Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Lake County Woman Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements and Smuggling Drugs into Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Michelle Nicole Marie Brannon (36, Lake County) has pleaded guilty to one count of making a materially false statement or representation to a federal agency and one count of providing contraband to a federal prisoner. She faces a maximum of five years in federal prison on each of the offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court records, on April 27, 2025, Brannon visited her brother, an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. As Brannon was being screened before the visitation, she made a materially false representation to a correctional officer that she did not have any narcotics in her possession. Subsequently, she was caught providing her brother with buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance. Federal inmates are prohibited from possessing controlled substances in the prison facility.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Former St. Augustine Eighth Grade Teacher Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice and Use A 14-Year-Old Child to Produce A Sexual Abuse VideoRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Matthew Christopher Yates (30, Hastings) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a 14-year-old child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a video of her own sexual abuse. Yates faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is set for December 18, 2025. At the time of his arrest on March 11, 2022, Yates was employed as an eighth-grade teacher at Veritas Classical School in St. Augustine.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2022, an undercover FBI agent in Jacksonville, who was posing online as a 14-year-old child, responded to an online notice posted by the user “English teacher,” who was subsequently identified as Yates, on an online social media application (app). During this online text conversation, the “child” advised that “she” was 14 years old and in eighth grade, and Yates stated that he was a teacher, asking the “child,” “[e]ver fantasize about a teacher?” Yates and the “child” exchanged photos, and Yates stated, “I bet you look hot in a bikini.”
Between February 22 and March 11, 2022, Yates and the “child” exchanged more text messages, and Yates sent the “child” several photos, including an explicit photo of himself. On March 8, 2022, Yates asked the “child” to meet in person, and he detailed the specific sexual acts that he intended to perform on the “child.”
On March 10, 2022, Yates and the “child” confirmed plans to meet and Yates asked the “child” if “she” wanted to video-record their planned sexual activity so that the “child” “could remember it even better.” Yates told the “child” that he could use his cellphone to record their sexual activity and that he would delete the video later so that no one would see it.
On March 11, 2022, Yates drove to a prearranged location in Jacksonville to meet the “child” for sex and was arrested by FBI agents. A search incident to his arrest revealed that Yates brought several condoms and a cellphone with him. Yates later admitted that he was going to meet a 14-year-old girl that he had met online and that he intended to have sex with “her.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Air Force Major Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Steven Dennis Mack (40, Tampa) to five years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Mack was also ordered to pay $42,500 in restitution; $40,000 in fines; and will be required to register as a sex offender. Mack entered a guilty plea on March 6, 2025. An Air Force court martial is pending.
According to court documents, Mack, while in another state, sent an image of CSAM from his personal email address to an individual with an email address that geo-located to the Philippines. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Mack’s email address and found hundreds of emails exchanged with the Philippines user in which they discussed engaging in sexual activities with minors. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mack’s Tampa residence, where they seized a cellphone and laptop computer. A search of the laptop showed that Mack searched terms consistent with CSAM and accessed pornographic content. A search of the cellphone revealed that it contained 64 images of CSAM. Further investigation revealed that Mack had viewed most of those images in Tampa in June and December 2023.
This case was investigated by the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 340 at MacDill Air Force Base and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
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.
Three Federal Inmates Plead Guilty to Retaliating Against A Government Witness After Vicious AttackRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jose Carbajal (35, Palm Springs, CA), Edward Camacho (21, Winter Garden), and Jose Lugo (41, Kissimmee) have pleaded guilty to retaliating against a government witness and conspiracy to retaliate against a government witness. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to records and information presented in court, in November 2024, Carbajal was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for drug and money laundering conspiracies. For several years, Carbajal had shipped large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to his partner in a drug trafficking organization operating in the Middle District of Florida. During the course of that investigation, several cooperating sources came forward, including Witness 1.
On December 26, 2024, Carbajal was in the Seminole County Jail awaiting transport to begin serving his prison sentence for the drug and money laundering conspiracies. Witness 1 was accidentally placed in the same jail housing unit with Carbajal. Within a few minutes, Carbajal recruited two other federal inmates, Camacho and Lugo, to help him retaliate against Witness 1. While Witness 1 was sitting at a table with his back turned, Carbajal, Camacho, and Lugo snuck up from behind and attacked Witness 1. The three inmates knocked Witness 1 to the ground and punched, kicked, and stomped him repeatedly. Carbajal also used a jail telephone to beat him. Detention deputies were able to stop the attack after more than a minute and a half, just after Carbajal shattered a broomstick over Witness 1’s head and back. After the attack, Carbajal, Camacho, and Lugo all made incriminating jail calls indicating their motive and coordinated involvement in the attack. Camacho (4 years, 3 months) and Lugo (7 years, 8 months) are currently serving federal prison sentences for separate offenses.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $500,000 in COVID Relief FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Terrance Bradford (46, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to eight counts of wire fraud. Bradford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, Bradford devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting multiple false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. These programs were some of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Contrary to the certifications made on his loan applications, at the time Bradford was applying for the loans, he was excluded from receiving any federal contracts and one of his businesses had filed for bankruptcy. Had Bradford truthfully disclosed this information, he would have been precluded from receiving CARES Act funding.
As part of his sentence, Bradford also faces an order of forfeiture of $533,648.32, the proceeds of the criminal conduct to which he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Torrey Taylor (44, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and distribution of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Taylor faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, Taylor conspired with his co-defendant, Temeko Evans, to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Between February 11 and March 26, 2025, detectives from the Tampa Police Department conducted a series of controlled purchases from Evans and Taylor to include approximately two ounces of crack cocaine and two ounces of methamphetamine.
Evans’s case is currently pending trial in the October 2025 trial term.
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 and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Former Middle School Employee Sentenced to 14 Years for Attempted Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Terrell Myron Foy (33, Winter Park) to 14 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Foy to forfeit his cellphone, which was involved in the charged conduct. Foy pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025.
