Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to more than 20 Years for Drug Related OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Kewarren Lamar Jones (44, Sarasota) to 20 years and 5 months in federal prison for distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine and a related violation of his federal supervised release. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $7,500, the proceeds of his criminal conduct. Jones pleaded guilty on October 9, 2014.
According to the plea agreement, during the summer of 2013, Jones sold ounce quantities of crack cocaine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions. At the time of these transactions, Jones was on supervised release for a prior federal firearm offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to more than 20 Years for Drug Related OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Kewarren Lamar Jones (44, Sarasota) to 20 years and 5 months in federal prison for distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine and a related violation of his federal supervised release. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $7,500, the proceeds of his criminal conduct. Jones pleaded guilty on October 9, 2014.
According to the plea agreement, during the summer of 2013, Jones sold ounce quantities of crack cocaine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions. At the time of these transactions, Jones was on supervised release for a prior federal firearm offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Steven Phelps (40, Sarasota) to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on October 24, 2014.
According to court documents, On June 27, 2014, detectives from the Sarasota Police Department executed a search warrant at Phelps’s home. During the search, 28 individually wrapped baggies of cocaine, an electronic scale, and a Davis Industries .32 caliber pistol were recovered. At the time of the search, Phelps was a convicted felon, and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Steven Phelps (40, Sarasota) to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on October 24, 2014.
According to court documents, On June 27, 2014, detectives from the Sarasota Police Department executed a search warrant at Phelps’s home. During the search, 28 individually wrapped baggies of cocaine, an electronic scale, and a Davis Industries .32 caliber pistol were recovered. At the time of the search, Phelps was a convicted felon, and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Explosives and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.
Largo Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Antwon Scott (39, Largo) to 15 years in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Court also ordered Scott to forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2014.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2014, officers from the Largo Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Scott for driving with a suspended license. Inside the car, Scott had a distribution amount of marijuana. During a subsequent search of Scott’s residence, officers found a firearm, ammunition, and narcotics. Scott has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for fleeing and eluding law enforcement, sales of narcotics, and aggravated assault. As a previously convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Largo Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
Largo Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Antwon Scott (39, Largo) to 15 years in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Court also ordered Scott to forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2014.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2014, officers from the Largo Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Scott for driving with a suspended license. Inside the car, Scott had a distribution amount of marijuana. During a subsequent search of Scott’s residence, officers found a firearm, ammunition, and narcotics. Scott has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for fleeing and eluding law enforcement, sales of narcotics, and aggravated assault. As a previously convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Largo Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
Lakeland Shooter Sentenced to more than 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Nicholas Quinton Hanson (23, Lakeland) to five years and ten months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition. He pleaded guilty on October 1, 2014.
According to court documents, on May 10, 2014, law enforcement officers responded to a shooting at a Chevron gas station in Lakeland. Surveillance video from the gas station captured the shooting, and the individuals involved. That night, numerous individuals, including Hanson, arrived at the gas station in multiple vehicles and congregated around the gas pumps. After conversing for a short time, and as the individuals returned to their vehicles, gunfire erupted from a nearby location. The shots were aimed at Hanson and the others. Hanson returned fire from the rear passenger window of his vehicle and fled the scene. Although the firearm Hanson had used was not located, five of his shell casings were recovered from the scene. Hanson has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for burglary, grand theft, and retaliation against a witness. As a previously convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Christopher Shawn Warnock (43, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography over the Internet. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. The plea also requires Warnock to forfeit his computer media and register as a sex offender. Warnock has been in federal custody since his arrest on December 17, 2014. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on October 30, 2014, an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Newark, New Jersey began an online undercover investigation to identify individuals who were using the Internet to trade and distribute images and videos depicting child pornography. The agent made online contact with Warnock and was able to download at least 24 videos of child pornography from Warnock’s computer. Further investigation traced the computer to Warnock’s residence in Jacksonville.
On December 17, 2014, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Warnock’s residence and seized his computer. Warnock told the agents, among other things, that he searches for child pornography online using certain key terms, and that he enjoys watching others having sex with children. Forensic analyses of Warnock’s computer revealed that it contained at least 13 videos depicting the sexual abuse of very young children. Logs of online conversations, in which Warnock had indicated his desire to exchange videos of child pornography with other Internet users, were also recovered.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark and Jacksonville Offices, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched 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.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Christopher Shawn Warnock (43, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography over the Internet. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. The plea also requires Warnock to forfeit his computer media and register as a sex offender. Warnock has been in federal custody since his arrest on December 17, 2014. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on October 30, 2014, an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Newark, New Jersey began an online undercover investigation to identify individuals who were using the Internet to trade and distribute images and videos depicting child pornography. The agent made online contact with Warnock and was able to download at least 24 videos of child pornography from Warnock’s computer. Further investigation traced the computer to Warnock’s residence in Jacksonville.
On December 17, 2014, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Warnock’s residence and seized his computer. Warnock told the agents, among other things, that he searches for child pornography online using certain key terms, and that he enjoys watching others having sex with children. Forensic analyses of Warnock’s computer revealed that it contained at least 13 videos depicting the sexual abuse of very young children. Logs of online conversations, in which Warnock had indicated his desire to exchange videos of child pornography with other Internet users, were also recovered.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark and Jacksonville Offices, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched 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.
Winter Garden Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding FEMARead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Keith A. Greenwood (49, Winter Garden) today pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 20, 2015.
According to the plea agreement, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began providing disaster assistance to individuals whose primary residences had been damaged by the hurricane. In November 2012, days after Hurricane Sandy struck New York City, Greenwood submitted an application for disaster assistance. In his paperwork, he falsely represented to FEMA that a property in Brooklyn, New York was his primary residence. The Brooklyn property was a building that Greenwood owned and rented to tenants. His true primary residence was in Winter Garden, Florida. Because his primary residence was not impacted by the hurricane, Greenwood was not entitled to the $17,385.73 in disaster assistance payments that FEMA awarded him based on his misrepresentations. On January 10, 2013, as part of an attempt to obtain another $5,000 in disaster assistance from FEMA, Greenwood faxed fake work receipts to FEMA that purported to be for repair work performed on the Brooklyn property. Ultimately, Greenwood admitted to investigators that he intentionally had told FEMA that the Brooklyn property was his primary residence, when he knew that his primary residence was in Florida.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the FEMA Fraud Prevention and Investigation Branch. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
Traffickers with Ties to Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven today sentenced Mario Manzur Reyes (31, Tampa) and Santos Rene Herrera-Cruz (50, Tampa) for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Reyes was sentenced to five years and ten months in federal prison. Herrera-Cruz was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. Both pleaded guilty in September 2014.
