Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Orlando Area Men Sentenced for String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, announces that United States District Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced Keenan Davis (27, Poinciana), Kelsey Coffee (28, Kissimmee), Tiandre Rogers (25, Poinciana), Moses Patterson (23, Poinciana), and Danoris Scott (24, Poinciana) for their involvement in a string of armed robberies. Davis and Coffee were convicted following a jury trial in November 2014. Specifically, Davis was convicted of six counts of robbery and two counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Today, he was sentenced to 33 years and 4 months in federal prison. Coffee was convicted of four counts of robbery and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 19 years and 6 months in federal prison.
Patterson, Scott, and Rogers each previously pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and two counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Patterson was sentenced to 14 years and 3 months in federal prison, Scott received a sentence of 11 years and 3 months’ imprisonment, and Rogers was sentenced to 16 years and 5 months in federal prison. Another individual, Jamal Tillman (23, Poinciana), was previously sentenced on November 20, 2014, to 80 months in federal prison.
All of the individuals were originally indicted on June 26, 2014.
According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants were involved in robbing multiple retail establishments, including a McDonald’s restaurant and a Sweetbay Supermarket, in 2013. During the trial, many of the victims testified that they had been pepper-sprayed, zip-tied, and duct-taped while Davis, Coffee, and the other co-defendants conducted the robberies.
On September 7, 2013, after committing several other robberies, Davis and Coffee entered a Nike Factory Outlet Store at the Ellenton Outlets with a gun in Manatee County, while Patterson, Scott, Rogers, and Tillman acted as lookouts. Following this robbery, all six were arrested by deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Apopka Police Department, the Plant City Police Department, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
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.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Shaun Andrew Copenhaver (29, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for knowingly receiving child pornography over the Internet. He was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervision following his incarceration, to register as a sex offender, and to forfeit his computer media. Copenhaver has been in custody since his arrest on February 6, 2014.
According to court documents, an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in Jacksonville began an undercover investigation to identify individuals in the area that had access to and/or were trading images and videos of child pornography over the Internet. The agent determined that a local computer was hosting images of child pornography using a peer-to-peer file sharing program, and was able to download several pornographic videos from this computer. Further investigation traced the Internet subscriber information to Copenhaver’s Jacksonville residence
On February 6, 2014, law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Copenhaver’s residence and seized a computer and an external hard disk drive. Copenhaver was at the residence. During an interview with agents, he admitted that he had been involved in downloading child pornography from the Internet for about five years. Subsequent analyses of Copenhaver’s external hard drive revealed that it contained videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
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.
Bonita Springs Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Ft. Myers, Florida - United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Christopher Hall (44, Bonita Springs) with one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
According to the indictment, on May 9, 2014, Hall distributed images and videos depicting child pornography to an undercover FBI Task Force Agent using an Internet peer-to-peer network. A federal search warrant was subsequently executed at Hall’s residence and all of his computer-related media was seized. Forensic analyses of the evidence revealed approximately 2,500 images and videos of child pornography.
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 - Ft. Myers Office and the Collier County Sherriff’s Office FBI Task Force. It is being 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Seven Tampa Residents Plead Guilty in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that seven individuals have pleaded guilty to engaging in a conspiracy to file fraudulent income tax returns. Brandon Gilchrist, Donterrio Troup, Terrance Johnson, Tanisha Johnson, and Shadae Cotton each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft and theft of government funds. Each faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Mikeil Royal has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count, to be followed by a mandatory two year term of imprisonment for the identity theft count. Kenneth Royal has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and theft of government funds charges and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not yet been set.
According to court documents, the conspirators opened accounts at various local financial institutions and used those accounts to receive fraudulent income tax refunds. The conspirators caused the filing of numerous fraudulent federal income tax returns on behalf of deceased persons, usually individuals who shared the same last name as the defendant. As a consequence, the IRS wired income tax refunds, to which these individuals were not entitled, into the accounts previously established at their banks. The total loss to the IRS from this conspiracy was almost $488,658.00.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Duval County Man Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft and Counterfeit ChecksRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Larry Bernard Taylor (49, Jacksonville) to 20 months in federal prison for identity theft and aiding and abetting the attempted passing of counterfeit checks. He pleaded guilty on November 13, 2014.
According to court documents, on February 26, 2014, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Jasper Shields was driving on Interstate 95 in Duval County. Larry Bernard Taylor was a passenger in the vehicle. When asked for identification, Taylor identified himself as L.C. and provided a Florida Identification Card to the FHP trooper in the name of L.C. After further questioning, Taylor admitted his true identity. Shields subsequently provided consent for a vehicle search, during which officers located 12 counterfeit business checks purportedly issued from Walgreens. The checks were made out to three different payees, in various amounts.
On February 2, 2015, Shields was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for his role in the scheme to pass counterfeit business checks and for violating his supervised release.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service North Florida High-Tech Crime Task Force and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Rodney Joel Neal (53, Montezuma, Georgia) has pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Neal has been in custody since his arrest on October 10, 2014.
According to court documents, in May 1988, Neal was found guilty and sentenced for committing aggravated child molestation and child molestation in Macon County, Georgia. In July 2014, he moved from Georgia to Jacksonville, but failed to register as a sex offender in Florida, 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Raises Awareness of Campus Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has partnered with the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to co-host a one-day training on Campus Sexual Assault Prevention and Response. Since 1999, OVW has funded approximately 322 campus-based projects, totaling more than $122,789 million, to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking on campuses. Today’s training addressed specific topics, including prevention, response and investigation, effective collaborations, and best policy practices. More than 160 attendees participated, including law enforcement, state prosecutors, colleges and universities staff, victim advocates, and victim-service providers.
The White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault was established in 2014, with a mandate to strengthen federal enforcement efforts and provide schools with additional tools to help combat sexual assault on their campuses. The Department of Justice has tailored this collaborative victim-centered campus sexual assault training to address particular areas of need in our communities.
