Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Tony Frith (35, Orlando) today pleaded guilty to access device fraud. Frith is facing up to 10 years in federal prison and a 3-year term of supervised release. The sentencing hearing has been set for September 15, 2014.
According to court documents, officers from the Orlando Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Frith’s vehicle on September 15, 2013. During the stop, a drug detection dog alerted to the presence of an illegal drug from inside Frith’s vehicle. Officers then conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search, one of the officers found a backpack in the vehicle’s trunk that contained a computer, an attached encoding device, and more than 200 counterfeit credit cards. Further investigation determined that the credit cards were counterfeit and that they had been re-encoded with stolen credit card numbers. A subsequent examination of Frith’s computer revealed that it contained more than 3,000 credit card numbers, as well as text files with names, dates of birth, and Social Security Numbers. The total amount of actual loss associated with the counterfeit credit cards and stolen credit card numbers found in Frith’s possession is over $470,000.
This case was investigated by the Orlando Police Department and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Idaho Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Charles Keith Rolfe (60, Heyburn, Idaho) today pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography. Rolfe faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years, up to 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years, up to a lifetime of supervision, after his release, and will be required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
According to the plea agreement, on February 28, 2014, Rolfe communicated via a Mobile Messaging Application (“MMA”) on his cellular phone, with an individual with whom he believed he had previously traded child pornography (Subject #1). However, agents with Homeland Security Investigations had assumed Subject #1’s online identity and began communicating with Rolfe in an undercover capacity, after Subject #1’s arrest in October 2013. Rolfe sent the undercover agents at least three videos containing images of child pornography via the MMA on his cellular phone. During a later search of Rolfe’s home, agents found almost 900 images of child pornography stored on a cell phone.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sex Trafficking in EcuadorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Patrick R. Minga (50, formerly of Cape Coral) pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to induce and facilitate, for his own financial gain, the travel of an individual from Brevard County, Florida, to Quito, Ecuador, so that the individual could engage in illicit sexual conduct with minor girls. Minga faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 20, 2014.
During the change of plea hearing, Minga admitted that he advertised, on Craigslist, a sex tourism business in Ecuador that could facilitate lodging, transportation, meals, and unlimited access to females for a fee. An undercover task force agent observed the ad and contacted Minga. Over the course of several months, Minga tried to induce and arrange the travel of the undercover agent from Florida to Quito, where Minga advised that he could provide sexual encounters with minors as young as 13 and 14 years of age.
On March 2, 2014, Minga traveled from Ecuador to the United States, where he was arrested by agents in Huntsville, Alabama. Minga will remain detained pending further proceedings.
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Colombian Man Pleads Guilty to Importation of Heroin Through the Orlando International AirportRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, announces that William Paez Rubiano (40, Colombia) pleaded guilty to an Indictment charging him with importing heroin into the United States from Colombia. He also pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute in the United States. Paez Rubiano faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count, and a fine of up to $2,000,000. He is currently detained pending his sentencing hearing on September 15, 2014.
Paez Rubiano admitted that, on May 8, 2014, he arrived in Orlando from Bogota, Colombia aboard JetBlue Airways Flight 1784, traveling with his wife and their seven-year-old daughter. Upon arrival at the Orlando International Airport, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) K-9 Officer conducted a canine sweep of Paez Rubiano and his family, including their carry-on luggage. The canine positively alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from the carry-on luggage. Paez Rubiano’s carry-on luggage was examined and the officers discovered, concealed inside the linings of the luggage, a brown powder substance that yielded positive results to the presence of heroin. Paez Rubiano accepted responsibility for the drugs, which were above three kilograms of heroin.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
Local Tattoo Artist Convicted of Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Anthony Lee Erity (33, Kenneth City) guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Erity faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 18, 2014, before U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington. Erity was indicted on November 21, 2013.
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. Erity had previously been convicted of a felony, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Both the firearm and ammunition were manufactured outside the State of Florida and therefore affected interstate commerce. As the trial date approached, Erity took steps to flee the country to avoid federal prosecution. Based on that conduct, Erity was ordered detained pending trial.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being 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 Trevor Velinor, Acting 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.
Haines City Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Firearms and Ammunition from the United States to ColombiaRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Mauricio Arbelaez (42, Haines City) pleaded guilty today to smuggling goods from the United States, possession of an unregistered silencer, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Arbelaez faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. Arbelaez was indicted on March 7, 2014.
According to the plea agreement, between November 19, 2012 and November 26, 2012, Arbelaez shipped three packages to Colombia, using a shipping company in Kissimmee, Florida and a third-party shipping company located in Miami, Florida. The packages contained rounds of ammunition and firearms that were concealed in electronic gaming systems. Arbelaez did not declare these firearms and ammunition to the shipping company when he shipped the packages, or at any time thereafter. On November 28, 2012, one of the packages was intercepted by Colombian customs officials at the El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia. Once Colombian officials discovered that the package contained a starter revolver and rounds of ammunition, they notified the third-party shipper, in Miami, Florida. After speaking to the Colombian officials, the owner of the Miami shipping company inspected the remaining two packages, which were still awaiting final shipment to Colombia, and discovered ammunition and a firearm with an obliterated serial number inside. The two packages, the firearm, and ammunition were eventually turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which conducted an investigation into Arbelaez. The owner of the Kissimmee shipping company identified Arbelaez as the person who shipped all three packages.
On July 26, 2013, ATF located a safe inside a residence in Orlando, Florida, where Arbelaez stored ammunition, firearms, including a stolen firearm, and a silencer which was not registered to Arbelaez in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Trevor Velinor, Acting 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. This is another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.
Federal Jury Convicts Sanford Felon for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury yesterday found Brandon Lavantis Hughes (28, Sanford) guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hughes faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 15, 2014, before U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. Hughes was indicted on April 2, 2014.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on November 25, 2011, officers from the Sanford Police Department responded to a 911 call indicating that an individual was pointing a firearm at people on a public street in Sanford. After the responding officers arrived at the scene, one of the officers further observed Hughes walk towards a bar that was located on the street. The officers stopped Hughes and recovered a loaded Colt .357 caliber revolver from a nearby garbage can. The firearm was loaded with one round of Remington .357 caliber ammunition. A forensic examination of the firearm revealed that Hughes’ fingerprints were present in two locations on the firearm. Both the firearm and ammunition were manufactured outside the State of Florida and therefore affected interstate commerce.
At the time of the incident, Hughes was a convicted felon. As such, he was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Sanford Police Department, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
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 Trevor Velinor, Acting 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. This is another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.
Colombian Maritime Narcotics Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Arley Fernando Garces (34, Colombia) to 25 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and conspiracy to do the same, in violation of the U.S. Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act. Garces pleaded guilty on April 14, 2014. Garces is the last of three co-defendants to be sentenced in this case. Judge Bucklew previously sentenced Santos Cerros-Maldonado to 12 years and 4 months’ imprisonment. Gregorio Campo-Rodriguez was sentenced to 7 years and 3 months in federal prison.
