Middle District of Florida

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Jose Cruz Cienega-Gaona (41, Mexico) to one year and one day in federal prison for possessing a firearm while unlawfully in the United States. Cienega-Gaona entered a guilty plea in November 2024.

According to court documents, in May 2024, agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection began an investigation into Cienega-Gaona. Through their investigation, agents determined that Cienega-Gaona is a native and citizen of Mexico. Cienega-Gaona had been removed from the United States in 2006 and 2019 after it was determined he was illegally in the United States.

On July 9, 2024, agents spoke with Cienega-Gaona at a gas station near his home and he was arrested for being illegally in the United States. While interviewing Cienega-Gaona, agents learned that he had guns in his home. Agents executed a search warrant at Cienega-Gaona’s home and found four guns and ammunition. Because Cienega-Gaona was in the United States illegally, he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dimas Obispo Yuman-Parada (62, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Yuman-Parada faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, Yuman-Parada was previously removed from the United States on nine prior occasions—1986, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2015. Following his removal from the United States in 2015, Yuman-Parada did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. Yuman-Parada was found to be voluntarily back in the United States in October 2024, when he was arrested in the Middle District of Florida on a state charge of domestic battery. Yuman-Parada was previously convicted in the Southern District of Texas of illegal reentry in 2014.

This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle has sentenced Wesley Berton Paul (48, Georgia) to 5 years and 11 months in federal prison for importing cocaine into the United States from Panama. Paul entered a guilty plea on August 19, 2024. 

According to court documents, in April of 2022, Paul and others in Panama and New York coordinated a shipment of 15 kilograms of cocaine from Panama to Port Everglades, Florida. The cocaine was hidden inside a cargo container’s refrigeration unit. Law enforcement seized the cocaine upon its arrival to Florida.

Paul’s role in the conspiracy was to secure compromised port workers in Florida to offload the cocaine for further distribution within the United States. As compensation for his illicit services, Paul was to be paid in bricks of cocaine, which he would later sell to others.

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.

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, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Bradley D. Burch (34, Apopka), Ronald E. Hubbard, Jr. (37, Apopka), and Douglas E. Arnett, Jr. (33, Orlando)  with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analog mixture, 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture, and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Burch is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. If convicted on all counts, Burch faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. Hubbard and Arnett face a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. 

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 Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Apopka Police Department. It will be 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.

Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jose Flores Avila (33, Sorrento) with two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Each robbery offense carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. The firearm offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years, up to life, in federal prison, which must be served after any prison term imposed for the robberies.

According to the indictment, Avila robbed a Circle K store in Zellwood, Florida, on May 23, 2024. During the robbery, Avila brandished a firearm and took currency and cigarettes from an employee of the business. Two days later, on May 25, 2024, Avila robbed a second Circle K store in Sorrento, Florida. In that robbery, he again took currency and cigarettes from a store employee.

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, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos.

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, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Erik Bjorndal (49, Palm Bay) to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Bjorndal previously pled guilty on August 21, 2024.

According to court documents, Bjorndal downloaded multiple videos depicting the violent sexual abuse of children. Some of the videos included sadistic and masochistic conduct and bestiality. Thereafter, the FBI executed a search warrant at Bjorndal’s home and discovered hundreds of CSAM images on his devices. During an interview with FBI agents, Bjorndal admitted to viewing CSAM for “a while,” perhaps since his late 20s.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jeremy Wayne Leggett (38, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a child to engage in sexual activity. Leggett faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison, and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Leggett is a registered child sex offender, having been previously convicted in Florida in 2020 of traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sexual offense and transmitting harmful materials to a minor. Leggett was arrested on June 19, 2023, and has been in custody since then. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 28, 2025.   

According to court documents, on June 16, 2023, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in the Jacksonville area, posing as a minor child, was working online in a particular social media application (app) to identify individuals seeking to contact and engage in sexual activity with children. The UC engaged in an online conversation with an app user “dAddi” who posted a notice in a public chatroom that read “Lookingfor[under 18 emoji] wannaspoiladaughter.” During this online conversation, user “dAddi,” who was subsequently identified as Leggett, was advised that the “child” was 13 years old. Leggett asked if the “child” “[l]ike[d] older men,” and sent the “child” a photo of himself. After more conversation, Leggett suggested that they meet in person for sexual activity, and he sent the “child” an explicit photo of himself. On June 17, 18, and 19, 2023, Leggett reinitiated text messages with the UC and continued attempting to persuade the “child” to meet for sex and to send him sexually suggestive photos.

