Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
DeLand Man Sentenced to 65 Years for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced David Jacob William Guite (31, DeLand) to 65 years in federal prison for producing and distributing child pornography. Guite pleaded guilty on February 20, 2015.
According to court documents, an FBI task force officer, acting in an undercover capacity, posted an advertisement on a website frequented by individuals who have a sexual interest in children and incest. Guite responded to the ad and, during the ensuing conversation, sent the agent sexually explicit images of a young boy.
On October 29, 2014, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Guite’s residence. During an interview, he admitted to manufacturing, possessing, and distributing sexually explicit images of minor children. A search and subsequent analyses of Guite’s smart phone and computer revealed hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos of young children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the DeLand Police Department, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Embry J. Kidd.
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 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.
United States Settles False Claims Act Allegations Against Multiple Jacksonville Hospitals and an Ambulance Company for $7.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that the United States has settled allegations that nine hospitals in Jacksonville had a practice of routinely ordering basic life support ambulances when this type of transport was not medically necessary. The United States has also settled allegations with an ambulance company for its role in submitting millions of dollars of false claims to federal healthcare programs. The allegations resolved included liability under the False Claims Act (FCA).
After a multiple-year investigation, the United States announces settlements with the following defendants: Baptist Health, who owns and operates four hospitals in Jacksonville (settlement of $2.89 million); Memorial Hospital, Specialty Hospital, Lake City Medical Center, and Orange Park Medical Center (collective settlement of $2.37 million); UF Health Jacksonville (settlement of $1 million); and Century Ambulance Service (settlement of $1.25 million). In reaching this settlement, the parties resolved allegations that, from January 1, 2009, until April 2014, the hospitals provided Certificates of Medical Necessity that attested to the need for basic life support, non-emergency ambulance transports even when these transports were not medically necessary. With respect to Century Ambulance, the parties resolved allegations, for the same time period, that Century Ambulance knowingly up-coded claims from Basic to Advanced life support, unnecessarily transported patients, and unnecessarily transported patients to their homes in an “emergent” fashion.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to taking the steps necessary to protect Medicare, TRICARE, and other federal health care programs from fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Bentley. “Whether the fraud is intentional or the product of deliberate ignorance, we will pursue these cases and recover taxpayer money.”
“Hospital staff that certify the medical need for services when they are in fact not medically necessary fail in their role as gatekeepers of valuable taxpayer-funded health care programs,” said Chief Counsel to the Inspector General Gregory E. Demske of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
Today’s settlement involved false claims submitted to Medicare, TRICARE, Medicaid, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program managed by the Office of Personnel Management. This case was initiated by the filing of a qui tam lawsuit filed by Shawn Pelletier, a former employee of Century Ambulance. Mr. Pelletier will collect more than $1.2 million in proceeds from the settlements.
“Ambulance companies must ensure that services billed to federal healthcare programs are medically necessary and reasonable,” said Chief Counsel Demske. “Billing Medicare and Medicaid for transports that amount to taxpayer-funded taxi services will not be tolerated.”
The United States was unable to reach settlement with one defendant – Liberty Ambulance. The United States intends to pursue claims against that defendant and plans to file a civil complaint in the near future. The United States alleges that Liberty knowingly submitted medically unnecessary claims for reimbursement in violation of the federal healthcare program requirements.
"Our office is committed to working with other law enforcement organizations to ensure that both federal employees and taxpayers are protected from unscrupulous organizations that seek to reap profits by defrauding government programs such as the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program," stated Patrick E. McFarland, Inspector General for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. "We will continue to work to hold such entities accountable for their wrongdoing."
"The FBI is extremely grateful to have been part of this investigative team,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michelle S. Klimt. “This is a perfect example of when all agencies work together how our collaborative efforts lead to success.”
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and marks another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $19 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $13.4 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
"This settlement highlights the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and its law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the Department of Defense (DoD) health care program," said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office. “DCIS aggressively investigates health care providers that defraud the DoD, to preserve American taxpayer dollars intended to care for our Warfighters, their family members, and military retirees."
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Personnel Management, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Counsel to the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Office of Audit Services, the Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Defense Health Agency Program Integrity Office, and Assistant United States Attorney Jason Mehta.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Tampa Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Engaging in Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Rosa Moultry Martin to five years in federal prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered Martin to forfeit $153,219 and two luxury cars, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. She pleaded guilty on December 2, 2014.
According to court documents, in May 2012, postal employees at the New Tampa Post Office reported to law enforcement that numerous pieces of mail bearing the label “Turbo Tax,” and addressed to at least 10 different individuals, were scheduled to be delivered to Martin’s residence in Tampa. On June 7, 2012, investigators made a controlled delivery of two of these envelopes to Martin’s curbside mailbox. The envelopes, which contained prepaid debit cards, were addressed to J.H. and D.H. Neither of these individuals resided at the address.
Investigators learned that the prepaid debit cards issued to J.H. and D.H. were each loaded with a fraudulently obtained tax refund in the amount of $9,919. Further investigation revealed that a debit card was opened in the name of D.H. using his actual date of birth and social security number. This debit card was used at an ATM in Zephyrhills on June 7, 2012, to make three simultaneous cash withdrawals totaling $1,000. These successive transactions were captured on the ATM’s video and show Martin making the withdrawals. She also made additional withdrawals using another reloadable debit card containing a fraudulently obtained tax refund.
On June 26, 2012, a search warrant was executed at Martin’s home. Evidence seized during the search included a laptop and desktop computer, more than 50 prepaid debit cards issued in other names, print-outs from a genealogy website containing personally identifiable information (PII), and numerous ledgers containing PII, account information, passwords, and email addresses. The search also lead to the recovery of receipts for money orders that had been purchased with fraudulently obtained tax refunds and used by Martin to pay for her rent and other items. A subsequent search of Martin, her husband, and her vehicle revealed several items, including an iPad, a tablet, cell phones, and approximately $25,000 worth of jewelry. Forensic examinations of the computers and tablets revealed Internet search history for tax-related websites and the PII of at least 20 individuals.
In total, investigators have determined that Martin possessed and used the PII of approximately 76 victims, without their permission, to file fraudulent tax returns and/or receive refunds resulting from the filing of fraudulent tax returns. Investigators determined that Martin, working alone and with others, made false claims for refunds totaling approximately $641,754 and received approximately $153,219 to which she was not entitled.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Tampa Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Credit Card Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Ricardo Romero-Mesa (44, Tampa) to seven years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered him to forfeit $13,423.79, which are the proceeds traceable to his criminal conduct. He pleaded guilty on January 15, 2015.
According to court documents, in early 2014, investigators identified Romero-Mesa and Lazaro Hernandez-Cabrales as co-leaders of a credit card fraud ring. Together, and with others, they used numerous stolen credit and debit card account numbers to generate counterfeit credit cards. They used the credit cards to purchase hundreds of reloadable Visa gift cards. The gift cards were then used to purchase items at home improvement stores, which were later returned in exchange for cash.
Investigators determined that the conspirators initially purchased the stolen account numbers, many from Navy Federal Credit Union and Armed Forces Bank, from an online website based in Eastern Europe. Later, Hernandez-Cabrales stole account numbers by obtaining keys to gas pumps and installing skimmers.
