Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Manatee County Man Indicted for Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Ledale Johnson with three counts of credit card fraud, two counts of filing false tax returns, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of up to ten years in federal prison for each count of credit card fraud, up to five years for each of the false tax filing counts, and a consecutive two-year term for the aggravated identity theft counts. The indictment also notifies Johnson that the United States is seeking a money judgment of $48,416, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Johnson had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli and was detained.
According to the indictment, on several occasions between October 2011 and March 2012, Johnson possessed and used unauthorized and counterfeit debit cards that had been loaded with fraudulently obtained tax refunds. Those refunds were the result of tax returns that had been filed using stolen identities. Johnson also filed a fraudulent tax return in his name and the name of another individual.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bradenton Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley C. Howard-Allen.
Four Jacksonville Residents Plead Guilty to Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that four Jacksonville residents who were born in the Philippines have pleaded guilty to immigration fraud offenses. Mark Laurence Barlaan (36) and Winnie Rabaya Barlaan (65) pleaded guilty to marriage fraud and face a maximum penalty of five years each in federal prison. Peter Laforteza Barlaan (63) pleaded guilty to immigration document fraud and Mary Helen Amaba Barlaan (32) pleaded guilty to obtaining U.S. citizenship by fraud. They each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. In their plea agreements, Mark and Mary Barlaan have agreed to leave the United States after the completion of the legal proceedings and any prison sentence imposed by the Court. The sentencing dates have not yet been set.
According to court documents, Winnie and Peter Barlaan are naturalized U.S. citizens. Mary Barlaan entered the United States with a temporary visitor’s visa in November 2007, and Mark Barlaan entered the country with a temporary work visa in December 2008.
Mark Barlaan is Peter Barlaan’s son. Before Mark and Mary Barlaan came to the United States, they were involved in a romantic relationship with each other, and that relationship continued after they came to the United States.
On September 9, 2009, the day after Peter Barlaan became a U.S. citizen, he married Mary Barlaan, his son’s girlfriend. On October 25, 2011, Mark Barlaan and Winnie Barlaan were married. Peter Barlaan paid Winnie Barlaan several thousand dollars in exchange for her marrying Mark Barlaan and cooperating in the immigration proceedings.
Under U.S. immigration law, aliens married to U.S. citizens are given priority in the granting of immigration benefits. By marrying U.S. citizens, Mark and Mary Barlaan could obtain these benefits faster and without meeting the requirements applicable to persons who are not married to U.S. citizens. In an attempt to conceal the fact that they had committed marriage fraud, these individuals made false statements on documents they had submitted to immigration authorities, and that made false statements during interviews and other encounters with immigration officials.
On June 5, 2013, Mary Barlaan became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Because she obtained her citizenship by fraud, her conviction will result in a revocation of citizenship by the Court.
"Marriage fraud is a federal crime, and can have grave consequences for national security," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa "Defrauding the U.S. government is not a victimless crime."
"As an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, USCIS has zero tolerance for marriage fraud," said Kathy Redman, USCIS Southeast Regional Director. "We remain vigilant in detecting and assisting in the prosecution of any immigration fraud."
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Brevard County Man Pleads Guilty to Producing PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Daniel Lester Jackson (34, Brevard County) has pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 16, 2015.
According to the plea agreement, on June 17, 2015, officers from the Palm Bay Police Department executed a search warrant at Jackson’s residence. Forensic analyses of the electronic media revealed images and videos depicting child pornography. Subsequent investigation determined that on at least two separate occasions Jackson had used his cellphone to record explicit images of a 6-year-old girl.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Palm Bay Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Naples Man Sentenced to More Than Seventeen Years for Three Armed Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell sentenced John Robert Haldemann (31, Naples) today to 17 years and 7 months in federal prison for committing three armed bank robberies. As part of his sentence, the Court entered a money judgment in the amount of $14,308, representing the combined proceeds of the robberies. The Court also ordered Haldemann to pay restitution to each of the financial institutions he robbed, plus an additional $799.25 in restitution to Synovus Bank for damages to the bank’s door he had caused during an attempted robbery. Haldemann pleaded guilty on March 24, 2015.
According to court documents, Haldemann committed three armed bank robberies last summer. On June 4, 2014, he robbed a Capital Bank in Venice. He then committed an armed robbery at a Wells Fargo Bank in Naples on July 12, 2014. And, in Punta Gorda on July 25, 2014, he robbed a Bank of America. During each armed bank robbery, Haldemann displayed what appeared to be a firearm and demanded money from bank employees.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Task Force, the Punta Gorda Police Department, the Naples Police Department, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, the Venice Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.
Hernando County Woman Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Richard A. Lazzara sentenced Bertha Hart today to five years and ten months in federal prison for theft of government property. She pleaded guilty on May 11, 2015.
According to court documents, Hart was arrested by deputies from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office on November 1, 2012. Several prepaid debit cards, in other peoples’ names, containing fraudulent tax refunds were found in her possession. Hart later admitted to participating in a conspiracy involving federal tax returns and stolen identities. Hart allowed fraudulent tax filers to use her address to receive prepaid debit cards containing federal tax refunds. She also retrieved similar debit cards from other peoples’ mailboxes. Once these cards were in her possession, Hart delivered them to her co-conspirators, who removed most of the money from them. The co-conspirators later returned the cards to Hart with $1,000 to $2,000 remaining on them as her payment.
This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney.
Cape Coral Couple Indicted for Conspiracy to Steal Government Assistance Funds in New York and FloridaRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Cape Coral residents Ronald R. Raiola, a/k/a Ronald Sambuco (57), and Rose Ann Labarbera (61) with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit theft of government funds, and theft of government funds involving the Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. Raiola is charged with an additional count of theft of government funds in relation to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 5 years, and each count of theft of government funds carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the couple that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of the proceeds of each of the fraud schemes.
Raiola and Labarbera were arrested earlier today and made their initial appearances in federal court in Fort Myers. They were released on bond and Raiola was also ordered to participate in home detention and electronic monitoring.
