Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
International Money Launderer Sentenced to Eight Years for A Conspiracy to Conceal Millions in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Miguel Alexander Perez Perez (33, Dominican Republic) to eight years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was also ordered to forfeit $1,600,110. Perez Perez pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025.
According to court documents, Perez Perez was a broker of money laundering “contracts.” He participated in the collection of drug proceeds in the United States for introduction into the U.S. banking system. He concealed the source of those proceeds through trade-based money laundering schemes that included the purchase of devices such as cellphones in the United States. The devices were then sold abroad. From June to August 2020, federal law enforcement completed four such money laundering contracts with Perez Perez in an undercover capacity. During a separate contract that Perez Perez brokered in July 2020, the Florida Highway Patrol stopped a money courier and seized more than $1 million in drug proceeds.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine and Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Yaphet Martin (38, New Port Richey) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Martin pleaded guilty in August 2024.
According to court documents, on July 7, 2023, officers with the Clearwater Police Department pulled over a vehicle being driven by Martin. When the officers approached the vehicle, they smelled marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and located a small green camouflage bag behind the center console containing what laboratory testing would later confirm to be 3 grams of fentanyl, 7.66 grams of MDMA, and 3.48 grams of cocaine. The bag also contained a digital scale, glass pipe, and $3,182 in cash. Officers also recovered a firearm loaded with four rounds of ammunition from the vehicle.
At the time, Martin had four prior felony convictions including forgery, robbery in the first degree, delivering an imitation controlled substance, and felonious possession of a firearm. He is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. In addition, his prior drug and crime of violence convictions subjected him to an enhanced penalty.
This case was investigated by the Clearwater Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Brooksville Man Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington today sentenced Darrence White (29, Brooksville) to 20 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. White pleaded guilty on April 7, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 11, 2023, a deputy with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which White was a passenger. The deputy detected a strong odor of narcotics emitting from the vehicle and removed the occupants, including White. An officer located a bag in the glove compartment that contained methamphetamine, fentanyl, and a blue latex glove. During a subsequent search of White, officers recovered additional controlled substances and a blue latex glove like the one from the glovebox.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Troy Lyn Everett (63, Georgia) to 15 years in federal prison for attempted production of child sexual abuse material. Everett was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty in March 2025.
According to court records, from August 22 through October 25, 2024, Everett communicated with an undercover detective from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office who was posing as a 14-year-old child on an online messaging application. Everett engaged the detective in a variety of sexually explicit messages and expressed a desire to have sex with the child. Everett asked the undercover officer multiple times for sexually explicit photos and videos of who Everett believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Additionally, Everett discussed traveling to meet the minor for sex. Everett biked more than an hour from his residence in Georgia to an Atlanta bus station where he purchased a bus ticket to Jacksonville. Upon his arrival in Jacksonville, he was arrested and admitted to traveling for sex and making repeated requests for sexually explicit photos and videos from a person who he believed to be a 14-year-old child.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Nassau County Sherriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida Intercept Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ambulance Company and Its Owners Agree to Pay $900,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Medically Unnecessary Ambulance ServicesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Courtesy Transport Services, LLC (“Courtesy”) and its owners, Melanie Burger and Dr. John Milanick, have agreed to collectively pay $900,000 to resolve allegations that they defrauded Medicare and Medicaid by billing for ambulance transportation services that were not medically necessary or not actually provided. The settlement amounts for Courtesy and Melanie Burger are based on their ability to pay.
According to the settlement agreements, from June 1, 2013, through June 30, 2019, Courtesy submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for basic life support, non-emergency ambulance transport services which the United States contends were not reimbursable, because the services were not medically reasonable and necessary, the patients did not require transportation by ambulance, or the services were not actually provided to patients. As such, these services were not reimbursable by Medicare and Medicaid.
“False and fraudulent claims for ambulance services harm both the integrity of important federal healthcare programs as well as the seniors who rely on them,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Our office is committed to recovering taxpayers’ money from fraud and abuse of these programs and will hold those who submit false claims accountable.”
“When health care providers bill Medicare for medically unnecessary services, they not only misuse critical resources meant to care for beneficiaries, but also increase the financial burden on taxpayers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rolando Alvarez of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Together with our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to uncovering and investigating fraudulent health care schemes to preserve the integrity of federal health care programs.”
These settlements resolve a lawsuit originally filed by Jonathon Whitmore, a former Courtesy employee, under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act that permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims, and to share in any recovery. Mr. Whitmore will receive roughly $171,000 of the proceeds from the settlements with Courtesy and its owners. The False Claims Act case is captioned United States and the State of Florida ex rel. Whitmore vs. Courtesy Transport, et al., Case No. 5:19-cv-241-Oc-34PRL.
These settlements resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Florida’s Office of the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (“MFCU”), and the HHS Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Tapie and MFCU Deputy Director of Civil Enforcement Cedell Ian Garland handled the investigation. The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in 324 Defendants Charged in Connection with over $14.6 Billion in Alleged FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers.
“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”
In the Middle District of Florida, United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the filing of criminal charges in 13 cases involving 19 individuals in connection with alleged schemes to defraud programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled, and to obtain controlled substances through fraud.
“Millions of Americans rely on the ethical and lawful practices of healthcare professionals and providers to deliver critical services to patients every day,” said U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “When criminals exploit our federal healthcare programs and betray the trust of their beneficiaries, the integrity of our systems are compromised. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ferret out these criminals and bring them to justice.”
The following individuals have been charged in Middle District of Florida:
- William Balsamo (65, Spring Hill) was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks in connection with a scheme to provide doctors’ orders to pharmacies, durable medical equipment (“DME”) companies, and laboratories in exchange for kickbacks, which led to at least $9 million in losses to Medicare. As alleged in the information, Balsamo was the Chief Financial Officer of Call MD Plus, a telemedicine company that purported to offer software that enabled pharmacies, DME companies, and laboratories to connect their patients with telemedicine doctors who performed consultations. Call MD Plus allegedly obtained signed doctors’ orders by paying kickbacks to companies that had relationships with telemedicine doctors, and then sold the orders to the pharmacies, DMEs, and laboratories (sometimes through intermediary marketers and resellers), in exchange for kickbacks. The orders were then used to bill for medically unnecessary prescriptions and other items. The case is being prosecuted by Acting Assistant Chief Gary A. Winters of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Mesrobian.
- Edward Cannatelli (60, Parkland), Robbyn Cannatelli (68, Parkland), Thomas Farese (82, Fort Lauderdale), and Virginia Lockett (55, Margate) were charged for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the Medicare program, make false statements relating to health care matters, and offer and pay illegal kickbacks and bribes. They are also charged in a second conspiracy to commit wire and health care fraud and with related substantive counts concerning the falsification of records in the federal investigation leading to the indictment. The four charged, along with other conspirators, generated medically unnecessary physicians’ orders via a telemarketing operation for DME. Through the telemarketing operation, federal health care program beneficiaries’ personal identifying information and other health-related information was harvested to begin forming DME brace orders. The information related to the emerging brace orders was then transmitted to purported “telemedicine” vendors that, in exchange for a fee, paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to physicians who signed the orders, often without ever contacting the beneficiaries to conduct the required telehealth consultations. The fraudulent brace orders were then returned to the conspirators, who used the orders as support for bogus DME claims submitted to Medicare. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jay G. Trezevant and Tiffany E. Fields.
