Middle District of Florida

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Darrell Maxwell (26, Satsuma) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing Molly, a Schedule I controlled substance, with the intent to distribute it and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.  He pleaded guilty on December 14, 2015.

According to court documents, on June 10, 2015, Maxwell arrived at a gas station in Palatka where he had planned to sell Molly.  Members of the Tri-County Drug Task Force were aware that Maxwell was in possession of the Molly and subsequently arrested him.  During a search, a loaded .40 caliber pistol was recovered from Maxwell’s pants. 

This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.

This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy.  United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, are coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline Strategy on reducing violent crime in communities.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the filing of a criminal complaint and arrests of Yanique Chantel Coach (25, Orlando) and Dwayne Breary (31, Ft. Lauderdale) for conspiracy to commit mail fraud.  If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. 

According to the complaint, in October and November 2014, an 89-year-old woman in Virginia received phone calls from two individuals who claimed that she had won $3.5 million from the Mega Millions Sweepstakes.  One of the callers said he was associated with the Mega Millions Sweepstakes and the other purported to be an attorney.  The callers told the victim that her name had been entered into the lottery through a magazine subscription, but that she needed to pay fees and taxes before she could receive her winnings.  From October 31, 2014, through November 25, 2014, the victim complied with the directions from the Mega Millions Sweepstakes callers and mailed $282,600 in cash to various locations in Florida and Georgia. She concealed the money in magazines and cereal boxes.

After the learning about the large withdrawals of money, the victim’s family contacted the FBI.  On March 6, 2015, the victim was instructed by the callers to send $150,000 to an apartment in Orlando.  On March 19, 2015, FBI agents conducted a controlled delivery of a UPS package, appearing to be from the victim, to the apartment.  Agents had determined the apartment belonged to Coach. During surveillance, Breary signed for the package, using an alias, and accepted it.  Agents then executed a search warrant and recovered the package from Coach’s bedroom.           

Further investigation revealed that Coach and Breary had accepted the previously sent packages by signing a fake name.  An individual from Jamaica then travelled to Florida to retrieve the cash. Coach and Breary were paid for their part in the scheme by that individual, who then returned to Jamaica with the victim’s money.  

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.                  

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James D. Mandolfo.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Syteria Hephzibah (62, Jacksonville) guilty of making a false statement on a passport application. She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 15, 2016. Hephzibah was indicted on February 18, 2015.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Hephzibah submitted a passport application at a Putnam County Clerk’s Office using the name “Highly Favored Shekinah El.” To establish her identity in that name, she submitted a document that appeared to be a “Diplomat – Nationality Identification Card” and a name change document that appeared to have been issued by a court or other governmental body. Although Hephzibah was not a diplomat and the name change document had not been issued by any government agency, she signed the passport application under a declaration that she had not made false statements or submitted false documents in support of the application.

This case was investigated by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Rose Ann Labarbera (61, Cape Coral) has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds involving the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV). She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. 

According to the plea agreement, from at least January 1997 through November 2012, Labarbera posed as her husband’s (Ronald Raiola) landlord in order for Raiola to receive HUD HCV housing assistance subsidies to which they were not entitled. Labarbera took steps to conceal Raiola's true identity in order to continue receiving HUD funds. She also submitted, and caused to be submitted to HUD, documents containing material misrepresentations and false statements. 

Labarbera and Raiola concealed their marital relationship, income, assets, and ownership interests in residential properties in New York and Florida from HUD so that Raiola could continue to receive HCV Program housing assistance subsidiaries.

Raiola is scheduled for trial in June 2016.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development - Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Lee County Sherriff’s Office’s Economic Crimes and Special Operations Units, the City of Fort Myers Housing Authority, the New York City Housing Authority, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.

Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich sentenced Saul Muro (32, formerly of Los Angeles, CA) today to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess and to distribute methamphetamine. Muro was found guilty in September 2015 following a bench trial.

According to court documents, in February 2013, Muro arrived in Tampa with a female co-defendant to collect the payment for ten pounds of methamphetamine that had previously been delivered, on consignment, by co-defendant Gabriel Lujan-Gaziola to undercover law enforcement officers.  Muro and the female co-defendant took receipt of a sealed metal box that ostensibly contained the $103,000 to pay for the consigned methamphetamine. 

On February 14, 2014, Lujan-Gaxiola was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in this case.

This case was investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced two Orlando men for carjacking and using a firearm while committing that offense. Gregory McDonald (18) was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and Dante Askins (18) was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. Both men pleaded guilty in February 2016.

According to court documents, on August 12, 2015, McDonald and Askins  committed an armed carjacking of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at a hotel in Orlando.  The victim, who was on vacation with his family, had gone down to his SUV in the hotel parking lot to preload his GPS for a trip to Destin the next morning. Askins approached the victim and stuck a long-barreled .22 caliber revolver in his face.  He, along with McDonald and two minors, then forced the victim into the backseat of his vehicle at gunpoint. McDonald pistol whipped the victim three times in the back of the head.  The carjackers held the victim for approximately two hours. When OnStar location services contacted the vehicle, the carjackers fled and the victim escaped.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany L. Cummins.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced William Roland Baker (65, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.  Baker was also sentenced to a term of 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to two victims of his offenses. A federal jury found Baker guilty in November 2015.  Baker is a registered child sex offender who was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child on November 22, 1995.

According to evidence presented during trial, in early 2013, an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was able to download several images and a video of child pornography over the Internet from a computer using an Internet Protocol address that was traced back to Baker’s Jacksonville residence.  On May 29, 2013, a federal search warrant was executed at this residence, and law enforcement seized two laptop computers from Baker’s bedroom.  A forensic examiner was able to recover images of child pornography from Baker’s computers, even though Baker had used an eraser program on the evening before the search.  During an interview, Baker claimed that he did not download child pornography.  However, a forensic analysis of his laptop computer showed that he had used particular terms to search for child pornography in a file sharing program. Baker’s computers contained at least 338 images depicting the sexual abuse of young children.       

This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Wei Zhang, a/k/a David Liteng (36, Tianjin, China) to 50 months in federal prison for conspiracy to import controlled substance analogues (synthetic cannabinoids) knowing they were intended for human consumption, and aiding and abetting the importation of controlled substances and cathinones, also known as “bath salts.”  He also forfeited $1.5 million that had been seized from a Swiss bank account.