For more information about the training and OVW’s Grants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking on Campus Program, please contact Darlene Johnson at (202) 307-6795. Information about the Office on Violence Against Women can be found by visiting: www.justice.gov/ovw.
Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Credit Card Fraud, Identity Theft, and Selling Skimming DeviceRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Lazaro Hernandez-Cabrales (31, Tampa) to five years and ten months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered him to forfeit $19,010.26, which are the proceeds traceable to his criminal conduct. He pleaded guilty on November 19, 2014.
According to court documents, in early 2014, investigators identified Ricardo 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 accounts 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, that 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 the pumps’ payment computers.
During a search of the residence shared by Romero-Mesa and Hernandez-Cabrales on February 17, 2014, 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 for merchandise returns, high-end purses and clothing, and receipts for the purchase of MoneyGram wire transfers from the United States to the Ukraine. Further investigation revealed that Hernandez-Cabrales had wired more than $23,545 to recipients in Ukraine and Russia to purchase at least 800 stolen account numbers from a website that offers them for sale.
In August 2014, Hernandez-Cabrales was arrested at his residence, shortly after selling credit card skimming equipment and gas pump keys to another individual. A subsequent search of his residence resulted in the seizure of counterfeit credit cards, a gas pump key, and a credit card re-encoder. In total, investigators recovered more than 1,000 stolen credit card numbers issued by more than 15 different financial institutions.
Ricardo Romero-Mesa pleaded guilty to his role in this case on January 14, 2015. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Mortgage Fraud Ringleader, Mortgage Broker, and Title Agent Sentenced in Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey today sentenced James Fidel Sotolongo (49, Port Orange), Stephanie Musselwhite (52, Daytona Beach), and Christopher Mencis (53, Longwood) for their respective roles in a mortgage fraud scheme. Sotolongo was sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison, Musselwhite received a sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and Mencis was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. They were also ordered to pay restitution, joint and severally, totaling $12,543,246 to JP Morgan Chase ($9,350,932), Wells Fargo ($1,640,467), and Bank of America ($1,551,847).
Sotolongo, Musselwhite, and Mencis were indicted on April 24, 2013. On February 4, 2014, Mencis, a mortgage broker, pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federally insured financial institution. A federal jury found Sotolongo and Musselwhite guilty on April 29, 2014. Sotolongo was convicted of one count of conspiracy and eleven counts of bank fraud. Musselwhite, a title agent in Orlando, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy, nine counts of bank fraud, and one count of making false statements to a federally insured financial institution.
According to evidence presented at trial, Sotolongo and Musselwhite were part of a scheme that recruited straw buyers with high credit scores to apply for and obtain 11 mortgages (first and second mortgages were obtained) totaling more than $12 million. The purpose of the scheme was to obtain the properties with no money down and no money at closings, rent the properties, and then sell them for a profit. To carry out the plan, Sotolongo enlisted the straw buyers and told them that they did not need to bring a deposit or cash to the closing, and that they only needed to be involved in the loan application process. The straw buyers testified that the loan applications submitted in their names contained false information, including the use of the property as a primary residence, their income, their assets, and their liabilities. Other false information included grossly inflated checking and savings account balances.
Mencis prepared the loan applications and submitted them through his brokerage company, Real Estate Mortgage Professionals (REMP). REMP has since gone out of business. He also used a former bank branch manager at SunTrust bank, at the direction of Sotolongo, to falsely verify the incomes and assets for the straw buyers. The loan applications were then sent off to several lenders, all of whom testified that they would not have funded the loans had they known that the information contained in the loan applications was false or grossly inflated.
After the loans were approved, Musselwhite prepared settlement statements listing closing costs and payments to a company called American Signature Homes, which was partly owned by Sotolongo. Musselwhite, who owned Orlando Title and Abstract of Florida, Inc., would wire lender money to American Signature Homes, and Sotolongo would use a portion of the lender money to finance the deposit and closing costs that Musselwhite would collect after the closings. The banks did not know that they were actually funding 100% of the loans on the multi-million dollar homes.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Financial Services, and the City of Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
Merritt Island Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon, II today sentenced Michael Glenn Glascock (39, Merritt Island) to life in federal prison for attempted online sexual enticement of a minor. He was also sentenced to a concurrent term of 30 years for sexual exploitation of a minor for the purpose of producing child pornography. Glascock pleaded guilty on August 18, 2014.
According to court documents, from October 11, 2012, through October 11, 2013, Glascock used a three-year-old victim to produce visual depictions of the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In the fall of 2013, an undercover agent with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office responded to an online advertisement that Glascock had posted on Craigslist. The agent communicated with Glascock over the Internet and by cell phone. During these conversations, Glascock described his sexual abuse of the minor victim and expressed an interest in meeting the agent and the agent’s fictitious minor daughter. Glascock further expressed a desire to meet and engage in illegal sexual activity with the fictitious child, and he offered to allow the agent to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim. After finalizing plans to meet, agents went to Glascock’s home, where they met him and located the minor victim. The victim was taken to a medical facility and examined for sexual assault. Subsequent laboratory tests revealed the presence of Glascock’s semen on the child’s body, as well as in the child’s diaper.
During an interview with agents, Glascock admitted to producing pornographic images of the minor victim, to sexually abusing the minor as depicted in some of the images, and to distributing and receiving images of child pornography over the Internet. Agents executed a search warrant at Glascock’s home and recovered his cell phones, SD cards, and the digital camera that he had used to produce some of the explicit images involving the minor victim. A forensic examination of these devices revealed that there were 24 images depicting explicit sexual conduct involving the minor victim on one of the SD cards.
Agents also searched Glascock’s email accounts and discovered explicit images of the minor victim that Glascock had sent to another individual. In these and other emails, Glascock had numerous discussions about his sexual abuse of the minor victim. In a series of emails discovered by agents, Glascock, and an individual identified to be Jonathan Tyler Prive, discussed an incident where Prive sexually abused the minor victim at Glascock’s home, as Glascock watched the abuse. A subsequent investigation led to Prive’s arrest. He pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor on August 27, 2014, and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 27, 2015.