According to the indictment, Raiola participated in the HCV Program, commonly referred to as “Section 8,” from at least January 1997 until December 2012. He made fraudulent representations concerning his identity, marital status, place of residence, financial status, and ability to engage in gainful employment in order to participate in, and receive housing assistance subsidies through the HCV Program and SSI benefits from the SSA. Raiola is married to and lives with Labarbera. As part of the alleged conspiracy, they concealed their marital status, income, and ownership interests in residential properties in New York and Florida from HUD. Some of these properties were purportedly rented through the HCV Program to Raiola, and rent was paid to Labarbera and to Raiola’s alias by HUD.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States 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 Economic Crimes and Special Operations Units, the City of Fort Myers Housing Authority, the New York City Housing Authority, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Cape Coral Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.
Orlando Men Sentenced to More Than Thirteen Years for String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has sentenced three Orlando residents for robbery and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Malcolm Jamal Ward (23), Stanley Valentin (20), and Javier Tyson Farrar (21) were each sentenced to 13 years and 6 months in federal prison. The Court also ordered them to pay $5,637.42 in restitution. Valentin and Farrar pleaded guilty on April 28, 2015. Ward pleaded guilty on May 4, 2015.
According to court documents, over the course of two weeks in October 2014, Ward, Valentin, and Farrar committed six armed robberies. One of the robberies occurred at a Red Lobster restaurant in Orlando as the employees were closing for the night. The five other robberies involved drugstores throughout Orange, Volusia, Osceola, and Polk Counties. In addition, Ward committed an additional armed robbery of a drugstore by himself during that same period.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.
Orange County Sex Offender Convicted for Possessing and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Ashley Anders Bishop (42, Orlando) guilty of one count of possessing and four counts of receiving child pornography. Bishop was previously convicted of a sex offense and, as a result, faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for the possession count, and a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 40 years, for each count of receiving child pornography. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 6, 2015. In reaching their decision, the jury made a special finding that certain exhibits depicted children under the age of 12.
Bishop was indicted on May 27, 2015.
According to the testimony presented at trial, on October 6, 2000, in Orange County, Bishop was convicted of attempting to commit lascivious molestation on a child under the age of 12 and was sentenced to a 15-year prison term. After his release, Bishop, a registered sex offender, was arrested on two different occasions, and each time had a cellphone in his possession. Both phones were searched pursuant to state search warrants and found to contain child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Department of Corrections. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Palm Bay Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Internet Solicitation of A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon, II has sentenced Jean Roussel Eloi (30, Palm Bay) to 30 years in federal prison for Internet solicitation of a minor. The court also ordered Eloi to forfeit a cell phone that he had used as part of the offense. A federal jury found him guilty on February 3, 2015.
According to testimony presented at trial, on the night of July 20, 2014, Eloi started an online chat session with an 11-year-old girl who lived in Palm Bay. The next day, the girl reported the chats to her mother. After the mother contacted law enforcement, an undercover detective began engaging in a series of chats with Eloi, who explicitly detailed the sexual acts he wanted to perform with the “girl.” Eloi eventually asked the “girl” to meet him. When he arrived at the prearranged location, deputies arrested him.
According to evidence presented during the sentencing hearing, in 2006, Eloi admitted to and was charged with having sex with a 13-year-old girl in Palm Beach County.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey stated, "I applaud this partnership and the agencies involved who stand between our most defenseless citizens and those who wish to harm them. Through their outstanding efforts, an individual who actively participated in the exploitation of our children has been removed from our communities.”
"This sentencing emphasizes that child exploitation is one of the most heinous crimes we investigate," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "We will continue to work tirelessly to protect our children."
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Task Force, 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.
Lake City Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing and Passing Counterfeit Federal Reserve NotesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that James Steven Hall (47, Lake City) has pleaded guilty to manufacturing and passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Hall was indicted on May 13, 2015.
According to court documents, in March 2015, law enforcement received information that Hall had possessed counterfeit currency inside his hotel room in Columbia County. On March 25, 2015, officers from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service went to the hotel and made contact with Hall, who allowed the officers to search his room. The search revealed counterfeit $10 and $20 bills that had been hidden between the mattress and box spring. Supplies for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes, including a paper cutter, an ink-jet printer, blank paper, a laptop, and used ink-jet cartridges were also found in the room. Hall later admitted to manufacturing a few thousand dollars in counterfeit notes and to passing some of them at local businesses in the Lake City area.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the U. S. Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Former Manager of Telemarketing Room Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Mark Gardner (28, Osteen) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering for his role in the operation of a boiler room. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy count and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the money laundering count. Sentencing has been set for October 30, 2015.
Gardner and Tammie Lynn Cline (33, Leominster, MA) were indicted on January 28, 2015.
According to court documents, Gardner and Cline operated a boiler room in Central Florida. Along with the telemarketers who worked at their call center, they made unsolicited calls to owners of timeshare properties located throughout the United States. During those calls, they claimed that they worked for Universal Timeshare Sales Associates (UTSA) in Beaverton, Oregon, that UTSA had a purchaser who was interested in buying a timeshare, and that the timeshare owner just needed to pay a fee between $1,600 and $2,200 for the sale to proceed.
In order to convince timeshare owners to pay the fee, Gardner, Cline and their telemarketers sometimes claimed that an interested purchaser was present in the showroom ready to buy a timeshare, that a buyer had already deposited money into an escrow account for the sale, or that the sale would take place in about 90 days. Those representations were false. The timeshares were not sold as had been promised, and members of the conspiracy would deny or ignore requests for refunds, and would dispute chargebacks with the credit card companies.
In total, victims lost approximately $1.6 million due to the operation of the call center.
In May 2013, the Federal Trade Commission and the Florida Attorney General’s Office filed a civil action against Gardner, Cline, and others in federal court. In June 2014, the district court entered a permanent injunction against them related to certain telemarketing practices.
Tammie Lynn Cline previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing has been set for October 9, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Eight Years for Illegal Possession of A Firearm in Fort MyersRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Patrick Towns (35, Fort Myers) to eight years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the pistol and ammunition used in the offense. Towns pleaded guilty on May 6, 2015.
According to court documents, on December 26, 2014, while driving with a suspended driver’s license and an inoperable headlight, Towns was stopped by officers with the Fort Myers Police Department and placed under arrest. In connection with the arrest, the officers observed a loaded Ruger .380 caliber pistol and cocaine inside the vehicle. During a search of Towns, officers located a quantity of MDMA, also known as ecstasy or Molly, in his pocket.