According to court documents, in late 2010, an individual met with Dan and Kevin Louie, the owners and operators of Source1Herbs, in Toronto, Canada.  Source1Herbs was a large wholesale business that sold synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones. This individual met with the owners and learned that their Chinese-based supplier was Wei Zhang, a/k/a “David Liteng.” In October 2010, the individual made contact with Zhang and discussed ordering chemicals from him directly. In late February 2011, the individual and his business partner traveled to China and met with the suppliers, including Zhang.  During these meetings, the individual and Zhang discussed finding a replacement chemical for 1-pentyl-3-(1-napthoyl)indole JWH-018, which was set to be temporarily listed as a Schedule I controlled substance by DEA on March 1, 2011.  As a result of the meeting, the individual obtained a more favorable pricing from Zhang for synthetic chemicals.  Zhang, a chemical engineer, explained the best chemical alternatives for JWH-018 that would give the end user a similar high, including stimulant and hallucinogenic effects.

On March 1, 2011, Zhang and others exchanged e-mail communications (including news articles) for specific chemicals banned that day, which included JWH-018. One such e-mail from Zhang states, “Hi we know there will be ban jwh and similar product on 1th (sic) march. Pls let me know what happen tomorrow.” When JWH-018 was placed on the DEA’s banned list, Zhang and others began selling other chemicals, including AM-2201, JWH-081, JWH-122, JWH-203, JWH-210, and JWH-250. Zhang routinely shipped large quantities of those chemicals to customers in the United States, Russia, and Europe, distributing a portion of the synthetic cannabinoids through mailing facilities in the Middle District of Florida. From March 2011 through February 2012, Zhang shipped approximately 798 kilograms of these chemicals to the individual. In addition, he supplied Source1Herbs with large quantities of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones.

In July 2013, Zhang and the individual had several discussions about synthetic cannabinoids, the latest trends in the worldwide industry, and the controlled status of certain chemicals, including UR-144, 5F-UR-144, and RCS-4. Zhang sent the individual various samples of synthetic chemicals known as 5 Meo Dalt (a synthetic cathinone), A834, 5F-UR-144, JWH-308, and WIN48098. Zhang also discussed emerging synthetic cannabinoids PB-22 and 5F-PB-22, both of which were controlled substance analogues of JWH-018 at the time, and then later designated as Schedule I controlled substances. After receiving a spreadsheet of Zhang’s inventory, the individual negotiated a purchase deal with Zhang for large quantities of UR-144, 5F-UR-144, and RCS-4. The negotiated price for approximately 773 kilograms of chemicals was $265,000, and Zhang agreed to provide the chemicals on consignment. Zhang agreed to ship mislabeled parcels containing 2 or 3 kilograms of those substances per parcel to various mailing facilities within the Middle District of Florida.

From February 3, 2014, through May 16, 2014, Homeland Security Investigations received 48 packages containing 144 kilograms of UR-144, 47 packages containing 106 kilograms of 5F-UR-144 (XLR-11), and 8 packages containing 16 kilograms of RCS-4.  During the receipt of those packages, the individual further negotiated to pay Zhang $150,000 for the 266 kilograms of Schedule I controlled substances. In April 2014, Zhang traveled to the United States to retrieve $150,000 in cash for the substances, where he was ultimately arrested.

On May 7, 2014, the United States Treasury Department - Office of Foreign Asset Control used the Kingpin Act to designate Source1Herbs and Dan and Kevin Louie, both Canadian nationals, on the Specially Designated National List. The Kingpin Act permits the imposition of economic sanctions to preclude a variety of worldwide economic transactions.

Zhang’s conviction marks the third Chinese national convicted in the United States for importation of synthetic drugs.  Jin Liu was also prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida for conspiracy to import 100 kilograms of PB-22, a synthetic cannabinoid.

"This international investigation brings the first U.S. arrests and convictions of Chinese synthetic drug manufacturers and suppliers," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "HSI special agents, working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, have stopped these dangerous synthetic drugs from entering our communities.”

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.  The investigation was part of Special Operations Division Project Synergy.  The Special Operations Division, along with the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the Department of Justice, coordinated Project Synergy to investigate and prosecute the leaders in the synthetic drug business both domestically and internationally.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney A. Tysen Duva.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John E. Steele has sentenced George Joyner, III (36) to four years in federal prison for theft of government money and aggravated identity theft.  The Court also ordered Joyner to pay $169,456.90 in restitution to the United States Department of the Treasury.

According to court documents, on August 10, 2013, Joyner was arrested for driving with a suspended license. Prior to the car being towed from the scene, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department conducted an inventory of Joyner’s vehicle and found a laptop, various digital media storage devices, two credit card readers, a credit card encoder, credit card blanks, and several pieces of paper containing the personally identifiable information (PII) of others. The officers obtained a search warrant for Joyner’s electronic media. Subsequent forensic analyses of the media revealed a spreadsheet containing the PII of 163 individuals. 

In December 2011, Joyner had opened an account at Regions Bank with a $100 deposit.  Five U.S. Treasury tax refund checks, totaling $41,184.31, were deposited into the account later that month.  Joyner also had an account at Wells Fargo bank.  Between October and November 2011, he deposited 17 tax refund checks, totaling $128,272.59, into that account.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fort Myers Police Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

Tampa, FL – As part of the Department of Justice’s commitment to strengthening the criminal justice system, the week of April 24-30, 2016, has been designated as National Reentry Week.  Today, U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces his office’s participation in several initiatives that strive to help those who have paid their debt to society prepare for substantive opportunities beyond the prison gates, promote family unity, contribute to the health of our economy, advance public safety, and sustain the strength of our communities. For information on specific events taking place in the District throughout the week, visit the MDFL Reentry webpage.

“I am proud of the reentry work that we are doing with our partners throughout the District,” stated U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III. “Our collective efforts have resulted in positive transformations in the lives of many returning from prison, benefitting not only the ex-offenders, but also their families and our communities.  Our approach has proven to be a worthwhile investment, reducing crime and recidivism in the Middle District of Florida. We remain committed to working with our partners in this endeavor of reformation, restoration, and hope.”   

Each year, more than 600,000 citizens return to our neighborhoods after serving time in federal and state prisons. Another 11.4 million individuals cycle through local jails. And nearly one in three Americans of working age have had some sort of encounter with the criminal justice system — mostly for relatively minor, non-violent offenses, and sometimes from decades in the past.  The long-term impact of a criminal record prevents many people from obtaining employment, housing, higher education, and credit — and these barriers affect returning individuals even if they have turned their lives around and are unlikely to reoffend. 

