Middle District of Florida

Jacksonville, FL – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Nicholes Scott Newman (42, Hilliard) to 15 years in federal prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Newman was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender.   

According to court records, in June 2024, a detective acting in an undercover capacity was monitoring a social media messaging group chat where Newman was distributing CSAM images and videos to others in the group. The undercover detective communicated directly with Newman where Newman sent additional videos and images containing CSAM to the undercover detective.

Newman was previously convicted in Pinellas County (2014) of 20 counts of possession of CSAM and was sentenced to Florida State Prison. He was released on February 6, 2019.

“This predator’s prior conviction did not deter him from continuing to victimize children by distributing vile child sexual abuse material,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “The men and women of HSI and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force will continue to work tirelessly to dismantle these networks and keep our communities safe.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’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.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Colton Neal (26, Brooksville) to two years and six months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Neal pleaded guilty on December 16, 2024.

According to court documents, beginning in June 2022 and continuing through July 2023, Neal used an electronic health record and digital telehealth platform to issue electronic prescriptions transmitted through interstate wires. In doing so, Neal used Doctor #1’s name and National Provider Identifier, which he obtained without permission or consent, and posted advertisements on a darknet forum. Neal collected payments for issuing fraudulent controlled substance prescriptions via cryptocurrency and other payment methods. The investigation revealed Neal issued approximately 144 prescriptions for various controlled substances to individuals across the United States.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.

Jacksonville, FL – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced De’Quan Franks (25, Jacksonville) to four years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. Franks pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024. 

According to court records, in October 2023, detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) observed Franks posting a picture of a Glock firearm on Instagram. JSO detectives located Franks shortly after the social media post and saw him with a pistol with a large magazine. Franks ran from the detectives but fell before he could get away. The detectives recovered a Glock 10mm pistol, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine, that Franks had in his waistband. The pistol was also equipped with a machinegun conversion device which would allow the semi-automatic pistol to fire in a fully automatic mode. At the time, Franks had a prior felony conviction that prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.   

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 Laura Taylor.

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, FL - Two Florida residents were sentenced today to three years and a year and a day in prison, respectively, for conspiring to defraud the United States by not paying employment taxes to the IRS.

According to court documents and statements made in court, William Skaggs Jr. owned and operated Nastar Roofing, a roofing company that worked throughout the Ft. Myers area. Billie Adkison was the business’ main office administrator, whose duties included managing payroll.

Between 2013 and 2023, Nastar employees — including Skaggs, Adkison, and others acting at their direction — withdrew over $21 million from the company’s bank accounts to pay employees predominantly in cash without withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from those wages. They did this to escape paying employment taxes they knew were legally required.

At times, Nastar used a payroll provider to issue employees nominal paychecks, but Nastar did not inform the payroll company about the cash wages. As such, when the payroll company filed employment tax returns with the IRS, the forms were false because they did not report the cash wages. Similarly, when Nastar did not use a payroll provider and filed its own employment tax returns, it did not report the substantial cash wages paid to employees. Both Skaggs and Adkison signed some of these tax returns, knowing that they were false.

In total, Skaggs and Adkison caused a tax loss to the IRS of nearly $2.5 million.

In addition to their prison sentences, U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell for the Middle District of Florida ordered Skaggs and Adkison to serve three years of supervised release. The court will determine restitution at a later date.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Sara Sweeney for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Leeman and current Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Winter for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Juan Sebastian Perez (24, Naples) to 30 years in federal prison for enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and possession of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Perez was also sentenced to a life term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. Perez entered a guilty plea on December 18, 2024.

According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 26, 2024, Perez was involved with child exploitation, to include the enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and the distribution and possession of CSAM. Perez sought out and chatted with at least one minor over the internet through a social media application. 

In June 2024, the FBI received a report concerning a 14-year-old child being persuaded by Perez to produce sexually explicit pictures to send to him. At Perez’s urging and direction, the minor sent sexually explicit pictures and videos to Perez.

When the FBI executed a search warrant at Perez’s home, Perez agreed to speak with agents and admitted to using several social media applications. Perez told agents that he had come across CSAM online and admitted to soliciting nude images from users with whom he had communicated with. A subsequent forensic examination of Perez’s electronic devices revealed images and videos of CSAM. 

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Lake Oswego Police Department. 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.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Pascual Francisco, Jr. (26, Fort Myers) to nine years and three months in federal prison for distributing a controlled substance, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a machinegun. Francisco pleaded guilty on September 16, 2024.

According to court records, over the course of several transactions in late-2023 and early-2024, Francisco sold an undercover law enforcement agent cocaine, fake Percocet pills laced with p-fluorofentanyl, an illegal machinegun, and an illegal machinegun conversion device. Francisco used a social media application to facilitate his drug and gun transactions prior to his arrest in this case. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. 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, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Sam Austin Young (28, Fort Myers) and Bryant Eric Scharoun (35, Lehigh Acres) to 20 and 15 years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy. Young pleaded guilty on July 23, 2024, and Scharoun pleaded guilty on May 14, 2024.

