Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Mortgage Broker Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Financial InstitutionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Gloria Arias (44, Weston) pleaded guilty today to making material misrepresentations to a financial institution. Arias faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for her involvement in this mortgage fraud offense.
According to the plea agreement, Arias worked as a mortgage broker for Synergy Lending Group. The owner of Synergy Lending also owned and operated a real estate business (“Realty Alliance, LLC”) and a title agency (“Title Executives of Broward, Inc.”). In the summer of 2006, Realty Alliance was hired to market condominium units at The Arbors at Carrollwood (“The Arbors”). The Arbors is a 390-unit condominium complex located at 3939 Ehrlich Road in Hillsborough County. Synergy Lending was responsible for assisting prospective borrowers in obtaining financing from various mortgage lenders to purchase condo units at The Arbors. Arias used her role as a mortgage broker to ensure that borrowers were qualified for mortgage loans by including false information in their Uniform Residential Loan Applications. She falsely inflated gross monthly incomes, included bogus employment information, padded bank account balances, and added false primary residence designations.
Through Arias’ fraudulent activities, the following mortgage loans were obtained in connection with the purchase and sale of condo units at The Arbors:
Buyer Development Lender Loan Amount Sale after Foreclosure or Market Value Loss Amount W.Q.K.
The Arbors Countrywide Bank $155,358.00 $27,425.00 $127,933.00 The Arbors Countrywide Bank $146,448.00 $31,300.00 $115,148.00 O.C. The Arbors Countrywide Bank $218,426.00 $45,254.00 $173,172.00
TOTAL: $416,253.00This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Gaugush.
Armed Robber Sentenced to More Than 28 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando - Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway yesterday sentenced William Washington (58, Orlando) to 28 years and one month in federal prison for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, namely commercial robbery. Washington pleaded guilty to the offenses on July 25, 2012.
According to the plea agreement, on July 5, 2011, Washington used a firearm to rob the RBC Bank in Groveland, Florida. During the robbery, Washington pulled a silver gun from his waistband, placed it on the counter, and pointed it directly at a bank teller. He then demanded money from the teller.
Five days later, on July 10, 2011, Washington used a firearm to rob a Save Rite grocery store in Orlando. During the robbery of the store, Washington threatened to shoot a cashier.“ATF’s ‘Frontline’ strategy is to deploy investigative and technical resources to ensure the safety of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Julie Torres. “We come together and work with our law enforcement partners to remove any individual that uses a firearm to commit robberies of commercial businesses or violent acts. This is our mission and commitment to the public and communities we serve to protect.”
"The Orlando Police Department is committed to keeping Orlando a safe city,” said Chief Paul Rooney. “William Washington not only committed armed robberies but tried to kill Orlando Police Officers by shooting at them during his arrest on July 11, 2011. This violent and dangerous criminal is now off the streets thanks to interagency cooperation and the commitment of OPD and ATF, as partners against those who threaten the safety of everyone. OPD will continue to work with ATF in the relentless pursuit of criminals who use guns."
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Groveland Police Department, the Orlando Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Eckhart.
Pinellas Resident Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Narcotics PossessionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Jhi Michael Reynolds (27, St. Petersburg) to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute in excess of 28 grams of cocaine base. Reynolds pleaded guilty on November 8, 2012.
According to testimony and evidence presented in court, on August 27, 2011, St. Petersburg Police officers stopped Reynolds for driving a vehicle with an unlawful window tint. As officers approached the car, Reynolds accelerated away from the officers and led them on a high speed car chase. Officers eventually lost sight of Reynolds' car. A short time later, officers located Reynolds’ car parked near a residence in St. Petersburg. Officers arrested Reynolds at the residence. They searched the car and found 43.8 grams of crack cocaine. They also recovered a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition, near the arrest site. Reynolds later admitted that the gun and the narcotics belonged to him. Prior to his August 2011 arrest, Reynolds had previously been convicted of a number of felony offenses. As such, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, with assistance from the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Sweeney and Jay Hoffer.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill, along with Julie Torres, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Lakeland Counterfeit Investigation Extends to the People's Republic of ChinaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announced today that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations has made another seizure of counterfeit DVDs in Lakeland. The seizure is part of a global counterfeit motion picture DVD investigation that began in Lakeland, and extended to the People’s Republic of China. Today’s seizures netted approximately 10,000 counterfeit DVDs, approximately $30,000 in cash, and about $144,000 from two bank accounts. The amounts from two additional seized bank accounts have yet to be determined. Thus far, seven people have been charged federally for their roles in the case. Each of the seven previously pleaded guilty. Six of them have already been sentenced.
On August 10, 2012, Jian Huang (People's Republic of China, 37) pleaded guilty to conspiracy and trafficking in counterfeit goods. He was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison on November 2, 2012. The court also ordered Huang to pay restitution to the Motion Picture Association of America (“MPAA”) in the amount of $1,214,333.12. The MPAA is a trade association that represents certain motion picture, home video and television industry companies, including Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.; Paramount Pictures Corp.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; and Universal Studios.
According to court documents, in 2010 or earlier, Huang and his Chinese-based company ("TM Wholesale") began making bulk sales of counterfeit motion picture DVDs, along with counterfeit packaging, to buyers in the United States and throughout the world. Huang’s counterfeit conspiracy included multiple bulk purchasers in the Lakeland area. The bulk purchasers would buy the counterfeit DVDs from Huang at approximately $1.28 per unit. The purchasers would then resell them online, via Amazon and E-Bay, as genuine DVDs. Unsuspecting customers were then charged a retail price of approximately $12 per DVD.
On July 27, 2011, and April 24, 2012, law enforcement agents seized a total of approximately 113,618 counterfeit DVDs from three bulk purchasers in Polk County. The DVDs were all supplied by Huang. Agents also gathered evidence revealing that, between January 8, 2009, and May 2012, payments of more than $2.5 million were made to Huang’s PayPal account. The payments came from approximately 270 different bulk purchasers with addresses located primarily in the United States.
“Intellectual property theft is not a victimless crime. When individuals pirate trademarked movies, they cost American businesses billions of dollars in revenue, which in turn, leads to the loss of American jobs,” said Shane Folden, deputy special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Tampa.
“The Lakeland Police Department’s Special Investigations Section committed a Cross Designee Detective, Task Force Officer, to the Department of Homeland Security for this investigation for the past 18 months,” said Assistant Chief Mike Link. “During this extensive investigation, Lakeland detectives partnered with the Department of Homeland Security to provide a myriad of covert investigative support and assistance to help eradicate this global criminal enterprise. As a result, a valued partnership has been established between the Department of Homeland Security and the Lakeland Police Department that will pay huge dividends to both agencies and the community in the future.”
“Today’s announcement is a victory for both American consumers and the millions of men and women who work in the creative industries,” said Mike Robinson, Executive Vice President for Content Protection at the Motion Picture Association of America. “We applaud U.S. law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney General’s Office for successfully bringing to justice these foreign criminals who were illegally profiting off the ingenuity and creativity of Americans workers. This effort was a vital step toward protecting both the livelihoods of millions of hardworking Americans, and a thriving legitimate market for the movies and TV shows that audiences love.”
Six of Huang’s co-conspirators, including Alex Lee Lim (Lakeland, 37), Robert Edmond Mattie (Winter Haven, 27), James William Ray (Bartow, 35), Donald Kenneth Brown, Jr. (Lakeland, 38), Martin William Grenfell (Lakeland, 49), and Christopher Alexander T. Clark (Lakeland, 47), previously pleaded guilty to trafficking in counterfeit labels. On November 15, 2012, Lim was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, and was ordered to pay restitution to the MPAA in the amount of $280,752.67. On November 30, 2012, Ray was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, and was ordered to pay $261,541.28 in restitution to the MPAA. Ray was also ordered to forfeit $100,005 in cash seized at the time of his arrest. On December 6, 2012, Mattie was sentenced to probation for a term of 5 years, with the first 12 months to be served on home detention. On February 22, 2013, Grenfell was sentenced to 3 years’ probation and Brown was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the MPAA. Clark pleaded guilty on February 8, 2013, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3, 2013. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. As part of his plea agreement, Clark has agreed to forfeit $260,470.55 in counterfeit proceeds.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Lakeland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Bini.