- Greisys Cuellar Hernandez (41, Tampa) was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for contributing to the filing of fraudulent insurance claims for staged traffic crashes resulting in multiple payouts by insurance companies to a physical rehabilitation clinic in Tampa. Cuellar Hernandez worked at the clinic and was involved in recruiting individuals to seek treatment after staging traffic crashes. Cuellar Hernandez was paid approximately $52,000 for her role in the conspiracy. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields.
- Alexis Del Sol Perez (48, Spring Hill) and Carlos Del Sol (30, Tampa) were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in submitting fraudulent insurance claims for staged traffic crashes. Del Sol was also charged with wire fraud for causing the transmission of fraudulently obtained insurance funds. Del Sol Perez was the owner of a physical rehabilitation clinic in Tampa and recruited individuals to participate in staged traffic crashes and seek medical attention at his clinic. Del Sol worked at the clinic and assisted patients from staged car accidents with completing insurance paperwork containing false statements. Additionally, Del Sol was responsible for making cash payouts to individuals involved in the staged traffic crashes. As a result of this scheme, the defendants and co-conspirators obtained at least $4.7 million in fraudulently obtained proceeds from the offenses. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields.
- Patrick Michael Flint (43, Coconut Creek) pleaded guilty to conspiring to solicit and receive kickbacks for referring Medicare beneficiaries for COVID-19 tests and to purchase and sell Medicare beneficiary identification numbers. According to court documents, Flint obtained identifying information from Medicare beneficiaries for the purpose of sending them COVID-19 tests that they had not otherwise requested. He then sold the identifying information to medical providers for the purpose of shipping the COVID-19 tests to the beneficiaries and billing Medicare for the tests. Flint’s actions caused the submission of approximately 84,600 fraudulent claims to Medicare, which resulted in reimbursements totaling approximately $7.9 million. As part of his plea, Flint agreed to forfeit to the government a total of $1,266,025 of proceeds that he obtained during the scheme. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
- Michelle Forsythe (61, Ocala) was charged with 14 counts of wire fraud and 1 count of aggravated identity theft in connection with using the names and insurance policy information of 22 individuals without their knowledge or consent to overbill health insurance companies. The fraudulent overbillings resulted in a loss of at least $483,000. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Watson.
- Leo Joseph Govoni (67, Clearwater) and John Leo Witeck (60, Tampa) were charged by indictment for their roles in a conspiracy to solicit, steal, and misappropriate beneficiary funds from clients of the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT). CSNT was a non-profit that managed funds for individuals with disabilities and other special needs, including those who received court awards, settlements, and other payments. As of February 2024, the indictment alleges, CSNT managed more than 2,100 special needs trusts containing approximately $200 million. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Peresie and Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
- Lauren Hornbuckle (36, Seminole) was charged with one count of tampering with a consumer product in connection with her unlawfully acquiring and tampering with morphine at a hospital. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Pizzo.
- Paula Pirone (68, Ocala) and Sophie Dufort (56, Gainesville) were charged with various counts of conspiracy, health care fraud, and paying kickbacks in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare over $8.6 million for medically unnecessary orthotic braces. According to the indictment, Pirone and Dufort owned and operated DME companies that offered and paid illegal kickbacks to their co-conspirators in exchange for signed doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary DME that were then billed to Medicare. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jody King of the Florida Strike Force.
- Ricardo Ramos (49, Tampa) was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in conducting financial transactions involving proceeds of mail fraud. Ramos was a chiropractor at a physical rehabilitation clinic in Tampa. His co-conspirators recruited individuals to stage traffic accidents, file false police reports related to the staged traffic crashes, and then seek treatment at the clinic where Ramos worked. Ramos performed evaluations on the recruited individuals and directed them to report high levels of pain in order to diagnose purported injuries and prescribe future treatments. In some instances, no evaluations were performed and Ramos still generated diagnoses to facilitate the filing of fraudulent insurance claims. Ramos also completed medical forms with prescriptions for DME based on the fake injuries. These false claims were submitted to insurance companies and resulted in the insurance companies sending payments to the clinic where Ramos worked. These funds were then used to compensate Ramos and the recruited individuals for their roles in the scheme. As a result of the conspiracy, Ramos obtained approximately $169,000. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields.
- Chad Monroe (47,Tarpon Springs) was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and mail fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to offer, pay, solicit, and receive health care kickbacks, violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, and TRICARE for more than $28 million for orthotic braces and to receive approximately $15 million in illegal kickbacks and bribes related to genetic testing. As alleged in the indictment, Monroe owned several DME companies that purchased doctors’ orders for braces. Monroe was also a marketer who generated and sold doctors’ orders for genetic testing. He also is charged for submitting a false Economic Injury Disaster loan application and aiding and abetting in the submission of a false Paycheck Protection Program loan. Previously, a boat purchased for over $600,000 and more than $1 million from an investment account were seized. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Catherine Wagner and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the National Rapid Response Strike Force.
- Anagha Onuoha a/k/a “Frank Emeka,” (61, St. Petersburg) was charged for making a false statement in a passport application and theft of government funds. According to the indictment, Onuoha, a Nigerian citizen living in the United States, obtained two Social Security numbers by fraudulently claiming to be a United States citizen. Using these Social Security numbers, Onuoha applied for, and received, benefits from the United States to which he was not entitled. As part of his scheme, Onuoha obtained more than $2.2 million in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Medicare benefits. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Schmidt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Del Mastro.
- Eric Strom Holland (55, Fort Myers) was charged with wire fraud and distributing and dispensing controlled substances in connection with an alleged scheme to deceive doctors into writing controlled substance prescriptions based on false pretenses. As alleged in the complaint, Holland recruited unwitting doctors for his all-virtual pain clinic using a series of lies designed to induce them to work for him and to prescribe controlled substances, including oxycodone. These lies included that the pain clinic had a physical location (when in fact all operations during the pertinent periods were purely virtual), that patients were being physically examined by medical practitioners, such as nurse practitioners, before doctors were asked to prescribe, that there were long-term doctors with whom the patients had a standing relationship and that the temporary doctors were just refilling prescriptions as part of an established regimen of care, and that safeguards to prevent against drug abuse, such as urine screens, were being used. Holland’s scheme resulted in the improper dispensing of more than 103,000 oxycodone pills. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
An information or indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The MDFL has worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute these cases, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The following materials related to today’s announcement are available on the Health Care Fraud Unit’s website through these links:
- Graphics and Resources
- Case Descriptions
- Court Documents
- National Press Release
Orlando Man Indicted for Making Online Threats Against the United States Attorney for the District of New JerseyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Salvatore Russotto (58, Orlando) with threatening to injure and kill the victim, the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, and with retaliating against a federal law enforcement officer by threat. If convicted on both counts, Russotto faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on May 19, 2025, Russotto made a threat to injure and kill the victim in a series of postings from an online account belonging to him. Specifically, Russotto stated, among other things, “A slow painful death for HABBA,” “Eliminate HABBA. 86 Traitor. Death penalty for all traitors,” “I HOPE YOU DIE A PAINFUL DEATH,” a true threat of violence.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark, Jersey and Tampa, Florida Field Offices – and the United States Marshals Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara Wick.