During today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Chappell noted that Towns had eight prior felony convictions. As a result, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Southwest Florida Violent Crime Task Force and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.
Texas Man Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle WeaponsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Eyad Farah (41, Barrington, Texas) with conspiring to export firearms without a license, exporting firearms without a license, and smuggling firearms from the United States in violation of federal export control and firearms laws. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for the conspiracy offense, up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the export charge, and up to 20 years in federal prison for the smuggling charge. The indictment was returned by the grand jury on September 4, 2014.
According to the indictment, Farah is part of a network of individuals involved in smuggling firearms from the United States to the Middle East. The indictment alleges that the firearms were concealed in vehicles that had been purchased at used car auctions in Central Florida. The vehicles were then scheduled for export to Jordan.
According to court documents, Farah was arrested at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany on June 2, 2015. He made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Julie S. Sneed earlier today.
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.
Farah’s co-conspirator, Mahmoud Abdel-Ghani Mohammad Assaf, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is currently awaiting sentencing. Yasser Ahmad Obeid, a defendant in a related case, has also pleaded guilty. In December 2014, he was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison.
"This arrest represents a significant milestone in combating weapons smuggling by transnational criminal organizations," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "It is through collaborative efforts with our domestic and international law enforcement partners that the United States will stem the tide of this continuing threat."
"ATF's mission is the gun,” said Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge ATF-Tampa. “Whether it's domestic/international trafficking, or the gun is being used in violent crime, I will commit our resources to curb and stop illegal diversion of firearms or their use in violent gun crimes.”
John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, DCIS-Southeast Field Office, stated, "DCIS effectively collaborates with our partner agencies to battle against the illegal export of sensitive weapons and systems. This arrest highlights our continuing efforts."
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Josephine W. Thomas and Adam M. Saltzman.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Stolen Identity Refund Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Michael Carvalho today pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property and one count of aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the theft of government property and a consecutive 2-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft count. Carvalho also agreed to a money judgment in the amount of $2,223,083.44, representing the amount of illicit proceeds gained from the theft, and forfeiture of the contents of three JPMorgan Chase accounts and real properties located at 2615 S. Goldenrod Road, Orlando, Florida, and 2045 Shadow Drive, Geneva, Florida.
According to the plea agreement, from approximately October 2011 through September 2013, Carvalho passed or attempted to pass more than 441 federal tax refund checks in excess of $2.9 million at six banks in the Middle District of Florida. The checks were fraudulently obtained and/or contained falsely made or forged endorsements or signatures. Along with others, Carvalho deposited these instruments on 180 different days, over a two-year period.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haas.
Three Defendants Sentenced in Manatee County Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. has sentenced three individuals for their roles in a conspiracy to commit stolen identity refund fraud in the Manatee County area between 2012 and 2013. Among those sentenced were Marcus Lowe (32, Tampa) to three years and six months’ imprisonment, Tedrick Randall (44, Bradenton) to three years and one month in federal prison, and Rachel Kerley (36, Bradenton) to a term of 6 months’ imprisonment. As part of each defendant’s sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $15,457, representing the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Randall and Kerley pleaded guilty in April 2015, and Lowe was found guilty on May 1, 2015, after a jury trial.
According to court documents, Lowe worked for the Manatee County Parole Services Division at the Manatee County Jail and, as such, had access to the jail booking sheets. These booking sheets contained personal identification information relating to the inmates, including their names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. Lowe provided that information to Randall and Kerley, who then used the data to file false and fraudulent income tax returns seeking tax refunds in the names of those inmates. The conspirators filed income tax returns seeking a total of approximately $72,254 in tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, with assistance from the Manatee County Sherriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Florida Investment Advisor Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating $9 Million Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Tampa, Florida, area investment advisor pleaded guilty today to perpetrating a $9 million investment fraud scheme involving Facebook stock.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III of the Middle District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Paul Wysopal of the FBI’s Tampa Field Office and Inspector in Charge Ronald J. Verrochio of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division made the announcement.
Gignesh Movalia, 40, of Tampa, a registered investment advisor, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony E. Porcelli of the Middle District of Florida to one count of investment advisor fraud. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
Movalia was the founder and manager of OM Global Investment Fund LLC (the OM Global Fund), an investment fund formed in 2009. According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, beginning in or about 2011, Movalia began soliciting investments for the OM Global Fund by, among other methods, touting access to pre-initial public offering (IPO) shares of Facebook Inc. Movalia admitted that, by the end of 2012, he had raised more than $15 million for the OM Global Fund, and that more than $9 million of the amount raised was for “side pocket” investments, which Movalia represented were to be used exclusively for purchasing of Facebook shares.
Movalia further admitted that, contrary to these representations and unknown to “side pocket” investors, he used funds designated exclusively for the purchase of Facebook shares for other investments, which he concealed from the investors. He also admitted that he made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors in order to mislead them about the nature and value of their investments in the OM Global Fund. The OM Global Fund lost approximately $9 million before it went into receivership in September 2013.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and USPIS, with assistance provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Miami Regional Office. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Andrew H. Warren of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Movalia Plea Agreement
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years for Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Justin Robinson (33, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on October 21, 2014.
According to court documents, at approximately 3:45 AM on April 28, 2014, a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputy saw Robinson hiding behind a van outside an apartment complex in Tampa. Robinson told the deputy that he was in the area to visit a friend, but residents of the apartment he claimed to be visiting later said that they did not know Robinson. The deputy found a loaded .9 mm firearm on the ground where Robinson had been hiding, and ordered Robinson to put his hands behind his back. Robinson fled, but was apprehended after a short foot chase. Law enforcement officials later determined that the firearm had been stolen during a residential burglary.
Robinson was previously convicted of several felonies, including three drug trafficking offenses, and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. As such, he qualified for an enhanced penalty under the Armed Career Criminal statute.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Natalie Hirt Adams and Megan Kistler.
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.
Five Naples Residents Charged for Defrauding Auto Insurance CompaniesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of two indictments charging five individuals with conspiracy charges related to fraudulently operating chiropractic clinics that defrauded automobile insurance companies. These charges are the culmination of a two-year joint federal and state law enforcement investigation dubbed Operation Fraudulent Pain.