Earlier today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch released the “Roadmap to Reentry: The Justice Department’s Vision to Reduce Recidivism through Federal Reentry Reform. The principles outlined in the document are aligned with the work of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council, which has been working since its creation five years ago to reduce recidivism and improve employment, education, housing, health, and child welfare outcomes.

National Reentry Week events are being planned in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  U.S. Attorney’s Offices alone are hosting over 200 events and BOP facilities are holding over 370 events.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Henry Alberto Fernandez Gomez (30, Cape Coral) today pleaded guilty to access device (credit card) fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the access device fraud offense and a mandatory minimum term of 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft offense, to be served consecutive to the fraud sentence. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, between December 2014 and April 2015, Fernandez Gomez used stolen and unauthorized credit card information to make 27 purchases at retail establishments throughout Florida. On one occasion, he used the stolen credit card information to buy furniture for approximately $3,500. Fernandez Gomez also used another person’s means of identification to make a purchase at a liquor store.        

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s Economic Crimes Unit, and the Cape Coral Police Department.   It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Yannier Arias guilty of 17 counts of conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and access device fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy charges and 10 years’ imprisonment on the access device fraud, followed by 2 years on the aggravated identity theft charges. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 9, 2016. Arias was indicted on August 27, 2015.

According to evidence presented at trial, Arias first conspired with another Tampa man, Dariel Sardinas Lopez, to “skim” credit card numbers from identity theft victims at various gas stations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties; produce counterfeit credit cards encoded with that stolen account information; and then use those counterfeit cards to make thousands of dollars of fraudulent purchases in Florida and Michigan. After Lopez was arrested, Arias entered a second conspiracy with Jose Ojeda Vera, another Tampa man. It again involved the use of counterfeit cards encoded with the account information of identity theft victims to make similar purchases, including at luxury retailers such as Versace, Armani, and Louis Vuitton. All of the victims still had their cards in their possession when they learned that their accounts had been unlawfully used.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service Financial Investigative Strike Team (FIST) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelley Howard-Allen and Eric K. Gerard.

Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges yesterday sentenced Robert Toole (51, Ocala) to 20 years in federal prison for the online receipt of child pornography. Toole pleaded guilty on November 6, 2015.

According to court documents, in 2014, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office investigation into online child pornography resulted in the execution of a search warrant at Toole’s house in Ocala. There, deputies discovered computer equipment that contained more than 10,000 images of child pornography, many involving prepubescent children under the age of 12. In addition, Toole had many images of child pornography that he had taken of himself violating his daughter when she was a child. In powerful testimony during the sentencing hearing, Toole’s daughter described how her father’s conduct had begun when she was as young as three years old, and continued through her teenage years.

“This prosecution lent a voice to one of the many victims of child pornography, and gave closure to a young woman who has carried these wounds for many years,” said U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III.

“This criminal has committed one of the most heinous crimes imaginable,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “Because of the hard work of our HSI special agents, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, this predator will spend the next 20 years in federal prison contemplating his crimes.”

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Irick.

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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges today sentenced Thomas Franklin Dinkins, Jr. (27, Lake Panasoffkee) to six years and nine months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was also ordered to forfeit a handgun and 31 rounds of ammunition as a part of his sentence. Dinkins pleaded guilty to the charges on February 2, 2016.

According to the plea agreement, deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office stopped Dinkins for an expired tag on December 16, 2014. When a narcotics canine subsequently alerted on Dinkins’s car, deputies searched it and found a locked, portable safe in the trunk. The key to the safe was in Dinkins’s jacket. Inside the safe, deputies found methamphetamine, two digital scales, numerous plastic baggies, and a loaded .22 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number. A nearby backpack held additional plastic bags and ammunition. A criminal history check showed Dinkins to be a multi-convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. Dinkins ultimately admitted that the firearm was “probably stolen” and that he had it to protect himself while distributing drugs.  

On March 21, 2015, a discarded cellular telephone was discovered by a citizen and turned over to authorities. Deputies examined the phone and determined that it belonged to Dinkins. An examination of the phone revealed multiple pictures and text messages linking Dinkins to the recovered handgun, another shotgun, and numerous drug sales. 

This case was investigated by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an 18-count superseding indictment charging Amin Yu (53, Orlando) with acting in the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General, conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit offenses against the United States, committing unlawful export information activities, smuggling goods from the United States, conspiring to and committing international money laundering, and making false statements to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each of the money laundering counts, 10 years’ imprisonment for acting as an illegal agent and the smuggling offenses, and 5 years in prison for the remaining charges. The indictment also notifies Yu that the United States intends to forfeit approximately $2,668,648.92, the alleged traceable proceeds of the offenses.

According to the superseding indictment, from at least 2002 until approximately February 2014, at the direction of co-conspirators working for Harbin Engineering University (HEU, a PRC-controlled entity) in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Yu obtained systems and components for marine submersible vehicles from companies in the United States. She then illegally exported those items to the PRC for use by her co-conspirators in the development of marine submersible vehicles – unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for HEU and other state-controlled entities. It is alleged that Yu illegally exported items by failing to file Electronic Export Information as required by U.S. law and by also filing false Electronic Export Information. In particular, Yu completed and caused the completion of export-related documents in which she significantly undervalued the items that she had exported and also provided false end-user information for those items.

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, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Irick, and Trial Attorneys David C. Recker and Thea D. R. Kendler of the Department of Justice, National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Jacksonville, FL - United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced former immigration officer Paul Reynolds Friel, Jr. (48, Orange Park) to six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for concealing a material fact during an interview with a government agent. In December 2011, during an interview, Friel failed to disclose the fact that he was living with Marisol Rodriguez Chavarria, a foreign national, and that he had contact with her during the preceding seven years. The interview was required as part of a background investigation for an expected job promotion within the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, where Friel was employed as an immigration officer.

According to court documents, Rodriguez entered the United States from Nicaragua on December 10, 2010, on an immigrant visa issued by the U.S. State Department. She was a citizen of Nicaragua and entered the United States as the spouse of Luis Aguilar. In or around March 2011, Rodriguez moved into an apartment with Friel and divorced Aguilar. Thereafter, Friel and Rodriguez lived together in a romantic relationship, were married in March 2012, and later had a child together. 

According to court records, Friel had known Rodriguez from previous trips to Nicaragua and paid for her airfare to fly to the United States from Nicaragua. Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty to possession of an immigrant visa issued by means of a false statement. Aguilar previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit visa fraud.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, and the Jacksonville office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale R. Campion.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew A. Rooks (59, Jacksonville) to 48 months in federal prison for his role in two separate conspiracies to commit mail and wire fraud.  The Court also entered a forfeiture judgment in the amount of $ 2,187,049.  A separate restitution hearing is scheduled for July 5, 2016.          

