Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Domestic Violence Offender Indicted for Illegally Trying to Buy FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Vance Perry (67, Palatka) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm on two separate occasions. If convicted, Perry faces up to five years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on February 18, 2023, Perry completed an ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer. On March 25, 2024, Perry tried to buy a different gun from another federally licensed firearms dealer. Perry indicated on the required paperwork that he was not convicted of a domestic violence offense. The indictment alleges that this was a false statement, and that Perry was previously convicted of domestic battery on December 28, 2021.
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 is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to buy a gun.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sinaloa Cartel Associates Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Anthony Carroll (50, Tampa) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. The court also ordered Carroll to forfeit $10,340, a facilitating property of the offenses. Carroll was found guilty by a federal jury on April 9, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Carroll and his co-defendant, Pablo Villalobos (62, Sinaloa, Mexico) agreed with an individual located in Mexico and associated with the Sinaloa Cartel to purchase 30 kilograms of cocaine in Tampa. An undercover agent in contact with the Mexican cartel member was solicited by that individual to transport the 30 kilograms of cocaine from El Paso, Texas to Tampa. The agent met with an unnamed individual in El Paso to take possession of the cocaine and the courier was later surveilled leaving the United States and entering Mexico at Chihuahua, Mexico.
Once in Tampa, the undercover agent contacted the Mexican cartel member who told the agent that two people would be arriving to the meeting location in a white vehicle. Carroll and Villalobos arrived shortly afterwards in Carroll’s white car. The pair met with two undercover agents, paid them the transportation fee, and took possession of the 30 kilograms of cocaine. A short while later, troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol stopped the vehicle, a narcotics dog was deployed, and troopers discovered the cocaine in the trunk of the vehicle. The pair were then arrested.
Villalobos pleaded guilty on April 3, 2024. On July 10, 2024, he was sentenced to four years and nine months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tampa District Office and El Paso Field Division and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced John Lewis (34, Sarasota) to nine years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Lewis to forfeit a HS Produkt (a/k/a “IM Metal”) 9mm model XDS pistol and assorted ammunition, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Lewis entered a guilty plea on August 6, 2024.
According to court documents, at approximately 2 a.m. on November 30, 2023, a deputy with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office observed an SUV being driven by Lewis run a red light while traveling more than 100 mph. Despite running over stop sticks deployed by law enforcement, Lewis continued driving recklessly at a high rate of speed. Lewis then lost control of the SUV while going over the south bridge near the Isle of Venice and crashed, coming to a stop in the middle of the bridge. Lewis then fled from the SUV and jumped off the bridge, losing a sandal in the process. Lewis landed on the Venetian Waterway Trail instead of in the Venetian Waterway and continued to flee from law enforcement despite sustaining injuries from the impact. A matching sandal and a black semi-automatic firearm containing four rounds of live ammunition were located on the Venetian Waterway Trail and Lewis was located nearby in a shed. Forensic testing further corroborated Lewis’s possession of the firearm.
Lewis has previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon or ammunition by a juvenile delinquent, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, grand theft of a firearm, possession of cocaine, interference with child custody, and fleeing or attempting to elude. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Venice Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke M. Padgett.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Riverview Woman Pleads Guilty to Sending Threatening Messages to Palestinian AmericansRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Andrea Rubiano (49, Riverview) pleaded guilty to transmitting a threat in interstate commerce and making false statements to a federal agent. Rubiano faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in October 2023, Rubiano sent threatening text messages to 12 Palestinian Americans residing in the Middle District of Florida. By way of example, one of the victims received the following messages from Rubiano:
Palestinians in Tampa must die!!
You Family [the victim’s surname] are fucking shit
They are trash they should die first
The [victim’s surname] family is shit in Tampa
In the mosque we are going to behead them and drag them alive
like rats fucking Palestinians with their wives and children
We took you out of your land like rats, now we are going to get
you out of here you fucking bastards, [the victim’s surname]
brothers.
Rubiano also sent the victim the Israeli flag, two images of what appears to be a public demonstration, 12 Palestinian flag emojis, 23 skull-and-crossbones flag emojis, 10 Star of David emojis, seven lit cannonball emojis, and five rat emojis.
A few days after Rubiano sent the threatening messages, a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewed Rubiano. At the time, Rubiano denied sending the threatening messages and affirmatively stated that she would never threaten [the Victim’s] family. Several months later, Rubiano admitted that she had willfully and knowingly lied to the Special Agent during the first interview. More specifically, Rubiano admitted that, on October 13 and 14, 2023, she had sent threatening messages to several Palestinian Americans and that she had not been truthful when she told the Special Agent otherwise.
As part of the plea agreement, Rubiano also agreed to a special finding that she intentionally selected Palestinian Americans and/or Arabic individuals as the objects of her threats based on their actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, or ethnicity.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Joint Terrorism Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.
Orlando Woman Sentenced for Role in Construction-Related Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Wendy Cudemo (48, Orlando) to 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $787,911.00, the proceeds of the wire fraud conspiracy and ordered the forfeiture to the United States of real property located in Palmetto, Florida. Cudemo pled guilty on July 16, 2024.
According to court documents, Cudemo owned and managed a construction company which purported to supply construction services and labor for construction contractors and subcontractors. In order to comply with Florida law, Cudemo’s company was required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage. Her company had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be Cudemo’s employees at construction sites and these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors. Cudemo or others would then regularly receive “payroll checks” from contractors that were cashed at various financial institutions to pay Cudemo’s purported “employees” and other related expenses.
During the period charged, Cudemo falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that her company had a very limited payroll and a very limited number of employees who worked on construction jobsites. Cudemo also falsely and fraudulently sent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that her company’s employees had full worker’s compensation coverage. In reality, Cudemo’s company received and cashed more than $7,800,000 in checks from various construction contractors for these purported Cudemo “employees.” These payroll figures far exceeded the very limited payroll figures that Cudemo had reported to her worker’s compensation insurance company. As a result, these employees, in reality the employees of other entities, performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the insurers lost premiums they would have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover.