“This sadistic criminal has preyed on the most vulnerable members of our society, our children, and this sentencing underscores the serious consequences of those crimes,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “HSI, and our law enforcement partners, like the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, will not rest in our efforts to protect our youth and communities from predators like this.”
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). 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.jutice.gov/psc.
Lehigh Acres Woman Convicted of Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Deena Williams (40, Lehigh Acres) guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methylone. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 4, 2015.
Williams was indicted on April 30, 2014.
According to evidence presented at trial, on April 21, 2014, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at an international mail facility in New York encountered an International Express Mail Service parcel from the People’s Republic of China. After searching the parcel, they determined that it contained methylone. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations agents made a controlled delivery of the package to a Lehigh Acres address, where Williams accepted the package. She subsequently opened the package and removed the drugs. Further investigation revealed that the package belonged to her brother, Titus Lamar Bellot, who was also charged as part of the same conspiracy. His trial is scheduled to begin on February 9, 2015.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.
Former Florida Resident Sentenced for Attempted Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced Patrick R. Minga (50, formerly of Cape Coral) to four years and nine months in federal prison for to attempting to induce and facilitate, for his own financial gain, the travel of an individual from Brevard County, Florida, to Quito, Ecuador, so that the individual could engage in illicit sexual conduct with minor girls. In addition, following his release from prison, Minga was ordered to serve 20 years of supervision, to have no contact with minors, and must register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Minga advertised, on Craigslist, a sex tourism business in Ecuador that could facilitate lodging, transportation, meals, and unlimited access to females for a fee. An undercover agent with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Task Force observed the ad and contacted Minga. Over the course of several months, Minga tried to induce and arrange the travel of the agent from Florida to Quito, where Minga advised that he could provide sexual encounters with minors as young as 13 and 14 years of age.
On March 2, 2014, Minga traveled from Ecuador to the United States, where he was arrested by agents in Huntsville, Alabama.
“HSI remains committed to stopping criminals from exploiting children globally,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “As evidenced by this case, HSI will continue to work with our local and transnational law enforcement partners, like the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and utilize every available resource to target child predators who travel internationally with the sole intent to exploit and victimize the innocence of children.”
"This case is another excellent example of interagency cooperation that targets criminals who prey upon the most precious things in our lives, our children,” stated Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey. “If your intent is to harm a child, our intent is to track you down and bring you to justice!"
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 Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
Air Force Staff Sergeant to Ten Years for Attempted Enticement of a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven today sentenced Air Force Staff Sergeant Timothy Ray Oliver, II (36, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sex acts. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the computers and phone he had used while committing the offense. Oliver pleaded guilty on June 12, 2014.
According to court documents, on October 20, 2013, Oliver posted an advertisement on a public website soliciting members of the public for sex and advising that he was interested in “any age, size, or race.” An undercover law enforcement officer, posing as a 15-year-old “child” responded to Oliver’s ad. Oliver and the “child” subsequently communicated via email and Oliver told the “child” that he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse. Oliver repeatedly attempted to elicit personal information from the “child,” including naked photos. In addition, Oliver sent images of sex toys, graphically describing sexual acts that he wished to perform on the “child,” and repeatedly made plans for a meeting.
On November 5, 2013, Oliver arrived at an agreed upon location in the Ballast Point area of Tampa to meet the “child” and was arrested.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wesley Chapel Woman Sentenced to Five Years for Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Tavia Lamonica Ball to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of her sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $405,169, the proceeds of fraudulently obtained tax refunds.
Ball pleaded guilty on August 4, 2014.
According to court documents, Ball was an employee of Amerigroup, a managed health care company operating in approximately 19 states nationwide. The company serves more than 4.5 million beneficiaries of state-sponsored health plans, including Medicaid. In her capacity at Amerigroup, Ball had access to the company’s member database, as well as members’ personally identifying information (PII), including dates of birth and Social Security numbers.
Beginning on an unknown date, Ball and others conspired to steal PII and electronically file fraudulent federal income tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which they were not entitled. The conspirators directed some of the fraudulently obtained refunds to be deposited onto reloadable debit cards and then purchased money orders and goods for their own benefit and the benefit of others, including an automobile. The government estimates that the actual loss associated with this conspiracy is at least $405,169. The conspirators filed false tax returns claiming at least $657,087.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
Palm Bay Man Convicted of Internet Solicitation of MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Jean Roussel Eloi (30, Palm Bay) guilty of using the Internet to attempt to persuade a minor to engage in sexual conduct. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 17, 2015.
Eloi was indicted on November 5, 2014.
According to testimony presented at trial, on the night of July 20, 2014, Eloi started an online chat session with an 11-year-old female who lived in Palm Bay. The next day, the girl reported the chats to her mother. After the mother contacted law enforcement, an undercover detective began engaging in a series of chats with Eloi, who explicitly detailed the sexual acts he wanted to perform with the “girl.” Eloi eventually asked the “girl” to meet him. When he arrived at the prearranged location, deputies arrested him.
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Palm Bay Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bruce S. Ambrose.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Naples Man Indicted for Additional Million Dollar FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Jeffrey Ihm (47, Naples) with 14 counts of wire fraud and 5 counts of aggravated identity theft. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, he faces a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft offense, to be served consecutively to any wire fraud conviction. The indictment also notifies Ihm that the government intends to forfeit $315,000 that has been seized from a Suncoast Credit Union checking account, in addition to a house in Naples that is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses. The United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of $2,297,664.74, representing the alleged proceeds of the fraud scheme.
According to the superseding indictment, Ihm assumed the identities of and posed as executives of a number of companies, including Roper Industries, Inc., Kinetic Technologies, LLC, CSX Corporation, and Convergence Consulting Group, Inc. He then generated false and fraudulent emails and other documents in the names of the companies’ executives in order to defraud Wells Fargo Bank, CIT Group, and Key Bank, causing those financial institutions to transfer to him $2,297,664.74 to which he was not entitled.
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 United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Economic Crimes Unit of the Collier County Sherriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David G. Lazarus and Dale R. Campion.