According to court documents and testimony, on August 19, 2013, the United States Coast Guard interdicted Garces, Campo-Rodriguez and Cerros-Maldonado onboard a stateless vessel in the Caribbean Sea. During the interdiction, individuals onboard that vessel jettisoned electronics, personal identifying information, and one kilogram of cocaine. Investigators later determined that Garces and his co-conspirators were smuggling hundreds of kilograms of cocaine in a false bottom of that vessel.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express South Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation comprised of agents and analysts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force North. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Meyer and Assistant United States Attorney Maria Chapa-Lopez.
Leader of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Jose Samir Renteria-Cuero (51, Cali, Colombia), a/k/a “Jose Morfi,” to 27 years in federal prison for conspiring with others to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Renteria-Cuero pleaded guilty on February 6, 2014.
According to court documents, Renteria-Cuero was involved in maritime cocaine smuggling operations from the 1980s until at least 2009. He started out as a mechanic, servicing go-fast vessels (GFVs) and participating in GFV smuggling operations. Eventually, he acquired and built GFVs and self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vessels and recruited mariners to participate in maritime cocaine smuggling operations. Renteria-Cuero worked with others to transport and store cocaine in Colombia, construct and repair GFVs and SPSS vessels, and dispatch those stateless vessels from Colombia. Renteria-Cuero acted as a “general contractor,” accepting contracts to build SPSS vessels from cocaine owners in Colombia. Renteria-Cuero provided maritime cocaine transportation services aboard stateless vessels that were used to smuggle the drugs from Colombia to Mexico, via the Pacific Ocean, in international waters - knowing and intending that the cocaine would ultimately be imported unlawfully into the United States. Many of these ventures involved at least 1,000 kilograms of cocaine.
Renteria-Cuero was arrested in Cali, Colombia in March 2012, and subsequently extradited to the United States, first arriving at a place in the Middle District of Florida.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express South Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation comprised of agents and analysts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs assisted with extradition of the defendant from Colombia.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced in Scheme to Defraud over $904,000Read the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced David Allen Dinsbeer (37, Jacksonville) to 33 months in federal prison for his role in defrauding Hickory Foods, a Jacksonville company. He was also sentenced to serve a 2-year term of supervision, following his incarceration, and ordered to pay $904,373 in restitution. Dinsbeer was allowed to remain free on bond pending designation by the Bureau of Prisons for the commencement of his sentence. Dinsbeer pleaded guilty to 16 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud on March 19, 2014.
According to court records, between January 2011 and May 2012, Dinsbeer defrauded the Hickory Foods group of companies out of approximately $904,000. The Hickory Foods companies are best known for Bubba Burgers. The investigation revealed that Dinsbeer used phony supplier companies to bill for supplies which were never delivered. He then deposited the checks, which were issued on false invoices, into bank accounts for the phony companies, which he controlled. An FBI forensic accountant determined that the companies had no legitimate business expenses and that Dinsbeer withdrew money from the accounts and used the accounts to pay his personal expenses. According to court records, Dinsbeer conspired with an employee of Hickory Foods companies in order to carry out the scheme.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale Campion.
Tampa Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Guerryson Torres (50, Tampa) to 33 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The court also ordered a money judgment in the amount of $993,828.75, and restitution to the victims totaling $973,486.69.
Torres pleaded guilty on March 28, 2014.
According to court documents, from June 2008 to August 2009, Torres conspired with others to defraud GTE Federal Credit Union and Grow Financial Credit Union. Torres owned and operated a company named Tampa Bay Auto Remarketing (TBAR) that contracted to sell cars and boats that had been repossessed by the credit unions. Under TBAR’s agreements with the victim credit unions, after selling the vehicles, TBAR was supposed to send the money from the sale of the vehicle, less an agreed-upon fee, to the financial institutions. However, for about 40% of the sales, Torres and his co-conspirators prepared and sent the credit unions false invoices that underreported the sales price of each vehicle, thereby stealing the difference between the underreported sales price and the actual sales price. In addition, with respect 77 of the cars sold for GTE, Torres and TBAR simply pocketed the entire sales amount of the vehicles, and never paid GTE at all.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Bini.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography on MacDill Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Erich Clifford Mandell Ramos (27, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. Mandell Ramos faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years, up to a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, Mandell Ramos sexually abused a minor while visiting a home at MacDill Air Force Base. Mandell Ramos took sexually explicit photographs of the minor victim and instructed her not to tell her mother. He paid the minor approximately $20.00.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Owner of Tampa Contracting Company Pleads Guilty to Paying Illegal Kickbacks for Fraudulent Training CertificatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Paul R. Pinet (67, Tampa) yesterday pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to making false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements. Pinet faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy charge. Barry Fitzgerald (62, Lakeland) pleaded guilty to the same charge in a related case on May 15, 2014.
According to the plea agreement, Pinet owned and operated Premier Corrosion Protection Services, Inc., a contracting company in Tampa that provided its contracting services to phosphate mines in Polk County and elsewhere. Fitzgerald was a Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) approved safety instructor at a community college located in Polk County.
Federal law requires all miners, including those working in a surface mining operation, to receive training and instruction regarding various health and safety risks. New miners are required to take a 24-hour, newly-employed, inexperienced miner training course. Experienced miners are required to take an 8-hour refresher course each year. The training must be performed by an MSHA-approved training instructor and documented on MSHA Form 5000-23. Newly-employed inexperienced miner training is the mechanism by which miners receive their initial familiarization with the multitude of dangers inherent in the mining occupation, and their notification of their legal right to a safe working environment under the Mine Act.
From 2008 to at least July 2011, Pinet conspired with Fitzgerald and others to impede and impair MSHA’s administration and oversight of the Federal Mine Health and Safety Act and conspired to make false and fraudulent training certificates. As part of this conspiracy, Pinet purchased and caused the purchase of falsified training certificates (MSHA Forms 5000-23) from Fitzgerald for both the company’s new and experienced miners. The certificates were used by the company to make it appear as if its employees were properly trained, but in truth, Fitzgerald did not perform any MSHA training for the individuals named on the falsified certificates. Pinet obtained false and fraudulent training certificates in this manner for himself and other company employees. The company used these untrained workers to perform work at various phosphate mines in Polk County, including the Four Corners Mine.
In exchange for providing false and fraudulent training certificates, Pinet paid a kickback to Fitzgerald. The kickbacks were paid in cash or a check from the company made payable to cash. Pinet paid Fitzgerald $100 and later $125 per falsified training form. In addition to cash payments, Pinet caused at least $4,350 in checks to be paid to Fitzgerald between March 2009 and July 2011.
Joseph A. Main, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, stated: "Miner training is a critical element in assuring a safe work place and preventing injuries, illnesses, and death. Those individuals who falsify miner training certificates put miners at risk and will be prosecuted to the full extent permitted by law."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Mueller.