On February 17, 2014, during a search of the residence shared by Romero-Mesa and Hernandez-Cabrales, investigators seized more than 200 gift cards, credit cards, and hotel room keys, some of which had been re-encoded with other credit and debit card account numbers. Agents also recovered computers, receipts from merchandise returns, high-end purses and clothing, and receipts for the purchase of wire transfers from the United States to Ukraine. Further investigation revealed that Hernandez-Cabrales had wired more than $23,500 to recipients in Ukraine and Russia to purchase at least 800 stolen account numbers from a website that offers them for sale.
In total, investigators recovered more than 1,000 stolen credit card numbers issued by at least 15 different financial institutions.
Lazaro Hernandez-Cabrales previously pleaded guilty for his role in this case. On February 10, 2015, he was sentenced to five years and ten months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway has sentenced Noel Alvarado Mathew (39, Puerto Rico) to four years and nine months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on January 28, 2015.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers obtained a cell phone video depicting Alvarado at a local gun range repeatedly firing a Glock pistol. At the time of the incident, Alvarado had previous felony convictions for robbery, gun, and drug violations. As a result, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Embry J. Kidd.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, are coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline Strategy on reducing violent crime in communities.
International Money Launderer Pleads Guilty to His Role in Defrauding Law Firms and Other ScamsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Muhammad Naji (34, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in January 2014, Naji conspired with others to launder money that had been obtained as the result of fraud. In one of the fraudulent schemes, the conspirators sent “phishing” emails to law firms around the country soliciting legal representation in a fictitious contract dispute. After convincing a firm to tentatively agree to the representation, the conspirators would email fictitious documentation demonstrating their claim. They would also request that the law firm issue a demand letter for the full amount owed on the contract. The conspirators would then mail a forged certified bank check to the law firm as payment to resolve the dispute. The “client” would contact the firm and instruct them to wire the funds, minus the retainer fee, to a specific bank account. If the conspirators were successful in their scam, the law firm would authorize the wiring of the funds before the check cleared.
During the execution of the wire fraud schemes, Naji opened multiple bank accounts, or had others open them for him. Once the fraud proceeds were successfully wired into his accounts, Naji would quickly wire the funds to other bank accounts controlled by conspirators, many of which were outside of the United States, including China, Hong Kong, and Canada. From January 2014, through and including the present, Naji opened more than 35 fraudulent accounts with an estimated loss exposure of more than $2.5 million.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Jackson.
Convicted California Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that David Eric Crews (54, Sacramento, CA) has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of failing to register as sex offender after traveling to Florida from California. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Crews has been in custody since his arrest on March 30, 2015.
According to court documents, in March 1993, Crews was convicted of rape and sexual battery in Sacramento. Subsequent to his conviction, he traveled from California to Florida in December 2014. He failed to update his registration in California, and he did not register as a sex offender in Florida, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
In March 2015, Deputy U.S. Marshals went to a campground in Bunnell, Florida and observed Crews setting up musical equipment on a stage at an outdoor venue. He and other members of his band had been playing at the park nightly. Crews had been living in a motor home at the campground since December 22, 2014.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Palm Coast Man Indicted on Federal Charge of Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Stephen Paul Cotton (43, Palm Coast) has been indicted for failing to register as a sex offender after traveling from Florida to North Carolina. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Cotton was arrested in Suwanee, Georgia on April 11, 2015.
According to the indictment, on or about January 6, 1999, Cotton was convicted of committing a lewd and lascivious act on a child in Manatee County, Florida. Subsequent to his conviction, and between July 2, 2012 and December 19, 2014, he traveled from Florida to North Carolina and failed to register as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Suwanee (Georgia) Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
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 until, and unless, proven guilty.
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, 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.
Former Pasco Teacher Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Online Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced David Wendel Thompson (49, Seffner) to 15 years in federal prison for online enticement of a minor. The Court also sentenced him to 10 years of supervision following his release following his release from prison. Thompson pleaded guilty on October 20, 2014.
According to court documents, between December 14, 2013, and March 14, 2014, Thompson used Facebook to attempt to persuade two minor females in Belize, ages 13 and 15, to engage in sexual intercourse with him. He did so using his own Facebook account and a fake Facebook account that he had set up to appear as though it belonged to a female teenager in Belize.
On March 14, 2014, Thompson flew from Tampa to Belize, with a layover in Miami, to meet the minors with the intent of engaging in sexual activity. He was denied entry into Belize and returned to Miami, where he was arrested. Thompson admitted to communicating with the girls on Facebook and to knowing that they were underage. Prior to his arrest, Thompson was a social studies teacher at Centennial Middle School in Dade City.
“Crimes against children are always devastating, but it is particularly egregious when a person of trust, like this teacher, conspires to commit such atrocities,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “This case is the result of hard work by HSI special agents in Tampa, Miami and the Cyber Crimes Center, as well as our partners at the U.S. Department of State.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service maintains an excellent relationship with local law enforcement personnel. This close cooperation between our agents and local law enforcement was key to David Wendel Thompson’s capture,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David Brown of the DSS Miami Field Office. “It is this type of worldwide law enforcement coordination that gives Diplomatic Security an unparalleled ability to locate, pursue, and apprehend fugitives.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
“SNAP” Fraudster Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Basem Abualteen (48, Lakeland) to 18 months in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. The Court also ordered him to pay $2,110,778 in restitution. Abualteen pleaded guilty on December 23, 2014.
According to court documents, from January 2013 to August 27, 2014, Abualteen conspired with Hamzeh Abu-Aish and Shoeneikia Abu-Aish to defraud the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food stamp program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Hamzeh Abu-Aish was the owner of Finest Meat Market d/b/a Finest Super Market located in Lakeland. Abualteen and Shoeneikia Abu-Aish worked as Finest store clerks beginning in January 2013. Hamzeh Abu-Aish instructed the clerks to purchase SNAP benefits from SNAP recipients in exchange for cash and a commission, a practice called “cash back” or “discounting.” For example, a SNAP recipient would approach a store clerk and ask for $100 in cash, the store clerk would then charge $200 to the SNAP recipient’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, and then give the SNAP recipient $100 in cash. This practice is strictly prohibited by SNAP regulations.
During the course of the scheme, SNAP EBT redemptions at Finest far exceeded the national and state averages of similarly sized stores. In July 2013, the average SNAP benefit redemptions for a similarly sized store was $7,059 in Florida, and $6,490 nationally. Finest had $160,821 in SNAP benefit redemptions for that same time period. During Abualteen’s participation in the scheme, Finest submitted and received approximately $2,110,778 in fraudulent SNAP EBT redemptions.
Hamzeh Abu-Aish and Shoeneikia Abu-Aish previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this scheme. Shoeneikia Abu-Aish has been sentenced to three years’ probation. The sentencing hearing for Hamzeh Abu-Aish is scheduled for July 17, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Jackson and Mark Bini.
Mastermind of Real Estate Flipping and Equity Skimming Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Stephen Mayer (51, Miami) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for his role in a real estate flipping and equity skimming conspiracy. The Court also ordered him to pay more than $3.1 million in restitution to the affected lenders, and more than $4 million in forfeiture, which were proceeds traceable to the scheme.