According to court documents, Foy was an employee at an Orlando middle school when he developed a romantic relationship with a 13-year-old student in December 2023. In January 2024, the Orlando Police Department (OPD) received a “Speak Out” complaint about Foy’s communications with the student and opened an investigation. During the investigation, OPD and the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained warrants for Foy’s home, cellphone, and multiple social media accounts that were used by Foy and the student. The investigation revealed hundreds of messages exchanged between Foy and the student where Foy was enticing the student to engage in sexual activity, as well as buying gifts and arranging meet ups with the student both on and off school grounds. Additionally, messages were located that showed Foy instructing the student not to speak with law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
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.
Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for Scheme to Prepare False Tax Returns for ClientsRead the Press Release
Three Florida men were sentenced this week for tax crimes related to a scheme to prepare false tax returns for clients. Jonathan Carrillo was sentenced to 121 months in prison, Franklin Carter Jr. was sentenced to 84 months in prison, and Diandre T. Mentor was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from 2016 to 2020, Carter and Carrillo owned and operated Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT), a return preparation business with a dozen offices throughout Florida. Mentor was employed there as a return preparer and from 2018 and 2019 he was the manager of the Orlando office. Carter, Carrillo, Mentor, and their co-conspirators fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricating deductions on their returns. They also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns.
In 2020, Mentor and his co-conspirators started their own tax return preparation business called Smart Tax & Finance. Like NAT, Mentor and his co-conspirators prepared false tax returns for clients which included fabricated deductions. Mentor and his co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients. In total, Mentor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,090,077.
In 2021, Carter, Carrillo, and their co-conspirators started a new return preparation business, Taxmates, which operated out of the same offices that NAT previously used. As with NAT, Carter, Carrillo, and others used Taxmates to prepare false tax returns for clients. Many of those returns included false deductions. Carter, Carrillo and their co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients. In total, they caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $12 million.
Several other co-conspirators have been sentenced for their roles in the scheme including Emmanuel Almonor and Adon Hemley, who were sentenced to 57 months in prison and 46 months in prison, respectively.
In addition to their prison sentences, U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Mentor to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $3,090,077 in restitution to the United States; Carter to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $12,543,946 in restitution to the United States; and Carrillo to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $12,170,066 in restitution to the United States.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for Scheme to Prepare False Tax Returns for ClientsRead the Press Release
Three Florida men were sentenced this week for tax crimes related to a scheme to prepare false tax returns for clients. Jonathan Carillo was sentenced to 121 months in prison, Franklin Carter Jr. was sentenced to 84 months in prison, and Diandre T. Mentor was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from 2016 to 2020, Carter and Carrillo owned and operated Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT), a return preparation business with a dozen offices throughout Florida. Mentor was employed there as a return preparer and from 2018 and 2019 he was the manager of the Orlando office. Carter, Carrillo, Mentor, and their co-conspirators fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricating deductions on their returns. They also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns.
In 2020, Mentor and his co-conspirators started their own tax return preparation business called Smart Tax & Finance. Like NAT, Mentor and his co-conspirators prepared false tax returns for clients which included fabricated deductions. Mentor and his co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients. In total, Mentor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,090,077.
In 2021, Carter, Carrillo, and their co-conspirators started a new return preparation business, Taxmates, which operated out of the same offices that NAT previously used. As with NAT, Carter, Carrillo, and others used Taxmates to prepare false tax returns for clients. Many of those returns included false deductions. Carter, Carrillo and their co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients. In total, they caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $12 million.
Several other co-conspirators have been sentenced for their roles in the scheme including Emmanuel Almonor and Adon Hemley, who were sentenced to 57 months in prison and 46 months in prison, respectively.
In addition to their prison sentences, U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Mentor to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $3,090,077 in restitution to the United States; Carter to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $12,543,946 in restitution to the United States; and Carrillo to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $12,170,066 in restitution to the United States.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Federal Correctional OfficersRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Davonta McCrorey (25, Baltimore) to two years in federal prison for assaulting correctional officers. This sentence was imposed consecutively to an eight-year prison term that McCrorey was already serving for another offense. McCrorey pleaded guilty on April 15, 2025.
According to court records, in March 2024, McCrorey was an inmate in the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. On March 16, 2024, McCrorey aggressively charged out of his prison cell and struck two federal correctional officers in the face multiple times, causing injuries. McCrorey then resisted other correctional officers who attempted to restrain him by verbally threatening them with violence and biting one of them on the hand.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Byron has sentenced Jose David Figueroa Pacheco (33, Davenport) to six years in federal prison for trafficking over 40 grams of fentanyl. Figueroa Pacheco was found guilty by a jury on June 11, 2025. His codefendant, Alberto Ismael Salinas Valencia, pleaded guilty on January 23, 2025, and was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between August 2023 and August 2024, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint investigation to identify firearms and narcotics traffickers in the Orlando area. As part of that investigation, an undercover officer arranged to purchase a firearm and fentanyl pills from Salinas Valencia. Salinas Valencia arrived with the firearm at the buy location as a passenger in Figueroa Pacheco’s truck. Figueroa Pacheco then made phone calls to coordinate the delivery of the fentanyl pills, inspected the pills, and facilitated the transaction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Varadan and Risha Asokan.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute and Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Jose Pabon (45, Tampa) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit that offense. Pabon pleaded guilty in February 2025.
According to court documents, in July 2023, an undercover officer with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office began purchasing cocaine from Pabon’s co-defendant, Joseph White. The investigation revealed that Pabon and Daniel Vega Cabrera, another co-defendant, were White’s sources of supply. Law enforcement officers ordered cocaine from White and observed Pabon deliver the cocaine to White. In total, Pabon delivered over a kilogram of cocaine to White. Pabon was subject to an enhanced penalty in this case because he had two prior drug trafficking convictions.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
Palmetto Man on Federal Supervised Release for Distributing Fentanyl Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Traveous Anderson (39, Palmetto) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture. Anderson faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison due to his prior conviction. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, between April and May 2024, a DEA confidential source conducted multiple fentanyl transactions with Anderson, who conspired with others to distribute the fentanyl. During the course of the conspiracy, Anderson possessed with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of a fentanyl mixture. At the time of the offense, Anderson was serving a term of federal supervised release in connection with a prior conviction for distributing fentanyl.