On June 19, 2023, Leggett and the “child” made arrangements to meet at a location in Jacksonville. Later that evening, Leggett went to the agreed-upon location and drove around the parking lot for about 30 minutes. When law enforcement officers attempted to make contact with Leggett, he quickly reversed his vehicle and fled the scene. A short time later, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and FBI agents located Leggett at a home in Jacksonville and he was arrested. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Buddy Allen Travis (42, Bradenton) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for the production and receipt of child sexual abuse material. Travis pled guilty on October 1, 2024.

According to court documents, Travis persuaded a 14-year-old minor victim to engage in sexual activity with him using Facebook. Travis engaged in sexual conversations with the minor victim and asked her to produce and send sexually explicit images of herself to him. Travis also sent obscene images of himself to the minor victim.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.

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

After a six-day trial, a jury found Brandon Russell, 29, of Orlando, Florida, guilty of conspiracy to damage an energy facility.

According to evidence presented at trial, from at least November 2022 to Feb. 3, 2023, Russell conspired to carry out attacks against critical infrastructure, specifically transformers located within electrical substations, in furtherance of his racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist beliefs. Russell posted links to open-source maps of infrastructure, which included the locations of electrical substations, and he described how a small number of attacks on substations could cause a “cascading failure.” Russell also discussed maximizing the impact of the planned attack by hitting multiple substations at one time.

Russell recruited a Maryland-based woman, Sarah Beth Clendaniel, to carry out the attacks in Baltimore and elsewhere. They planned to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. The intended monetary loss associated with the planned attacks would have exceeded $75 million. Clendaniel identified five substations to target, and Russell attempted to secure a weapon for Clendaniel. Clendaniel stated that if they hit a number of substations all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city,” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” She further added, “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.”

Russell faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to damage an energy facility and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17.

On Sept. 25, 2024, Clendaniel was sentenced to 18 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for conspiring with Russell to damage or destroy an energy facility. Clendaniel was also sentenced to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and 3 years of supervised release.

The FBI investigated the case.

The Justice Department’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Stephen Michael Lippincott (70, Kissimmee) to 25 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material. Lippincott was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender.   

According to court records, on January 18, 2024, Lippincott was embarking on a four-day cruise to the Bahamas when his cellular phone was searched by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Jax Port Cruise Terminal. The search was precipitated by a tip CBP received about a possible warrant for indecent exposure Lippincott had out of New Jersey. The search led to the discovery that Lippincott was communicating with multiple female children ranging from ages 8 to 14 on a variety of social media platforms. Lippincott also had sent at least six female children money to watch him engage in sexual acts which he then recorded on his cell phone.   

“Violating the innocence of a child is a detestable act and a betrayal of the trust that fortifies the safety of our communities,” said Tim Hemker, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville assistant Special Agent in Charge. “Alongside our partners at the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Jacksonville, HSI will not rest until every predator who seeks to sexually exploit children is brought to justice.”  

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. This case was being 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 - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Mihir Taneja has agreed to pay the United States $2 million to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of claims for compounded medicated pain and scar creams related to prescriptions tainted by a kickback arrangement.

The conduct covered by the settlement agreement relates to allegations that Taneja conspired with Larry Smith, the owner of Z Stat Medical, LLC d/b/a Oldsmar Pharmacy, to enter into a kickback arrangement with a marketing company, Centurion Compounding, Inc., which led to millions of dollars in TRICARE reimbursement for compound prescriptions. Specifically, the settlement resolves allegations that Taneja and Smith negotiated an arrangement with Centurion that paid Centurion a percentage of profits from TRICARE claims it referred to Oldsmar Pharmacy. As a result, from November 2014 to February 2015, Oldsmar Pharmacy submitted thousands of claims for reimbursement to TRICARE for compounded drugs that were tainted by kickbacks and, therefore, were false.

The actions of Taneja and his co-conspirator played out against a larger trend of fraud against TRICARE involving compounded prescriptions. TRICARE’s costs for compounded drugs skyrocketed during this period, rising from $5 million in 2004 to $514 million in 2014, before reaching a high-water mark of $1.75 billion in fiscal year 2015. To date, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has diligently pursued fraud associated with compounding pharmacy claims, resulting in over $60 million in recoveries.

“Kickback arrangements threaten the quality-of-care patients receive and undermine the integrity of our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “My office will aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who seek to profit from such illegal arrangements.”

“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to safeguarding the integrity of the TRICARE program, the healthcare system for military members and their families,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jason J. Sargenski, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “I applaud the hard work of our agents and the United States Attorney’s Offices that led to today’s settlement.”

The lawsuit was filed under the False Claims Act, which makes a person liable to the United States if he presents, or causes another to present, false or fraudulent claims for payments. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits anyone from offering or paying remuneration in order to induce or reward referrals for services paid for under federal healthcare systems.