According to court records, Young and Scharoun held leadership roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy during which large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine were possessed and sold in Lee County between approximately June 2022 and March 2023. The investigation revealed that Young and Scharoun used an elderly, drug addicted individual to courier drugs and money for them as part of the conspiracy. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 3 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 2 kilograms of cocaine, approximately one-half kilogram of fentanyl, and 10 firearms that were possessed in furtherance of the conspiracy.  

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

Fort Myers, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging David Velasquez-Lopez (34, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Velasquez-Lopez faces up to two years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, Velasquez-Lopez was previously removed from the United States on January 6, 2010, January 16, 2010, and October 10, 2012. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States.  On January 10, 2018, Velasquez-Lopez was found voluntarily back in 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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

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.

Fort Myers, FL – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Fernando Espinosa Leon (60) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. Espinosa Leon was also ordered to forfeit $4,013,148.76, the proceeds of his offenses. Espinosa Leon pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024.

According to court documents, Espinosa Leon engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare using his company, Global Medical Supply Inc. To carry out the scheme, stole the personally identifiable information of Medicare beneficiaries and medical practitioners. Espinosa Leon fraudulently billed Medicare for durable medical equipment that he falsely claimed had been prescribed and supplied. From June 2020 through September 2020, Espinosa Leon utilized the services of a third-party biller and fraudulently submitted for billing more than $7.6 million in claims for reimbursement. As a result, over $4 million in fraudulently obtained Medicare fraud proceeds were deposited into a bank account that Espinosa Leon managed and controlled.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Juan Gonzalez-Diaz (46, Cuba) to two years and six months in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Gonzalez-Diaz to forfeit the firearms and ammunition possessed during the offense. Gonzalez-Diaz entered a guilty plea on December 18, 2024.

According to court documents, on June 19, 2024, deputies from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at an industrial park in Labelle. During the search of the property, deputies located a stolen recreational vehicle (RV) and discovered Gonzalez-Diaz, a convicted felon, inside. The RV was subsequently searched, and deputies recovered multiple firearms and ammunition. At the time, Gonzalez-Diaz had a previous federal felony conviction for conspiracy to receive, possess, conceal, store, sell, and dispose of stolen goods. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Robert B. McDougal (29, California) today pleaded guilty to one count of cyber stalking and three counts of interstate transmission of threats to injure. McDougal faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, McDougal made numerous public social media posts threatening to kill an individual and his family members. McDougal started making these threats in July 2020. For example, on August 17, 2020, McDougal posted a video on his Facebook page in which he said, “…I swear to God, [victim]… everyone at [victim’s employer], I’m gonna to f---king slaughter all of you, I am gonna fucking set your whole family on fire, I am gonna f---ing knife off the limbs of every f---ing family member, I’m gonna f---ing murder you all.” The video ended with the following statement: “I’ll get my hands on your children! I will f---in decapitate them!”

On January 28, 2021, McDougal was served with an injunction and ordered to stop making these posts. He persisted in making several violent and graphic threats to kill the victim and his family until March 2024. For example, in October 2023, McDougal posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he threatened to “skin [the victim] alive, and the “hurt” the children of VICTIM 1. And in March 2024, McDougal wrote an online post in which he threatened to torture, skin, mutilate, and kill the victim.

This case was investigated by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Covington has sentenced James Falzone (56, Wimauma) to eight years and one month in federal prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The court also ordered Falzone to pay $30,000 in restitution to victims of the offenses and to register as a sex offender. Falzone pled guilty plea on December 4, 2024.

According to court documents, on October 31, 2022, Falzone attempted to enter the United States via the seaport in Port Canaveral, Florida, after arriving from an international cruise. Law enforcement conducted a border search of his cellphone and found over 1,500 images of CSAM. Also, within Falzone’s cellphone was a chat with another individual from whom he received CSAM. 

“Another child predator behind bars,” said ICE HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. “Thanks to the unique border search authorities of our special agents, this criminal was caught red-handed.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Roberts and Abigail K. King.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Jose del Carmen Sanchez-Garcia (42), a Honduras national, to two years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States without authorization by federal immigration officials. Sanchez-Garcia pled guilty on December 27, 2024.

According to court documents, federal law enforcement learned that Sanchez-Garcia was in the United States on February 1, 2023, after Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested him on state criminal charges. Sanchez-Garcia had no permission to be in the United States and had previously been removed from the United States four times before. He had previously been convicted for illegal reentry to the United States after deportation once before, in 2017.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Alexis Soto Escalante (20, Ellenton) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to, and possessing with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of cocaine. Soto Escalante faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on May 22, 2024, Soto Escalante sourced 55.9 grams of fentanyl to his co-defendant, Traveous Anderson, that was recovered by agents upon Anderson’s arrest. Later the 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 fentanyl in the vehicle Soto Escalante was driving. Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at Soto Escalante’s residence and found an additional 14.03 grams of cocaine in his bedroom.

Anderson’s case is still pending trial. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bradenton Police Department and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. 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.

Tampa, FL– U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Neil Thomas (23, Wesley Chapel) to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse images. The court also ordered Thomas to forfeit a cellular phone used in the commission of the offense, pay $24,000 in restitution to the victims, and register as a sexual offender. Thomas pled guilty on November 5, 2024.