According to court documents, from 2001 until July 2011, Rooks worked for Sea Star Line, LLC, in its Jacksonville office.  Sea Star, now called Tote Maritime Puerto Rico, transports goods by vessel in interstate and foreign commerce and has operations at the Port of Jacksonville. Rooks last served as the assistant vice president of operations. Beginning no later than November 2005, Rooks authorized the payment of phony invoices submitted on behalf of co-conspirator Keith Beavers. The invoices were for container and equipment decals that were never provided by Sea Star. The total payments Sea Star made to Beavers exceeded $1 million. During the same time period, Rooks also carried on a second conspiracy. He authorized the payment of phony invoices to two companies controlled by co-conspirator Russell Cody. The invoices, totaling more than $1 million, were for inspection and transportation services of Sea Star’s containers and equipment. They were false because those services were never provided by Tiburon Transportation Services and Lancer Logistics, which were front companies that Cody controlled. Instead, Beavers and Cody made kickback payments to Rooks, and to a company Rooks controlled.    

After Rooks was terminated by Sea Star, he got a job with another Jacksonville company, TrailerBridge, Inc., and continued the fraud scheme. TrailerBridge paid approximately $107,000 as a result of phony invoices.

Beavers and Cody previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracies.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale Campion.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Tavares E. Felton (41, Fort Myers) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for the illegal possession a firearm by a convicted felon. Felton, a three-time convicted felon, was subject to enhanced penalties under the Armed Career Criminal statute. The Court also ordered him to forfeit two firearms, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition associated with the offense, namely a Sig Sauer 5.56mm semi-automatic rifle and a Saiga AK-47 style 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle.          

According to court documents, a member of the Fort Myers Police Department was investigating a domestic incident at a residence where Felton resided. Officers obtained a search warrant in connection with the domestic incident, and later procured a second warrant. During the execution of the second warrant, police found large quantities of heroin, sealed for distribution, Alprazolam pills, a bag containing $18,000 in bundled cash, and two assault rifles in Felton’s bedroom. 

At the time of the incident, Felton had already been convicted of selling controlled substances, including heroin, on three prior occasions. Therefore, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles D. Schmitz.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces today that a federal jury has found Nicholas Jakimer (55, Port Charlotte) guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. He faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 27, 2016.

Jakimer was indicted on April 15, 2015.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Jakimer conspired with others to bring marijuana from Arizona to Southwest Florida for distribution. Jakimer funded the operation and recruited customers, who bought the marijuana on a wholesale basis.

This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert P. Barclift.

Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Gary Hughes (36, San Diego, CA) today pleaded guilty to one count of mortgage fraud conspiracy involving bank fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment.

According to the plea agreement and court proceedings, in 2005, entities controlled by co-conspirators entered into a contract to purchase The Arbors, an apartment complex in Hillsborough County, Florida. The new owners of The Arbors then engaged in a plan to convert the complex from rental to condominium units.

Hughes and his co-conspirator, Brendan Bolger, aided the developers in the sale of numerous condominium units at The Arbors through his company, Capital Management Guarantee, LLC. In order to induce buyers to purchase units, Bolger created an addendum to the purchase contract that offered buyers various incentives, such as rental supplements, money to defray maintenance costs, and a design credit to upgrade the unit’s amenities. When the buyers cancelled the design credit within 10 days of signing the addendum, Bolger paid a kickback for the amount of the design credit to the buyer from Capital Management’s bank account. In this manner, Bolger and other co-conspirators failed to disclose to buyers’ mortgage lenders material facts about the financing of the sale of The Arbors condominiums. Bolger and others referred prospective buyers to Hughes in order to obtain financing for their unit purchases.

Specifically, Hughes’s role in the conspiracy as a mortgage broker consisted of originating mortgages for units through Envision Lending and Set 2 Go Loans. The loan applications Hughes submitted contained material misrepresentations, including false occupancy and inflated borrower income and asset information. These loan applications were submitted to FDIC insured institutions and other mortgage lenders.  Additionally, through his company, HUMAR Investments, Hughes and a co-conspirator provided the borrowers cash to close loans without disclosing the payments to the lenders.

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

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Basilio Amaury Bron, Jr. (35, Fort Myers) to seven years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the handgun and ammunition that had been used in the offense.

Bron was found guilty on November 12, 2015, following a bench trial before Judge Chappell.   

According to court documents, an officer from with the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) Violent Crimes Task Force observed Bron discard litter from the passenger window of a vehicle. FMPD officers stopped the vehicle and learned that Bron had an active warrant for unpaid child support. During the course of the traffic stop, officers also discovered that Bron was carrying a .25 caliber handgun, loaded with three rounds, in his front waistband. 

At the time of the incident, Bron had four previous felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the FMPD Violent Crimes Task Force, with additional assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.

This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy.  United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Altius Willix (47, Winter Haven) has been charged in a criminal complaint with assaulting, resisting, and impeding federal law enforcement officers while using deadly and dangerous weapons.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.  Willix was arrested on April 12, 2016. The following day, he made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson and was detained.

According to the complaint, on April 12, 2016, three federal agents approached Willix during the course of a narcotics investigation.  Willix fled and ultimately collided with one of the agents.  As the agents attempted to detain him, Willix tried to remove holstered firearms from two of those federal agents.  When told to let go, Willix responded, “You’re gonna have to kill me.”  Willix was ultimately handcuffed and taken into custody.  

A criminal complaint is merely an informal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Reginald Fullwood (41, Jacksonville) with 10 counts of wire fraud and 4 counts of failure to file federal income tax returns. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud offense, and a year of imprisonment for each failure to file charge. The indictment also notifies Fullwood that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $65,445, the proceeds of the criminal conduct charged in counts one through ten.

According to the indictment, while Fullwood was seeking election to the Florida House of Representatives, as well as during re-election campaigns, he caused numerous electronic funds transfers from the “Reggie Fullwood Campaign” bank account to a bank account of an entity owned by Fullwood, Rhino Harbor, LLC. Fullwood then used those funds, approximately $65,000 in financial contributions, for personal expenditures including restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores, jewelry stores, florists, gas stations and liquor stores. The indictment also alleges that in order to conceal his fraudulent embezzlement of campaign funds, Fullwood submitted or caused to be submitted false and fraudulent campaign expenditure reports to the State of Florida, which included inflated and/or non-existent campaign expenses. 