As a result of these misrepresentations, Cudemo’s company also disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and that required state and federal payroll taxes were being paid for these workers. The contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were thus also able to avoid responsibility for those duties as well.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services. It is part of a lengthy investigation by those agencies into the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Antonino Resendiz Badillo (39, Mexico) today pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Badillo faces a penalty of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, E-Verify is a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. E-Verify is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The SSA and USCIS check the submitted information against the records of actual persons who are authorized to work in the United States. E-Verify is a voluntary program for employers and requires documents such as a Social Security number and photo identification of a prospective employee.
From at least 2022 through May 2024, Badillo used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system and to commit the felony offenses of Misuse of a Social Security Number and False Claim of United States Citizenship for Employment Purposes.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation–Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration–Office of Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor–Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
Jacksonville Medical Records Technician Sentenced to 35 Years for Sexually Exploiting Numerous Children OnlineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Arin Caleb Ellis (27, Jacksonville) to 35 years in federal prison for producing and distributing videos depicting children being sexually abused. Ellis was also ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Ellis was arrested on August 29, 2022, and has been in federal custody since that date. On February 28, 2024, Ellis pleaded guilty to persuading and coercing a child to engage in producing visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct and to distributing a video depicting a child being sexually abused.
According to court documents, from January 2018 through August 29, 2022, Ellis was an active member of several online groups on social media applications (apps) dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the sharing of child sexual abuse materials. Ellis and other members of these groups conspired and worked together to locate and sexually exploit minors across a variety of online social media platforms. During online text conversations, Ellis and other members discussed and strategized on how to pressure and coerce targeted children into producing sexually explicit photos and videos and engaging in sexually explicit conduct live on social media apps. Ellis and the other members also exchanged information about the identity of children who had an online presence, such as the minors’ names, ages, locations, and online user identifiers. Ellis told other group members that he preferred targeting female children who were 8 to 11 years old. Posing as minor children, Ellis and the other members persuaded and coerced the targeted children to engage in sexually explicit conduct and to live-stream the conduct that Ellis and his co-conspirators would covertly record. When Ellis and the other members obtained the sexually explicit recordings, they shared these materials through online group chats and other cloud-based file storage apps and websites.
Ellis developed and used certain recording tools to capture live-streaming content over the internet that depicted the targeted children engaging in sexual acts. These tools allowed Ellis to simultaneously record multiple streaming video feeds from different children, and he shared these tools with other members for their use. Ellis used a variety of social media apps to communicate with the targeted minors across the United States and portrayed himself as a 10 or 11-year-old female child named “nova” from Florida. Ellis initially sent the targeted child sexually explicit photos and videos depicting an actual minor female that he was pretending to be and asked the child to be his “girlfriend.” After gaining some measure of trust, he then asked the child to send him sexually explicit photos and videos and recorded the child as she live-streamed sexually explicit conduct at his direction. Ellis also threatened some of the targeted children who refused to provide him with sexually explicit materials.
Ellis and the other group members also collaborated to hack into baby monitors, “nanny” cameras, and other internet-enabled cameras within private residences. The co-conspirators periodically provided Ellis with internal protocol addresses, which he developed his own computer code to remotely hack into these devices, allowing him to capture streaming video from compromised baby monitors.
During this investigation, the FBI executed multiple search warrants and seized the contents of the accounts used by Ellis and other group members. That content, combined with the evidence recovered from Ellis’ electronic devices, revealed that Ellis potentially targeted thousands of minor children for online sexual exploitation.
On August 29, 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Ellis’ residence and seized his computers and electronic devices, several of which were encrypted. Forensic examination of one of Ellis’ cellphones revealed that he used a particular online app to send two videos of child sexual abuse to a co-conspirator just hours before FBI agents arrived at his residence. In total, the FBI recovered at least 1,700 photos and 700 videos depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct that Ellis maintained on his electronic devices and in his online social media accounts. Many of these materials depict young children, some as young as 6 years old.
Roger B. Handberg, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director B. Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kristin Rehler of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office, made this announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit in Linthicum, Maryland, and the FBI Jacksonville Field Office, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown for the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys Kaylynn Foulon and McKenzie Hightower of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
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.
Georgia Man Indicted for Traveling to Meet A Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Troy Lyn Everett (62, Smyrna, Georgia) on an indictment charging him with attempted production of child sex abuse material and attempted online enticement of a minor. If convicted of both offenses, Everett faces a minimum sentence of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to court records, from August 22 to October 25, 2024, an undercover detective from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office posed as a 14-year-old girl on an online messaging application. During the first few minutes, Everett asked about the child’s age, and when he found out she was 14, he asked multiple times for sexually explicit photos of the child. In addition to asking for the photos, he set up a time and place for them to meet for sex. Everett then purchased a bus ticket and traveled from Atlanta to Jacksonville under the belief that he would be meeting the child once in Jacksonville. Upon arrival at the bus station, Everett was arrested by law enforcement. He is currently being held without bail awaiting trial.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Man Indicted for Posting Threats on the InternetRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed charging Nathaniel James Holmes, 51, of Jacksonville, Florida, with four counts of transmitting interstate threats to injury other persons. If convicted on all counts, Holmes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on four dates in October, Holmes transmitted threats to injure others, including threats to kill three particular victims, the children of one victim, and Jewish and African American individuals generally. A federal grand jury charged Holmes in a sealed indictment on Oct. 24. He was arrested on Nov. 1, made his initial appearance in court, and ordered detained pending a competency evaluation.
The FBI; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly S. Milliron and Michael J. Coolican for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren of the Justice Department's National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Indictment
Bellair Man Indicted for COVID Loan Fraud Using Deceased Former Business Partner’s IdentityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Stephen L. Gurba (68, Belleair) with wire fraud, making a false statement to a financial institution, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Gurba faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of wire fraud (2 counts), 30 years in prison on the false statement count, and a 2-year mandatory term of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft counts (2 counts). The indictment also notifies Gurba that the United States intends to forfeit approximately $1.2 million, which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses.