According to court documents, Reyes oversaw the delivery of more than 16 pounds of highly pure methamphetamine from Laredo, Texas to the Tampa area. The methamphetamine had a street value of at least $250,000. Reyes, who was affiliated with a drug cartel operating out of Michoacán, Mexico, arranged for the drugs to be picked up on March 10, 2014, by one of his customers at a truck stop on U.S. 301. The customer, in turn, hired Herrera-Cruz to take possession of the shipment for him.
“Trafficking methamphetamine is a serious offense and a danger to our communities,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Tampa. “HSI, together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, is committed to combating the menace posed by illegal substances.”
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 Patrick Scruggs.
Orlando Man Sentenced to More than 13 Years for Robbing Credit UnionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced Joseph Cotto-Diaz (31, Orlando) to 13 years and 5 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting a credit union robbery with assault, and aiding and abetting the use and carrying of a firearm during that robbery. As part of his sentence, Cotto-Diaz was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
Cotto-Diaz pleaded guilty on October 1, 2014.
According to testimony and court documents, on the morning of January 25, 2012, Cotto-Diaz and three co-conspirators, including Raulier Rivas Lopez (29, Orlando), robbed the American Eagle Credit Union located at 7007 SeaWorld Drive, in Orlando. Cotto-Diaz, Lopez, and another co-conspirator, all wearing masks, entered the credit union and demanded money from the employees. Lopez pointed an AK-47-style rifle at the employees as Cotto-Diaz pepper-sprayed them. Approximately $7,000 was taken during the robbery.
After fleeing the credit union in a stolen van, the men drove to a nearby hotel parking lot and abandoned the vehicle. They then ran through a pre-cut hole in a chain-link fence, and met another co-conspirator who was waiting in a getaway car.
Lopez pleaded guilty on June 10, 2014, and was sentenced on September 11, 2014, to 14 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
Former Ponte Vedra Resident Sentenced to Nine Years for FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Mark Steven Szekely (54, Ponte Vedra) to nine years in federal prison for wire fraud. The Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $454,972.65, the traceable proceeds of the offense, and ordered him to pay restitution to his victims in the same amount. Szekely pleaded guilty on October 14, 2014.
According to court documents and testimony presented during the sentencing hearing, Szekely conducted a scheme to defraud others in which he swindled at least 17 individuals out of $454,972.65. Among the victims were his friends, members of his church, his children’s teachers, and a 17-year-old high school student who had saved money from babysitting. As part of his scheme, Szekely represented that he was an accomplished author with connections to entertainment lawyers in New York City that could assist the victims with copyrighting, publishing, and/or producing their works into Broadway plays or films. In reality, Szekely had no such connections, and instead, fraudulently created a list of fictitious lawyers and other professionals. In addition, several of the victims were defrauded into investing in “annuities” tied to a book Szekely had written and was allegedly being produced into a movie. Court testimony established that Szekely had not worked for approximately 12 years and had supported himself and his family with the proceeds of his fraud.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Devereaux.
Former Law Enforcement Officer Sentenced to 25 Years for Child Sexual EnticementRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced Brian John McRee, Sr. (51, Jacksonville) to 25 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and for 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. McRee pleaded guilty on August 28, 2014.
According to court documents, McRee attempted to entice a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity. Unbeknownst to him, the “girl” was a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity. McRee initially met the “girl” on a website known to be frequented by individuals who discuss incest and pedophilia. During the next six weeks, McRee communicated with the “girl” over the Internet, engaging her in sexual conversation and grooming her for sex. On May 17, 2014, he travelled to a prearranged location to meet the “girl” for sex and was subsequently arrested. He had in his possession numerous sexual aids, including condoms, alcohol for the child, erectile dysfunction medicine, and a digital camera. He also brought with him a laptop and three thumb drives containing a total of 300 images and 5 videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of young girls. McRee admitted that he had travelled to have sex with the child and that he had downloaded child pornography from the Internet. He also admitted that he had recently been chatting about sex online with a 10-year-old.
McRee previously worked as a law enforcement officer for several sheriff’s offices from 1982 through 1999.
“Our children are our nation’s most important resource,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations, Tampa. “And HSI remains committed to protecting our children against predators.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Finds Orlando Men Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Orlando residents Shawn Lamonte Robinson (42) and Corey Jamaal Woodard (37) guilty of conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and aiding and abetting an attempt to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The jury also convicted Woodard of possessing firearms in furtherance of those drug trafficking crimes. Each faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison on the cocaine conspiracy conviction. Woodard faces a mandatory consecutive 5 years, up to life, on the firearms conviction. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2015.
Robinson and Woodard were charged in a superseding indictment on October 15, 2014.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Robinson and Woodard had a long standing relationship from at least 2008 through mid-September 2014, during which they worked together to obtain large quantities of cocaine in the Ocala and Orlando areas. During this period, they purchased and sold multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine to large-scale cocaine dealers in the Ocala area. They also distributed the drugs in the Orlando area.
On June 19, 2014, Drug Enforcement Administration agents and local law enforcement officers working with the North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force seized $69,880 in cash and three loaded firearms from Woodard as he traveled to a cocaine deal. During the execution of a series of federal search warrants in Orlando, agents subsequently seized eight additional firearms, body armor, $294,700 in cash, and jewelry.
This case is another prosecution in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation Wind Sock. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the North Florida HIDTA, which is comprised of narcotics agents from the Ocala Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney A. Tysen Duva.