On January 29, 2015, a federal jury found Mayer of guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Mayer was originally indicted on May 13, 2014.
According to evidence presented during the nine-day trial, Mayer used a variety of shell companies that he controlled to purchase distressed properties. He then flipped the properties the same day or within days to “credit partners” for an increased price and kept the proceeds. These “credit partners” were recruited by Mayer because they had good credit and were willing to sign documents. The partners never intended to live in the properties or make any mortgage payments. In exchange for helping him get the mortgages, Mayer would pay the down payment and the mortgage, and pay the “credit partners” a commission from his proceeds.
Mayer also facilitated the securing of mortgages, many from FDIC-insured lenders, based on false information about the borrowers’ income, employment, and assets. Mayer instructed the “credit partners” to deed the properties back to him and/or companies under his control so that he could flip them again to other “credit partners” at increased prices, thereby skimming the equity. Mayer failed to make mortgage payments as promised, and each of the properties ultimately went into foreclosure. He used the proceeds from his real estate flipping scheme to fund a lavish personal lifestyle. Agents identified more than 20 homes used by Mayer in this flipping conspiracy that took place between 2003 and 2007. The estimated loss to the lenders is more than $3.1 million.
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mandy Riedel and Kelley Howard-Allen.
Seven Sentenced in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced seven individuals for their roles in a conspiracy to commit stolen identity refund fraud in the Tampa Bay area. Mikeil Royal was sentenced to five years and five months, Brian Gilchrist was sentenced to three years and one month, Donterrio Troup was sentenced to two years and eleven months, Kenneth Royal was sentenced to two years and nine months, Terrence Johnson was sentenced to two years, Shadae Cotton was sentenced to one year and nine months, and Tanisha Johnson was sentenced to one year and eight months. As part of each defendant’s sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $488,657.71, representing the amount of the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Each individual previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
According to court documents, between 2011 and 2014, the above-named individuals filed false and fraudulent income tax returns in the names of deceased individuals whom they located on the Internet. In these returns, the conspirators represented that they were entitled to the refunds and requested that the IRS direct refunds in varying amounts to accounts that they had established, in their own respective names, at two local financial institutions.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Jury Convicts Businessmen of International Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Mitchell Holland (52, San Diego, CA), Warren Rosenfeld (60, Plano, TX), and Rondell Scott Hedrick (50, Lexington, NC) guilty of multiple counts of wire fraud. Holland was convicted on nine counts, Rosenfeld was convicted on four counts, and Hedrick was convicted on three counts. Each faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
According to evidence presented during the 12-day trial, beginning in mid-2009, when bank lending was very limited due to the economy, Rosenfeld, Holland, Hedrick, and others promoted themselves as specialists in securing and using alternative financing. During that time, individuals throughout the country contacted Holland concerning his ability to arrange for alternative capital financing through his company, Vital Funds, Inc. Holland claimed that he could arrange for a New Zealand Finance Company (Unistate Investments Savings and Loan Limited) to fund a leased Certificate of Deposit at a branch of Chase Manhattan Bank in the British West Indies. Such a bank did not exist.
The individuals seeking financing were then referred to Hendrick, who would offer to assist in liquidating the leased Certificate of Deposit. In one instance, Hedrick offered a victim in Jacksonville the opportunity to purchase a banking passport that would permit oversees banking with fewer restrictions. Hedrick had no such ability to obtain the banking passport, and simply stole the individual’s $29,000.
Rosenfeld, via his corporation, Aster Capital, Inc., represented himself as an individual who reviewed contract documents for Holland and Vital Funds in a quasi-attorney role. Rosenfeld later removed his company’s label from various contract documents and Holland and Vital Funds became the main point of contact for the clients seeking alternative financing (Leased Certificates of Deposit, Standby Letters of Credit, Proof of Funds Accounts, and Verifications of Deposit). Rosenfeld prohibited the brokers from allowing the clients to contact him.
Rosenfeld (Aster Capital), Holland (Vital Funds), and Unistate representatives split the initial account arrangement fees provided to an escrow company by the clients. These fees ranged from $300,000 to $625,500. None of the deals ultimately closed, and the clients failed to receive funding or real access to any funded account.
During the scheme, clients lost approximately $9.2 million. Holland and Rosenfeld profited in excess of $1.2 million. The remainder of the money was spread among Unistate representatives, and other brokers/participants.
Unistate Director Juan Hernandez has been charged for his role in this case, but remains a fugitive. Unistate representative Christopher Jaijairam (55, Yonkers, NY), and Glen Elliott Smith (40, New Orleans, LA) previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this scheme. Sentencing hearings for the defendants in this case have not yet been set.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney A. Tysen Duva.
Former Manatee County Probation Officer Convicted of Stolen Identity Tax Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Marcus Lowe guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, theft of government funds, and aggravated identity theft; wire fraud; theft of government funds; and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years for the conspiracy count, 20 years for the wire fraud count, 10 years on each of the two theft counts, to be followed by a mandatory consecutive term of at least two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft counts. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Lowe was indicted on December 4, 2014.
According to evidence presented at trial, Lowe worked as a Manatee County Probation Officer at the Manatee County Jail in 2012. As a result of that job, he had access to the personal identifying information of numerous inmates. He provided that information to other co-conspirators who, in turn, used those identities to file false and fraudulent income tax returns with the IRS. The attempted loss to the government from the fraudulent tax returns charged in the indictment exceeded $74,000.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Dade City Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich today sentenced Chanin Terrell Richardson (29, Dade City) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute more than 28 grams of cocaine base and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He pleaded guilty on August 7, 2014.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Richardson’s Dade City residence after undercover officers had repeatedly purchased cocaine base from the home. Agents found Richardson in possession of more than 40 grams of cocaine base, powder cocaine, prescription pills, heroin, marijuana, a semi-automatic pistol, a short-barreled shotgun, and multiple rounds of ammunition. Richardson has previously been convicted of several felony offenses and is a documented member of the “Dade City Boys” criminal organization.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
St. Petersburg Drug Trafficker Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida– U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Altwan L. Holloway (36, St. Petersburg) to 17 years and six months in federal prison for conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. He pleaded guilty on December 9, 2014.
According to court documents, Holloway and others were involved in a years-long drug conspiracy that was responsible for the distribution of at least 149 kilograms of cocaine in St. Petersburg, Florida. Additionally, a search of a St. Petersburg residence used as a “stash house” by this drug trafficking organization for narcotics and money revealed digital scales, mixing agents, containers with cocaine residue, and a “kilo” press. Agents also located 850 grams of cocaine and $71,930 inside the stash house.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) “Operation High Cargo.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation's drug supply.
U.S. Attorney Presents Equitable Sharing Funds to Law Enforcement PartnersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Acting Special Agent in Charge A.D. Wright, DEA Miami Field Division, and United States Marshal William Berger today announce the distribution of more than $2.4 million of criminally forfeited funds to 15 law enforcement agencies for their participation in the successful federal prosecution of Zachary Timothy Rose. On July 16, 2014, Rose was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone and alprazolam, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of the sentence, the Court ordered the forfeiture of $2,461,801, which was deemed the proceeds of the offenses.