Kissimmee Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Receiving Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Cruz Vicente, Jr. (57, Kissimmee) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The Court also ordered him to serve a 20-year term of supervision following his release from prison and to forfeit the electronic devices that he had used to commit the crime. Vicente pleaded guilty on October 8, 2014.
According to court documents, an undercover FBI investigation determined that Vicente was making child pornography available for download by others using an Internet peer-to-peer file sharing program. On May 21, 2014, agents executed a federal search warrant at Vicente’s residence and recovered his laptop computer. Forensic analyses subsequently revealed that the computer contained more than 3,000 images and 76 videos depicting child pornography, including images of young children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years for Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Gerrell Houston to 38 months in federal prison for theft of government property and aggravated identity theft. Houston pleaded guilty in September 2014.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, Houston conspired with others to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by filing false and fraudulent income tax returns using the names and Social Security numbers of unwitting individuals. The conspirators filed 50 fraudulent tax returns, claiming $331,849 in refunds, and succeeded in obtaining more than $108,000 from the U.S. government.
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 Sara C. Sweeney.
Duval County Man Sentenced to Prison for Counterfeit ChecksRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jasper Lee Shields (59, Jacksonville) to 57 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the attempted passing of counterfeit checks and for violating his supervised release. He pleaded guilty on October 29, 2014.
According to court documents, on February 26, 2014, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Shields was driving on Interstate 95, in Duval County, Florida. Larry Bernard Taylor was a passenger in the vehicle. When asked for a driver’s license, Shields stated that he did not have one. Shields subsequently provided consent for the FHP to search the vehicle, during which officers located 12 counterfeit business checks purportedly issued from Walgreens. The checks were made out to three different payees, in various amounts.
Taylor pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme in November 2014. He is scheduled for sentencing on February 9, 2015.
This case was investigated by United States Secret Service North Florida High-Tech Crime Task Force and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Mastermind of Equity Skimming Scheme Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Stephen Mayer (51, Miami) guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution and nine counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2015. Mayer was indicted on May 13, 2014.
According to evidence presented at 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 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 and estimate losses to the lenders in excess of $3 million.
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelley Howard-Allen and Mandy Riedel.
Identity Thief Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Cordell Jones to ten years and one month in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $1,469,435, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Jones pleaded guilty on November 5, 2014.
According to court documents, Jones conspired with several others to defraud the IRS by filing false and fraudulent income tax returns using the names and Social Security numbers of unwitting individuals. Jones obtained the personal identifying information from a relative who had stolen the data from a financial institution where she worked. The conspirators filed 526 fraudulent returns claiming $5,063,954 in refunds and succeeded in obtaining more than $1.4 million from the IRS.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bob Mosakowski.
Former Credit Union Employee Charged with Embezzlement and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Male Yahaira Rivera (35, Orlando) with sixteen counts of embezzlement from a federally insured credit union and one count of money laundering. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each embezzlement count and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for money laundering.
According to the indictment, Rivera was an employee of Fairwinds Credit Union. Between October 2010 and August 2011 she allegedly stole $258,000 from the credit union. Funds were taken on sixteen separate occasions in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $40,000. Rivera used more than $44,000 as a partial payment for a Porsche.
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 United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Brevard County Men Sentenced to More Than 10 Years for Operating $18 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon, II today sentenced Donald Ray Babb (58, Merritt Island) and Ralph Victor Ruth (61, Melbourne) to ten years and one month in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of their interest in the following properties: 422 Waterside Drive, Merritt Island, FL; 3502 Tipperary Drive, Merritt Island, FL; 3661 Turtle Mound Road, Melbourne, FL; 312 Sycamore Circle, Warne, NC; and 3498 NC Highway 60, Murphy, NC, which were traceable to proceeds of the offense. As part of their sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $18,731,125.58, the proceeds of the conspiracy, and ordered restitution in the amount of $9,728,968.48. Both pleaded guilty on November 12, 2014.
According to court documents, between June 2006 and December 2013, Babb and Ruth orchestrated a scheme in Brevard County that ultimately defrauded approximately 181 investors out of $18.7 million. Doing business as Southeast Mutual Insurance and Investment, LLC, Capstar Industries, LLC, and First Merchant Capital, LLC, Babb and Ruth falsely represented their businesses as licensed financial institutions whose deposits were insured by the FDIC. Using these entities, they advertised risk-free Certificates of Deposit (CDs) investment opportunities that yielded high rates of return. However, neither Babb nor Ruth ever purchased a CD for an investor. Instead, they used the money to make payments to earlier investors in the scheme, and to purchase real estate and other luxury items for themselves.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haas.
Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than 27 Years for Stealing Retirement Funds and Insurance Proceeds and for Filing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Joseph Witchard (56, Orlando) to 27 years and 7 months in federal prison for mail fraud, filing false claims against the United States, theft of government property, and aggravated identity theft. The Court also ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $145,673.83 to his victims. A federal jury found Witchard guilty on November 4, 2014.
According to evidence presented at trial, Witchard orchestrated two mail fraud schemes, one to steal retirement funds and life insurance proceeds, and another to file fraudulent tax returns. During both schemes, he used identities that had been stolen from a variety of sources. The personal identifying information of more than 60 victims was found during a search of Witchard’s residence in February 2010. Witchard, and others, negotiated the retirement, life insurance, and tax refund checks at local businesses, including car dealerships.
IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James D. Robnett said, “Individuals who commit refund fraud and identity theft of this magnitude and with this degree of dishonesty and deceit, deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Mr. Witchard has been victimizing the citizens of Florida and the United States for decades as shown by his previous convictions for tax related crimes. IRS Criminal Investigation, along with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office, remain vigilant in identifying, investigating and prosecuting these types of individuals.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, IRS - Criminal Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.
Orange Park Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Ronald Boike (51, Orange Park) to three years and four months in federal prison for possessing child pornography. He pleaded guilty on September 10, 2014.