Federal Jury Finds Orlando Men Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Orlando residents Shawn Lamonte Robinson (42) and Corey Jamaal Woodard (37) guilty of conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and aiding and abetting an attempt to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The jury also convicted Woodard of possessing firearms in furtherance of those drug trafficking crimes. Each faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison on the cocaine conspiracy conviction. Woodard faces a mandatory consecutive 5 years, up to life, on the firearms conviction. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2015.
Robinson and Woodard were charged in a superseding indictment on October 15, 2014.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Robinson and Woodard had a long standing relationship from at least 2008 through mid-September 2014, during which they worked together to obtain large quantities of cocaine in the Ocala and Orlando areas. During this period, they purchased and sold multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine to large-scale cocaine dealers in the Ocala area. They also distributed the drugs in the Orlando area.
On June 19, 2014, Drug Enforcement Administration agents and local law enforcement officers working with the North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force seized $69,880 in cash and three loaded firearms from Woodard as he traveled to a cocaine deal. During the execution of a series of federal search warrants in Orlando, agents subsequently seized eight additional firearms, body armor, $294,700 in cash, and jewelry.
Eleventh Circuit Affirms Convictions and Sentences of Two Men in International Investment Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has affirmed the convictions and sentences of United Kingdom citizens Paul R. Gunter (65, Odessa, Florida; originally of London) and Simon Andrew Odoni (57, Hertfordshire, UK) for their respective roles in an international investment fraud and money laundering scheme. In April 2013, a jury found Gunter and Odoni guilty of three counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, as well as nineteen counts of mail and wire fraud, and fourteen counts of money laundering. In July 2013, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida sentenced Gunter to 25 years in federal prison and Odoni to 13 years, 4 months in federal prison.
According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, from at least July 2004 through at least March 13, 2008, Gunter, Odoni, and others engaged in a sophisticated investment fraud and money laundering scheme in which worthless stock in hijacked dormant, publicly-traded companies in the United States was sold to victim-investors, primarily in the United Kingdom. The scheme used boiler room telemarketers, mostly in Spain, who employed high pressure and misleading sales techniques. The victim-investors wired more than $127 million to Gunter's bank accounts in the Middle District of Florida. The conspirators bilked victim-investors out of another $10 million via a FOREX currency trading scheme, which also utilized the boiler rooms in Spain. Gunter, Odoni, and their co-conspirators used the victim-investors' funds to perpetuate the fraudulent scheme and for their own personal enrichment. Victim-investors' funds were used to buy, among other things, an airplane, two vessels, vehicles, including a Ferrari, and real property in the Caribbean islands, England, and Florida.
On appeal, Gunter argued that the district court should have suppressed certain computer evidence and granted his motion for a mistrial. Odoni argued that the district court had lacked personal jurisdiction over him, that the evidence had been insufficient to convict him, that the district court had erred in denying his motion for a new trial, and that his sentence was unreasonable. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit rejected each of these arguments, affirming the district court’s denial of Gunter’s and Odoni’s various motions, finding that the evidence of Odoni’s guilt was “overwhelming,” and concluding that Odoni’s sentence was reasonable. In affirming the denial of Gunter’s suppression motion, the Court found that Gunter had no reasonable expectation of privacy in his computer files when U.S. officials examined them because those files had already been reviewed by British officials during an independent criminal investigation in the United Kingdom.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Tampa, Florida, as well as the U.S. Secret Service, Tampa, Florida and Newark, New Jersey Field Offices. The government also received assistance from several other authorities, including the City of London Police, the UK's Serious Fraud Office and Norfolk Constabulary, the Spanish National Police, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, and the British Columbia Securities Commission. The case was prosecuted in the district court by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachelle DesVaux Bedke and Kelley Howard-Allen. The appeal was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Linda Julin McNamara and by Trial Attorney Jenny Ellickson of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Appellate Section.
Tarpon Springs Woman Sentenced to Three Years for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Nova A. Montgomery to three years in federal prison for tax evasion and failure to file a tax return. The Court also ordered her to serve a three-year term of supervision following her incarceration, pay a $10,000 fine, and pay $338,308 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for taxes owed during the years of the offenses.
A federal jury found Montgomery guilty on October 10, 2014.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Montgomery was self-employed as a distributor for a multi-level marketing company that sold nutritional and other products. Between 2002 and 2012, she received commissions and other income exceeding $2.7 million. Montgomery set up a complex corporate structure that made it appear that virtually none of the income she received from the commissions and sales went to her personally. Further, on February 12, 2009, in the midst of an IRS audit, Montgomery filed false and fraudulent federal income tax returns claiming that she had no income for 2002 through 2006. In addition, she failed to file personal income tax returns for 2008 through 2012.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Bini.
Orange Park Man Pleads to Receiving Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Charles Eugene Mears (56, Orange Park) has pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography over the Internet. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervision. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to court documents, a Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent in Jacksonville began an undercover investigation to identify individuals in northeast Florida that had access to and/or were trading images and videos of child pornography over the Internet. The agent identified a computer that was hosting images of child pornography using a peer-to-peer file sharing program, and was able to download several of the files. Further investigation traced the host computer to Mears’s residence.
Agents subsequently executed a federal search warrant at Mears=s residence and seized several computers and other electronic media. Forensic analyses of Mears’s laptop revealed that it contained at least 211 videos depicting child pornography, including at least one video depicting the sexual abuse of a toddler.
This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It is being 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.
Nassau County Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Nicholas Mitko Clark (22, Yulee) has pleaded guilty to transporting child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in April 2013, Clark used an instant messaging service to chat with an individual in Canada, with whom he exchanged child pornography. During the chat, Clark requested that the individual send him child pornography and advised that he likes children between the ages of and 8 and 13. After receiving an image depicting a young child, Clark responded that he already had that file and requested another one. Clark and the individual proceeded to exchange additional files of child pornography. Through their investigation, law enforcement agents obtained Clark’s cellphone and recovered several additional images of child pornography.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney 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.
Jacksonville Would-Be Terrorist Sentenced to 20 YearsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Shelton Thomas Bell (21, Jacksonville) to 20 years in federal prison for conspiring and attempting to provide material support to terrorists. The Court also ordered him to serve a lifetime of supervision following his release from prison. Bell pleaded guilty on March 19, 2014.