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Merryday has sentenced Juan Arturo Martinez (62, Mexico) to four months in federal prison for one count of use of a passport secured by false statement and one count of making a false statement in a passport application. Martinez pled guilty on February 18, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 1, 2002, Martinez—who was born in Mexico and was unlawfully present in the United States—submitted a United States Passport Application Form DS-11 in Sarasota, Florida. In support of that application, Martinez provided a fraudulent Texas birth certificate. On March 22, 2002, based on his fraudulent representation that he was a U.S. citizen, a United States Passport was issued to Martinez.
On February 21, 2012, Martinez mailed in a United States Passport Renewal Application Form DS-82, along with his expired passport issued in 2002. On the application, Martinez falsely stated that his place of birth was “Mission, TX.” On March 12, 2012, a United States Passport was issued to Martinez. On February 7, 2013, Martinez presented this passport as proof of identity to obtain a Florida drivers license. Martinez used the fraudulently issued passport multiple times for travel purposes. Most recently, on September 11, 2021, Martinez used the passport to take a cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida. On April 7, 2022, Martinez submitted a United States Passport Renewal Application Form DS-82 and, again falsely stated that his place of birth was “Mission, TX.”
The evidence presented further established that Martinez impersonated a United States citizen for the purpose of obtaining other benefits and exercising other rights. For example, Martinez illegally registered to vote, and repeatedly voted in U.S. presidential elections, despite being unlawfully present in the United States and having no right to vote.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
Marion County Man Indicted for Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition by A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Juan Mario GonzalezPiloto (40, Anthony) with possession of a firearm and ammunition affecting commerce by a convicted felon. If convicted, GonzalezPiloto faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the court records, between 2013 and 2020, GonzalezPiloto was convicted of five state felonies: (1) cannabis trafficking more than 25 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds; (2) possession of a place for drug trafficking; (3) possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; (4) possession of marijuana concentrate -hazardous extract; and (5) resisting an officer with violence.
On November 28, 2024, Marion County Sheriff deputies responded to GonzalezPiloto’s residence in northern Marion County. GonzalezPiloto had been injured while shooting a loaded firearm on his property. In describing how he had been injured, GonzalezPiloto told investigators that the firearm had malfunctioned while he was shooting it. As a convicted felon, GonzalezPiloto is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Foreign National Indicted in Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Ken-ichi Larroza Hatakama (36, Philippines), with wire fraud. If convicted, Hatakama faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Hatakama that the United States intends to forfeit $562,569.37, which are alleged to be the proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, Hatakama, a citizen and national of the Philippines, worked remotely assisting Victim Company (“VC”) with their computer coding. While working on VC’s computer coding, Hatakama embedded malicious code into VC’s computer coding, causing payments intended for VC’s partners to be rerouted to dozens of fraudulent PayPal accounts he controlled. Through this scheme, Hatakama stole over $500,000 from VC.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
Bahamian National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Kenthen Lavardo Swain (39, The Bahamas) with illegal reentry by an aggravated felon. If convicted on all counts, Swain faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on or about May 16, 2025, Swain was found to be voluntarily in the United States after having previously been removed from the United States on three occasions. Swain had not received consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Prior to being found, Swain had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of controlled substances with intent to sell or deliver.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Machine GunsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Omar Joel Rivera Olivo (26, Orlando) today pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing and transferring machine guns. Rivera Olivofaces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Rivera Olivo engaged in eight sales of drugs and guns, including automatic weapons, to an undercover law enforcement officer – initially selling cocaine and marijuana before selling firearms. On March 13 and March 28, 2025, Rivera Olivo sold four firearms, some of which had been modified to be fully automatic weapons, along with multiple devices to convert firearms into fully automatic weapons.
Rivera Olivo subsequently posted images of himself online with guns, drugs, and the proceeds of his illegal activities.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Tocorey Gibbs (39, Jacksonville) to 32 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. Gibbs was found guilty after a bench trial on March 19, 2025.
According to court documents and records, on January 10, 2024, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) were on patrol in the Lackawanna neighborhood in Jacksonville and observed Gibbs riding a bicycle without a headlight. When officers stopped Gibbs, they saw that he was armed with a pistol. Officers seized a loaded .40 caliber pistol from Gibbs’ pocket. A records check revealed that Gibbs had just been released from prison after serving 15 years for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Airline Employee Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Attempted Coercion, Enticement of A Minor and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Brian Walker (52, Bradenton) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child sexual abuse material. Walker pled guilty on March 25, 2025.
According to court documents, Walker contacted a 12-year-old female living in his community over a social media application. The FBI took over the minor’s social media account and engaged in chats with Walker in an undercover capacity. Walker engaged in sexual conversations with the undercover agent, whom he believed to be the 12-year-old female, and attempted to coerce and entice her to engage in sexual activity. Within the conversations, Walker shared his attraction to 12-year-old females and expressed his desire to meet in person.
On June 24, 2024, Walker travelled to meet the minor in person at the community pool and was arrested at the scene. Law enforcement seized a cell phone from Walker and located hundreds of images and videos of minors, including those under the age of 12 years, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing A Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Court Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jordon Shanquial Brown (34, Fort Myers) to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Brown pled guilty on March 12, 2025.
According to court documents, on September 12, 2024, the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Brown—a multi-time convicted felon—was the front-seat passenger. During a search of the vehicle, FMPD officers located a bag partially underneath the front passenger seat containing a loaded Smith & Wesson firearm, belonging to Brown. As a previously convicted felon, Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jacksonville Property Management Company to Pay Compensation and Penalties for Imposing Unlawful Charges on U.S. Military ServicemembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department resolved an enforcement matter against JWB Real Estate Management for violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) when it imposed illegal early termination charges on military servicemembers who terminated their leases after receiving military relocation orders.
JWB Property Management, a property management company based in Jacksonville, Florida, imposed early termination fees on at least six members of the U.S. military after they attempted to terminate their leases in accordance with the SCRA.
As a result of the Department’s enforcement, JWB will be required to pay over $39,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers, as well as a $25,000 civil penalty. The company will also make changes to its policies and training to ensure that it complies with the SCRA in the future.