As set forth in the indictment, in the State of Florida, a candidate or the spouse of a candidate may not use funds on deposit in a campaign account to defray normal living expenses for the candidate or the candidate’s family, other than expenses actually incurred for transportation, meals, and lodging during travel in the course of the campaign.

Fullwood is also charged with four counts of willful failure to file personal federal income tax returns for calendar years 2010 through 2013.

“Public officials, whether elected or appointed, hold positions of trust in the eyes of the public. That trust is broken when these officials commit crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Kim Lappin, IRS-Tampa Field Office. “No public official gets a free pass to ignore the tax laws, and IRS-CI works to ensure that everyone pays their fair share.” 

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 Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Devereaux.

Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James S. Moody has sentenced Gary Blankenship (45, St. Petersburg) to eight months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. He pleaded guilty on February 4, 2016.

According to his plea agreement, in 2005, entities controlled by co-conspirators entered into a contract to purchase The Arbors, an apartment complex in Hillsborough County. The new owners then engaged in a plan to convert the complex from rental apartments to condominium units.

Blankenship’s co-conspirator, Brendan Bolger, aided the developers in the sale of numerous condominium units through his company, Capital Management Guarantee, LLC. In order to induce buyers to purchase units, Bolger created an addendum to the purchase contract offering buyers various incentives, such as rental supplements, money to defray maintenance costs, and a design credit to upgrade the units’ amenities. When the buyers cancelled the design credit within 10 days of signing the addendum, Bolger paid them a kickback from his company’s bank account for the amount of the design credit. Blankenship’s role in the conspiracy as a realtor consisted of marketing The Arbors units by promising buyers undisclosed incentives. In this manner, Bolger, Blankenship and other co-conspirators failed to disclose material facts to buyers’ mortgage lenders about the financing of the condominium sales.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Donavan Antwan Daniels (36, Lakeland) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, during June and July 2015, Daniels sold crack cocaine to a law enforcement confidential source on four separate occasions. These transactions took place in Lakeland.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lakeland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Chapa-Lopez and Taylor G. Stout.         

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Brian Lee Adams (56, Jacksonville) with one count of bank fraud, one count of theft of government property, and four counts of aggravated identity theft.  If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison for the bank fraud count, up to 10 years for the theft of government property count, to be followed by two years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft counts. The indictment also notifies Adams that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $35,345.36, the proceeds from the alleged activity.

According to the indictment, Adams’s mother, whose initials are J.Y.A., died in an unknown manner at some time prior to July 4, 2014.  Adams buried her in the yard of her Green Cove Springs residence to conceal the event, cause, and circumstances of her death.  Adams then stole his deceased mother’s pension funds and Social Security benefits until June 2015, when authorities discovered what he had done with her body.

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 Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; the United States Secret Service; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener, III.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Matthew Bryan Caniff (32, Gainesville) has been arrested and charged by a federal criminal complaint with using the Internet to attempt to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.  He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison.  His detention hearing is scheduled for today at 3:00 p.m. before United States Magistrate James R. Klindt. 

According to the complaint, between March 31 and April 1, 2016, Caniff engaged in a series of online text conversations with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old child.  This "child" was actually an undercover FBI agent.  During the course of these conversations, Caniff discussed in graphic detail his desire to meet and have sex with the “child” at “her” home.  He also sent several explicit photos of himself to the “child,” and told “her” that he would bring prescription drugs with him to share with “her.”  Caniff confirmed that the “child” was alone at the residence and that “her” parent was going to be out of town for several days.  During the early morning hours on April 1, 2016, Caniff drove from Gainesville to a home in St. Johns to meet the “child” for sex. He was arrested by deputies from the St. Johns County Sheriff's, and a knife and several pills were found in his possession. 

This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the convictions of Jeffrey R. Green (51, formerly of Englewood), owner of Gulf Coast Medical Pharmacy in Ft. Myers, and Karen S. Hebble (46, formerly of Englewood), the pharmacy’s office manager, for conspiracy to unlawfully possess with intent to distribute and distribute oxycodone and alprazolam, and for money laundering. Following a January 2015 jury trial, at which the both defendants were found guilty, United States District Judge John Steele sentenced Green and Hebble to seven and five years’ imprisonment, respectively. He also ordered them to forfeit $4,918,603.36.

Green and Hebble appealed to the Eleventh Circuit. That Court has now rejected, in a published opinion, their arguments that the evidence was insufficient for the jury to find them guilty, that Hebble was too minimally involved with their business to be held accountable, and that the district court should have ordered Hebble tried first so that Green (who is now married to Hebble) could testify on her behalf.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, from 2009 through October 6, 2011, Green and Hebble, neither of whom were a licensed pharmacist, conspired with each other, and others, to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute oxycodone and alprazolam at their pharmacy. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the jury’s decision that they had agreed both to distribute controlled substances and to fill prescriptions for controlled substances that had not been issued for legitimate medical purposes.  

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, which includes the Naples Police Department, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, and other local law enforcement agencies. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Yolande G. Viacava and Robert P. Barclift. The appeal was handled by Senior Litigation Counsel Karin B. Hoppmann and Assistant United States Attorney Cherie Krigsman.

Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Robert Lohr (72, Bradenton) to 21 months in federal prison for conspiracy to smuggle misbranded and counterfeit drugs into the United States. The Court also entered an order forfeiting Lohr’s interest in approximately $926,466, the proceeds of the conspiracy.

According to court documents, from July 2009 through September 25, 2015, Lohr operated a business in Bradenton known as “Canadian American Drug Club” or “American Drug Club of Bradenton.” The business sold and distributed illegally smuggled prescription drugs, including Viagra, Cialis, Achiphex, and Lipitor, as well as other drug products that were falsely represented as “herbal,” but that contained active prescription ingredients.         Lohr generated more than $1 million in sales of these misbranded and counterfeit drugs. At no time was Lohr ever licensed as a pharmacist, a drug importer, or a drug wholesaler. Neither was American Drug Club a licensed pharmacy, drug importer, or wholesaler. 

Between March 21, 2014, and September 15, 2015, several undercover purchases of misbranded, unapproved, and counterfeit prescription drugs were made from Lohr’s business. Prescriptions for Viagra and Cialis were filled and mailed from the business, along with counterfeit drugs made in China. Other prescription drugs, such as Achiphex and Lipitor, were filled by foreign pharmacies with foreign drugs, which had been approved for the U.S. market. Lohr also sold several herbal Viagra products, without prescriptions, that had been illegally smuggled from China. These products, with names such as “Maxmen,” “Superhard,” or “Vigour,” contained sildenafil citrate, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Viagra. Several of the packages addressed to Lohr’s business, containing the counterfeit drugs, were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.   

