Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Arcadia Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Travelling to Sexually Exploit MinorsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL — Vincent Anthony Principe (55, Arcadia) was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime supervised release, for the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of victims as young as eight years old. Principe must also register as a sex offender. Principe pleaded guilty on April 30, 2026.
According to court documents, Principe traveled to the Philippines over the course of several years and sexually abused four minors, including one as young as eight. He sexually abused children and documented the abuse on video. He then published the videos on a website devoted to child exploitation. He also possessed over a hundred images of child sexual abuse material, including those depicting the exploitation of pre-pubescent children.
“The vile actions of this child predator who exploited children while traveling internationally is reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating and prosecuting those who prey on children.”
“The defendant’s vile acts not only caused serious harm through his sexual abuse of multiple minors, but he also inflicted added layers to that harm by memorializing the abuse and distributing it to other offenders,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “No child predator will find safe haven in the United States. The Department is committed to holding U.S. citizens accountable for harming children whether committed in the United States or internationally.”
“The Secret Service is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society from exploitation and abuse,” said the Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest of the U.S. Secret Service’s (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s crimes and underscores our dedication to working with U.S. and international partners to ensure offenders are brought to justice, no matter where their crimes occur.”
The USSS conducted the investigation with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Queensland Police Service, and Europol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yolande Viacava and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Polk County Felon Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Assaulting Deputy U.S. Marshal with a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Myles Andrew Strickland (36, Bartow) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek to 21 years and 5 months in federal prison for assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Strickland was found guilty on November 20, 2025, following a jury trial. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Strickland was a convicted felon and fugitive wanted on a state arrest warrant out of Polk County. A U.S. Marshals Service task force located Strickland in Lee County. When confronted, Strickland led authorities on a foot chase. During the chase, Strickland turned to face a Deputy U.S. Marshal who had been pursuing him and racked the slide of the firearm he was carrying inside of a jacket, thus preparing the firearm to fire. Strickland was then struck by gunfire from pursuing law enforcement, but a bullet hole in his jacket and a spent cartridge casing showed that Strickland had discharged his firearm.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Mexican National Sentenced to Two Years for Immigration and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Juan Jaramillo Vazquez (50, Mexico), a/k/a Juan Vazquiz, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien and aggravated identity theft. Vazquez pleaded guilty on March 27, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Vazquez was found to be voluntarily present in the United States after having been previously removed from the United States three times in 2012. Vazquez had not received the consent of the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Vazquez is a citizen of Mexico. Vazquez also fraudulently used a victim’s Social Security number to gain employment and tax benefits, fraudulently representing himself to an employer and the Social Security Administration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Tiffany Fields.
Goliath Ventures CEO Pleads Guilty to Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Christopher Alexander Delgado (34, Apopka) pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each fraud count and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the money laundering count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 8,2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
“Delgado provided fraudulent information to solicit investor funds and then spent his ill-gotten gains on his extravagant lifestyle,” stated U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and disrupt fraud schemes and prosecute fraudsters who steal investors’ hard-earned savings. We will also continue to work with investigators to locate and seize assets traceable to Delgado’s scheme.”
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, Delgado was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Goliath Ventures (“Goliath”), formerly known as Gen-Z Venture Firm. From at least January 2023 through at least January 2026, Delgado and his co-conspirators operated Goliath as a “Ponzi scheme,” which is a form of investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors. Delgado’s scheme involved soliciting victims to invest substantial sums of money under false and fraudulent promises of monthly returns generated through cryptocurrency “liquidity pools.” Victims were induced to give money to Goliath through personal referrals, professional marketing materials, luxury events, charitable sponsorships, and some monthly payments of purported returns, all of which were designed to establish Goliath’s bona fides with investors. As reflected in a companion civil asset forfeiture action, the United States has identified at least $400 million paid by investors to Goliath.
Although Goliath represented that it would place the victim investors’ funds in cryptocurrency liquidity pools, in reality, the funds were primarily used to pay purported returns to earlier investors, to return principal to investors who requested it, and for Goliath’s extravagant business gatherings, holiday parties, luxury travel accommodations, and to fund Delgado’s and other Goliath employees’ luxury lifestyles. With victim investors’ funds, Delgado purchased at least six residential properties, each worth between $1.15 million and $8.5 million, and millions of dollars’ worth of high-end vehicles, watches, and jewelry, including Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, Rolex watches, several dozen Louis Vuitton bags, wallets, luggage, and custom Tiffany jewelry. In the plea agreement, Delgado has admitted to causing a minimum of $250 million in losses to investors.
Delgado has agreed to forfeit 8 real properties, 11 vehicles, 30 watches, more than 50 luxury bags and wallets, and at least 29 pieces of high-end jewelry which were purchased with or are traceable to proceeds of the offense. He has also agreed to forfeit several bank and cryptocurrency accounts which were seized by the United States.
If you believe you are a victim of these offenses and have not already completed the IRS’s online questionnaire, please consider visiting this link. If you have any questions regarding this questionnaire, please email [email protected]. Information about victims’ rights and upcoming hearings is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/goliath_ventures.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Varadan and Hannah Nowalk Watson. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Cream.
Plea AgreementFederal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Operating Multi-Kilo Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Daniel Don Juan (35, Georgia) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on April 12, 2025, agents from the Department of Homeland Security (HSI) in Jacksonville were contacted by HSI agents in Savannah regarding a traffic stop conducted by the Turner County Georgia Sheriff’s Office (TCSO). One of Don Juan’s co-conspirators had been pulled over for a traffic violation. During the stop, TCSO and Georgia State Police conducted a dog sniff around the co-conspirator’s vehicle during which the dog alerted to drugs being present inside the vehicle. During a subsequent search, the officers located approximately seven kilograms of fentanyl.
Agents determined that this co-conspirator was transporting the drugs from Lawrenceville, Georgia, to Jacksonville, Florida. According to Don Juan’s co-conspirator, on the morning of April 12, 2025, the co-conspirator was instructed by Don Juan to meet an individual at a store in Lawrenceville to pick up “7 pieces,” which was later determined to mean the seven kilograms of fentanyl. Once the co-conspirator arrived in the store parking lot, a male arrived in a separate vehicle and placed a box containing the seven kilograms of fentanyl in the back of co-conspirators vehicle.
Already serving a federal prison term for a prior drug conspiracy conviction, Don Juan used a contraband cellphone and instructed this co-conspirator to deliver this box to Jacksonville. Don Juan provided specific instructions on the route to Jacksonville as well as a meeting location and information regarding the person his co-conspirator was to meet in Jacksonville to deliver the box containing the drugs. Agents learned that this co-conspirator had made several trips to deliver drugs for Don Juan in the past, including within the Middle District of Florida.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Highway Patrol, the Turner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Cannizarro and Elisibeth Adams.
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.
Chinese National Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Henglie Zhou (31, China) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. Zhou pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on October 7, 2024, as part of an ongoing investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, a trooper from the Florida Highway Patrol stopped a transit van for a traffic violation. Zhou was the driver and sole occupant of the van. A canine unit responded to the traffic stop and alerted to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle.
A search of the van revealed 22 cardboard boxes in the cargo area. Each box contained between 20 and 30 vacuum-sealed bags containing marijuana. In total, there was approximately 597 pounds, or 271 kilograms, of marijuana. Zhou later advised that the van was rented. He claimed to not know who had rented the van or for how long it was rented. Zhou denied having knowledge of the marijuana being inside the van or whether the boxes were inside at the time he took possession of the vehicle.
The investigation revealed that Zhou had rented the van the same day of his arrest. Rental agency records further revealed that Zhou had previously rented cargo vans in Jacksonville on 11 occasions between March and September 2024. Each rental lasted one or two days.
In related court proceedings, Jack Anntsai Chang, Kenneth Chu, Hang Sin, Yonquan Yu, Wai Lok Hui, Shaoyun Ye, Fan Liu, and Key’on Garmon have each been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
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.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison for Attempting to Meet A 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Trevor Hedge (57, Ocala) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to life in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and committing a felony offense involving a minor as a registered sex offender. A federal jury found Hedge guilty on March 3, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in May 2025, the Ocala Police Department hosted an undercover operation aimed at apprehending individuals using the internet to exploit children. During the operation, a detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (UC) posed online as a neglected 13-year-old child. Hedge messaged the UC and, after learning the UC’s age, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation. During this conversation, Hedge described his “addiction” to sexual activity with minors and told the UC that he was “grooming” her. On May 22, 2025, Hedge arranged to meet the UC to engage in sexual activity. The Ocala Police Department arrested Hedge when he arrived to pick up the UC at a predetermined location.
Hedge is a registered sex offender. He was convicted of first-degree sexual assault of a minor in 1993.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was 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.