Jacksonville Man Indicted on Federal Charge of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the return of an indictment charging James Daniel Kasper (29, Jacksonville) with production of child pornography. If convicted, Kasper faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, and up to 30 years in federal prison. Kasper was arrested on March 20, 2013, on a criminal complaint, and ordered detained by United States Magistrate Judge Joel B. Toomey after a hearing on March 25, 2013.
According to the criminal complaint, in February 2013, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were investigating individuals engaged in trading child pornography. The investigation revealed the exchange of e-mails with attached images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Specifically, agents determined that on February 4, 2013, an individual using a particular e-mail account had sent images depicting child pornography to another person. Further investigation determined that this e-mail account and the Internet Protocol (IP) address used to send the e-mails resolved back to Kasper’s Jacksonville residence. On March 20, 2013, a federal search warrant was executed at Kasper’s apartment. During an interview, Kasper indicated, among other things, that while babysitting a minor several months prior, he used his smart phone to photograph the minor child’s genitalia. He then uploaded the images to a particular internet website and sent the pictures via e-mail.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Florida Department of Children and Families. 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 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Polk County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore yesterday sentenced Oneil Marlon Martin, a/k/a David Lawrence Motta (33, Sarasota) to 66 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute marijuana and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered Martin to forfeit two firearms and assorted ammunition which were used, or intended to be used, to facilitate the offenses. Martin pleaded guilty on January 3, 2013.
According to court documents, federal and state law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Martin's house on October 19, 2012. During the search, agents found marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia throughout the house. They also found two firearms and assorted ammunition. In addition, the agents recovered $17,846.00 in cash from Martin's house.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph W. Swanson.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to 5 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Narcotics and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore yesterday sentenced Oneil Marlon Martin, a/k/a David Lawrence Motta (33, Sarasota) to 66 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute marijuana and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered Martin to forfeit two firearms and assorted ammunition which were used, or intended to be used, to facilitate the offenses. Martin pleaded guilty on January 3, 2013.
According to court documents, federal and state law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Martin's house on October 19, 2012. During the search, agents found marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia throughout the house. They also found two firearms and assorted ammunition. In addition, the agents recovered $17,846.00 in cash from Martin's house.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Sarasota Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph W. Swanson.
Windemere Couple Arrested at JFK on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the arrests today of Windermere residents Michael Rivers (48) and Kim Rivers (45). The Riverses were arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the criminal complaint, from June 2010 to March 2013, the Riverses used the Internet to represent to investors that their company, Global Business Genesis, LLC (“GBG”), had created a partnership to establish banking relations in Kenya that would allow GBG to become the first, or second, largest provider of pre-paid currency credit cards in the world. Unbeknownst to investors, Michael Rivers was a defendant in a pending Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) civil action alleging fraudulent activity with a different company (“ARKR Trust, LLC”).
The complaint further alleges that the couple induced investors by claiming they had invested their own resources in the GBC project. They also provided booklets regarding the Eastern African Community ("EAC"), a budget and strategic plan, and a copy of the Letter of Intent ("LOI") from the Minister of the EAC, Republic of Kenya. Investors were told that the EAC had accepted GBG's proposal for a license approving certain and specific software utilized to issue pre-paid Visa/MasterCard currency cards and to provide all integration and end user support. The Riverses represented that the contract was worth an estimated $18 million over a three-year period.
The complaint also alleges that the investors' funds were initially deposited by the Riverses into GBC bank accounts in July and August 2010, and then funneled into a personal bank account they controlled. Investors’ money was used for numerous personal expenditures, including a limousine rental, a deposit on a luxury car, event tickets and expensive dinners.
Investors never received membership certificates affirming their ownership in GBG, any revenue from GBG, or any evidence that their money was ever invested by the Riverses. The Riverses were apprehended by U.S. Secret Service agents on Saturday, March 23, 2013, at JFK Airport and detained pending further proceedings in the Middle District of Florida. They were en route to London. A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Eckhart and Christopher LaForgia.
Largo Puppeteer Pleads Guilty to Possession and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Ronald William Brown (57, Largo) today pleaded guilty to an eight count Superseding Indictment charging him with three counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of receipt of child pornography. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each possession count, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years, up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each receipt offense.
Brown was arrested at this home in July 2012 on federal charges stemming from a multi-jurisdiction child pornography investigation.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Orlando Woman Indicted for False Use of Seals of the U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Maria V. Constantinou (40, Orlando) with two counts of false use of a seal of a department of the United States of America. If convicted, Constantinou faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on each count.
According to the indictment, Constantinou falsely used the seal of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on letters in 2009 and 2010 that purported to be from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fraud Detection Division. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Weylin O. Rodriguez (29, Orlando) to life plus 5 years in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud and coercion; using a firearm in furtherance of a sex trafficking crime; transporting minors over state lines for the purpose of engaging in prostitution through coercion and enticement; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Rodriguez was found guilty by a federal jury on November 2, 2012.
According to evidence presented at trial, in December 2010, Rodriguez met a 15- year-old minor in Ybor City. Rodriguez offered to give the minor a ride home, but instead of taking her home, he drove her to Orlando and forced her to engage in prostitution on Orange Blossom Trail. The investigation revealed that, on Thanksgiving Day 2010, Rodriguez held the female victims for several months and forced them into prostitution. In or about January 2011, Rodriguez transported the girls between Orlando and Charlotte, North Carolina for the purpose of prostitution. In addition to the minors, Rodriguez recruited at least two adult victims by promising them jobs as models. Once the girls met with Rodriguez, he held them against their will and forced them into prostitution.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Maureen Cain.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Lake Wales Registered Sex Offender Convicted of Enticement of A Minor and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces today that a federal jury found Arnold Maurice Mathis (41, Lake Wales) guilty of one count of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, one count of production and attempted production of child pornography, one count of attempted production of child pornography, and one count of commission of these offenses while required to register as a sex offender. Mathis faces a mandatory penalty of life plus ten years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 19, 2013.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between November 2004 and January 2005, Mathis used a cell phone to entice a 14-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity. He initially met the minor at a high school basketball game in Auburndale. Mathis sexually assaulted that minor victim at least three times. Between May and November 2011, Mathis persuaded and attempted to persuade two 16-year-old minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the activity. Mathis met one of the minors at Higher Praise Ministries Church in Lake Wales, where Mathis volunteered with the youth group. He met the other minor at a basketball game in Polk County. Mathis introduced himself to each of the three victims as a pastor, offered to be their godfather, and promised them food, money, and basketball shoes. Mathis was previously pastor of St. City Power & Praise Church in Winter Haven.
At the time of the offenses, Mathis was required by Florida law to register as a sex offender based on a 1994 conviction for lewd & lascivious assault on a child, in Leon County, Florida.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Polk County Sheriff's Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Stacie Harris.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Juvenile Justice Probation Officer Arrested for Stolen Identity Refund FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Corey A. Coley, Sr. and Albert E. Moore, Jr. with conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims. Coley is a Probation Officer for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. If convicted on all counts, Coley and Moore each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the criminal complaint, Coley and Moore engaged in a scheme to defraud the government by submitting fraudulent tax returns and using the resulting tax refunds for their own benefit and the benefit of others. Coley allegedly obtained the identities used in the scheme from Florida Department of Juvenile Justice records.