Garry Joseph (36), Nesly Loute (51), Wisler Cyrius (34), Anouce Toussaint (32), and Sijames Melus (32) are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Cyrius and Toussaint have also been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictments also notify the defendants that the United States is seeking money judgments in the amount of the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, Joseph and Melus were the true owners of two chiropractic clinics in Naples, Parkway Medical and Rehab LLC and T&C Consultants d/b/a Collier Chiropractic Center. To circumvent State of Florida licensing requirements, they paid licensed health care practitioners to allow their names to be used on official documents as though they were the true owners of the clinics. Between October 2012 and February 2015, Parkway and Collier Chiropractic submitted claims to automobile insurance companies for payment for services purportedly rendered to accident victims treated at the clinics. The true owners of the clinics caused the insurance companies to be billed for claims that violated Florida law because the clinics were not properly licensed. In addition, they caused the insurance companies to be billed for claims for unnecessary treatments and/or services that had not been actually rendered. Joseph and Melus allegedly defrauded the auto insurance companies of more than $2 million.
According to the second indictment, between June 2013 and February 2015, Cyrius, Loute, and Toussaint participated in a scheme to defraud insurance companies by filing fraudulent claims. Cyrius and Toussaint were the actual owners of Tamiami Pain and Rehab LLC and First Choice Pain and Rehab Inc. As part of the conspiracy, they paid a licensed health care practitioner to act as the owner of the clinics. The conspirators fraudulently submitted multiple claims to the insurance companies that were unlawful because the clinics were not properly licensed under Florida law and were not exempt from the Florida licensing statutes. In addition, the conspirators allegedly solicited individuals to participate in staged automobile accidents in exchange for compensation, and caused clinics that they controlled to submit claims for payment by the automobile insurance companies for unnecessary services rendered to the staged accident participants. The indictment further alleges that Cyrius and Toussaint conspired to launder the proceeds of the mail fraud by concealing the nature of the funds and by taking steps to avoid reporting requirements related to financial transactions.
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 State of Florida’s Department of Financial Services Division of Insurance Fraud, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistance was also provided by the Florida Highway Patrol, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Florida Department of Health, and the State Attorneys’ Offices for the 13th and 19th Judicial Circuits. The following insurance companies also assisted with the case: Travelers, Nationwide, Bristol West, Esurance, Windhaven, Farmers, Direct General, Allstate, State Farm, Progressive, Geico, Infinity, and Foremost. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.
Clearwater Man Convicted of Threatening A Court Security Officer with A Baseball BatRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Jay Paul Porton (67, Clearwater) guilty of assault on a federal officer. He faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 29, 2015. Porton was indicted on April 15, 2015.
According to evidence presented at trial, Porton, a pro se plaintiff in a civil case, was a regular visitor to the Sam M. Gibbons United States Courthouse in Tampa. On March 19, 2015, the presiding judge ruled against Porton in his civil case. On the morning of April 1, 2015, Porton approached the courthouse carrying a small baseball bat. A Court Security Officer (CSO) confronted Porton at the main entrance of the courthouse and ordered him to put the bat down. As the CSO approached, Porton said, “batter up,” tapped the bat on the ground, and assumed a batting stance. When then CSO was approximately 7-10 feet away, Porton swung the T-ball bat in the CSO’s direction. The CSO then put his hand on his gun, and Porton put the bat down. Other officers came to assist and placed Porton under arrest.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vincent S. Chiu and Tiffany L. Cummins.
Palm Coast Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces today that Stephen Paul Cotton (43, Palm Coast) has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of failing to register as a sex offender after traveling from Florida to North Carolina. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Cotton was arrested in Suwanee, Georgia on April 11, 2015.
According to court documents, in January 1999, Cotton was convicted of committing a lewd and lascivious act on a child in Manatee County. Subsequent to his conviction, and between 2004 and 2012, he registered as a sex offender with Florida authorities as required. However, between July 2012 and December 2014, Cotton traveled from Florida to Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia, but failed to register as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Suwanee (Georgia) Police Department, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Lutz Man Convicted of Attempted Child Enticement and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury yesterday found Bryan Shane Sneed (41, Lutz) guilty of attempted enticement of a minor for sex and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 29, 2015.
Sneed was originally indicted on January 28, 2015. A superseding indictment was returned on March 18, 2015.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on January 24, 2014, an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old child responded to an online personal ad posted by Sneed. Sneed, who traveled frequently, communicated with the undercover agent through emails and text messages for almost a year, believing that the agent was 14 years old. During the communications, Sneed repeatedly sent the “child” multiple graphic images and a video of adult pornography. He made firm plans to meet the “child” in Tampa. On January 21, 2015, Sneed arrived at the agreed upon location and was placed under arrest. A search of his vehicle revealed loaded 9 millimeter and .45 caliber handguns, and condoms.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being 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.
St. Petersburg Real Estate Agent Indicted on Conspiracy and Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Gary Blankenship (44, St. Petersburg, Florida) with conspiracy, wire fraud, and bank fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment for each charge. The indictment also notifies him that the United States is seeking a money judgment for the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment 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 then engaged in a plan to convert the complex from rental apartment units to condominium units.
Blankenship’s co-conspirator, Brenden 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 The Arbors 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 that they would not be required to provide any money at closing, actually providing cash for borrowers to close on the units, facilitating the payment of kickbacks to his clients via Capital Management Guarantee, and facilitating the submission of false loan applications to FDIC-insured financial institutions, or their subsidiaries. In this manner, Bolger, Blankenship, and other co-conspirators failed to disclose material facts to the buyers’ mortgage lenders about the financing of the condominium sales.
Bolger previously pleaded guilty his role in the conspiracy. His sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2015.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
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.
Texas Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Manufacturing Counterfeit Federal Reserve NotesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that John Thomas Humphreys (46, Texas) has pleaded guilty to manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes, false representation of a Social Security number, and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison for the counterfeit note and false representation charges, to be followed by a consecutive mandatory minimum of 2 years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft charge.
According to the plea agreement, on February 2, 2015, the Green Cove Springs Police Department received information that two individuals, later identified as Humphreys and Joe Eugene Loving, were manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes in their hotel room at the Astoria Hotel in Clay County. The two men had active arrest warrants for parole violations in Texas and were subsequently arrested at the hotel by deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies found a counterfeit $100.00 note on Loving after his arrest.