According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Thomas’ home in September 2023. During a search of Thomas’ cellphone, law enforcement found that in August 2023, Thomas received numerous videos depicting children being sexually abused. Thomas also possessed over 1,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse in his cellphone.

“Protecting our most vulnerable communities will continue to be a focus of our special agents,” said ICE HSI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. "This child predator will now spend time in prison thinking about his crimes.”  

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.

This 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.

Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Yarquimedes Rodriguez Hilario (32, Cleveland, OH) and Adison Lopez-Ramirez (34, Cleveland, OH) with conspiring to traffic firearms and money laundering. If convicted on all counts, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit assets that are traceable to proceeds of the offense. 

According to the indictment and other court documents filed during this investigation, since 2021, undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), posing as Mexican cartel members, were introduced to Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario because he was a trafficker of firearms that could be smuggled to Mexico. Undercover communications with Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario and others discussed the purchase of AR-15s and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. One of the coconspirators described that he sold AR-15s and AK-47s to El Salvadorans and had cocaine available for distribution. Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario further offered fentanyl to one of the agents to make pills.

Beginning in late-2021, members of the conspiracy sold or arranged the sale of at least 90 rifles and one Mac-10-type machine gun with a silencer to undercover agents in the Middle District of Florida and Cleveland, Ohio. On October 21, 2021, Adison Lopez-Ramirez delivered nine .223/5.56 caliber rifles and one 9mm rifle to undercover ATF agents in St. Petersburg, Florida, in exchange for $16,000. Soon after the sale, federal agents followed Lopez-Ramirez as he deposited $9,000 from the sale into the bank account of Yarquimedes Rodriguez Hilario, the brother of Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario.

In November 2022, an undercover agent told Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario that his associates in Mexico were “battling and losing” and needed to purchase more firearms. On March 2, 2023, Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario arranged to deliver 40 AM-15 multi-caliber firearms to the agents. Saleh Yusuf Saleh, who acquired and assembled the parts to make the firearms, arrived at the meeting with Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario and the agents. After an undercover agent inspected one of the boxes of firearms, both Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario and Saleh were arrested.

In March 2024, Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months’ imprisonment. In November 2024, Saleh Yusuf Saleh previously was sentenced to 5 years and 8 months in federal prison. 

Image 1: Firearms from the October 21, 2021 Sale

 Images 2-3: Firearms from March 10, 2022 Sale

Images 4-5: Firearms from May 26, 2022 Sale

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The Cleveland offices of ATF, HSI, DEA, and FBI, with assistance from the Cleveland Police Department and Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, provided critical support in the apprehension of the defendants. It is being prosecuted by Dan Baeza.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America which streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Jacksonville residents Travis Morgan Slaughter and Tripp Charles Slaughter to 41 months and 21 months in federal prison, respectively, for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud related to Jacksonville roofing businesses they operated. The Slaughters pled guilty on November 25, 2024.

As part of their sentence, the court entered an order of forfeiture against Travis Slaughter in the amount of $2,780,947.56 and against Tripp Slaughter in the amount $416,799.66, which were proceeds traceable to the mail and wire fraud offenses. The court also ordered Travis Slaughter to pay restitution in the amount of $6,768,612.32 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for payroll tax losses, $2,780,947.56 to two insurance companies for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and $271,217.39 to the same two companies for two paid workers’ compensation claims. The court ordered Tripp Slaughter to pay restitution of $623,269.64 to the IRS for payroll tax losses, $416,799.66 to an insurance company for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and $137,778.39 to the same company for a paid workers’ compensation claim.

According to court documents, beginning in 2007, Travis Slaughter operated a roofing business in Jacksonville, first under the name Great White Construction and then under the name Florida Roofing Experts. In January 2020, the business began operating under the name 5 Star Roofing Services, which Tripp Slaughter incorporated. Although the name changed, each business operated in the same manner, banked at the same financial institutions, and employed the same employees.

The company contracted with professional employer organizations (PEOs) to prepare payroll checks for employees, after making deductions for payroll taxes, and to file payroll tax returns and forward tax payments to governmental authorities. However, the company did not provide the PEOs with information about all the hours worked by, or all the wages due to, its employees. Instead, the company also paid the employees directly, with separate checks drawn on company bank accounts, and did not deduct payroll taxes from these checks. By paying employees with “split checks”—one from the PEO and one from the company—the company avoided paying the full amount of payroll taxes due to the IRS. For the period of October 2015 through June 2020, the company paid a total of approximately $23,079,680 in wages that were not reported to the IRS. The payroll taxes due to the IRS on this amount total approximately $4,292,429. The PEOs also secured workers’ compensation insurance coverage for the company. The premiums charged by the workers’ compensation insurers were based on the total amount of payroll that the company reported to the PEOs. If the company had reported the actual amount of payroll, the insurers would have charged additional premiums totaling approximately $2,780,947.