“I am outraged by the allegations of this blatant betrayal of trust, and I want to send a clear message that this type of behavior absolutely will not be tolerated; by close of business today, the employee in question will be terminated,” said Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Wansley Walters. “There are a number of policies in place regarding access to sensitive youth information, and I hold DJJ employees to standards of excellence. Taking advantage of those who’ve entered the juvenile justice system is shameful. I want to assure the victims, their families and public that we are reevaluating current policies and procedures related to youth information and we are committed to promptly addressing any vulnerabilities discovered through that process. As always, we will work with federal, state and local authorities to ensure that anyone that betrays the public trust will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
A criminal 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 until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney.
Jacksonville Man Convicted of Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that a federal jury today found Michael A. Collier (48, Jacksonville) guilty of attempting to entice a child to engage in sexual activity. Collier faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, up to a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Collier was indicted on October 31, 2012.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Collier replied to an Internet posting that he thought was posted by a 13-year-old girl. After exchanging e-mails, text messages, and having cell phone conversations with the "13-year-old girl," Collier traveled more than an hour, from Orlando to Lake County, in order to have sex with her. Testimony revealed that Collier stopped at a convenience store and purchased condoms, beer, and cigarettes while on the way to meet the child. Unbeknownst to Collier, the individuals that he communicated with were undercover law enforcement officers. When Collier arrived at the home to have sex with the child he was arrested by deputies from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
This case was investigated by the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the FBI as part of the Central Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. In addition, this specific operation included members of the Osceola County Sheriff's Office and Citrus County Sheriff's Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov and click on the tab "other resources."
Tampa Woman Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Identity FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore yesterday sentenced Iris Locklear to nine years and seven months in federal prison for mail fraud. Locklear was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $249,686.02, and to serve three years of supervised release, following her release from prison. As part of her sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $8,373.29, the proceeds of the offense. Locklear pleaded guilty on December 13, 2012.
According to court documents, between January 2006 and August 2011, Locklear used the mails to execute a scheme to defraud the U.S. Treasury and a number of individual victims. The superseding indictment alleged that Locklear misappropriated others' identifying information and conducted fraudulent financial transactions to enrich herself.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert T. Monk.
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Tampa Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore sentenced Russell B. Simmons, Jr. yesterday to 15 years in federal prison for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service and for aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Simmons to forfeit a 2005 Bentley, more than $100,000 in jewelry, $25,000 cash, and more than $118,000 worth of fraudulently obtained tax refunds, which are traceable proceeds of the offense.
Simmons pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on December 11, 2012.
According to court documents, starting in the summer of 2011, investigators learned that Simmons was engaging in tax fraud at his business, Simmons Auto Sales. Simmons was selling vehicles in exchange for United States Treasury checks obtained from the filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns. The fraudulently obtained Treasury checks that Simmons received were for a much higher value than the sales price of the vehicles sold. Simmons negotiated the checks and laundered the proceeds through his business accounts. The investigation also revealed that Simmons filed fraudulent tax returns from his computer located at his business, and maintained a ledger that contained numerous personal identifiers associated with the fraudulent filings. On or about July 28, 2011, surveillance video captured Simmons using a pre-paid debit card at a Wal-Mart. Simmons used the card to conduct a transaction totaling $2,050.04, including the purchase of four $500.00 money orders. Investigators learned that on or about July 22, 2011, a tax refund in the amount of $9,997.00 was loaded onto the card. Simmons was also captured on video on or about July 27, 2011, using the same card to withdraw cash at an ATM in Gibsonton.
On or about August 7, 2011, Simmons was captured on video at a Wal-Mart store in Brandon. He made a total purchase of $11,500, including twenty-one $500.00 money orders and two $400.00 money orders. He also withdrew $200.00 in cash. Simmons utilized seven different debit cards. Each of the seven pre-paid debit cards were loaded with funds derived from the filing of fraudulent tax returns in names other than Simmons'. The fraudulently obtained tax refunds loaded onto cards totaled $76,088.20. The money orders from Wal-Mart were paid for with debit cards that were loaded with fraudulent tax refunds. When Simmons negotiated the money orders at the bank, he made them payable to Simmons Auto Sales and endorsed them with his name.
Law enforcement officials interviewed several individuals whose names appeared on the prepaid cards used by Simmons. Each of the victims stated that they did not know Russell Simmons and did not give him permission to use their identity.
In total, the Internal Revenue Service confirmed that Simmons filed approximately 120 false returns, with refunds totaling $1,176,787 for the 2010 tax year. These fraudulent filings were accepted by the IRS and resulted in the payment of refunds. Investigators further determined that Simmons made or attempted to make additional false claims with the IRS that were rejected, with refunds totaling more than $3 million. Records obtained from TurboTax show that returns filed from the IP addresses assigned to Simmons' residence and business transmitted or attempted to transmit federal income tax returns that claimed and attempted to claim approximately $8.9 million in fraudulent refunds.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
This case was brought as part of Operation Rainmaker, an initiative dedicated to combating the growing problem of identity theft and the fraudulent filing of electronic tax claims. This initiative is coordinated and implemented with the cooperation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Tampa Police Department.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Notice over the Internet Seeking to Produce and Receive Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announced that Stephen Joseph Woods (34, Savannah, Georgia) has pleaded guilty to sending a notice over the Internet offering to produce and receive child pornography. Woods faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Woods has been in custody since his arrest on November 2, 2012. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to court documents, during October and November 2012, multiple law enforcement agencies including the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office (“VCSO”) and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (“SJCSO”), conducted operations in which officers worked undercover on the Internet to target individuals seeking to have sex with minor children. On October 12, 2012, an undercover SJCSO detective, posing as the relative of a 14-year-old female, posted a notice on a bulletin board on a website. Woods responded to the notice by email. During the ensuing email conversation, Woods confirmed that the “child” was 14 years-old and suggested in substance that he (Woods) could teach the “child” about sex.
During the next two weeks, Woods and the undercover detective, who used the persona of the child, engaged in online conversations in which Woods indicated his desire to have sex with the child.On October 29, 2012, Woods and the “child” engaged in an online conversation and discussed a location for their meeting. They discussed meeting in St. Augustine on November 2, 2012. During the conversations, Woods offered several times to produce videos of the “child” engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On the evening of November 2, 2012, Woods arrived at the agreed upon motel in St. Augustine. Woods approached the undercover detective, whom he believed was the “child’s” relative, and asked the detective to have the “child” come outside. Woods was subsequently arrested.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriffs’ Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Suwannee County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces today that Denny Junior Jenkins (41, Live Oak) has pleaded guilty to failing to register as sex offender in Florida after traveling from South Carolina. Jenkins faces up to 10 years in federal prison, and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Jenkins has been in custody since February 15, 2013. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on September 4, 1992, Jenkins was convicted in Suwannee County, Florida of two counts of attempted sexual battery upon a child under 12 years of age. Because of these convictions, Jenkins is required to register as a sex offender under Florida law for the remainder of his life. After being released from prison, Jenkins received and executed documents that advised him of this requirement.
According to court documents, in 2010, Jenkins moved to South Carolina and executed documents that advised, among other things, that if he moved to another state he must register as a sex offender in that state. In April 2012, Jenkins moved back to Florida and established residence in Suwannee County. He failed to register with the State of Florida under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). On February 15, 2013, he was arrested by deputies from the U.S. Marshals Service.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act also provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the U.S. Marshals Service, to assist the states in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc for more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Fake War Hero Sentenced for Making False Statements and Theft of Government ServicesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington sentenced Danny Crane (32, Riverview) yesterday to 12 months and one day in federal prison for theft of government funds. He is also ordered to serve a 3-year term of supervision, following his release from prison . Crane pleaded guilty on November 20, 2012, to fraudulently stealing government services and making false statements in connection with his application for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits.