The case is captioned United States v. Mihir Taneja, Case No. 8:21-cv-102. The claims asserted by the government are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The United States previously filed suit against Smith and Oldsmar Pharmacy arising out of the same conduct. That case was captioned U.S. ex rel. Silva, et al. v. Z Stat Medical, LLC, et al., No. 8:15-cv-00444-T-33TGW (M.D. Fla.). Smith previously agreed separately to pay $600,000, based on his ability to pay, for this as well as other conduct. In addition, Oldsmar Pharmacy returned over $19 million to TRICARE after law enforcement discovered the scheme.

The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Charles T. Harden of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance of the Department of Defense - Office of Inspector General. 

A Russian national and an Uzbek national, both residing in Florida, were arrested for their alleged participation in a scheme to submit false and fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County, Florida, Supervisor of Elections.

According to court filings, Dmitry Shushlebin, 45, a citizen of Russia living in Miami Beach, and Sanjar Jamilov, 33, a citizen of Uzbekistan living in St. Petersburg, conspired to submit 132 fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections in February and March 2023. These applications were submitted in names other than their own, in envelopes with return and address labels that were identically formatted, including containing the same typographical error, and bore various indicia of fraud including, among other things, repeating dates of birth and addresses and nearly sequential social security numbers. Change of address forms were also submitted to the U.S. Postal Service to route mail to the names and addresses on the fraudulent applications to three locations that Shushlebin and Jamilov allegedly controlled.

Shushlebin and Jamilov are each charged with one count of conspiring to submit fraudulent voter registration applications and give false information in registering to vote. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, Acting Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew W. Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office made the announcement.

USPIS, FBI, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are investigating the case. This case began after a referral from the Florida Department of State, Office of Election Crime and Security.

Trial Attorney Leo J. Wise of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Marcet for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Carl Vecchione (62, Oviedo) to five years and nine months in federal prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Vecchione pleaded guilty on August 12, 2024.

According to the plea agreement, on June 9, 2022, HSI executed a search warrant at Vecchione’s home after determining that the residence’s IP address was sharing CSAM online. Agents located more than 900 images and videos of CSAM on Vecchione’s laptop.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

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.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jadyn Howard Loman (22, Naples) to 9 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Loman entered a guilty plea on October 30, 2024.

According to court documents, deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Loman after he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of 20th Place Southwest and 41st Street Southwest in Naples. A subsequent chase ensued with Loman driving in excess of 100 miles per hour - eventually crashing his vehicle. Loman then fled the crash scene on foot before being apprehended. Inside his vehicle, deputies located 2 handguns, ammunition, and various baggies containing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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 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.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Antonio Candia-Bautista (45, Mexico) with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Candia-Bautista faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.

According to the complaint, Candia-Bautista was deported from the United States on October 4, 2016. At some time thereafter, he unlawfully reentered the United States. He was recently arrested during a state investigation into an automobile accident in Sumter County on January 28, 2025. A records check confirmed that Candia-Bautista was a citizen of Mexico with no lawful permission to be present in the United States.

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

This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer. 

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jermaine Jerome Campbell (35, Lakeland) to 12 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Campbell pleaded guilty on June 25, 2024.

According to court documents, on September 15, 2023, Campbell distributed fentanyl pills to another individual from his mother’s residence. Upon searching Campbell’s home on September 21, 2023, law enforcement recovered bulk quantities of methamphetamine hidden inside of a tool bag.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David 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.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jared Menendez (25, Fruitland Park) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. If convicted of the attempted enticement offense, Menendez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The attempted transfer of obscene material offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Menendez is currently detained pending the resolution of the case. 

According to the indictment, between November 14 and December 20, 2024, Menendez attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity.

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

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

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.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alex Rafael Gonzalez-Morales (35, Honduras) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Gonzalez-Morales faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His trial is set for March 3, 2025.   

According to the indictment, Gonzalez-Morales was previously convicted of of unlawful reentry of a removed alien and was subsequently removed from the United States in November 2019. Following his removal, Gonzalez-Morales did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On or about January 14, 2025, Gonzalez-Morales was found to be voluntarily 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 is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami – Jacksonville sub-office It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jessie Wooden (36, Miami) has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Wooden faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court records, on March 10, 2024, Wooden was an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County. During a visitation session, surveillance footage captured Wooden being thrown a bag containing contraband that had been smuggled into the prison. Correctional officers confiscated the bag, which contained 78 grams of methamphetamine. When interviewed by law enforcement, Wooden admitted to having visitors bring contraband into the prison for him. He also confirmed that he was going to distribute the methamphetamine inside FCC Coleman.

This case is being prosecuted as part of a United States Department of Justice task force aimed at rooting out contraband and misconduct in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The task force was led by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Eugenio Gonzalez-Paredes (53, Dominican Republic) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. If convicted, Gonzalez-Paredes faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, Gonzalez-Paredes made a false statement on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473 stating that he had not previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison. At the time Gonzalez-Paredes made the statement, he had previously been convicted twice in the United States District Court in the District of Puerto Rico for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.