According to the plea agreement, Boike was involved in an online relationship with a minor for at least two years. Boike sent sexually explicit pictures of himself to the minor in order to coax her to produce and send him pornographic pictures and videos of herself. During ongoing conversations with the minor, Boike saved pornographic pictures and videos of the minor on his family’s computer. His wife learned of his relationship with the minor after discovering the videos on the family’s computer. Boike’s wife subsequently filed a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Malisa Chokshi.
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.
North Carolina Man Indicted for Transporting a Minor for the Purpose of Engaging in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Ronnie Travis Hall, III (27, Charlotte, NC) with transportation of a minor with the intent that she engage in prostitution. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to court documents, on or about April 9, 2014, Hall knowingly transported a minor victim from Georgia to Florida with the intent that she engage in prostitution. For approximately two months, Hall allegedly forced the minor to work as a prostitute by having her walk the streets and by advertising her services on the Internet. During this time, he transported the minor victim from Charlotte, to Atlanta, and ultimately to Orlando. Hall kept all of the money earned by the victim and used it for himself and the victim’s expenses.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan 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.
North Carolina Man Indicted for Transporting A Minor for the Purpose of Engaging in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Ronnie Travis Hall, III (27, Charlotte, NC) with transportation of a minor with the intent that she engage in prostitution. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to court documents, on or about April 9, 2014, Hall knowingly transported a minor victim from Georgia to Florida with the intent that she engage in prostitution. For approximately two months, Hall allegedly forced the minor to work as a prostitute by having her walk the streets and by advertising her services on the Internet. During this time, he transported the minor victim from Charlotte, to Atlanta, and ultimately to Orlando. Hall kept all of the money earned by the victim and used it for himself and the victim’s expenses.
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 This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan 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.
New York Corrections Officer Sentenced to 14 Years for Attempted Child EnticementRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington today sentenced Jude Thaddeus Danahy (35, Buffalo, NY) to 14 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a child for sexual activity. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the equipment he had used to commit the offense. Danahy pleaded guilty on August 27, 2014.
According to court documents, between June 2013 and July 2014, Danahy communicated via email and text messages with an undercover agent that he believed was the mother of an 11-year-old girl. Danahy responded to an online advertisement and expressed in graphic detail his desire to engage in sexual acts with the “child.” He repeatedly sent graphic messages to the “mom” and attempted to persuade and induce the “child’s” assent by sending her a princess dress. Danahy also repeatedly solicited pornographic images of the “child,” and he mailed the “mom” a digital camera so that she could send him images. Danahy was arrested on July 1, 2014.
“It is especially egregious when a person in a position of authority, like this corrections officer, attempts to victimize our children,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “HSI will continue to aggressively pursue criminals who prey on the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Immokalee Man Sentenced for Theft of Government Money and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John E. Steele has sentenced Ernest Freeman, Jr. to three years and six months in federal prison for theft of government money and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervision following his release from prison. In addition, the Court entered a special assessment in the amount of $2,200, due immediately, and imposed a fine of $7,500. Restitution is yet to be determined. A federal jury found him guilty on October 27, 2014.
According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, between September 2011 and March 2012, Freeman signed and deposited 11 federal income tax refund checks into his business account at Fifth Third Bank, of which he was the sole beneficiary. The checks were issued in the names of others who had not given Freeman authority to cash the checks. In total, he stole more than $100,000 belonging to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
Fort Myers Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Kevin Charles Kaszynski (49, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, while going through boxes that had been stored in a leased storage unit, Kaszynski’s estranged wife found a computer hard drive among other items belonging to her husband. On August 27, 2013, she accessed the hard drive and opened a file that depicted a prepubescent girl in a sexual pose. The hard drive was turned over to law enforcement for further investigation. On September 5, 2013, agents obtained a search warrant for the hard drive and discovered more than 7,000 images and 400 videos depicting child pornography. On January 27, 2014, agents obtained a search warrant for Kaszynski’s computer and found 300 images and 15 videos depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with the participation of the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
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 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 Sentenced to 17 Years for Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon, II has sentenced Joe E. Clinton, Jr. (23, Orlando) to 17 years in federal prison for aiding and abetting the attempted robbery of a Walgreen’s store, the robbery of a CVS store, and using and carrying a firearm during those violent crimes. Clinton pleaded guilty on March 24, 2014.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial of Clinton’s co-conspirator, Jacques Maddox, on the night of September 2, 2013, Clinton and Maddox went to the Walgreen’s store on South Kirkman Road near Universal Studios. After surveilling the store for hours, they walked into the store for the final time around 11:00 p.m. Maddox acted as a lookout near the center of the store, while Clinton forced the store manager inside an office at gunpoint. Clinton demanded that the manager open the store’s safe, threatening to shoot him if he failed to do so. When the manager refused to comply with Clinton’s demands, Clinton pistol whipped him, striking him several times in the head and shoulders. Clinton then ran out of the office, met up with Maddox in the middle of the store, and pulled his gun on other employees and store customers as he and Maddox fled the scene.
On the night of September 10, 2013, Clinton walked into the CVS store located at 1201 East Colonial Drive, in Orlando. He took a beverage from the cooler and brought it to the front counter. As the clerk tried to ring up the purchase, Clinton pulled out his handgun, pointed it at the clerk, and demanded that she open the register. The clerk gave Clinton all of the cash from the register; he then fled from the store.
Clinton admitted to committing a series of additional armed commercial robberies in Central Florida before being captured by police in Dothan, Alabama, on October 1, 2013.On July 9, 2014, a federal jury found Maddox guilty of aiding and abetting the attempted Walgreen’s robbery. He was subsequently sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
Ocala Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine Lab in Ocala National ForestRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges has sentenced Charles Michael Curry, Jr. (50, Ocala) to 30 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty to the charge in November 2014.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2014, United States Forest Service officers responded to the Ocala National Forest based on complaints that individuals had been illegally manufacturing methamphetamine there. Upon arrival, officers found a campsite occupied by Curry and two other individuals. Curry initially fled from the officers, but was quickly apprehended. Subsequently, he directed the officers to his makeshift methamphetamine laboratory, where they found approximately 155 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Curry ultimately admitted that he had been manufacturing the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Officers also recovered drug paraphernalia in the immediate area.