“Counterfeit pharmaceuticals can and have led to serious injuries and death,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “HSI takes cases like this very seriously and work tirelessly with our partners, like the FDA, to investigate these crimes and bring to justice those who commit them.”

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for protecting the health and safety of the American public, and ensuring that drugs intended for human use bear true and accurate information and are safe and effective for their intended uses.    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelley Howard-Allen and Holly Gershow.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Raheem Lavontae Bryant (23, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to five counts of distributing crack cocaine and powder cocaine.  He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, between December 2015 and January 2016, Bryant sold crack and powder cocaine, on five separate occasions, to undercover detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.  The transactions took place in the parking lots of various businesses in Tampa and Thonotosassa.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout.

This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI).  The program’s objective is to reduce criminal gangs, violent crime, illegal drugs, and guns through combined enforcement, prosecution, prevention, and re-entry efforts.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Joseph Pasquale (39, Worcester, MA) to four years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud. A federal jury found him guilty in January 2016.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Pasquale worked as a real estate sales associate for a brokerage based in Cape Coral. Between October 2007 and March 2008, he was involved in the negotiation and sale of four condominium units at the Arbors of Carrollwood, to clients in California and Massachusetts. Pasquale engaged in a conspiracy to conceal sales incentives from mortgage lenders, which these clients received from the seller, along with private loans that Pasquale made to the buyer-clients enabling them to bring cash to their respective real estate closings. As a consequence of his actions, Pasquale helped to cause a loss of approximately $937,000 to Wells Fargo Bank when the mortgages involved in the case went into foreclosure.

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

Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Norris Williams (45, Fort Myers) guilty of three counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of attempting to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.  He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.  The sentencing is scheduled for July 5, 2016.

According to evidence presented at trial, Williams, a nine-time convicted felon, sold heroin to an undercover officer on three occasions between November 2014 and February 2015.  Williams had also attempted to purchase a one kilogram brick of heroin from an undercover officer in October 2015.  He had negotiated a price of $75,000 for that kilogram brick; $50,000 cash up front and a promise to pay the balance at a later date.  When he met the undercover officer in a parking lot to complete that transaction, he handed the officer a shoebox containing $49,900.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Fort Myers Resident Office, with assistance from the Cape Coral Police Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Schmitz and David G. Lazarus.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Thomas Kohler (58, Auburndale) guilty of conspiring to possess 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 1, 2016.

According to evidence presented at trial, Kohler was part of a conspiracy involving the Isaias Villa drug trafficking organization to distribute high-purity methamphetamine in Polk County.  Isaias Villa received kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from the Atlanta area and then supplied it to dealers in Polk County.  From at least early 2015 through September 9, 2015, Kohler was involved with Isaias Villa in at least two of these trips to Georgia. He also conspired to collect approximately $82,000 in drug proceeds and, on September 8, 2015, delivered a kilogram of methamphetamine to a coconspirator.  

To date, the investigation has resulted in the federal convictions of five individuals and the seizure of approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, more than $100,000 in U.S. currency, and homemade explosives.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Major Dixon to five years and one month in federal prison for his role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme. As part of his sentence, the Court also ordered him to pay $129,505.33 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Dixon pleaded guilty on December 11, 2015.

According to court documents, between February and September 2012, Dixon and others filed false and fraudulent income tax returns in the names of others, including deceased individuals. In these fraudulent returns, the conspirators represented that they were entitled to the refunds and requested that the IRS direct the funds to accounts the conspirators had established in their respective names at various local financial institutions.  

Four others were charged and previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this conspiracy. Sonja Lang was sentenced to time served and was ordered to pay $37,158.04 in restitution to the IRS. Rosea Armstrong was sentenced to 36 months’ probation and was ordered to pay $46,641.59 in restitution to the IRS. Arthur Murray was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $19,235.10 in restitution to the IRS. Finally, Lasia Maxwell will be sentenced on June 2, 2016.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Johan O. Lopez (29, Orlando) to 13 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute marijuana and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.  He pleaded guilty on January 19, 2016.

According to court documents, on May 29, 2015, officers from the Orlando Police Department executed a search warrant at Lopez’s downtown Orlando residence.  Prior to entering, the officers announced themselves and the fact they had a search warrant. As the officers entered Lopez’s apartment, Lopez fired two gunshots.  The officers found Lopez next to a handgun, which appeared to have an unused round jammed in the firing chamber.  They also found approximately one pound of marijuana in Lopez’s residence. 

This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Jon Christopher Stoune (44, Jacksonville) guilty of attempted online enticement of a child to engage in illegal sexual activity, advertising for child pornography, and attempted production of child pornography.  On the attempted enticement count, Stoune faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in prison.  He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for each of the other charges.  His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 20, 2016.    

According to evidence presented at trial, during March and April 2015, Stoune engaged in a series of online conversations with a person whom he believed to be a 14-year-old child.  The "child" was actually a detective from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.  During the course of these conversations, Stoune discussed in detail his desire to have sex with and obtain pornographic pictures of the “child.”  On April 21, 2015, Stoune drove to St. Augustine Beach to meet the “child” for sex.  He was arrested at the meeting location by officers from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.  Officers recovered a digital camera, several sex toys, and condoms from Stoune’s pants pocket.  A search of his vehicle revealed, among other things, a backpack containing a leather whip, a wooden paddle, a billy club, nylon restraints, and other items designed for use in sadomasochistic activity. 

This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Augustine Beach Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Jaret Santa (26, Delray Beach) to one year and one day in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to make, possess, and pass counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. As part of his sentence, the Court also ordered him to pay $3800 in restitution to his victims. Santa pleaded guilty on October 6, 2015.

According to court documents, in January and February 2015, Santa passed counterfeit $100 bills at various retail locations in southwest Florida. Law enforcement officers apprehended Santa and his co-conspirator, Peter Bonfiglio, after they had just paid for merchandise using a counterfeit $100 bill. Following their arrests, deputies located $4600 in counterfeit $100 bills in Santa’s car.

Bonfiglio (29, North Port) previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years and one month in federal prison for his role in this case.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Sarasota County Sherriff’s Offices. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the arrest of Philip Carl Olsen (55, Lithia) with attempted enticement of a child for illegal sexual activity.