According to court documents, Crane, an Army veteran, falsified his discharge paperwork in order to perpetrate a fraud on the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, he fraudulently altered his DD Form 214 (“Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty”) to reflect that he was an Army Sergeant and had been awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross, two Purple Hearts, an Air Medal, and various other war-related awards. In fact, Crane had not received any of those awards and had not been an Army Sergeant, but rather only served a little over three months. Crane submitted his altered discharge paperwork and made false representations to obtain VA medical treatment and attempted to obtain disability benefits to which he was not entitled for service connected injuries that he claimed to have suffered, but had not actually incurred. On June 12, 2012, in Pinellas County, Crane filed an application for VA disability benefits and submitted his altered DD Form 214 along with it. He alleged that he had service connected blindness in his right eye, twenty four plates in his face, six bullets in his back and broken ribs, when in reality, Crane had not suffered any injuries in service and had not served in any wars. He made these representations knowing that they were completely false. Crane had actually been discharged from the Army for "Failure to Adapt to Military Environment and Lack of Self Discipline” and he received an "Uncharacterized Discharge" that made him ineligible for veterans benefits.
To further his fraudulent disability claim, Crane went to the VA and obtained medical treatment and medication on multiple occasions, fraudulently claiming that he suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The loss to the United States based upon Crane’s various false statements was approximately $7,042.86.
This case was investigated by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.
Orlando Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - Chief United States District Judge Anne C. Conway sentenced Geoffrey Jones (61, Orlando) today to 78 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography. Jones pleaded guilty on November 1, 2012.
According to court documents, Jones used a file sharing program to download child pornography from the internet. On May 30, 2012, a search warrant was executed at his residence. A forensic examination showed that Jones’s computer, external hard drive, and compact disks contained more than 600 images and videos depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher LaForgia.
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.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Jerrell L. Epps (27, Ocala) pleaded guilty today to making counterfeit United States Federal Reserve Notes. Epps faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents, beginning on at least December 3, 2009, and continuing through September 15, 2011, Epps manufactured counterfeit United States currency at his residence. Epps provided some of the counterfeit currency to others with the knowledge that it would be passed into circulation. He also sold some of the counterfeit currency to another individual in exchange for genuine currency. On February 26, 2010, United States Secret Service agents recovered counterfeit currency and equipment used to manufacture the notes from Epps's Ocala home.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
Fort Myers Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Investor FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Gregory Wayne Eagle (62, Cape Coral) pleaded guilty today to four counts of bank fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of wire fraud. Eagle faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each of the six counts, and a fine of up to $1 million. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
According to the plea agreement, Eagle was president and director of Eagle Realty of Southwest Florida, Inc. In June 1990, Eagle created a Trust Agreement for approximately 101 acres of unimproved land in Cape Coral. A portion of this land bordered on Pine Island Road. Eagle was the trustee of this Pine Island 101 Land Trust and was also one of the beneficiaries. There was a total of 52 named combined interest holders or beneficiaries of the land trust. Eagle mortgaged the trust property without the knowledge of the other beneficiaries. He did so by submitting fraudulently altered trust agreements to multiple banks naming him, or an entity which he controlled, as the sole beneficiary.
Eagle also executed a number of loan documents in which he falsely claimed he was the sole beneficiary and that he had authorization to mortgage the property. In the first mortgage loan in 2002, Eagle received $2 million from Florida Community Bank. He paid off that loan in 2006 with a mortgage loan from First National Bank of Pennsylvania. The 2006 loan was for an amount exceeding $17 million. Eagle used most of the proceeds of the second loan for his own personal use, mainly to fund other projects.
Eagle defaulted on the First National Bank of Pennsylvania mortgage loan, causing the bank to initiate foreclosure proceedings in October 2009. The unpaid principal balance is $17.03 million. The beneficiaries to the Pine Island 101 Land Trust have not received compensation for their initial payments as interest holders, yearly mortgage, taxes, insurance, and administrative payments, nor for the increase in the value of the Trust property from the time the Trust was created in June 1990.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.
Court of Appeals Affirms Tony Nelson's Convictions on Corruption ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit today affirmed the convictions of former Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPort) Chairman Tony Devaughan Nelson on thirty-six corruption-related charges, including bribery, money laundering, honest services mail fraud, and making a false statement to the FBI. The evidence at trial established that, as Chairman, Nelson had demanded and accepted $143,500 in bribes from a dredging contractor at JAXPort. Nelson is serving a 40-month prison sentence.Nelson argued on appeal that his convictions should be vacated because the federal fraud and bribery statutes under which he was convicted are unconstitutionally vague, the district court improperly instructed the jury on the applicable law, and the court improperly admitted the testimony of JAXPort's director of procurement. The ACLU Foundation of Florida, Inc., and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers also filed a brief on Nelson's behalf as amicus curiae.
After hearing oral argument, the Court of Appeals issued a split decision, with the majority holding that the challenged statutes "gave Nelson adequate notice of the conduct they prohibit," that the district court's instructions correctly "propelled [the jury] to look to Nelson's state of mind" in taking payments in exchange for his influence, and that the challenged evidence was relevant and not unfairly prejudicial.
The appeal was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys David P. Rhodes and Susan H. Rothstein-Youakim. The underlying case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mac D. Heavener, III, and Mark B. Devereaux, and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Local Pharmacist Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Filling Hundreds of Fraudulent Oxycodone PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore sentenced Emmanuel I. Mekowulu (56, Tampa) yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring with other persons to knowingly and intentionally distribute and dispense, and cause the distribution and dispensing of Oxycodone outside of a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice. The court also ordered Mekowulu to forfeit his Florida pharmacist license, and the pharmacy license he held for the Felky Pharmacy, both of which he used to facilitate the offense. As part of his sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $97,290, representing the proceeds of the crime. Mekowulu was found guilty by a federal jury on December 11, 2012.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, from June 2008 through March 2009, Mekowulu was a pharmacist and the owner of Felky Pharmacy located on North Florida Avenue, in Tampa. During that same time period, Troy Wubbena was a physician's assistant and owner and operator of the Neurology & Pain Center clinics located in Tampa, Lakeland, Sarasota, Orlando, and Jacksonville. Brett Ridenour was an employee of the clinics. Together, and with others, the conspirators used hundreds of blank prescriptions that were pre-signed and filled by Dr. Jeffrey Friedlander (co-owner of the clinic) for large quantities of Oxycodone.
The prescriptions included the names of more than 60 persons, many of them patients and employees of the clinics who did not need or receive the Oxycodone and were unaware that the prescriptions were written in their names. The illegal prescriptions were filled at Felky Pharmacy. Over the nearly 10 month period, Wubbena and Ridenour presented more than 340 fraudulent prescriptions to Mekowulu. Mekowulu filled the prescriptions without verification or questioning their validity. Through this scheme, nearly 50,000 pills of Oxycodone were later sold in the Tampa Bay area.
Wubbena, Ridenour, and Friedlander previously pleaded guilty to federal charges for their roles in the conspiracy. Wubbena was sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison. Ridenour was sentenced to serve 5 years in federal prison, and Friedlander was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by and the United States Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kathy J. M. Peluso.
Upcoming Fraud Conference in Fort Myers to Arm Consumers with Information to Protect Themselves from Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that his office, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Reserve Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Lee County Sheriff's Office, the United States Postal Service, and the United States Secret Service will host a fraud conference for the general public on Thursday, March 14, 2013, (10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Fort Myers, Bell Tower Shops, located at 13051 Bell Tower Drive, Fort Myers, Florida 33907. Admission and parking are free.
