Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Orlando Couple Agrees to Pay More Than $88,000 Related to Improperly Received PPP Loan FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Anthony and Lisa Terry have agreed to pay $88,677.62 to resolve allegations that they improperly received funds from four loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES), the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act (Economic Aid Act).
This settlement resolves liability related to two PPP loans issued to Anthony Terry and two PPP loans issued to Lisa Terry. According to the settlement agreement, from June 2020 through April 2022, the Terrys received four PPP loans totaling over $81,000, despite their ineligibility for such loans or forgiveness because the Terrys are individuals and not small businesses. Upon being contacted by the United States, the Terrys cooperated with the investigation.
The United States became aware of the Terrys’ loans during an investigation in a prior criminal case, where a former tax preparer was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a scheme to defraud the United States of COVID-related disaster loan proceeds. The defendants in that criminal case admitted they had devised a scheme to solicit others to fraudulently apply for PPP loans the CARES Act provided.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and holding responsible those who failed to follow the rules of the PPP program,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to investigate and pursue and, where appropriate, federally prosecute those individuals and entities that engage in improper uses of PPP loan proceeds.”
The resolution obtained in this case was the result of a coordinated effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Small Business Administration. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Bloor, with assistance from the Small Business Administration, Office of General Counsel.
The civil claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination or admission of liability.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by using the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Lake County Woman and Federal Inmate Arrested for Smuggling Drugs into PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Michelle Nicole Marie Brannon (36, Lake County) and Robert Hayes (46, Hillsborough County) on a federal indictment. Brannon is charged with one count of making a materially false statement or representation to a federal agency and one count of providing contraband to a federal prisoner. If convicted, she faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. Hayes is charged with one count of possession of contraband by a federal prisoner. If convicted, Hayes faces a maximum of 5 years in federal prison.
According to the court records, Brannon and Hayes are brother and sister. On April 27, 2025, Brannon visited Hayes, an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. As Brannon was being screened before the visitation, she made a materially false representation to a corrections officer that she did not have any narcotics in her possession. Subsequently, she was caught providing Hayes with buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance. Federal inmates are prohibited from possessing controlled substances in the prison facility.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Lake County Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Gregory Coleman III (28, Leesburg) has entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with one count of possession of a firearm affecting commerce by a convicted felon. Coleman faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal grand jury indicted Coleman on December 12, 2023.
According to the court records, Coleman has been convicted of four state felonies, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting law enforcement with violence, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, and possession of cocaine. Following these convictions, on November 4, 2023, Coleman sold a firearm to a confidential source who was working in cooperation with federal agents. Coleman told the source he had more firearms but wanted to keep them for himself. As a convicted felon, Coleman is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Eustis Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jacksonville Convicted Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Escaping from Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Brian Keith Speights (68, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to escaping from federal custody at a halfway house in Jacksonville. At sentencing, Speights will face up to five years in prison. Speights was arrested on January 20, 2025, in Jacksonville and has been in federal custody since that time. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 19, 2025.
According to court documents, in 2019, Speights was sentenced to serve 90 months in federal prison after being convicted of using his Jacksonville residence to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, and for possessing several firearms in furtherance of illegal drug trafficking. In May 2024, the Federal Bureau of Prisons lawfully transferred Speights into the custody of the Bridges Reintegration Center (Bridges), a halfway house located in Jacksonville. As part of his application requesting this transfer that he signed on May 7, 2024, Speights acknowledged that he remained in the custody of the Attorney General of the United States, and if he failed to remain within the limits of his confinement at Bridges, his failure to do so would be deemed as an escape.
On January 2, 2025, Speights knowingly and willfully escaped by leaving the Bridges Reintegration Center without authorization and failing to return. On January 20, 2025, he was located at a residence in Jacksonville and arrested by deputies from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Fleming Island Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Jason Stewart Karst II (37, Fleming Island) to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Karst entered a guilty plea in March 2025.
According to court documents, in April 2024, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives received a complaint from a local shooting range that Karst and another individual had been shooting fully automatic firearms at the range. Surveillance video from the range showed Karst firing a fully automatic gun as well as a separate gun that was equipped with a silencer. Agents obtained a search warrant for a home owned by Karst and executed the warrant on May 1, 2024. During the search, agents found five silencers, a privately manufactured firearm that was equipped with a machinegun conversion device, and a pistol that was also equipped with a machinegun conversion device inside a large safe. The guns matched the appearance of the ones used by Karst at the shooting range. In addition, while agents were executing the search warrant, Karst drove up to the house. During a search of Karst’s car, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office found a white powdery substance, over 20 grams of marijuana, a scale, a pistol without a serial number, and keys to the safe.
Karst was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including two convictions for possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell or deliver, attempted use of a minor to deliver a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Additionally, contrary to federal law, the machinegun conversion devices and silencers were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record—a database maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Brevard County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Drugs While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Maurice Devantay Kimbrough (31, Cocoa) to 15 years in federal prison for distribution of controlled substances and violations of supervised release. Kimbrough pleaded guilty on April 21, 2025.