“Our military families already shoulder the burden of military-ordered moves and deployments,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not allow them to be penalized by landlords for answering the call of duty for service.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is committed to protecting the rights of all our servicemembers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our servicemembers make tremendous sacrifices to protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens and we will combat all forms of discrimination against them to help ensure that they are able to fulfill their military obligations.”
This case was handled by Middle District of Florida Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra Karahalios and Deputy Chief of the Civil Division Yohance A. Pettis.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
Jacksonville Property Management Company to Pay Compensation and Penalties for Imposing Unlawful Charges on U.S. Military ServicemembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department resolved an enforcement matter against JWB Real Estate Management for violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) when it imposed illegal early termination charges on military servicemembers who terminated their leases after receiving military relocation orders.
JWB Property Management, a property management company based in Jacksonville, Florida, imposed early termination fees on at least six members of the U.S. military after they attempted to terminate their leases in accordance with the SCRA.
As a result of the Department’s enforcement, JWB will be required to pay over $39,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers, as well as a $25,000 civil penalty. The company will also make changes to its policies and training to ensure that it complies with the SCRA in the future.
“Our military families already shoulder the burden of military-ordered moves and deployments,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not allow them to be penalized by landlords for answering the call of duty for service.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is committed to protecting the rights of all our servicemembers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our servicemembers make tremendous sacrifices to protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens and we will combat all forms of discrimination against them to help ensure that they are able to fulfill their military obligations.”
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
Hillsborough County High School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Firearms to Trinidad-Based Transnational Criminal OrganizationRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Shannon Lee Samlalsingh (46, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to making false statements to a firearms dealer on June 20, 2025. Samlalsingh faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2020 and 2021, Samlalsingh purchased several firearms and firearms components from federally licensed firearms dealers in Hillsborough County and Miami-Dade County where she falsely stated on ATF 4473 forms that she was the actual transferee or buyer of said firearms. In reality, Samlalsingh had received money via international wire transfers from members of a Trinidadian transnational criminal organization with instructions to purchase specific model firearms and firearms components, then transfer them to other members of the transnational criminal organization already in Florida, to smuggle them back to Trinidad. Samlalsingh kept a percentage of the wire transfer funds as compensation. The firearms were smuggled back to Trinidad and Tobago by concealing them in a large wireless speaker and punching bags.
On or about April 21, 2021, authorities at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago seized a shipment from the United States containing two punching bags and other goods. Concealed within the two punching bags were approximately eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber special revolvers, a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, three AR-15 barrel foregrips, 19 lower pistol grip assemblies, 11 forearm bolt assemblies, three AR-15-style barrels with forearm grips, 32 AR-15 magazines, one AR-15 drum magazine, 470 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, 34 9mm magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, 284 9mm rounds, fifteen .38 caliber rounds, 36 shells, six magazine couplers, and two shotgun chokes. Specifically, Samlalsingh purchased a SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Ruger-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol which were all traced to the April 21, 2021, seizure in Trinidad and Tobago.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security (Transnational Organized Crime Unit) and Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Special Investigations Unit), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Adam W. McCall.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Florida Nonprofit Founder and Accountant Charged with Stealing over $100M from Special Needs VictimsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging two Florida men in connection with a fraudulent scheme to steal over $100 million from a nonprofit organization that managed funds for people with special needs and disabilities.
“As alleged, for over 15 years, the defendants conspired to use the funds of special needs clients as a personal piggy bank, stealing $100 million dollars meant for the most vulnerable members of our society to enrich themselves,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s charges reflect the Criminal Division’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting sophisticated fraudsters who abuse the trust of their victims. Thanks to the relentless efforts of our multiagency partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue accountability for perpetrators who exploit Americans out of greed.”
“Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society is a priority of the U. S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable. Due to the diligence and interagency collaboration by our dedicated law enforcement partners, these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The subjects charged are accused of creating a slush fund to divert millions of dollars away from a nonprofit organization helping people with special needs,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Not only were the organization’s resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families. The FBI will not tolerate the exploitation of charitable missions for personal enrichment.”
“The scale and audacity of the alleged fraud in this case are deeply troubling,” said Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS. “Stealing funds intended to protect and support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal. IRS-CI special agents are dedicated to uncovering complex financial schemes, especially those that prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”
“The defendant disrupted access to critical services for individuals with disabilities and defrauded federal health care programs with the sole purpose of financing a life of extravagance,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those whose illicit actions seek to assail enrollees and the nation’s federal health care programs fully accountable.”
According to court documents, Leo Joseph Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, Florida, co-founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT) in or around 2000 and John Leo Witeck, 60, of Tampa, Florida, worked at CSNT as an accountant. CSNT allegedly was a nonprofit that managed money for people with disabilities and other special needs, including those who received court awards, settlements, and other payments. CSNT grew to be one of the largest administrators of special needs trusts in the country, with beneficiaries located in almost every state. As of February 2024, the indictment alleges, CSNT managed over 2,100 special needs trusts containing approximately $200 million.
As alleged in the indictment, from June 2009 through May 2025, Govoni, Witeck, and their co-conspirators solicited, stole, and misappropriated CSNT client-beneficiary funds — which they treated as a slush fund to enrich themselves and others — and concealed their illegal activities through complex financial transactions and deceit, including sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to disabled victims. Govoni allegedly used stolen money to purchase real estate, travel via private jet, fund a brewery, make deposits into his personal bank accounts, and pay personal debts. In 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy and disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds were missing from its trust accounts. Govoni is alleged to have made false declarations to the bankruptcy court related to the CSNT bankruptcy proceedings.
Separately, Govoni is also alleged to have committed bank fraud related to a $3 million mortgage refinance loan and to have laundered $205,054 of the proceeds to pay off a home equity line of credit on his residence.
Govoni and Witeck were both charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. Govoni was additionally charged with bank fraud, illegal monetary transactions, and false bankruptcy declarations.
If convicted, both defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy charges. If convicted, Govoni faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the bank fraud charge, 10 years in prison on the illegal monetary transactions charge, and five years in prison on the false bankruptcy declaration charge.
The FBI, IRS-CI, HHS-OIG, and SSA-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U. S. Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Michael Gordon for the Middle District of Florida are handling the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Non-Profit Founder and Accountant Charged with Stealing over $100 Million from Special Needs VictimsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Leo Joseph Govoni (67, Clearwater) and John Leo Witeck (60, Tampa) in connection with a fraud scheme that involved stealing more than $100 million from, and ultimately bankrupting, a non-profit organization in Clearwater that managed funds for vulnerable individuals with special needs and disabilities.
Govoni and Witeck are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Govoni is also charged separately with one count of bank fraud, one count of illegal monetary transaction, and one count of making a false bankruptcy declaration. The bank fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Each count of wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and the money laundering conspiracy offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. The illegal monetary transaction count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and the false bankruptcy declaration carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.
According to the indictment and court documents, around the year 2000, Govoni co-founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT), a non-profit that managed funds for individuals with disabilities and other special needs, including those who received settlements, court awards, and other payments. CSNT grew to be one of the largest administrators of special needs trusts in the country, with beneficiaries located in Florida and nationwide. As of February 2024, CSNT managed more than 2,100 special needs trusts containing approximately $200 million in assets.