Lakeland Mail Carrier Arrested for Theft of Mail and Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the arrest of Franklin C. Barnes (48, Winter Haven) on a federal complaint charging him with theft of mail and government property in the form of U.S. Treasury checks. Barnes made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson today, in Tampa, and was released on a $25,000 personal surety bond.
According to the complaint, Barnes stole at least three U.S. Treasury checks from the mail that were addressed to an address on his postal route, and sold them to an undercover law enforcement agent.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was part of an ongoing joint investigative effort by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Lakeland Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
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Department of Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Michael C. Vella (36, Riverview) today pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. He faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years, up to a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, a 16 year-old female reported to law enforcement that Vella had been forcing her to have sex with him since the middle of 2012. The victim disclosed that Vella had, on at least one occasion, utilized his laptop computer to record their sexual intercourse. At the time the arrest warrant was issued, Vella was deployed to Afghanistan as a Department of Defense contractor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Firearms ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich sentenced Arami Rodriguez (37, Orlando) to five years in federal prison for conspiring to possess unregistered firearms. Rodriguez pleaded guilty on March 26, 2014. The sentencing hearing was held on June 17, 2014.
According to court documents, Rodriguez conspired with another individual to possess and sell unregistered firearms to an undercover detective. As part of the conspiracy, Rodriguez provided his co-conspirator with a machine gun, silencer, and a short-barreled rifle, each of which was sold to the detective. None of those firearms were registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Rodriguez eventually sold three other silencers directly to the undercover detective.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph W. Swanson.
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 Trevor Velinor, Acting 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.
Former Credit Union Teller Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich today sentenced Louren Velez to three years in federal prison for conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and to steal government funds, and for aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Velez to forfeit $351,431.44, as well as a 2010 Honda automobile, which was traceable to proceeds of the offense.
Velez was found guilty on February 28, 2014.
According to court documents Velez, a Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union teller, conspired with account holders Beverly McFadden and Larry Walker to cash forty-seven fraudulently-obtained federal income tax refund checks, totaling more than $350,000. McFadden and Walker each pleaded guilty to their respective roles in the conspiracy, for which McFadden was sentenced to six years and seven months in prison. Walker was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bob Mosakowski.
Two Men Sentenced for Harassing ManateesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Taylor Blake Martin (22, Alabama) and Seth Andrew Stephenson (22, Rockledge) were sentenced today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory J. Kelly. Martin and Stephenson previously pleaded guilty to harassing an endangered species.
Judge Kelly ordered Martin to pay a $3,000 fine, and sentenced him to 175 hours of community service, and 2 years’ probation. Stephenson was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, and was sentenced to 175 hours of community service, and 2 years’ probation. Martin and Stephenson were also ordered to individually post an apology and a statement of remorse on Facebook.
According to court documents, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service became aware of a video posted on Facebook that showed one individual luring two manatees to a dock with a water hose and another individual jump off of a boat dock and “cannonball” an adult manatee and a calf. Further investigation revealed that Martin was the person who “cannonballed” on top of the manatees and Stephenson lured the manatees to the dock with the water hose. The video shows Martin land on the back of the adult manatee as the manatees swim away. Stephenson then begins to use the water hose in an attempt to lure the manatees back as the video ends.
After the video was posted on Facebook, several people commented on it. In response to a post that expressed displeasure with Martin’s actions, Martin responded, “hahaha…in my debue [sic] as tayla the manatee slaya…im f---- ready to cannonball on every manatee living yewwww.”
"The U.S. Magistrate Judge sent a clear message with this sentence that Manatee Harassment is a serious crime which will be dealt with harshly. If there had been evidence of physical damage to the Manatees he would have put them in jail," said Andrew Aloise Resident Agent in Charge for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
“There’s absolutely no excuse for this type of reckless behavior with any wildlife species, but particularly those that are endangered,” said Ken Warren, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson. “We hope these sentences serve as a reminder of that and as a deterrent to anyone thinking of harassing or bothering, in any way, manatees or any type of wildlife.”
Manatees are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. They are found in marine, estuarine and freshwater environments.
This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Wm. Terrell Hodges yesterday sentenced Renita Mount Rayner (53, Tampa) to 14 years and 7 months in federal prison for three counts of robbery of a federally insured financial institution and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The court also ordered Rayner to forfeit $8,028, traceable proceeds of the offenses. Rayner pleaded guilty on February 13, 2014.
According to court documents, on November 12, 2013, Rayner entered an Ocala branch of Alarion Bank, displayed a handgun, and handed a teller a note that read, “Have gun. Will use it. Give me all the money.” Once she had obtained $1,940, Rayner dropped the demand note and fled the bank in a red Honda automobile.
Detectives subsequently identified Rayner’s thumbprint on the recovered demand note. They also confirmed that Rayner’s car matched the description of the getaway vehicle. Days after the robbery, she was arrested on unrelated charges in the Tampa area. At the time of her arrest, Rayner had $1,602 in cash still inside of her purse.
Subsequent investigation showed that Rayner had committed at least two other robberies in the previous three months. On August 7, 2013, she walked into a Grow Financial Credit Union branch, in St. Petersburg. During that robbery, Rayner handed a teller a note that read, “Give me all your money, do not give a dye pack.” After obtaining $3,348, Rayner fled the credit union in the same red getaway car. When surveillance images of the robbery were released to the media, one of Rayner’s long-time friends recognized her as the robber and contacted authorities.
On September 5, 2013, Rayner robbed a Dunedin branch of BB&T bank. In that incident, Rayner handed a note to a bank employee that read, “Give me all your money, I have a gun and I am not afraid to use it.” After taking $2,740, Rayner fled the bank. Investigators ultimately recovered from a nearby trash can the demand note, wig and sunglasses that Rayner had used as a disguise. Rayner’s fingerprints were found on the sunglasses. Her DNA was later identified on the discarded wig.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Marion County Sheriff’s Office; the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office; the City of St. Petersburg Police Department; and the State Attorney’s Offices for Marion and Pinellas Counties. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Jacksonville Attorney and Her Former Client Sentenced for Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard sentenced Amy Elizabeth Newby (42, Jacksonville) to 15 months in federal prison for mail fraud. As part of her sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $85,050, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Newby’s co-conspirator and former client, Donald Mitchell (37, Orlando), was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, as well as a separate charge of wire fraud. As part of Mitchell’s sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $96,050, representing the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Mitchell pleaded guilty on September 11, 2013. Newby entered her guilty plea on November 26, 2013. The sentencing hearing was on June 16, 2014.
According to court documents, between June 2010 and March 2011, Newby and Mitchell devised a scheme to defraud whereby victims were lured into believing that Mitchell was a legitimate investor, when in reality, he was not. Mitchell told investors that he invested in either hedge funds or leveraged buyouts. When convincing individuals to invest money with him, Mitchell often used an alias and made various misrepresentations concerning his career, including that he worked for Merrill Lynch, the Blackstone Group, or as an economics professor at the University of Florida. During the course of the scheme, with the help of Newby, Mitchell also fraudulently obtained luxury cars to substantiate his claim that he was a wealthy investor.