Mexican National Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Meet a 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Cain Matias Godinez (42, Mexico) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. A federal jury found Matias Godinez guilty on March 5, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in May 2025, the Ocala Police Department hosted an undercover operation aimed at apprehending individuals using the internet to exploit children. During the operation, a detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (UC) posed online as a 13-year-old prostitute. Matias Godinez messaged the UC and, after learning the UC’s age, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation. During the conversation, Matias Godinez described the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage and discussed ways to ensure that he and the UC would not get caught. On May 27, 2025, Matias Godinez traveled from Gainesville to Marion County to meet the UC to engage in sexual activity. Matias Godinez was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office when he arrived at the meeting location.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Jacksonville Robbery Crew Sentenced to Federal Prison for Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Tresonda Benefield (26), Nathanial Carter (25), Jakeithiyan Daniel (25), and Jackeri Lewis (28), all residents of Jacksonville, have been sentenced by United States Judge Jordan E. Pratt to federal prison terms for their involvement in a series of armed robberies of retail stores in Jacksonville. Benefield, Carter, and Lewis were each sentenced to 16 years and 1 month in federal prison and Daniel was sentenced to 14 years and 6 months in federal prison. In addition to their prison sentences, they were also ordered to pay restitution for the money they stole. Benefield, Carter, and Daniel pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025, and Lewis pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between April 9 and May 1, 2024, the crew robbed four stores in Jacksonville. Benefield, Carter, and Lewis participated in all four robberies, while Daniel was involved in the last two. Benefield surveilled each of the stores prior to the robberies and drove the rest of the participants to the stores a few minutes prior to closing. Once the store employees began to lock up the store at night, the crew approached the employees wearing masks and brandishing firearms, demanding that they go back inside the store to unlock the safe. The store employees were then forced to hand over the money inside the safe. The group collectively stole more than $11,000 from the four stores.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Volusia County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice and Use a 13-Year-Old Child to Produce Sexually Explicit PhotosRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Shane Christopher Abrams (38, Deland) has been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan to 15 years in federal prison for attempting to entice and use a 13-year-old minor to produce and send him photos depicting her own sexual abuse. Abrams was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Abrams pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on April 3, 2024, an undercover FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old child (the “child”) engaged in text conversation on a particular social media application (“app”) with another app user who was subsequently identified as Abrams. During this conversation, the “child” advised that she was 13 years old, and Abrams began asking questions about her body and sexual experience. Between April 4 and April 20, 2024, Abrams and the “child” exchanged numerous text messages. Abrams solicited the “child” to produce and send him photos of her genitalia, giving the “child” explicit instructions as to how to comply with his demands. As part of his efforts to entice the “child” to take and send him sexually explicit photos, Abrams sent the “child” photos of his own genitalia. On May 20, 2024, Abrams was arrested by FBI agents.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida Charges Defendants as Part of National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
Today, United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces criminal charges against numerous individuals in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicare. In addition, one civil settlement was announced. Many of the charges are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown and stem from schemes to defraud Medicare.
“Millions of Americans depend on critical services provided by our nation’s federal healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Companies or individuals who exploit these systems through fraud and deception for their personal gain compromise the efficacy of those services and commit theft from taxpayers. We will continue to leverage the resources of our law enforcement partners to ensure that these programs remain sound and effective in the future.”
This week, the USAO-MDFL participated in a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: charges in 56 federal districts and involving 45 U.S. states and territories, the most in Department history. The Takedown involved the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; seize over $182 million in cash, houses, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and provide full spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
The following individuals were charged in the Middle District of Florida:
Leigh Tesar (44, Sarasota), Walter Presha, Jr. (51, Ellenton), and Koby Evans (31, Apollo Beach) were charged by indictment for their roles in a more than $118 million wound care fraud scheme. Tesar, Presha, and Evans were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks. Tesar was charged with health care fraud and payment of health care kickbacks. Presha and Evans were also charged with receipt of health care kickbacks. As alleged in the indictment, Tesar, Presha, and Evans targeted Medicare patients so that Tesar, a nurse practitioner, could bill Medicare for unnecessary and expensive wound allografts and so that Presha and Evans, both nurses, could be paid kickbacks for referring patients to Tesar. In certain instances, Tesar caused Medicare to be billed for expensive allografts that were never applied to patients, were applied to infected wounds, and were applied to wounds that would not heal because the patient was terminally ill. During a period of 18 months, Medicare was billed more than $118 million for skin grafts and wound care services that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for reimbursement, not performed, and procured through kickbacks. Medicare paid approximately $61 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. The government has seized approximately $11.8 million in assets in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Chris Wenger of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Owen Dunn of the Florida Strike Force. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
Leo Corrigan (56, Tampa) was charged by information with conspiracy to defraud the United States, to purchase, sell, and distribute, and arrange for the purchase, sale, and distribution of Medicare beneficiary identification numbers, and to solicit and receive health care kickbacks in connection with two schemes to fraudulently bill Medicare for over $7.5 million and to receive approximately $1.7 million in illegal kickbacks and bribes. As alleged in the information, Corrigan conspired with others to purchase Medicare beneficiary identification numbers and used those numbers to bill Medicare for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests to be shipped to those whose Medicare beneficiary identification number had been purchased, regardless of whether the Medicare beneficiary had requested the tests. Further, Corrigan owned and controlled a corporation that he used to provide Medicare beneficiary information to certain laboratories that could then use the information to bill Medicare for genetic testing in exchange for payment. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields.
Konstantin Braverman (40, Lake Worth) was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to solicit and receive kickbacks in connection with a scheme to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for COVID-19 tests. From April 4, 2022, until the declared end of the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11, 2023, Medicare covered and paid for these tests at no cost to the beneficiary but only if the beneficiary requested the tests. As alleged in the indictment, Braverman and co-conspirators introduced “marketers” to medical service providers and the “marketers” agreed to sell the providers lists of Medicare beneficiaries and their identifying information. The providers shipped COVID-19 tests to the identified beneficiaries, none of whom had requested the tests, and billed Medicare for the tests. The providers then paid the “marketers” a set dollar amount per beneficiary, but the providers paid this amount only if a claim submitted on behalf of a beneficiary was reimbursed by Medicare. The “marketers” paid Braverman a share of the proceeds obtained from the providers. The conspirators caused the submission of approximately 152,000 fraudulent claims to Medicare for the period of January 2023 through November 2023, which resulted in reimbursements totaling approximately $14,405,700. Braverman received a total of approximately $1,509,426 in proceeds as a result of his involvement in the offense. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clint Locke is handling the forfeiture.
“This defendant allegedly exploited a program designed to serve the public during a national health emergency, fraudulently obtaining more than $1.5 million in proceeds,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Health care fraud is not a victimless crime. It steals taxpayer dollars, undermines trust in critical public programs and diverts resources from those who need it most. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to pursue those who use deception and fraud to line their own pockets at the public’s expense.”
Lawrence Waldman, of Miami, has entered into a civil settlement to pay $5 million to resolve a False Claims Act case in connection with a health care fraud kickback scheme involving medically unnecessary genetic and respiratory diagnostic testing services. Waldman separately pleaded guilty to criminal charges stemming from his role in the scheme. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 28, 2026. As alleged, Waldman was a former sales representative of ASAP Labs and shared in its profits. Waldman paid kickbacks from ASAP Labs to certain physicians in return for agreeing to sign requisition forms for medically unnecessary laboratory tests that were submitted by ASAP Labs in violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and that were used to support false claims for Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE reimbursement. The civil case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen. The criminal case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields, and the forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
Rustam Abdaev, (38, Tampa) a Russian citizen living in Tampa, was charged by information with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in defrauding Medicare and Medicaid by submitting false and fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment (“DME”). Abdaev has entered a guilty plea and is pending sentencing. According to court records, from at least December 2024 through June 2025, Abdaev and co-conspirators used the company “Sunny and Recovery Inc.” to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare Part C and Florida Medicaid for DME, including back, knee, and wrist braces. Medicare Part C and Medicaid were billed more than $19 million and paid approximately $941,000 for claims submitted between December 2024 and May 2025. Abdaev wired substantial portions of the proceeds to financial institutions outside the United States and used additional funds for personal benefit and to pay co-conspirators. The conspirators used stolen beneficiary information and physician provider numbers to submit DME claims that were not prescribed, not medically necessary, and not actually provided. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields, and the forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
Henry Garcia (59, Bradenton) was charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to offer and pay kickbacks and bribes and nine counts of offering and paying kickbacks and bribes. According to court records, in 2020 and 2021, Garcia ran multiple medical equipment companies, including New Level 3 and On-Point Medical Alliance, that supplied knee and back braces to Medicare beneficiaries. Garcia worked with two co-conspirators: one in Florida who funneled him pre completed doctors’ orders, and another in Canada who ran call centers targeting Medicare beneficiaries to generate those orders. These call centers contacted seniors across the country and used telemedicine companies to obtain physician signatures on brace orders, even when the equipment was not medically needed. Garcia’s companies obtained the necessary provider identification numbers and submitted claims to Medicare Advantage plans as if the braces were legitimately ordered and required. Garcia paid kickbacks for each brace order that led to reimbursement. The scheme relied on call centers, sham telehealth encounters, and kickbacks to generate and submit claims that were not actually eligible for reimbursement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields, and the forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Blain Goff.