According to court documents, between October and December 2024, Kimbrough sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine to a confidential source and undercover agent. During his arrest, Kimbrough was in possession of additional drugs. In total, Kimbrough was responsible for distributing and possessing nearly 1.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, over 80 grams of fentanyl, and over 10 grams of cocaine. At the time of this drug activity, Kimbrough was serving a four-year term of supervised release due to convictions for previous federal drug offenses.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Obmar Garcia-Galban (25, Tennessee) has pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute over 124 grams of fentanyl and approximately 2 kilograms of a substance containing MDMA and ketamine, also known as “Tusi,” as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Garcia-Galban faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on December 19, 2024, Garcia-Galban had 124.6 grams of fentanyl, 1.99 kilograms of Tusi, and a firearm with the serial number removed in his vehicle. During an interview with law enforcement, Garcia-Galban stated that he planned to sell the fentanyl, Tusi, and firearm to an individual in Florida.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
This case was part of an OCDETF investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Banker Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jennifer Lamanna (49, Venice) today pleaded guilty to one count of theft or embezzlement by a bank employee and one count of making a false statement to an agency of the United States. Lamanna faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for the embezzlement and up to 5 years for making a false statement. She has also agreed to forfeit $280,000, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Lamanna worked for an FDIC-insured financial institution. As a result of reduced in-branch staffing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lamanna had sole access to and exercised control over a branch bank vault located in Venice, Florida. In 2020, Lamanna began using a contingency cash bag to steal cash from the vault, then physically removed the cash from the branch until the contingency cash bag program was discontinued. After the cash bag program ended, Lamanna continued to embezzle cash from the vault and deposited $255,362 in stolen funds into a bank account she controlled.
To balance out the vault and conceal her embezzlement, Lamanna made multiple large withdrawals and subsequent matching deposits out of a customer’s account. To make the sham transactions appear legitimate, Lamanna filed fictitious Currency Transaction Reports. On June 8, 2023, Lamanna made a materially false statement to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a sub-agency of the U.S. Treasury Department, when she completed and submitted a Currency Transaction Report falsely stating that a bank customer deposited $160,100 in cash into his account knowing that no such deposit took place.
This case was investigated by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General and Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Tampa field office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Former Bank Officer Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Edward Jenkinson (47, Trinity) to 11 months in federal prison for theft, embezzlement, or misapplication of funds by a bank officer. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $122,000, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Jenkinson pleaded guilty on April 8, 2025.
According to court documents, Jenkinson was employed as a bank officer at a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured institution. As a bank officer, Jenkinson was responsible for managing a financial center located in Tampa. One of Jenkinson’s duties was to oversee the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and teller cash drawers at the financial center.
Between March and November 2024, Jenkinson embezzled FDIC-insured funds. As part of his embezzlement scheme, Jenkinson redeemed certificates of deposit without customers’ knowledge or consent. He then prepared deposit tickets and deposited the redeemed funds in customer checking accounts. Subsequently, Jenkinson embezzled the funds from the victim customers’ accounts and drafted cashiers’ checks payable to himself, which he deposited into his own bank accounts. Jenkinson depleted most of the embezzled funds through cash withdrawals. Jenkinson also embezzled $52,000 from the ATM at the financial center he managed and spent the funds on gambling, paying off debts, and retail purchases.
This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Clewiston Felon Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jose Ignacio Carrizalez III (27, Clewiston) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Carrizalez pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025.
According to court documents, on April 12, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Carrizalez’s residence after he sold a firearm to a confidential informant and offered to sell another one. During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement seized multiple firearms, assorted ammunition, and a “switch” designed for use in converting a semi-automatic pistol into a machine gun. Carrizalez is a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Brevard County Drug Traffickers Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Michael Jatsko (34, Melbourne), Alivia Mae Assidio (23, Melbourne), and Leonard Ronald Nile, Jr. (52, Melbourne) with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Jatsko and Assidio are also charged with distribution of methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted on all counts, Jatsko and Assidio each face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Nile faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Jatsko and Assidio that the United States intends to forfeit a Mossberg pistol and Blackside Tactical rifle, which were seized from their residence.
According to court documents, Jatsko, Assidio, and Nile were involved in a drug conspiracy until June 24, 2025, when Jatsko and Nile were arrested. On June 24, 2025, law enforcement witnessed Jatsko and Nile loading into their vehicle large bags and boxes believed to contain narcotics. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle, Jatsko and Nile fled at a high rate of speed. The high-speed chase ultimately ended in Brevard County, after Florida Highway Patrol troopers immobilized the fleeing car. A search of the vehicle revealed multiple kilograms of cocaine. Subsequent searches of Jatsko and Assidio’s storage unit and residence revealed substantial quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as firearms. At the time, Jatsko and Assidio both had prior felony drug convictions. As convicted felons, they are 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 unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office - Special Investigations Unit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert D. Sowell.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Traveler Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Attempting to Entice and Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jeremy Wayne Leggett (37, Jacksonville) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for using the internet to attempt to entice and meet a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Leggett was arrested on June 19, 2023, and has remained been in federal custody. Leggett pleaded guilty on January 15, 2025.
According to court records, Leggett is a registered child sex offender, having been previously convicted in Florida in 2020 of traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sexual offense and transmitting harmful materials to a minor.
On June 16, 2023, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in the Jacksonville area, posing as a child, was working online in a social media application (app) to identify individuals seeking to meet children for sexual activity. The UC engaged in online conversation with an app user “dAddi” who posted a notice in a public chat room that read “Lookingfor [under 18 emoji] wannaspoiladaughter.” During this online conversation, user “dAddi,” who was identified as Leggett, was advised that the “child” was 13 years old. Leggett asked if the “child” “[l]ike[d] older men,” and sent the “child” a photo of himself. Leggett denied being a murderer or a kidnapper, telling the “child” that he was “just a pedophile.” He suggested that that they meet so he could perform oral sex on “her” in his vehicle. After more conversation, Leggett sent the “child” explicit photos of himself. On June 17, 18, and 19, 2023, Leggett initiated text messages with the UC and continued attempting to persuade the “child” to meet for sex.