Under federal forfeiture laws, criminals can be stripped of assets that were used illegally or purchased with proceeds of illegal activity. The Asset Forfeiture Program takes the profit out of crime and the Equitable Sharing Program provides crime‑fighting resources to state and local law enforcement. Asset forfeiture and equitable sharing are valuable law enforcement tools that send a clear message that crime does not pay.
According to court documents, Rose opened and operated illegitimate pain clinics in Jacksonville and elsewhere. At these clinics, purported patients were prescribed high dosages of pain medications without appropriate medical examinations and assessments. The clinics often saw in excess of 100 patients per day, and many of the individuals were traveling from Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee to obtain pain pills.
Pursuant to the Department of Justice Equitable Sharing Program, the funds have been distributed to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Financial Services – Division of Insurance Fraud, the Dooly County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, the Fernandina Beach Police Department, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Green Cove Springs Police Department, the Florida National Guard Counterdrug Program, the Sunrise Police Department, and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. These agencies provided critical assistance during the investigation, including identifying, locating, and interviewing witnesses, executing federal search warrants, and processing evidence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation handled the investigation of this case, along with the state and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Jay Taylor prosecuted the case, and the forfeitures were handled by Assistant United States Bonnie Glober. The U.S. Marshals Service was responsible for depositing and distributing the forfeited funds.
Former Navy Officer Sentenced for Attempting to Entice A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton sentenced William Daniel Thompson (67) today to 16 years in federal prison for attempting to persuade, induce, and entice two minors to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He pleaded guilty on December 24, 2014.
According to court documents, on September 10, 2014, an FBI agent responded to an advertisement in the “all personals” section of Craigslist, which made reference to a single white male seeking a “family dynamic.” Thompson communicated online with the undercover agent, who was posing as the father of a 10-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy. During the online conversations, Thompson told the agent that he wanted to engage in sexual conduct with the minors.
On September 11, 2014, Thompson traveled from his home in Manatee County to Altamonte Springs, where he intended to meet the father for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. He was subsequently arrested. During an interview with law enforcement, Thompson admitted that he had traveled for the purpose of meeting the father of two children with whom he had been e-mailing since September 10, 2014, and to explore the possibility of having sex with a 10-year-old girl.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to More Than 16 Years for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Henry Noble (37, Atlantic Beach) to 16 years and three months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on December 5, 2014.
According to court documents, Noble was seen outside a young girl’s bedroom window at midnight on July 27, 2014. A neighbor saw him and called 911. Officers from the Atlantic Beach Police Department responded, they observed Noble at the bedroom window, and then ordered him to ground. Noble fled from the officers, but was apprehended after a short foot chase. The officers found a loaded .45 caliber pistol in his pocket. The firearm had been previously stolen during a residential burglary.
Noble was previously convicted of several felonies, including robbery, aggravated battery, and drug charges, and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. As such, he qualifies for an enhanced penalty under the Armed Career Criminal statute.
This case was investigated by the Atlantic Beach Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Mehta and Frank Talbot.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, are coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline Strategy on reducing violent crime in communities.
St. Petersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Michael Cornell (53, St. Petersburg) today pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Cornell’s mother was the recipient of Social Security benefits. She died on February 2, 2010, and all of her benefits ended upon her death. The Social Security Administration did not receive notice of her death and, until October 2013, monthly benefit checks continued to be sent to a post office box that Cornell shared with his mother. Cornell forged his mother’s signature and deposited the checks into a bank account that they shared. He then transferred the funds to a personal account for his use. The total amount paid out after his mother’s death was $44,448. Of that, the SSA was able to recover $12,440 from Cornell’s bank accounts.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam M. Saltzman.
Equitable Sharing Press Conference Scheduled for Wednesday, April 29 in JacksonvilleRead the Press Release
U.S. ATTORNEY TO PRESENT EQUITABLE SHARING FUNDS
TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS
WHO: A. Lee Bentley, III
United States Attorney
Middle District of Florida
Chad Cook
Assistant Special Agent in Charge
Drug Enforcement Administration
Jacksonville Division
William (Bill) Berger
United States Marshal
Middle District of Florida
WHAT: Press Conference
Forfeited funds to be distributed to multiple state and local law enforcement agencies
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015
11:30 A.M. EST (start time has been pushed back 30 mins from 11 to 11:30).
WHERE: United States Federal Courthouse
(Jury Assembly Room)
300 N. Hogan Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
OPEN PRESS
NOTE: All media must present government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license).
Media may begin arriving at 10:15 A.M. EST.
Two Central Florida Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Federal Prison TermsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon, II has sentenced John Anderson Butler, Jr. (55, Daytona Beach) and Victor A. Rhynes (55, Rockledge) for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Butler was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison and Rhynes was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months’ imprisonment. Butler pleaded guilty on December 30, 2014, and Rhynes pleaded guilty on January 28, 2015.
According to court documents, Butler and Rhynes were previously convicted in federal court for drug trafficking offenses. In 2011, after being released from prison, Butler began obtaining drugs for Rhynes, who then distributed them in a secluded compound in Brevard County. Butler would obtain powder cocaine, and then Rhynes would convert it into crack cocaine. Butler used chase cars to move the drugs throughout Florida, and Rhynes used physical and electronic security to protect his operations. In a two-year period, Butler and Rhynes obtained and distributed more than 10 kilograms of crack cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent A. Citro.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting A Minor for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Ronnie Travis Hall, III (27, Charlotte, NC) today pleaded guilty to transporting a minor with the intent that she engages in prostitution. Hall faces a minimum mandatory term of ten years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 20, 2015.
According to court documents, on April 9, 2014, Hall, with the aid of another individual, transported minor victim “J.T.” from Georgia to Florida with the intent that she engage in prostitution. For approximately two months, J.T. worked as a prostitute on the streets and by meeting customers who responded to an Internet ad advertising her sexual services. Hall kept all of the profits.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced in Child Pornography Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John A. Steele has sentenced David E. Judd (35, Ft. Myers) to 72 months in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography. The Court also ordered him to serve a life term of supervision as a sexual offender. Judd pleaded guilty on January 26, 2015.
According to court documents, Judd utilized a peer-to-peer Internet network to distribute child pornography images and videos. During an undercover operation, law enforcement agents downloaded child pornography images and videos from Judd’s Internet Protocol address. After a search warrant was executed at his residence, Judd was found to be in possession of over 8,800 child pornography images.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sherriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tama Koss Caldarone.
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 http://www.justice.gov/psc
Delaware Doctor Who Illegally Sold Controlled Substances on the Silk Road Drug Marketplace Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced Olivia Bolles a/k/a “MDpro” (32, Newark, Delaware) to five years in federal prison for the illegal distribution of controlled substances. She pleaded guilty on January 20, 2015.
According to court documents, between March 2013 and October 2, 2013, Bolles, a licensed medical doctor in Delaware, operated as the vendor “MDPro” on an underground website known as Silk Road. Silk Road operated as an online criminal marketplace designed to enable its users to buy and sell drugs and other illegal goods and services anonymously, outside the reach of law enforcement. The website provided a sales platform for vendors and buyers to conduct transactions online.