Anderson’s co-defendant, Alexis Soto Escalante, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced on June 18, 2025, to 5 years and 10 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Lakeland Couple Arrested After Committing String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and filing of criminal complaints charging Andres Correa (39, Lakeland) and Cassandra Kerr (46, Lakeland) with Hobbs Act robbery. The complaint alleges that Correa committed a series of armed robberies in August 2025. Kerr aided and abetted Correa in committing the robberies on August 5 and August 7, 2025. If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each charge.
According to the complaints, on August 5, 2025, Correa and Kerr robbed a gas station in Tampa. Correa brandished a pistol and demanded money. Correa pressed the firearm into one of the victim’s stomachs until he received money from the business. Kerr acted as a lookout for Correa in her vehicle outside the store.
Two days later, Correa and Kerr robbed a food mart in Tampa. During the robbery, Correa entered the business, produced a pistol, and demanded money. Correa held one of the store clerks at gunpoint until receiving the money from the register. Kerr again acted a lookout for Correa during this robbery.
On August 19, 2025, Correa robbed a smoke shop in Seffner. After pulling a pistol from his chest area, Correa grabbed a customer and moved him back towards the counter. Correa pointed the firearm at the back of the victim’s head and neck as he demanded cash from the clerk. The clerk complied by handing Correa the cash register drawer.
On August 26,2025, FBI and ATF agents, along with detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, executed search warrants at two residences. In one of the residences, officers located clothing consistent with surveillance footage, a firearm consistent with the firearm used in the robberies, a stomach holster, and a ledger with a list of banks and smoke shops and directions on how to get to those businesses.
These arrests were the result of joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Jury Finds Guatemalan National Guilty of Using U.S. Citizen’s Information to Work Illegally in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury today found Sindi Yamileth Mejia Avila (22, Guatemala) guilty of aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number (SSN), and false claim of United States citizenship. Avila faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 4, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Avila used a U.S. citizen’s personal identifying information to apply for a construction job in the Middle District of Florida. Avila obtained a fake North Carolina driver license in the U.S. citizen’s real name and date of birth but displaying Avila’s photo. She also obtained a fake Social Security card listing the U.S. citizen’s real name and SSN. Avila submitted these fake documents with her I-9 work authorization form when she applied for the construction job. On the I-9 form Avila falsely claimed that the U.S. citizen’s name, date of birth, and status as a United States citizen was her own.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, and the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karyna Valdes and Lindsey Schmidt.
Husband and Wife Indicted in $1.1 Million Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Donna Johnson Waterman (51, Orlando) and Oliver Raymond Waterman (50, Orlando) with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies the Watermans that the United States intends to forfeit $1,142,595, the proceeds of conspiracy.
According to the indictment, Donna Waterman was an office manager at a law firm in the Middle District of Florida (“VC”). As part of her duties, Donna Waterman maintained the finances of VC. Between October 2020 and March 2024, Donna Waterman fraudulently accessed VC’s PayPal Account and diverted more than $1.1 million of VC funds to accounts belonging to herself and her husband, Oliver Waterman. The Watermans used the fraudulently obtained funds on lavish vacations, gambling, and retail expenditures.
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 and the Rockledge Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Kissimmee Police Officer for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Dariel Javier Quiles-Davila (27, Kissimmee) guilty of receiving child sexual abuse material. Quiles-Davila faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 16, 2025.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Quiles-Davila was an officer with the Kissimmee Police Department in October 2023. At that time, Quiles-Davila met a child victim while on duty. After learning the child victim’s contact information, Quiles-Davila began to communicate directly with the child victim with his personal cellphone and over social media. He also sent the child victim money and solicited and received sexually explicit photographs and videos of the child victim.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kissimmee Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oregon Man Charged with Coercing A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Aleksandr Golovchenko (49, Oregon) with three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted on all counts, Golovchenko faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to court documents, around February 2025, Golovchenko began a relationship with a 12-year-old girl after meeting her online. Between February and April 2025, Golovchenko persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the victim to engage in sexual activity over the social media application Snapchat. Golovchenko also employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct.
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 Courtney Derry.
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.
Members of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Operating Multi-Kilo Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Aaron Jarvis McGhee (39, Sumterville), Shikita Lashelle James (38, Jacksonville), Johnny Angelo Pack (50, Jacksonville), Natra Antonio Jones (33, Jacksonville), and Bobby Warren Harvey, Jr. (28, Jacksonville) have each pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. James, Pack, Jones, and Harvey also each pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, or both. Each faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The sentencing hearings for McGhee, James, Pack, and Harvey are set for December 11, 2025. Jones’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to the court documents, in 2022 and 2023, these individuals operated a drug trafficking organization that purchased fentanyl and methamphetamine from Mexican supply sources and transported the drugs through Houston, Texas, to Jacksonville, Florida, where they were sold. Already serving a federal prison term for a prior drug conspiracy conviction, McGhee used a contraband cellphone from prison to coordinate these drug transactions, which resulted in drug shipments across the southern U.S. border from Mexico into Texas. There, Pack secured these drug shipments and transported them back to Florida. Once in Jacksonville, Pack delivered the drug shipments to residences belonging to James, who stored and distributed the drugs to retail dealers in Duval and Clay Counties. Jones and Harvey served as runners for the organization in Jacksonville and were responsible for transporting drugs and drug proceeds.
Between April and May 2023, members of the organization routinely flew commercially between Jacksonville and Houston, staying one day at a time in Houston before taking return flights back to Jacksonville. On April 28, 2023, DEA agents observed James travel to the Jacksonville International Airport, where she dropped off Jones and Harvey, both of whom were scheduled to fly to Houston. Agents observed Jones and Harvey check in two bags each as luggage. Agents seized the four bags and secured search warrants for them. Agents recovered a total of $399,800 in cash from inside Jones’s two suitcases. In Harvey’s suitcases, agents recovered approximately five kilograms of fentanyl and an additional $373,980.