This case was investigated by the United States Forest Service and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Naples Man Indicted for Million Dollar Internet Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jeffrey Ihm (47, Naples) with multiple counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, he faces a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft offense, to be served consecutively to any wire fraud conviction. The indictment also notifies Ihm that the United States is seeking a money judgment against him in the amount of $1,064,664.74, and intends to forfeit the house located at 3343 Pacific Drive, Naples, Florida, which are both alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the fraud.
According to the indictment, Ihm assumed the identities of and posed as three different Roper Industries, Inc. executives. He then generated false and fraudulent emails and other documents in the names of Roper Industries, Inc. and Kynetic Technologies, LLC to defraud Wells Fargo Bank, causing the bank to wire him $1,064,664.74 to which he was not entitled.
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 United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Economic Crimes Unit of the Collier County Sherriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David G. Lazarus and Dale R. Campion.
Former Teacher Sentenced to 210 Years for Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton. Jr. today sentenced Matthew C. Graziotti (43, Edgewater) to 210 years in federal prison for producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography. The Court also ordered him to serve a lifetime of supervision following his release from prison and to forfeit the electronic devices that he had used to commit the crimes. Graziotti pleaded guilty on October 30, 2014.
According to court documents, Graziotti distributed 141 images and 6 videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children to an undercover FBI agent. During the execution of a search warrant, agents located thousands of child pornography images on Graziotti’s computer involving children under the age of 12. One computer folder, named “personally known,” contained sexually explicit photographs and videos of 29 children that Graziotti had sexually abused when they were under the age of 12. Graziotti stored the sexually explicit images that he produced in subfolders bearing each child’s name. He produced these images from 2010 through 2014. During this period, Graziotti taught elementary school in South Daytona and was the director of the school’s summer day camp program. He also coached youth sports.
“Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will remain vigilant to ensure our children are protected,” stated Michelle S. Klimt, Special Agent in Charge, FBI – Jacksonville Division. “Let this sentence be a clear message to others involved in this horrendous crime that exploits the most innocent among us. The FBI is committed to locating and removing sexual predators from kids’ lives through the U.S. justice system.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.
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 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 Florida-Based Dermatology Practice for $3 Million; Three Whistleblowers to Collect more than $500,000Read the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - The United States has settled a lawsuit brought by three whistleblowers that alleges a central Florida based dermatology practice knowingly billed the government millions of dollars for procedures that lacked basic indicia of medical necessity and, in some cases, had been performed by unlicensed, uncredentialed, and unsupervised employees. The qui tam complaint, filed by three former employees of the clinic, alleges that the defendants – a dermatology practice and its owner – violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting false claims to the government for payment.
The government announced today that it has reached a settlement with the defendant, Associates in Dermatology, and the physician who owned the practice, Dr. Michael Steppie. In reaching this settlement, the parties resolved allegations that, from January 1, 2009, until October 2013, Dr. Steppie operated a dermatology practice that had an unlicensed medical assistant performing radiation therapy without proper supervision. The whistleblowers, in many instances, alleged that the medical assistant lacked the basic knowledge to perform the tests she was performing. In addition, the allegations included that the clinic performed unnecessary destructions of skin lesions and that these destructions lacked proper documentation. Associates in Dermatology and Dr. Steppie agreed to pay the United States $3 million dollars to resolve these allegations.
"The United States Attorney's Office is committed to taking the necessary steps to protect Medicare, TRICARE, and other federal health care programs from fraud," said A. Lee Bentley, III, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. "By bringing FCA cases such as this, we recover funds obtained through fraud and deter others from attempting similar schemes."
"This case underscores how important it is for health care providers to properly document the services they bill to Medicare," stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Derrick Jackson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of federal health care programs."
This lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Katherine Brown, Amber Bradshaw, and Vanessa Santos, former employees at the clinic. Under those provisions, a private party, known as a relator, can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The three relators will receive more than $500,000 as part of today’s settlement.
This matter 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 more than $23.4 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $14.9 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Services, the Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and Office of Counsel to Inspector General, and the Defense Health Agency Program Integrity Office. It was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Mehta.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The lawsuit against the defendants was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and is captioned United States ex rel. Brown et al v. Associates in Dermatology, Michael Steppie, and William Steele.
Tampa Man Charged for his Role in Stolen Identity Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Demetrius Wright with four counts of theft of government funds, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and theft of government funds. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison for each of the theft charges, two years for each aggravated identity theft charge, and up to five years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy offense. The indictment also notifies Wright that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $165,317.00, the proceeds of the criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, between February 2012 and December 2014, Wright engaged in a conspiracy with others to file fraudulent federal income tax returns on behalf of taxpayers who had no knowledge of the scheme. As a result of the numerous fraudulently filed tax returns, the Internal Revenue Service paid a total of $165,317.00 into various bank accounts to which Wright had access.
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 Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Tampa Man Charged for His Role in Stolen Identity Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Demetrius Wright with four counts of theft of government funds, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and theft of government funds. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison for each of the theft charges, two years for each aggravated identity theft charge, and up to five years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy offense. The indictment also notifies Wright that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $165,317.00, the proceeds of the criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, between February 2012 and December 2014, Wright engaged in a conspiracy with others to file fraudulent federal income tax returns on behalf of taxpayers who had no knowledge of the scheme. As a result of the numerous fraudulently filed tax returns, the Internal Revenue Service paid a total of $165,317.00 into various bank accounts to which Wright had access.
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 Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Federal Jury Finds Lee County Man Guilty of False Tax Claims and Obstructing the Functions of the IRSRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Ronald F. Croteau guilty of ten counts of filing false tax claims and one count of obstructing or impeding the administration of the Internal Revenue laws. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for each false claims count, and up to three years’ imprisonment for the obstruction offense. Croteau is being detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has been scheduled for April 20, 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, Croteau filed ten false and fraudulent income tax returns claiming refunds ranging from $46,701 to $957,670. These tax returns were false and fraudulent in that they claimed federal tax withholdings from fraudulent 1099-OID forms purportedly issued to Croteau by financial institutions. However, witnesses from the various financial institutions testified that the institutions did not create these forms and, in fact, had not withheld any federal income taxes for Croteau.