As alleged in the indictment, from June 2009 through May 2025, Govoni, Witeck, and their co-conspirators solicited, stole, and misappropriated CSNT client-beneficiary funds—which they treated as a slush fund to enrich themselves and others—and concealed their illegal activities through complex financial transactions and deceit, including sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to disabled victims and their families. Govoni allegedly used stolen money to purchase real estate, travel via private jet, fund a brewery, make deposits in his personal bank accounts, and pay debts. In February 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy and disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds was missing from its trust accounts.
Govoni is also charged with bank fraud related to a $3 million mortgage refinance loan and the alleged laundering of $205,054 of the fraud proceeds to pay off a home equity line of credit on his residence. Govoni is further alleged to have made false declarations to the bankruptcy court related to the CSNT bankruptcy proceedings.
“Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U. S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable. Due to the diligence and interagency collaboration by our dedicated law enforcement partners, these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The subjects charged are accused of creating a slush fund to divert millions of dollars away from a nonprofit organization helping people with special needs,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Not only were the organization’s resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families. The FBI will not tolerate the exploitation of charitable missions for personal enrichment.”
“The scale and audacity of the alleged fraud in this case are deeply troubling,” said Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS. “Stealing funds intended to protect and support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal. IRS-CI special agents are dedicated to uncovering complex financial schemes, especially those that prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”
“The defendant disrupted access to critical services for individuals with disabilities and defrauded federal health care programs with the sole purpose of financing a life of extravagance,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those who’s illicit actions seek to assail enrollees and the nation’s federal health care programs fully accountable.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Michael Gordon and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Wesley Chapel Woman Convicted of Stealing Almost $2 Million in Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Identity Theft of over 100 VictimsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Maria Morales (58, Wesley Chapel) guilty of trafficking in unauthorized access devices and aggravated identity theft. Maria Morales faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 19, 2025. Maria Morales was indicted on September 4, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Morales received over 100 debit cards issued by the state of Nevada for unemployment insurance benefits distributed during the COVID pandemic. Each of these debit cards was created using personal identifying information of unwitting individuals from all over the United States. The debit cards mailed to Morales had the names of those individuals on both the debit cards and the envelope in which the cards were mailed. Upon receipt, Morales traveled to various ATMs in the Middle District of Florida and withdrew thousands of dollars in unemployment insurance benefits. In less than one year, Morales received almost $2 million in unemployment insurance benefits to which she was never entitled. In so doing, she stole the identity of over 100 individuals.
This case was investigated by the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.
Ocala Mental Health Counselor Arrested for Aggravated Identity Theft and Fourteen Counts of Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Michelle Forsythe (61, Ocala) on an indictment charging her with 14 counts of wire fraud and 1 count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Forsythe faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count. For the aggravated identity theft count, she faces a mandatory federal prison sentence of 2 years that must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. The indictment also notifies Forsythe that the United States intends to forfeit $483,511.44, which are alleged to be the proceeds of the offenses.
According to court records, Forsythe is a licensed mental health counselor.
Between January 2016 and December 2022, Forsythe used the names and insurance policy information of 22 individuals without their knowledge or consent to overbill two health insurance companies. Forsythe falsely claimed that she had provided counseling services to these individuals when she had not. As a result of the false billing, the health insurance companies electronically transferred payments to Forsythe for her services. In one instance, Forsythe used the name and health insurance information for an individual whom she had never seen as a patient to fraudulently bill for her counseling services.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Georgia Man Sentenced to More Than 33 Years for Transporting A Minor with Intent to Engage in Sexual Activity and Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Vincent Joseph Robusto (42, Decatur, GA) to 33 years and 9 months in federal prison for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. Robusto was also sentenced to a life term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. A federal jury found Robusto guilty on January 15, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, beginning in at least February 2021, Robusto was chatting and discussing sexual activity with a minor using a social media application. In July 2021, Robusto purchased an airline ticket for the minor using his bank card and provided the airline with the minor’s name and date of birth, indicating that he knew the minor’s age. On July 17, 2021, Robusto caused the minor to travel from Texas to Fort Myers, where airport surveillance video captured Robusto picking up the minor from the airport.
Within a few days, the minor’s parent contacted the Dilley (Texas) Police Department (DPD) to report the minor missing and shared the locations of the minor’s cellphone that were observed using a locator application. The DPD contacted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) for assistance in locating the minor and provided the residential address of a home in Port Charlotte indicated by the locator application.
On July 23, 2021, at approximately 3:00 a.m., CCSO deputies arrived at the Port Charlotte residence attempting to locate the minor, where they found Robusto with the minor. While executing a search of the residence, law enforcement located a firearm and ammunition inside Robusto’s backpack on a kitchen table. Robusto knew that he was a convicted felon and could not possess a firearm or ammunition.
Subsequently, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) conducted DNA analysis on evidence obtained in this case. A crime laboratory analyst found Robusto’s DNA on the rough surfaces of the firearm and in the analysis of the sexual assault kit that had been collected from the minor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Dilley Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Lee County Port Authority. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Yolande G. Viacava and Benjamin S. Winter.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ellenton Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for His Role in Fentanyl and Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle today sentenced Alexis Soto Escalante (20, Ellenton) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to and possessing with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of cocaine. Soto Escalante pleaded guilty on April 11, 2025.
According to court records, on May 22, 2024, Soto Escalante provided 55.9 grams of fentanyl to his co-defendant, Traveous Anderson, which was recovered by agents upon Anderson’s arrest. Later that same day, Soto Escalante traveled to Anderson’s apartment to collect payment for the fentanyl delivery, where he was also arrested. Agents recovered 641 grams of cocaine and 3.7 grams of fentanyl from the vehicle Soto Escalante was driving. Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at Soto Escalante’s home and found an additional 14.03 grams of cocaine and a handgun inside Soto Escalante’s bedroom closet.
Anderson is pending trial for his alleged role in this case.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Bokeelia Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Vincent Jay Yau (43, Bokeelia) to six years and six months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The court also ordered Yau to forfeit his laptop and cellphone, which were used to commit the offense. Yau pleaded guilty on February 19, 2025.
According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) served a federal search warrant on Yau’s residence where they located multiple electronic devices attributed to Yau. On those devices agents located thousands of files containing CSAM, some depicting toddlers.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Man Indicted for Attempted Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Johan Smith Pavon Mejia (Tampa, 41) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Mejia faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court records, in April 2025, Mejia communicated online with an undercover detective with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and arranged to meet a fictitious minor to engage in sexual activity. Mejia traveled to an agreed upon location to meet the fictitious minor and arrived with items requested by the undercover detective, including candy, iced tea, and money to pay for the arranged sexual acts.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by FBI Tampa and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Sanford Man Sentenced for Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Timothy Aden-Alan Calhoun (27, Orlando) to 2 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession of a machinegun. The court also ordered Calhoun to forfeit the firearm he possessed. Calhoun pleaded guilty on February 25, 2025.