Marc Vincent Pazienza (56, Pasco County), a licensed Florida attorney, was charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of falsification of records in a federal investigation for his role in using his position and authority as an attorney to defraud clients, including by creating shell corporations to hide clients’ criminally derived proceeds and then stealing those funds. According to court documents, from June 2023 through at least March 2025, Pazienza orchestrated a scheme to steal money from two of his clients by falsely promising to safeguard their money, funds which were fraudulently obtained through defrauding Medicare. Instead of safeguarding the funds, Pazienza used the money, an amount over $300,000, for his personal benefit, including cash withdrawals, transfers to other accounts he controlled, and purchases of furniture, jewelry, and other items. Pazienza also provided false and fraudulent documents in response to a federal grand jury subpoena relating to a health care fraud investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Fields, and the forfeiture of his car, jewelry, and other property is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
Laurent Cassagnol (Orange County) and Heriberto L. Rivera (Lake County) were charged by information with conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. According to court documents, Rivera was the Chief Executive Officer of Family Integrative Medicine of Orlando, LLC (“FIMO”) and paid kickbacks to Cassagnol, a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee, in exchange for Cassagnol sending VA patients to FIMO. Rivera allegedly paid kickbacks to Cassagnol based on the number of VA patients he was able to successfully steer to FIMO. FIMO then billed the VA for services it provided to those VA patients. Rivera paid Cassagnol approximately $175,172 in kickbacks, which resulted in approximately $14,080,969 in claims submitted by FIMO to the VA that were procured through the payment of kickbacks. The VA paid FIMO approximately $11,948,349 on those claims. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Angela Benoit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
“Today’s enforcement action reflects our firm commitment to protecting federal health care programs and the individuals who depend on them,” said Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Those who exploit patients or jeopardize the integrity of our programs for personal gain will be held accountable. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to pursue those who seek to defraud federal health care programs and ensure that they face justice.”
“These cases highlight the sickening exploitation of our nation’s healthcare system and the cold, callous efforts of those putting profit over patient care. These cases also emphasize the FBI’s collective resolve to work with our law enforcement partners to identify the fraud, dismantle the schemes, and ensure justice is served,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Rodney E. Crawford.
“The days of fraudulent healthcare schemes depriving veterans of essential services and benefits, while siphoning funds from taxpayers, are over,” said Cheryl L. Mason, Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs. “Thanks to the relentless dedication of the VA OIG’s special agents, healthcare inspectors, and auditors, we are actively identifying these offenders and ensuring they face justice. Our unwavering commitment is to protect veterans and safeguard the critical resources meant for their care.”
Descriptions of the nationwide cases involved in this week’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The Middle District of Florida worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division and the following law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Tampa and Jacksonville), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Report Fraud:
Contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), or online at TIPS.FBI.GOV.
If you are reporting cyber-enabled crime, to include online scams, email hoaxes, or other internet-enabled crimes, please submit a tip to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.GOV.
For health care fraud, Medicare/Medicaid fraud, and related matters, contact the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS, or online at TIPS.HHS.GOV.
Court Documents:
Waldman Plea Agreement Pazienza Indictment Braverman Indictment Tesar et al Indictment Garcia Indictment Corrigan Information Cassagnol et_al Information Abdaev Information Abdaev Plea AgreementJacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Offense Involving Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Owens Coleman Parker, Jr. (51, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Parker pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Parker picked up and attempted to transport a vehicle which contained a hidden compartment holding more than 6 kilograms of fentanyl and more than 7 kilograms of methamphetamine. When law enforcement tried to stop him, Parker fled, leading police on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood. Parker then exited the vehicle and fled on foot before police apprehended him. Subsequently, Parker admitted that he knew he was picking up a load of drugs and that he intended to transport them to another location and was to be paid for doing so. Parker was arrested and given a bond, however, failed to appear in court and fled to Mexico before ultimately surrendering to authorities.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Ya Hance Pierre Boston (33, Oviedo) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton to 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026. Boston’s federal sentence will commence upon the expiration of his state sentence. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on December 30, 2024, Boston, who was a multi-time prior convicted felon, pawned a Glock, G43, 9mm pistol at a pawnshop in Orlando. Boston walked into the pawnshop with the firearm inside his sweater and proceeded to the clerk’s counter. Boston provided the clerk with his identification, signed the pawnshop’s form, and inked his thumbprint on the form. The firearm Boston pawned had previously been stolen from a vehicle in Apopka. As a previously convicted felon, Boston is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Cruz.
San Diego Man Pleads Guilty to Mailing a Threatening LetterRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – George Russell Isbell, Jr. (69, San Diego, California) has pleaded guilty to mailing a threatening communication. Isbell faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. No sentencing date has been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on or about September 18, 2025, Isbell mailed an angry, offensive, and threatening letter from San Diego, California to his victim, a media personality located in Tampa, Florida. In the letter, he referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who, tragically, had recently been murdered during a public engagement on a college campus. The letter went on to state:
“Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
Jewelry Store Robbery Crew Charged in Superseding IndictmentRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Ivel Sanchez Rivera (52, Hialeah), Osmani Barrios Carrera (37, Hialeah), Yunior Lopez Delgado (42, Miami), and Alberto Perez Elias (57, Miami) have been charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, interference with commerce by robbery and use, and carry and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, along with a consecutive sentence of 7 years for brandishing a firearm during the robbery. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the superseding indictment and other court documents, the defendants robbed a jewelry store in Cape Coral on January 6, 2026, by breaking into a vacant business next door. They then broke through the wall into the jewelry store before holding the manager at gunpoint. The robbers gained access to a safe and took thousands of pieces of jewelry worth more than $1 million. They then fled to Miami before they were eventually arrested following an investigation. Alberto Perez Elias has not been arrested and remains at large.
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 Cape Coral Police Department, the Hialeah Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesus M. Casas.
Illegal Alien from Honduras Sentenced for $89 Million Off-the-Books Payroll Tax Fraud Scheme Employing Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - An illegal alien from Honduras was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for his role in operating a years-long off-the-books cash payroll scheme that facilitated the employment of illegal aliens working in the United States. The scheme caused a total loss to the United States of more than $38 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2022, Mario Flores, of Honduras, an illegal alien, conspired with others to create a series of shell companies to run an unlicensed check cashing and cash courier service business. These shell companies cashed approximately $89 million in checks from subcontractors in the construction industry, charging them a percentage of the dollar amount of the checks they cashed as a fee for this service. Through this scheme, construction contractors and subcontractors paid their workers in cash without withholding and paying required payroll taxes, allowing them to operate without regard to the workers’ legal authority to work in the United States. Flores also caused the filing of false tax documents with the IRS to conceal the scheme.
“These individuals didn’t just run an off the books payroll scheme—they built a pipeline of fraud that stole from taxpayers and helped sustain an unlawful employment scheme,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation, working hand in hand with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, is laser focused on cutting off the financial lifeblood of schemes that exploit workers, cheat honest businesses, and undermine the integrity of our tax system. When criminals think they can hide in the shadows, our agents follow the money—and bring the truth into the light.”
“Today, we held an illegal alien from Honduras accountable for a brazen scheme that stole more than $38 million from American taxpayers to facilitate the employment of illegal aliens,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This case exposes how unchecked illegal immigration fuels widespread payroll tax fraud and underground economies that harm American workers and taxpayers. This sentence sends a strong message: those who exploit our open borders, cheat the U.S. Treasury, and violate federal laws will face justice.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting the integrity of our financial system and enforcing our nation’s laws. Those who orchestrate large-scale payroll tax fraud and facilitate the illegal employment of unauthorized workers will be held accountable,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon. “HSI, alongside IRS Criminal Investigation and our federal, state, and local partners, remains dedicated to dismantling schemes that defraud the United States and undermine the integrity of our workforce.”
In addition, Flores and his conspirators defrauded workers’ compensation insurance companies by leasing their certificates of insurance to contractors and by providing false and fraudulent information to the insurers about, among other things, the number of workers covered by the insurance and the amount workers were paid.
Flores pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Iris Villafranca, Osman Zapata, and Francisco Alvarez, who conspired with Flores, were previously sentenced. Villafranca was sentenced to 17 years in prison. She was ordered to pay more than $38 million in restitution to the United States and forfeit $89 million of criminal proceeds from the scheme. Zapata was sentenced to more than four years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $2.5 million in restitution to the United States. Francisco Alvarez was sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution. Conspirator Michael Mayorga awaits sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe of the Middle District of Florida and Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. ICE ERO Miami (Orlando sub-office), Florida Highway Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, State Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have assisted in arrest operations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu of the Middle District of Florida, Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty, and Trial Attorney Kavitha Bondada of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Highlands County Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Quincy Owens (51, Sebring) has been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Owens pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, on December 15, 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration was conducting surveillance on Owens, who had been identified as a fentanyl and methamphetamine dealer. Agents observed Owens obtaining a large black bag from an unidentified male and placing it in the trunk of his vehicle. The Florida Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Owens was driving and a narcotics-detecting canine alerted positively to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of Owens’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of the black bag, which contained over 4,500 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
U.S.–Israeli Citizen Extradited from Norway Is Arraigned in Orlando on Indictment Alleging Threats to Jewish Community InstitutionsRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL — Michael Ron David Kadar, 27, a dual citizen of the United States and Israel, was arraigned today on an indictment from the Middle District of Florida charging him with hate crimes and obstruction of the free exercise of religion committed against Jewish institutions throughout Florida, including schools and community centers. In addition, Kadar faces charges in the District of Columbia for threats made against the Israeli Embassy and the Anti-Defamation League Washington, D.C. offices and in the Middle District of Georgia for cyberstalking and conveying false information to police dispatch regarding an alleged hostage situation at a residence in Athens, Georgia.