On May 16, 2023, DEA agents executed search warrants at two of James’s residences in Jacksonville. Inside one house, agents recovered approximately $824,909 in cash, approximately 6.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 4.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of heroin, and five loaded firearms. Inside the second house, agents recovered approximately $28,000 in cash, approximately 5.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, and four loaded firearms.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kirwinn Mike and Elisibeth Adams.
Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 50 Years for Producing Videos and Photos Depicting Sexual Abuse of A ChildRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Kevin John Merritt (63, Jacksonville) to 50 years in federal prison for coercing and using a minor child to produce videos and photos that depicted the child being sexually abused. Merritt was arrested on March 16, 2023, and has been in custody since that time. He pleaded guilty on November 7, 2024. Merritt is a registered child sex offender following his 2011 federal conviction for possessing videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
According to court documents, this investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a “CyberTipline Report” from the company that owns Facebook. This report advised that files depicting child sexual abuse materials had been sent through Facebook Messenger on September 14, 2022, by user “Jackie Frost” to another Facebook user in Jacksonville. This report was forwarded to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). Subsequent investigation by JSO identified Merritt as “Jackie Frost.” At the time, Merritt was serving a 30-year term of supervised release as part of his prior child sex conviction.
On March 16, 2023, JSO detectives and other personnel executed a search warrant at Merritt’s residence. Merritt was at the home and was arrested. Several electronic devices were seized, including a cellphone belonging to Merritt. Subsequent review of the cellphone revealed an email account that was linked to the “Jackie Frost” Facebook account as well as other items attributable to Merritt. The device also contained numerous photos and videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of an identified minor child that were produced by Merritt using his cellphone. Merritt’s hand is visible in two of the videos.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys D. Rodney Brown and Elisibeth Adams.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
California Man Sentenced for Distributing over 50 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Jacob Paul Arjona (32, Bakersfield, CA) to 17 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and distributing methamphetamine. Arjona pleaded guilty in December 2024.
According to court records, Arjona conspired with others to have more than 500 kilograms of methamphetamine brought to the Middle District of Florida. On October 11, 2023, officers observed Arjona deliver 50 pounds of methamphetamine to his co-defendant, Mario Espino, at a residence in Holiday, Florida. Deputies from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office stopped a rideshare vehicle in which Arjona was a passenger as it left the home in Holiday. During a search of the vehicle, deputies seized over $110,000 in drug proceeds.
Espino pleaded guilty on February 24, 2025. He was sentenced to 22 years and 6 months for his role in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Assisting in the Filing of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Survalarie Harris has pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. Harris faces a maximum sentence of three years. Her sentencing has been scheduled for December 10, 2025.
According to court documents, Harris worked as a tax return preparer in Jacksonville. While preparing tax returns for others, Harris knowingly reported false information including false claims of having a business to decrease the amount taxpayers would owe to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to increase the amount taxpayers would receive as tax refunds from the IRS. IRS agents determined that Harris falsified tax returns in a similar manner multiple times, specifically by creating fictitious business expenses. Despite a lack of documentation from taxpayers, Harris included these fictitious expenses on the tax returns, indicating a net loss for a non-existent business. This would lower the taxpayers Adjusted Gross Income, allowing the taxpayer to apply for an Earned Income Credit, which is a refundable tax credit based primarily on income and filing status.
On March 22, 2022, Harris prepared a 2021 tax return for an undercover IRS agent who posed as a customer. During the conversation, Harris told the undercover agent that the agent was going to owe money on her tax return. Harris asked the undercover agent if she did any work on the side, to which the undercover agent stated she sometimes braided hair. Harris told the undercover agent that she could help the undercover agent receive a refund for an additional fee. Moments later, Harris told the undercover agent that she was receiving a refund of $2,950, minus the additional fee. However, Harris did not ask for, and the undercover agent did not provide, any documentation or information associated with business losses or income. Despite the lack of documentation, Harris prepared the undercover agent’s tax return, which indicated a net loss for a non-existent business. Harris understood that the non-existent business net loss would lower the undercover agent’s Adjusted Gross Income to a point that the undercover agent would qualify for an Earned Income Credit.
Throughout the investigation, IRS agents learned that Harris had been preparing falsified tax returns on behalf of taxpayers since at least 2018. Agents estimated that Harris prepared more than 900 falsified tax returns between the 2020 tax year and the 2022 tax year. As part of her guilty plea, Harris has agreed that the tax loss to the United States is at least $1,824,279.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
Palm Coast Hacker Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Noah Michael Urban (20, Palm Coast), a/k/a “King Bob,” “Sosa,” “Elijah,” and “Gustavo Fring,” to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Urban to forfeit approximately $4.8 million in assets, which includes cryptocurrency and other property. Urban was also ordered to pay $13 million in restitution. Urban entered a guilty plea on April 4, 2025.
According to court documents, from August 2022 through March of 2023, Urban was involved in stealing cryptocurrency from at least 59 victims across the United States. Urban and others conducted targeted attacks called “SIM swaps,” to obtain victims’ personal identification information (PII). Once Urban obtained victims’ PII, he hacked into their cryptocurrency accounts online and stole their cryptocurrency.
During this same timeframe, Urban was also part of a group that targeted employees of companies nationwide with phishing text messages. The harvested employee credentials were then used to log in and steal non-public company data and information. The group also used stolen information obtained from victim company intrusions, leaked data sets, and other sources to gain unauthorized access to numerous individuals’ cryptocurrency accounts and wallets and steal millions of dollars of virtual currency.
The FBI served a search warrant on Urban’s residence and found evidence on Urban’s computer linking him to the victims’ email accounts and cryptocurrency wallets. In addition, cryptocurrency totaling approximately $4.8 million from the victims’ stolen accounts was found on Urban’s devices. The total loss to the victims was over $13 million.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro of the Middle District of Florida and Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Restrepo of the Central District of California.