On June 19, 2023, Leggett and the “child” arranged through text messages to meet at a retail shopping center in Jacksonville. That evening, Leggett drove his vehicle to this location to meet the “child” and circled the parking lot. When law enforcement officers attempted to stop Leggett’s vehicle, he quickly reversed his vehicle and fled the scene. A short time later, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and FBI agents located Leggett at a residence in Jacksonville and he was arrested.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Petersburg Felon Sentenced to over 17 Years for Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Wayne Lamar Davis (55, St. Petersburg) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Davis was found guilty following a bench trial in March 2025.
According to statements made in court, Davis committed a traffic infraction while driving two young children to school on the morning of March 8, 2024. When the St. Petersburg Police Department officer who conducted a traffic stop attempted to detain Davis, Davis violently resisted, slipped out of his shirt and shorts, and fled on foot in his underwear. The officer apprehended Davis after a brief foot chase, locating a loaded firearm in a bag that Davis had retrieved from his vehicle. Davis received an enhanced sentence pursuant to the Armed Career Criminal Act based on prior state convictions for robbery, aggravated assault, and resisting an officer with violence and a prior federal conviction for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal Jury Finds Clearwater Man Guilty of Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material Involving an InfantRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found William Jack Filing (29, Clearwater) guilty of receiving child sexual abuse material. Filing faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison and registration as a sex offender. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 9, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Filing was involved in an online chat with other others who discussed their desires to sexually abuse little boys. During the chats, Filing received videos of a child being sexually abused. Filing also expressed his desires to abuse children between the ages of one and four.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations–Tampa with substantial assistance from the Clearwater Police Department and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force of Central Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Claire Favorit and Abigail King.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Exceptional Student Education Assistant Indicted for Transporting and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Marrell Dion Speights (32, St. Petersburg) with receipt, transportation, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted on all counts, Speights faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in federal prison and will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to the indictment and criminal complaint, Speights transported, received, and possessed visual depictions of children under the age of 12 being sexually abused. On June 19, 2025, Speights attempted to enter the United States at the Tampa International Airport from a Canadian flight that was returning from a trip to Japan. He was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents who reviewed his cellphone and found images of CSAM in the hidden photos feature.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Tampa. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Reshay Rashard Nelson (45, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Nelson pleaded guilty in April 2025.
According to court documents, officers from the Tampa Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Nelson on April 10, 2023. A search of Nelson and his vehicle resulted in the discovery of an ounce of cocaine, a scale, and a loaded firearm. Nelson received an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act based on his prior felony convictions for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, obstructing an officer with violence, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and trafficking in cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years After Selling Drugs and Firearm to Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Rodrick Quinelle Dallas (38, St. Petersburg) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and distributing cocaine. Dallas pleaded guilty in April 2025.
According to court documents, on December 20, 2022, Dallas sold an undercover officer from the St. Petersburg Police Department a firearm and cocaine. Dallas received an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act based on his prior felony convictions for resisting an officer with violence and sale of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Six Charged in Conspiracy to Defraud Veterans and VA of Nearly $20 Million in GI Bill BenefitsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Zachary Somers Hiscock (41, Arizona), Timothy Slater (66, Illinois), Nikhil Patel (48, Missouri), Gangadhar Bathula (59, Virginia), and Arif Hasan Sayed (54, California) with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and ten counts of wire fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. A sixth conspirator, Kyle Blake Kotecha (38, Apopka), was charged by information and signed a plea agreement for his role in the conspiracy.
According to the indictment, Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula, and Sayed conspired with Kotecha to violate the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations that prohibit predatory practices targeting veterans for their GI Bill tuition benefits. As a result of this conspiracy, Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula, Sayed, and Kotecha defrauded the VA and veteran students of millions of dollars of their hard earned GI Bill benefits.
Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula, and Sayed operated for-profit, non-college degree schools across the United States. These schools purported to provide courses in cybersecurity and computer coding and were approved to receive GI Bill benefits.
VA regulations prohibit schools that receive GI Bill benefits from compensating individuals who recruit and enroll veteran students with a portion of the tuition they secure. Despite this ban on commission-based recruitment, Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula, and Sayed hired Kotecha to target and recruit veteran students to attend their schools and paid Kotecha approximately 25 percent of the benefits the schools obtained through the veteran students that Kotecha enrolled. The defendants undertook various efforts to conceal and obfuscate the nature of this recruitment from VA auditors, including by using coded terms, concealed payments, backdated and falsified contracts, and phony enrollment records. Some of the schools created false records of attendance of non-veteran students to legitimize and disguise the dramatic increases of veteran enrollments.
Kotecha’s recruitment scheme was successful and pumped millions of dollars of GI Bill benefits into schools that had previously received little to none. The schools charged veterans tuition at or near the annual cap of $24,000 for instruction that lasted only 8 to 13 weeks. A small fraction of the veteran students went on to seek or obtain any certifications in programs purportedly taught.
The schools are charged with forfeiting $19,232,390 of GI Bill benefits fraudulently obtained as a result of the conspiracy. Kotecha has agreed to forfeit $3,965,264.34 to the United States as an estimate of the amount he personally obtained from the scheme.
“These charges serve as stark warning to those who would defraud the Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits program,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The GI Bill has served millions of veterans since World War II and the VA OIG, along with our partners, will aggressively investigate fraud committed against this vital program.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Noah P. Dorman and Dana E. Hill.
IndictmentMethamphetamine Traffickers SentencedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Larry Lee Woodard, Jr. (30, Bradenton) and Jesse Leahy (49, Sarasota) each to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Woodard and Leahy previously pleaded guilty.