“Targeting individuals, groups, or institutions for their religious beliefs is contradictory to the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and against the law,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The crimes alleged in this indictment caused undue trepidation and threats of harm to the Jewish community in our district and will not be tolerated.”
“The alleged crimes stand out for their cruelty and for the harm they caused to the Jewish community,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When technology is exploited to terrorize houses of worship and community centers, it is an attack on religious liberty and public safety. We will never lose sight of the families, staff, and first responders who were forced to live with these threats.”
“The FBI takes all threats seriously and will always utilize the full extent of our resources to restore safety and security,” said Special Agent in Charge Rodney E. Crawford of the FBI Tampa Field Office. “This indictment demonstrates that commitment and our promise to work together with our partners to protect the civil rights of all Americans.”
An investigation into numerous threats made to individuals and organizations in the United States led to the identification and arrest of Kadar in Ashkelon, Israel, and the instant indictment. The indictment from the Middle District of Florida charges that in early 2017, Kadar made multiple calls relaying bomb and active shooter threats to numerous Jewish Community Centers throughout Florida, including to preschool programs operated at those facilities. Additionally, the indictment charges Kadar with attempting to obstruct the free exercise of religion at the Jewish Community Centers when he made those threats. Many of the calls resulted in the temporary closure and evacuation or lockdown of the targeted facilities and required law enforcement and emergency personnel to respond to and clear the area, although no actual explosives were found.
Kadar arrived in the United States on June 18 following extradition from Norway, where he had been detained at the request of the United States. He traveled to Norway after serving a sentence in Israel for related conduct.
The hate crime charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, the bomb threats charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and the interstate threats charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. If convicted, Kadar could also be subject to court-ordered restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI Tampa Field Office, FBI Washington Field Office, and FBI Atlanta Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara M. Wick and Diane Hu for the Middle District of Florida, Trial Attorney Jared Hosid of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach for the Middle District of Georgia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Kenerson for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the cases with assistance from the Criminal Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this case. The Department of Justice also acknowledges and appreciates the assistance of Norwegian authorities.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Charles Curtis Williams (47, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Williams pleaded guilty on February 27, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Williams sold drugs, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack cocaine to an undercover detective on seven different occasions in 2025. Subsequently, Williams was stopped and apprehended by law enforcement on his way to another drug transaction. After Williams was arrested, law enforcement located bags of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl in his car.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at Williams’s residence and seized a loaded firearm with an additional magazine, oxycodone pills, bags of crack cocaine and cocaine, fentanyl packaged for individual sale, and drug trafficking paraphernalia, including a ledger with drug sales information, baggies, a beaker, and scales. Due to his criminal history, Williams was classified and sentenced as an armed career criminal under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
Pasco County Man Indicted for Attempting to Meet a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Michael Joseph Vitoff (50, Zephyrhills) has been charged by indictment with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted production of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, on the attempted enticement offense and a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years, for the attempted production offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between June 2 and June 5, 2026, Vitoff communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The minor, however, was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent. During the conversation, Vitoff asked the minor to produce sexually explicit images of herself and send them to him. Vitoff also expressed his desire to engage in sexual activity with the minor.
Vitoff was arrested on June 5, 2026, when he traveled to a location in Marion County to engage in sexual activity with the minor. He remains in custody pending the resolution of the criminal case.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by 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 Woman Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Officers Conducting Immigration OperationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Jennifer Susan Cruz (41, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to assaulting officers conducting an immigration operation. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on January 13, 2026, federal immigration officers, assisted by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), were conducting an operation in Jacksonville to locate and administratively arrest aliens who were illegally present in the United States. Cruz was driving by and recording on her cellphone as an FHP trooper was pulling over a vehicle for a traffic infraction. Cruz parked near the site of the traffic stop and yelled at the trooper as she continued to record. Immigration officers subsequently determined that the two occupants of the vehicle they had pulled over were illegally present in the United States.
Another trooper approached Cruz and spoke with her about using her cellphone while driving. During this interaction, Cruz was argumentative and recorded the encounter on her cellphone. The trooper told Cruz that he had no issue with her recording and that his concern was solely her unsafe and unlawful use of a cellphone while operating a motor vehicle. Cruz made unsolicited and inflammatory statements, asking whether the trooper supported the “Nazis,” which she clarified as referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and asking him not to shoot her in the face. The trooper advised Cruz that ICE officers were present in an official capacity and that he was not there to discuss personal or political beliefs, but solely to address her traffic violation.
The trooper asked Cruz for her driver license and she stated that she did not have it but that she had a photograph of it on her cellphone. Cruz showed the trooper the photo of her license and the trooper told Cruz to remain in her vehicle while he conducted further investigation. A records check revealed that Cruz’s license was suspended as of June 17, 2025. Because Cruz’s license was suspended, the trooper requested a tow truck to impound Cruz’s vehicle, as she was not legally authorized to operate it.
While the trooper was waiting for the tow truck, Cruz drove away. Multiple troopers immediately activated their emergency lights and sirens and maneuvered their patrol vehicles to box in Cruz’s vehicle. After the vehicle was stopped, the trooper advised Cruz that the traffic stop had not been concluded and that her vehicle was going to be towed because her license was suspended. The trooper told Cruz to exit the vehicle and surrender the keys so that the vehicle could be released to the towing company.
Cruz exited the vehicle but immediately became verbally hostile and repeatedly refused to surrender the keys despite multiple directives to do so. In response to the trooper’s directives, Cruz said that she was “ready to go” and, when asked, stated that she meant that she was ready to fight. When a trooper attempted to retrieve the keys from Cruz, Cruz struck the trooper in the face with a closed fist. Multiple officers then converged on Cruz to arrest her for the assault. Cruz resisted arrest, including by attempting to strike and kick the officers. As Cruz continued to struggle, officers carried her to an FHP patrol vehicle. While doing so, she attempted to kick the trooper whom she had punched.
As officers were attempting to place Cruz inside the vehicle, she kicked at an ICE officer, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent, and the trooper who had conducted the traffic stop. She struck the CBP agent and the ICE officer, whose left hand was injured. During the attempt to place Cruz in the patrol vehicle, the trooper deployed his taser, which did not subdue her. Officers eventually secured Cruz in the patrol vehicle, but she continued kicking at the vehicle’s windows, roof, and in-car camera.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Citrus County Man Indicted for Attempting to Meet a 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual Activity and Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Brian James Verka (39, Beverly Hills) has been charged by indictment with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted production of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, he faces a minimum prison sentence of 10 years, up to life, on the attempted enticement offense, and a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years, for the attempted production offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between May 27 and June 2, 2026, Verka communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The minor, however, was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent. During the conversation, Verka described his desire to engage in sexual activity with the minor. Verka also asked the minor to produce sexually explicit images of herself and send them to him.
Verka was arrested on June 2, 2026, when he traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. He is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal proceedings.
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.
Cruise Ship Passengers Arrested for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville – Christopher Michael Lawhon (36, South Carolina) has been charged by federal indictment with production and attempted production of child sex abuse material (CSAM). In a separate indictment, Tajareia Lawon Aikee Blackwell (25, North Carolina) was charged with transportation of CSAM. If convicted, Lawhon faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison. Blackwell faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Lawhon and Blackwell were passengers on cruises through international waters that subsequently returned to the United States via the Jacksonville cruise port.
Lawhon returned from his cruise on May 7, 2026, in possession of a cellphone. A border search of the phone revealed that Lawhon had stored multiple surreptitiously-recorded video files, at least one of which included a recording of a minor male child in a bathroom stall while the child was using the bathroom. Lawhon advised federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that he had an interest in voyeurism and typically recorded other people in the bathroom.
Blackwell returned from his cruise on June 8, 2026. At that time, Blackwell had pending charges in North Carolina for indecent liberties with children and statutory rape from February 2026. Blackwell and his cellphone were border searched, which revealed that Blackwell had received CSAM from the same child victim on February 22, 2026, which he had then transported with him through the Middle District of Florida and international waters on the cruise. The victim was 14 years old.
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.
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Statesville (North Carolina) Police Department. They will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years for Multiple Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Jeffrey Hennig (60, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell to seven years and nine months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of firearms with altered serial numbers. He pleaded guilty in March 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents and proceedings, in March 2024, officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department coordinated the purchase of methamphetamine and a firearm from Hennig. An undercover officer purchased a .22 H&R Model 929 revolver from Hennig. The firearm had an obliterated serial number. Hennig also sold the officer 50 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition. Hennig then began weighing out 28 grams of methamphetamine and sold this to the undercover for $200.