According to court documents, officers from the Maitland Police Department stopped Calhoun for a traffic violation while he was operating a stolen motorcycle. During a search incident to his arrest, an officer located a Glock 19 with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device installed. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was contacted and confirmed that the firearm was converted into a fully automatic weapon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maitland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Port Charlotte Man Indicted for Production and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Tyler Russell Kuhn (29, Port Charlotte) with one count of production and one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Kuhn faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court records, in October 2019, Kuhn engaged in an online conversation with another individual. During the conversation, Kuhn produced a video and image of child sexual abuse material involving himself and a toddler. Kuhn distributed this video and image over the internet, to the individual to whom he was speaking.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tampa and Houston Field Offices. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
North Fort Myers Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Abuse and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Samuel Villarreal III (25, North Fort Myers) to five years in federal prison for possessing and accessing with intent to view images depicting the sexual abuse of children and possessing an unregistered firearm. He was also sentenced to a life term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. Villarreal entered a guilty plea on March 4, 2025.
According to court documents, from on or about December 29, 2022, through on or about June 29, 2023, Villarreal knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view images of children being sexually abused that he sought out and downloaded from the internet.
In December 2022, the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from an electronic service provider reporting that Villarreal had uploaded files that depicted child sexual abuse material (CSAM). A subsequent search warrant for Villarreal’s social media account revealed CSAM.
On June 29, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Villarreal’s residence in North Fort Myers, Florida, and seized Villarreal’s laptop and cellphones. Villarreal agreed to speak with agents and admitted that he used his computer to access CSAM on the internet and that he had a folder on his computer where he stored CSAM images. He also admitted that he had also used his cellphone to view CSAM and having used the social media application.
During the search of Villarreal’s residence, agents located Villarreal’s unregistered short-barreled rifle, which they seized. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a record check of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Records database and found no records of the firearm being registered, as required since the barrel was less than 16 inches. Villarreal admitted that he got the firearm as a rifle and modified it himself by putting a shorter barrel on it. He told agents that he never applied to have it registered with ATF, and that he was aware of the requirement before replacing the barrel with a shorter one.
The subsequent forensic examination of Villarreal’s cellphones and laptop revealed images of CSAM.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mexican National Charged with Illegally Reentering the United States After Previously Being Deported Four TimesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Armando Soto-Carbajal (29, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Soto-Carbajal faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to documents, on June 9, 2025, Soto-Carbajal was encountered on Interstate 95 during a traffic stop conducted by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. While a deputy was conducting database queries, Soto-Carbajal fled on foot. Deputies pursued, located, and detained Soto-Carbajal several hundred feet into the woods off the highway.
The indictment alleges that Soto-Carbajal is a citizen of Mexico who was previously deported from the United States on four separate occasions. When found back in the United States, he had not obtained the consent of immigration authorities to lawfully reenter the country.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney A. Tysen Duva.
Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Simon Eladio Gonzalez-Paxtor (56, Guatemala) with illegal reentry. If convicted, Gonzalez-Paxtor faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on June 7, 2025, Gonzalez-Paxtor was found to be voluntarily in the United States after having previously been removed from the United States. Gonzalez-Paxtor had not received consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. In 2006, Gonzalez-Paxtor was convicted of forgery in Missouri and sentenced to two years in prison, prior to his being removed from the United States.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Georgia Couple Arrested for Stealing More Than $1.7 Million Dollars in COVID Relief FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the indictment and arrests of Earlisha Louis (44, Newnan, Georgia) and Somoza Louis (44, Newnan, Georgia) for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds. If convicted, each faces up to 30 years in federal prison on each count. Earlisha Louis is also charged with two counts of illegal monetary transactions. Each of those counts carry a maximum penalty of 3 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the pair that the United States intends to forfeit a residence and $1,705,553.80, which are alleged to be traceable to the proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, between April 2020 and June 2021, Earlisha and Somoza Louis devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting multiple false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. These programs were some of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. After receiving one of the loans, Earlisha Louis transferred more than $10,000 of the fraud proceeds between her accounts.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn E. Hoenemeyer.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by contacting the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to More Than 20 Years for Pizza Shop Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Shadarien Lamarr Ward (22, Fort Myers) to 22 years in federal prison for robbing a pizza shop at gunpoint near downtown Fort Myers. Ward previously pleaded guilty to interfering with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on the evening of September 1, 2024, Ward robbed a pizza shop at gunpoint, pistol-whipping an employee in the process. After grabbing the cash register drawer and approximately $700 in cash, Ward fled the area on foot. Though he was hooded and masked during the robbery, he was later identified by law enforcement after an extensive review of surveillance cameras in the area tracked him to a nearby motel.
Ward, a registered sex offender, was wearing a GPS monitor at the time of the robbery as part of his state sex offender probation. Though he had cut off his GPS monitor and absconded from supervision following the robbery, Ward was located and arrested at a North Fort Myers motel soon thereafter.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced for Conspiring with California Man to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Through the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Durand Dijuon Demetiu Colbert (35, Fort Myers) to 12 years in federal prison for conspiracy with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Colbert pled guilty on September 18, 2024.
According to court documents, Colbert conspired with his co-defendant, Esdras Joel Garcia De La Rosa (28, Los Angeles, CA) to distribute various controlled substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. De La Rosa resided in the Los Angeles, California area and supplied Colbert, a Lee County resident, with controlled substances that would later be distributed to others. The controlled substances were sent by De La Rosa to Colbert through the U.S. mail or other packaging carriers.
On November 17, 2023, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on Colbert’s Florida residence. At that time, Colbert was in possession of roughly 1,700 fentanyl pills at his residence, which investigators determined had been sent by De La Rosa.
De La Rosa previously pleaded guilty for his role in the case. He was sentenced to nine years in federal prison on April 16, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Davenport Man Convicted for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Jose David Figueroa Pacheco (33, Davenport) guilty of fentanyl trafficking. Figueroa Pacheco faces a minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 27, 2025.
Figueroa Pacheco was indicted on August 7, 2024, along with co-defendant Alberto Ismael Salinas Valencia. Salinas Valencia pleaded guilty on January 23, 2025, and has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between August 2023 and August 2024, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint investigation to identify firearms and narcotics traffickers in the Orlando area. As part of that investigation, on December 13, 2023, an undercover officer arranged to buy a firearm and fentanyl pills from Salinas Valencia. Salinas Valencia arrived with the firearm at the buy location as a passenger in Figueroa Pacheco’s truck. Figueroa Pacheco then made phone calls to coordinate the delivery of the fentanyl pills, inspected the pills, and facilitated the transaction.
(firearm and fentanyl pills sold during the December 13, 2023 drug transaction)
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Varadan and Risha Asokan.