According to court documents, Woodard and Leahy were involved in a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Bradenton and throughout Manatee County. They distributed more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in Manatee County during the course of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Central Florida Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) which includes the Bradenton Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the North Port Police Department, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Palmetto Police Department, the Sarasota Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also assisted with the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman, David Sullivan, and Suzanne Nebesky.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Two Convenience Stores with FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Ronald Brown (24, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to two robberies, conspiracy to commit those robberies, and brandishing a firearm during both those robberies. Brown faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the robbery counts. For each of the firearms counts, he faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, in federal prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents and proceedings, in July 2024, Brown conspired with others to rob two convenience stores in Tampa. Two firearms were used in, and brandished, during the robberies. Law enforcement located the suspects a few days after the robberies at a hotel in Tampa. A review of surveillance footage from the hotel showed Brown holding a rifle near the vehicle identified as being used in the robberies. Additional surveillance footage from the hotel showed Brown carrying a long box to the trunk prior to the robbery. Search warrants for multiple hotel rooms were executed and the rifle was located. The rifle belongs to Brown.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Making Death Threats Against Chief Executive Officer of Tampa General HospitalRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest and unsealing of a complaint charging Lawrence Brunn (63, Oakmont, PA) with cyber harassment. If convicted, Brunn faces up to five years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Brunn began harassing J.C., the CEO of Tampa General Hospital, at least as far back as 2023. Brunn’s online harassment increased in frequency and intensity over the last two years. Brunn’s threats included calling for the execution of J.C. and frequently referring to J.C.’s beheading utilizing a guillotine. In one post from April 9, 2025, Brunn states that J.C. “should have his head chopped off” and further states that J.C. “should be scared…of we the people.” In addition to online postings, Brunn also sent mail to J.C.’s private residence, as well as J.C.’s neighbors’ residences, and members of the Board of Trustees for Tampa General Hospital.
A complaint is merely an arrest warrant alleging that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.
Jury Convicts Miami-Dade Detective of Perjury During Hearing in Southern District of Florida United States District CourtRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury in Miami has found Keenan Johnson (36, Tamarac) guilty of three counts of perjury for false testimony he gave under oath during an evidentiary hearing in a criminal case before Chief Judge Cecilia Altonaga of the United States District Court in Miami on April 4, 2022. Johnson faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is set for October 3, 2025, in Miami. Johnson was indicted on July 31, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented during the five-day trial, Johnson, who was a homicide detective with the Miami-Dade Police Department, lied under oath on several occasions during a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence. When confronted by a witness regarding a telephone number he had given to the witness, Johnson denied the number was his, denied that he had spoken to the witness over the telephone, denied he had received text messages from the witness, and denied he had used the number on police flyers.
At the conclusion of the suppression hearing, the judge asked the prosecutor to get to the bottom of the discrepancies regarding the use of the telephone number. Records obtained by investigators after the hearing ultimately showed that Johnson had the phone number for more than four years, had contact with the suppression hearing witness, had used the phone number the night before the suppression hearing for a more than 10-minute call, and had deleted the number after the suppression hearing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Miami and the Miami-Dade County Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs Jr. of the Middle District of Florida. Boggs was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida for this case.
Fugitive Washington State Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Relationship with Child and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Allen Blakney (35, Seattle, WA) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images. Blakney pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025.
According to court documents, in October 2024, Blakney, a registered sex offender from Washington, absconded from community control causing an escape warrant to be issued. Blakney traveled by bus to Jacksonville to meet a child he had met online. While in Florida, Blakney engaged in sexual activity with the child. The Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force’s Jacksonville Office located Blakney and arrested him on his outstanding warrants.
Following his arrest, when the child was located with Blakney, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into Blakney. A search warrant was obtained for Blakney’s phone revealing that it contained child sexual abuse materials.
This case was investigated by the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force Jacksonville Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Fourteen Polk County Residents Indicted for Narcotics Trafficking and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging fourteen Polk County residents with narcotics trafficking and firearms-related charges. If convicted, Curtis Charles Tinsley (47, Lakeland), Tyler Anthony Devaney (32, Winter Haven), Alvin Antonio Barnes III (47, Lakeland), Tonyo Cortez Evans (39, Lakeland), Lamar Anthony Hamilton (43, Lakeland), Albert Lewis III (48, Lakeland), Tyrese Leon Pratt (39, Lakeland), Antonio Groover (32, Dundee), Kenji Antwana Miller (38, Lakeland), Melvin Sharon Murray (48, Lakeland), Robert James Johnson IV (32, Lakeland), Steven Wayne Gay (55, Lakeland), Tiffany Elaine Creach (43, Lakeland), and Sabrina Marie Taylor (40, Dover) each face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment, the charged individuals conspired to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy. Devaney, Barnes, Hamilton, Pratt, and Groover are also charged for possessing firearms or ammunition as convicted felons. Devaney, Pratt, and Hamilton are each charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. The indictment also alleges that Tinsley, Devaney, Barnes, Evans, Hamilton, Groover, Miller, Murray, and Gay committed the alleged offenses after convictions for either serious drug or violent felonies.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lakeland Police Department, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Possessing and Accessing with Intent to View Child Sexual Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Andrew Roger Torres (47, Fort Myers) to 5 years in federal prison for possessing and accessing with intent to view images depicting the sexual abuse of children. Torres pleaded guilty on August 20, 2024.
According to court documents, from February 3 through August 24, 2023, Torres possessed and accessed with intent to view images of child sexual abuse that he had searched for using social media applications and the internet.
In December 2022 and February 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received two cybertips from electronic service providers reporting that Torres had uploaded videos that depicted child sexual abuse material from his cellphone.