In addition to causing the company to underreport their payroll to the IRS, the Slaughters also underreported their personal income to the IRS. For the tax years 2014 through 2019, the unpaid taxes due on Travis Slaughter’s unreported income totaled approximately $2,467,183. For the tax years 2015 through 2019, the unpaid taxes due on Tripp Slaughter’s unreported income totaled approximately $263,614.

“The actions of these two defendants represent a blatant disregard for U.S. law and our financial systems. Despite operating successful construction businesses that generated millions of dollars in wealth, their greed drove them to lie and cheat for years,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Tampa Field Office. “Their scheme to evade millions of dollars in taxes not only undermined the integrity of our tax system but also created an unfair advantage in which law-abiding competitors cannot compete for bids.  Our job is to make sure dishonest offenders like these two face the consequences of their criminal activities.”

“The Slaughters defrauded insurance companies of millions in workers’ compensation insurance premiums and will be responsible for financial restitution for the loss of insurance premiums and death and injury claims,” said ICE HSI Tampa, Jacksonville office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “As part of this criminal enterprise, they also exploited the labor of hundreds of illegal aliens.”

This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.

Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Garville Gary Gayle (36, Jamaica) with illegal reentry by a previously deported or removed alien. If convicted, Gayle faces up to ten years in federal prison. 

According to the complaint, Gayle is a Jamaican citizen and national who was previously removed from the United States on November 19, 2009, and again on May 26, 2016. Prior to being removed from the United States, he was convicted of felony offenses, including illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to re-enter the United States. On April 29, 2024, Gayle was found voluntarily back in the United States.

A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), the Orlando Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Del Mastro.

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.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announced the extraditions of Jair Alberto Alvarez Valenzuela (54) and Luis Carlos Diaz Martinez (32), both from Colombia, to stand trial on an indictment for conspiracy to distribute cocaine having reasonable cause to believe it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Alvarez Valenzuela and Diaz Martinez were extradited to the United States on March 13, 2025, from Colombia. If convicted, both defendants face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, Alvarez Valenzuela and Diaz Martinez were former employees of the Colombian Navy. In exchange for money from drug traffickers they recruited active-duty members of the Colombian Navy to secretly plant global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices in Colombian Navy vessels. Transnational Criminal Organizations used the location data derived from these tracking devices to direct vessels filled with cocaine bound for the United States around Colombian Navy ships and patrols. 

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 prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigation. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of these defendants. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stoia.

Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Brian Keith Speights (67, Jacksonville) has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Jacksonville for escaping from custody at a halfway house in Jacksonville. If convicted, Speights faces up to five years in prison and a maximum of three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in 2019, Speights was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison after being convicted of using his Jacksonville residence to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, and for possessing several firearms in furtherance of illegal drug trafficking. On January 2, 2025, he knowingly and willfully escaped from custody at the Bridges Federal Reintegration Center in Jacksonville, where he was lawfully confined serving the sentence imposed in 2019. Speights was arrested on this new federal charge on March 17, 2025, and his arraignment and detention hearing are set for March 19, 2025.  

An indictment is only an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Jonathan Albert Carter (44, Palm Coast) with one count of distribution, two counts of receiving, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted on all counts, Carter faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for each of the distribution and receipt charges, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, for the possession of CSAM. 

According to the indictment, on or about August 13, 2021, Carter knowingly distributed CSAM. On or about December 12, 2022, and on or about November 19, 2023, Carter knowingly received CSAM, and on or about January 4, 2023, Carter possessed CSAM that depicted a minor who had not yet attained 12 years of age.

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 Kaley Austin-Aronson.

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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Jonen Castillo (24, Orlando) to two years in federal prison for smuggling goods from the United States. The court also ordered Castillo to forfeit two Glock pistols, which were involved in the offense. Castillo entered a guilty plea on November 25, 2024.

According to court records, in June 2023, Castillo concealed five firearms and nine firearm magazines inside record players and mailed them to a friend residing in Canada.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Horus Samuel Marquez Villatoro (31) to three years and nine months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a removed alien, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally in the United States. The court also ordered the defendant to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that he illegally possessed. Marquez Villatoro pled guilty on December 18, 2024.

According to court documents, Marquez Villatoro, a citizen of Mexico with no legal status in the United States, was removed from the United States on three previous occasions before reentering unlawfully sometime after 2019. On January 23, 2024, the defendant was found in Hillsborough County driving a car that contained a black Glock 17 9mm pistol, an extended magazine, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. Marquez Villatoro knew that the firearm and ammunition were in the car, and that he was an alien and unlawfully in the United States.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey N. Schmidt.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Orlando, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Eugenio Gonzalez-Paredes (53, Dominican Republic) has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Gonzalez-Paredes faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.

According to court documents, Gonzalez-Paredes attempted to purchase a Glock pistol from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Deltona, Florida. To purchase the firearm, Gonzalez-Paredes was required to complete a Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473. The Form 4473 asked whether Gonzalez-Paredes had ever been convicted of a felony, and Gonzalez-Paredes checked the answer “No.” At the time Gonzalez-Paredes filled out the Form 4473, he had twice previously been convicted in the United States District Court in the District of Puerto Rico for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.