According to court documents, beginning in May 2012 and continuing through at least July 18, 2012, Bell conspired to train and prepare as a combatant for overseas violent jihad, then travel from Jacksonville to the Middle East for the ultimate purpose of providing the skills to terrorists, including members of Ansar al-Sharia in Yemen. Once overseas, the plan included receiving further training and deadly weapons from Ansar al-Sharia, and then engaging in violent jihad against, and killing, others in Yemen and elsewhere.
In May 2012, Bell recruited a juvenile for the purpose of engaging in violent jihad and inspired him with the teachings of an Al Qaida spokesperson, Anwar al-Awlaki. Bell suggested traveling to Yemen to fight because of al-Awlaki's teachings - that all young people should travel to Yemen to “take up the fight.” Bell and the juvenile subsequently agreed to travel to Israel and then make Hajj. As part of the plan, the conspirators told others, including their parents, that they were traveling overseas to make Hajj, to study, and to get an education. By July 2012, the conspirators began taking actions to train for their unlawful activities by conducting mental training that included watching al-Awlaki videos and looking at images of dead Muslims.
Another part of the training took place on July 4, 2012, when Bell conducted a late-night “jihadi training mission” that involved the destruction of religious statues in a multi-denominational cemetery located in Jacksonville. In preparation for the mission, he dressed in all black clothing, wore tactical gloves, a mask, and wrapped his shoes in black duct tape to avoid leaving footprints. Bell brought a loaded 9 mm pistol with him on the mission to use “in case any kuffar want to cause any trouble.” Other training sessions conducted by Bell included a homemade firing range and impromptu battlefield lessons intended for recording and uploading to the Internet, to be used in the recruitment of others in the “the actions of jihad.” At the conclusion of one training session, Bell placed an American flag on a machete, burned it, and commented that the flag was “burning to the ground by the mujahidin’s hands.” To recruit other youth to travel and join in armed conflict, Bell and the juvenile also planned to take footage of their participation in armed conflict in the Middle East, once they made it there and began fighting.
On September 25, 2012, Bell and the juvenile left Jacksonville and flew to New York, Poland, and Tel Aviv, Israel, where they were detained by Israeli officials and deported to Poland. From there, Bell and the juvenile traveled to Jordan to stay with the juvenile's relatives. While in Jordan, Bell and the juvenile contacted another person to assist in their plan of joining up with Ansar al-Sharia. Bell and the juvenile also bought airline tickets to Oman, believing they would fly to Oman and walk across the border to Yemen and join the armed conflict there. During their overseas travel, Bell and the juvenile took steps to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Ultimately, Bell and the juvenile were deported from Jordan to the United States on November 21, 2012.
In commenting on this case, United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, stated, “We must be vigilant in investigating and prosecuting United States citizens who seek to travel overseas to assist terrorists. Not only do these individuals present an obvious threat abroad, they could also return to the United States after being radicalized and trained in the use of firearms, explosives, and weapons of mass destruction. Cases such as these remain a top priority for the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice.”"With our local, state and federal agencies working together through the JTTF, we’re able to detect, deter and defend our nation from these types of threats,” said Michelle S. Klimt, Special Agent in Charge – FBI Jacksonville Division. “We’re strongest working together and this is a perfect example of success through collaboration."
This case was investigated by the FBI's Jacksonville Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The JTTF is a multi-agency task force comprised of full-time personnel from the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener, III and Trial Attorney Mara M. Kohn from the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counter Terrorism Section.
Zephyrhills Brothers Sentenced to Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Dannie Carl Rayford, Jr. (32) to 15 years in federal prison, and his brother, Jermain Lavan Harrison (30), to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition. Both men were previously convicted of multiple felony offenses, including armed burglaries and drug violations.
Rayford and Harrison pleaded guilty on October 7, 2014.
According to court documents, on January 28, 2014, an undercover detective with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office purchased an SKS assault rifle and narcotics from Harrison at the brothers’ residence. During the execution of a search warrant several days later, law enforcement officers found Harrison in possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Officers also recovered four additional firearms, including two shotguns, as well as ammunition and an assortment of narcotics in Rayford’s bedroom. Both brothers subsequently admitted to dealing in narcotics and firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
It is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to reduce violent crime in our communities.
Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Failure to Register as AaSex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Nicodemus Darnell Jefferson (40, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender after traveling to Florida from Maryland. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Jefferson has been in custody since his arrest on September 30, 2014.
According to court documents, in December 1998, Jefferson was convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a minor in Charleston County, South Carolina. Subsequent to his conviction, he traveled from Maryland to Florida, where he has since resided. Jefferson failed to register as a sex offender in Florida as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. On September 30, 2014, he was arrested at his Jacksonville residence and acknowledged that he had been living there since June 2014. He had obtained a Florida identification card on August 4, 2014, that referenced a different Jacksonville address as his residence.
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.
Lakeland Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Benjamin Cuadrado (40, Lakeland) has pleaded guilty to producing and transporting child pornography. He faces a maximum penalty of 80 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between July 2012 and March 2014, Cuadrado persuaded and coerced an infant and a toddler to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing multiple videos of the conduct. He then sent the videos to others over the Internet. The investigation revealed that Cuadrado had produced at least 50 videos depicting the children.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Miami Beach Police Department, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Lakeland Police Department, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
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.
Jury Convicts Titusville Police Officer for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Richard Irizarry (45, Viera) guilty of attempting to help distribute one kilogram of cocaine, and using a cellular telephone to commit a drug trafficking offense. He faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 31, 2015.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Irizarry joined the Titusville Police Department in 2010 as a sworn law enforcement officer. In the summer of 2013, he responded to an apartment complex and befriended a person, who, unbeknownst to Irizarry, was a DEA confidential informant. While at a New Year’s Eve party in 2013, Irizarry told the informant that he knew that he was a drug dealer, and that Irizarry wanted to get into the drug business with him to make money. On New Year’s Day, the informant reported the conversation to DEA, which immediately initiated an investigation.