When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Torres’s home, they seized two cellphones. Torres agreed to speak with officers and advised that he had used a social media account to collect child sex abuse material. Torres said that he primarily downloaded the files online to his cellphone, viewed the files, and then deleted them. The subsequent forensic examination of Torres’s cellphones revealed images of child sexual abuse material.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Five Tampa Men Indicted for Racketeering Murder Conspiracy, Shootings, and Fraud Scheme Connected to the “Glock Boys” Criminal EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging five Tampa residents with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering activity, conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity, attempted murder, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon, aggravated identity theft, and possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices. If convicted, Greg Kendrick (age 29), a/k/a “Cheese,” Corey Davis (age 30), a/k/a “Coe,” Arius Johnson (age 30), a/k/a “Streetz,” Damion Council (age 27), a/k/a “Dane,” Antonio Phillips (age 26), a/k/a “Lil Glockie,” a/k/a “Twin” each face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment, the “Glock Boys,” or “Glockies,” are a violent subset of a West Tampa-based criminal enterprise who engaged in an ongoing feud with the rival Robles Park gang. This conflict fueled a series of retaliatory shootings across Tampa, including a shooting outside a nightclub in the parking lot of the International Plaza Mall in Tampa, and in residential neighborhoods near Walnut Street and Central Avenue. Some of the shootings occurred during broad daylight, and in at least one incident, several innocent bystanders were struck by gunfire.
Beyond violence, the indictment alleges that the Glock Boys carried out a nationwide identity theft and fraud operation, stealing personal information from numerous victims. Using the fraudulently obtained identities, the conspirators filed hundreds of false unemployment claims in multiple states across the United States.
This indictment follows the prosecution of members of the Robles Park gang, who throughout 2023, were convicted and sentenced for related violent and fraudulent activity.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Chang and Diego Novaes.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Deanthony Flowers (36, Lakeland) to five years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Flowers pleaded guilty in February 2025.
According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, officers with the Lakeland Police Department pulled over the vehicle Flowers was driving. Flowers was the sole occupant of the automobile. As the officers approached the vehicle, they observed a firearm wedged between the seats. Officers later determined that the firearm, a Glock Model 31, Gen 4 .357 pistol with a loaded magazine, had been reported stolen. At the time, Flowers had multiple prior felony convictions, including failure to register as a career offender, burglary and grand theft, felony battery, attempted robbery, and armed burglary. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Cape Coral Man Indicted for Running Fraudulent, All-Virtual Pain Clinic That Dispensed More Than 100,000 Tablets of OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Eric Strom Holland (55, Cape Coral) with four counts of wire fraud and six counts of distributing and dispensing controlled substances. If convicted, Holland faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Holland that the United States intends to forfeit any property used in or proceeds traceable to the offense.
According to court documents, Holland recruited unwitting doctors for his unlicensed pain clinic using lies designed to induce them to work for him and to prescribe controlled substances, including oxycodone. These lies included that the pain clinic had a physical location (when in fact all operations during the pertinent periods were purely virtual), that patients were being physically examined by medical practitioners, such as nurse practitioners, before doctors were asked to prescribe, that there were long-term doctors with whom the patients had a standing relationship and that the temporary doctors were just refilling prescriptions as part of an established regimen of care, and that safeguards to prevent against drug abuse, such as urine screens, were being used. Numerous doctors stated that, had they known that the representations made by Holland about the operation of the clinic were false, they would not have prescribed for him. Holland also falsely told doctors that he would pay them for their work. In fact, Holland routinely failed to pay doctors and replaced them with new temporary doctors once they ceased working for him. As a result of Holland’s actions, and in addition to other controlled substances, more than 900 prescriptions were issued for more than 100,000 tablets of oxycodone, with a street value of more than $4 million.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Miami Tactical Diversion Squad. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Tampa Shooter Sentenced to More Than 10 YearsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Milton Anthony Bradshaw (45, Tampa) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. A federal jury found him guilty in March 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of September 20, 2022, Bradshaw got into an argument with three unknown individuals at the Manchester Apartments in Tampa. As the three individuals walked to their car, Bradshaw grabbed a firearm and proceeded to hide behind a dumpster in the parking lot. As the three individuals drove away, Bradshaw started firing at them.
Deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office were called to the scene where they recovered a firearm that Bradshaw had left outside of an apartment after the shooting. Bradshaw was identified in surveillance video that captured the argument and the shooting, and DNA recovered from the firearm matched Bradshaw’s.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Chelsey Hanson. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tampa Man Indicted for Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Michael Devante Curry (30, Tampa) with possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Curry faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Curry that the United States intends to forfeit two Glock firearms and assorted ammunition used in the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, on June 1, 2025, Curry possessed two Glock firearms and assorted rounds of ammunition. At the time, Curry had multiple prior felony convictions including two prior convictions for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, Curry is 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 unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Repeat International Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Almost 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Trafficking $82 Million of Cocaine on A Self-Propelled Semi-Submersible Near French PolynesiaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Vicente Lopez Mero (67, Ecuador) to 19 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Lopez Mero pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025.
According to court documents, on October 27, 2024, Lopez Mero and four co-conspirators smuggled cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean aboard a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel, which is a closed hull boat specifically configured for transporting large quantities of narcotics in its interior cargo hold. Guardsmen from the USCGS Munro, a United States Coast Guard Legend-class cutter, interdicted the semi-submersible vessel 960 nautical miles north of French Polynesia, in international waters. The United States Coast Guard seized 3,749 kilograms of cocaine, which has an approximate wholesale value of $82 million. Lopez Mero had previously been convicted of and sentenced in 2020 for smuggling large quantities of cocaine within the ballast tanks of an international container ship.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.
This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution is being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Ponte Vedra Man Posing as A Tutor Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Kevin Patrick Wilson (39, Ponte Vedra) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Wilson pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025.