During an interview with law enforcement, Humphreys and Loving stated, among other things, that they were involved in a drug deal in Texas in December 2014 and had been on the run ever since. They estimated printing and passing at least $10,000.00 in counterfeit currency. In addition, they printed counterfeit checks using the identities of others.
During a subsequent search of the hotel room, agents located a box of personal identification information and financial documents belonging to other individuals, a printer/scanner/copier with counterfeit checks lying on top of it, counterfeit currency, and various computer media which had been used to manufacture the counterfeit currency.
A third individual, Paul Corbin Pennington, Jr., was also charged in this case for passing counterfeit currency. Pennington, a maintenance worker at the Astoria Hotel, loaned Loving and Humphreys his computer to watch movies. Loving and Humphreys used the computer to print counterfeit checks. Pennington confessed to law enforcement officers that he had passed counterfeit currency in Clay County.
On July 9, 2015, Pennington pleaded guilty to one count of passing counterfeit currency. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 13, 2015. Loving’s case is set for trial in September 2015.
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 the Green Cove Springs Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Twenty Years for Trading Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Richard Donald Ragsdale (57, Tampa) to 20 years in federal prison for transportation and receipt of child pornography. He pleaded guilty on December 18, 2014.
According to the complaint, on May 5, 2014, an undercover agent downloaded child pornography from an Internet Protocol (IP) address that was connected to Ragsdale’s residence. Further investigation revealed online chats by Ragsdale, in which he admitted to having prior sexual contact with children and discussed the sexual abuse of children. On June 24, 2014, a federal search warrant was executed at Ragsdale’s Tampa residence. Agents found hundreds of videos and images depicting child pornography on Ragsdale’s laptop.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jacksonville Man Arrested and Charged with Receiving Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Jason Dean Barnes (39, Jacksonville) has been arrested and charged by a federal criminal complaint with receiving child pornography over the Internet. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. His detention hearing is scheduled for August 3, 2015.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 29, 2015, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Barnes’s residence in Jacksonville. During an interview, Barnes admitted to searching for, downloading, and viewing child pornography, and that he has struggled with this addiction for a number of years. A forensic examination of Barnes’s laptop revealed images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct that had been downloaded earlier that day.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Nassau County Nurse Arrested and Charged with Receiving Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Ronald Eugene Mabrey, Jr. (34, Callahan) has been arrested and charged by a federal criminal complaint with receiving child pornography over the Internet. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. A detention hearing is scheduled for July 30, 2015.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 28, 2015, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Mabrey’s residence in Callahan. During an interview, Mabrey admitted to searching for, downloading, and viewing child pornography. He estimated that his computer would contain “a couple thousand” images and “approximately 500 videos” depicting child pornography. A forensic examination of Mabrey’s laptop revealed images depicting the sexual abuse of a prepubescent child that had been recently downloaded.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Texas Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Alvaro De La Torre-Valdez (42, Dayton, TX) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty on April 3, 2015.
According to court documents, Torre-Valdez was a member of a drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting methamphetamine from Texas to Central Florida. In October 2014, he arranged to hide three kilograms of crystal methamphetamine in the spare tire of a car and transport it from his home in Texas to Florida. A trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol stopped the car near Ocala. During the traffic stop, a trained drug detection dog alerted on the car and approximately three kilograms of crystal methamphetamine were recovered from inside the spare tire of the car.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bruce S. Ambrose.
New Port Richey Man Convicted of Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Mark Joseph Unrein (62, New Port Richey) guilty of possessing child pornography and using a cell phone and computer to attempt to induce a person he believed was a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for October 23, 2015.
Unrein was originally indicted on June 26, 2014. On January 14, 2015, a superseding indictment was returned that added the possession of child pornography count.
According to evidence presented at trial, the investigation of Unrein began during a Citrus County Sheriff’s Office child exploitation operation seeking to identify individuals who posed a risk to children in the community. On May 8, 2014, an undercover officer posted a personal ad online posing as a mother who would allow her “12-year-old daughter” to have a sex with a stranger. Unrein responded to the ad on the same day, and began communicating with the undercover officer. Through emails and phone calls, Unrein made arrangements to meet to have sex with the “child.” The next day, Unrein drove to Inverness, where he believed the “mother” and “child” resided. He was subsequently arrested.
After the arrest, agents conducted a search of Unrein’s residence and seized the computer that he had used to communicate with the undercover officer. A forensic examination of the computer revealed numerous images of young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being 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.
Local Man Sentenced to Prison for Credit Card Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Dariel Sardinas Lopez (22, Tampa) to four years in federal prison for credit card fraud and identity theft. He pleaded guilty on April 22, 2015.
According to court documents, Sardinas Lopez produced and trafficked in counterfeit credit cards. These fraudulent credit cards were encoded with the numbers and information of victims whose cards had been “skimmed” at local gas stations. The victims were often unaware their information had been stolen. Sardinas Lopez sold these counterfeit credit cards and also used them to purchase merchandise for himself.
This case was investigated by the Financial Crimes Task Force, which includes the United States Secret Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley C. Howard-Allen.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to Prison for Methylone Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John E. Steele has sentenced Titus Lamar Bellot (28, Fort Myers) to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute the controlled substance methylone. He was convicted by a federal jury on February 13, 2015.
According to the testimony presented during the three-day trial, on April 21, 2014, United States Customs and Border Protection officials at an international mail facility in New York encountered an International Express Mail parcel from the People’s Republic of China. After searching the parcel, they determined that it contained methylone. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations agents made a controlled delivery of the package to an address in Lehigh Acres. Deena Williams, who was convicted after a jury trial on February 5, 2015, accepted the package. Agents then entered the house and discovered that Williams had opened the package and removed the drugs. Bellot came to the house a short time later to pick up the drugs. Further investigation revealed that the package belonged to him.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.