After being informed 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.
Father and Son Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Military EquipmentRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges has sentenced Pedro Luis Infantes (47, Ocala) and his son, Luis Rafael Infantes (21, Elizabethtown, KY), to 21 months in federal prison for theft of government property. Both pleaded guilty last year.
According to their plea agreements, on July 11, 2014, Pedro Infantes and his son unwittingly met with a confidential source who was working in cooperation with law enforcement. The father and son approached the source about finding a buyer for stolen military equipment, as they believed that the source had connections to Mexican drug trafficking organizations. The father told the source that he had been removing serial numbers from the items so that they could not be traced. Ultimately, they negotiated a sale price of $153,500 for 17 military-grade, thermal-imaging monoculars, rifle cleaning kits, and other stolen military equipment.
When Pedro Infantes later attempted to complete the transaction, he was arrested and interviewed by the FBI. He then provided false statements to agents about how he had acquired the military items and how the serial numbers on the items had been removed, telling the agents that he had purchased the equipment in that condition at assorted gun shows. In reality, Luis Infantes, an active-duty soldier for the United States Army, had stolen the equipment from the Fort Knox military installation. A subsequent search of a storage unit rented by the father revealed additional stolen military equipment, including an aviation helmet, boxes of batteries, firearm accessories, and tactical gear.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Aircraft Mechanic Sentenced to Federal Prison for Falsifying the Airworthiness of an Aircraft PartRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges has sentenced Clive Felix Ure (58) to 12 months in federal prison for falsifying the airworthiness of a propeller that he had sold to the owner of a private plane. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $67,772.14. Ure pleaded guilty on July 10, 2014.
According to court documents, Ure held Federal Aviation Administration licenses as an aircraft mechanic and a private pilot. In September 2012, he agreed to sell a propeller, which he had listed on eBay, to the owner of a private plane in Oregon. During negotiations regarding the sale, Ure represented that the propeller had been overhauled and that it had not been used since the overhaul.
In fact, an FAA-certified propeller repair station had told Ure that the propeller was not airworthy and could not be overhauled for use on an airplane. At the time Ure sold the propeller, it not been overhauled. To “prove” that the propeller had been overhauled, Ure sent the buyer a log book in which there was a false entry for the overhaul. He also stamped a false serial number on the propeller because the true serial number had been obliterated by the propeller repair station, at the direction of the FAA.
In addition, as part of his plea agreement, Ure agreed to pay restitution to another private plane owner and to a flight training school, both of whom had engaged Ure to overhaul aircraft engines. When he overhauled the engines, Ure used parts that had not been approved by the FAA, some of which were unairworthy. The engines subsequently had to be closely inspected and overhauled again, at significant expense. The court ordered Ure to pay restitution in the amount of $49,136.86 to the private plane owner and in the amount of $18,635.28 to the flight training school.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the Federal Aviation Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Convicted Tampa Sex Offender Sentenced to Four Years in Prison in Second Failure to Register as a Sex Offender CaseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Kevin Robert Leblanc (52, Tampa) to four years in federal prison for failing to register as sex offender after absconding from supervision in Florida and traveling to Arizona. He was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release. Leblanc has been in custody for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release since his arrest in August 2014.
According to court documents, on July 29, 1999, Leblanc was convicted of committing two child sex offenses in Massachusetts. Subsequently, he traveled to Florida, failed to register as a sex offender, and was prosecuted for failure to register. Leblanc pleaded guilty to this charge and, on August 25, 2011, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, and a 15-year term of supervision.
On April 4, 2014, Leblanc was released from federal prison, established a residence in Tampa, and commenced his term of supervised release. On July 25, 2014, he absconded from federal supervision. In doing so, he failed to update his sex offender registration status with Florida authorities, as required by law. Leblanc was arrested near Flagstaff, Arizona, on August 15, 2014, by the U.S. Marshals Service. When interviewed, he acknowledged knowing that he was required to register as a sex offender, that he did not notify Florida authorities that he was leaving the state, and that he failed to notify authorities because he “got fed up” with being supervised.
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. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys D. Rodney Brown and Kelly S. Karase.
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.
Child Pornography Distributor IndictedRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida - United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that an indictment has been returned against Daniel Edward Palmer (37, Port Charlotte), charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, Palmer distributed child pornography images and videos to an undercover FBI Task Force Agent over an Internet peer-to-peer network between the dates of March 30, 2014 and July 8, 2014. A federal search warrant was subsequently executed at Palmer’s residence and all computer-related items were seized. A forensic analysis of the evidence revealed over 300 images and videos of child pornography. Palmer is a registered sex offender stemming from a 2009 conviction for possessing child pornography.
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 - Ft. Myers Office and the Charlotte County Sherriff’s Office. It is being 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Child Pornography Distributor IndictedRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida - United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that an indictment has been returned against Daniel Edward Palmer (37, Port Charlotte), charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, Palmer distributed child pornography images and videos to an undercover FBI Task Force Agent over an Internet peer-to-peer network between the dates of March 30, 2014 and July 8, 2014. A federal search warrant was subsequently executed at Palmer’s residence and all computer-related items were seized. A forensic analysis of the evidence revealed over 300 images and videos of child pornography. Palmer is a registered sex offender stemming from a 2009 conviction for possessing child pornography.
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 - Ft. Myers Office and the Charlotte County Sherriff’s Office. It is being 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Daytona Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell today sentenced Fortune Tyrone Hill (34, Daytona Beach) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute over 100 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack” cocaine. He was sentenced as a career offender because he has at least two prior felony convictions. Hill was found guilty on October 15, 2014, following a bench trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, on May 20, 2014, officers from the Daytona Beach Police Department responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex, where an individual reported that her vehicle license tag had been stolen. When officers arrived at the complex, Hill attempted to flee and struck one of the officers. He was eventually arrested. Plastic bags containing a total of more than 100 grams of “crack” cocaine, two digital scales, and $1,020 were recovered during a search of Hill. Officers also recovered an additional $1,630 from his rental car.