On several occasions, Irizarry met with or called the informant, who recorded all of their meetings and telephone conversations. Irizarry often used his official police vehicle to meet the informant after his shift was over. On January 13, 2014, Irizarry looked up a license plate in a confidential database for the informant and identified it as belonging to an undercover DEA car. On another occasion, while on duty and in uniform, Irizarry parked his patrol car 50 feet away from the informant and an undercover agent that Irizarry believed was also a drug dealer. After listening to his police radio, Irizarry used his cellphone to tell the informant that it was safe to do a deal. Following that call, the informant handed the undercover agent what Irizarry believed was a kilogram of cocaine. For protecting the drug deal, the informant paid Irizarry $500.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent A. Citro.
Second Man Sentenced in Armed Robbery of Tampa BankRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edward Honeywell today sentenced Keverick Lavar Brown (27, Tampa) to eight years and nine months in federal prison for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The Court also ordered him to forfeit the high-capacity firearm used in the robbery. He pleaded guilty on August 27, 2014.
According to court documents, on March 14, 2014, Brown and Erskine James McKinley committed an armed robbery of a Fifth Third Bank in Tampa. Both wore hats, masks, sunglasses, gloves, and dark clothing. During the robbery, Brown pointed a loaded .45 caliber pistol at bank employees and customers. The men escaped with more than $5,000, but discarded it when a dye pack exploded in the parking lot. Later that same day, law enforcement officers located the men at Brown’s residence in Tampa. Inside the residence, they found items the pair had used in the bank robbery, including their disguises and the firearm.
McKinley (24, Belle Glade) pleaded guilty to his role in the crime on June 12, 2014. He was sentenced on October 12, 2014, to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
Pharmacy Owner and Manager Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone and Money Laundering in Fort MyersRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge John E. Steele has sentenced Cape Coral residents Jeffrey R. Green (51) and Karen S. Hebble (44) for conspiracy to unlawfully distribute oxycodone and money laundering. Green, the former owner of Gulf Coast Medical Pharmacy, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison. Hebble, the pharmacy manager, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. The Court entered a money judgment against the defendants, in the amount of $4,918,603.36, representing the proceeds earned from unlawfully selling oxycodone. Green was also ordered to forfeit $1,253,419.09 seized from his company’s bank account; $347,423.56 used to pay off the mortgage on his Cape Coral home; his Florida pharmacy technician’s license; and all of his interest in both Gulf Coast Medical Pharmacy, Inc. and Gulf Coast Infusion Center, Inc.
Green and Hebble were found guilty by a federal jury on May 1, 2014.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, from 2009 through October 6, 2011, Green and Hebble filled, or caused to be filled, prescriptions for oxycodone that had not been issued for legitimate medical purposes. They also distributed oxycodone without the supervision and control of a licensed pharmacist.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, which includes the Naples Police Department, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, and other local law enforcement agencies. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Yolande G. Viacava, Robert P. Barclift, and David Lazarus.
Palmetto Woman Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Embezzling FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Beverly Sue Gingell (61, Palmetto) to five years and three months in federal prison for wire fraud and obstructing and impeding the administration of the Internal Revenue Service. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $651,347.42 and to forfeit $745,000, which represents the proceeds of the fraud.
Gingell pleaded guilty on October 22, 2014.
According to court documents, Gingell was formerly employed as the finance manager at Pro-Link, a company located in Bradenton. Gingell falsely represented to the company that she was a Certified Public Accountant with years of experience as a comptroller, and was an enrolled IRS agent, when she was not. From July 2010, through March 2011, Gingell embezzled $745,000 from the company. She did so by sending money to her own bank account via wire transfer and by obtaining money orders payable to herself and others. She used one wire transfer to pay off the remaining balance on her mortgage. Gingell also misrepresented the results of an IRS audit to Pro-Link’s owners, and effectively concealed her forgery on documents to the IRS, which resulted in a substantial tax liability to the company.
This case was part of a joint investigative effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Bradenton Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
Owner of Financial Services Company Pleads Guilty to Cashing More Than $17 Million in Fraudulent Federal Tax Refund ChecksRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Wilson Benjamin (55, Apopka) has pleaded guilty to theft of government property. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, Benjamin used his company, Benjamin Financial Services, to cash approximately 2,000 fraudulently filed federal income tax return checks worth $17.8 million. More than 400 of the returns were filed in the names of deceased taxpayers.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.
Man Sentenced in “Force Posting” Scheme that Defrauded AppleRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Sharron Laverne Parrish, Jr. (25, Tampa) to four years and nine months in federal prison for committing wire fraud. The Court also ordered him to forfeit $309,768.41, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense.
Parrish pleaded guilty on October 3, 2014.
According to court documents, from at least December 8, 2012, through July 17, 2014, Parrish engaged in wire fraud by providing fake bank authorization codes to merchants, particularly Apple, which allowed him to override denials of his closed bank and debit cards when he made purchases.
Typically, when a person attempts to use a bank or debit card to make an electronic purchase, the store merchant swipes the person’s card at a point of sale terminal. A bank authorization code is then generated by the issuing institution of the credit or debit card. This code signals the vendor that the account is active, that funds or credit is available, and it allows the vendor to accept payment using that card. Conversely, if the financial institution determines that the swiped card is affiliated with a closed account, or that funds or credit are insufficient to cover the purchase, no bank authorization code is generated. Rather, the merchant receives a declination.
Parrish had at least three Chase debit cards and one SunTrust debit card, all of which were associated with closed bank accounts. Thus, if used properly, the cards would have been declined by merchants when swiped at point of sale terminals. According to court documents, Parrish employed a scheme whereby he continued to use these canceled debit cards. He primarily used the cards to purchase expensive electronics, rent cars, and stay at hotels. When his canceled debit cards were declined by a merchant, he would pretend to call his financial institution and obtain an authorization code. He would then provide the cashier with a fraudulent bank authorization code, represent to the merchant that his debit cards and accounts were still active, and instruct the cashier to manually enter the authorization code. This would cause the merchant to override the declination and allow the transaction to be completed. This practice is commonly referred to as “force posting.” In one instance in January 2013, Parrish entered the Apple store at Brandon Town Center Mall and purchased $7,753.22 in merchandise using this scheme.