Investor fraud, tax fraud, and healthcare fraud are serious national problems. Our country's recent financial crisis has resulted in an unprecedented rise in investment fraud schemes, tax fraud, and other financial crimes, involving thousands of victims and staggering losses. Southwest Florida has been at the epicenter of the economic crisis and the number of financial crimes committed against the members of our community is rising at an alarming rate. The United States Attorney's Office and its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners are hosting this conference to educate the public about the fraudulent schemes that are being perpetrated in our region and to provide information on resources and strategies to protect citizens from becoming a victim of these types of crime.
Members of the public and media are invited to attend all sessions of the conference. Participants are also welcome to attend individual sessions. Admission to the conference is free and educational materials will be provided. For more information, contact Brenda Halberg at (239) 461-2200.
This conference is part of the ongoing efforts of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force which was created by President Obama in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.
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Port Charlotte Resident Sentenced for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Peter Hesser (51, Port Charlotte) was sentenced today to 3 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for three counts of filing false tax returns and one count of tax evasion. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $296,000. Hesser was found guilty in December 2012.
According to testimony presented at trial, Hesser filed fraudulent documents with the Internal Revenue Service in which he claimed to be owed a refund for tax years 2005, 2006 and 2007, in the amount of $500,000. These documents were not legitimate and were prepared with the sole purpose of defrauding the government. Hesser also changed his assets into gold and silver, as well as hid his mortgage payments in a bogus land transfer to avoid paying his taxes. This pattern of deceit stretched out over a decade, thereby evading the payment of taxes that had been assessed for tax years 2001, 2002 and 2003.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Molloy.
Orlando Woman Agrees to Plead Guilty to Operating Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Tina Mangiardi (50, Orlando) has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conducting a prohibited monetary transaction. Mangiardi was charged by information on March 7, 2013, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The information also notifies her that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $100,000.00, the proceeds of the prohibited monetary transaction.
Mangiardi’s initial appearance and arraignment are scheduled for March 20, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. before United States Magistrate Judge David A. Baker.
According to the information and plea agreement, between 2009 and 2012, Mangiardi, under the corporate name of TLM Design and Construction, Inc. (TLM), engaged in a scheme wherein she fraudulently obtained more than $2.5 million from investors. During the scheme, Mangiardi convinced victims to invest large sums of money in a construction“bid bond” investment. In return, and as inducements to invest, Mangiardi promised the return of the investors’ initial investment, as well as bonus money and additional monetary payments at rates as high as 100%. However, Mangiardi was not awarded bid bond contracts with the investment funds because the construction projects that she allegedly bid on, never existed. Instead, Mangiardi diverted the money for her own use.
An information is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service with the assistance of the Orlando Police Department Economic Crimes Unit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haas.
Former NFL Player Freddie Mitchell Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Freddie L. Mitchell II (34, Lakeland) pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to file a false tax claim with the government. Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been. Two co-defendants, Jamie Russ-Walls and Richard Walls, already have been sentenced in the case.
According to the plea agreement, on November 30, 2009, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) determined that a fraudulent 2008 Form 1040 claiming a $1,968,288 tax refund had been filed in the name of a professional athlete (A.G). Agents soon learned that A.G. had been introduced by Mitchell to a former IRS employee, Jamie Russ-Walls. A.G. had been told by Mitchell that Jamie Russ-Walls could help A.G. get extra money back from the IRS.
At the end of July 2009, Jamie Russ-Walls and Richard Walls flew to Orlando and met with A.G. and Mitchell. Jamie Russ-Walls indicated that she and her husband worked in the tax preparation business. After providing copies of his tax records to the couple, A.G. was told that he could get additional money back from the IRS because of "grey areas" in his tax returns. A.G. eventually made a $100,000 down payment to Mitchell towards the tax preparation fee. Mitchell then split the fee with Jamie Russ-Walls and Richard Walls.
Without A.G.'s knowledge, Mitchell, Jamie Russ-Walls and Richard Walls then electronically submitted a fraudulent 2008 Form 1040 in A.G.'s name to the IRS. The form included false business losses totaling $5,367,775, resulting in a fraudulent refund of $1,968,288. A.G. never had any involvement in these businesses and never had provided the information on the tax schedule to Mitchell, Jamie Russ-Walls, or Richard Walls. The false return also had included other paperwork asking the IRS to direct deposit the refund into the bank accounts of Mitchell and Jamie Russ-Walls. A.G. subsequently learned of the fraudulent activity when the IRS rejected his regular tax return that was filed in October 2009. The IRS was then able to cancel payment on the fraudulent return.
Agents also discovered five additional false 2009 returns totaling $2,264,005 that had been submitted by Mitchell, Jamie Russ-Walls and Richard Walls. Each of these claims had been accompanied by false W-2 forms showing wages in the millions of dollars from Chameleon Enterprises, LLC. Mitchell had incorporated this business in 2003, listed himself as the manager, and opened a mailbox in Kathleen, Florida, to receive correspondence. When contacted by the IRS about the wages allegedly paid to these five individuals, Mitchell falsely verified their employment and income. Records checks later revealed that Chameleon actually had been dissolved as a corporation by the State of Florida in 2007. It did not, therefore, pay any wages in 2009.
Jamie Russ-Walls and Richard Walls previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this case. On February 14, 2013, Richard Walls was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison. Jamie Russ-Walls was sentenced on February 1, 2013, to a term of 5 years of probation.
This case was investigated by IRS-CI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Pasco Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Prison for Tax Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL - U.S. District Judge John Steele sentenced Keith Stewart today to 4 years and 6 months in federal prison for presenting false claims to the government and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Stewart to serve a five-year term of supervised release, following his prison sentence. Stewart pleaded guilty on July 11, 2012.
According to court documents, Stewart knowingly prepared and filed false income tax returns with the IRS for fraudulent tax refunds. At least one of the false filings resulted in a payment to him in the amount of $8,000, to which he was not entitled. Stewart also used various means of identification belonging to other people in order to obtain debit cards in their names. At the time of his arrest, he possessed the names and personal information of at least 100 individuals.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, Lee County Sheriff's Office, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Molloy.
Lee County Man Indicted for Multiple Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida- United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the return of an indictment charging Daniel Glen Ball (36, Lee County) with three counts of bank robbery. If convicted, Ball faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. The indictment also notifies Ball that the United States intends to forfeit the proceeds of the offenses.
According to the indictment, Ball robbed three banks between February 25, 2013, and March 1, 2013. Ball allegedly robbed a Fifth Third Bank on February 25, 2013, an Edison National Bank on February 28, 2013, and another Fifth Third Bank on March 1, 2013.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Police Department, Lee County Sheriff's Office, and the United States Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.
Fort Myers Man Indicted for Three Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida- United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the return of an indictment charging Jose Miguel Figueroa (41, Fort Myers) with three separate bank robberies in Lee County, Florida. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each bank robbery. The indictment also notifies Figueroa that the United States intends to forfeit the proceeds of each of the three offenses.
According to the indictment, on three different occasions between January 17, 2013, and March 1, 2013, Figueroa used intimidation to take money from Wells Fargo Bank .
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Police Department, and the Lee County Sheriff's Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David G. Lazarus.
Deland Businessman Convicted for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that following a ten day trial, in Orlando, a jury has found Stephen B. Deluca (53, Deland) guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud and thirty-two counts of wire fraud. The conspiracy conviction carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Each wire fraud conviction carries a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The United States also intends to seek a monetary judgment of $18 million representing the amount of loss to the victim. The sentencing hearing has been set for May 24, 2013.