According to court documents, between March and June 2020, Gurba submitted false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications and supporting documentation on behalf of Big Red Express Trucking, LLC and Zenith Express, LLC. To obtain approval and funding for the Big Red and Zenith EIDL loans, Gurba fraudulently assumed the identity of his former business partner who passed away in 2019, listed his former business partner’s name, signature, and other means of identification on the EIDL loan applications certifying under criminal penalty that the applications were true and correct. Gurba also used his deceased business partner’s name and forged his signature on the EIDL loan authorization agreements and loan notes he submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA). During post-loan related communications with the SBA, Gurba continued to impersonate his deceased business partner. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Gurba induced the SBA to approve and fund the Big Red and Zenith EIDL loans.
Additionally, Gurba applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on behalf a Big Red from an SBA authorized financial institution. Gurba certified and signed under criminal penalty that all the PPP loan proceeds would be spent on payroll, mortgages, rent, or other SBA authorized expenses. In reality, Gurba used the majority of the PPP proceeds to enrich himself, family members, payoff unrelated business debts, and other impermissible expenses. As a result of Gurba’s false statement, the financial institution approved and funded a $955,448.75 PPP loan to Big Red.
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 and the Small Business Association – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Wisconsin Sex Offender Sentenced to 45 Years for Enticing and Coercing A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Mohammad Ali Hemmat (29, Milwaukee) to 45 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity, production of child sexual abuse material, traveling on two occasions from Wisconsin to Florida for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with a minor, and committing these offenses while required to register as a sex offender in Wisconsin. The court also ordered Hemmat to forfeit electronic devices, which were used in the commission of the offense, and to register as a sex offender. A federal jury found Hemmat guilty in April 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between April 2022 and March 2023, Hemmat used his cellphone and computer to sexually groom a 12-year-old girl in Florida. Hemmat groomed this child through daily social media video chats, text message conversations, and by sending her cash, gifts, and fast food. Hemmat shared obscene material with this child through social media applications, and he used a social media platform to remote log-in to the child victim’s laptop—which he had purchased for her—to search for sexually explicit topics, images, and videos. The victim subsequently sent child sexual abuse images of herself to Hemmat over the internet.
In February 2023, Hemmat drove from Wisconsin to Florida for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with the child. In March 2023, Hemmat drove to Florida a second time for the same purpose, but law enforcement was alerted to his presence by the victim. Although Hemmat attempted to return to Wisconsin without detection, law enforcement officers apprehended him in Indiana. Evidence presented at trial also showed that Hemmat had engaged similar tactics in grooming a13-year-old child in the United Kingdom to send him sexually explicit images of herself. At the time Hemmat committed these offenses, he had a prior conviction for an offense involving a minor, requiring him to register as a sex offender in Wisconsin.
“The crime of sexually exploiting a child's vulnerability through manipulation and bribery demanded a severe consequence, and this 45-year sentence is evidence of justice served,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. “Alongside our national and international law enforcement partners with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Jasper (Indiana) County Sheriff’s Office, the Sussex County (United Kingdom) Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, this sentencing demonstrates a united front against such predatory behavior, and reflects our collective commitment to protect vulnerable individuals in our society.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper (Indiana) County Sheriff’s Office, the Sussex County (United Kingdom) Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Risha Asokan.
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.
U.S. Attorney Announces Recent Mail Theft ArrestsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of three criminal complaints involving the theft of U.S. Mail.
On October 23, 2024, Ryan Anthony Aheran (27, Orlando) was charged with mail theft. According to the criminal complaint, on October 1, 2024, Aheran stole mail from cluster mailboxes in Orlando. During the search of a vehicle later that day that was ultimately found to have been used by Aheran, U.S. Postal Inspectors located more than 1,000 pieces of stolen mail taken from multiple zip codes. In November 2023, Aheran was captured on video surveillance cashing a check for $9,500 that had been stolen from the mail. If convicted, Aheran faces up to five years in federal prison.
On October 24, 2024, Ottis Nicole McCoy, Jr. (19, Sanford) was charged with mail theft. According to the criminal complaint, McCoy, a contract employee with the United States Postal Service (USPS), was tasked to deliver mail to residences in Orlando. Instead, on October 22, 2024, McCoy transported the mail to a wooded lot, where he dumped more than 1,000 pieces of mail. Among the items that McCoy dumped were over 400 pieces of election-related mail, including an election ballot. Following an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), investigators recovered the discarded mail and located video surveillance footage showing McCoy throwing the mail into the wooded lot. If convicted, McCoy faces up to five years in prison.
(Discarded mail recovered by USPIS)
On October 25, 2024, Jaquisha Durant (30, Orlando) was charged with bank fraud. According to the criminal complaint, on April 22 and 23, 2024, Durant obtained debit cards that had been stolen from USPS cluster mailboxes. These debit cards were used to make cash withdrawals from ATMs. If convicted, Durant faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
“The individuals arrested demonstrated no respect for the sanctity of the mail. In this election cycle and every election cycle, the United States Postal Inspection Service is committed to the integrity of election mail and ensuring the safe and secure delivery of election mail,” said Juan A. Vargas, Inspector in Charge, USPIS, Miami Division. “We understand the critical role we play, and we are steadfast in our efforts to secure the delivery of ballot mail and all election mail.”
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation 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 the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orlando Police Department. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Testerman, Richard Varadan, and Diane Hu.
Over the last approximately four years, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District has federally prosecuted more than 50 cases related to theft and/or destruction of mail, obstruction of mail delivery, and robberies of postal carriers (representative cases listed in attachment).
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Orlando Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Unlawful Possession of MachinegunsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has sentenced Marcelo Manuel Maysonet (23, Orlando) to 30 months in federal prison for the possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons, specifically, a machinegun and 15 machinegun conversion devices. The court also ordered Maysonet to forfeit a Delton INC, DTI-15, 5.56 caliver AR style pistol with an installed machinegun conversion device and 15 additional machinegun conversion devices, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Maysonet entered a guilty plea on July 25, 2024.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers from theOrange County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Maysonet’s residence, where they discovered 15 machinegun conversion devices and a 5.56 caliber AR-style pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed. A machinegun conversion device is an illegal conversion device that converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon. Under the National Firearms Act, a machinegun conversion device is classified as a machinegun. None of these items were registered to Maysonet in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Money Mule Sentenced to Federal Prison for Laundering Proceeds from Senior Citizens Victimized in A Government-Imposter Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Viraj Patel (29, Sanford) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court also ordered Patel to forfeit $145,000, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. Patel entered a guilty plea on July 25, 2024.