Bradenton Men Plead Guilty in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Colin Zirpoli (44, Bradenton) and Tony Marsh (25, Bradenton) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, Zirpoli pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and Marsh pleaded guilty to two counts of the same offense. They each face a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The sentencing dates have not yet been set.
According to court records, in February 2024, Zirpoli sold methamphetamine to an undercover officer. Law enforcement determined Zirpoli’s source of supply was Elizabeth Poff, a co-defendant who previously pleaded guilty. Law enforcement then later determined that Poff’s source of supply was Marsh. Law enforcement continued to investigate the case, leading to four additional arrests in connection with the methamphetamine distribution.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing A Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Mickey Colangelo, Jr. (44, Fort Myers) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Colangelo to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the commission of the offense. Colangelo pled guilty on February 26, 2025.
According to the plea agreement, on October 30, 2024, Colangelo was stopped by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office as a wanted suspect for a felony offense. In his backpack, deputies located a loaded pistol. Court records confirm that Colangelo had previously been convicted of a felony, which prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Colangelo has at least three prior felony convictions that qualify as “violent felonies” under federal law, thus subjecting him to enhanced punishment as an Armed Career Criminal. Colangelo also agreed to forfeit the firearm used in the offense.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Terrorgram Member Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Possessing an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Alexander Lightner (27, Venice) to four years and three months in federal prison for possessing an unregistered firearm. Lightner pleaded guilty on March 11, 2025.
According to court records, Lightner is a member of the Terrorgram Collective—an online organization that promotes the belief that the white race is superior, and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate. Inside an exclusive Terrorgram chat, on December 29, 2023, Lightner made several threatening posts conveying his intent to commit violent acts motivated by far-right extremist ideology, including “2024 there shall be saints,” and “Highscore shall be defeated.” The term “saints” refers to a trend within white supremacist online circles where individuals who have committed severe acts of violence motivated by hate are venerated as saints. The phrase “Highscore shall be defeated” refers to a future attack by a white supremacist that will generate a number of casualties surpassing that of previous attacks.
Less than a week later, federal agents executed a search warrant at Lightner’s residence in Venice, Florida where they found a firearm silencer, several firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and a copy of Mein Kampf. Agents also found extremist literature with detailed descriptions of mass shooting events and praising historical white supremacist mass murders.
When Lightner was interviewed by law enforcement, he admitted that the firearm silencer was his and he had made it himself. He also confessed to making the threatening Telegram posts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.
Ocala Man Indicted for Wire Fraud and Price Gouging Related to the Sale of COVID-19 FacemasksRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Frank Adriel Romero Leandro (34, Ocala) with wire fraud and price gouging. If convicted, Romero faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and up to 1 year in federal prison for the price gouging offense. The indictment also notifies Romero that the United States intends to forfeit $1,234,360.46, which are funds that are alleged to be traceable as proceeds of the offenses.
According to the indictment, between March 16, 2020, and February 10, 2021, Romero was the sole creator and editor of a website, trendeploy.com, through which he sold goods under the business name “Trend Deploy.” Romero made false representations on his website that he sold N95 facemasks. When customers ordered N95 facemasks from Romero over the internet, he would instead purchase cheaper alternatives (not N95 facemasks) to fulfill the orders. He also sold the facemasks at prices more than the prevailing market prices.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Trade Commission. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by visiting the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Jury Convicts Dual Citizen of Passport FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found David Fernando Jimenez Gomez (45, Dominican Republic), a/k/a Daniel Gomez DeLeon, a/k/a David Gomez De Leon, guilty of two counts of passport fraud. Jimenez Gomez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 11, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Jimenez Gomez, a dual citizen of the United States and the Dominican Republic, left the United States in the late 1990s and began living in the Dominican Republic. He acquired a Dominican identification card in a false name and, knowing that there was a warrant for his arrest, used a different false name to acquire a United States visa to travel to the United States. He then, on multiple occasions, lied about his use of these aliases on applications for United States passports.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
Four Charged with Health Care Fraud and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Edward Cannatelli (60, Parkland), Robbyn Cannatelli (68, Parkland), Thomas Farese (82, Fort Lauderdale), and Virginia Lockett (55, Margate) for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the United States’ Medicare program, make false statements relating to health care matters, and offering and paying illegal kickbacks and bribes. They are also charged in a second conspiracy to commit wire and health care fraud, and with related substantive counts concerning the falsification of records in the federal investigation leading to the indictment. If convicted on all counts, Edward and Robbyn Cannatelli and Farese each face a maximum penalty of 65 years in federal prison. Lockett faces a maximum penalty of 85 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit any property, real or personal, which constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to the commission of the offenses.
According to court documents, beginning in June 2019 and continuing into at least June 2020, Edward and Robbyn Cannatelli, Farese, and Lockett, and other conspirators, including Patsy Truglia (56, Parkland) and LouTricia Morgan (49, Sunrise) generated medically unnecessary physicians’ orders via a telemarketing operation for certain orthotic devices—knee braces, back braces, wrist braces, and other braces—referred to as durable medical equipment (DME). Through the telemarketing operation, federal health care program beneficiaries’ (i.e., Medicare beneficiaries) personal identifying information—names, dates of birth, and Medicare ID numbers—and other health-related information was harvested to begin forming DME brace orders.
The information related to the emerging brace orders was then transmitted to purported “telemedicine” vendors that, in exchange for a fee, paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to physicians who signed the orders, often without ever contacting the beneficiaries to conduct the required telehealth consultations. The fraudulent, illegal brace orders were then returned to the conspirators, who used the orders as support for bogus DME claims submitted to Medicare. To avoid Medicare scrutiny, the conspirators spread the fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare across three DME storefronts operated under the conspirators’ ownership and control.
Patsy Truglia and LouTricia Morgan previously pleaded guilty in separate cases for their roles in the charged conspiracies. Farese is presently awaiting sentencing in another case brought in New Jersey, charging him with money laundering.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jay G. Trezevant and Tiffany E. Fields. Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench will be handling asset forfeiture matters in this case.
IndictmentOsceola County Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed has sentenced Alex Ramon (34, Kissimmee) to 16 years and 3 months in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Ramon to forfeit the electronic device used in the commission of the offense. Ramon pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025.
According to court documents, a search warrant was executed at Ramon’s residence following cyber tips related to online child sexual abuse activities, which resulted in the recovery of Ramon’s cellphone. The cellphone contained more than 450 videos and 160 images of child sexual abuse material. A further forensic examination of the device revealed that Ramon also shared links and screen-recorded live streams of child sexual abuse, producing his own child sexual abuse material.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Testerman and Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Involvement in Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Pranav Patel (33, New Jersey) to six years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1,791,301, the proceeds of the offense. Patel pleaded guilty on December 23, 2024.
According to court documents, between October and December 2023, Patel was involved in a fraud scheme targeting senior citizens. Conspirators involved in the scheme called from call centers abroad and fraudulently identified themselves as government agents such as officers from the United States Department of the Treasury. In some instances, the conspirators told victims that there were outstanding warrants for their arrest, and they needed to pay to clear the warrants. On other occasions, the conspirators told victims that they needed to provide their money and gold to the officers for safekeeping.