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

This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It will be 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 – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Sherron Gary (41, Tampa) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Gary pleaded guilty in October 2024.

According to court documents, on April 9, 2023, officers with the Tampa Police Department (TPD) attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Gary after observing the vehicle had a broken taillight. Gary failed to pull over and instead fled from the officers at a high rate of speed. A police helicopter followed Gary. After Gary’s vehicle was boxed in by law enforcement, Gary fled from the officers on foot, which the helicopter was also able to capture.

As Gary fled, the helicopter crew observed Gary discard an item as he was running that resembled a firearm. TPD officers apprehended Gary. After the arrest, the helicopter crew directed officers back to the location where they had observed Gary discard the firearm. Officers located a 9mm Walther Creed semiautomatic pistol at the location.

At the time, Gary had four prior felony convictions, including aggravated battery and armed burglary of a dwelling, trafficking of cocaine, delivery of cocaine, and delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of church. As a convicted felon, Gary is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Oscar Adalid Ortez Lopez (56, Tampa) with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted, Ortez Lopez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. 

According to statements made by prosecutors during Ortez Lopez’s detention hearing, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Ortez Lopez using an undercover detective. In total, law enforcement purchased over half a kilogram of methamphetamine from Ortez Lopez. Ortez Lopez was arrested in coordination with the execution of a search warrant on a residence that he used, in part, to store his methamphetamine. During that search, law enforcement located over half a kilogram of methamphetamine.

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

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Corey Wilkerson (30, Lake Panasoffkee) on an indictment charging him with possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. If convicted, Wilkerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison.  

According to the indictment, between October 20, 2023, and July 10, 2024, Wilkerson possessed an obscene visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Specifically, Wilkerson possessed animated images depicting the sexual abuse of infants and young girls.

An indictment 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 is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

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.

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Chad Michael Sadlowski (34, St. Johns) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Sadlowski was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty in October 2024.  

According to court records, from April 25 through April 28, 2024, an undercover detective with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office posed online on a messaging application as the uncle of an eight-year-old female “child.” Sadlowski engaged the undercover in a variety of sexually explicit messages and expressed a desire to have sex with the “child.” Sadlowski agreed to meet up at a local gas station to engage in sex prior to him going to work as a respiratory therapist at a local hospital. Sadlowski was arrested as he was traveling to the gas station and was in his hospital scrubs when he was taken into custody. After his arrest, Sadlowski admitted to traveling to meet the eight-year-old “child” for sex. In addition, he also admitted to talking to minors on the application by asking them for sexually explicit photos and videos. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators searched Sadlowski’s phone and found additional child exploitation materials in his possession.

“This investigation highlights the ever-present threat for children online, and this predator’s reprehensible actions demonstrate a coldhearted disregard for the life and well-being of a child,” said Tim Hemker, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “HSI, alongside our partners with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the rest of Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force are committed to protecting our children from harm.”  

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. This case was being 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 – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today that federal prosecutors charged 56 defendants with illegal reentry into the United States during the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, ending on December 31, 2024. During this same period, more than 50 additional defendants were sentenced for charges relating to or including illegal reentry.

“This effort continues my office’s long-standing commitment to enforcing the laws setting forth requirements for entry into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “Over the past three fiscal years, we have increased our number of immigration prosecutions by 69%. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and federally prosecute anyone who illegally enters our borders.”

Q1 FY 2025 Case Highlights

United States v. Rodriguez-Acevedo 

           In October 2024, Juan Rodriguez-Acevedo was sentenced to three years and ten months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after removal following a conviction for committing an aggravated felony. According to court documents, Rodriguez-Acevedo is a native and citizen of Mexico. In 2007, he was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Due to his conviction for an aggravated felony, Rodriguez-Acevedo received a permanent ban from the United States and was deported to Mexico in 2018 after his release from federal prison. In 2019, Rodriguez-Acevedo was encountered by law enforcement in Texas. He had crossed the border illegally and was prosecuted for illegal reentry following his removal after a conviction for commission of an aggravated felony. He was again deported to Mexico in 2021 after his release from federal prison. In March 2024, law enforcement officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Rodriguez-Acevedo during enforcement activities in Lake City. Rodriguez-Acevedo admitted to law enforcement that he had again unlawfully reentered the United States in June 2023.   