According to court documents, conspirators placed telephone calls, usually from India, to victims in the United States. The victims were predominantly senior citizens. The conspirators falsely identified themselves as government officials or representatives of financial institutions and told the victims that their identities had been compromised and they needed to pay law enforcement officers, government officials, or financial institutions to fund fraud investigations. Patel’s role was as a mule who picked up money and gold from victims and transported it to co-conspirators. The fraud proceeds were then distributed to other conspirators in the United States.
For instance, in April 2024, co-conspirators called a senior citizen in Pinellas County and falsely impersonated officials with the Federal Reserve. They falsely told the victim that her identity and bank accounts had been compromised and demanded she pay approximately $71,000 to remedy the identity theft. The co-conspirators instructed the victim to provide them with remote access to her computer, through which the conspirators wired $71,000 from the victim’s bank account to a precious metals company for the purchase and delivery of gold bars to the victim’s residence. The victim provided those gold bars to a conspirator in April 2024. The following month, the conspirators made additional false statements to persuade the victim to provide more gold. On May 8, 2024, Patel traveled to the victim’s home and retrieved from the victim a package containing $50,000. Law enforcement arrested Patel with the $50,000.
Investigators determined that between April and May 2024, Patel and his co-conspirators laundered at least $216,000 in fraud proceeds and tried to launder $50,000 in additional proceeds.
“Patel and his co-conspirators preyed on law-abiding citizens by pretending to be government officials,” said Robert Engel, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Tampa Field Office. “He showed no regard for the law, or those he scammed. This sentence should serve as a warning to potential thieves that they will be caught and prosecuted. The U.S. Secret Service is committed to investigating cases of fraud and to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims of financial crime across the country.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with inappropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in Orange and Osceola CountiesRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – The Justice Department announced today that the Civil Rights Division will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Orange and Osceola Counties for the Nov. 5 general election.
The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will handle this effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel from the Civil Rights Division, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.
On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be available to receive complaints on Election Day at (904) 301- 6284.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.
Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Brooksville Woman Who Lied to ATF Agents in Connection with Murder of High School Student Is Sentenced to One Year in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William Jung has sentenced Janet Williams (44, Brooksville) to one year in federal prison for lying to federal agents. Williams entered a guilty plea in June 2024.
According to court documents, on February 8, 2023, Williams’ son, Sheldon Robinson, was arrested in connection with the murder of I.S., a 17-year-old Hernando County High School student. Immediately after his arrest, Williams found approximately $6,000 that Robinson had hidden in two difference places in her home, money Robinson had been paid to murder I.S.
On August 9, 2023, Williams was interviewed by ATF special agents and detectives from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. Williams repeatedly denied finding any money that belonged to Robinson in her home. The following week, Robinson spoke to Williams. During this call, Williams told Robinson about ATF’s visit, telling him; “Feds came to the house. They took over the case.” At one point, she says, “They were asking me…did you come into a whole bunch of money? I said No. But you did come into a whole bunch of money.”
On September 20, 2023, during the execution of a federal search warrant at Williams’ residence, Williams again told federal agents that she had not found any money belonging to Robinson in her home. Williams also denied ever seeing Robinson with a firearm or knowing he possessed one. Agents also executed a search warrant on Williams’ phone which contained numerous photos of Robinson routinely possessing firearms, including possessing them in her own home. During the execution of the search warrant at Williams’ home, agents recovered a firearm partially buried in her backyard. A forensic examination confirmed the firearm was used to murder I.S.
This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Traveling to Florida to Have Sex with A MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Tyler Colton Rock (26, Texas) to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for coercion/enticement of a minor and transferring obscene material to minors. Rock entered a guilty plea on March 1, 2024.
According to court documents, Rock was 25 years old when he engaged in an online relationship with a 13-year-old in Pinellas County. Rock had the child produce explicit images of herself and sent her various images of his genitalia and videos of him masturbating. In anticipation of traveling to meet the child, Rock texted the child that it was either going to be the best trip ever or he would end up in federal prison, but he was excited. In February 2023, Rock traveled from Texas to Pinellas County to engage in sexual intercourse with the child. He brought with him a bag filled with condoms, morning-after emergency contraception pills, and stuffed animals. Rock provided the child with marijuana prior to engaging in sexual intercourse with her.
“This man knew what he was doing was a federal crime, and yet, continued to prey on the young victim,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “This investigation is another example of the tenacious commitment of our agents and analysts to rescue children from these sexual predators.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.
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.
Ten-Time Convicted Felon, Who Fled from Girlfriend’s Violent Death, Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Albert Ayala (34, Orlando) to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ayala entered a guilty plea on May 21, 2024.
According to court records, Ayala was driving a vehicle on I-4 when his girlfriend, the sole passenger in the vehicle, was ejected from the car. The woman was struck by multiple vehicles, causing her death. Ayala continued driving and crashed the vehicle at the base of an I-4 exit. Ayala then fled the scene on foot, leaving behind a pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. Ayala’s DNA was located on the firearm and airbag that had deployed during the crash. Prior to possessing the firearm, Ayala had been convicted of 10 felonies. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
“We’re proud to have helped put this heartless suspect behind bars for a long time,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jury Finds Non-Fungible Token Developer Guilty of Defrauding Investors and Laundering Proceeds Through Solana and Ethereum BlockchainsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Berman Jerry Nowlin, Jr. (21, Huntsville, Alabama), a/k/a “Repulse” and “Zayous,” guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Nowlin faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for January 23, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Nowlin and his codefendant, Devin Alan Rhoden (25, Pinellas Park, Florida), a/k/a “Denny” and “Deviinz,” minted two non-fungible token (NFT) collections on the Solana blockchain named “UndeadApes” and “Undead Lady Apes” (representative samples from each collection are depicted below).
UndeadApes Collection
Undead Lady Apes Collection
Nowlin served as the developer for both projects by, among other things, using an art engine to create the NFTs, managing the blockchain protocol, and coding the Solana smart contracts. Rhoden marketed the projects on Discord and X (formerly Twitter). In the weeks following the respective mints, the average sale price of both NFT collections increased dramatically. For instance, though minted at the cryptocurrency equivalent of $5, NFTs from the UndeadApes collection resold for the equivalent of $360 at their peak.