To date, the investigation has shown that Parrish used this “force post” scheme to defraud Apple stores in at least 16 states, including stores in the Middle District of Florida, resulting in approximately 42 different transactions and a fraud loss to Apple alone totaling $309,768.41. There is an additional $50,931.76 in intended loss to Apple from seven transactions that were either aborted by Parrish or declined by Apple.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Georgia Man Indicted on Federal Charge of Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Rodney Joel Neal (53, Montezuma, Georgia) with failing to register as sex offender after traveling from Georgia to Florida. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Neal has been in custody since his arrest on related state charges on October 10, 2014.
According to the indictment, in May 1988, Neal was found guilty and sentenced for committing two criminal offenses, aggravated child molestation and child molestation, in Macon County, Georgia. Subsequent to his conviction, Neal traveled from Georgia to Florida and failed to register in Florida as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
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 announces the return of an indictment charging Rodney Joel Neal (53, Montezuma, Georgia) with failing to register as sex offender after traveling from Georgia to Florida. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Neal has been in custody since his arrest on related state charges on October 10, 2014.
According to the indictment, in May 1988, Neal was found guilty and sentenced for committing two criminal offenses, aggravated child molestation and child molestation, in Macon County, Georgia. Subsequent to his conviction, Neal traveled from Georgia to Florida and failed to register in Florida as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Pinellas Pain Management Doctor Indicted for Distributing Controlled Substances Outside Usual Course of Professional Practice, Which Resulted in Deaths of PatientsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Edward Neil Feldman, M.D. (75, Tampa) and his wife, Kim Xuan Feldman (65, Tampa), with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. Dr. Feldman is also charged with three counts of dispensing controlled substances that resulted in the deaths of three individuals. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Kim Xuan Feldman faces a maximum of 70 years’ imprisonment. The indictment notifies the Feldmans that the government intends to forfeit real property located in Tampa and Pinellas Park, two investment accounts, and three bank accounts, all of which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses and/or property used to facilitate the offenses. The United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, from at least October 2009 through the date of the indictment, Edward Neil Feldman, Kim Feldman, and others used Feldman Orthopedic and Wellness Center, located at 6100 Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park, to dispense controlled substances, including Oxycodone, Methadone, Alprazolam (Xanax), and Diazepam, outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The indictment alleges that Dr. Feldman’s dispensing of those controlled substances resulted in the deaths of three individuals. The Feldmans also allegedly conspired to conduct financial transactions using funds derived from their drug conspiracy to promote the conspiracy, conceal the source of the funds, and avoid transaction reporting requirements. The indictment further alleges that the couple used criminal proceeds to purchase their personal residence and the office building where the pain clinic is located, as well as to fund an investment account.
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 results from an ongoing joint investigation conducted by (name the agencies involved) and the ongoing effort of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
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Clearwater Man Sentenced to More Than Nineteen Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking a ChildRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Gerald Eugene Mayham (41, Clearwater) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for sex trafficking a child. The Court also ordered him to serve a 10-year term of supervision upon his release and to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in June and July 2013, Mayham conspired with Joel Raymond Nauta to cause a 16-year-old girl to engage in prostitution. Mayham, who knew that the victim was a minor, arranged the sex acts by soliciting men at various locations in Clearwater and Dunedin. To get the victim to comply with the scheme, Mayham threatened her and provided her with drugs. Mayham received the money from the sex acts, some of which he used to purchase drugs.
On April 29, 2014, Nauta pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 4, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Clearwater Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Largo Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph W. Swanson and Simon A. Gaugush.
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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida - United States District Judge John E. Steele has sentenced John J. Hanlon, Jr. (22, Ft. Myers) to seven years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, for distributing and possessing child pornography. He pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2014.
According to court documents, between June 12, 2013, and July 14, 2013, Hanlon distributed videos depicting child pornography to an undercover FBI task force agent using an Internet peer-to-peer network. A federal search warrant was obtained for Hanlon’s residence and all of his electronic media-related items were seized. Forensic analyses of the seized items revealed more than 800 images and videos depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Resident Agency. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tama Koss Caldarone.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Second Conspirator Pleads Guilty in Lakeland SNAP Fraud RingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Basem Abualteen (48, Lakeland) pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to defraud the United States. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, and has agreed to make restitution (along with co-conspirators) in the amount of $2,110,778 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food Nutrition Service.
According to the plea agreement, from January 2013 to August 27, 2014, Abualteen conspired with Hamzeh Abu-Aish and Shoeneikia Abu-Aish to defraud the USDA’s food stamp program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Hamzeh Abu-Aish was the owner of Finest Meat Market d/b/a Finest Super Market in Lakeland. Abualteen and Shoeneikia Abu-Aish worked as Finest store clerks beginning in about January 2013. Hamzeh Abu-Aish instructed the clerks to purchase SNAP benefits from SNAP recipients in exchange for cash and a commission, a practice called “cash back” or “discounting.” For example, a SNAP recipient would approach a store clerk and ask for $100 in cash. The store clerk would charge approximately $200 to the recipient’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, and then give the SNAP recipient $100 in cash. This practice is strictly prohibited by SNAP regulations. During the scheme, Finest SNAP EBT redemptions far exceeded the national and state averages of similarly sized stores. For example, during July 2013, the average SNAP benefit redemptions for a similarly sized store were $7,059 in Florida, and $6,490 nationally. Finest had $160,821 in SNAP benefit redemptions for the month of July alone. During Abualteen’s participation in the scheme, Finest submitted and received approximately $2,110,778 in fraudulent SNAP EBT redemptions.
On December 3, 2014, Shoenekia Abu-Aish pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the same fraudulent SNAP scheme. On the same date, a grand jury returned a two count indictment charging Hamzeh Abu-Aish with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Bini.
Jacksonville Man Charged in Federal Court with Receiving Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Christopher Shawn Warnock (43, Jacksonville) with receiving child pornography over the Internet. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervision. Warnock was arrested on December 17, 2014, at his Jacksonville residence. He was arraigned today and ordered detained pending further proceedings.
According to the indictment, on or about December 14, 2014, Warnock knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct over the Internet.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation offices in Jacksonville and Newark, New Jersey, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Former Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Forida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Harold B. Walbey, III (46 Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Walbey was indicted on December 11, 2013.