According to court documents, on July 20, 2024, a social media user posted a public message in a Facebook group seeking a tutor for a child. On the day of the post, an individual posing as a woman, but later identified as Wilson, reached out and directed the poster to contact her “husband,” Wilson, by text message. The poster contacted Wilson and had a short text conversation. The poster said she was seeking tutoring assistance for an 11-year-old child. Wilson sent a photo of himself and asked for a photo of the child. The text message conversation ended shortly thereafter. The poster later contacted the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office about the interaction.
On July 24, 2024, an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 12-year-old female “child” reached out to Wilson about tutoring services for the “child.” After the undercover detective initiated the conversation, Wilson began discussing sexual topics involving the “child” and meeting the “child” to perform sexual acts with the “child.” Wilson also spoke to undercover detectives portraying the 12-year-old child via phone and text message. Wilson and the undercover detective portraying the guardian of the “child” ultimately agreed to meet during the evening of July 24, 2024, for Wilson to engage in sexual acts with the “child.” Wilson traveled to the predetermined meeting location and was arrested.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
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.justice.gov/psc.
New Port Richey Woman Charged with FEMA FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Shelby Sigler (34, New Port Richey) with fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefits. If convicted, Sigler faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, between November 2023 and January 2024, Sigler knowingly made false and fraudulent statements and representations to obtain money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when submitting an application for assistance from FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program as a result of Hurricane Idalia.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement related to any man-made or natural disaster can report it by visiting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Kissimmee Businessman Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Edwin Rivera to four years in federal prison for theft of government property. The court also ordered Rivera to forfeit $1,987,457 which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. Rivera pleaded guilty on January 16, 2025.
According to court documents, between October 2023 and July 2024, Rivera and his co-conspirators operated a scheme to steal government funds. As part of the scheme, Rivera stole the identity of large corporations and filed fraudulent tax returns with the IRS on behalf of those companies, causing the IRS to generate tax refunds and mail them to Rivera. Rivera then deposited the checks into bank accounts he and his co-conspirators controlled. As part of the scheme, Rivera and his co-conspirators attempted to steal nearly $10 million in government funds, and successfully obtained at least four fraudulent tax refunds for a total of $2,741,581.74.
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) aggressively investigates individuals who attempt to exploit U.S Treasury refund checks meant for hard working taxpayers for their own private gain," said TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Joel Weaver. “TIGTA's mission is to protect the integrity of our nation's tax administration system. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate federal laws are prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”
“If you think committing millions of dollars’ worth of fraud and stealing from the government would go unnoticed, you couldn't be more wrong,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Our special agents are the world's top financial crimes investigators, and they will find you, just like they found Edwin Rivera.”
This case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
Honduran National with Active Interpol Red Notice for Murder Is Arrested and Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Pedro Danilo Espinoza-Guiffaro (34, Honduras) on a criminal complaint charging him with being unlawfully present in the United States after being previously removed from the United States. If convicted, Espinoza-Guiffaro faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a targeted enforcement operation to arrest Espinoza-Guiffaro as he had an active Interpol Red Notice for Murder in Honduras. A surveillance team located Espinoza-Guiffaro in Duval County. During immigration processing, HSI agents learned that Espinoza-Guiffaro was previously ordered removed from the United States and actually removed from the United States in 2022 and 2024. There is no record Espinoza-Guiffaro ever applied for or received permission to return to the United States.
A complaint is merely a charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by HSI and FBI. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Honduran National Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry After A Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Luis Alonso Contreras-Rivera (32, Honduras) to 30 months in federal prison for illegal reentry after a felony conviction. Contreras-Rivera pleaded guilty on April 9, 2025.
According to court documents, Contreras-Rivera is a citizen and national of Honduras. He was previously removed from the United States on December 3, 2012, January 19, 2015, and November 2, 2018. On January 1, 2024, Contreras-Rivera was found back in the United States when he was arrested in Charlotte County for a state criminal offense. Contreras-Rivera had previously been convicted of illegal reentry into the United States on September 10, 2013, in the Western District of Texas. Contreras-Rivera has never applied for or received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
This case was investigated by United States Border Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Darcey.
Honduran National Arrested for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Bayros Aguilar-Ramirez (29, Honduras) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Aguilar-Ramirez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Aguilar-Ramirez is a citizen and national of Honduras. He was previously removed from the United States on November 23, 2016. Aguilar-Ramirez was found voluntarily back in the United States on July 13, 2025, when he was encountered by law enforcement in St Johns County. Aguilar-Ramirez has not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Federal Employee Pleads Guilty to Possession of A Firearm by an Unlawful Drug UserRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Bryan Roger Byers (57, Jacksonville), a United States Postal Service employee, has pleaded guilty to being in possession of a firearm as an unlawful drug user. Byers faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents and proceedings, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Byers after a firearm he had purchased was recovered during a drug trafficking investigation. During that earlier investigation, a felon was found to be in possession of a firearm and admitted purchasing the firearm from Byers in exchange for crack cocaine.
Investigators located text messages, which reflected that Byers used sex workers to find buyers for his firearms. The buyers then exchanged drugs for the firearms. Records reflect Byers purchased at least 10 firearms over the last four years.
On April 2, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Byers’s home. Law enforcement officers seized seven firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition, and two suspected crack pipes from the home. The next day, Byers attempted to purchase another firearm. ATF agents arrested him for being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Attorney Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Benjamin Crawford (47, Brandon) has pleaded guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material. Crawford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 25, 2025.