This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the dismantlement of a transnational criminal organization (TCO) that operated out of La Guajira, a peninsula on the Venezuelan/Colombian border. From there, the organization dispatched thousands of kilograms of cocaine intended for the United States and Europe.

Socrates Barros-Fince Transnational Criminal Organization

Name

Age

Sentence Imposed

45

37

35

57

45

15 years, 8 months

According to the plea agreements, the above-named individuals were part of a transnational criminal organization that dispatched cocaine-laden vessels to the Dominican Republic and Spain. From the Venezuela/Colombia border, the organization planned smuggling trips and recruited crewmembers for that purpose. It was foreseeable to the conspirators that some of the cocaine was intended for the United States.

The investigation resulted in several seizures totaling over 6,700 kilograms associated with the organization that were prosecuted in the United States and abroad, to include:

• Seizure of about 932 kilograms of cocaine near the Dominican Republic on August 15, 2016;
• Interdiction of a go-fast vessel in the Caribbean Sea on November 9-10, 2016, smuggling about 700 kilograms of cocaine and prosecuted in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico;
• Interdiction of a go-fast vessel in the Caribbean Sea on October 4, 2018, smuggling over 450 kilograms of cocaine and prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida;
• Interdiction of the M/V KARAR carrying about 4,000 kilograms of cocaine off the coast of Galicia, Spain on April 25, 2020, resulting in the arrests of 15 crewmembers and a dozen Spanish organized crime members.

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.

This prosecution is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Panama Express Strike Force Initiative, whose mission is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Colombian National Police, Spanish National Police, and Spanish Coast Guard provided critical investigative support. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá assisted in the extradition of these defendants. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dany Telfort (20, Orlando) to 18 years in federal prison for two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Telfort to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offenses. Telfort pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024.

According to the plea agreement, between March 23 and April 1, 2023, Telfort and his co-defendant, Nijah Jahni Mitchell, participated in a string of nine armed robberies of various convenience stores throughout Central Florida. During some of the robberies, Telfort entered the store, pointed a firearm at the store clerks, and demanded the money from the cash registers. During others, Telfort acted as the getaway driver. 

Mitchell is currently pending trial. 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 Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Clermont Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oakland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Tampa, FL – Jack Rocker, 19, of Tampa, was sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The court also ordered Rocker to forfeit an iPhone 12, thumb drive, and laptop, all of which possessed CSAM. Rocker will also have to register as a sex offender and pay $126,500 in restitution to the victims. Rocker pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2024. 

According to court filings, Rocker was a member of “764” a network of violent online extremists who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. These extremists work individually or as part of a network with these goals of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. 764 uses known online social media communications platforms, as mediums to support the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and CSAM.

On Jan. 19, 2024, the FBI conducted a search of Rocker’s residence located in the Middle District of Florida. The FBI seized Rocker’s iPhone, thumb drive, and laptop. At this time, the FBI has determined that Rocker’s devices contain over 8,300 images and videos of CSAM, including images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, masochistic sexual behavior, and bestiality.

This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

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 U.S. 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.

Jack Rocker, 19, of Tampa, was sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The court also ordered Rocker to forfeit an iPhone 12, thumb drive, and Acer Laptop, all of which possessed CSAM. Rocker will also have to register as a sex offender and pay restitution to the victims.

Rocker pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2024. According to court filings, Rocker was a member of “764” a network of violent online extremists who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. These extremists work individually or as part of a network with these goals of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. 764 uses known online social media communications platforms, as mediums to support the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and CSAM.

On Jan. 19, 2024, the FBI conducted a search of Rocker’s residence located in the Middle District of Florida. The FBI seized Rocker’s iPhone, thumb drive, and Acer laptop. At this time, the FBI has determined that Rocker’s devices contain over 8,300 images and videos of CSAM, including images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, masochistic sexual behavior, and bestiality.

This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

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 U.S. 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, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest of Davian Walker (19, Haines City) for robberies of convenience stores throughout the Middle District of Florida. If convicted, Walker faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. 

According to the complaint and court statements, Walker committed five robberies over the course of less than three months. Each robbery involved Walker brandishing what appeared to be a handgun to store clerks and demanding cash.

Through an investigation into the first four robberies, law enforcement was able to link Walker to the robberies by identifying his phone number and the vehicle Walker was using to travel to each of the robberies. Using that information, law enforcement tracked and ultimately arrested Walker shortly after he committed a robbery in Titusville during the early morning hours of March 13, 2025.

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 Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Zephyrhills Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Titusville Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Gudelito Adin Cinto-Gonzalez (43, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Cinto-Gonzalez faces up to two years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, Cinto-Gonzalez was previously removed from the United States on September 16, 2004. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to re-enter the United States. On July 4, 2024, he was found voluntarily back in 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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) and the Ocoee Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Del Mastro.

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.

Tampa, FL – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Rudy Salazar (37, Dade City) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute, and for possessing with the intent to distribute, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Salazar pleaded guilty on December 3, 2024.  