Jacksonville Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearms by A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Daniel Todd Manning (43, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possessing several firearms after having been convicted of felony child sex offenses in the State of Kansas. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Manning has been in custody since his arrest on April 30, 2014, in Jacksonville. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on July 26, 2013, Manning was adjudicated guilty, in Kansas, on multiple counts of indecent liberties with a child. Prior to his sentencing, he fled the state and traveled to Jacksonville, where he established a residence. Because Manning was a convicted felony sex offender and had fled from supervision, Kansas authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. Law enforcement in Jacksonville, including the United States Marshals Service, discovered the location of Manning’s Jacksonville residence and, on April 30, 2014, entered the location to search for him. During the search, they observed several rifles in a glass-front gun case in Manning’s bedroom, as well as a pistol located inside the nightstand next to Manning’s bed. Manning had concealed himself in the attic of the residence. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office SWAT team seized the firearms, including five rifles, two shotguns, and a pistol. Hours later, Manning surrendered. He later stated that he had brought all of the guns with him when he fled from Kansas to avoid sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
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, is 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.
It was also 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. 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.
Clermont Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years for Transporting Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Anne C. Conway yesterday sentenced Aaron Michael Murray (23, Clermont) to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for transporting child pornography over the Internet. He was also ordered to serve a 20-year term of supervision, and to register as a sex offender following his release from prison. Murray pleaded guilty on May 15, 2015.
According to court documents, police officers in Texas executed a search warrant at a residence and discovered child pornography on a computer used by a minor child. Further investigation revealed that the child had received images of child pornography from an individual using a computer located at a residence in Clermont, Florida. The individual, subsequently identified as Murray, had portrayed himself to be a minor child during online conversations with the Texas minor.
A search warrant was executed at Murray’s residence, where his laptop computer and iPod Touch device were seized and analyzed by the FBI. The email account Murray had used to send out the child pornography was located on the iPod. Online chat messages that Murray had sent using the fake persona of a minor child were also recovered, along with at least 250 images and videos depicting child pornography that Murray had obtained using the Internet. Murray’s laptop computer contained at least 73 images and videos depicting child pornography, many of which Murray had organized and sorted into folders. Evidence obtained from his email account showed that Murray had sent at least 246 images of child pornography to other users over the Internet, including many that depicted prepubescent boys engaged in sexual intercourse.
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Ocala and Jacksonville, the Dallas (Texas) Police Department, and the Carrollton (Texas) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Quincy Man Convicted of Committing Two Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Kenneth Lamar Ellington (46, Quincy) guilty of two counts of bank robbery. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. Sentencing has been set for October 19, 2015, before United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard.
Ellington was charged by indictment on September 17, 2014.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on the morning of April 9, 2014, Ellington robbed a branch of TD Bank in Live Oak, Florida. Disguised with a fake beard and cap, he presented a teller with a note demanding money. When the teller failed to act fast enough, Ellington instructed her to hurry and gestured toward his waistband as if he were reaching for a firearm. The teller gave Ellington $935 that included a dye pack. Ellington then left the bank with the cash and dye pack grasped in a softcover book. Several bank employees witnessed the robbery, including one who identified Ellington at trial. As Ellington walked away from the TD Bank branch, the dye pack ignited, causing him to drop the money, demand note, and book. A Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) fingerprint analyst later located Ellington’s fingerprint on the recovered items.
Approximately three hours after the first robbery, Ellington entered the First Federal Bank of Florida, also in Live Oak, wearing the same disguise. He again presented a demand note to a teller, and stated “Hurry up and no one will get hurt.” Ellington escaped from the second bank with $4,105.
Bank security camera footage showed Ellington exiting the bank and walking toward a nearby business. Soon after, a witness in that business’s parking lot found a garbage bag containing Ellington’s disguise and the shirt that he had worn during both robberies. After this evidence was recovered, FDLE analysts located Ellington’s fingerprint on the garbage bag and his DNA on the disguise and shirt. In addition, a witness recalled seeing a black Dodge Charger parked at the location where the disguise for Ellington’s second robbery was recovered. When Ellington was arrested, on April 14, 2015, he was driving a black Dodge Charger.
This case was investigated by the Live Oak Police Department, the Suwanee County Sherriff’s Office, the Perry Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dale R. Campion and Michael J. Coolican.
Physician and Office Manager Indicted on Alien Smuggling and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Dr. Fred Joseph Turner (57, Sarasota) and Rosetta Valerie Cannata (58, Osprey) with conspiracy to unlawfully bring an alien into the United States, conspiracy to distribute and dispense hydromorphone and OxyContin not in the usual course of professional practice, and distributing and dispensing hydromorphone and OxyContin not in the usual course of professional practice. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the alien charge and up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the other charges. The indictment also notifies Turner that the United States intends to forfeit his license to practice medicine.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Largo Police Department, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Florida Department of Health. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Nassau County Man Sentenced to Five Years on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Shavon Tavin Anderson (22, Nassau County) to five years in federal prison for distributing cocaine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on April 15, 2015.
According to court documents, on February 6, 2015, Anderson met with an undercover (UC) Nassau County Sheriff’s Office detective. The UC was part of a DEA Drug Task Force operation. During the meeting, Anderson sold the UC cocaine and marijuana. During a follow-up meeting the next week, Anderson again sold cocaine to the UC.
On March 5, 2015, Anderson met with the UC for a prearranged drug sale. Anderson was supposed to provide the UC with half a kilogram of powder cocaine in exchange for $24,000. At the meeting, Anderson provided the UC with a smaller amount of powder than was previously discussed, but the UC agreed to purchase it anyway. The powder was later determined to be fake cocaine. When agents moved to arrest Anderson, he exited the UC’s vehicle and began running. As he fled, agents observed that Anderson had his hand on a firearm (Hi-Point pistol) that was tucked in his waistband. Anderson was apprehended and the loaded firearm was recovered. At the time of his arrest, Anderson had multiple prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and the DEA Drug Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to Seven YearsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Asahn Brightman (24, Jacksonville) to seven years in federal prison for distribution of cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He pleaded guilty on April 21, 2015.
According to court documents, Brightman sold cocaine to an undercover Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detective on three occasions between July 20, 2014, and September 10, 2014. During Brightman’s arrest on the latter date, a firearm was recovered from the center console of his car. Because of his prior felony convictions for robbery and aggravated assault, Brightman was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney 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, is 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.