Patel served as a money mule in the fraud scheme. He drove from New Jersey to pick up money and gold from senior citizens in the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere along the east coast of the United States. During the sentencing hearing, one victim from whom Patel picked up fraud proceeds advised the court that because of the scam, he was unable to afford his mortgage payments, had to sell his house, and had to depend on Social Security benefits for all his living expenses.
In December 2023, Patel traveled to a residence in Hillsborough County to retrieve what he believed was a box of gold. Unbeknownst to Patel, he did so while under law enforcement surveillance, and Patel was promptly arrested after picking up the box. In total, Patel laundered $1,791,301 as part of the fraud scheme.
“Preying on vulnerable, unsuspecting elderly victims to rob them of their hard-earned money is despicable. Even worse, the defendant’s co-conspirators posed as government agents to defraud victims of nearly $2 million, threatening them with arrest if they didn’t follow their demands. Thanks to the men and women of the Tampa Field Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for their diligent work,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel of the Tampa Field Office.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Maria Guzman.
Lake County Man Facing up to 135 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Fernando Munguia, Jr. (23, Leesburg) on an indictment charging him with nine counts of knowingly making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and nine counts of causing a federal firearm licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. Each materially false statement charge is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison; each false information count is punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment. In total, Munguia faces a maximum penalty of up to 135 years in federal prison.
According to court records, between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, Munguia illegally straw-purchased multiple firearms in the Middle District of Florida for other individuals. Nine of these firearms—along with other guns—subsequently were intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on May 27, 2023, as another individual attempted to transport them from Eagle Pass, Texas, across the United States’ border into Mexico. Authorities intercepted Munguia’s nine firearms less than a month after he purchased them.
USA v. Munguia - Case 5:24-cr-00082-TPB-PRL Document 1The firearms and ammunition seized at the U.S. border on May 27, 2023.
A record check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) showed that between January 2023 and November 2023, Munguia had purchased 44 firearms for a total of $23,334.25—an amount representing approximately two-thirds of his reported annual income.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 3 Years for Illegally Selling Firearms to A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Ty’shon Damon’n Ramos (26, Jacksonville) to three years and one month in federal prison for selling two firearms to a convicted felon. Ramos pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025.
According to court documents, Ramos came to law enforcement’s attention because he was with the original purchaser of multiple firearms that officers later recovered from individuals who were prohibited from possessing firearms, either because they were convicted felons or adjudicated delinquents. Subsequently, Ramos agreed to sell a confidential informant a firearm that contained a machinegun conversion device, despite the informant’s status as a convicted felon. Ultimately, Ramos sold the informant a rifle and a pistol in exchange for $1,500. Although the rifle did not have a machine conversion device as promised by Ramos, it did have a large-capacity magazine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Convicted Connecticut Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Child EnticementRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Thomas Bull (37, Tolland, CT), a/k/a Andrew Thomas Picard, to 30 years in federal prison for attempting to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing photos of her own sexual abuse. The court also ordered Bull to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and forfeit the electronic device that he used to commit this offense. Bull is a convicted sex offender who was convicted of importation and possession of child pornography in Connecticut in 2013, and was on court-ordered probation when he was arrested on May 25, 2023. Bull was detained and transported to Jacksonville. He pleaded guilty on February 18, 2025.
According to court documents, on November 15, 2022, an FBI agent (UC) in the Jacksonville area was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adults seeking to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. The UC posted a text message in a public chat room on a social media application (app) indicating that the UC had access to an 11-year-old “child.” Later that same day, user “brdr1066,” subsequently identified as Bull, contacted the UC directly using the private online text messaging feature of the app. Bull asked the UC to confirm the age and sexual experience of the “child.” Bull sent the UC explicit photos of himself to show to the “child.” Between November 2022 and May 2023, during text conversations on the app, Bull confirmed his desire to have sex with the “child,” and he sent the UC photos depicting young children being sexually abused. He solicited the UC to take and send to Bull pornographic photos of the “child,” and directed the UC as to how the UC could accomplish this. On May 9, 2023, Bull asked the UC, “do i get live pics tonight? / before she goes to bed hopefully / you ask to see her [genitalia] yet?”
On May 25, 2023, FBI agents arrested Bull and executed a federal search warrant at his residence. A search of Bull’s cellphone revealed that it contained at least 15 videos and 40 photos depicting children being sexually abused, including an infant.
“Protecting kids from predators is among the most important work that we do at the FBI,” said Jason Carley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Let this case be a warning - the FBI is relentless in our efforts to identify and stop child predators from abusing our kids.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and New Haven, Connecticut. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys D. Rodney Brown and Kelly S. Milliron.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, locate, and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ormond Beach Man Indicted for Making Online Threats Against the PresidentRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Sheldon James Biddle (25, Ormond Beach) with threatening to kill the President of the United States. If convicted, Biddle faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on April 2, 2025, Biddle made a threat to take the life of the President of the United States in a series of postings from an online account belonging to him. Specifically, Biddle indicated that the President was going to get assassinated for engaging in treason, a true threat of violence.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by United States Secret Service, the Ormond Beach Police Department, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.
Third Grade Teacher Charged with Additional Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Lee Hughes (45, Pinellas Park) with attempted transmission of harmful material to a minor, attempted enticement or coercion of a minor, and receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Hughes faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the indictment and court documents, Hughes communicated with an undercover officer in an attempt to engage in sexual intercourse with the undercover officer’s purported nine-year-old daughter. Throughout their communications, Hughes sent the undercover officer approximately 10 explicit photos and/or videos of himself, with the request they be shown to the purported child. On May 1, 2025, Hughes traveled to an agreed-upon location to engage in sexual intercourse with the purported nine-year-old girl and was arrested. Law enforcement searched Hughes’s cellphone and discovered he had received and possessed child sexual abuse material.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Augustine Business Owner Indicted for Attempting to Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Jack Dymond Leach (43, St. Augustine) with one count of attempted production of child sexual abuse materials, two counts of receipt of child sexual abuse materials, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse materials. If convicted of the attempted production offense, Leach faces a minimum of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison. For each receipt and possession offense, Leach faces a minimum of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison.
According to court documents, Leach engaged in conversations on an online chat platform during which he paid money to receive child sex abuse images. An investigation into the account resulted in Leach being identified. Federal search warrants were executed at Leach’s home and business in St. Augustine where law enforcement seized numerous electronic devices. A forensic examination of the devices reveled child sexual abuse material.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Fredy Herrera-Castro (44, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a deported alien with a prior felony conviction. If convicted, Herrera-Castro faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on May 30, 2025, Herrera-Castro was found to be voluntarily in the United States after having previously been removed from the United States on five prior occasions. Herrera-Castro had not received consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Additionally, Herrera-Castro was previously convicted of illegal reentry in 2019 and 2020.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).