Between June 13, 2013, and August 20, 2013, DEA purchased oxycodone, heroin, diazepam, Xanax, Adderall, hash oil, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and Vyvanse from “MDPro” on the Silk Road website. The investigation determined that Bolles had shipped the controlled substances, which were purchased from “MDPro,” from Delaware to Florida. The investigation also found that Bolles had used her personal bank accounts to purchase items that were used to further her illegal drug dealing business, including packaging and laboratory materials. More than 600 sales of controlled substances were mailed by Bolles and her girlfriend, Alexandra Gold, to individuals in more than 17 different countries. Gold was previously sentenced to 30 months in prison for her role in this case.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Orlando and Wilmington, Delaware), with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haas.
Deland Businessman Sentenced to 78 Months for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - Senior United States District Judge John Antoon, II has sentenced Stephen B. Deluca (58, Deland) to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. The Court also sentenced him to serve three years of supervision after his release, and ordered him to pay $18,701,804 in restitution. A federal jury found Deluca guilty in March 2013.
Evidence presented during the ten-day trial established that Deluca, the president and sole shareholder of Delco Oil, Inc., had engaged in a scheme to defraud several FDIC-insured banks and a private finance company (CapitalSource Financial Services) by falsely inflating the amount and value of Delco=s inventory and accounts receivable, which were then used to secure revolving lines of credit. The scheme resulted in more than $18 million in losses to CapitalSource.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener, III.
Convicted Georgia Sex Offender Sentenced for Failing to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Rodney Joel Neal (53, Montezuma, Georgia) to two years in federal prison for failing to register as sex offender after traveling to Jacksonville from Georgia. He was also sentenced to a seven-year term of supervision and ordered to register as a sex offender following his release. Neal has been in custody since his arrest in Jacksonville, on October 10, 2014.
According to court documents, on or about May 24, 1988, Neal was found guilty and sentenced for committing two criminal offenses, aggravated child molestation and child molestation, in Macon County, Georgia. Subsequent to his conviction and release from prison, Neal traveled from Georgia to Jacksonville in July 2014 and failed to register in Florida as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders. This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Colombian Man Convicted of False Claims of U.S. Citizenship and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Jaime Tovar-Montoya, a/k/a Jimmy Diaz Tovar (57, Colombia, South America), guilty of making false claims of U.S. citizenship and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 21, 2015. Tovar-Montoya was indicted on April 15, 2015.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Tovar-Montoya, a citizen of Colombia, applied for and received a Florida Identification Card in 2010, claiming that he was a U.S. citizen and using the name and birth certificate of a resident of Puerto Rico. Later that year, he used the identification card as proof of identity to apply for a U.S. passport, again claiming to be a citizen of the United States, and using the same name, birth date, and Social Security Number of the Puerto Rico resident.
Under federal law, a person who uses a means of identification of another person without lawful authority in order to commit another felony offense is guilty of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year sentence, in addition to any other sentence received. Having been convicted and adjudicated guilty of two counts of aggravated identity theft, Tovar-Montoya currently faces a mandatory minimum sentence of four years’ imprisonment, in addition to any other sentence he may receive.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bruce S. Ambrose.
Texas Man Indicted for Attempted Sexual Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Michael Doherty (51, Texas) with attempted sexual enticement of a minor. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Doherty that the United States intends to forfeit the electronic media that is alleged to have been used in the commission of the offense.
According to court documents, on March 10, 2015, an FBI agent acting in an undercover capacity (“UC”) responded to an Internet advertisement that Doherty had posted about incestuous sexual encounters. The UC responded to the ad posing as the father of a 10-year-old daughter that he was sexually abusing. Over the next several days, Doherty and the UC discussed the UC’s abuse of his “daughter.” Doherty told the UC that he wanted to watch the UC have sex with the child, and also requested naked photos of the child.
Doherty later told the UC that he traveled to Florida on business and wanted to “watch” the UC and the child. Over the course of the next several days, Doherty and the UC continued to discuss Doherty’s plans to visit. Doherty sent the UC numerous explicit pictures of himself, and he told the UC that when they met, he wanted to have sex with the 10-year-old girl.
On April 8, 2015, Doherty traveled from Miami to Lake Mary, and rented a hotel room. On his way, he stopped and bought a present for the child. When Doherty left his hotel and approached the “father” with whom he had been communicating, he was arrested.
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 Joseph M. Schuster.
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.
Sumter County Man Convicted of Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Jerry Wana Taylor (52, Coleman) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Taylor was indicted on January 7, 2015.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 29, 2013, deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Taylor was a passenger. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a loaded .22 caliber handgun inside the fuse box, near the passenger-side floor board. Results of forensic analyses revealed that DNA on the handgun matched Taylor’s DNA.
Taylor was previously convicted of numerous felonies including attempted murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and burglary and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. As such, he qualifies for an enhanced penalty under the Armed Career Criminal statute.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bryon R. Aven.
Orlando Man Indicted for Attempted Sexual Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Ronald Grocoff (62, Orlando) with the attempted sexual enticement of a minor. If convicted, he faces a minimum mandatory term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to court documents, on March 27, 2015, Grocoff responded to an online advertisement posted by an undercover FBI Task Force Officer (“UC”). Grocoff and the UC soon began discussing Grocoff’s interest in paying the UC to have sex with the UC’s 12-year-old “daughter.” On April 6, 2015, Grocoff made arrangements to meet the UC and his “daughter.” A few days later, he agreed to pay the UC $20 and an unspecified amount of marijuana to have intercourse and oral sex with the “child.” That afternoon, Grocoff traveled to Seminole County to meet the UC. When he arrived at the prearranged meeting place, he approached the “father” and was arrested. In addition to a small amount of suspected marijuana, agents also found condoms and lubricant in Grocoff’s possession.
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 Joseph M. Schuster.
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 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.
Ocoee Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon, II today sentenced Shawn Williams (42, Ocoee) to seven years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. He was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervision and to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Williams pleaded guilty on October 31, 2014.
According to court documents, Williams responded to a sexually explicit Craigslist ad and began conversing online with an Orlando man, William Edward Osman. The two men discussed their mutual interest in child pornography and attempted to make arrangements to meet in person for a sexual rendezvous. On May 9, 2013, Williams used his cell phone to send Osman images depicting child pornography, and they discussed meeting to share their collections of child pornography. During their conversations, Osman told Williams that he had a one-year-old child. Williams then asked Osman to send him “baby pics” and “adult with baby pics.”
On October 15, 2013, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations arrested Osman on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children. Agents seized Osman’s phone and identified Williams as one of the individuals with whom he had been electronically trading child pornography.
On September 3, 2014, Osman was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
This was another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Local Man Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Dariel Sardinas Lopez (22, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to credit card fraud and identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the credit card fraud charges, followed by two years on the identity theft charges. Sardinas Lopez was indicted on February 5, 2015. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Sardinas Lopez produced and trafficked in counterfeit credit cards. These fraudulent credit cards were encoded with the numbers and information of victims whose credit cards had been “skimmed” by the defendant and others, after the cards had been used at local gas stations. The victims were often unaware that their information had been stolen. Sardinas Lopez sold these counterfeit credit cards and also used them to purchase merchandise for himself.
