprofit entities organized under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code were not eligible for PPP loans.

GNGH2, Inc. (GNGH2) filed a qui tam complaint in the Middle District of Florida alleging that Southside improperly obtained a $3.1 million PPP loan.  According to the allegations in the complaint, Southside was ineligible for its PPP loan because it was a Section 501(c)(4) nonprofit entity.  The United States investigated GNGH2’s allegations with the cooperation of Southside. This settlement concludes the litigation and GNGH2 will receive $318,115 as a share in the recovery.

“This settlement is the latest demonstration of our Office’s commitment to the recovery of money from individuals and entities that improperly obtained loans under the PPP program,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida.

“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies, such as the Small Business Administration, working in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to recover the pandemic relief funds improperly procured,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell G. Davis. 

This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Emden from the Middle District of Florida and Jennifer Thompson from the Southern District of Georgia led the investigation, with assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel.

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

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. 

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Jennifer Lamanna (49, Venice) to 15 months in federal prison for embezzlement by a bank employee and for making a false statement to an agency of the United States. Lamanna pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.

According to court documents, Lamanna worked for an FDIC-insured financial institution. Over a period of months, Lamanna embezzled $280,000 from the institution by stealing funds from the bank vault. After embezzling the funds, Lamanna deposited the majority of funds into a bank account under her control. To balance out the vault and conceal her embezzlement, Lamanna made multiple large withdrawals and subsequent matching deposits out of a customer’s account. To make the sham transactions appear legitimate, Lamanna filed fictitious Currency Transaction Reports (CTR).

On June 8, 2023, Lamanna made a materially false statement to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a sub-agency of the U.S. Treasury Department, when she completed and submitted a CTR falsely stating that a bank customer deposited $160,100 in cash into his account knowing that no such deposit took place. 

This case was investigated by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

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.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Angel Jackson (45, Astatula) to one year and one day in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Jackson pleaded guilty on February 10, 2025.

According to court documents, Jackson and others conspired to create and execute a mortgage fraud scheme targeting financial institutions. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers obtained mortgage loans from financial institutions, Jackson created fictitious and fraudulent paystubs that falsely indicated that the borrowers worked at particular companies for certain periods of time and earned income that they did not. Further, Jackson altered legitimate Social Security benefit letters to reflect exaggerated monthly disability income. She also altered bank statements to show falsely inflated account balances.

This case was investigated by Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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, 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. 

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.

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. 

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, 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, 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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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.