Tierra Verde Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Andrew Newburg (41, Tierra Verde) to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Newburg will also be required to register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty on April 29, 2025.
According to court documents, Newburg distributed videos of CSAM over a social media application in February 2020 and October 2022. Newburg also possessed CSAM through a social media platform.
This case was investigated by Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Materials over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Alexander James Koby (40, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) over the internet. Koby faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 20, 2025. Koby has been in federal custody since September 2024, after he was transported from state custody, where he was serving a sentence for failing to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in 2014, Koby was convicted in federal court for possessing CSAM. After serving his federal sentence and being released in August 2019, Koby began serving a 25-year term of supervised release.
On December 7, 2022, a search of Koby’s residence revealed that he possessed a computer, a cellphone, and an external hard disk drive. These items were seized. During an interview, Koby admitted that he used a particular internet browser to search for photos and videos depicting children being sexually abused and that he masturbated when viewing these materials. When asked why he would continue to do this, Koby stated that he gets a high from “living dangerously.”
Forensic examination of the three seized devices revealed a total of 103 videos and 2,311 photos depicting young children being sexually abused. Koby had downloaded and received these materials using the internet from March through December 2022.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Government Employee and Government Contractor Enter Guilty Pleas to Stealing over $150,000 from MacDill Air Force Base’s Intramural ProgramRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Keith Pilawski (63, Lutz) and Edwin Ortiz (58, Brandon) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Pilawski and Ortiz each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. As part of their plea agreements, Pilawski has agreed to forfeit $67,183, and Ortiz has agreed to forfeit $163,300, the proceeds of criminal conduct. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreements, from 2009 until 2024, while Pilawski was employed as the intramural sports director for MacDill Air Force Base, he and Ortiz participated in a scheme to defraud MacDill’s intramural sports program. Instead of selecting the least expensive contractor, Pilawski steered all officiating duties to Ortiz’s company, and scheduled games around Ortiz’s schedule. Additionally, Pilawski authorized payments to Ortiz for services that were not covered under the contract and at times not even performed. Ortiz then kicked back a portion of the overpayments to Pilawski.
This case was investigated by Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.
St. Petersburg Man Indicted for Access with Intent to View Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Thomas Ford (61, St. Petersburg) with access with intent to view child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Ford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ford that the United States intends to forfeit two cellphones which are alleged to have been used in furtherance of the offense.
According to the indictment, between July 25, 2024, and March 19, 2025, Ford accessed a matter that contained a visual depiction of a child under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the intent to view the CSAM.
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 Muriel Moore.
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.
Davenport Man Indicted for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Mauricio Flores (36, Davenport) with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Flores faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Flores that the United States intends to forfeit a cellphone, which is alleged to have been used in furtherance of the offense.
According to court documents, Flores’s residence was the subject of a search warrant related to activity on a dark web site dedicated to CSAM. Investigators seized devices belonging to Flores and found files containing CSAM on a cellphone.
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 Muriel Moore.
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.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry by A Previously Deported AlienRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Rodrigo Trejo-Maldonado (30, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Trejo-Maldonado faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to court records, Trejo-Maldonado was deported from the United States on November 30, 2018. He was found to be voluntarily back in the United States on July 25, 2025. He never received consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
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 case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Watson.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Lee County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Passing Counterfeit Federal Reserve NotesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced James Randall Lacy (60, Fort Myers) to three years and one month in federal prison for passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. Lacy pleaded guilty on May 16, 2025.
According to court documents, on February 19, 2025, Lacy passed a counterfeit $50 Federal Reserve note to a cashier at a store in Sarasota County. He was captured by store surveillance footage at the check-out counter during the transaction.
On March 14, 2025, Lacy passed a counterfeit $100 Federal Reserve note to a cashier at a supermarket in Fort Myers. Lacy was again captured by store surveillance footage during the transaction.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty for Role in an Off-the-Books Payroll SchemeRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today before Magistrate Judge Kyle C. Dudek for the Middle District of Florida to conspiring to defraud the United States by operating an off-the-books payroll scheme. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Alexis Garcia conspired with others to operate an illegal, off-the-books cash payroll system for construction workers to avoid paying employment taxes to the IRS and to defraud workers’ compensation insurance companies. Between 2017 and 2019, Garcia managed and directed the operations of Tape Drywall Services Inc., located in Naples, Florida. Contractors entered into agreements with Tape Drywall to provide workers for various construction contracts and provided checks in the name of Tape Drywall for payment. Garcia and his co-conspirator would cash the checks and retain a small percentage as a fee. Garcia and his co-conspirator provided cash to the foremen who used the cash to pay the workers. In total, Garcia and his co-conspirator cashed over 3,600 checks totaling approximately $28 million.
Garcia and his co-conspirator did not report the wages to the IRS and did not withhold Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from those wage and pay them over to the IRS, as required by law. As a result, Garcia caused a loss to the United States of more than $4.2 million.
In addition, Garcia and his co-conspirator defrauded workers’ compensation companies by substantially misrepresenting the amount of Tape Drywall’s payroll. The misrepresentations resulted in substantially lower insurance payments.
The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yolande G. Viacava for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty for Role in an Off-the-Books Payroll SchemeRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today before Magistrate Judge Kyle C. Dudek for the Middle District of Florida to conspiring to defraud the United States by operating an off-the-books payroll scheme. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Alexis Garcia conspired with others to operate an illegal, off-the-books cash payroll system for construction workers to avoid paying employment taxes to the IRS and to defraud workers’ compensation insurance companies. Between 2017 and 2019, Garcia managed and directed the operations of Tape Drywall Services Inc., located in Naples, Florida. Contractors entered into agreements with Tape Drywall to provide workers for various construction contracts and provided checks in the name of Tape Drywall for payment. Garcia and his co-conspirator would cash the checks and retain a small percentage as a fee. Garcia and his co-conspirator provided cash to the foremen who used the cash to pay the workers. In total, Garcia and his co-conspirator cashed over 3,600 checks totaling approximately $28 million.