According to the plea agreement, between January and November 2023, Salazar trafficked approximately 11.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 39 grams of cocaine, and 30 grams of fentanyl within Pasco County. Salazar, knowing the lethality of fentanyl, took extra precautions to protect himself when selling it, including wearing a mask and gloves. He warned a buyer that one could die from touching or ingesting fentanyl without protection (photo below):

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Phillip Johnson (21, Cocoa) with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, robbery, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Johnson faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.  

According to the complaint, during the early morning hours of February 1, 2025, three individuals traveled from Brevard County to Tampa to commit a robbery. After arriving in Tampa, the three individuals went inside the Dreams Club near Ybor City. The three individuals were wearing all black clothing, ski masks, and armed with rifles and handguns.  

While inside, the three individuals demanded money from the victim, and Johnson ultimately shot the victim in the face. 

A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with great assistance provided by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Cocoa Police Department and the State Attorney’s Office for the 13th Judicial Circuit in Tampa. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Deyvis Hernandez (37, Miami) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud. Hernandez faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud count, up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy count, and payment of restitution to the victims he and his co-defendants defrauded. No sentencing date has been set.

According to court documents, Hernandez and his co-conspirators worked together to install skimmers on gas pumps, including gas stations in Alabama, Louisiana, and Northern Florida. The conspirators used the skimmers to illegally obtain credit and debit card account numbers involved with the purchase of fuel by customers at the gas pump. Using the account numbers stolen by the skimmers, they subsequently made counterfeit credit and debit cards and then, used them to purchase large amounts of diesel fuel.

During the conspiracy the conspirators drove vehicles that contained a fuel bladder system. This system allowed the conspirators to fake pumping gas into the vehicle’s gas tank when in fact the diesel fuel was being pumped into the fuel bladder system. Analysis by law enforcement of fuel purchases, vehicle tracker data, gas station video surveillance, and real time surveillance of the conspirators determined that the conspirators drove to multiple gas stations throughout Northern Florida. After obtaining the gas, the conspirators offloaded the stolen fuel into 9,500-gallon tanker trucks at a fuel yard. The tanker trucks were arranged in part by Hernandez who was part owner of a gas station in south Florida. Hernandez coordinated the sale of the stolen diesel fuel to locations designated by him to include in south Florida. 

Deonelky Tabares Cid (36, Tampa) previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, six counts of access device fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Luis Edel Trujillo Pena (29, Miami) previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. No sentencing date has been set for either defendant.

Co-defendants Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa (32, Miami) and Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo (38, Jacksonville) are scheduled for trial in May 2025.

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 Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the indictment and arrest of Terrence Bradford (46, Tampa) for eight counts of wire fraud related to COVID relief funds. If convicted, Bradford faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. In addition, he faces a forfeiture order of $533,648.32, which represents the alleged proceeds he obtained through these offenses.

According to the indictment, between April 2020 and March 2021, Bradford 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.

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.

In May 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.   

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.

Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Kevin Patrick Wilson (39, Ponte Vedra) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement and coercion of a minor. Wilson faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Wilson was arrested on July 24, 2025, and ordered detained pending the resolution of his case.

According to court documents, on July 20, 2024, an individual posted a public message in a Facebook group seeking a tutor for her child. On the day of the post, an individual posing as a woman, but later identified as Wilson, reached out and directed the poster to contact her “husband,” Wilson, by text message. The poster contacted Wilson and had a short text conversation. The poster said she was seeking tutoring assistance for an 11-year-old child. Wilson sent a picture of himself and asked for a photo of the child. The text message conversation ended shortly thereafter. The poster later contacted the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office about the interaction.

On July 24, 2024, an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 12-year-old female “child” reached out to Wilson about tutoring services for the “child.”  After the undercover detective initiated the conversation, Wilson began discussing sexual topics involving the “child” and meeting the “child” to perform sexual acts with the “child.” Wilson also spoke to undercover detectives portraying the “child” via phone and text message. Wilson and the undercover detective portraying the guardian of the “child” ultimately agreed to meet during the evening of July 24, 2024, for Wilson to engage in sexual acts with the “child.” Wilson was arrested when he arrived at the predetermined meeting location.

This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being 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.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Omar Marin-Lopez (41, Mexico) with illegal reentry of removed alien. If convicted, Marin-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.

According to court documents, Marin-Lopez is a citizen and national of Mexico. He was previously removed from the United States on July 17, 2008; October 4, 2012; and January 11, 2013. On November 5, 2024, Marin-Lopez was again found in the United States in Hillsborough County. Marin-Lopez did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security for the United States to apply for readmission to 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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.

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.

Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest of Moises Vasconselos-Garcia (26, Dade City) on a criminal complaint charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Vasconselos faces up to two years in federal prison. 

According to court records, Vasconselos is a Mexican national who was previously removed from the United States on May 30, 2022. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to re-enter the United States. On February 25, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) and the Sumter County Sherif’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.

Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest of Felipe Garcia-Vasquez (39, Morriston) on a criminal complaint charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Garcia faces up to two years in federal prison. 

According to court records, Garcia is a Mexican national who was previously removed from the United States on January 21, 2013. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to re-enter the United States. On February 26, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) 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.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Ricardo Fermin Sune-Giron (34) to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to traffic in firearms, gun trafficking, dealing in firearms without a license, and possessing firearms as an illegal alien. The court also ordered Sune-Giron to forfeit all the firearms and ammunition seized from his residence. Sune-Giron pleaded guilty on December 11, 2024.