According to evidence presented at trial, Deluca, the president and sole shareholder of Delco Oil, Inc., engaged in a scheme to defraud several banks insured by the FDIC and a private finance company (CapitalSource Financial Services) by falsely inflating the amount and value of Delco’s inventory and accounts receivable. The inflated amounts were used to secure revolving lines of credit. The scheme resulted in an $18 million loss to CapitalSource.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Russell C. Stoddard.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore sentenced Preston D. Wilbur (46, Davenport) yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. Wilbur pleaded guilty on November 14, 2012.
According to court documents, Wilbur distributed numerous images and videos depicting child pornography to undercover law enforcement officers over the Internet. During the execution of a search warrant at Wilbur's residence, officers seized numerous computers, hard drives, and USB flash drives that contained child pornography. A forensic examination of the seized property revealed more than 300,000 images and 8,389 videos of child pornography.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Convicted Nassau County Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announced today that Mickey Wayne Brazzell (56, Yulee) pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. Brazzell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to a maximum of 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a potential life term of supervised release. He is also required to forfeit his computer media. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Brazzell has a prior conviction for a sexual offense against minor children. He was convicted in state court in Jacksonville on November 6, 2000, of lewd and lascivious conduct.
According to court documents, Brazzell was more recently identified as a possible suspect in a child pornography offense by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC referred this matter to the Florida Attorney General’s Office in Jacksonville (AGO) for further investigation. In June 2010, two AGO investigators made contact with Brazzell at his apartment in Yulee. Among other things, Brazzell admitted to investigators that he had received several images of boys between 12 and 13 years of age “having sex on each other.” Based upon this, and other admissions, investigators seized Brazzell’s laptop computer.
On November 23, 2010, Brazzell was arrested by FBI agents and AGO officers at his residence in Yulee. During an interview, Brazzell told the agents, among other things, that he was given a computer by a friend, shortly after his other computer was seized, and that he had pornography on the new computer. Subsequently, agents seized a second desktop computer and other computer media from Brazzell's residence. These items were found to contain depictions of child pornography.
Approximately 900 images were recovered from Brazzell’s two computers, compact disks and external thumb drive. At least 191 of the images depicted minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the former Child Predator Cybercrime Unit of the Florida Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Pasco County Bank Robber Sentenced to Nearly 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - Senior U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Thomas Eugene Rhoden (48, Zephyrhills) to 9 years and 7 months in federal prison for two bank robberies in October 2012. The court sentenced Rhoden to the high-end of the applicable sentencing guidelines, noting the seriousness of the offenses and his significant criminal history. As part of Rhoden's sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $4,876.00, the amount of money he stole from the banks. Rhoden was also ordered to pay restitution in that same amount. Rhoden pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery on December 18, 2012.
According to court documents, on October 10, 2012, Rhoden entered the Zephyrhills branch of Sunshine State Federal Savings Bank dressed in dark colored clothing and wearing a waist pack. He passed a note to the teller demanding money. He also stated that he had a bomb in the waist pack, and that this was not a joke. The following week, on October 17, 2012, Rhoden robbed a Hudson branch of Bank of America in the same manner. He threatened the teller and ordered her to not try anything. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office bomb squad responded to the scene of both bank robberies to disarm the alleged bombs. In both instances the bombs turned out to be dirt and gravel.
"Once again our partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI has proven successful in bringing another criminal to justice and protecting our citizens," said Sheriff Chris Nocco. "As a team we have demonstrated that there will be consequences to a criminal's bad decision."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.
Belleview Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL - U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell today sentenced Ronald E. Slauson (73, Belleview) to 4 years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. The court also ordered Slauson to forfeit computers and computer items relating to such criminal activity. Slauson pleaded guilty on November 12, 2012.
According to court documents, on May 8, 2012, a special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations was conducting an online investigation into the possession of child pornography. The agent identified an Internet Protocol (IP) address that was being used for sharing videos and images of suspected child pornography. During the investigation, the agent was able to determine that the internet subscriber was Ronald Slauson. On September 7, 2012, a federal search warrant was executed at Slauson's Belleview residence, and computers and computer storage items were seized. Subsequent computer forensic examinations revealed that Slauson was in possession of approximately 1,498 videos approximately 2,860 images of child pornography. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sam Armstrong.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Architect of Fraudulent Gold Futures Trading Investment Scheme Sentenced to Nearly Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore sentenced Terry Vernon Koontz (56, Apollo Beach) yesterday to 9 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. The court also ordered the forfeiture of a $50,000 cashier's check, which is traceable to proceeds of the fraud scheme, and a money judgment in the amount of $3,771,701.88, the proceeds of the fraud scheme.
According to court documents, from about December 2010, through November 2011, Koontz and a co-conspirator developed a plan to use false and fraudulent representations, pretenses and promises to solicit victim-investors to wire funds into bank accounts which they controlled. The accounts were for investment in a purported gold futures investment program supposedly run by an existing New York-based investment firm called Paulson & Co., Inc. To facilitate the scheme, conspirators utilized an unincorporated Florida entity (CK&K), in Tampa. Koontz was the primary architect of the fraud scheme.
In late January 2011, conspirators opened a bank account in the name of CK & K to be used to receive victim-investors’ funds. During the same time frame, Koontz and co-conspirators began soliciting prospective victim-investors to invest in the purported gold futures investment program. Once convinced to participate, Koontz or co-conspirators directed the victim-investor to transmit his or her funds, via wire and other means, to the CK & K account.
In an effort to enhance the appearance of the fraudulent investment program, Koontz created false and fraudulent documents, including promissory notes and assignments of collateral, which supposedly evidenced and guaranteed the victim-investors’ participation in the investment program. In preparing these documents, Koontz used the names and signatures of various existing foreign and/or domestic entities, without such entities’ and individuals’ knowledge or consent. The promissory notes also guaranteed a rate of return, usually ranging between three and six percent, each month. After a victim-investor wired his or her investment funds, Koontz and/or co-conspirators caused a false and fraudulent promissory note and assignment of collateral to be sent, via FedEx, from either Tampa or Ft. Myers, to the victim-investor. Most of the victim-investors resided outside of Florida.
As the fraudulent investment program grew, Koontz and co-conspirators organized and hosted live presentations, conducted via conference call, to solicit more prospective victim-investors. Some of the presentations were recorded for later access by other prospects. At times, Koontz falsely posed as a satisfied investor and gave a testimonial touting the success of the fraudulent investment program. He also portrayed himself as a close personal friend and professional associate of the founder of the existing New York-based investment firm Paulson & Co., Inc., to persuade the prospective victim-investor to participate in the purported gold futures investment program.
Koontz and co-conspirators used the victim-investors’ funds to perpetuate the fraud scheme and for the personal enrichment of themselves, their family members, and friends. Specifically, they purchased motor vehicles, real property, home furnishings, jewelry, and other goods and services. Funds invested by later victim-investors were used to make interest payments to earlier victim-investors in order to make it appear that the investment program was performing as represented. Other such funds were used to pay expenses associated with operating the fraud scheme, including, but not limited to, office rents, wire transfer fees, and FedEx fees.
On January 30, 2013, U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew sentenced co-conspirators John Henley Fowler (64, Ft. Myers) to 70 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and Jeffrey Robert Fowler (35, Ft. Myers) to 37 months in federal prison on a similar charge. The court also ordered the Fowlers to forfeit bank accounts, vehicles, real property, computer equipment, a big screen television, iPad and iPhone, which are traceable to proceeds of the fraud scheme, and the court entered a money judgment in the amount of $3,771,701.88, the proceeds of the fraud scheme.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle DesVaux Bedke.