Nowlin and Rhoden used the success and enthusiasm from the first two collections to perpetrate a “rug pull,” a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme where developers abandon a project, take investor funds, and leave investors with a worthless asset. Specifically, in April 2022, Nowlin and Rhoden announced their intention to mint a third NFT collection named “Undead Tombstone.” In the announcement and subsequent advertisements, Nowlin and Rhoden made exaggerated, misleading, and outright false statements to investors, including regarding utilities the NFTs would have, the amount of cryptocurrency that would be reinvested into the project, and partnerships with other prominent businesses. On April 19, 2022, Nowlin and Rhoden minted 632 Undead Tombstone NFTs before abruptly terminating the mint and executing the rug pull. A short time later, Nowlin and Rhoden deleted their Discord and Twitter accounts, cutting off all communication with investors.
The mint resulted in approximately $135,000 in cryptocurrency being sent to cryptocurrency wallets under the control of Nowlin and Rhoden. Using decentralized cryptocurrency tumbler Tornado Cash, Nowlin moved the fraud proceeds from the Solana blockchain to the Ethereum blockchain, also known as “chain-hopping.” This confusion technique is used by cybercriminals and money launderers to make identifying and tracing illicit funds more difficult. Nowlin then used the cryptocurrency to purchase U.S. dollars and transferred that currency into his bank account. In a matter of weeks, the three NFT collections resulted in Nowlin and Rhoden receiving nearly $400,000 in cryptocurrency from hundreds of victim-investors all over the world.
“These cybercriminals concocted a scheme to defraud investors through a grand illusion and orchestrated a ‘rug pull’ to steal money from unsuspecting people, and laundered their ill-gotten gains though other cybercurrencies,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI Tampa, alongside our partners with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office this guilty verdict should serve as a stark reminder that criminals can easily exploit the allure of digital fortunes through would be cryptocurrency investments.”
Rhoden pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering on May 24, 2024. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 20, 2024.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Air Force - Office of Special Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of Defense - Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
Fleming Island Childcare Center Settles Claim to Improve Access to Daycare Services for Children with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has reached an agreement with Imagination Island of Fleming Island, Inc., a daycare center that provides childcare services for children ages six weeks old to pre-kindergarten-age, to settle allegations that its daycare violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by terminating the enrollment of a child because he was diagnosed with epilepsy.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office opened an investigation into Imagination Island after receiving a complaint from the parents of a three-year-old child alleging that Imagination Island terminated the enrollment of their son in October 2023 because the child has epilepsy. According to the settlement agreement, the investigation revealed that the child had been attending Imagination Island for almost five months. In early October 2023, the child had a seizure while at home, after which he was diagnosed with epilepsy. Complainants called Imagination Island and spoke with a staff member to inform the daycare center of their son’s seizure and diagnosis. The parents attempted to speak with the director of Imagination Island regarding their son’s diagnosis and an emergency action plan, but the director was unavailable. The parents later received an email from the director informing them that their son could not return to Imagination Island because, “based on the diagnosis[,] we are neither equipped [n]or certified to have him attend school with his condition.” As a result, the parents were forced to care for their son fulltime while they sought new childcare, causing them to alter their work schedules, take leave from work, and ultimately incur unforeseen costs to enroll him at a new daycare facility.
As a result of the investigation, the United States determined that Imagination Island violated Title III of the ADA when it discriminated against the complainants and their son because of his epilepsy by denying him the opportunity to participate in and benefit from its services. Specifically, Imagination Island applied eligibility criteria that screened out the child and failed and refused to make the reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures that were necessary to afford him its services. Imagination Island denies the allegations of the complaint and that it violated the ADA.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Imagination Island must: adopt, maintain, and enforce a non-discrimination policy regarding the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability, and post such policy on its website; adopt, maintain, and enforce an emergency anti-seizure medication administration policy and procedure, which includes a seizure emergency action plan; require all employees to complete annual training on epilepsy seizures and the administration of diazepam rectal gel (Diastat); provide training to all employees on all policies, practices, and procedures required under the settlement agreement, as well as the non-discrimination requirements under Title III of the ADA; designate and maintain a compliance monitor to ensure Imagination Island complies with the terms of the settlement agreement; submit regular compliance reports to the United States; report any complaints received alleging Imagination Island discriminated on the basis of disability to the United States; and pay the Complainants $4,000 in compensatory damages.
This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra N. Karahalios, in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.
Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, including private day care centers, 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, a public accommodation 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. A public accommodation must make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures necessary to afford an individual with a disability the goods or services of the public accommodation. Title III also prohibits public accommodations from discriminating against an individual because of the known disability of an individual with whom the individual is known to have a relationship or association, such as the parents of a child with a disability.
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may contact the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. 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 day care centers do not discriminate against children 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.
Download Settlement Agreement
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison Following His Participation in A Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Cristian Ponce (32, Orlando) to 20 years’ imprisonment following his role in a fatal, drug-related shooting. Ponce entered a guilty plea on February 13, 2024.
According to court documents, on November 2, 2022, at approximately 2 p.m., a drug-related shooting occurred at the Oak Ridge Shopping Plaza in Orlando. Ponce and S.H. had arrived at the shopping plaza in a gray SUV to sell drugs to addicts who congregated there. They had cocaine and fentanyl packaged for individual sale and two loaded firearms in the vehicle. Video surveillance footage shows that when the SUV arrived in the plaza, an individual approached the front passenger side of the vehicle and Ponce gave him a small bag of cocaine. At almost the same time, E.E. and another associate approached the SUV and gunshots were fired into and from the SUV. E.E. was shot, ran a short distance, and fell to the ground. S.H. was also shot. The SUV reversed uncontrollably, flipped over, and crashed in the rear of the plaza. Ponce assisted S.H. out of the SUV and fled before law enforcement arrived. The confrontation was an alleged turf battle over who could sell drugs in the shopping plaza. Both E.E. and S.H. died from their wounds.