According to the plea agreement, Crawford, a local attorney, distributed child sexual abuse material over a social media application and possessed child sexual abuse material on his cellphone and laptop. Crawford has agreed to his phone and laptop, which were used in the commission of the offense.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Tampa and Tennessee. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ponte Vedra Beach Man Pleads Guilty in Fraud Scheme Involving COVID-19 Personal Protective EquipmentRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that James Elliott Davis, II (36, Ponte Vedra Beach) has pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of mail. Davis faces up to 30 years in federal prison on the bank fraud count, up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, up to 10 years in prison on the money laundering count, up to 5 years in prison on the theft of mail count and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. Davis has agreed to forfeit between $6.7 and $8.8 million, which are traceable to proceeds of the crimes he committed. No sentencing date has been set.
According to court documents, from March 2018 through 2022, Davis ran a purported medical supply company named Medisale Inc. Using false representations, Davis enticed individuals and business entities to invest large sums of money in Medisale. He falsely represented to victim-investors that Medisale was making significant profits on the sale of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). He claimed to have contact with CEOs at various hospitals and that Medisale had contracts with hospitals to sell large volumes of N95 masks and other PPE. In convincing victim-investors to give him money, Davis showed fraudulent bank statements with large balances, claiming the money was from the sale of PPE.
In reality, Medisale had no such contracts and had no true revenue from the sale of PPE. Instead, Davis kited checks and conducted fraudulent ACH/wire transfers between multiple financial institutions in order to artificially inflate the apparent balances on his bank accounts. Utilizing victim-investor funds, Davis paid off previous debts, paid other investors purported profits from the sale of PPE, and paid personal expenses. This included Davis using victim-investor money to purchase a membership at a luxury club in Ponte Vedra Beach and spending more than $27,000 on custom clothing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by visiting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Sales of Fentanyl While ArmedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Thomas Edgar Hall (36, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of fentanyl and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Hall faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, from May through August 2024, Hall sold fentanyl and crack cocaine six times to an undercover officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Hall was armed or had ready access to a firearm on each occasion.
In September 2024, after obtaining a search warrant, investigators searched the home where the drug transactions had taken place. Officers located six firearms, an assortment of ammunition, and drug paraphernalia including beakers, mirrors, razors, and blenders containing drug residue. They also recovered crack cocaine and over 60 grams of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Accessing Child Sexual Abuse Materials Using the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Sean-Michael Smith (36, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials. Smith faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Smith is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in federal court in 2014 of distributing videos and photos of children being sexually abused. Smith was arrested on December 18, 2024, and remains in federal custody pending his sentencing hearing scheduled for September 29, 2025.
According to court records, after serving his federal prison sentence and while on supervised release, Smith admitted to his probation officer that he had drawn sketches depicting nude children and had also accessed the internet several times. On December 10, 2024, U.S. Probation Officers conducted a search of Smith’s residence for contraband evidence. During an interview, Smith admitted that he had accessed child sexual abuse materials online during August, September, and December 2024. He advised that he used a particular device to access these materials. Probation Officers seized this device and turned it over to the FBI for further investigation.
On February 18, 2025, an FBI agent extracted the contents of the device’s computer chip and found approximately 35 photos depicting young children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Honduran National Sentenced to 21 Months in Federal Prison for Facilitating $7.6 Million Payroll Scheme to Defraud the IRS and Workers’ Compensation Insurance CompanyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Ana Romero (43, Honduras) to 21 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States for the purpose of impeding the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The court also ordered Romero to forfeit $461,850, which are proceeds of the wire fraud offense. In addition, Romero was ordered to pay $1,947,471.18 in restitution to the IRS. Romero entered a guilty plea on November 15, 2024.
According to court documents, between 2018 and 2019, Romero conspired with others to facilitate the payment of construction workers “off the books” to avoid paying premiums for workers’ compensation insurance and payroll taxes. Construction contractors and subcontractors entered into arrangements with the conspirators, through which Universal Florida Construction LLC – a shell company formed by Romero – facilitated both the distribution of proof of insurance and the payment of workers with cash. In exchange for 6% to 8% of the contractors’ and subcontractors’ payroll, Romero and others caused the distribution of certificates of liability insurance in the name of Universal Florida Construction, which contractors and subcontractors then used as nominal proof that workers were supposedly insured. In reality, Universal Florida Construction’s insurance policy was issued based on a fraudulent application that never disclosed that contractors and subcontractors would be employing workers who were ostensibly insured under the shell company’s barebones insurance policy. As a result of contractors and subcontractors using Universal Florida Construction’s proof of insurance, but never paying any insurance premiums, the insurance company was defrauded more than $1.2 million.
Romero and others also facilitated the deposit of checks into the shell company’s bank accounts, as well as the withdrawal of cash to be paid to workers – all without withholding, or paying over, payroll taxes to the IRS. Through these arrangements with the conspirators, the construction contractors and subcontractors could disclaim responsibility for withholding and paying payroll taxes to the IRS or ensuring that the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States. By facilitating payments to workers of over $7.6 million without payroll taxes being withheld, Romero and her co-conspirators caused the U.S. Treasury to lose more than $1.9 million in tax receipts.
One of co-conspirators, Oscar Molina-Avila, was previously sentenced to four years and four months’ imprisonment for his role in the scheme. Co-defendant Jose Molina-Herrera was previously sentenced to two years and three months’ imprisonment.
“Romero and her co-conspirators assisted contractors and work crews in stealing money from the federal government by avoiding paying over employment taxes, which were ultimately used for their personal gain and unfair industry competition,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Richard Nelson, IRS Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and refer to the Department of Justice, employers engaging in employment tax fraud. Romero’s sentencing serves as an example of what they can expect when engaging in this illegal activity.”