Two Convicted by Federal Jury of over $6 Million in FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Brian Newton (57, Port Orange) and Victoria Snow (55, Clearwater) guilty of 1 count of conspiracy, 13 counts of mail fraud, and 11 counts of wire fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. Sentencing has been set for October 9, 2015.
Newton and Snow were charged by indictment on April 2, 2014.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Newton and Snow worked on behalf of Dataforce International, Inc. Beginning in 2003, Dataforce had a contract to “factor” its invoices at Amerifactors Financial Group. “Factoring” is a financial transaction in which a business sells its accounts receivables, such as invoices, to a third party (called a factor) at a discount. Accounts receivable are created when a business performs services or sells goods to a client. The factor provides financing to the seller of the invoice in the form of an advance. Once an invoice has been factored by a business, the business will typically arrange to have the client pay the third party factor directly.
In 2003, Newton and a business partner established a factor by the name of Prestige Funding. To fund its factoring, Prestige Funding solicited investors. In total, the company raised over $8 million from over 50 investors to be used to factor invoices.
As part of their scheme, Newton and Snow submitted a series of invoices for factoring to Amerifactors that were inflated and that did not reflect work that had been performed by Dataforce. In addition, the two engaged in “double factoring,” which involved submitting the same Dataforce invoices for factoring to both Amerifactors and Prestige Funding. By executing this scheme, Newton and Snow were able to defraud Amerifactors, Prestige Funding, and the investors of Prestige Funding out of over $6 million. Of that amount, Newton diverted over $3 million into his personal bank account.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Tampa Man Indicted for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Andre Eugene Favreau (30, Temple Terrace) with receipt of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Favreau downloaded child pornography onto his desktop computer between December 3, 2014, and May 14, 2015.
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 Jennifer L. Peresie.
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.
Serial Robber of Adult Entertainment Stores Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Dwayne Fitzgerald Jackson, Jr. (23, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to seven counts of commercial robbery and one count of carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between June 4, 2014, and continuing until July 30, 2014, Jackson robbed seven commercial businesses, including Xtreme Adult Book and Video Store, Adult World Supercenter Store, and X-mart Adult Supercenter. He was arrested on July 30, 2015, after robbing Xtreme Adult Book and Video Store for the second time. During each robbery, Jackson brandished a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
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. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline strategy to reduce violence in our communities.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John E. Steele has sentenced Kevin Charles Kaszynski to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty on January 27, 2015.
According to court documents, from at least April 2009, through on or about July 8, 2013, Kaszynski knowingly possessed child pornography. On September 5, 2013, agents obtained a search warrant for his external hard drive and a subsequent forensic analysis of the drive revealed over 7,000 images and over 400 videos of child pornography. The images were sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where it was determined that this external hard drive contained many images of real children, and that the images had been produced throughout the United States and other countries.
Furthermore, on January 27, 2014, agents obtained a search warrant for Kaszynski’s E-Machine computer. A subsequent forensic examination of that computer revealed approximately 300 images and 15 videos depicting child pornography.
“HSI will continue investigating child exploitation cases in all its forms,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “Our special agents will continue to identify, apprehend and prosecute those who think they can abuse our children and get away with it.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
Former Telemarketing Manager Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Tammie Lynn Cline (33, Leominster, MA) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud for her role in the operation of a boiler room. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for October 9, 2015.
Cline and Mark Gardner (28, Osteen, Florida) were indicted on January 28, 2015.
According to court documents, Gardner and Cline operated a boiler room in Central Florida. Along with the telemarketers who worked at their call center, they would make unsolicited calls to owners of timeshare properties located throughout the United States. During those calls, they claimed that they worked for Universal Timeshare Sales Associates (UTSA) out of Beaverton, Oregon, that UTSA had a purchaser who was interested in buying a timeshare, and that the timeshare owner just needed to pay a fee between $1,600 and $2,200 for the sale to proceed.
In order to convince timeshare owners to pay the fee, Gardner, Cline, and their telemarketers would sometimes claim that an interested purchaser was present in the showroom ready to buy a timeshare, that a buyer had already deposited money into an escrow account for the sale, or that the sale would take place in about 90 days. Those representations were false. The timeshares were not sold as had been promised, and members of the conspiracy would deny or ignore requests for refunds, and would dispute chargebacks with the credit card companies.
In total, victims lost approximately $1.6 million due to the operation of the telemarketing call center.
In May 2013, the Federal Trade Commission and the Florida Attorney General’s Office filed a civil action against Gardner, Cline, and others in federal court. In June 2014, the district court entered a permanent injunction against them related to certain telemarketing practices.
Gardner is set for trial in September 2015. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Trafficker of Counterfeit MAC Cosmetics Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Tina Oleszczuk (45, New Port Richey) to 18 months in federal prison for trafficking in counterfeit cosmetics. As part of her sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $944,839.75, the proceeds of her criminal conduct. She pleaded guilty on September 25, 2014.
According to court documents, from March 2012 to March 2014, Oleszczuk, through her company Cozmetic Delights, LLC, sold more than $1 million worth of counterfeit Make-up Art Cosmetics, Inc. (“MAC”) cosmetics. Operating out of her residence in New Port Richey, Oleszczuk purchased and had bulk quantities of counterfeit MAC cosmetics delivered from a source in China. Oleszczuk then sold the counterfeit cosmetics as legitimate goods at significantly higher prices. She sold them to purchasers across the country via a website for Cozmetic Delights, via E-Bay, and directly to certain wholesale customers.
"Counterfeiting undermines the U.S. economy, robs Americans of jobs, stifles American innovation, and promotes other types of crime,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “The only ones who benefit from schemes like this are the counterfeiters themselves, and they are benefiting at America's expense."
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Jackson and Mark Bini.
Colombian Man Sentenced for False Claims of U.S. Citizenship and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Jaime Tovar-Montoya to three years and three months in federal prison for falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and aggravated identity theft. A federal jury found him guilty of the charges on April 22, 2015.
According to court documents, in 2010, Tovar, a citizen of Colombia, applied for and received a Florida Identification Card. In his application, he claimed that he was a U.S. citizen and used the name and birth certificate of a resident of Puerto Rico. Later that year, Tover used the identification card as proof of identity to apply for a U.S. passport. He again claimed to be a U.S. citizen and used the same name, birth date, and Social Security of the resident of Puerto Rico.