This case was investigated by the Financial Crimes Task Force, which includes the United States Secret Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley C. Howard-Allen.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Advertising Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced James Patrick Foreman (44, Jacksonville) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for advertising child pornography. Foreman was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervision, and to register as sex offender following his release. He pleaded guilty on December 16, 2014, and has been detained since his arrest in October 2014.
According to court documents, an FBI agent began an undercover investigation to identify individuals in northeast Florida who had access to and/or were trading images and videos depicting child pornography over the Internet. The agent determined that a computer in that area was hosting and trading images of child pornography using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. The subscriber information for this computer was traced to Foreman’s residence in Jacksonville.
On October 1, 2014, a federal search warrant was executed at Foreman’s residence. When interviewed, Foreman admitted that he had downloaded child pornography involving children of all ages, and had seen "1, 2, and 3-year-old" child pornography. He also admitted to exchanging passwords with other users, advising others as to the type of material that he was looking for, and allowing other users to browse his collection of child pornography.
Forensic analyses of Foreman’s computer revealed that it contained at least 500 videos and 1,500 images depicting child pornography, including a video depicting a toddler being sexually assaulted. Logs of online conversations between Foreman and others discussing exchanges of child pornography were also found during the search.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jacksonville Man Charged in $2.1 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Andrew A. Rooks (58, Jacksonville) with two separate conspiracies to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and ten counts of wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Rooks that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of approximately $2.1 million, which represents the proceeds of the fraud.
Rooks was arrested and made his initial appearance in federal court today. He was released on bond and an arraignment has been scheduled for Monday, April 27, 2015.
According to the indictment, from 2001 until July 2011, Rooks worked for Sea Star Line, LLC, in its Jacksonville office. Sea Star transports goods by vessel in interstate and foreign commerce and has operations at the Port of Jacksonville. Rooks last served as the assistant vice president of operations. The indictment alleges that, beginning no later than November 2005, Rooks authorized the payment of phony invoices submitted on behalf of co-conspirator Keith Beavers. The invoices were for container and equipment decals that were never provided to Sea Star. The indictment further alleges that, beginning around the same time, Rooks carried on a second conspiracy. He allegedly authorized the payment of phony invoices to two companies controlled by Russell Cody. The invoices were for inspection and transportation services of Sea Star’s containers and equipment. They were false because those services were never provided by Tiburon Transportation Services or Lancer Logistics, which were the front companies controlled by Cody. Instead, the indictment alleges that Beavers and Cody made kickback payments to Rooks, and to a company controlled by Rooks. The payments were approximately 40 to 60 percent of the amount paid by Sea Star on the phony invoices.
The indictment also alleges that after Rooks was terminated by Sea Star, he got a job with another Jacksonville company, Trailer Bridge, Inc., and continued the conspiracies. Trailer Bridge paid $107,000 as a result of phony invoices.
In separate cases, Beavers and Cody previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracies, and are currently awaiting sentencing. The sentencing hearings are scheduled in July 2015.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale Campion.
Brevard County Man Sentenced to More Than 30 Years for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon, II has sentenced Jonathan Tyler Prive (26, West Melbourne) to 30 years and 5 months in federal prison for attempting to induce a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity using the Internet. In addition, the Court ordered him to serve a life term of supervision, and to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. Prive pleaded guilty on August 27, 2014.
According to court documents, in September and October 2013, an undercover agent with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation into an individual identified as Michael Glenn Glascock. The undercover investigation revealed that Glascock was sexually abusing a three-year-old minor victim, producing child pornography images of the minor victim, and distributing some of these images to others. Law enforcement agents eventually arrested Glascock at his residence in Brevard County, located the minor victim, and executed a search warrant at Glascock’s residence. A forensic examination of Glascock’s electronic devices and a review of his email accounts revealed emails between Prive and Glascock. In these emails, the two discussed a prior incident where Prive had sexually abused the minor victim at Glascock’s home, while Glascock was present. After discovering these emails, the undercover agent used Glascock’s email account to initiate online communications with Prive.
On November 4, 2013, and November 5, 2013, Prive communicated with the undercover agent via the Internet and emails and arranged to meet the agent, who was posing as Glascock in these emails, for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual activity with the minor victim for a second time. Prive agreed to meet at a residence in Brevard County, where Prive thought the minor victim would be present. Agents followed Prive as he travelled to the street where this residence was located. Before Prive arrived at the residence, agents arrested him and recovered a packet of lubricant that he had brought for his planned meeting with the minor victim.
On August 18, 2014, Glascock also pleaded guilty to producing child pornography and attempted online enticement of a minor. On February 6, 2015, Judge Antoon sentenced him to life in federal prison.
“This strong sentence lets predators know that they cannot get away with the sexual exploitation of our children.” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “HSI will continue to relentlessly pursue these criminals to make our communities safer.”
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
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.
Family Dermatology Pc Agrees to Pay United States More Than $3.2 Million to Settle Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Family Dermatology P.C. which owns and operates a dermatopathology laboratory in Georgia and a number of dermatology practices throughout the Eastern United States, has agreed to pay the United States $3,247,835 plus interest to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by engaging in improper financial relationships with a number of its employed physicians, the Justice Department announced today.
“The Department of Justice has had longstanding concerns about improper financial relationships between health care providers and their referral sources, because such relationships can alter a physician's judgment about the patient's true health care needs and drive up health care costs for everybody,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer of the Department’s Civil Division. “In addition to yielding a recovery for taxpayers, this settlement should deter similar conduct in the future and help make health care more affordable.”
The settlement announced today resolved allegations that financial relationships that Family Dermatology and its affiliates had with a number of their employed physicians violated the Stark Statute and the False Claims Act. The Stark Statute restricts the financial relationships that health care providers may have with doctors who refer patients to them. Family Dermatology employs a number of dermatologists as independent contractors and it has routinely required them to use Family Dermatology’s in-house pathology lab, which operated under the name Nelson Dermatopathology, for their pathology services. The government alleged that Family Dermatology’s financial relationships with a number of these physicians did not comply with the requirements of the Stark Statute, and that Family Dermatology improperly billed Medicare for dermatopathology analyses performed by Nelson Dermatopathology on specimens that were sent to the laboratory by these employed physicians.
“The defendants financed the expansion of their business across the Eastern United States with improper financial arrangements that resulted in illegal referrals and, ultimately, inflated payments from Medicare,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John Horn of the Northern District of Georgia. “We expect providers to follow the law and will pursue those who do not.”
“Physician self-referrals that violate the Stark Statute undermine medical decision making, jeopardize patient care and cost the taxpayers money,” said U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III of the Middle District of Florida. “Patients need to have confidence that the advice they receive from their physicians is based on sound medical practice, not illegal financial relationships between providers. We will continue to investigate and pursue these types of violations in our district.”
“This settlement not only demonstrates the need for oversight involving such matters under the False Claims Act, but also the FBI’s commitment toward enforcing this as well as other health care fraud based violations,” said Special Agent in Charge J. Britt Johnson of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office.
“Health care companies that make sweetheart deals with physicians to boost profits undercut both the financial integrity of Medicare and the public’s trust in the medical profession,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency will continue to hold those who engage in such improper financial schemes accountable.”