According to the plea agreement, between 2023 and April 2024, Sune-Giron was a member of a large-scale firearms trafficking operation. He recruited individuals, known as “straw purchasers,” to illegally buy firearms—including Glocks, rifles and AK-47s—from licensed federal firearms dealers across Florida. After obtaining the firearms, Sune-Giron and his co-conspirators smuggled them overseas, shipping them to countries including the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Between 2023 and 2024, Sune-Giron and his co-conspirators trafficked more than 1,000 firearms. Several of these firearms were later recovered at crime scenes.

On April 18, 2024, ATF and HSI agents in Tampa and Orlando executed three coordinated search warrants at three residences in the Orlando area, including Sune-Giron’s residence. Agents recovered approximately 57 firearms, 30 empty gun boxes, approximately $16,000 in cash, ammunition, and money counters.

At the time of the search, Sune-Giron was living in the United States illegally under an assumed name.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes and Noah P. Dorman.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

Tampa, FL – United States District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle has sentenced James Patrick Sychowski (48, Tarpon Springs) to 12 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. A federal jury found Sychowski guilty on December 6, 2024. 

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on February 7, 2023, at his mother’s residence in Tarpon Springs, Sychowski armed himself with a loaded AR-15 “ghost gun” that he had built himself over the course of several months.  Sychowski threatened to kill his mother and her husband and threatened to shoot at any police officers responding to the scene. When officers from the Tarpon Springs Police Department arrived, Sychowski fled and was later arrested in Clearwater. Officers discovered the AR-15 ghost gun on Sychowski’s bed in his room along with the construction materials and accessories Sychowski used to build the AR-15. Further investigation revealed that Sychowski had purchased the AR-15 components online and shipped them to the Tarpon Springs residence. 

Bank statements, financial documents, and electronic evidence presented at trial corroborated Sychowski’s purchase of the ghost gun components and his purchase of PMC 5.56mm ammunition and a magazine from a local firearms store. Below is a photograph of the AR-15 ghost gun recovered from Sychowski’s phone.  

Over the last 20 years, Sychowski was convicted in Florida of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, carjacking, various sex crimes involving children, and bank robbery. Sychowski had been released from the Florida Department of Corrections for fewer than 5 months when he began planning to assemble his “ghost gun” and load it with ammunition.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tarpon Springs Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and David J. Pardo.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that a federal jury has found Milton Anthony Bradshaw (44, Tampa) guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Bradshaw faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for June 3, 2025. 

According to evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of September 20, 2022, Bradshaw got into an argument with three unknown individuals at an apartment complex in Tampa. As the three individuals walked to their car, Bradshaw grabbed a gun and proceeded to hide behind a dumpster in the parking lot. As the individuals drove away, Bradshaw started firing at them.   

Deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office were called to the scene where they recovered a firearm that Bradshaw had left outside of an apartment after the shooting. Bradshaw was identified in surveillance video that captured the argument and the shooting, and DNA recovered from the firearm matched Bradshaw’s. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Chelsey Hanson. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Marcus Pratt (39, Crestview) has pleaded guilty to one count of mailing threatening communications and one count of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official. Pratt faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in July 2023, Pratt was in Live Oak serving a state sentence when he placed a threatening handwritten letter through the U.S. Mail. The letter was addressed to a judge and the federal courthouse in Miami threatening that his associates would kill a certain U.S. District Judge and place bombs outside the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Pratt sent another hand-written letter on September 27, 2023, addressed to the same federal judge that threatened that Pratt’s associates were going to kill the judge and whoever was at his house when they got there. Finally, Pratt sent a handwritten letter dated October 10, 2023, to the same federal judge telling the judge that the Pratt’s associates would kill him very soon, and that he was planning an attack on the U.S. Courthouse and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami. All letters were signed by Pratt and threatened to kill the judge due to the performance of his official duties and with the intent to retaliate against the judge on the performance of his official duties.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lasry and Kirwinn Mike. 

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of indictments charging Ismael Alvarez (36, Dade City), Lonnie Griffin (63, Dade City), Juan Medrano (42, Dade City), Raymond Downing (51, Dade City), Lionel Florez (27, Dade City), Lorenzo Herrera (34, Dade City), and Richard Sanchez (31, Dade City) with distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted, each faces a minimum sentence of five years, up to life, in federal prison. 

According to the indictments and statements made in court, on multiple occasions over a series of months, these individuals conducted drug transactions with an undercover confidential source. The transactions involved varying amounts of methamphetamine. Between April and November 2024, law enforcement recovered over 800 grams of pure methamphetamine collectively from these transactions.

On March 11, 2025, the FBI, in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies, arrested five of the defendants during an early morning takedown.

“These law enforcement actions demonstrate the FBI’s persistence in combating violent crime in our communities. We will continue to strengthen our federal, state, and local partnerships to meet our mission and to ensure the safety and security of the American people,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. 