According to court documents, from at least in or about 2010 and continuing through about May 2012, Walbey, in his capacity as a correctional officer at the John E. Goode Pre-trial Detention Facility (PTDF), stole the personal identifying information of unknowing inmates that were housed at the facility. As a part of this scheme, Walbey maintained a notebook that contained 49 names, social security numbers, and dates of births of prisoners that were incarcerated at the PTDF. Once this information was stolen, fraudulent debit card accounts and W-2 forms were created in the inmates’ names. A fraudulent tax return was then electronically filed using various online tax software tools such as Turbo Tax. From 2010 through 2012, Walbey filed tax returns in 38 different prisoners’ names, claiming more than $250,000 in fraudulent refunds.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Malisa Chokshi.
Former Corrections Officer Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges today sentenced Antoine D. Clark (30, Orlando) to three years and one month in federal prison for receipt of a bribe by a public official. The Court also entered a money judgment against him in the amount of $28,450, which represents the proceeds of the offense. Clark pleaded guilty on September 23, 2014.
According to court documents, Clark was employed as a Corrections Officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (USP-2) in Sumter County. Based on information from inmates at the facility, agents discovered that Clark had been smuggling tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, cell phones, and pornography into the prison. In exchange for these items, inmates had arranged for Clark to be paid by cash or wire transfers from third parties.
Following his arrest on June 26, 2014, Clark admitted that he had smuggled contraband into the prison in exchange for bribes. He received $28,450.00 in illegal payments, all of which is being forfeited.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Bank Robber Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has sentenced Duwane Edward Gilmore (27, Mount Dora) to 10 years in federal prison for two counts of bank robbery. The Court also ordered Gilmore to forfeit $4,273.75, the traceable proceeds of the offenses.
According to court documents, on June 4, 2014, Gilmore robbed a Chase Bank in Apopka and obtained $3,273.75. The following week, he robbed a Chase Bank in Sanford and obtained approximately $1,000. Gilmore pleaded guilty to both robberies on September 16, 2014. He received an enhanced penalty as a result of his previous felony convictions for drug offenses and other violent crimes.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Apopka Police Department, and the Mount Dora Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Embry J. Kidd.
Texas Business Executive Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Selling Oxycodone on Silk RoadRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has sentenced Matthew Jones, a/k/a “Caligirl,” “Dynamite2k,” “Dynamite,” “Tyler Zeddai,” and “Mateo Jones” (44, Dallas, Texas) to five years and ten months in federal prison for illegally distributing controlled substances. He pleaded guilty on August 26, 2014.
According to court documents, while Jones was working as the Chief Technology Officer for a software consulting company in Dallas, he operated as the vendor “Caligirl” on the Silk Road drug marketplace. Silk Road operated as an online criminal marketplace designed to enable its users to buy and sell drugs and other illegal goods and services anonymously, outside the reach of law enforcement.
Between April 10, 2013, and September 9, 2013, Caligirl’s Silk Road account completed 685 finalized sales of controlled substances. Beginning on July 11, 2013, through March 20, 2014, Drug Enforcement Administration agents purchased and seized more than 400 Oxycodone tablets and more than 900 Hydrocodone tablets from Jones. Jones shipped the drugs from Texas to Central Florida. His sales placed him in the top 5% of all Silk Road vendors.
Authorities arrested Jones while he was travelling back to the United States from Colombia. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of approximately 8,500 Oxycodone pills. Simultaneous with his arrest, agents executed a federal search warrant at his Texas residence, where they recovered approximately $75,000 in cash and seized a variety of controlled substances, including Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, MDMA, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Hashish. A drug lab was also located in the residence.
In addition to operating on Silk Road, Jones conducted his illicit drug trafficking business utilizing an encrypted and anonymized peer-to-peer program.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Orlando District Office, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service in Dallas, Texas. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haas.
Orlando Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years and Ordered to Forfeit His Home, Vehicles, and over $600,000Read the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp has sentenced Garry Wiggins (48, Orlando) to 15 years in federal prison for cocaine trafficking. The Court also ordered him to forfeit approximately $611,613, two automobiles, and his home on South Buena Vista Avenue in Orlando, all of which were either used to facilitate the crime, or determined to be traceable proceeds of the offense.
Wiggins pleaded guilty on September 16, 2014.
According to court documents, in about 2010, another Orlando co-conspirator began receiving shipments of kilograms of cocaine from the southwest border region of the United States, and then sold some of that cocaine to Wiggins. These shipments continued until May 31, 2014, when law enforcement agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested the co-conspirator and seized 15 kilograms of cocaine and approximately $109,700.
On May 31, 2014, agents conducted a controlled delivery and arrested Wiggins, who arrived to pick up the cocaine in a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche containing a toolbox with approximately $175,470 for the anticipated purchase. Following his arrest, agents searched Wiggins’s home, where they found approximately $237,710 in cash, a kilogram of cocaine, a handgun, crack cocaine, and heroin. The residence was fortified with rebar and cement posts. Upon further investigation, agents also seized a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro race car, along with two Chase Bank accounts containing approximately $99,900 and $98,533, respectively.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Irick.
Orange County Gang Members Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced four individuals to federal prison for their participation in the sex trafficking of a minor. Xavier Francisco Villanueva, a/k/a “X,” (25, Orlando) was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison; Jose Carmona, a/k/a “Hood,” (21, Orlando) was sentenced to a term of 12 years and 6 months; Ashley Nicole Barnett, a/k/a “Snow,” (25, Orlando) was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment; and Keith E. Romby, II, a/k/a “PJ,” (23, Orlando) was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in federal prison.
On September 5, 2014, a federal jury found Villanueva, Carmona, and Barnett guilty of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Carmona and Barnett were also found guilty of aiding and abetting each other in the commission of the offense. Romby pleaded guilty to both charges on August 29, 2014.