Garcia and his co-conspirator did not report the wages to the IRS and did not withhold Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from those wage and pay them over to the IRS, as required by law. As a result, Garcia caused a loss to the United States of more than $4.2 million.
In addition, Garcia and his co-conspirator defrauded workers’ compensation companies by substantially misrepresenting the amount of Tape Drywall’s payroll. The misrepresentations resulted in substantially lower insurance payments.
The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yolande G. Viacava for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Tampa Woman Indicted for Automobile Insurance Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Katrenia Lynette Harris (54, Tampa) with five counts of wire fraud. Each count is punishable by a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment. The indictment also notifies Harris that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture for not less than $49,772.40, the presently known proceeds of her fraud scheme.
According to the indictment, Harris fraudulently held herself out to individuals within the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere as an authorized insurance agent for a major automobile insurance carrier. Harris would, upon receiving a request for insurance from a victim-customer, impersonate the victim in order to obtain insurance policy documents. Victim-customers would pay Harris through various means, including primarily through “Cash App”, a mobile-phone based person-to-person money transfer service.
Harris would then forward the fraudulently obtained insurance documents to the victim-customer, however, she purposely failed to remit the victim’s payments to the insurance company, resulting in these insurance policies being cancelled for non-payment. Harris then attempted to conceal the policy cancellation from her victim-customers, resulting in multiple victims operating motor vehicles in Florida and elsewhere without valid automobile insurance.
Victims identified by law enforcement will directly receive notice of their rights pursuant to the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. If you believe you are a victim and have not otherwise received notice, please visit the website listed below for more information on how to self-identify yourself to law enforcement.
Website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/katrenia_harris
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, along with the Florida Department of Financial Services – Bureau of Insurance Fraud. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Duso.
Jacksonville Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Jerry Alexander Cobb (37, Jacksonville) with using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Cobb faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. On August 12, 2025, Cobb was ordered detained pending trial in this case.
According to court documents, between July 18 and August 1, 2025, an FBI agent (“UC”) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation on an online social media application (“app”) to identify adults who were seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. During this same timeframe, UC and app user “Jerry” exchanged several private online messages on the app and text messages. After UC advised “Jerry” that “she” was 13 years old, “Jerry” texted, “[w]e can be friends” and repeatedly asked for the location of the “child’s” residence, whether the “child” could “sneak out at night,” and if “she” was a “virgin.”
On July 30, 2025, “Jerry” told the “child” that they should meet and texted, “[y]ou want to just get a hotel room?” “Jerry,” who was subsequently identified as Cobb, suggested that they engage in sexual activity in the hotel room and promised that he would bring and use a condom. On August 1, 2025, Cobb asked the “child” to send him an explicit photo of herself, and the two made plans to meet for sexual activity in Jacksonville later that day.
On the evening of August 1, 2025, Cobb traveled to the location where he intended to meet the purported 13-year-old “child” for sex. He was immediately arrested by FBI agents.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, 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 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Illegal Alien Charged with Unlawfully Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Olvin Javier Gutierrez Ponce (44, Bradenton) with unlawful possession of a firearm. If convicted, Gutierrez Ponce faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Gutierrez Ponce that the United States intends to forfeit a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Springfield 9mm pistol, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, in July 2025, Gutierrez Ponce, knowing he is an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States, unlawfully possessed a firearm.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and the Bradenton Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
DeLand Man Sentenced for Convenience Store RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Tyrese Littles (25, DeLand) to seven years and three months in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery. The court also ordered Littles to forfeit $10,000, which represented the proceeds of the robbery, and to pay the same amount in restitution to the victim. Littles pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 3, 2024, Littles orchestrated and served as the getaway driver for the robbery of a gas station convenience store in DeLand. During the robbery, one of the accomplices held what appeared to be a Glock firearm to the back of the store clerk’s head while demanding money. The robbers took $10,000 and ran out of the convenience store to a nearby parking lot, where Littles was waiting for them in his SUV.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the DeLand Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Joseph Anthony Santopietro (48, Orlando) to five years in federal prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Santopietro pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025.
According to court documents, Santopietro received CSAM depicting young children from an individual via an instant message app. A conversation between Santopietro and another adult male discussing Santopietro’s sexual interest in minors was also found on Santopietro’s phone.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin Aronson and Noah P. Dorman.
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.
OnlyFans Content Creator Charged with Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Kylie Leia Perez, a/k/a “Natalie Monroe,” with one count of filing a false tax return and four counts of failing to pay income tax. If convicted on all counts, Perez faces a maximum penalty of seven years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Perez was a content creator who operated under the stage name “Natalie Monroe” on OnlyFans, a subscription-based social media platform. OnlyFans allows creators to share various types of content with subscribers, such as photos, videos, and live streams. Creators, like Perez, can monetize their content through subscription fees, pay-per-view content, and tips from subscribers. From 2019 through 2023, Perez earned more than $5.4 million from OnlyFans. Despite this fact, she engaged in a scheme to evade the assessment of taxes by filing a false tax return for calendar year 2019 and failing to pay at least $1.6 million in taxes owed for calendar years 2020 through 2023.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Former Police Officer Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Gun Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Michael Adrian Nieto (31, St. Cloud) to three years in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license. Nieto pleaded guilty on February 13, 2025.
According to court documents, Nieto, a sworn law enforcement officer, repeatedly purchased and resold firearms. Among others, Nieto supplied firearms to Ernesto Vazquez, a key member of a criminal conspiracy that smuggled hundreds of firearms to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Haiti. In addition, to benefit the conspiracy, Nieto used police databases to provide sensitive and confidential information to Vazquez.
Between June 6, 2022, and September 4, 2024, Nieto purchased at least 58 firearms. Many of the firearms were identical and were purchased together or close in time to one another. On October 17, 2024, FBI and ATF agents executed a search warrant at Nieto’s residence, during which 12 firearms were still in Nieto’s possession.