“Under-the-table cash payroll schemes, especially those designed to pay illegal immigrants not authorized to work in the United States, jeopardizes the integrity of the industry and undermines the legal framework intended to protect workers and ensure fair business practices,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Hemker “HSI, through our strong law enforcement partnerships, is committed to investigating these schemes and bringing to justice those who seek to exploit the system.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Department of Financial Services – Bureau of Insurance Fraud. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Convenience Stores at GunpointRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Kevoun Najae Watts (22, Fort Myers) to 10 years in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Watts to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offenses. Watts pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025.
According to court documents, Watts admitted to robbing a gas station and a convenience store at gunpoint on July 31, 2024, in Fort Myers.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Plea AgreementConvicted Felon with 17 Firearms Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Latchman Singh (31, Orlando) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Singh faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 25, 2025.
According to court documents, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office were executing a search warrant at Singh’s residence in connection with state auto theft charges when they discover that Singh, a previously convicted felon, had 17 firearms in his closet, bedroom and kitchen:
At least two of the firearms were stolen, one firearm did not have a serial number, and one of the firearms had a silencer attached to it. As a previously convicted felon, Singh is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
Singh has agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition, which were involved in the offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Donald Brown (34, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child sex abuse material. Brown faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 7, 2025. Brown has agreed to forfeitthe electronic devices which were seized from his home pursuant to a search warrant.
According to the plea agreement, on January 27, 2023, Brown shared a child sex abuse video that was playing on one of his screens with another individual over the internet via an online website that randomly pairs strangers for one-on-one chat sessions and calls.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Embezzling More Than $500,000 from St. Petersburg CompanyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Zachary Rugen (34, Tampa) to 5 years in federal prison for wire fraud and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. As part of the sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $440,755.18. Rugen pleaded guilty on April 8, 2025.
According to testimony and court documents, between October 2020 and March 2022, Rugen was employed as the personnel director for a small company in St. Petersburg, Florida. Rugen exploited that role to embezzle at least $503,372.01 from the company. He used his access to the employer’s payment processing system to direct funds intended for vendors and contractors to bank accounts he controlled. Rugen also paid some of his outstanding debts with company funds. To cover the fraud scheme, Rugen electronically submitted falsified and fraudulent payment invoices. Rugen used the ill-gotten funds to live lavishly, including taking expensive vacations and gambling, and for his personal expenses. During the sentencing hearing, the victim-company’s chief operating officer testified that the fraud caused substantial financial hardship from which it will take the company at least five years to recover. As a result of the embezzlement, one of the company’s vendors nearly went out of business.
During the investigation of Rugen’s embezzlement, law enforcement learned that Rugen was also illegally possessing two firearms. Rugen was prohibited from possessing the firearms due to a prior felony conviction involving impersonating a law enforcement officer.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tiffany Fields and Jennifer L. Peresie.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Committing $1.2 Million Fraud Scheme While in Florida State PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Jared Borgesto Murray (41, St. Petersburg) to four years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. Murray pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025.
According to court documents,between January 2019 and September 2020, Murray orchestrated a $1.2 million fraud conspiracy while he was incarcerated in a Florida state prison for a Pinellas County robbery conviction. From the state prison, Murray organized and directed the fraud conspiracy targeting a nationwide merchant. Murray used dozens of customers’ store accounts at the merchant to fraudulently purchase products. Murray and his conspirators sold the products online and retained the fraud proceeds, causing the merchant to lose $1,260,495.89.
Murray conducted the conspiracy using multiple contraband phones he had smuggled into the prison. Murray identified customers with merchant accounts and then called the merchant locations impersonating the customers to place orders for products using the customers’ open lines of credit.
Murray and his co-conspirators then advertised the products for sale online at a substantial discount. Murray communicated with potential buyers and sold the products from state prison via phone and email. Murray and the conspirators arranged delivery of the fraudulently purchased products to the purchasers who paid Murray and the conspirators via wire transfers and mailed checks. Murray directed several individuals to pick up fraud proceeds or fraudulently obtained products.
Murray used some of the fraud proceeds and fraudulently purchased products to build a house in Lake Placid, Florida. The house was forfeited by law enforcement along with $43,550 in fraud proceeds seized from two of Murray’s bank accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Suzanne Nebesky.
Puerto Rico Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Natalie De Jesus Garcia (30, Puerto Rico) has pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute over eight kilograms of cocaine. De Jesus Garcia faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 2, 2025.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2025, De Jesus Garcia checked a bag onto a flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Orlando. The bag contained over eight kilograms of cocaine.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
Naval Reservist Pleads Guilty to Paying Bribe to Obtain Department of Defense Identification Cards for Unauthorized IndividualsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Raymond Andres Zumba (27, Staten Island, NY) today pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official. Zumba faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Zumba previously was ordered detained and will remain in custody while awaiting a sentencing hearing, which has not yet been set.
According to court documents, in January 2025, a confidential source reported to law enforcement that Zumba serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve and was aware that the source’s spouse worked at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville in the personnel office that issues Department of Defense identification cards. The source reported that Zumba asked whether the spouse would be willing to issue real, but unauthorized identification cards for an under-the-table payment. Acting at the direction of federal agents, the source proceeded to engaged in a series of communications with Zumba during which they discussed Zumba’s plan to obtain unauthorized ID cards in exchange for cash.
After driving from New York, Zumba arrived in Jacksonville on February 13, 2025, with three individuals, including a Chinese national. Zumba brought these individuals to NAS Jacksonville where the source’s spouse let them into the personnel office after business hours and initiated the process for two of them to receive ID cards. The following day, Zumba met with the source, who gave him two cards in exchange for $3,500. Zumba was promptly arrested, and the cards were recovered.
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Mesrobian and Michael J. Coolican.