According to evidence presented at trial, between January 17, 2013, and January 25, 2013, the individuals agreed to recruit and entice a 14-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts. Villanueva, Carmona, and Romby were part of the “Nine Trey Billy Bad Ass” gang, which is affiliated with the “Bloods” street gang. Over a period of nine days, they used drugs, intimidation, and physical restraint to cause the minor to engage in prostitution with customers they solicited through the Internet. On January 25, 2013, the minor escaped from the house where she was being held captive.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilianys Rivera Miranda and Karen Gable.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Local Tattoo Artist Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington today sentenced Anthony Lee Erity (33, Kenneth City) to nine years and two months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. A federal jury found him guilty on June 25, 2014.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on July 11, 2013, during an undercover operation at a local tattoo shop in Pinellas County, Erity sold a firearm and ammunition out of his car to a confidential informant. As a previously convicted felon, Erity was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. As the trial date approached in this case, Erity also took steps to flee the country and retaliate against a potential witness in the case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam M. Saltzman and Simon A. Gaugush.
It is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.
Naples Man Indicted for Additional Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of a superseding indictment charging John Robert Haldemann (30, Naples) with three counts of armed bank robbery. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison for each robbery. The indictment also notifies Haldemann that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $14,308.00, the total proceeds of the robberies.
According to the superseding indictment, Haldemann committed three armed bank robberies in Southwest Florida, including Capital Bank in Venice; Wells Fargo Bank in Naples; and a Bank of America in Punta Gorda.
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 Violent Crimes Task Force, the Punta Gorda Police Department, the Naples Police Department, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, the Venice Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.
Miami Attorney Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Rashmi Airan-Pace (42, Miami) today pleaded guilty, in Miami, to conspiracy to commit wire, mail, and bank fraud. The Plea Agreement and Information were filed in Tampa and then transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where Airan-Pace pleaded guilty to other charges. As part of the agreement, Airan-Pace will also forfeit property, including $26,973.81, which represents title insurance premiums she earned. Airan-Pace faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2005, entities controlled by co-conspirators entered into a contract to purchase The Arbors, an apartment complex in Hillsborough County, Florida. The new owners of the property then engaged in a plan to convert the complex from rental apartments to condominium units. The developers financed their purchase of The Arbors with a loan from Corus Bank, a financial institution whose deposits were insured by the FDIC. The loan agreement imposed strict conditions upon the timing of the conversion process. It prohibited the developers from filing a Declaration of Condominium or closing on any condominium unit unless they had sales on 80 units, and closed on all of them within 45 days of the closing on the sale of the first unit. The loan agreement also specified that Corus Bank was to receive 100% of the net proceeds of the sale of the first 80 units, and that all of these events were to occur within one year of the loan agreement. Under the terms of the Corus loan, no money could go to the buyers and there could be no transactions outside of the HUD-1 settlement statement.
Airan-Pace's role in the conspiracy as the escrow agent included conducting closings on units being sold at The Arbors. She also facilitated the inclusion of material misrepresentations in the closing documents, including the HUD-1 settlement statements. In the process, she facilitated the transfer of funds through accounts under her direct control, knowing that the funds being paid to the buyers were not disclosed in the HUD-1 or to the mortgage lenders, even while verifying and attesting to the accuracy and truthfulness of the HUD-1’s in aid of the scheme.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay Hoffer and Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Marion County Convicted Felon Facing 15 Years to Life for Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Jermaine Lamar Harris (31, Ocala) pleaded guilty today to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in August 2014, Harris sold cocaine and three firearms to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. All of the transactions were video-recorded. Specifically, on August 13, 2014, Harris sold the informant cocaine and a revolver. Six days later, the informant returned to Harris’s residence and purchased additional cocaine from him. Finally, on August 26, 2014, Harris arranged for the informant to purchase a semi-automatic handgun from another person. As they waited for that person to arrive, Harris sold the informant an unloaded rifle that Harris kept in his residence. When the second person sold the informant a handgun, Harris kept the money from that transaction as well. Harris was subsequently arrested on September 23, 2014.
Harris was a previously convicted felon at the time of the offenses and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. His numerous prior drug sale convictions qualify him for a sentencing enhancement as an Armed Career Criminal under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Regina Lombardo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to reduce violent crime in our communities.
Lebanese Weapons Smuggler Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich today sentenced Yasser Ahmad Obeid (20, St. Petersburg and Lebanon) to four years and three months in federal prison for conspiring to smuggle firearms and attempting to export firearms from the United States. Obeid pleaded guilty on October 8, 2014.
According to court documents, Obeid and his co-defendant, Jordanian National Mahmoud Abdel-Ghani Mohammad Assaf were part of a network of individuals involved in smuggling firearms from the United States to the Middle East by concealing them in vehicles purchased at used car auctions in the Central Florida area, and then exporting them overseas. Obeid worked for Assaf and others to acquire the firearms and also acted as Assaf’s translator and middle-man in arranging the purchases from various sources. The men were arrested after Obeid arranged for Assaf to purchase 30 Glock firearms from an individual who, unbeknownst to the men, was an undercover federal agent.
The case against Assaf is still pending trial.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations – Tampa National Security Group. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
Lakeland Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. yesterday sentenced Kesner Joly (53, Lakeland) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Joly pleaded guilty on September 3, 2014.
According to court documents, Joly was a kilogram-level cocaine distributor in the Central Florida area. On multiple occasions in 2013, he acquired kilograms of cocaine from South Florida and delivered the drugs to individuals located in the Middle District of Florida. During the conspiracy, Joly distributed at least five kilograms of cocaine in this fashion. Law enforcement seized a total of four kilograms delivered by Joly, as well as $68,000 from prior cocaine transactions.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
Hialeah Man Sentenced to Prison for Operating A Fraudulent Website Selling “Walt Disney World” TicketsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp today sentenced Raul Cruz (37, Hialeah) to five years in federal prison for credit card fraud. As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $159,219.94, the proceeds of the fraud. Cruz pleaded guilty on August 26, 2014.
According to court documents, Cruz purchased Walt Disney World Co. theme park tickets over the phone using stolen credit card numbers that he, in turn, had purchased from business owners in South Florida. To sell the tickets, Cruz created a shell company called “Disney Computer SE” and a website (www.disneycomputerservice.com), both of which utilized the name “Disney” to give the appearance of legitimacy. Using the website and shell company, Cruz resold the tickets to the public. During the course of the fraudulent schem, Cruz purchased over $159,000 worth of Walt Disney World Co. tickets.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Irick.