Repeat and Dangerous Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - U. S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. sentenced Nicholas Knittig (30, Kansas) today to 20 years’ imprisonment for attempted sexual enticement of a minor, and 10 years’ imprisonment for transfer of obscene material to minors. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Knittig was indicted on August 8, 2012. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2012. As a previously convicted sex offender, Knittig was classified as a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors.
According to court documents, only two months after serving a 5-year term of supervised release from a previous conviction, Knittig communicated over the Internet with an undercover agent in a St. Johns County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office operation. During the conversation, Knittig reiterated his desire to have sex with children and requested pictures of them. In May 2012, Knittig became the subject of an FBI investigation in Orlando. During that investigation, he continually explained the sexual acts, in graphic detail, he would perform on children. On June 19, 2012, Knittig spoke with both an FBI Undercover (UC) and a second agent who portrayed the UC’s 13 year-old child. Knittig stated his plans to come and visit the UC and the UC’s children during the coming weekend. At the end of the conversation, Knittig told the UC that he would send a picture for the UC to show the UC’s 13-year-old daughter. Subsequently, the UC received an e-mail from Knittig that included a JPEG image of Knittig’s genitalia. In a subsequent investigation conducted by the Alachua (Florida) Police Department, Knittig e-mailed a picture of his genitalia to a UC and another agent posing as a child. During his conversation with the presumed child, Knittig told the UC to make sure that her stepfather showed her the picture.
On or about August 22, 2012, a search warrant was executed at Knittig’s residence in Kansas. A forensic examination of the computer revealed that it contained 96 videos and 326 images of child pornography. The videos depicted boys and girls of varying ages up to 12 years old, including infants.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Orlando, Federal Bureau of Investigation-Kansas, St. Johns County (Florida) Sheriff's Office, and the Alachua (Florida) Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher LaForgia.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former Key West Bank Employee Indicted for Obstruction of Justice and Disclosing Grand Jury InformationRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Karen Galo (33, Key West) with two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of disclosing the contents of a federal grand jury subpoena to a third party, with the intent to obstruct a judicial proceeding. If convicted on all counts, Galo faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on or about October 9, 2008, Galo, in her capacity as an officer of Key West Bank, notified a third party about the existence and contents of two federal grand jury subpoenas related to an investigation into mortgage fraud and money laundering. Galo disclosed these federal grand jury subpoenas to the third party with the intention of obstructing a judicial proceeding.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Gaugush.
Ten Individuals Headed to Federal Prison as A Result of "Pines Operation"Read the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Jaris Youngblood (34, Tampa) was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for distributing crack cocaine. Youngblood was the last individual to be sentenced on federal charges as a result of “Operation Pines.”
According to court documents, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), initiated the "Pines Operation" in an effort to combat an ongoing drug and gang epidemic in a pair of apartment complexes located in Tampa. Approximately 52 individuals were arrested on state or federal charges as a result of the operation, ten individuals were charged federally.
“This lengthy prison sentence will remove another dangerous criminal who has plagued our neighborhoods by selling drugs,” stated Special Agent in Charge Julie Torres. “The success of ‘Operation Pines’ is attributed to the excellent undercover work that was conducted and the solid partnership between ATF, our law enforcement partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office.”
“These arrests are another example of the positive results by local and federal agencies working together to remove individuals off of our streets,” said Sheriff David Gee.
Nine others were previously sentenced to federal prison terms. Zavien Brand (29, Tampa) was sentenced to 31 years for distributing crack cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Cuwissie Hamilton (34, Tampa) was sentenced to 16 years for distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. Bruce Kenyon Davis (32, Tampa) was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months for distributing crack cocaine. Victor Milliner (25, Tampa) was sentenced to 15 years for distributing crack cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Terrill LaDaja Gainous (32, Tampa) was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months for distributing crack cocaine. Tyrone Flowers (50, Seffner) was sentenced to 10 years for distributing crack cocaine. Kenneth Wayne Richardson (46, Tampa) was sentenced to 7 years and 1 month for distributing crack cocaine. Shay John (39, Tampa) was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months for distributing crack cocaine. Kimoy Prince (22, Tampa) was sentenced 5 years and 10 months for distributing cocaine base. And, Aaron Petrus (27, Jacksonville) was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months for distributing crack cocaine.
This case was investigated by ATF and HCSO. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo and Walter E. Furr.
This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. U.S. Attorney O’Neill, along with SAC Torres, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Tampa Man Charged with Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the return of an indictment charging Gabriel James Brown, Jr. (33, Tampa) with bank robbery, two Hobbs Act robberies of businesses, and carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm in relation to those crimes of violence. If convicted on all counts, Brown faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 57 years in federal prison, up to a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The indictment also notifies him that the United States intends to forfeit a firearm and ammunition seized during the investigation. The United States is also seeking money judgments in the amounts of $441, $631, and $19,127, the proceeds of the charged robberies. Brown was indicted on February 27, 2013.
According to the indictment, on January 18, 2013, Brown committed armed robberies of two businesses in the Tampa area. He allegedly robbed Direct General Auto Insurance located on Adamo Drive in Tampa, and a Metro PCS store located on Kingsway in Seffner. Brown is also charged with committing an armed robbery of a TD Bank in Auburndale on February 5, 2013, robbing the bank of $19,127.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Bini.
Tampa Residents Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Fraudulent Credit Card RingRead the Press Release
TAMPA, FL - U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington sentenced Tampa residents Juan Miranda Amores (44) and Yudelkis Portes (31) for credit card fraud and identity theft. Miranda Amores was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison. Portes was sentenced to five years in federal prison. The court also ordered both Miranda Amores and Portes to forfeit $59,897.84 each, the proceeds of the credit card fraud.Miranda Amores pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on October 5, 2012. Portes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on October 22, 2012. Another co-defendant, Ireanaldo Larrondo-Berrera, pleaded guilty on November 12, 2012. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on May 9, 2013.
According to court documents, from at least mid- 2010, through at least July 2011, Miranda Amores and Portes knowingly joined and engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to commit credit card or access device fraud and bank fraud using stolen identities. In December 2010, a detective from the Kokomo, Indiana Police Department contacted a detective from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) regarding a case of counterfeit credit cards. According to the Indiana detective, more than 16 accounts at the Solidarity Community Federal Credit Union had been compromised and many fraudulent charges to these accounts came from Tampa, specifically from various Walgreens stores. The TPD detective recovered surveillance video from the stores. Miranda Amores, as well as Larrondo-Berrera and Portes were identified as the individuals on video using stolen and/or counterfeit credit and debit cards.
TPD obtained a spreadsheet of fraudulent transactions that Solidarity had identified as occurring in the Tampa area. The records showed that Miranda Amores, Portes and their coconspirators used stolen and counterfeit credit cards to make many small purchases, often at the same time, in order to avoid detection. The co-conspirators traveled to multiple retail establishments in the same area to make consecutive purchases. Most often, they purchased gift cards with the stolen credit or debit card numbers. The co-conspirators used stolen credit and debit card numbers from victims without their knowledge, most of whom lived out of state.
In total, law enforcement identified more than a dozen financial institutions and retailers, including Sears, Macy's and JC Penney, who were defrauded by Miranda Amores, Portes and their conspirators for a total actual loss of $59,897.84. The government estimates the intended loss (based upon the credit limits of the stolen, counterfeit and unauthorized credit cards) amounts to be approximately $521,914.73. Law enforcement also identified more than 50 victims of identity theft as a result of this scheme.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the United States Secret Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida - Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway sentenced Rodney A. Lick (42, Orlando) today to 20 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography. The court also ordered Lick to serve a life term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Lick was also ordered to forfeit his interest in the computers that he used to commit the offenses. He pleaded guilty on June 13, 2012.