This case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
Daytona Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell today sentenced Fortune Tyrone Hill (34, Daytona Beach) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute over 100 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack” cocaine. He was sentenced as a career offender because he has at least two prior felony convictions. Hill was found guilty on October 15, 2014, following a bench trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, on May 20, 2014, officers from the Daytona Beach Police Department responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex, where an individual reported that her vehicle license tag had been stolen. When officers arrived at the complex, Hill attempted to flee and struck one of the officers. He was eventually arrested. Plastic bags containing a total of more than 100 grams of “crack” cocaine, two digital scales, and $1,020 were recovered during a search of Hill. Officers also recovered an additional $1,630 from his rental car.
This case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
Convicted Tampa Sex Offender Sentenced to Four Years in Prison in Second Failure to Register as a Sex Offender CaseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Kevin Robert Leblanc (52, Tampa) to four years in federal prison for failing to register as sex offender after absconding from supervision in Florida and traveling to Arizona. He was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release. Leblanc has been in custody for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release since his arrest in August 2014.
According to court documents, on July 29, 1999, Leblanc was convicted of committing two child sex offenses in Massachusetts. Subsequently, he traveled to Florida, failed to register as a sex offender, and was prosecuted for failure to register. Leblanc pleaded guilty to this charge and, on August 25, 2011, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, and a 15-year term of supervision.
On April 4, 2014, Leblanc was released from federal prison, established a residence in Tampa, and commenced his term of supervised release. On July 25, 2014, he absconded from federal supervision. In doing so, he failed to update his sex offender registration status with Florida authorities, as required by law. Leblanc was arrested near Flagstaff, Arizona, on August 15, 2014, by the U.S. Marshals Service. When interviewed, he acknowledged knowing that he was required to register as a sex offender, that he did not notify Florida authorities that he was leaving the state, and that he failed to notify authorities because he “got fed up” with being supervised.
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. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys D. Rodney Brown and Kelly S. Karase.
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.
Air Force Sergeant Sentenced to Ten Years for Attempting to Meet Children for SexRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore today sentenced Nicholas Darwin Yancey (30, Melbourne) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted child enticement. The Court also ordered him to forfeit two cellphones and a computer that he had used to commit the offenses. Yancey pleaded guilty on October 2, 2014.
According to court documents, on February 10, 2014, Yancey, a Staff Sergeant on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, posted an advertisement on Craigslist soliciting individuals for “texting/sexting.” An undercover law enforcement officer with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, posing as a 14-year-old child, responded to the ad. Yancey and the “child” communicated over the Internet for months, during which time Yancey told the “child” that he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with her and solicited nude photographs of her. He also stated that he had a crush on her, and invited her to a sleepover at a hotel on MacDill Air Force Base.
On June 26, 2014, the undercover officer observed several additional postings from Yancey on Craigslist. The officer responded to one of the advertisements posing as a second “child.” Yancey and the second “child” communicated using an Internet messaging application. Yancey told the second “child” that he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with her, and possibly one of her friends. He arranged to meet the second “child” for sex on July 3, 2014, but later attempted to change the meeting. When the second “child” declined, Yancey informed her that he would simply go down the list, referring to his ability to find another person to meet. On June 27, 2014, Yancey contacted the first “child” and arranged to meet her later that week for sex. On June 29, 2014, he traveled to the Ballast Point area in Tampa, where they had arranged to meet, and was arrested.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Kaiser.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Air Force Sergeant Sentenced to Ten Years for Attempting to Meet Children for SexRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore today sentenced Nicholas Darwin Yancey (30, Melbourne) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted child enticement. The Court also ordered him to forfeit two cellphones and a computer that he had used to commit the offenses. Yancey pleaded guilty on October 2, 2014.
According to court documents, on February 10, 2014, Yancey, a Staff Sergeant on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, posted an advertisement on Craigslist soliciting individuals for “texting/sexting.” An undercover law enforcement officer with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, posing as a 14-year-old child, responded to the ad. Yancey and the “child” communicated over the Internet for months, during which time Yancey told the “child” that he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with her and solicited nude photographs of her. He also stated that he had a crush on her, and invited her to a sleepover at a hotel on MacDill Air Force Base.
On June 26, 2014, the undercover officer observed several additional postings from Yancey on Craigslist. The officer responded to one of the advertisements posing as a second “child.” Yancey and the second “child” communicated using an Internet messaging application. Yancey told the second “child” that he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with her, and possibly one of her friends. He arranged to meet the second “child” for sex on July 3, 2014, but later attempted to change the meeting. When the second “child” declined, Yancey informed her that he would simply go down the list, referring to his ability to find another person to meet. On June 27, 2014, Yancey contacted the first “child” and arranged to meet her later that week for sex. On June 29, 2014, he traveled to the Ballast Point area in Tampa, where they had arranged to meet, and was arrested.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Kaiser.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
South Florida Man Indicted for Identity Theft and Debit Card FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Kency Aime (29, Biscayne Bay) with one count of access device (credit card) fraud and nine counts of identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the fraud count, and up to 5 years in prison for each identity theft count.
According to the indictment, Aime possessed 34 stolen MasterCard and Visa debit cards, as well as the Social Security numbers of nine individuals.
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 United States Secret Service and the Florida Highway Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
South Florida Man Indicted for Identity Theft and Debit Card FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Kency Aime (29, Biscayne Bay) with one count of access device (credit card) fraud and nine counts of identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the fraud count, and up to 5 years in prison for each identity theft count.
According to the indictment, Aime possessed 34 stolen MasterCard and Visa debit cards, as well as the Social Security numbers of nine individuals.
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 United States Secret Service and the Florida Highway Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.