Under federal law, a person who uses a means of identification of another person without lawful authority in order to commit another felony offense is guilty of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two year sentence in addition to any other sentence received.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bruce S. Ambrose.
$1 Million in Heroin SeizedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Jose Angel Cerillo (41, Brownsville, Texas) and Maria Zacharias (59, Chalmette, Louisiana) with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. If convicted, they each face a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Cerillo and Zacharias agreed to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. At the time of their arrests, they were in possession of approximately 2.5 kilograms of the drug, which had an estimated street value of one million dollars.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Perry.
Riverview Woman Sentenced to Three Years for Stolen Identity Refund Fraud and Making False Statements to HUDRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Ronika Paris to three years in federal prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity fraud, and making false and fraudulent statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Court also entered a money judgment against her in the amount of $17,979, the proceeds of the fraudulent tax refunds, and ordered her to pay $70,873 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Paris pleaded guilty on April 14, 2015.
According to court documents, Paris obtained and used the stolen personal identifying information of more than 60 individuals to file false tax returns and open pre-paid debit cards. From May 2013 through September 2013, Paris filed false tax returns claiming approximately $446,554 in refunds. Many of the victims were elderly and lived out of state. In February 2013, Paris made false and fraudulent statements to HUD and the Tampa Housing Authority on her subsidized housing disclosure forms.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Tampa Housing Authority. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Kistler and former Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Mueller.
Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than Nine Years for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Joseph Michael Price (30, Orlando) to nine years and nine months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the robbery of a retail store, and aiding and abetting the use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to that robbery. He was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervision following his prison sentence.
Price pleaded guilty on March 13, 2015.
According to court documents, on the morning of January 30, 2014, Price and co-conspirator Darin Leon Givens robbed the CVS store located at 7655 West Colonial Drive in Orlando, Florida. Price and Givens approached the store wearing masks, where Givens accosted a CVS employee outside the store, grabbed her shoulder, and told her to come with him. The CVS employee took Givens to the store’s office where Price was waiting, banging on the office door, trying to get inside. Once another CVS employee opened the office door, Price and Givens rushed inside and ordered the employees to fill a bag with money. The robbers then fled with approximately $4,000.
Price and Givens also robbed the same CVS store on January 20, 2014, stealing approximately $2,400.
On August 18, 2014, U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. sentenced Givens to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release, for his participation in an unrelated commercial armed robbery.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Brandon Maurice Long (24, Orlando) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for the robbery of a convenience store, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to that robbery. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the firearms and ammunition involved in the robbery. Long pleaded guilty on April 28, 2015.
According to court documents, on the night of December 28, 2014, Long and co-defendant Dontreaun Tremayne Alexander robbed the Circle K located at 7530 Forest City Road in Orlando, Florida. Long and Alexander entered the store with their faces covered and demanded that the store cashier open the safe. Both men were carrying guns. When the cashier was unable to open the safe, Alexander threatened to shoot her. The robbery was recorded by store video and audio surveillance. Long was apprehended at the scene and Alexander fled.
The case against Alexander is currently pending.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vincent S. Chiu and Kara M. Wick.
Kissimmee Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing in Firearms Without A LicenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Colin Knight (54, Kissimmee) yesterday pleaded guilty to dealing in firearms without a license. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Knight has also agreed to forfeit 32 firearms that he possessed or acquired during the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to the plea agreement, between June 23, 2013, and August 22, 2014, Knight and his adult son, Colin Campbell Joseph Knight, collectively sold 113 firearms and made approximately $63,137 from these firearms sales. During this period, neither Knight nor his son had a Federal Firearms License (FFL) authorizing them to lawfully engage in the business of dealing in firearms. In April of 2014, law enforcement agents visited the Knights at their home in Kissimmee and informed them that their firearms activity appeared to be in violation of federal law. The Knights also signed written notices advising them to cease and desist in the business of dealing in firearms until they obtained the appropriate FFL. Despite these warnings, the Knights continued selling firearms without a license to others, including to an individual that had previously been convicted of a felony.
On August 22, 2014, in a parking lot in Orlando, an undercover agent purchased three firearms from Knight. On this same date, other agents executed a federal search warrant at Knight’s Kissimmee residence and recovered 26 different firearms, along with records and bills of sale confirming that the Knights were engaging in the ongoing sale of firearms without licenses. Knight also admitted to agents that he and his son had acted as partners by purchasing firearms and selling them.
On June 24, 2015, Knight’s son was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with dealing in firearms without a license and selling a firearm to a convicted felon. He was arraigned in federal court on June 25, 2015. 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
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. It is another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.
Couple Indicted for Sinkhole FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Glenn (64) and Kathryn (63) Jasen, both of Spring Hill, with wire fraud, a federal felony. If convicted, they each face a maximum of 20 years in prison.
According to the indictment, the Jasens owned a home in Spring Hill, Florida. They detected a sinkhole on the property and made a sinkhole claim to their insurer, Citizens Insurance. Instead of repairing the sinkhole with the funds received from the insurer, the Jasens accepted the insurer’s check and deposited it into a bank account. Thereafter, the Jasens put the home up for sale. In the real estate disclosures given to the purchaser of the house, the Jasens lied about the existence of the sinkhole, and the fact that they had previously made a sinkhole claim on the property.
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.
“The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is committed to investigating financial crimes that personally impact the citizens of the State of Florida. We will continue to work with the prosecutorial team to bring these criminals to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Rick Ramirez, Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center.
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.
Former Corrections Officer Indicted for Accepting Bribes to Smuggle ContrabandRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, announces the return of an indictment charging Robert Lawrence Brown (32, Clermont) with acceptance of a bribe by a public official. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Brown that the United States intends to forfeit $7,100, which is alleged to be traceable as proceeds of the offense.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2015, Brown allegedly used his position as a corrections officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex to smuggle contraband to inmates in exchange for illegal monetary payments. On June 18, 2015, federal agents monitored a meeting between Brown and a cooperating witness. During the meeting, Brown accepted a $2,600 bribe for illegal items that he already had smuggled into the prison. When confronted by investigators, Brown admitted that he had illegally negotiated $7,100 in cash payments in return for smuggling cellular telephones, prescription pills, tobacco, and other items to federal inmates over the previous six months.
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 Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.