According to court documents, Lick distributed videos depicting the violent, sexual abuse of infant and toddler boys to several undercover law enforcement agents. In December 2011, Lick communicated with an officer acting in an undercover capacity and arranged to have sex with the officer’s fictional six and ten-year-old stepsons. In March 2012, agents executed a search warrant at Lick’s home and found more than 500 images and 97 videos showing the sexual abuse of prepubescent boys on his computer. The agents also located chat conversations where Lick encouraged others to sexually abuse their children. Lick, a truck driver, admitted that he had been distributing child pornography for at least three years.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov and click on the tab "other resources."
Naples Man Pleads Guilty to False Claims Against the Government, Possession of 15 or More Unauthorized Access Devices, and Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Frederick R. Green pleaded guilty today to one count of false claims against the government, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and one count of theft of government money. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison for the false claims charge. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the other charges.
According to the plea agreement, on or about January 20, 2012, Green knowingly filed a false federal income tax return using the name of E.P. He made a fraudulent claim to the IRS for an income tax refund in the amount of $9,913. The IRS confirmed that on January 20, 2012, EP’s return was prepared, received and processed by the IRS and a refund in the amount of $9,913 was applied to a Bancorp debit card.
The Internal Revenue Service conducted additional research and determined that more than 70 returns were filed from the same IP address used by Green on January 20, 2012.A search warrant was executed at Green’s residence on July 12, 2012. During the execution of the warrant, Green was found to be in possession of 25 debit cards in other peoples’ names. Agents also recovered sheets of personal identifying information and more than $10,000 in cash.
During an interview with law enforcement, Green stated that he started filing returns for refunds after someone in Tampa showed him the potential money involved. Green said that he continued to file returns into 2012.
From at least January 20, 2012 through July 12, 2002, Green knowingly and willfully stole and converted to his own use money that belonged to the United States. The amount of the returns filed from the Green’s totaled more than is $648,000. From the fraudulent claims for income tax refunds, Green received payment for $311,746.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the Collier County Sheriff's Office as part of the United States Secret Service Southwest Florida Financial Crimes Strike Force, and the Internal Revenue Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
Miami Man Pleads Guilty to Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that Hosmel Barona-Cardona (41, Miami) pleaded guilty to access device fraud. Barona-Cardona faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to the plea agreement, between November 14, 2009 and November 30, 2011, Barona-Cardona used counterfeit credit cards, with stolen credit card numbers, at retail stores and other businesses in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Michigan. These credit cards were created to appear as legitimate Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and American Express cards. These counterfeit credit cards contained stolen credit cards numbers. Over the course of the scheme, Barona-Cardona used more than 100 stolen credit card numbers and fraudulently obtained $155,452.77.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the St. Cloud Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher LaForgia.
Colombian National Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for International Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore earlier this week sentenced Jose Rivas (61, Colombia) to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Rivas pleaded guilty on December 17, 2012.
According to court documents, Rivas and a co-conspirator departed Colombia in a vessel smuggling 568 kilograms of cocaine. On August 14, 2012, Rivas and his co-conspirator were interdicted by the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea.
“Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners who participate in the Panama Express North Strike Force will continue to use all available resources to dismantle narcotics trafficking organizations and prevent the introduction of cocaine into our communities,” said Susan McCormick, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Tampa.
This case was investigated by the Panama Express North Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), comprised of agents and analysts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. It was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Chiropractor Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida - U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that a federal jury today found Dr. Stephen M. Lovell (55, Windermere) guilty of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2013.
Lovell was indicted in February 2012, along with his co-conspirators Joanna Capote (24, Cape Coral), Francisco Huici Fernandez (40, Cape Coral), Ernesto Diaz (31, Cape Coral), Karen Carmona Jackson (30, Lake Wales), Jeanine Lastres Huici (42, Cape Coral), Marylda Santana (22, Cape Coral), Sonia Arroyo (53, Cape Coral), and Indra Lemus Castellanos (20, Cape Coral). Each of the co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this case.
According to testimony presented at trial, Xtreme Care Rehabilitation Center Inc. (“Xtreme Care”) was operating in Cape Coral as an unlicensed health care clinic since 2009. The State of Florida licensing requirements were circumvented by the conspirators as a result of the purported exclusive ownership of these clinics by licensed health care practitioners, including licensed chiropractor Dr. Stephen M. Lovell. As a result of the purported ownership of the clinics by a licensed health care practitioner, these clinics avoided greater regulatory scrutiny. In actuality, other conspirators including Francisco Huici Fernandez and Ernesto Diaz were the true owners of the clinics.
In furtherance of the health care fraud, the conspirators recruited individuals who purported to be involved in staged accidents and received injuries. These recruited individuals would go to Xtreme Care in exchange for payment. Xtreme Care then billed insurance companies by submitting false claims, through the mail, for purportedly medically necessary treatments that these patients received. However, as the indictment alleged, treatment was either never provided to these patients or was not medically necessary. Upon payment by the insurance company, the proceeds of the fraudulent activity were then transferred to corporations created by the conspirators to launder the proceeds of the criminal activity. Ultimately, the conspirators received the benefits of the fraudulent activity through payments or expenditures for themselves from the corporate bank accounts.
This case was investigated by the Cape Coral Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, Hialeah Police Department, City of Miami Police, Florida Department of Financial Services, along with the assistance of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesus M. Casas.
Two Men Charged for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the return of an indictment charging Emir Peron (31,Seffner) and Roger Gary Driggers (60, Lakeland) with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Peron also faces three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted on all counts, Peron and Driggers each face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. If convicted, Peron also faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 55 years in federal prison on each of the firearm counts. The indictment also notifies Peron that the United States intends to forfeit six firearms which were seized during the course of the investigation. Peron and Driggers were indicted on February 13, 2013. The arraignment hearing was held today.
According to the indictment, from an unknown date and continuing until approximately January 29, 2013, in Hillsborough County, Peron and Driggers conspired with each other and others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to a criminal complaint filed earlier in the case, Peron also sold guns to an undercover agent, including a Saiga semi-automatic assault rifle, an M-11 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and a .357 magnum revolver, in addition to quantities of crystal methamphetamine.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Scruggs.
Bartow Woman Charged for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the return of an indictment charging Lydia Santiago (38, Bartow) with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Santiago also faces one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted on all counts, she faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Santiago that the United States intends to forfeit various vehicles and currency seized during the course of the investigation.
According to the indictment, from an unknown date and continuing until approximately February 19, 2013, in Polk County, Santiago possessed and conspired with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also located a Ruger model SR40c .40 caliber handgun was inside her Bartow home. As a previously convicted felon, Santiago is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Polk County Sheriff's Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Scruggs.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Using A Computer to Solicit Sex with Four-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich sentenced Raymond Roland Collette (40, St. Petersburg) last week to 14 years in federal prison for using his computer to solicit and arrange for sex with a four-year-old child. The court also ordered Collette to forfeit the computer he used to commit the offense. Collette pleaded guilty on November 20, 2102.
According to court documents, between March 2012 and July 2012, Collette posted an advertisement on craigslist seeking a person that would allow him to engage in acts related to his sexual fetish involving shoes. Collette began communicating online with a citizen identified as “KK.” During the chats, “KK” discussed that he had a girlfriend with a four-year-old daughter, identified as “C.” Collette then directed his attention to the child and began discussing his desires to obtain custody of “C,“ and engage in sex acts with her. Once Collette turned the chat toward sex with the child, “KK” alerted law enforcement. Subsequently, Collette unknowingly continued his conversations with an undercover detective. During the online conversations, Collette suggested that he and “KK” swap children for sexual purposes. Collette also chatted about how he would enjoy watching the children engage in sex acts with each other.
This case was investigated by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as part of their joint effort on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda C. Kaiser.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."