According to court documents, in one instance, Newby made multiple misrepresentations to a victim-investor and convinced the victim that Mitchell was out of the country and had lost an investment check that the victim had previously mailed to Mitchell. In reality, Mitchell was in jail on state charges and unable to gain access to the check. After speaking to Newby, the victim agreed to mail a new check. The new check was made payable to Mitchell and sent to Newby’s law office.
The testimony and evidence presented during the sentencing hearing showed that Newby’s Florida Bar license is currently suspended for an unrelated forgery, which occurred prior to the investment scheme. As to Mitchell, the evidence presented revealed that while detained awaiting his sentencing, Mitchell continued to attempt to commit fraud.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diidri W. Robinson.
Colombian Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich yesterday sentenced Alex Gonzalez-Arango (39, Buenaventura, Colombia) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Gonzalez-Arango pleaded guilty on March 11, 2014.
According to court documents, Gonzalez-Arango was a manager/supervisor of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating out of Colombia and Venezuela. In that role, during July and September 2011, he helped to organize and execute multi-ton shipments of cocaine via two different self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vessels. In particular, Gonzalez-Arango recruited crewmembers for both SPSS ventures, and managed the day-to-day operations at the SPSS construction sites in Venezuela.
On or about July 13, 2011, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) interdicted the first SPSS vessel in the Caribbean Sea. The vessel was approximately forty-five feet long. The USCG intercepted the SPSS just as its crew scuttled the vessel, causing it to sink. Thereafter, law enforcement retrieved approximately 232 bales of cocaine from the sunken SPSS, making the total shipment weight approximately 5,861 kilograms of cocaine.
On or about September 17, 2011, the USCG intercepted the second SPSS vessel off of the coast of Honduras, in international waters. This second SPSS was approximately fifty to sixty feet in length and was estimated to be carrying over 3,000 kilograms of cocaine when its crew scuttled it upon interdiction.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, involving members from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Coast Guard, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Jackson.
The Panama Express Strike Force (PANEX) is a federally-approved Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). Operation Panama Express currently targets South American-based drug trafficking organizations responsible for smuggling drugs to the United States and elsewhere for distribution.
Polk County Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Damian Ramos Ramirez (59, Lakeland), today pleaded guilty to the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Ramos Ramirez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Ramos Ramirez came to the attention of law enforcement officers in May 2013, when he and his wife began purchasing firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL), in the Pinellas County area. On December 19, 2013, Ramos Ramirez purchased two Kel-Tec 9mm pistols from the FFL. Later that day, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ramos Ramirez’s home and found numerous firearms and ammunition.
In all, twenty-seven firearms and 1,700 rounds of ammunition were seized in relation to this case. At the time of the incident, Ramos Ramirez was a convicted felon and thus prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
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 Trevor Velinor, Acting 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. This is another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime within our communities.
Palmetto Woman Arrested for Embezzlement of Funds from Local CompanyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the arrest of Beverly Sue Gingell (60, Palmetto) on a federal complaint charging her with committing wire fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain caused by the offense, or twice the gross loss caused by the offense. Gingell made her initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Jenkins yesterday and was released on a $50,000 personal surety bond.
According to the complaint, Gingell was formerly employed by a Bradenton company, Pro-Link, as the company’s finance manager. Beginning in the summer of 2010 through March 2011, Gingell allegedly embezzled nearly $700,000 from the company by sending money via wire transfer to her bank account, and by also obtaining money orders payable to herself and others. One of the wire transfers was used to pay off the remaining mortgage balance on Gingell’s residence. Also, while interfacing with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents on behalf of the company, Gingell misrepresented her authority. She also misrepresented the results of an IRS audit of Pro-Link business tax returns to Pro-Link owners.
The charges in the complaint are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case was part of an ongoing joint investigative effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Bradenton Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
Manatee County Doctor Pleads Guilty in Oxycodone CaseRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Dr. John Lanning (79, Anna Maria, Florida) yesterday pleaded guilty to causing Oxycodone to be dispensed and distributed not for a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice. Lanning faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, in March 2010, Lanning started working as a physician at the 1910 Medical Clinic (the “Clinic”), which was located at 1910 Manatee Avenue West in Bradenton. Lanning worked there until May 2010. During that time period, Lanning quickly learned that the Clinic was designed by its owner-operators to function as, and did operate as, a “pill mill.” While at the Clinic, Lanning would regularly see between 20 and 30 patients a day.
On April 26, 2010, an undercover detective (UC) visited the Bradenton Clinic posing as a pain management patient. After receiving an MRI examination, the UC was ultimately seen by Dr. Lanning, who reviewed the MRI and advised the UC that he had a protruding disk that was almost herniated. The UC never had a history of back pain, injury, or any other back problems. After a cursory examination, Lanning then provided the UC with a prescription for 90 dosage units of 15 mg Oxycodone. Dr. Lanning admitted that this Oxycodone was not prescribed for a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of proper and professional practice.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Jackson.
Largo Man Convicted at Trial for Accessing Child Pornography on the InternetRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Eric Thomas (37, Largo) guilty of access with the intent to view child pornography. Thomas faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 18, 2014. He was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Thomas was indicted on September 30, 2013.
According to the testimony and evidence presented at trial, on July 21, 2012, Thomas’s then wife discovered evidence that Thomas had been looking at child pornography on the Internet, using the couple’s home computer. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the computer. A forensic review revealed that more than 850 images of child pornography had been deleted from the computer. Thomas had taken considerable steps to conceal his activities by removing the Internet history and the child pornography files from his computer.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Largo Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Josephine W. Thomas.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Orlando Credit Union Robber Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Raulier Rivas Lopez (28, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to one count of credit union robbery with assault, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of the robbery. Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on the robbery charge, and a consecutive mandatory minimum term of 7 years, up to life imprisonment for the firearm charge.
According to court documents, on the morning of January 25, 2012, Lopez, and three others robbed the American Eagle Credit Union located at 7007 SeaWorld Drive, in Orlando. Lopez and two of his co-conspirators, all wearing masks, entered the credit union and demanded money from the credit union employees. Lopez pointed a firearm at the credit union employees, as his co-conspirators pepper-sprayed them so that they would not be able to identify the robbers. Lopez and his co-conspirators stole approximately $7,000 during the robbery.
To date, one other individual, Joseph Cotto-Diaz, has been arrested for his role in this case. Cotto-Diaz was charged in a superseding indictment on March 19, 2014. He is scheduled for trial in July 2014.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
Orlando Area Men Convicted of Wire Fraud Conspiracy Involving the Travel IndustryRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury has found Albert Jeffrey Sanchez (50, Orlando) and Harold Ferdinand (36, Longwood) guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Sanchez and Ferdinand were indicted on February 19, 2014. The verdict was returned yesterday. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 17, 2014.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, during the course of the conspiracy, Sanchez owned and operated AVYT Tours, an Orlando-area travel agency. Ferdinand worked as a rental agent at Budget Rent-A-Car in Orlando. Between January 2008 and March 2009, Ferdinand used his position with Budget to modify almost 1,000 customer reservations and agreements from Avis Budget branches around the country. Ferdinand modified customer reservations to make it appear as though Sanchez’s travel agency AVYT Tours had booked the reservations, when he knew that the customers had booked the reservations themselves, usually over the Internet.