United States v. German Altamirano-Hernandez

           In October 2024, German Altamirano-Hernandez was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to court documents, Altamirano-Hernandez is a native and citizen of Mexico who had been granted voluntary removal from the United States 10 times between 1999 and 2002 after it was determined he was illegally in the United States. In 2005, he was encountered by law enforcement in New Mexico and was prosecuted for illegal entry into the United States, then was deported to Mexico later that year. In 2013, he was encountered by law enforcement in Florida and was convicted of illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. He was deported to Mexico in 2015 after his release from federal prison. In 2019, Altamirano-Hernandez was encountered by law enforcement in Arizona, after having crossed the border illegally, and was prosecuted a third time for illegal reentry into the United States. He was again deported to Mexico in 2020 after his release from federal prison. In March 2024, Altamirano-Hernandez was encountered by deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office when they conducted a traffic stop on the car he was driving. During the stop, Altamirano-Hernandez provided deputies with a false name and a fraudulent identification card. During a search of his car, deputies found multiple forms of fraudulent identification. After confirming Altamirano-Hernandez’s identity, he was arrested. Altamirano-Hernandez admitted to law enforcement that he had again unlawfully reentered the United States.

United States v. Ochoa

In October 2024, Ramon Ochoa was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after deportation, consecutive to another sentence he is serving in the Florida Department of Corrections. According to court documents, Ochoa is a Mexican citizen who entered the United States illegally in 2008 and again in 2014. He was removed from the United States on both occasions, most recently in May 2014. In 2017, Ochoa again entered the United States without permission from appropriate government officials, and he remained until he was arrested in Polk County in May 2019. United States Customs and Border Protection officials were alerted to the fact that Ochoa was in custody in the Polk County Jail under the name Samuel Santana-Ortuno and was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine. Ochoa admitted to a Border Patrol agent that his true name is Ramon Ochoa and he did not have any documents allowing him to enter the United States. Ochoa was later sentenced in state court to seven years’ imprisonment for his state drug-trafficking offense.

United States v. Hernandez-Casiano

           In November 2024, Daniel Hernandez-Casiano was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. According to court documents, Hernandez-Casiano was found in the United States on January 9, 2024, after being arrested and convicted on state charges for possession of fentanyl and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. Hernandez-Casiano was previously removed from the United States to Mexico on three separate occasions.

United States v. Ramirez-Ramirez

           In December 2024, Gustavo De Jesus Ramirez-Ramirez was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to court documents, Ramirez-Ramirez was arrested on November 11, 2022, in Jacksonville after he rappelled from a hole in the ceiling of a business and then drilled through three adjacent business walls and into a jewelry store. He later pleaded guilty in state court to burglary of a dwelling with damage and burglary of a structure. After his arrest, it was also discovered that Ramirez-Ramirez was present in the United States illegally. Ramirez-Ramirez has two previous deportations, one of which followed a prior conviction for illegal reentry into the United States in October 2014. 

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Oscar Manuel Inda-Duenas (36, Mexico) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Inda-Duenas faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, Inda-Duenas was previously removed from the United States in September 2016. Following that, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On December 4, 2024, Inda-Duenas was arrested in the Middle District of Florida on state charges of aggravated battery and obstruction of justice by hindering witness communication with law enforcement. At the time of his arrest, Inda-Duenas was found to be voluntarily back in the United States.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Ever Lopez-Ortiz (40, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Lopez-Ortiz faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, Lopez-Ortiz was previously deported from the United States on May 24, 2010. Following his previous removal, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On May 12, 2023, Lopez-Ortiz was found to be voluntarily in the United States in the Polk County Jail.

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

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jose Angeles-Juarez (39, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Angeles-Juarez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, Angeles-Juarez was previously deported from the United States on November 5, 2017. Following his previous removal, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On January 27, 2025, Angeles-Juarez was found to be voluntarily in the United States in Clay County.

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

This case is being investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that LiveCare Inc., located in Venice, Florida, has agreed to a settlement of up to $4.9 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act by unlawfully paying a marketing service for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries. 

LiveCare provides remote patient monitoring (“RPM”) services to patients with Type 2 diabetes.

“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute undermine the integrity of our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida will hold providers participating in the federal health care system accountable for these violations in order to preserve program funds and ensure the provision of appropriate services to patients.”

“Kickback schemes waste valuable Medicare funds and undermine the integrity of medical decision-making,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricardo M. Carcas of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency will continue to thoroughly investigate health care fraud, including the emerging area of allegations related to remote patient monitoring.”

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by private individuals, on behalf of the United States, under the qui tam (commonly known as “whistleblower”) provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery if the government takes over the case and obtains judgment against or reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. It was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Keefe.

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Noel Daniel Simonca (47, Jacksonville) with attempting to entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Simonca faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Simonca was arrested on January 19, 2025. 