Agents searched Hennig’s apartment later that month and seized two additional firearms, a Taurus .357 Magnum revolver and a Hi-Point JCP .40 caliber S&W with a loaded extended magazine. Both firearms were loaded, and the Hi-Point had an obliterated serial number. Hennig is a convicted felon and is therefore 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 St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Jewelry Robbers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Gina Parra-Martinez (age 39) and Diego Ramirez-Aldana (age 29) have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle for the robbery of an estimated $1.3 million of jewelry. Parra-Martinez was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison. Ramirez-Aldana was sentenced to five years and one month in federal prison. Both previously pleaded guilty. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records and testimony at the sentencing hearing, in March 2024, Ramirez-Aldana, Parra-Martinez and at least four others robbed a jewelry vendor who was visiting Tampa to sell her jewelry at an exhibition at a hotel near the University of South Florida campus. The night of the exhibition, the victim and her sister took a rideshare from the exhibition back to their hotel. Surveillance video showed that as soon as they arrived, a vehicle pulled up, five masked individuals got out of the vehicle, rushed the victims, pushed them, and stole the victims’ bags. The estimated total value of the jewelry stolen was $1.3 million. The robbers also took $9,000 dollars in cash.
Investigators later tied four vehicles and numerous cellphones to the location of the robbery and vicinity surrounding the location. Ramirez-Aldana’s cellphone was traced to the immediate vicinity of the jewelry exhibition hours before the robbery. In one of the vehicles used in the robbery, law enforcement discovered loose gems on the floorboard. The robbery victim identified these gems as belonging to her. Forensic processing of the vehicle showed that a latent print on the false registration in the vehicle belonged to Ramirez-Aldana.
Parra-Martinez’s cellphone was traced to the vicinity of the jewelry exhibition on the day prior to the robbery. Surveillance footage from the jewelry exhibition showed a woman matching Parra-Martinez’s physical appearance walking through the exhibition wearing a baseball cap. Parra-Martinez’s fingerprint was recovered from a bag that contained bleach, wigs, and a ski mask located in another vehicle associated with the robbery.
After the Tampa robbery, Parra-Martinez traveled back to New York. A search warrant was executed for an address where she was staying in April 2024. Parra-Martinez left that address and boarded a plane to California hours before agents executed the search warrant. Parra-Martinez changed clothes mid-flight, left her luggage at the baggage claim in California, and evaded capture for several months until her eventual arrest.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
Crescent City Man Charged with Threatening to Kill the PresidentRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Ryan Brown (27, Crescent City) has been charged by indictment with two counts of threatening to kill the President of the United States. If convicted of both counts, Brown faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on April 16, 2026, Brown transmitted an online message to “whitehouse.gov,” directed to the President, in which he threatened to blow up the White House in one week’s time. Subsequently, on May 25, 2026, Brown sent another message to “whitehouse.gov” stating, in part, that he would kill the President in cold blood.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
Winter Park Plastic Surgery Center Settles Claims to Improve Access to Services for Patients with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Kamran Azad MD P.A., d/b/a Azad Plastic Surgery (APS), a plastic surgery center in Winter Park, has agreed to settle allegations that it violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office opened an investigation into APS after receiving a complaint from an individual alleging APS refused to provide him with plastic surgery services because he has Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). During the investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office received a second complaint from an individual alleging APS refused to provide her with plastic surgery services because she has Crohn’s disease. As a result of the investigation, the United States determined that APS violated the ADA when it discriminated against the complainants by refusing to schedule them for plastic surgery consultations because they have HIV and Crohn’s disease, respectively. APS relied on incorrect assumptions and stereotypes about HIV and Crohn’s disease, not on current medical knowledge, when deciding to deny the complainants access to its services.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, APS must pay a total of $40,000 in compensatory damages, with $20,000 to be paid to each complainant. APS must adopt, maintain, and enforce a non-discrimination policy regarding the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability, and post that policy on its website. APS must also provide training to all personnel on the non-discrimination requirements under the ADA. The training will also cover HIV discrimination and providing plastic surgery services for patients with HIV. Finally, for the next two years, APS must report any disability discrimination complaints it receives to the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra N. Karahalios handled this case.
Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, including professional offices of health care providers, from discriminating against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations (“goods or services”). In general, Title III prohibits public accommodations from subjecting an individual on the basis of disability to a denial of the opportunity to participate in or benefit from its goods or services. Specifically, public accommodations shall not impose or apply eligibility criteria that screen out or tend to screen out an individual with a disability or any class of individuals with disabilities from fully and equally enjoying any goods or services being offered. Public accommodation must make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures necessary to afford an individual with a disability with their goods or services.
Individuals who believe they may have experienced discrimination may contact the Civil Rights Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida by calling our Civil Rights Hotline at (813) 274-6095 or emailing us at [email protected]. To fill out our civil rights complaint form, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights-complaint-form.
The Attorney General is authorized to investigate alleged violations of Title III of the ADA and to bring a civil action in federal court if the United States is unable to secure voluntary compliance in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance. Ensuring that professional offices of health care providers do not discriminate against patients with disabilities is an issue of general public importance.
For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (Voice) or (833) 610-1264 (TTY). Accessibility specialists are available to answer questions from individuals, businesses, and state or local governments. All calls are confidential.
Settlement AgreementU.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida Observes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Today, United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe joins the Department of Justice and public safety partners across the nation in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated, nationwide, by raising awareness and educating the public about the various forms of elder abuse as well as available resources to minimize risks.
“Senior citizens are among our nation’s most vulnerable populations,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “It is our duty to protect them from anyone who seeks to exploit or cause them harm. We remain resolute in our commitment to leverage our resources and develop partnerships throughout the Middle District of Florida to protect these treasured citizens.”
MDFL Outreach Efforts
As part of the Middle District of Florida’s elder fraud efforts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has engaged in community outreach efforts to citizens and industry professionals throughout the district, raising awareness about scams and schemes criminals use to exploit victims. This year, the USAO-MDFL partnered with the Hillsborough County Aging Services’ annual celebration of Older Americans Month at the Oaks Senior Center in Tampa. USAO-MDFL outreach staff disseminated resources about financial fraud scams targeting seniors, phone scams, and provided tips to empower older veterans. More than 100 attendees participated in this event.
The community outreach team also participated in the Gulfport Fraud Prevention forum to engage senior citizens in discussions about prevalent fraud schemes and various prevention strategies.
Significant Prosecutions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has achieved significant results in several recent elder fraud investigations.
In March 2026, Craig Stevens was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay $19,762.38 in forfeiture. Stevens was employed as a personal care assistant for an elderly victim at an assisted living facility in Palm Coast. He obtained and shared the victim’s personal identifiable information with co-defendants Jataiya Johnson and Aaron Harden. The group used the victim’s personal information to access the victim’s bank accounts and apply for credit cards and loans under the victim’s name.
In March 2026, Luis Emilio Hernandez pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and six counts of money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud an elderly victim following Hurricane Ian. Hernandez falsely represented himself as a licensed contract who would repair the victim’s home after it was damaged by the storm. Relying on these misrepresentations, the 85-year-old victim wrote multiple checks to Hernandez, totaling over $1.2 million, with no work on the home. Sentencing is pending.
In March 2026, Eric Stone pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Stone was fired from Fidelity Investments in June 2021 due to allegations that he had solicited and obtained loans from his clients. After he was terminated, he began to solicit money from former clients by way of personal loans, promising to repay, but never doing so. One victim, 75 years old, provided loan proceeds to Stone, was told there was an investigation into the funds and Stone had incurred costs and fees that also needed to be paid before he could repay her. who created fake email accounts, sent fake text messages, and pretended to hire attorneys to further defraud the victim. The victim’s total loss amount to Stone was $2,037,103. Sentencing is pending.
In June 2025, Pranav Patel was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was also ordered to forfeit $1,791,301 in fraudulent proceeds he obtained. Patel was involved in a fraud scheme targeting senior citizens that involved call centers abroad who fraudulently identified themselves as government agents. In some instances, the conspirators told victims that there were outstanding warrants for their arrest, and they needed to pay a fee to clear the warrants. On other occasions, the conspirators told victims that they needed to provide their money and gold to the officers for safekeeping.
Although elder fraud may occur in a variety of ways, the most common financial schemes that are targeting older adults are:
- Jury Duty Scams – Convince victims to pay for failing to comply with jury duty service.
- Tech Support Scams – Convince victims to pay for non-existent computer problems.
- Non-Delivery Scams – Induce victims to pay for goods or services online but never receive them or convince victims that additional payment or personal information is required to complete a package delivery.
- Romance Scams – Lull victims into believing they are in an online romantic relationship and money needs to be sent to pay for a visit to the U.S. or for some other purpose.
- Grandparent Scams – Dupe victims into thinking that their grandchildren or other relatives are in trouble and need money right away for bail or another emergency.
- Charity Scams – Solicit donations for fake charities, or by altering or “spoofing” caller IDs to show the name of a real charity on the phone.
- Lottery Scams – Use phone calls, letters, or emails to convince victims that a large fee or taxes must be paid before they can receive lottery winnings.
- Debt Collection Scams – Threaten arrest and jail time if payment for a fake debt is not made immediately.
- Money Mule/Money Laundering Scams – Convince victims to use their bank accounts to quickly move funds in and out of those accounts thereby laundering ill-gotten funds.
- Timeshare Scams – Target timeshare owners with false promises of resale and exit from their timeshares for a fee.
- Sham Business Opportunities – Convince victims to invest in lucrative business opportunities or fake investments.
- Family/Caregiver Scam – Relatives or acquaintances of the elderly victims take advantage of them or otherwise get their money.