For reservations booked by AVYT Tours, Avis Budget wired Sanchez’s travel agency a commission. The commissions for the customer reservations that Ferdinand and co-conspirator and fellow Avis Budget employee Lillian Sanchez had fraudulently modified totaled nearly $140,000. Sanchez then wrote Ferdinand approximately $17,000 in checks for his participation in the scheme.
Lillian Sanchez (50, Debary) pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme on May 20, 2014. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 20, 2014.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.
Middleburg Man Arrested for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the arrest of Orlando Justin Gomez (54, Middleburg). Gomez is charged in a criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on June 10, 2014, Gomez, who is a registered sexual predator, was found to be in possession of multiple images depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diidri Robinson.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Pinellas Man Found Guilty of Attempted Use of Weapon of Mass DestructionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Sami Osmakac (27, Pinellas Park) guilty of attempted use of weapons of mass destruction and possession of a fully automatic firearm. Osmakac faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 7, 2014.
“The jury’s verdict in this case represents another victory in our fight against terrorism, which remains our top priority,” said U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III. “Our success here is due in part to assistance from the Muslim community, which brought the defendant’s extremist views to the attention of law enforcement.”
Osmakac was indicted on February 2, 2012.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on January 7, 2012, Osmakac attempted to use weapons of mass destruction, including a car bomb, grenades, and a suicide explosive, at two locations in the Tampa Bay area. Specifically, his intended targets were MacDinton’s Irish Pub, in the South Howard area of Tampa, and the Hard Rock Casino, in Tampa. Additionally, on January 7, 2012, Osmakac possessed a machinegun without the firearm being registered to him on the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney and Trial Attorney Clement McGovern from the National Security Division at the Department of Justice.
Sanderson Drug Dealer Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Arnold Clayton (42, Sanderson) today pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine and cocaine base. Clayton faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on July 13, 2012, Clayton sold cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana to a confidential source for $320. Court records reveal that Clayton has two prior federal drug convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (1999) and distribution of cocaine base (2007).
This case was investigated by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
Owner of United Credit Recovery Charged in $76 Million SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Leonard G. Potillo, III (48, Longwood) with 7 counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of bribery of a bank official, and 16 counts of money laundering. If convicted, Potillo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud charge, up to 30 years in prison for each bribery charge and up to 10 years in federal prison on each of the money laundering charges. The indictment also notifies Potillo that the United States intends to forfeit the following assets which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses: bank accounts totaling approximately $3.9 million in deposits; a 2008 Maserati; a 2007 Ferrari; a 2014 Jaguar; a 2010 Aston Martin; two vehicles located in Scotland; three residences located in Florida, one residence in Montreal, Canada and a residence in Littlejohn, Edinburgh, Scotland. The United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of at least $76 million, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
Potillo was arrested at his residence this morning and will make his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge David Baker at 3:00 p.m. today, in Orlando.
According to the indictment, Potillo is the manager/owner of United Credit Recovery, LLC (UCR). UCR purchased charged-off consumer overdraft debt from financial institutions for the purposes of collecting debt and selling the debt to third-parties, at a profit. UCR advertised on its website that it purchased in excess of $10 billion of overdraft debts from financial institutions such as U.S. Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo, N.A, among others. When purchasing debt portfolios from U.S. Bank, Potillo allegedly bribed a U.S. Bank officer with more than $1 million for inside information relating to the bank’s auction of overdraft debt portfolios. The indictment further alleges that after purchasing debt portfolios from financial institutions, UCR re-sold them to third-party debt purchasers. When selling its debt portfolios, UCR misrepresented the quality of the debt to the third-party debt purchasers as premium quality debt, when in fact it was lower quality debt. UCR also sold the debt portfolios with fictitious “Affidavits of Correctness/Assignments” that were created by UCR on a mass scale. By making such misrepresentations, UCR and Potillo profited at least $76 million from the scheme. With those illegal proceeds, Potillo spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on prime real estate holdings in the United States and abroad, and purchased luxury vehicles.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service, with the assistance of the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haas.
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Armed Crack Dealer Sentenced to Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Joe Terry (38, Jacksonville) to eight years in federal prison for distributing cocaine base and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Terry pleaded guilty on February 26, 2014.
According to court documents, Terry was selling “crack cocaine” from a house on Cinnamon Tea Lane, in Jacksonville. Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents utilized a confidential informant to make an undercover purchase of “crack cocaine” from Terry. During that drug transaction, Terry displayed a Glock firearm. On August 29, 2013, ATF agents executed a federal search warrant at Terry’s residence and recovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol from inside, at which time Terry was arrested. At the time of the arrest, Terry was on parole from Georgia, for a felony drug offense.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
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 Trevor Velinor, Acting 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. This is another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime in our communities.
Polk County Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Norman V. Charlton (50, Lakeland) to 7 years in federal prison on tax fraud charges. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of $14,952 in U.S. currency that was seized from his residence on March 21, 2012, and entered a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $325,886, the traceable proceeds of the fraud scheme.
On March 7, 2014, Charlton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in connection with using stolen names and social security numbers to electronically file fraudulent tax returns.
According to court documents, from August 2011 through June 4, 2012, Charlton and co-conspirators used stolen identities, including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers, to electronically file fraudulent tax returns and obtain tax refunds to which they were not entitled. A record of those filings was kept by Charlton in a detailed ledger, complete with names, email addresses, passwords, filing dates, times, and amounts. The fraudulent refunds were deposited onto reloadable debit cards in the names of others, and/or were disbursed in the form of U.S. Treasury checks and mailed to addresses controlled or directed by Charlton and others. Charlton and his co-conspirators used and directed the fraudulent tax refunds to obtain cash and goods for their own benefit and the benefit of others.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
Jacksonville Man Indicted on Federal Charges of Failure to Register as A Sex Offender and Possession of Firearms by A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced yesterday that Daniel Todd Manning (42, Jacksonville) has been indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with failing to register as sex offender, after traveling from the state of Missouri. He is also charged with the possession of firearms by a convicted felon. If convicted, Manning faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each offense. Manning has been in custody on related state charges since his arrest on April 30, 2014, in Jacksonville.
According to the indictment, on July 26, 2013, Manning was found guilty on two counts of aggravated indecent acts and one count of indecent acts with a child, in the state of Kansas. Subsequent to this adjudication in Kansas, and between July 30, 2013 and April 30, 2014, Manning traveled to the state of Missouri, where he registered as a sex offender. Thereafter, he moved to Florida, where he has since resided. Manning allegedly failed to register as a sex offender in Florida, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act also 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.