The allegations settled today arose from three separate lawsuits filed by three whistleblowers, Scott M. Ross MD, Mark F. Baucom and Harold Milstein MD under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the act, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and share in any recovery. The whistleblowers will collectively receive more than $584,000 from the recovery announced today.
This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and marks another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $24 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $15.3 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
The cases, United States ex rel. Ross v. Family Dermatology of Pennsylvania, P.C., et al., Case No. 1:11-cv-2413 (N.D. Ga.); United States ex rel. Baucom v. Family Dermatology of Pennsylvania, P.C., et al., Case No. 1:11-cv-4260 (N.D. Ga.); and United States ex rel. Milstein v. Family Dermatology, P.C., et al., Case No. 1:13-cv-1027 (N.D. Ga.), were handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices of the Northern District of Georgia and the Middle District of Florida, and HHS-OIG.
U.S. ex rel. Milstein was originally filed in the Middle District of Florida and subsequently transferred to the Northern District of Georgia. The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Clearwater Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Elliot Kahana (68, Clearwater) has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Kahana’s mother, Anne Kahana, was a recipient of Veterans Administration (VA) benefits. She died on April 28, 2009, and all rights to benefits ceased upon her death. The VA did not receive notice of her death and, until January 2011, monthly benefit payments of $1,400 continued to be directly deposited into a bank account that she had shared with her son. The total amount paid out after the death was approximately $29,400.
This case was investigated by the Veterans Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Kaiser.
Lee County Man Sentenced for False Tax Claims and Obstructing the Internal Revenue ServiceRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Ronald Francis Croteau to 56 months in federal prison for filing false tax claims and for obstructing or impeding the administration of the Internal Revenue laws. A federal jury found him guilty on January 22, 2015.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Croteau belonged to a sovereign citizen, anti-government group; claimed to be a member of the Little Shell Pembina Band of North Dakota; and deemed himself to be an ambassador of the Kingdom of Heaven. Between September 2008 and May 2010, he filed 10 false and fraudulent income tax returns claiming refunds totaling more than $3.8 million. These returns were false and fraudulent in that they claimed federal tax withholdings from fraudulent 1099-OID forms purportedly issued to Croteau by financial institutions.
After being notified by the IRS that his income tax returns were frivolous, Croteau continued to file fraudulent income tax returns. In addition, he obstructed the administration of the Internal Revenue laws by filing false liens against IRS employees, submitting fraudulent instruments to the IRS in an attempt to discharge his tax liabilities, and recording false documents with the Lee County Clerk of Court.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.
Lee County Man Sentenced for False Tax Claims and Obstructing the Internal Revenue ServiceRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Ronald Francis Croteau to 56 months in federal prison for filing false tax claims and for obstructing or impeding the administration of the Internal Revenue laws. A federal jury found him guilty on January 22, 2015.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Croteau belonged to a sovereign citizen, anti-government group; claimed to be a member of the Little Shell Pembina Band of North Dakota; and deemed himself to be an ambassador of the Kingdom of Heaven. Between September 2008 and May 2010, he filed 10 false and fraudulent income tax returns claiming refunds totaling more than $3.8 million. These returns were false and fraudulent in that they claimed federal tax withholdings from fraudulent 1099-OID forms purportedly issued to Croteau by financial institutions.
After being notified by the IRS that his income tax returns were frivolous, Croteau continued to file fraudulent income tax returns. In addition, he obstructed the administration of the Internal Revenue laws by filing false liens against IRS employees, submitting fraudulent instruments to the IRS in an attempt to discharge his tax liabilities, and recording false documents with the Lee County Clerk of Court.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.
Lake Mary Man Convicted of Attempting to Entice Minors for SexRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Dennis Michael Wilkerson (40, Lake Mary) guilty of two counts of attempting to persuade, induce, and entice a minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for each count. Wilkerson has been ordered detained pending his sentencing hearing, which will be scheduled at a later date.
According to evidence presented during the trial, on October 22, 2014, an FBI Task Force Officer (TFO), working in an undercover capacity, posted an advertisement on Craigslist. Wilkerson responded by e-mail, inquiring about sexual activity with a 12-year-old “girl.” After a series of communications with the undercover officer, Wilkerson agreed to pay $50 to receive oral sex from the “girl.” A few days later, Wilkerson traveled to Seminole County to meet with the minor. He was subsequently arrested. Agents recovered $53 from Wilkerson’s pocket after his arrest. He acknowledged that the money was to be used as payment for the sex.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Facebook Child Predator Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Melvin Barber Bridgers, III (34, Tarpon Springs, formerly of Greenville, North Carolina) to 40 years in federal prison for the production, receipt, and distribution of child pornography. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the cellular telephones and computers that he had used to commit the offenses. Bridgers pleaded guilty on December 11, 2014.
According to court documents, from at least December 2012, through his arrest on May 1, 2014, Bridgers used multiple Facebook accounts to pose as a young teenage girl and befriend other girls between the ages of 10 and 16 years old. After befriending the minors, he engaged in online chats with them and used manipulation, coercion, threats, and extortion to compel the minors to send him sexually graphic photographs through Facebook. Bridgers then threatened the minor victims with exposing the sexually graphic photos to their parents, or to other Internet users, in order to extort more sexually graphic photographs and videos from them.
Bridgers, who moved to Tarpon Springs from North Carolina in the fall of 2013, came to law enforcement’s attention when a 12-year-old victim in the Houston, Texas, area reported the Facebook activity to her mother after Bridgers threatened to expose that victim unless she sent him sexually explicit photographs of her 7-year-old sister. The victim’s mother then contacted the authorities.
On May 1, 2014, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Bridgers’s residence and obtained computer media containing numerous chat logs with the minor victims, as well as over 28,000 images and videos containing child pornography. Law enforcement agents estimate that over a two-year period, Bridgers attempted to make contact with and sexually extort, or “sextort,” thousands of young girls on Facebook. To date, approximately 129 of Bridgers’ victims have been positively identified, making this one of the largest online child “sextortion” cases prosecuted in the United States.
“The staggering number of victims in this case is sickening,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations - Tampa. “While we cannot undo the damage to these young people, we can ensure that this criminal will not be able to harm them anymore.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations – Tampa, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Webster (Texas) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Investment FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Dante S. Giovannetti (50, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has been set for July 8, 2015. Giovannetti was indicted on February 11, 2015.
According to court documents, Giovannetti solicited four individuals to provide him with approximately $700,000 that Giovannetti claimed would be pooled, placed into a trading account, and used to trade in E-mini S&P 500 futures contracts. To induce his investors, Giovannetti represented that he had experience in earning profits from trading S&P futures, and provided investors with statements that showed large trading profits that Giovannetti claimed to have earned. Contrary to his representations, Giovannetti did not invest the monies in S&P futures, but instead used significant portions of the investors' funds for his personal benefit. To conceal his fraud, he provided his victims with false trading statements that had been doctored to show tens of millions of dollars in fictitious profits from trading S&P 500 futures contracts and more than $53 million in cash on deposit as of July 31, 2014.