During the following week, Ponce continued to sell drugs. On November 8, 2022, law enforcement observed vehicles and individuals visit Ponce’s residence for short periods of time, consistent with drug dealing. During that time Ponce also sent and received text messages to conduct his drug business.
On November 11, 2022, at Ponce’s residence in Orlando, law enforcement executed a search warrant related to the shooting. As officers approached the residence, they observed Ponce seated in a vehicle in the driveway with co-defendant Rodney Hernandez. Ponce again had cocaine packaged for individual sale and two loaded firearms inside the vehicle.
Hernandez previously pleaded guilty for his role in this case. He was sentenced in June 2024 to seven years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stoia.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Rockledge Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Robert William Burns, III (44, Rockledge) has pleaded guilty to COVID-19-related wire fraud. Burns faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2021, Burns applied for three Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans to support two of his businesses – RB3 Ventures LLC and The Social Wizards. In all three applications, Burns made false statements to obtain the loans. In one instance, he inflated his company’s income to obtain a larger payout and supported the application with false or fictitious tax documents. In total, Burns fraudulently obtained $57,186 in PPP funds. Burns then spent all the funds on non-business purposes.
As part of his plea agreement, Burns has agreed to forfeit $57,186 and make full restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.
Naples Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jadyn Howard Loman (21, Naples) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Loman faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Loman has also agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition used to facilitate the offenses.
According to court documents, deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Loman after he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of 20th Place Southwest and 41st Street Southwest in Naples, Florida. A subsequent chase ensued with Loman exceeding speeds of 100 miles per hour in his vehicle before crashing. He then fled the crash scene on foot before being apprehended. Inside his vehicle, deputies found 2 handguns, ammunition, and various baggies containing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make out neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –that U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger today sentenced Paul Allen Anderson, Jr. (32, Jacksonville), also known as “Nuke,” to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The court also ordered Anderson to forfeit approximately $32,034 in cash representing drug proceeds, 5 firearms, and a bulletproof vest. Anderson pled guilty on February 21, 2024.
According to court documents, in September and October of 2023, FBI agents and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) detectives investigated Anderson’s drug trafficking activities in Jacksonville. The joint federal-state investigation identified Anderson as a kilogram-level supplier of crystal methamphetamine. Through physical and electronic surveillance, agents observed the defendant conducting multiple hand-to-hand drug transactions at Anderson’s apartment and at the parking lot of a nearby business. Agents also observed Anderson meet with his drug supplier at his apartment complex, where the two subjects conducted a drug transaction.
On October 20, 2023, FBI agents and JSO detectives executed search warrants at Anderson’s apartment in Jacksonville and at his residence in Orange Park. At the Jacksonville apartment, law enforcement recovered over 19 pounds of marijuana, over 3 kilograms of pure crystal methamphetamine, 140 grams of fentanyl, 63 grams of powder cocaine, 4.7 grams of cocaine base, a loaded Glock semi-automatic pistol, $1,075 in cash, and drug paraphernalia, including food processors, vacuum-sealed bags, and digital scales. At Anderson’s Orange Park residence, law enforcement recovered 4 loaded firearms, including 3 semi-automatic handguns and one semi-automatic rifle, over $30,000 in cash, and a bulletproof vest.
“This case epitomizes how law enforcement agencies work together to stop criminals from threatening the safety and stability of our neighborhoods,” said Kristin Rehler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Drug traffickers have no place in Jacksonville, and the FBI and our partners on the Safe Streets Task Force will continue to focus on stopping the movement of illegal drugs on our streets and ensuring our neighborhoods are free from illegal firearms.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aakash Singh and Kirwinn Mike.
Fort Myers Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug Distribution CrimesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that James Wallace Mathis, Jr. (44, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and distributing controlled substances. Mathis faces a maximum of 55 years in federal prison in connection with his crimes. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, on multiple occasions in July and August 2024, Mathis sold drugs—including fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, and cocaine—to a law enforcement informant and an undercover ATF agent. Additionally, on one occasion in July 2024, Mathis sold a loaded Ruger .380 caliber handgun to a law enforcement informant. As a multi-time, convicted felon who previously served more than a decade in Florida state prison for various crimes, Mathis is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fort Myers Career Criminal Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Carl Samuel Thompson, Jr. (60, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Because of Thompson’s criminal history, which includes at least three convictions for violent felonies, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to court records, on April 7, 2024, a vehicle being driven by Thompson was pulled over by Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) deputies in North Fort Myers for a traffic infraction. During the traffic stop, deputies discovered that Thompson’s front-seat passenger was concealing a loaded firearm, which was secured by deputies during the traffic stop. A subsequent investigation revealed that Thompson—who had an active warrant for his arrest—had provided the firearm to his passenger to conceal after realizing he was being pulled over. As a career criminal with more than 10 prior felony convictions, including convictions for armed robbery and aggravated assault, Thompson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Pasco County Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Steroids and Possession of an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Mitchell Bunkowske (32, Land O Lakes) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and possession of an unregistered firearm. Bunkowske faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between January 2019 and June 2021, Bunkowske was a source of supply who sold quantities of anabolic steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance, to customers across the United States. He used the United States Postal Service to mail vials containing different types of steroids to customers, including testosterone propionate and drostanolone propionate. Bunkowske also sold anabolic steroids to middlemen who, in turn, supplied them to other customers, including members of the United States Navy. When federal agents executed a search warrant at Bunkowske’s home in June 2021, they found a large quantity of steroids in a variety of different forms. Bunkowske later admitted that he distributed steroids, that he did not have a medical license to do so, and that he was not a medical provider.
In addition to seizing the controlled substances, federal agents also recovered from Bunkowske’s home an FN Herstal PS90 5.7x28 caliber rifle with a magazine containing 50 rounds of ammunition. The barrel of the rifle had been replaced with a shortened barrel such that the rifle’s overall length was about 20 inches, including a barrel length of about 12 inches. Under federal law, the nature and measurements of that rifle necessitate registration with the National Firearms Registration and
This case was investigated by the United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Orlando Felon Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Xavier Hernandez-Gerena (35, Orlando) to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Hernandez-Gerena entered a guilty plea on August 1, 2024.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2022, Hernandez-Gerena was pulled over for a traffic infraction. After smelling cannabis, law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and located a firearm in a small black bag, which was open and had been sitting near Hernandez-Gerena’s lap. At the time of the offense, Hernandez-Gerena was a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fort Myers Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years for Unlawfully Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced JD Irons, Jr. (37, Fort Myers) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Irons entered a guilty plea on July 24, 2024.