The indictment also alleges that, on April 30, 2014, Manning knowingly possessed eight different firearms in Jacksonville. At the time of the possession, Manning was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
It is also a 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 Trevor Velinor, Acting 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. This is another example of ATF’s Frontline Strategy to impact violent crime in our communities.
Federal Jury Finds Brevard County Man Guilty of Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that a federal jury, in Jacksonville, has found Richard Dale Brooks (55, Cocoa) guilty of receiving videos of child pornography and possessing an image of child pornography using the Internet. Brooks faces a minimum of five years, up to twenty years in federal prison on each of the five receipt charges, and up to ten years’ imprisonment on the possession charge. After the return of the jury’s verdict, Brooks was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service to await his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for September 15, 2014.
According to testimony and evidence introduced during the trial, during 2012, a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office law enforcement officer identified videos depicting child pornography over the Internet as coming from a host computer using Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that traced back to Brooks’s residence in Jacksonville, Florida. On August 2, 2012, a search warrant was executed at this residence. Law enforcement officers entered the residence and recovered five computers and several other computer media. During an interview, Brooks told detectives that he was the primary user of the computer, that he used a file-sharing program to download video files of adult pornography, and that he has also received child pornography via the file-sharing program. A subsequent forensic analysis of Brooks’s computers revealed that he had at least 245 files depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and that he had compact discs and a DVD containing the same.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies that comprise the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
Duval County Men Plead Guilty to Manufacturing and Passing Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Christopher Jon Kirkland (41) and William Brinkley, Jr. (35), both of Jacksonville, yesterday pleaded guilty to manufacturing and aiding and abetting the passing of counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. As part of the plea agreement, both men agreed to forfeit the computer equipment used to manufacture the counterfeit currency.
Kirkland and Brinkley, Jr. were originally indicted on February 27, 2014.
According to the plea agreements, in approximately August 2013, Kirkland began manufacturing counterfeit $20 and $100 Federal Reserve Notes. Once Kirkland manufactured the counterfeit currency, Brinkley drove Kirkland around to various businesses in Florida and Georgia in order to pass the counterfeit currency. The two passed the counterfeit currency in order to obtain merchandise and reloadable gift cards. They also returned fraudulently-obtained merchandise in order to obtain genuine currency. From approximately August 2013 to December 2013, the men passed or attempted to pass approximately $32,600 in counterfeit currency in Florida, to include Duval County, St. Johns County, Volusia County, and Glynn County, Georgia. The currency was passed at locations including Target, CVS, Kirkland’s, Winn-Dixie, OfficeMax, Family Dollar, Old Navy, Lowe’s, Belk, and Dollar General.
Another co-defendant, Timothy Larry Malden, is charged in the same indictment. His case is scheduled to proceed at trial on September 2, 2014.
This case was investigated by United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than 24 Years for Attempted Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge John Antoon II yesterday sentenced Todd Leslie Kroeber (43, Port St. Lucie) to 24 years and 5 months in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for the attempted sexual enticement of a minor. He was found to be a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors. Kroeber pleaded guilty to the offense on January 17, 2014.
According to court documents, on July 19, 2013, Kroeber answered an advertisement on a public classified ad website, where he met an undercover agent online. The agent was posing as a 19-year-old asking for help with his 14-year-old brother. The following day, Kroeber traveled to Rockledge, Florida, from Port St. Lucie, Florida, to have sex with the 14-year-old. Kroeber also transported another minor to the location. During the drive, Kroeber told the minor that he would have sex with the 14-year-old and the minor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher LaForgia.
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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Brevard County Man Convicted at Trial for Attempting to Entice A MinorRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, announces that a federal jury found Matthew Steven Howard (26) guilty of attempting to persuade, induce and entice a person he believed to be 14 years of age to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Howard is facing a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 9, 2014. He was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service until his sentence.
Howard was indicted on February 12, 2014.
According to the testimony and evidence presented at trial, on December 31, 2013, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Task Force Officer (TFO) noticed a sexually explicit advertisement on Craigslist that made reference to a minor female. During the time span charged in the Indictment, Howard engaged in communications, via the Internet, with the undercover FBI TFO, who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. During the online communications, Howard told the “minor” that he wanted to engage her in sexual conduct.
On January 3, 2014, Howard traveled from his residence in Merritt Island, Florida, to Rockledge, Florida, where he intended to meet the “minor” for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, at which time he was arrested. During an interview with law enforcement, Howard admitted that he attempted to entice a minor, via the Internet, for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity. Howard had been previously charged with lewd and lascivious battery in the state of Florida.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilianys Rivera Miranda and Bruce Ambrose.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Six Charged in Racketerring Conspiracy Case Involving Nine MurdersRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of a twenty-eight count second superseding indictment charging Nathaniel Harris (23, Bradenton), Napoleon Harris (29, Bradenton), Charlie L. Green (27, Bradenton), Jerry W. Green, Jr. (31, Bradenton), Corey Deonta Harris (23, St. Petersburg), and Deonte Jamal Martin (28, Bradenton) for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy involving murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, and drug trafficking. Seven of the offenses carry a maximum penalty of death.
A confidential “TIP LINE” has been established for anyone with information regarding any homicides, robberies, narcotics and/or violent criminal acts conducted by these individuals or their associates. Anyone with information relevant to this case is encouraged to call 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477).
According to court documents, the six individuals were part of an ongoing criminal enterprise. Between April 2007 and August 2013, nine individuals were shot and killed, as a result of the enterprise’s criminal activity. Among those murdered were Christopher Jenkins, Demetrious Cunningham, Calvin Barnes, Ceola Lazier, Carlos Jurado, Brenton Coleman, Joseph Evans, Rodney D. Lamb, and Erika Williams. The murder of Brenton Coleman took place in the vicinity of the 13th Avenue Recreation Center, commonly referred to as the “Dream Center,” and was witnessed by a crowd of young children attending youth football practice.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the State Attorney’s Office (12th Judicial Circuit Court), the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bradenton Police Department, the Palmetto Police Department, the Sarasota Police Department, and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Walter E. Furr, III, Christopher F. Murray, and Trial Attorney Laura Gwinn of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
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Jacksonville Man Indicted on Federal Charge of Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Anthony Vincent Burkitt, a/k/a “Vincent Thomas Wolfe,” (44, Jacksonville) has been indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with failing to register as sex offender, after traveling from the state of Maryland. If convicted, Burkitt faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Burkitt has been in custody on related state charges since his arrest on April 13, 2014.