- Home repair Scam – Criminals appear in person and charge homeowners in advance for home improvement services that they never provide.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office urges the public to report suspected elder fraud by calling the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311) Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m. EST or visiting the Elder Justice Initiative at Justice.gov/elderjustice for additional information and resources.
Orange County Man Sentenced to Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Chase Dean Suriano (26, Ocoee) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to 12 years in federal prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Suriano to forfeit a computer and multiple drives used in the commission of the offense. Suriano pleaded guilty on March 12, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating Suriano after an individual reported that they had observed child sexual abuse material saved on the computer of another user, later identified as Suriano, while Suriano was screensharing. The FBI executed a search warrant on Suriano’s residence, which resulted in the seizure of numerous electronic devices. A forensic review of the devices revealed that Suriano used a browser on his computer to search for, download, and collect child sexual abuse material. In total, Suriano’s devices contained more than 7,500 images and over 900 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, a significant amount of which involved infants and toddlers. Additionally, at the time of the investigation, Suriano was the subject of a stipulated-to 10-year final injunction for protection against sexual violence following reports by a 7-year-old child that the child had been sexually abused by Suriano when Suriano was 18 years old.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Member of Nihilistic Violent Extremist Group “764” Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL — Shawn Krishendat Premsook, 26, of Clermont, Florida, has pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography.
According to the government’s factual basis, Premsook was a member of “764” and other Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) groups for approximately two years. During that time, Premsook joined these groups in extorting minors to engage in self-harm. On multiple occasions, he caused a minor girl to cut herself and use her blood to write messages such as his online moniker. Premsook also collected and distributed gore and child pornography images and videos of children who had been victimized by 764 members.
764 and related groups are NVEs who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and engage with other extremists abroad. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government. Members of 764 work in concert with one another towards a common purpose of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors.
Premsook faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each distribution offense, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each possession offense.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Varadan for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case with valuable assistance from Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
Member of Nihilistic Violent Extremist Group “764” Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Shawn Krishendat Premsook, 26, of Clermont, Florida, has pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography.
According to the government’s factual basis, Premsook was a member of “764” and other Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) groups for approximately two years. During that time, Premsook joined these groups in extorting minors to engage in self-harm. On multiple occasions, he caused a minor girl to cut herself and use her blood to write messages such as his online moniker. Premsook also collected and distributed gore and child pornography images and videos of children who had been victimized by 764 members.
764 and related groups are NVEs who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and engage with other extremists abroad. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government. Members of 764 work in concert with one another towards a common purpose of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors.
Premsook faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each distribution offense, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each possession offense.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Varadan for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case with valuable assistance from Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Jose Manuel Caraballo-Torres (39, Fort Myers) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to four years and three months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Caraballo-Torres pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 27, 2025, a deputy from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) was patrolling State Road 31 in Punta Gorda when he observed a speeding truck. As the vehicle passed, the deputy initiated a traffic stop. Caraballo-Torres was one of multiple passengers in the truck which smelled of marijuana. The passengers were asked to step out of the vehicle for officer safety.
During the traffic stop, the deputy conducted a pat down of Caraballo-Torres, who moved his hand towards his right-side waist band. The deputy immediately grabbed Caraballo-Torres, pushed him against the truck, and pinned Caraballo-Torres’s hands against the vehicle. The deputy retrieved a firearm from the waistband area of Caraballo-Torres. CCSO central communications advised that the firearm retrieved from Caraballo-Torres’s had been reported stolen out of Orlando. Caraballo-Torres’s criminal history indicated that he was on federal supervised release until 2032 related to a case from the District of Puerto Rico.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Darcey and Jesus M. Casas.
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.
Nurse Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Tampering with and Stealing Controlled Substances at Tampa Bay Area HospitalRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Lauren Hornbuckle (37, Seminole) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to two years in federal prison for tampering with a consumer product. Hornbuckle pleaded guilty on August 6, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Hornbuckle was a Florida-licensed registered nurse who worked at Hospital #1. Between November 2023 and March 2024, Hornbuckle tampered with injectable controlled substances, including morphine, hydromorphone, and fentanyl, by removing them from their containers and replacing them with saline. She then returned the containers into circulation for other patients’ medical needs and used the drugs for her own personal use. By tampering with the injectable controlled substances, Hornbuckle acted with reckless disregard for the risk that patients would be in danger of bodily injury and under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to such risk.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice a 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Jerry Alexander Cobb (38, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Cobb pleaded guilty on February 20, 2026. He was also ordered to serve a 12-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between July 18 and August 1, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation on an online social media application (app) to identify adults who were seeking to make contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. During this operation, UC and app user “Jerry,” who was later identified as Cobb, exchanged several private messages on the app. After UC advised Cobb that the “child” was 13 years old, Cobb asked for the location of the “child’s” residence, whether the “child” could “sneak out at night,” and if “she” was a “virgin.”
On July 30, 2025, Cobb suggested that he and the “child” meet for sex and promised that he would use a condom. The next day, Cobb texted the “child,” “[y]es I’m serious that we can [have] sex.” On August 1, 2025, Cobb and the “child” made specific plans to meet later that day at a location in Jacksonville. Cobb took a car service from his apartment to this location to meet the purported 13-year-old “child.” Upon arrival, Cobb was arrested by FBI agents.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Ben Gordon (35, St. Petersburg) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Badalamenti to 16 years and 6 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Gordon pleaded guilty on February 22, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 6, 2023, DEA task force officers conducted an operation utilizing a confidential source to purchase one pound of methamphetamine and approximately 27 grams of fentanyl from Gordon. On November 3, 2023, the officers conducted another operation utilizing the same confidential source to buy one pound of methamphetamine and approximately 56 grams of fentanyl from Gordon, and Gordon was later arrested.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke M. Padgett.
DeSoto County Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Donald Carl Woods (42, Arcadia) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Woods pleaded guilty on January 27, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on April 28, 2025, deputies from the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office arrested Woods near his residence for an active out-of-state warrant. While taking Woods into custody, deputies seized a firearm and a quantity of methamphetamine that they found on his person. Aside from having an active warrant, Woods was also a mutli-time convicted felon who could not lawfully possess a firearm under federal law.
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 case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
Plant City Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Alex Cruz (24, Plant City) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 30 months in federal prison for possessing a machinegun. He pleaded guilty on March 3, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in February 2025, Cruz was one of four individuals stopped in a vehicle by deputies from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. A 10mm Glock handgun, with a machinegun conversion device, was located in the seatback pocket immediately in front of Cruz. The firearm bore Cruz’s DNA, and Cruz later made statements indicating that he knew the firearm was a machinegun.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
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.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Prison for Construction Payroll Scheme that Defrauded the IRS and Workers’ Compensation InsurersRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Santiago Humberto Erazo-Zelaya (32, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard to one year and two months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The court also ordered Erazo-Zelaya to pay $765,446.00 in restitution to the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes and $26,720.12 in restitution to an insurance company for a workers’ compensation claim. The court entered a money judgment against Erazo-Zelaya in the amount of $181,529, representing the proceeds of the wire fraud. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Erazo-Zelaya pleaded guilty on February 9, 2026. His co-defendant, Gregorio Jose Fuentes-Zelaya, was previously sentenced to 33 months in federal prison.
Erazo-Zelaya is a citizen of Honduras who is illegally present in the United States. He is subject to deportation after he serves his sentence.
According to court documents, Erazo-Zelaya established a shell company that purported to be involved in the construction industry. Erazo-Zelaya obtained a workers’ compensation insurance policy in the name of the shell company to cover a minimal payroll for a few purported employees. He and Fuentes-Zelaya then “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance to work crews who wanted to obtain subcontracts with construction contractors on projects in various Florida counties.
The conspirators sent the contractors a certificate as “proof” that the work crews had workers’ compensation insurance, as required by Florida law. By sending the certificate, they falsely represented that the work crews worked for the shell company.
The contractors issued payroll checks for the workers’ wages to the shell company and Erazo-Zelaya cashed these checks. The conspirators then distributed the cash to the work crews after deducting their fee, which was typically 6% of the payroll. During the period of the scheme, the conspirators cashed payroll checks totaling approximately $3 million, with their fees totaling approximately $181,500.
Neither the shell company nor the contractors reported to government authorities the wages that were paid to the workers, nor did they pay the employees’ or the employer’s portion of payroll taxes – including Social Security, Medicare, and federal income tax. According to the IRS, the amount of payroll tax due on wages totaling $3 million was approximately $765,000.
The scheme allowed the contractors and subcontractors to avoid the higher cost of obtaining adequate workers’ compensation insurance for the numerous workers on the work crews to whom the workers’ compensation insurance was “rented.” The policy that Erazo-Zelaya obtained was for an estimated payroll of $100,800, and the insurance company issued the policy for an annual premium of $19,526. Had a workers’ compensation insurance policy been purchased for a payroll totaling $3 million, the policy premium would have totaled about $587,000.
The scheme also facilitated the employment of undocumented workers who were not legally authorized to work in the United States.
“The defendant in this case engaged in a deliberate scheme to exploit workers and circumvent federal and state employment, tax, and insurance laws,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Because of the diligent investigation by our Homeland Security Task Force partners, these conspirators were held accountable for their crimes."