According to court documents, on December 10, 2024, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adult individuals who were seeking to make contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the UC posted a short message in a public chatroom of a particular online social messaging app. A short time later, an individual using the app name “mdesase” contacted the UC using a private text messaging feature of the app. User “mdesase” confirmed that he would “love to see [the 11-year-old child],” and indicated that he had a preference for children aged “8-13.” On December 11, 2024, the UC and user “mdesase,” who was subsequently identified as Simonca, discussed meeting to have a “play date” and “trade [daughters].”

Between December 12, 2024, and January 19, 2025, there were more online text conversations between the UC and Simonca during which they discussed meeting in person. On December 26, 2024, Simonca texted the UC and described the sexual activity that he intended to engage in with UC’s “child.” Simonca and the UC ultimately agreed to meet at a specific location in Jacksonville Beach so that Simonca could meet the “child” and take photos of “her.” On the afternoon of January 19, 2025, Simonca drove to the agreed meeting location where he was arrested by FBI agents.  

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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Elmer Edin Chavarria-Morales (32, Honduras) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Chavarria-Morales entered a guilty plea on August 28, 2024.

According to court records, Chavarria-Morales, a citizen of Honduras, was convicted of rape in Indiana state court on June 26, 2018, and was deported from the United States on September 21, 2018. Chavarria-Morales reentered the United States and was convicted of illegal reentry after deportation in the Southern District of Texas on February 22, 2021, and was deported from the United States a second time on November 11, 2022.

Following his two deportations, Chavarria-Morales was arrested on April 2, 2024, by the Daytona Beach Police Department and was subsequently convicted of assault (domestic violence) on April 16, 2024. After his arrest, law enforcement learned that Chavarria-Morales was illegally present in the United States.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Pedro Alberto Martin-Xon (24, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Martin-Xon faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. Martin-Xon will be arraigned on February 6, 2025.

According to the indictment, Martin-Xon was previously deported from the United States on January 3, 2019. Following his previous removal, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On January 26, 2025, Martin-Xon was found to be voluntarily in the United States in St. Johns County.

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

This case is being investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jorge Serrano Espinoza (20, Clearwater) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Espinoza was convicted at trial on September 11, 2024.   

According to evidence presented at trial, on the morning of June 9, 2023, Espinoza, James Battle, and Carlos Keanu Smith met for the purposes of robbing an armored truck. They followed the armored truck along its route from Pinellas County to eastern Hillsborough County before reaching a gas station in Ellenton. Florida Department of Transportation toll records showed the vehicle following seconds behind the targeted armored truck that morning. Surveillance video showed the vehicle also following the armored truck to other locations before conducting the robbery at the gas station in Ellenton. As the driver returned to the armored truck, Battle and Smith approached pointing pistols at the victim, forcing him to the ground. Espinoza served as the lookout. The trio stole more than $150,000 from the armored truck. 

Battle was previously sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Smith was previously sentenced to 9 years in prison. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.

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

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Ataire Carl Ray (30, Tampa) guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The jury further found that Ray is an Armed Career Criminal after having committed at least three prior serious violent or drug offenses. Ray faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. 

According to evidence presented at trial, on April 1, 2022, Ray got into an argument during which he waived around a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine, while making various threats. Officers from the Tampa Police Department were called to the scene and approached Ray, who ran and threw the loaded firearm into a neighboring property, where it was quickly recovered. Ray was apprehended about a block away from where he had thrown the firearm. At the time, Ray had multiple prior felony convicts and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.

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

Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Edward Camacho (20, Winter Garden) to four years and three months in federal prison for theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee. Camacho pleaded guilty on September 17, 2024.

According to the plea agreement, on August 18, 2023, Camacho backed a vehicle into the front of a federal firearms licensee business around midnight. After smashing the front door and wall of the business, Camacho entered the business and broke a glass case where multiple firearms were housed. Camacho stole six firearms and then fled in his vehicle.

Camacho was apprehended less than two hours later after a foot pursuit with law enforcement. During the foot chase, Camacho was seen tossing three firearms onto the ground, two of which were confirmed to be stolen from the federal firearms licensee business.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Winter Park Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Alexa McNeff.

This case is part of the 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.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of indictments charging Fredi Agustin-Vasquez y Guardado (22, Honduras) and Marlon Ronaldo Canas Trochez (26, Honduras) with transporting minor victims across state lines with the intention that the minor victims engage in sexual activity prohibited by the laws of the state of Florida. If convicted, Agustin-Vasquez and Trochez each face a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. 

According to the Agustin-Vasquez indictment, Agustin-Vasquez transported a minor victim in April or May 2024 with the intent that the minor victim engage in conduct constituting lewd and lascivious battery under Florida law. As alleged in the Trochez indictment, Trochez committed the same offense on September 4, 2024.