According to court records, on December 8, 2023, Irons fled from officers with the Fort Myers Police Department who were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Irons was the front-seat passenger. Irons was subsequently found hiding in a nearby apartment. Concealed in the glovebox of the vehicle, officers found a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm handgun. Irons was later forensically linked to the firearm.
As a convicted felon, Irons is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. As a result of his lengthy criminal record, which includes multiple prison sentences for drug crimes involving cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Irons qualified for enhanced sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Colombian Citizen Sentenced to 41 Months for Illegally Exporting Firearms from Florida to ColombiaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Jorge Giovanny Gonzalez-Lopez (42, Colombia) to 41 months in prison for conspiring to smuggle firearms from the United States to Colombia. Gonzalez-Lopez was also sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release. Gonzalez-Lopez was extradited from Colombia to the United States in February 2024, and has been in custody since that time. Gonzalez-Lopez pled guilty on July 11, 2024.
According to court documents, Gonzalez-Lopez is a citizen of Colombia who traveled to Florida in late 2017 and again in early 2018, and aided and abetted by others, acquired firearms, including several types of assault rifles, then illegally exported them from Clearwater, Tampa and Kissimmee, Florida, to Colombia. Gonzalez-Lopez and his co-conspirators attempted to obliterate the serial numbers on some of the firearms so that they could not be traced. Neither Gonzalez-Lopez nor his co-conspirators applied for or obtained the necessary licenses for exporting defense articles as required by federal law.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Colombia’s Policía Fiscal y Aduanera (POLFA), a unit of the National Police of Colombia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá worked with Colombian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Gonzalez-Lopez. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.
Tampa Man Indicted for Series of Robberies in Polk, Marion, and Hillsborough CountiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Malcolm Green (29, Tampa) with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to court documents, on May 27, 2024, Green and others robbed a convenience store in Brooksville, stealing approximately $8,000 worth of cigarettes. The following month, on June 24, 2024, Green and others robbed a retail store in Ocala, and another in Brooksville.
On June 28, 2024, Green entered a drugstore in Tampa wearing a black hoodie, blue medical mask, and black clothing. He walked behind the counter and lifted his shirt, displaying a pistol with an extended magazine to the clerk. After filling the bag with cigarettes, Green jumped the counter and fled in a sedan.
Within two hours of the drugstore robbery, ATF agents and deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office found the sedan used in the commission of the robberies in the parking lot of a store in Tampa. A traffic stop was conducted, and Green attempted to escape, driving onto the sidewalk in front of the business and striking a building column before being taken into custody.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Plant City Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Funds from A University and Charitable OrganizationRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Christina Lynn Morris (46, Plant City) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Morris has also agreed to forfeit $293,202, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to court documents, Morris worked as a Fiscal and Business Analyst for a public research university (University) with multiple campuses in the Middle District of Florida. She also served as President for a charitable organization (Association) based in the Middle District of Florida. From July 2021 through July 2023, Morris used her positions with the University and the Association to embezzle more than $290,000. Specifically, Morris used her University credit card as well as credit cards issued to other University employees, and the Association’s business bank accounts to conduct unapproved, non-business transactions at various companies, including for the repeated bulk purchase of gift cards.
Further, Morris used the Association’s tax-exempt status to avoid paying sales tax for items purchased with the gift cards and embezzled funds. To make the unapproved, non-business transactions appear legitimate and to prevent her fraud scheme from being discovered, Morris created and submitted falsified documents and made false attestations to the University, and withheld material information from the Association. During the scheme, Morris conducted hundreds of transactions in the manner described above, causing losses of $261,632.17 to the University and $31,569.87 to the Association.
This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
plea_agreement.pdf Download Plea AgreementOcala Man Arrested for Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to A MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Nicholas Robert Davis (30, Ocala) with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. If convicted, Davis faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, during an undercover operation on July 24, 2024, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent posed online as a 13-year-old girl (UC) and received a message on an online social media platform from Davis. After learning the UC’s age, Davis and an undercover detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, also posing as the minor, had a video call. Davis exposed his genitalia to the detective during the call and, afterward, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the UC. He also sent the UC a video of himself masturbating.
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 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.
Individual on Parole for Robbery in New Jersey Indicted for Two More Robberies in FloridaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jose Rodriguez (65, New Jersey) with robbery, attempted robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted on all counts, Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to court documents, on August 4, 2024, Rodriguez entered a pizza restaurant located in a shopping plaza in Tampa and attempted to rob the restaurant at gunpoint. The clerks fled in fear, and Rodriguez ultimately left empty handed.
Approximately one month later, on September 11, 2024, Rodriguez returned to the same plaza. This time, he walked into a cellphone store and attempted to rob it at gunpoint. During the robbery, Rodriguez directed an employee to the business’s safe in a back room while stating, “Don’t move or I’ll shoot you.”
Two days later, ATF special agents and deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office found the vehicle used during the two incidents. Surveillance of that vehicle identified Rodriguez, and a subsequent search warrant of his residence revealed a pistol—which he is prohibited from possessing due to his status as a convicted felon. That pistol had been reported stolen by an elderly man in New Jersey whom Rodriguez had previously cared for. At the time of these incidents, Rodriguez was on parole in New Jersey for robbery.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
California Resident Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Sexual Abuse Photo of 3-Year-Old Child in FloridaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Henry Obdulio Cordon (39, Antioch, California) to 30 years in federal prison for producing a photo of a 3-year-old child being sexually abused by Cordon. He was also ordered to serve a life term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Cordon was arrested at his residence on May 16, 2019, and has been in custody since that time. He pleaded guilty to the offense on June 14, 2024.