According to the indictment, on or about September 27, 2002, Burkitt was convicted of attempted second degree rape in Baltimore County, Maryland. Subsequent to his conviction, between September 9, 2011 and April 13, 2014, he traveled from Maryland to Florida, where he has since resided. Burkitt allegedly failed to register as a sex offender in Florida, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act also 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.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case was 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Grand Jury Indicts Two Scientists for Obtaining Government Research Contracts by FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Mahmoud Aldissi, a/k/a “Matt,”(62) and Anastassia Bogomolova, a/k/a “Anastasia,” (51), both of Pinellas County, Florida, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and falsification of records in a federal investigation. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The Indictment also notifies the individuals that, among other specified property, the United States is also seeking a money judgment in the amount of $10,000,000, which reflects the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, through their two companies, Fractal Systems, Inc., and Smart Polymers Research Corp., Aldissi and Bogomolova fraudulently obtained approximately $10,000,000 worth of research contracts from the federal government. It is alleged that from in or about 2004 through in or about May 2014, in order to be awarded contracts, the charged individuals submitted proposals using the stolen identities of real people in order to create false endorsements of and for their proposed contracts. In addition, Aldissi and Bogmolova proposed identity theft victims as consultants and subcontractors without their knowledge and without actually using them on those contracts. It is further alleged that, in the proposals, the defendants also lied about their facilities, costs, about the principal investigator on some of the contracts, and certifications in the proposal.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Office of the Inspector General (NASA-OIG), the Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU) of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID), National Science Foundation’s Office of the Inspector General (NSF-OIG), the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of the Inspector General (EPA-OIG), the Department of Energy’s Office of the Inspector General (DOE-OIG), the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General (DHS-OIG), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.
Armed Career Criminal Pleads Guilty to Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Darrell Roby (41, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Roby faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in federal prison, up to life. Sentencing has been set for August 20, 2014.
Roby was indicted on March 26, 2014.
According to court documents, Roby, a ten-time previously convicted felon, sold prescription pills to a confidential informant on January 27, 2014. He also sold prescription pills and a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver to a confidential informant on February 12, 2014. Roby then agreed to sell 500 pills of Oxycodone to a confidential informant for $12,500. The deal was scheduled to take place at Roby’s residence on February 26, 2014.
A federal search warrant was obtained and executed at Roby’s residence on February 26, 2014. During the execution of the search warrant, Roby was found to be in possession of a stolen Glock firearm, at which time he was arrested.
Roby’s prior state felony convictions include burglary, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, escape, introduction or possession of contraband in a state correctional facility, delivery of cocaine, possession of cocaine, and delivery of a controlled substance. As a previously convicted felon, Roby is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Because his prior criminal record includes several violent felonies and a serious drug offense, Roby qualifies for enhanced sentencing as an Armed Career Criminal under federal law.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Orange City Man Convicted of Theft from Union FundRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that a federal jury today found Phillip Simmons (50, Orange City) guilty of one count of conspiracy and two counts of theft from an employee benefit plan. Simmons faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for each count. Sentencing has been set for August 20, 2014.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Angela Deleon worked at Advance Administration, Inc. (AAI), which was the third-party administrator of an employee benefit plan for the Ironworkers Local 808. As the third-party administrator for the Ironworkers Local 808 Annuity Fund, AAI was responsible for processing members’ payment applications, paying the Fund’s bills, and speaking with union members. Deleon’s duties at AAI included data entry and the processing of payments.
Over a period of about fourteen months, Deleon wrote forty-six checks from the Fund, totaling over $427,000, to individuals who were not members of the Local 808 or participants in the Fund, including Simmons. Simmons cashed two of the checks provided to him by Deleon and split the stolen proceeds with her. In addition, Simmons assisted his mother, Marta Blackmer, in cashing at least one of the checks that she received from Deleon.
Ten individuals have been charged in connection with this case. Deleon was previously sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for her participation in these crimes and ordered to serve a one-year term of supervision, upon her release. She was also ordered to pay $594,000 in restitution to the Ironworkers Local 808 Annuity Fund. The $594,000 in restitution consists of the over $427,000 that she stole from the Fund, plus the amounts spent by the Fund to audit and reconstruct the records that were impacted by Deleon’s scheme.
Seven other individuals have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing in July and August of this year, including Brandon Alfonso (28, Orange City), Marta Blackmer (71, Orange City), James McCall (32, Orange City), Ian Chase Dove (26, Orange City), Jason Wesson (37, Deltona), Michael Giesinger (36, Deltona), and Shane Riley (31, Deland). Each one faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.
Another individual, Jason Ferrari (33, Orange City), is pending trial for one count of conspiracy and one count of theft from an employee benefit plan. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for each count.
These cases were investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Texas Resident Charged with Illegally Selling Controlled Substances on Silk Road, BitmessageRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the arrest and unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Matthew Jones, a/k/a “Caligirl,” “Dynamite2k,” “Dynamite`,” “Tyler Zeddai,” “Mateo Jones” (44, Dallas, Texas) with the illegal distribution of controlled substances. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Jones was arrested last night in Fort Lauderdale. He made an initial appearance this morning in the Southern District of Florida.
According to the criminal complaint, Jones operated as the vendor “Caligirl” on the Silk Road drug marketplace and was among the top 5% of all Silk Road vendors. Between April 10, 2013, and September 9, 2013, Caligirl’s Silk Road account completed 685 finalized sales of controlled substances. Between July 11, 2013, and March 20, 2014, DEA agents purchased and seized more than 400 Oxycodone tablets and more than 900 Hydrocodone tablets from Jones. Jones shipped the controlled substances from Texas to Central Florida.
In addition to operating on Silk Road, Jones conducted his illicit drug trafficking business utilizing an encrypted and anonymized program called Bitmessage. Bitmessage is a decentralized, peer-to-peer, communications protocol that is used to send encrypted messages from one person to another or from one person to multiple persons. Bitmessage is specifically designed to hide non-content data, such as the sender and recipient of messages from intercept and passive eavesdropping.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
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 will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haas.
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Law Enforcement and Community Members Partner to Combat Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL - U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III and representatives of several federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are continuing the observance of National Missing Children's Day (May 25th) by today convening in Jacksonville, Florida to announce the national "Take 25" child safety campaign. This campaign highlights the cooperative efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to prevent, enforce, and prosecute crimes of exploitation against children. The "Take 25" campaign was created in 2007 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This campaign encourages parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety and ways to prevent abduction.
“Child predators are using more cunning and persuasive techniques to lure and exploit innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III. “It is up to us, as a community, to educate and protect our children from these hidden dangers – online and elsewhere.”
The Department of Justice is committed to the safety and well-being of our children and has placed a high priority on protecting and combating the sexual exploitation of minors. In 2006, Project Safe Childhood was launched by the Department of Justice as a unified and comprehensive strategy to combat child exploitation by combining law enforcement efforts, community action, and public awareness. It marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. The goal of Project Safe Childhood is to reduce the incident of sexual exploitation of children.
From October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2013, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, with the close assistance of numerous federal, state, and local agencies, brought 292 Project Safe Childhood cases against 297 individuals. The charges in those cases vary by defendant, but they include conspiring to travel in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct, production of child pornography, distribution and receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. In addition, the MDFL has prosecuted numerous cases involving human trafficking, where individuals, including minors, were forced to commit commercial sex acts. These cases were brought by each of the five division offices of the Middle District of Florida.