On October 17, 2024, Nieto was interviewed by FBI and ATF agents. He admitted to repeatedly buying and reselling guns to individuals, including Vazquez, despite knowing that Vazquez was transferring these guns to third parties, in violation of federal law. Nieto also admitted that Vazquez had provided him with illegal items, including a machinegun conversion device.
Vazquez previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal Jury Convicts Man for Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Joshua Keith Davis (53, Jacksonville) guilty of five counts of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), five counts of distribution of CSAM, and one count of possession of CSAM. Davis faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for each production offense, a minimum of 5 years, up to 20 years’, imprisonment for each distribution offense, and up to 20 years in prison for the possession offense. His sentencing hearing is set for October 29, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, between 2011 and 2013, Davis produced CSAM depicting infants. He distributed the material to several individuals online. Davis was also found in possession of CSAM in 2022.
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 Noah P. Dorman and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Businessman Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Brian Davison to three years in federal prison for making false and fraudulent statements on tax returns. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $6,293,592, the amount of tax loss to the United States. Davison pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025.
According to court documents, Davison was the co-founder and former CEO of the Tampa-based real estate investment firm Equialt, LLC, which was placed into judicial receivership following a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission complaint in February 2020. Between October 2018 and December 2020, Davison caused multiple personal tax returns to be filed, which in total underreported his income from Equialt, LLC and other business entities by at least $29.7 million. This willful underreporting resulted in a tax loss to the United States of $6,293,592.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tampa. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Duso.
Fourteen-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Todd Wade Powers (38, Middleburg) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Powers pleaded guilty in April 2025.
According to court documents, on April 30, 2024, deputies with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a gas station regarding a complaint. While there, the deputies observed a car parked near a gas pump and recognized the license plate affixed to the car as one that had been reported stolen out of Jacksonville. The deputies saw an open backpack on the passenger seat of the car along with a firearm and a white powdery substance, later identified as cocaine, at the top of the open backpack. During a search of the car, the deputies found fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, as well as two loaded firearms.
During the course of their investigation, the deputies were able to tie Powers to the car, and Powers later admitted that the firearms and drugs were his. Powers was previously convicted of 14 felonies, including three counts of possession of controlled substances, two counts of felony petit theft, seven counts of sale or delivery of controlled substances, dealing in stolen property, and false verification of ownership on a pawnbroker transaction form. Therefore, Powers is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Belle Glade Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Kemmye Jimbryl Watson (29, Belle Glade) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Watson to forfeit the firearm possessed during the offense. Watson pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025.
According to court documents, on August 1, 2024, in Lehigh Acres, Watson sold a pistol to another individual for $500. At the time, Watson had multiple prior felony convictions including aggravated assault with a firearm, trespass while armed, and robbery by sudden snatching. As a convicted felon, Waston is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Ohio Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute More Than Five Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Virgil Cooper (42) and Angelo Jordan (49), both residents of Ohio, for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Cooper was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison and Jordan was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison. A federal jury found both guilty on May 1, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented during the four-day trial, Cooper contacted a former federal prison cellmate who had been deported to his native country of Colombia after serving his sentence, wanting to purchase multiple kilograms of cocaine directly from Colombia at a discount rate. The former cellmate introduced Cooper to a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source who helped arrange for a viewing of 10 kilograms of cocaine with undercover officers in Tampa in February 2023. Since Cooper was still serving his sentence from a prior felony in a halfway house, he sent his co-conspirator, Jordan, on his behalf. Jordan drove 17 hours from Ohio to Tampa to view the cocaine. An image from the video of that meeting is below:
Government Trial Exhibit 6
After repeated communications and Cooper’s release from the halfway house, Cooper and Jordan traveled from Cleveland to Tampa on August 3, 2023, to deliver a down payment of $120,000 in cash for an initial 30 kilograms of cocaine. They were subsequently arrested. An image from the video of that meeting is below:
Government Trial Exhibit 26
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney David Rehfuss and Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF
Lakeland Nurse Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Tampering with and Stealing Fentanyl at Five Hospitals in the Tampa Bay AreaRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Eric Brewer (30, Lakeland) to five years and three months in federal prison for tampering with a consumer product and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Brewer pleaded guilty on April 28, 2025.
According to court documents, Brewer was a Florida-licensed registered nurse who worked at various hospitals in the Tampa Bay area. Brewer tampered with fentanyl intended for patients by removing a portion of the controlled substance from its container, at times diluting it with another substance, and using the drug for his own personal use. By tampering with the fentanyl, Brewer acted with reckless disregard for the risk that patients would be in danger of death or bodily injury and under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to such risk.
On seven occasions between June 2 and September 12, 2023, Brewer repeatedly took needles, syringes, and saline flushes from the supply room, entered the treatment room of another nurse’s patient who was receiving intravenous fentanyl, and stole the patient’s fentanyl by redirecting it into a Styrofoam cup. At other times, Brewer stole fentanyl directly from a secure medication locker or started and stopped the patient’s intravenous (IV) pump of fentanyl to steal it. After stealing the drugs, Brewer injected them into himself in a restroom.
Brewer’s criminal conduct came to the attention of hospital administrators on September 12, 2023. Although he was not assigned to care for any patients receiving fentanyl, Brewer volunteered to change the fentanyl IV drip bag for another nurse. Brewer acquired a 100mL fentanyl IV bag and tubing from the secured medication locker and disbursed it to the patient. Shortly thereafter, Brewer entered a restroom. When he left the restroom, nurses observed Brewer stumbling, slurring his speech, and falling asleep. An inspection of the restroom revealed a bloody needle and paper towel, which Brewer had used to inject himself with fentanyl. A hospital employee reported Brewer to a manager who requested he take a drug test. Brewer refused and was fired. Subsequent lab testing of the fentanyl IV bag he had administered that morning revealed that fentanyl had been removed from the drip bag and diluted approximately 50% with saline.