“Fraudsters don’t get a free pass—they get jail time,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “This sentence shows that if you hide payrolls and cheat the tax system, you will pay the price. IRS Special Agents will continue to protect the integrity of our tax system and safeguard businesses that play by the rules.”
“Workers’ compensation insurance fraud fuels an underground economy built on exploitation, deception, and unfair competition,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Hemker. “By facilitating the illegal employment of illegal aliens, these schemes rob legitimate workers of opportunities, depress wages, expose employees to unnecessary risk, and saddle honest contractors with the financial burden created by criminals gaming the system. This conduct is not merely unethical—it is criminal. HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to exposing these fraud networks, following the money, and ensuring those responsible face the full consequences of their actions. We will not allow fraudsters to profit while undermining American workers, honest businesses, and the integrity of our economic system.”
This case was the result of a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation, working collaboratively as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). The Florida Department of Financial Services also assisted with this investigation. It is part of a continuing investigation by those agencies of the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Clint Locke.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Ohio Felon Sentenced to 46 Months for Selling a Firearm to a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Russell Renney (51, Ohio) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Renney pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Renney contacted an informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) offering to sell a firearm. In a controlled meeting organized by ATF, Renney sold the informant a semiautomatic rifle and more than 600 rounds of ammunition in exchange for $1,400. At the time, Renney had multiple prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, Renney is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. Renney had also been told by the informant that he, the informant, was a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
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.
Illegal Alien Sentenced in Multi-State Racketeering Conspiracy Involving the Forced Labor of Mexican WorkersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — An illegal alien was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a federal racketeering conspiracy that relied on fraudulent submissions to immigration authorities and used fraud and coercion to victimize Mexican H-2A workers who, between 2015 and 2017, had worked in the United States harvesting fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
“The victims in this case were deceived by conspirators and subjected to deplorable conditions while being exploited for greed and profit,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Today’s judgment sends a clear message that we will leverage the resources of our law enforcement partners to uphold our nation’s immigration laws and vigorously prosecute those who engage in human trafficking.”
“The defendant fraudulently used the H-2A visa program to recruit and exploit vulnerable victims for his financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case reflects the Department’s commitment to protect the integrity of our nation’s immigration system and hold those accountable who, after engaging in visa fraud, then use deception and coercion to abuse and exploit foreign workers. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who benefit from human trafficking here and abroad and will continue to place a high priority on those who use fraudulent submissions to immigration authorities to enable them to secure their victims’ presence in the United States.”
“Villatoro Moreno and his co-conspirators lured victims from Mexico with false promises of fair wages and good working conditions. It was all a lie,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “In addition to harsh and extreme working conditions, the workers were subjected to poor living conditions, charged excessive expenses, and endured humiliating treatment and threats. Not only is this wrong, but it is also against the law. Investigating this case was a team effort. I commend the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, the Department of Labor, the Diplomatic Security Service, and numerous workers’ rights groups for their close cooperation. I especially thank the Government of Mexico for their significant assistance in the extradition of Villatoro Moreno to the United States. If you are a human trafficking victim or have information about a suspected trafficking crime, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.”
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that those who exploit vulnerable workers and engage in forced labor will face serious consequences,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office. “We are committed to protecting workers, safeguarding the integrity of the H‑2A program, and relentlessly pursuing those who manipulate the immigration system. HSI will continue to leverage partnerships across the government, with private industry, and around the world to combat forced labor and disrupt crimes of victimization.”
According to court documents, Alexander Villatoro Moreno, 53, also known as “Quichi,” of Chiapas, Mexico, along with his co-defendants, operated and managed Los Villatoros Harvesting (LVH), a farm labor contracting company. Between approximately 2015 and 2017, LVH functioned as a criminal enterprise compelling victims to work in Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and North Carolina. Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants fraudulently recruited Mexican nationals to come into the United States on short-term, H-2A agricultural visas and misled the United States to secure valid H-2A visas for the victims. Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants charged workers exorbitant recruitment fees to work for LVH and lied to the victims about how much they would be paid, the hours they would work, the working conditions, and the reimbursement they would receive for paying recruitment fees and other expenses. Once in the United States, Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants then compelled the workers to provide long hours of physically demanding agricultural labor, six to seven days a week, for far less pay than they were entitled to under the law.
In addition to the work conditions, Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants used various coercive means to compel the victims’ labor, including imposing debts on workers; confiscating the workers’ passports; subjecting workers to crowded, unsanitary and degrading living conditions; verbally abusing and humiliating the workers; threatening workers with arrest, jailtime, and deportation; isolating workers by preventing them from interacting with anyone other than LVH employees; and threatening to physically harm the workers’ family members back in Mexico if the workers failed to comply with their demands.
When officials began investigating, Villatoro Moreno obstructed the federal investigation by helping to prepare false payroll information to conceal underpayments to the workers and distributing fake reimbursement receipts to the victims to make it appear that LVH was complying with the law by reimbursing the workers for their travel-related expenses.
Villatoro Moreno pleaded guilty to conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Villatoro Moreno’s four co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the scheme. Bladimir Moreno, Villatoro Moreno’s brother and a Mexican national, owned LVH and pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Efrain Cabrera Rodas, an illegal alien from Mexico, and Christina Gamez, LVH supervisors, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act while Guadalupe Mendes Mendoza, another LVH supervisor, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct a federal investigation. In 2022, Bladimir Moreno was sentenced to 118 months in prison and ordered to pay over $175,000 in restitution to the victims while Rodas and Gamez were sentenced to 41 months and 37 months in prison, respectively. Mendoza was also sentenced in 2022 to serve eight months of home detention and a $5,500 fine to be paid over 24 months of supervised release.
The Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the FBI, HSI, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Task Force received assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Colorado Legal Services Migrant Farm Worker Division, Legal Aid Services of Oregon Farmworker Program and Indiana Legal Services Worker Rights and Protection Project.
The Government of Mexico, including the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), provided significant assistance in the extradition of Villatoro Moreno to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Villatoro Moreno from Mexico.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa Spergel for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section prosecuted the case. Former Trial Attorney and current Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky for the District of Maryland also prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Illegal Alien Sentenced in Multi-State Racketeering Conspiracy Involving the Forced Labor of Mexican WorkersRead the Press Release
An illegal alien was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a federal racketeering conspiracy that relied on fraudulent submissions to immigration authorities and used fraud and coercion to victimize Mexican H-2A workers who, between 2015 and 2017, had worked in the United States harvesting fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
“The defendant fraudulently used the H-2A visa program to recruit and exploit vulnerable victims for his financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case reflects the Department’s commitment to protect the integrity of our nation’s immigration system and hold those accountable who, after engaging in visa fraud, then use deception and coercion to abuse and exploit foreign workers. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who benefit from human trafficking here and abroad and will continue to place a high priority on those who use fraudulent submissions to immigration authorities to enable them to secure their victims’ presence in the United States.”
“The victims in this case were deceived by conspirators and subjected to deplorable conditions while being exploited for greed and profit,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Today’s judgment sends a clear message that we will leverage the resources of our law enforcement partners to uphold our nation’s immigration laws and vigorously prosecute those who engage in human trafficking.”
“Villatoro Moreno and his co-conspirators lured victims from Mexico with false promises of fair wages and good working conditions. It was all a lie,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “In addition to harsh and extreme working conditions, the workers were subjected to poor living conditions, charged excessive expenses, and endured humiliating treatment and threats. Not only is this wrong, but it is also against the law. Investigating this case was a team effort. I commend the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, the Department of Labor, the Diplomatic Security Service, and numerous workers’ rights groups for their close cooperation. I especially thank the Government of Mexico for their significant assistance in the extradition of Villatoro Moreno to the United States. If you are a human trafficking victim or have information about a suspected trafficking crime, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.”
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that those who exploit vulnerable workers and engage in forced labor will face serious consequences,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office. “We are committed to protecting workers, safeguarding the integrity of the H‑2A program, and relentlessly pursuing those who manipulate the immigration system. HSI will continue to leverage partnerships across the government, with private industry, and around the world to combat forced labor and disrupt crimes of victimization.”
According to court documents, Alexander Villatoro Moreno, 53, also known as “Quichi,” of Chiapas, Mexico, along with his co-defendants, operated and managed Los Villatoros Harvesting (LVH), a farm labor contracting company. Between approximately 2015 and 2017, LVH functioned as a criminal enterprise compelling victims to work in Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and North Carolina. Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants fraudulently recruited Mexican nationals to come into the United States on short-term, H-2A agricultural visas and misled the United States to secure valid H-2A visas for the victims. Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants charged workers exorbitant recruitment fees to work for LVH and lied to the victims about how much they would be paid, the hours they would work, the working conditions, and the reimbursement they would receive for paying recruitment fees and other expenses. Once in the United States, Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants then compelled the workers to provide long hours of physically demanding agricultural labor, six to seven days a week, for far less pay than they were entitled to under the law.
In addition to the work conditions, Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants used various coercive means to compel the victims’ labor, including imposing debts on workers; confiscating the workers’ passports; subjecting workers to crowded, unsanitary and degrading living conditions; verbally abusing and humiliating the workers; threatening workers with arrest, jailtime, and deportation; isolating workers by preventing them from interacting with anyone other than LVH employees; and threatening to physically harm the workers’ family members back in Mexico if the workers failed to comply with their demands.