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

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Augusta (South Carolina) Department of Public Safety. The cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Kelly S. Milliron.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy D. Berger has sentenced Steven Paul McInally (36, Scotland) to 25 years in federal prison for transporting and possessing child sexual abuse material. McInally pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024.

According to court documents, on August 25, 2023, McInally arrived at the Orlando International Airport on vacation from Scotland. Upon his arrival, McInally was subjected to a border search where law enforcement found child sexual abuse material on McInally’s cellphone. Some of the child sexual abuse material found on McInally’s cellphone included images of minors that had been taken during a sleepover party that the minors attended at his home. A forensic review revealed approximately 3,900 images and 70 videos of child sexual abuse material on McInally’s cellphone.

This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

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.

Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging David Araujo (57, St. Petersburg) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Araujo faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Araujo is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case. 

According to the indictment, between July 26 and 27, 2024, Araujo attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity.

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

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Chiefland Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

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.

Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Elizabeth Ramirez-Medina (39, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Ramirez-Medina faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. She was arraigned on January 28, 2025, and is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case. 

According to the indictment, Ramirez-Medina was previously deported from the United States on one prior occasion. After her removal, Ramirez-Medina did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On October 3, 2024, Ramirez-Medina was found to be voluntarily 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Angel Ramon Lopez-Hernandez (36), a citizen of Mexico, has pleaded guilty to being paid to transport undocumented aliens to further their illegal presence in the United States. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to the plea agreement, on December 11, 2024, a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol stopped a Ford Explorer on I-75 in Columbia County. Lopez-Hernandez was driving the vehicle, which contained four passengers. Because Lopez-Hernandez and the passengers did not appear to speak English and because the trooper suspected that Lopez-Hernandez was transporting aliens who were unlawfully present in the United States, he contacted U.S. Border Patrol agents for assistance. At the scene, the agents questioned Lopez-Hernandez and the passengers about their citizenship and immigration status. Lopez-Hernandez and two of the passengers stated that they were citizens of Mexico and that they were illegally present in the United States.

The vehicle’s odometer showed that the mileage at the time of the stop was 401,996. Database checks reflected that Lopez-Hernandez had purchased the vehicle on September 22, 2022, and that the mileage at the time of the purchase was 158,016, meaning that the vehicle had been driven more than 9,000 miles per month since Lopez-Hernandez had purchased it.

During later questioning, Lopez-Hernandez stated that he was being paid to transport the passengers and admitted that he had previously been paid to transport undocumented aliens, including from North Carolina to Florida. The passengers stated that they had entered the United States illegally and that they had paid for assistance in crossing the Mexican border and being transported to Florida, where they expected to find work.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Jacksonville, FL — A federal grand jury in Jacksonville, Florida, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Florida businessman with tax evasion, not filing a tax return and not paying taxes.

According to the indictment, Phillip Mak, of Jacksonville, was a self-employed businessman who from 2008 through 2020 earned approximately $10.3 million in income. During that same period, Mak allegedly did not pay any federal taxes and, except for two years, did not file tax returns. The IRS allegedly assessed approximately $1.9 million in outstanding taxes, penalties and interest against Mak for tax years 2008, 2009, 2012-2015 and 2019-2020.

Instead of paying what he owed, Mak allegedly attempted to shield his assets from the IRS by transferring $1 million in cash to his domestic partner’s bank accounts. In addition, the indictment alleges that Mak, after being interviewed by IRS investigators, transferred ownership of his home to his domestic partner’s trust, created a nominee entity and began depositing his income into a bank account held in the name of that entity.

In total, Mak is alleged to have caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $1.92 million.

If convicted, Mak faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for tax evasion and a maximum sentence of one year in prison for each charge of failure to file a tax return and failure to pay tax. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd and Michael Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cannizzaro for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Miguel Hidalgo (34, Florida) has pleaded guilty to deprivation of an inmate’s civil rights under the color of law. Hidalgo faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to the plea agreement, on August 22, 2022, Hidalgo was employed with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons as a correctional officer at Federal Correctional Complex Coleman. While on duty at the prison, Hidalgo entered the cell of two inmates who were both handcuffed behind their backs. While in the cell, Hidalgo pushed one of the inmates to the floor, then struck that inmate multiple times in the face and chest area. When Hidalgo was exiting the cell, the inmate spat on Hidalgo. Hidalgo requested the cell door be reopened. He then reentered the cell and again began striking and kicking the inmate. The inmate suffered injuries from the assault, including multiple rib fractures and contusions on his face. By striking the inmate, Hidalgo willfully deprived the inmate of the right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment by a person acting under color of law—a right secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

This case was investigated by the Department of Justice - Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. 