This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
Jacksonville Man Arrested for Attempting to Entice A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Tony Leroy Bartley, Jr. (37, Jacksonville) with using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Bartley faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. On August 5, 2025, Bartley was arrested by FBI agents in Ponte Vedra Beach. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing set for August 11, 2025.
According to court documents, between June 17 and July 30, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation on an online social media application (“app”) to identify adults who were seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. On July 25, 26, and 29, 2025, the UC and app user “keven” exchanged several private online messages on the app and via text message. After the UC advised “keven” that “she” was only 13 years old, “keven” suggested that they engage in sexual activity. App user “keven,” who was subsequently identified as Bartley, asked the “child” about her sexual experience, described sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child,” and sent an explicit photo of himself to the “child.”
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Cloud Woman Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Jessica Corin Mangano (35, St. Cloud) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for distribution, receipt, and possession of child sex abuse material. Mangano pleaded guilty on February 27, 2025.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, Mangano distributed and received videos depicting the violent sexual abuse of infants, toddlers, and other young children. She also distributed images of two children to men that she knew and described her desire to rape these children or watch the men rape these children. A search of Mangano’s cellphone revealed that she had 81 images and 295 videos of child sexual abuse material saved to this device.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin-Aronson and Chauncey A. Bratt.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Russian National Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Submit over 100 Fraudulent Voter Registrations in Furtherance of Synthetic Identity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Dmitry Shushlebin (45, Russia) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit fraudulent voter registrations, wire fraud, false statements, and aggravated identity theft. Shushlebin faces a maximum penalty of 32 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court filings, Shushlebin, a citizen of Russia living in Miami Beach, hired Sanjar Jamilov (32, Uzbekistan) and others to submit more than 100 fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections in February and March 2023. These applications were submitted in the names of fake people, in envelopes with return and address labels that were identically formatted, including containing the same typographical error, and bore various indicia of fraud including, repeating dates of birth and addresses and nearly sequential Social Security numbers. The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections was able to detect the fraud and rejected the fraudulent applications.
One purpose of registering these fake voters was to create synthetic, or fake, identities that Shushlebin could use to commit financial fraud. Shushlebin used the fake identities to obtain fraudulent credit cards and loans, among other financial frauds. For example, on January 6, 2023, Shuhslebin used the identity of fictitious voter “Ariel Elston” to apply for a loan with a victim bank. In order to make Elston appear like a real client for a dental loan, Shushlebin hired a Russian actress to hold a photograph of a fake driver’s license in the name of Ariel Elston. The bank approved the loan application and issued a loan in the amount of $3,099 to a bank account controlled by Shushlebin. Shushlebin perpetrated this scheme against the victim bank hundreds of times using hundreds of different synthetic identities.
Jamilov previously pled guilty on July 25, 2025, and is pending deportation.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Lindsey N. Schmidt and Trial Attorney Leo Wise from the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section.
Florida Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Conspiring to Destroy Baltimore Region Power GridRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Senior U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Brandon Clint Russell, 30, of Orlando, Florida, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor, FBI Tampa Field Office.
“Russell allowed hatred to drive him and his co-conspirator to plot a dangerous scheme that could have harmed thousands of people,” Hayes said. “The sentence imposed today reflects the gravity of Russell’s egregious conduct and his ongoing threat to public safety. This conviction underscores our unwavering commitment to dismantling violent extremist threats and holding accountable anyone who dares to conspire to endanger the lives of others.”
“Swift and thorough coordination from our law enforcement partners through the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force disrupted this significant threat to Maryland,” DelBagno said. “I am proud of the dedicated FBI agents and analysts who worked this case from Maryland to Florida. This investigation shows the commitment and broad reach of the FBI to ensure those plotting harm are brought to justice.”
“This case illustrates the FBI’s vigilance in defending the homeland from radical violent extremists like Brandon Russell,” Fodor said. “Our strong partnerships, resources, and resilience exemplifies our commitment to disrupting hate-filled campaigns intended to harm our communities.”
Judge Bredar previously sentenced Russell’s co-conspirator, Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 37, of Catonsville, Maryland, to 18 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, in connection with her role in the scheme.
According to evidence presented at trial, from at least November 2022, until February 3, 2023, Russell conspired to carry out attacks against critical infrastructure, specifically transformers located within electrical substations. Russell’s plan was in furtherance of his racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist beliefs. Russell posted links to open-source maps of infrastructure, including the locations of electrical substations. He described how a small number of attacks on substations could cause a “cascading failure.” Additionally, Russell discussed maximizing the impact of the planned attack by attacking multiple substations at one time.
Russell recruited Clendaniel to carry out the attacks in Baltimore and elsewhere. They planned to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. The intended monetary loss associated with the planned attacks would have exceeded $75 million.
Clendaniel identified five substations to target, and Russell attempted to secure a weapon for her. She stated that if they attacked multiple substations in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city,” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” Clendaniel further added, “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.”
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore and FBI Tampa for their outstanding work in the investigation and praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Maryland State Police, Baltimore County Police Department and FBI Washington for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also acknowledged the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for their support. Additionally, U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Aubin and Joseph R. Baldwin who prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is a partner in the U.S. Department of Justice’s United Against Hate community outreach program. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to directly connect federal, state and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. To report a Maryland-based hate crime, contact the FBI Baltimore field office at (410) 265-8080 or tips.fbi.gov.
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Tampa Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Daniel Vega Cabrera (42, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit that offense. Vega Cabrera pleaded guilty in March 2025.
According to court documents, in July 2023, an undercover deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office began buying cocaine from Joseph White, a co-defendant of Vega Cabrera’s. Further investigation revealed that Vega Cabrera and Jose Pabon, another co-defendant, were White’s sources of supply. In total, Vega Cabrera provided more than 500 grams of cocaine to White for distribution between July 20, 2023, and May 14, 2024. Vega Cabrera is subject to an enhanced penalty in this case because he has a prior federal drug distribution conviction.
White and Pabon previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this case and are currently pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.