After Giovannetti failed to return their money, his investors complained to the National Futures Association, which commenced an emergency examination of one of Giovannetti’s companies on October 14, 2014. On October 30, 2014, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil action against Giovannetti and several of his entities in federal court in Orlando. A statutory restraining order was entered against Giovannetti and his entities that froze their assets, granted expedited discovery, and prohibited the destruction of documents. Giovannetti failed to comply with the orders of the Court, was held in contempt, and a warrant was issued for his arrest for his contempt in the CFTC civil case in November 2014. On November 21, 2014, Giovannetti was charged in a sealed criminal complaint in the Middle District of Florida.
After his scheme was uncovered, Giovannetti fled to Canada. On January 15, 2015, he was deported back to the United States. The following day, Giovannetti had his initial appearance on the criminal complaint in federal court in Seattle, Washington. He was detained and transported back to this District by the United States Marshals Service.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State of Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Orlando Man Indicted on Child Sex Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Hermenegildo Nevarez Campa (33, Orlando) with two counts of sex trafficking children. If convicted on all counts, he faces 15 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Campa obtained a 15-year-old and a 12-year-old girl for commercial sex acts. According to court records, both girls were encountered by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detectives during an undercover vice operation. Upon realizing the children’s ages, investigators with the North Florida Human Trafficking Task Force interviewed the children and learned that they had run away from home, were currently homeless, and were being sexually exploited by customers who paid money to have sex with them. The older child provided detailed information about a customer whom the children knew as “Chico,” later identified as Campa.
On March 11, 2015, a warrant was issued for Campa’s arrest and he was apprehended by investigators with the FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, on April 9, 2014. Campa made his initial appearance, in Orlando, and is scheduled to appear in Jacksonville on April 17, 2015, for a detention hearing.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Task Force, a task force made up of investigators from the FBI and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener, III.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Nassau County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Shavon Tavin Anderson (22, Nassau County) yesterday pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, as part of a Drug Enforcement Administration task force operation in Nassau County, Florida, on February 6, 2015, Anderson met with a member of the Nassau County Sherriff’s Office acting in an undercover (UC) capacity. During the meeting, Anderson sold the UC cocaine and marijuana. A week later, he again met with the UC and sold him cocaine.
On March 5, 2015, Anderson met with the UC as part of an arranged drug sale, during which he was supposed to provide the UC with a half kilogram of powder cocaine in exchange for $24,000. Upon arrival, Anderson provided the UC with a smaller amount of what was later determined to be fake cocaine. When law enforcement agents moved toward the vehicle to arrest Anderson, he exited and began running. As he fled, officers observed a firearm tucked inside the waistband of Anderson’s pants. After a brief pursuit, Anderson was arrested and the loaded firearm was recovered.
As a previously convicted felon, Anderson was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Longwood Scientist Ordered to Pay $199,825 to NASA for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has ordered Donatus E. Asumu (52, Longwood) to pay $199,825 in restitution to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for wire fraud committed against the agency. The Court also ordered him to forfeit a Nissan automobile, a traceable proceed of the offense. In addition, Asumu was sentenced to serve one year of probation, including 45 weekends at the Brevard County Work Camp, and six months of home confinement. During the sentencing hearing, the Court made a finding that Asumu, who was represented by the Federal Public Defender, was not indigent and must pay back attorney’s fees pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act.
According to the plea agreement, between 2009, and continuing through 2012, Asumu, as president and owner of Aligned Concepts, LLC (“ACL”), fraudulently obtained two Small Business Innovation Research (“SBIR”) contracts from NASA valued at $199,825. He obtained the contracts by, among other things, (i) falsely representing to NASA that certain individuals would work certain hours on the contracts, when in fact those individuals did not work or perform any tasks on the contracts; (ii) falsely representing to NASA that he was not employed full-time by another organization, when in fact he was; (iii) falsely representing to NASA that ACL was a legitimate Small Business Concern (SBC); and (iv) falsely submitting invoices to NASA for work that was certified as complete per contract terms, when in fact ACL did not perform the work per those terms.
This case was investigated by NASA, Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
Clearwater and Jacksonville Men Indicted for Manufacturing and Passing Counterfeit Federal Reserve NotesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Darius Jondi Edwards (35, Clearwater) with manufacturing and passing counterfeit currency. His co-defendant, Timothy Deante Burroughs (28, Jacksonville), is charged with passing counterfeit currency. If convicted on all counts, Edwards faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. Burroughs faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. Both men were arraigned earlier this month and ordered detained.
According to the indictment, Edwards began manufacturing counterfeit currency, beginning at least in November 2014. Edwards and Burroughs then began passing the counterfeit currency in Duval County, Florida.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
BB&T Bank Robber Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp today sentenced Kenyada Emanuel Jacobs (42, Casselberry) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for bank robbery. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,750 to BB&T Bank. Jacobs pleaded guilty on January 15, 2015.
According to court documents, on October 27, 2014, Jacobs robbed a BB&T Bank located in Casselberry, Florida. Officers responded to the scene of the robbery and reviewed the bank’s surveillance footage. The officers recognized Jacobs because they had responded to a domestic disturbance involving Jacobs only hours earlier.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Casselberry Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Embry J. Kidd.
Tampa Man Indicted for Traveling to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity with A Missouri MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Stephen Farris Underwood (46, Tampa) with coercion and enticement, transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and traveling to meet a minor with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Underwood traveled from Tampa to Missouri to meet a minor with whom he had been corresponding online. Underwood picked up the minor from a Missouri shopping center and transported him to Underwood’s residence in Tampa. It was Underwood’s intent that he and the minor would live together as a couple in Florida. The parents of the minor, who was fifteen at the time, did not give Underwood permission to leave the state with their son.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Mountain View (Missouri) Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris.
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.
Husband and Wife “Pill Mill” Operators Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. today sentenced Warren and Aigoul Gold to 12 months and one day, and six months in federal prison, respectively, for drug trafficking and money laundering charges. The Court also ordered a money judgment in the amount of $713,570 and forfeiture of $61,232 in a bank account, both of which are traceable to proceeds of the offenses. The Golds pleaded guilty on July 24, 2014.
According to court documents, beginning in early 2010, the Golds became the owner-operators of a pain clinic (“Clinic”) located in the Middle District of Florida. As the owner-operators of the Clinic, the Golds organized, managed, operated, maintained, and relocated the Clinic to various locations during 2010. In that time, the Clinic served as a high-volume, cash-only, pill-prescription operation that sometimes handled more than 100 patients in a single day, with a large number of those patients residing out of state, many from Kentucky.
At each of the Clinic’s locations, doctors prescribed patients a similar drug "cocktail," consisting mostly of large amounts of oxycodone and other Schedule II narcotics. The Golds knew that many of the patients were not legitimate pain patients. Rather, most of these “patients” were seeking the oxycodone cocktail to fuel their own addictions or to unlawfully distribute those drugs to other dealers and/or addicts.
The Golds also laundered the unlawful proceeds from the Clinic in a variety of ways, including making cash deposits of less than $10,000 to banks for the purpose of avoiding reporting requirements. Once the proceeds had been deposited, the Golds spent some of those funds in a manner that concealed the unlawful nature of the Clinic. For example, they diverted some of the proceeds in the Clinic’s account into other accounts that were wholly unrelated to the operation of the Clinic. They also used proceeds from the Clinic to promote their pain business. Among other ways, the Golds used profits to pay the doctors cash bonuses based upon the number of patients seen in a given day.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Jackson.