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Frank Jude Petrone, Sr. (55, Parrish) with trafficking firearms to a convicted felon. If convicted, Petrone faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

According to the complaint, on October 2, 2024, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office notified the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that Petrone was selling firearms to an individual he knew to be a convicted felon. Petrone sells firearms for a licensed gun dealer. On three separate occasions between October 2024 and January 2025, Petrone sold the convicted felon, acting as a confidential source, three firearms and 117 rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits selling firearms to a convicted felon and a convicted felon cannot pass the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

On the evening of October 17, 2024, Petrone sold a .357 Taurus International 605 Poly Protector revolver and 10 rounds of .357 ammunition to the confidential source. On November 8, 2024, Petrone sold a 9mm Sig Sauer M18 semi-automatic pistol to the confidential source. And on January 2, 2025, Petrone sold a .45 ISAS 1911A1 semi-automatic pistol to the confidential source. During that transaction, Petrone also offered to sell a machinegun with an obliterated serial number.

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

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 – United States District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced James Matthew Doyle (38, Fleming Island) to eight years in federal prison for distributing cocaine. Doyle entered a guilty plea on May 31, 2024. 

According to court records, in January and February 2023 Doyle sold cocaine on two different occasions to a confidential source working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as to an undercover agent.  Doyle has several prior felony convictions, including the sale of marijuana and ecstasy, possession of cocaine and methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft auto, and forging title information.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Christopher O’Neal Houser (44, Jacksonville) to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Houser entered a guilty plea on October 15, 2024.

According to court documents, on February 2, 2024, Houser sold a sawed-off shotgun to another felon. At the time that he possessed and sold the shotgun, Houser had prior felony convictions for possession of methamphetamine and grand theft, which prohibited him from legally possessing firearms. He also had convictions for sexually assaulting multiple women in 2002, and for misdemeanor battery in 2019.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safe 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 – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Shane Allen Gibson (45, Jacksonville) today pleaded guilty to possession of a destructive device and transfer of a destructive device to a convicted felon. Gibson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the possession charge and up to 15 years in federal prison for the transfer charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on April 20, 2023, Gibson possessed and transferred an improvised explosive bomb, a destructive device under federal law, to an individual who he knew to be a convicted felon. The destructive device was one of three homemade explosive devices given by Gibson to the convicted felon. Laboratory testing revealed that the device contained explosive powder and numerous screws and fasteners within an aerial shell and pyrotechnic fuse. An examiner from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concluded that igniting the fuse would, after a short delay, cause blast, thermal, and fragmentation effects capable of causing damage, injury, and death to persons nearby.

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

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Edgar Rolando Suruy-Xiquin, a/k/a Marvin Martinez-Vazquez (30, Guatemala), with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Suruy-Xiquin faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. Suruy-Xiquin was arraigned on the charges on January 28, 2025. His trial is set for March 3, 2025.   

According to the indictment, Suruy-Xiquin was previously deported from the United States on four occasions. Following his most recent removal, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On January 13, 2025, Suruy-Xiquin was found to be voluntarily 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 is being investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Alberto Christian Quiroz (32, Gainesville) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to commit sexual acts. Quiroz faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, Quiroz was an employee of a care agency that was contracted with the Florida Department of Children and Families to provide services for children. On July 26 and 27, 2024, Quiroz used an online messaging service to communicate with an undercover detective portraying a 14-year-old girl. Quiroz arranged to meet the undercover detective at an Ocala restaurant for sexual activity. Agents arrested Quiroz when he arrived at that location.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

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 – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Alberto Ismael Salinas Valencia (20, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Salinas Valencia, who is present illegally in the United States, faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, between August 2023 and August 2024, Salinas Valencia ran an online business selling firearms, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Orlando area. An undercover law enforcement officer found Salinas Valencia’s online store and set up several undercover transactions. Over the course of the investigation, Salinas Valencia sold the undercover officer several firearms, including two machineguns, fentanyl pills, and cocaine.

Examples of firearms and pills Salinas Valencia sold to the undercover officer

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

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 – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Jhuliana Ceclilia Noriega Ron (36, Venezuela) with possessing a fake U.S. Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a Green Card. If convicted, Noriega Ron faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. 

According to the complaint, on January 27, 2025, a police officer with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pulled over Noriega Ron after she had cut across multiple lanes of traffic in her car at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center. The officer asked Noriega Ron for her driver license, but Noriega Ron did not have a valid one. Noriega Ron instead provided a Venezuelan passport and gave consent for the officer to search her vehicle. Inside, officers found two fake Green Cards and two fake Social Security cards in the center console. One fake Green Card and one fake Social Security card were in Noriega Ron’s name. The United States Border Patrol informed the VA police that Noriega Ron had entered the United States illegally and without documentation at Eagle Pass, Texas in September 2023.

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

This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the Veterans Affairs Police, and the United States Border Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.