According to Court documents, between April 1, 2016, and April 5, 2016, Olsen used a cell phone and computer to attempt to entice an individual he believed was 14 years old to engage in illegal sexual acts, but who was actually an undercover agent.  During the chats, Olsen graphically discussed the sexual acts that he wanted to engage in with the “child” and sent the “child” a picture of his genitals. Olsen also asked the “child” to take a picture of his genitals and to send the picture to him. Olsen allegedly made plans to meet the “child” for sex, and on April 5, 2016, he drove to what he believed was the child’s residence and was arrested. 

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

This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force - Office of Special Investigations.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.

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 – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury yesterday found John Dwayne Riley (39, Palm Bay) guilty of possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute it, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug-trafficking crime. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is set for June 23, 2016. Riley was indicted on November 18, 2015.

According to evidence presented at trial, on June 17, 2015, probation officers with the Florida Department of Corrections went to Riley’s house in response to an anonymous tip that he was dealing drugs. The officers observed powder cocaine inside a car in Riley’s garage, and they also found approximately one kilogram of individually packaged powder cocaine in one of Riley’s kitchen cabinets. During the execution of a search warrant later that evening, officers from the Palm Bay Police Department discovered an additional 5 grams of individually packaged heroin in another kitchen cabinet, and 59 grams of individually packaged crack cocaine in the car. Riley also had several items of drug paraphernalia, and the pans in his kitchen sink contained fresh crack cocaine residue. Officers found $1,000 in cash in Riley’s pocket, and recovered a loaded handgun where Riley had been seated on his living room sofa.

This case was investigated by the Palm Bay Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Department of Corrections. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Embry J. Kidd.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Stevie McDonald (41, Winter Haven) with multiple counts of bank fraud and a conspiracy to commit bank fraud. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each count. The indictment also notifies the defendant that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $509,221, the approximate loss amount that the financial institutions sustained in this case.

According to the indictment, McDonald participated in a conspiracy to defraud federally insured financial institutions in connection with multiple residential mortgage loans made by JP Morgan Chase Bank and Washington Mutual Bank. Along with others, McDonald was involved in the submission of false and fraudulent information to the lenders, which induced the lenders to make the mortgage loans. Subsequently, the recipients of these loans defaulted on those mortgages and the banks sustained losses of approximately $509,221.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Lucio Molina Marroquin (38, Mexico), Robison Perez Montez (39, Mexico), and Javier Noyola Ruiz (40, Mexico) guilty of conspiring to possess five kilograms or more of cocaine with the intent distribute it while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Each faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years, up to life, in federal prison.  A sentencing hearing has been set for July 1, 2016.  

According to evidence presented at trial, on July 6, 2015, a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vessel piloted by four Colombian nationals departed Colombia with more than 6,000 kilograms of cocaine.  The vessel then traveled over 1,000 miles before arriving at its final destination, a point 200 nautical miles south of Puerto Escondido, Mexico.  The vessel waited there for Mexican vessels to arrive to offload the drugs at sea. 

Marroquin, Montez, and Ruiz were members of an advance team sent to verify the SPSS vessel’s arrival, check for law enforcement presence in the area, and then contact the organizers in Mexico so additional boats could be sent to rendezvous with the SPSS vessel and offload the cocaine. On July 18, 2015, before the offload could occur, the SPSS vessel was detected by a United States maritime patrol aircraft and interdicted by a boarding team from United States Coast Guard Cutter STRATTON. 

This case was investigated by the Panama Express South Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), comprised of agents and analysts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney James Zoll and Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Michael Carleton (53, Bradenton) to 21 months in federal prison for mail fraud. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $200,000, which constitutes the proceeds of the mail fraud. In addition, the Court entered an order requiring Carleton to pay restitution to the identified victims of the offense in the total amount of $136,098.96.

Carleton pleaded guilty on November 25, 2015.

According to court documents, from at least April 2012 through July, 2013, more than 70 individuals and families had entered into rental contracts via email with Carleton to rent vacation properties  on Anna Maria Island. The contracts called for the renters to pay for the rental period prior to taking possession of the property. As the vacation rental dates approached, many victims were contacted by Carleton and given various excuses for why they could not be placed in their rental property, including that the properties needed repairs, or that he was filing bankruptcy and all monies needed to be secured by the trustee. In some cases, the victims (accompanied by family or friends) physically arrived at the rental properties, only to find another family already utilizing the property. In many cases, Carleton would rent and receive up-front payment from numerous renters for the same rental properties, for the same period of time. Victims arrived in Florida from all over the country, including one victim from as far away as Germany.

Over the course of the scheme, Carleton fraudulently received more than $200,000 from his victims. Some ultimately received refunds, only after threatening to or actually contacting the properties’ owners, or the Holmes Beach Police Department.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Jeffrey Nielsen Zaccanti (29, Tampa) and Sadena Ann Raynor (36, Tampa) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and distributing crack cocaine, respectively.  Zaccanti faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. Raynor faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.

According to the plea agreements, on three separate occasions in January 2016, Zaccanti and Raynor sold crack cocaine to an undercover detective from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The transactions occurred in the parking lot of a Tampa apartment complex. On each occasion, Raynor arranged the transaction, and then either Zaccanti or Raynor completed the transaction with the undercover detective.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout.

This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI). The program’s objective is to reduce criminal gangs, violent crime, illegal drugs, and guns through combined enforcement, prosecution, prevention, and re-entry efforts.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury yesterday found Ralph Georg Toni Martin, a/k/a Mirko Dominic Martin, (46, Würzburg, Germany) guilty of failure to appear for his sentencing in a federal drug case, after being released on bail by order of the Court. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, consecutive to a federal prison sentence of over 8 years that Martin has already been ordered to serve by the Court in his underlying drug case. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 22, 2016. 

Martin was indicted on December 16, 2015.

According to evidence presented at trial, on August 31, 1998, Martin was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration for his role in an international MDMA (Ecstasy) ring that imported MDMA into the United States from Europe, and distributed the drugs in the Orlando area. After Martin’s arrest, the Court ordered his release on bail, with the standard release condition that he appear at any and all future proceedings in his case.  On October 15, 1998, at a hearing before the Court, Martin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute MDMA, importation of MDMA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was then advised of a sentencing date of January 20, 1999.  Martin did not appear for his sentencing and was a fugitive from justice for over 16 years.  During this period, he was able to avoid apprehension by law enforcement, living in California and New Jersey. 

On September 18, 2015, Martin was arrested by local law enforcement in Bayonne, New Jersey. Martin has already been sentenced to 97 months for the charges to which he pled guilty in 1998.  