Children of all ages are victimized by child pornography producers, from as young as infants and toddlers to adolescents. About half of the victims are younger than 12 years of age. NCMEC reports that 24 percent of identified victims were pubescent, and 76 percent were prepubescent.
Law enforcement agencies participating today’s event included the Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; State Attorney’s Office (Fourth Judicial Circuit); Jacksonville Sheriff's Office; Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Lakeland Man Sentenced to More Than 33 Years for Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday yesterday sentenced Michael Gallon (49, Lakeland) to a term of 33 years and 9 months’ imprisonment for sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud or coercion and a concurrent term of 20 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. He was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervision, upon his release. Gallon pleaded guilty to the charges on February 5, 2014.
According to the plea agreement, Gallon was a “pimp” who was operating in Florida and the southeastern United States. He recruited adult and minor females to join his “dance team.” Gallon then transported the females to bachelor parties and house parties that he arranged. The females danced and performed acts of prostitution at the parties. Gallon set up “VIP” rooms at each of the parties, where he would encourage the females to engage in commercial sex acts. Gallon charged the women to use the “VIP” rooms; he also kept most of the money the women earned. Law enforcement has identified at least twelve minor-aged victims of Gallon’s crime.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Lakeland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
Palm Harbor Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Running Fraudulent Home Inspection BusinessRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington today sentenced Tammy Roaderick (40, Palm Harbor) to thirty-three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The court also entered a money judgment against Roaderick in the amount of $2,396,498.25, which are the proceeds traceable to the offense. Roaderick pleaded guilty on July 18, 2013.
According to court documents, Roaderick and her co-conspirator, Dean Counce, operated American Mortgage Field Services, LLC (AMFS). AMFS performed preservation and inspection work for homes in various phases of foreclosure, including homes that were owned by government entities such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The government entities paid servicing lenders, such as Bank of America, to protect and maintain their properties. Beginning in or around 2007, in order to protect the investments and to prevent unnecessary deterioration from neglect or vandalism, some of the servicing lenders retained AMFS to conduct periodic inspections of government-owned or insured properties.
Each month, the servicing lenders would send Counce, Roaderick, and AMFS a list of properties that required inspection. These inspections required Counce and other AMFS employees to visit a property, fill out an inspection report, and take photographs. Counce and others transmitted the inspections electronically to the servicing lender, and the servicing lenders then paid AMFS a fee per inspection.
As the real estate market declined, Counce, Roaderick, and AMFS began to receive an increasing number of requests for inspections on properties in foreclosure. Most or all of the mortgages on the properties were owned or insured by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or FHA. The requests far exceeded AMFS’s capacity to deliver. As a result, Counce, Roaderick and other AMFS employees acting at their direction began fabricating inspection reports. AMFS employed individuals, many of whom were unskilled teenagers, to use previous months’ photographs to fabricate subsequent inspection reports on properties. Counce and Roaderick also instructed AMFS employees to fabricate inspection reports by using publicly-available websites, such as property appraiser sites, to obtain data about properties that were not inspected. Employees who produced large numbers of false inspection reports were often rewarded with cash bonuses. AMFS employees, acting under Counce’s and Roaderick’s direction, then submitted these falsified inspection reports to AMFS’s clients along with false claims for payments. The government estimates that from in or around March 2007, until Roaderick withdrew from the conspiracy on or about December 31, 2009, AMFS received approximately $2,396,498.25 from Countrywide/Bank of America based upon fraudulent inspections.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Lakeland Couple Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Jovanna Deshawn Forte (39) and William Boyd Burns (44) have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and face a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. In addition, both agreed to a money judgment in the amount of approximately $385,450, the proceeds of the bank fraud. Burns pleaded guilty yesterday, and Forte pleaded guilty on May 12, 2014. The sentencing hearings are scheduled for August 28, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington.
According to court documents, Forte and Burns used other peoples’ accounts at local banks to deposit third-party checks that were written to the account holders, in amounts ranging from $1,500 to $3,600. These third-party checks were fraudulent and false when they were deposited by Forte and Burns because the checks were written on closed accounts and accounts that did not have sufficient funds to pay the amount of the check. The checks were deposited into these accounts by ATM, after the financial institution was closed. Forte and Burns then withdrew or attempted to withdraw funds, both in cash and through debit card purchases, which had been credited to the account from the fraudulent check deposits. The withdrawn funds were then used for personal expenditures. Forte and Burns were recorded on video tape surveillance using nearly 200 accounts at three financial institutions: Mid-Florida Federal Credit Union, SunTrust Bank and Wachovia Bank. They obtained at least $385,450 in funds from their withdrawals and purchases.
This case was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley C. Howard-Allen.
Green Cove Springs Convenience Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Refund TheftRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Antoun Arbaji today pleaded guilty to stealing government property described as fraudulently-obtained tax refunds. Arbaji faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison, as well as an obligation to pay back approximately $1,909,403.66 in restitution to the United States. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Abas Issa (“Issa”), a co-defendant, owned and operated a convenience store in Green Cove Springs, Florida, known as V&J Stores, Inc. Arbaji owned and operated another convenience store (“Fina Express”) in Green Cove Springs, a few blocks away.
In 2011, Issa began obtaining both fraudulently-obtained tax refund checks and refund anticipation loan checks from a source in Tampa. Issa, in turn, located individuals like Arbaji who, for a percentage fee, would cash the checks through their business accounts. After cashing the checks, Arbaji would remit the cash proceeds to Issa. Issa, in turn, would keep a fee and remit the remainder of the proceeds to the source of the checks in Tampa. During 2011, Arbaji cashed more than $1.5 million in fraudulently-obtained tax refund checks and more than $400,000 in fraudulently-obtained refund anticipation loan checks, using his Fina Express business account. After cashing the checks, he delivered the proceeds to Issa, who, after collecting his fee, delivered the remaining proceeds to a source in Tampa. Many of the fraudulent checks were issued on behalf of individuals who were deceased at the time the tax returns were filed.
According to court records, more than $352,000 was seized from Arbaji’s bank account prior to the return of an indictment in this case.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener, III.
Polk County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington sentenced Eleftherios Zachariadis (47, Lake Alfred) on Friday, May 23, 2014, to 14 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. Zachariadis pleaded guilty on January 9, 2014.
According to court documents, this investigation began when an undercover agent downloaded multiple images of child pornography from Zachariadis’s Internet Protocol (IP) address. On September 9, 2013, pursuant to a federal search warrant, law enforcement officers seized Zachariadis’s computer, thumb drive, and a DVD. The investigation revealed that Zachariadis had possessed child pornography for at least seven years. The forensic examination further revealed that his computer, thumb drive, and the DVD contained more than 1,000 images and 200 videos of child pornography. Multiple files depicted prepubescent minors, bondage, and sadomasochistic conduct.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Central Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.