When officials began investigating, Villatoro Moreno obstructed the federal investigation by helping to prepare false payroll information to conceal underpayments to the workers and distributing fake reimbursement receipts to the victims to make it appear that LVH was complying with the law by reimbursing the workers for their travel-related expenses.
Villatoro Moreno pleaded guilty to conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Villatoro Moreno’s four co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the scheme. Bladimir Moreno, Villatoro Moreno’s brother and a Mexican national, owned LVH and pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Efrain Cabrera Rodas, an illegal alien from Mexico, and Christina Gamez, LVH supervisors, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act while Guadalupe Mendes Mendoza, another LVH supervisor, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct a federal investigation. In 2022, Bladimir Moreno was sentenced to 118 months in prison and ordered to pay over $175,000 in restitution to the victims while Rodas and Gamez were sentenced to 41 months and 37 months in prison, respectively. Mendoza was also sentenced in 2022 to serve eight months of home detention and a $5,500 fine to be paid over 24 months of supervised release.
The Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the FBI, HSI, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Task Force received assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Colorado Legal Services Migrant Farm Worker Division, Legal Aid Services of Oregon Farmworker Program and Indiana Legal Services Worker Rights and Protection Project.
The Government of Mexico, including the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), provided significant assistance in the extradition of Villatoro Moreno to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Villatoro Moreno from Mexico.
Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa Spergel for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case. Former Trial Attorney and current Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky for the District of Maryland also prosecuted the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Orlando Resident Charged with Mortgage and COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Yan Daniel Inclan Hernandez (32, Orlando) has been charged by indictment with one count of making a false Statement to a financial institution and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted on all counts, Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison per count. The indictment also notifies the defendant that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $157,500, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, in September of 2021, Hernandez made a false statement on a mortgage loan application submitted to a financial institution claiming $12,350 in monthly income. This false statement influenced the financial institution’s decision to approve and fund a $411,350 mortgage loan which Hernandez used to purchase a property in Orlando.
Additionally, between May 2020 and August 2021, Hernandez engaged in a wire fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 pandemic Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for himself and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for his company from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Hernandez caused PPP and EIDL applications to be submitted that overstated gross monthly payroll, gross monthly income, gross annual revenues, and the number of employees. These material misstatements, and others, fraudulently induced the SBA and PPP lenders to fund the loans.
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 Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Housing and Development – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to 25 years for Producing, Distributing, Receiving, and Accessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Sean Christie (43, Sarasota) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to 25 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), distribution of CSAM, receipt of CSAM, and access with intent to view CSAM. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
A jury found Christie guilty on January 15, 2026.
According to court documents, Christie used Kik, a social media application, to solicit, receive and distribute CSAM depicting minors under 12 years of age. Christie also used Snapchat to meet minor girls, including a 12-year-old victim whom he used to produce CSAM.
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.
Jacksonville Serial Robber Convicted by Jury for Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found John Flowers Grissom (55, Jacksonville) guilty of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of an unregistered, short-barreled rifle without a serial number. Grissom faces a minimum of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Grissom was initially charged by criminal complaint on November 20, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 30, 2024, three young men were playing basketball in Jacksonville when one of them discovered he had lost his keys. While retracing his steps, the young man encountered Grissom and asked whether Grissom had seen his keys. Later, as the young man circled the block in a vehicle, they observed Grissom hiding outside of his residence with a short-barreled rifle equipped with a red laser. As the young men drove by Grissom’s residence, Grissom pointed the short-barreled rifle at the young men.
Fearing for their lives, the young men called the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) and provided officers with detailed physical descriptions of Grissom, his residence, and his firearm. JSO officers responded to the residence in an attempt to make contact with Grissom. Upon arriving at the residence, the officers observed Grissom’s window lit up from inside and observed his door quickly open and shut. The officers proceeded to bang on his door and window and announced their presence outside. For more than two hours, Grissom pretended not to be home.
Ultimately, Grissom exited the home and was arrested. When interviewed, Grissom stated that he was on heavy medication and did “it” because he was scared due to recent robberies in his neighborhood. A lawful search of his residence was conducted, and officers located rifle ammunition in Grissom’s toilet, an upper receiver for an AR15-style rifle underneath the covers of his bed, and the lower receiver and stock for the rifle inside a hole in his box spring. A bolt carrier and ammunition magazine were found in the trash. The barrel of the rifle measured approximately 8.5 inches, subjecting it to regulation under the National Firearms Act (NFA). A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record revealed that the firearm was not registered to Grissom. The firearm had been privately made and did not bear a serial number as required under the NFA. As an eleven-time convicted felon, Grissom is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
The jury further found that Grissom had three or more convictions for robberies that were committed on different occasions, thus subjecting him to an enhanced penalty as an Armed Career Criminal.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Rick Lasseter.
Federal Jury Convicts Pennsylvania Man for Making Death Threats Against Chief Executive Officer of Tampa General HospitalRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Lawrence Brunn (63, Pennsylvania) guilty of cyber harassment. The defendant faces a maximum of five years in federal prison. His sentencing will be set at a later date. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Brunn began harassing J.C., the CEO of Tampa General Hospital, at least as far back as 2022. Brunn’s online harassment increased in frequency and intensity over the last two years. Brunn’s threats called for the execution of J.C. and frequently referred to J.C.’s beheading utilizing a guillotine. In one post from April 9, 2025, Brunn stated that J.C. “should have his head chopped off” and further stated that J.C. “should be scared…of we the people.” In addition to online postings, Brunn also sent mailings to J.C.’s private residence, as well as J.C.’s neighbors’ residences, and members of the Board of Trustees for Tampa General Hospital.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.
Jury Convicts Armed Career Criminal of Multiple Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – A federal jury has found Anthony Joseph Brulewicz, a/k/a “Tony Montana” (54, Port Orange) guilty of four counts of distribution or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of use, carry or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Brulewicz was charged as an Armed Career Criminal and now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, up to 205 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 31, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Brulewicz was indicted on December 17, 2025
According to testimony or evidence presented at trial, Brulewicz sold a total of six firearms and approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant over five law enforcement-controlled purchases. The firearms included three pistols, two shotguns and a rifle, all sold from the defendant’s residence. During one of the drug trafficking offenses, the defendant used, carried or possessed a firearm in furtherance of that crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Port Orange Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Alexa McNeff.
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.
California Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Coercing and Enticing a MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Rigoberto Rios Gallardo (33, Los Angeles, California) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Rios Gallardo pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
According to court documents, Rios Gallardo initially met the 12-year-old victim on TikTok and began communicating with the victim on other internet-based applications including Telegram, Discord and Signal. On three dates in August and September 2024, Rios Gallardo used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual images. Between August 2024 and December 2024, Rios Gallardo knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced the victim to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Port Police Department. 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.
Two Felons Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Ship Methamphetamine and Fentanyl from California to FloridaRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Clarence Black, Jr. (50, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 20 years and 6 months years in federal prison for drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl while being on federal supervised release. Judge Chappell also sentenced Jarrek Fabrion Myrick (40, Fort Myers) to 15 years and 6 months in federal prison for drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Black pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025, and Myrick pleaded guilty on January 27, 2026.
According to court documents, between January 25, 2025, and February 4, 2025, Black and Myrick traveled to California and shipped methamphetamine and fentanyl to the Tampa and Southwest Florida areas. The drug-laden parcels were intercepted. The total quantity of methamphetamine and fentanyl was approximately over 90 pounds.
Black was on supervised release for a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine at the time he committed the offenses. Myrick had a prior conviction for second-degree murder.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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 Man Sentenced to over 11 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Pound of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Tyrone Pierson (29, Ocala) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Pierson pleaded guilty on January 2, 2026. Pierson’s co-defendant, Reshawn Graham, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2026, and is currently scheduled for sentencing on June 25, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on October 7, 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer negotiated the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine with Graham. Later that day, Pierson met with the undercover officer and told the officer that the source of supply for the drugs had been delayed. The next day, Graham again reached out to the undercover officer and stated that Pierson now had the methamphetamine. Afterward, Graham and Pierson were arrested by law enforcement at a predetermined meeting location for the drug transaction. Pierson was wearing a bag that contained approximately 438 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Lake County Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Fernando Munguia, Jr. (24, Leesburg) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to four years in federal prison for making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and causing a federal firearm licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. Munguia pleaded guilty on January 26, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Munguia illegally straw-purchased multiple firearms. For the purchases, Munguia indicated on the mandatory background paperwork that he was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms. Those statements, however, were false since Munguia had been paid to purchase the firearms on behalf of someone else. Nine of the firearms purchased by Munguia—along with other firearms— were subsequently intercepted by United States Customs and Border Protection on May 27, 2023, when another individual attempted to transport them from Eagle Pass, Texas across the border and into Mexico. Authorities intercepted Munguia’s firearms less than a month after he had purchased them.
The firearms and ammunition seized at the U.S. border on May 27, 2023.
A subsequent records check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives showed that between January and November 2023, Munguia had purchased 44 firearms for a total of $23,334.25—an amount representing approximately two-thirds of his reported annual income. The records also showed that his purchases frequently involved multiple, identical firearms of the same model and caliber.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Custom and Border Protection. It was 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.