This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Bayonne, New Jersey Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew C. Searle and Sean Shecter.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Leigh Farrington Fiske (52, formerly of Tampa) with three counts of bank fraud and seven counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.      

According to the indictment, Fiske opened a business trust account at a national financial institution’s local branch, in Tampa, for a shell company that he controlled.  Beginning in June 2010, Fiske deposited or assisted in depositing multiple checks that had purportedly been written to his company by legitimate third-party businesses and financial institutions. In fact, none of the deposited checks were genuine; all had been counterfeited or altered. After the fraudulently obtained funds posted to the account, Fiske would quickly move the money offshore, wire it to accounts held by other shell companies that he controlled, and make withdrawals and other transfers for his own benefit. The intended loss of the scheme was over $485,000.

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 Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Gerard.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Tampa residents Lenin Perez and Lois Luis (a/k/a Ireno Delgado) pleaded guilty to conspiracy and kickbacks.  Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

According to the plea agreements, Perez and Luis, who met in federal prison, conspired with each other and with others to pay kickbacks to Perez for his referring injured federal workers receiving care through the federal workers compensation program to AmeriMed Diagnostic Services, Inc., a company substantially run by Luis.  In 2007, while in prison together in Alabama, Luis and Perez discussed Perez sending injured federal workers to Luis for treatment.  In exchange for the referrals, Perez was supposed to receive 15-20% of the profits from AmeriMed.  The amount of the kickbacks paid to Perez during the course of the conspiracy exceeded $1 million, including approximately $250,000 that was paid to Perez’s daughter for an essentially “no-show,” part-time marketing job that was actually substantially passed through her to Perez.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Angel Garcia-Oliver (49, Miami) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.  He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.

According to the plea agreement, Garcia-Oliver was the principal of Garcia-Oliver & Mainieri, P.A., a law firm located in Coral Gables.  Tribute Residential, LLC, which was owned by a co-conspirator, owned and sold multiple communities.  Garcia-Oliver, or employees working at his direction, served as settlement agents and conducted dozens of real estate closings for condominium units owned by Tribute, including Cypress Pointe in Orlando and the Villas at Lakeside in Oviedo.

To attract buyers to these communities, co-conspirators advertised that Tribute would pay the mortgage and homeowners= association dues for the buyer during the first two years of occupancy.  In addition, buyers were promised that renters, who would pay rent that would equal the mortgage and HOA payments, were ready to live in the units.  Other incentives, at times, included upfront cash for the buyers to close on the unit and/or kickbacks to buyers after closing.  In each of these transactions, the HUD-1 Settlement Statement contained falsified information regarding the down payment actually paid by the buyers.

In order to conceal from the mortgage lenders that Tribute, or entities controlled by other co-conspirators, provided the cash to close and other undisclosed incentives to buyers, Garcia-Oliver formed CSF Management LLC.  CSF’s bank accounts received monies from Tribute. Those funds were eventually paid to the buyers and entities controlled by other co-conspirators.  The fact that co-conspirators were paying the cash to close, and other incentives to the buyers through CSF, was not disclosed to the lenders on the HUD-1 Settlement Statement.

In order to conceal from the mortgage lenders that Tribute was paying undisclosed leaseback payments (“kickbacks”) to buyers, Garcia-Oliver formed Southeast Administration Group, LLC.  He used the Southeast Administration bank accounts to pay kickbacks to borrowers, which were also not disclosed to the mortgage lenders.

The losses suffered by the mortgage lenders that are attributable to Garcia-Oliver’s conduct exceed $8.25 million.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent Chiu and Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Ynessa Brown and Thelonius Robertson today pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit tax fraud and aggravated identity theft. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy charge, to be followed by two years in federal prison for the identity theft charge.  Robertson and Brown have agreed to make full restitution and pay a money judgment of $767,398, the proceeds of the conspiracy.

According to court documents, between January 2012 and June 2013, Brown and Robertson used stolen identities to electronically file false and fraudulent tax returns.  Many of those false tax returns were filed jointly, in two names, and in many cases, one or both victims was deceased. 

Brown and Robertson directed the refunds from the fraudulent filings to debit cards, many in other people’s names. The debit cards were sent directly to Brown and Robertson, as well as to their friends and family, and to vacant addresses.  Brown and Robertson spent the fraudulently obtained tax refund money at various retail locations and also obtained cash via ATM withdrawals.  In total, Brown and Robertson filed false tax returns requesting more than $2.7 million from the IRS.

This case was brought as part of the Tampa Bay Identity Theft Alliance, an initiative dedicated to combating the scheme of using stolen identities to file fraudulent federal income tax refund claims.   It was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Kelley C. Howard-Allen is prosecuting the case.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Orquidea Quezada (48, Orlando) with 49 counts of wire fraud and one count of operating as an unlicensed money transmitter. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The money transmitting count carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment. The indictment also notifies Quezada that the United States intends to seek forfeiture in the amount of $870,000, which is the approximate amount she made from the alleged scheme. Quezada was arrested on Saturday, March 26, 2016, by special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and taskforce officers from Seminole and Orange Counties.

According to the indictment, between May 2013 and May 2016, Quezada (doing business as Orquicely Construction, LLC) applied for workers’ compensation insurance policies to cover two to seven employees, and an annual payroll of about $100,000. The insurance companies issued the policies for annual premiums based on the payroll information set forth in the applications.

Quezada then “rented” the insurance policies to numerous construction subcontractors who employed hundreds of workers, many of whom were undocumented aliens. To do so, she directed her insurance agent to e-mail the subcontractors a certificate of insurance that implied the insurance would cover their workers. The subcontractors wrote payroll checks to Orquicely Construction for work performed by their employees. Quezada then cashed those checks and paid the subcontractors’ employees in cash, through work crew leaders. Quezada kept five percent of each check as a fee for her services. Between May 2013 and November 2015, Quezada funneled approximately $17.4 million dollars to the subcontractors’ employees through her company.

Neither Orquicely Construction nor the subcontractors deducted state or federal taxes, such as for Medicare and Social Security, from the workers’ pay. The scheme allowed the subcontractors to avoid these taxes and workers’ compensation taxes, and to conceal their employment of undocumented aliens that were working illegally in the United States.

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

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (Jacksonville and Orlando), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Lisa C. Glass (38, Jacksonville) with child sex trafficking. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.

According to the indictment, Glass recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, and maintained a juvenile female for the purpose of engaging the girl in commercial sexual activity.

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

This case was investigated by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Task Force that includes investigators from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener, III.

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.