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 Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Zephyrhills Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.

Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Michael Taylor, Jr. (27, New Jersey) has pleaded guilty to producing, distributing, and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Taylor faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the production offense, and a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years’ imprisonment, for each of the distribution and receipt offenses. Taylor’s co-defendant, Alexandria Stevens (20, New Jersey), pleaded guilty to producing, distributing, and receiving CSAM on February 28, 2025. A sentencing date has not yet been set for Taylor or Stevens. Both remain in federal custody pending the resolution of this case. 

According to court documents, while visiting Florida in November 2023, Taylor and Stevens produced CSAM with an 8-year-old child. They also received and distributed images of CSAM over the internet.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

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.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Solomon Smith (22, Lakeland) to 30 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Smith entered a guilty plea on November 7, 2024.

According to court documents, on July 2, 2024, officers with the Lakeland Police Department were surveilling a residence to serve an outstanding arrest warrant for Smith. The officers observed Smith with a handgun, equipped with an extended magazine, tucked in his waistband. After Smith was arrested on the warrant, officers obtained a warrant and searched the residence. Officers located the handgun hidden in an air vent. The firearm was not marked with a serial number and was loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition. Photographs of Smith in possession of the same handgun were posted on social media.

At the time, Smith had been convicted of prior felony offenses, including carrying a concealed firearm and possession of cannabis resin. As a convicted felon, Smith is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.

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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Coretta Rena Bates (32, College Park, Georgia) to 24 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft. The court also entered an order directing Bates to pay restitution to the victim credit union in the amount of $167,117.50, the proceeds of the aggravated identity theft fraud scheme. Bates pleaded guilty on December 11, 2024. 

According to court documents, Bates obtained the personal identification information of several individuals and counterfeit North Carolina driver licenses imprinted with Bates’s photograph and the identifying information of those victims. From April through July 2023, Bates used the identity documents to open lines of credit with a credit union and to withdraw cash advances in the names of those victims. Bates fraudulently obtained more than $167,000 from the credit union.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office, with the assistance of the City of Brookhaven (Georgia) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Richard Sauls (64, Daytona Beach) to nine months in federal prison for theft of government property and making false statements to a federal agency. As part of his sentence, Sauls must also pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sauls entered a guilty plea on November 21, 2024. 

According to court documents, Sauls was receiving Social Security benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits under his original Social Security number. He then used a second Social Security number that had been issued to him to apply for a second set of Social Security and SNAP benefits, to which he was not entitled. In his applications, Sauls made several false statements about his income and resources, including denying that he was already receiving Social Security and SNAP benefits. As a result of his fraudulent applications, Sauls received a second set of SNAP benefits to which he was not entitled. He did not receive a second set of Social Security benefits because the Social Security Administration discovered the fraud before any payments were issued to him. 

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Covington has sentenced Lewis James Scott (36, Tampa) to 15 years and 1 month in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Scott pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, but he pleaded not guilty to possessing the firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In December 2024, a federal jury found Scott guilty of that charge as well.

According to court documents, on September 4, 2023, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a vehicle being driven by Scott for multiple driving infractions. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers found 37.5 grams of methamphetamine, 10.9 grams of cocaine, and 6.5 grams of fentanyl. These narcotics were found in a portable lock box with a handle, which the passenger in the vehicle told law enforcement Scott had placed at her feet prior to law enforcement approaching the vehicle.

The deputies located a scale with a white powdery substance on it inside the center console, along with a firearm, which included a round of ammunition in the chamber and in the magazine. In the trunk of the vehicle, deputies located a bag of a horse joint supplement. A chemist with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement later determined that methylsulfonylmethane was indicated in this bag. Methylsulfonylmethane is a commonly known cutting agent used in narcotics distribution.

Scott has a prior felony conviction for tampering with physical evidence (2018) and, therefore, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. In this case, Scott placed a phone call to a witness prior to trial encouraging her to change her statement. This call was played during Scott’s trial and subjected him to a higher sentencing range.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. 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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Fort Myers, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Jose Ignacio Carrizalez III (27, Clewiston) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Carrizalez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, on April 12, 2024, agents executed a federal search warrant at a residence in Clewiston and found Carrizalez in possession of a Canik pistol and assorted ammunition. At the time, Carrizalez had multiple prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza today sentenced Jordan Franklin Trexler (30, Casselberry) to life in federal prison for enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and two counts of production of child sexual abuse material. Trexler was found guilty by a federal jury on December 11, 2024.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Trexler groomed a minor victim to engage in sexual activity when she was 14 years old. Trexler reached out to the victim via social media and offered her marijuana. After they met up, Trexler got her heavily intoxicated and then sexually abused her. Over the course of approximately two weeks, Trexler and the victim exchanged messages on a social media app discussing plans to meet and the type of sexual activity in which Trexler wanted the 14-year-old to engage. They met frequently during that period and during those meetings Trexler repeatedly sexually abused the victim. On one occasion, Trexler video recorded his sexual abuse of the victim. On another occasion, he produced a sexually explicit image of the victim.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oviedo Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin-Aronson and Stephanie McNeff.

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.