According to court documents, this investigation began in April 2019 when an internet service provider sent a series of CyberTipline reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). These reports related to the discovery of child sexual abuse photos detected within an email account that geolocated to Contra Costa County in California. Law enforcement officers obtained search warrants and discovered that this email account and telephone number were associated with Cordon. The email account contained several photos depicting children being sexually abused.
Further investigation reveal that another email account used by Cordon contained a photo that depicted a young child being sexually abused by an adult male. The metadata associated with this photo indicated that it had been produced on July 11, 2011, using a Blackberry device. Search warrants revealed that this email account was used during April and May 2019, at Cordon’s apartment in California.
On May 16, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cordon’s residence. During an interview, Cordon admitted that he had searched the internet for “nude teen pictures.” When asked if he ever had a Blackberry device, Cordon said he had one years before when he lived in Florida. He was asked about a particular photo depicting the sexual abuse of a child that was recovered from his email account. Cordon eventually admitted that he knew the child in the photo and that the child was “maybe” under four years of age. Cordon claimed that his sexual abuse of this child only happened one time, and that he remembered emailing this photo to himself to save it. Cordon admitted taking this photo with his Blackberry in the child’s residence in Florida.
Further investigation confirmed that Cordon took the photo depicting his sexual abuse of the child in Florida and later emailed the photo to his own email account. This same photo was also recovered from his iPhone device that he possessed in California on May 16, 2019. Law enforcement authorities in Florida were able to confirm the identity and age of this child, as well as the residence in Florida where Cordon had taken the photo depicting him sexually abusing this child.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force of Contra Costa County (California), the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
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.
Five Orlando Residents Indicted for Scheme to Facilitate Evasion of Payroll Taxes and Workers’ Compensation Requirements in Construction IndustryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of two indictments charging Eduardo Anibal Escobar (44), Carlos Alberto Rodriguez (45), Adelmy Tejada (56), Rene Mauricio Escobar (53), and Juana Nelida Escobar (45), all residents of Orlando, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and each tax fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. The indictments also notify the defendants that the United States intends to seek forfeiture of a total of at least $19 million as well as five residential properties located in Orlando, which are proceeds of the alleged wire fraud offenses.
According to the indictment, the defendants established companies that purported to supply labor for construction contractors. Florida law requires any business that engages in construction work to secure and maintain workers’ compensation insurance. The defendants applied for workers’ compensation insurance policies to cover a few employees and a minimal payroll. The defendants then entered into agreements with construction work crews, often consisting of undocumented aliens, pursuant to which the defendants submitted paperwork to construction contractors to obtain work for the work crews, falsely representing that the workers were the companies’ employees. The workers then performed construction work under the supervision and direction of the contractors.
The contractors wrote payroll checks to the defendants’ companies for this work and provided the checks to work crew leaders. The checks were deposited into bank accounts in the name of the defendants’ companies and the defendants withdrew cash, and sometimes wrote checks, for the workers’ pay and provided the cash and checks to the work crew leaders. However, before turning over the payroll, the defendants deducted a 6% to 8% fee for their services. The funneling of payroll from the contractors to the work crews in this way allowed the contractors and the work crews to disclaim responsibility for ensuring that required payroll taxes were paid, that adequate workers’ compensation insurance was provided, and that the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States.
During the period of the alleged conspiracy, the defendants deposited more than 46,000 payroll checks totaling more than $292 million, of which the defendants kept at least $19 million in fees. No one—neither the contractors nor the work crews nor the defendants or their companies—remitted payroll taxes, such as Social Security and Medicare taxes and federal income tax, to the IRS. According to the IRS, the unpaid taxes on the payroll total at least $52 million.
The defendants also cheated the workers’ compensation insurance companies out of premiums. If the insurance companies had known that the policies were going to be used for more than $292 million in payroll, they would have charged additional premiums totaling at least $28 million.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service –Criminal Investigation, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It is part of a continuing investigation by those agencies on the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Defense Contractor Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Fraud, Money Laundering, and Unlawful Export of Technical DataRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Yuksel Senbol, 36, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, violating the Export Control Reform Act, and violating the Arms Export Control Act. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $275,430.90, the proceeds of Senbol’s fraud and money laundering scheme. Senbol entered pleaded guilty on May 7.
According to facts taken from public filings, beginning in approximately April 2019, Senbol operated a front company in the Middle District of Florida called Mason Engineering Parts LLC. She used this front company to assist her co-conspirators, Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek, to fraudulently procure contracts to supply critical military components to the Department of Defense. These components were intended for use in the Navy Nimitz and Ford Class Aircraft Carriers, Navy Submarines, Marine Corps Armored Vehicles, and Army M-60 Series Tank and Abrahams Battle Tanks, among other weapons systems.
To fraudulently procure the government contracts, Senbol and her co-conspirators falsely represented to the U.S. government and U.S. military contractors that Mason Engineering Parts LLC was a vetted and qualified manufacturer of military components, when in fact, the parts were being manufactured by Ozcan and Simsek in Turkey. As Senbol knew, Simsek’s involvement had to be concealed from the U.S. government because he had been debarred from contracting with the U.S. government after being convicted of a virtually identical scheme in the Southern District of Florida.
In order to enable Ozcan and Simsek to manufacture the components in Turkey, Senbol assisted them in obtaining sensitive, export-controlled drawings of critical U.S. military technology. Using software that allowed Ozcan to remotely control her computer — and thus evade security restrictions that limited access to these sensitive military drawings to computers within the United States — Senbol knowingly facilitated the illegal export of these drawings. She did so despite having executed numerous agreements promising to safeguard the drawings from unlawful access or export, and in spite of the clear warnings on the face of each drawing that it could not be exported without obtaining a license.
Once Ozcan and Simsek manufactured the components in Turkey, they shipped them to Senbol, who repackaged them — making sure to remove any reference to their Turkish origin. The conspirators then lied about the origin of the parts to the U.S. government and a U.S. government contractor to receive payment for the parts. Senbol then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds back to Turkey through international wire transfers.
This scheme continued until uncovered and disrupted by federal investigators. Parts supplied by Senbol were tested by the U.S. military and were determined not to conform with product specifications. Many of the components supplied to the U.S. military by Senbol were “critical application items,” meaning that failure of these components would have potentially rendered the end system inoperable.
Alleged co-conspirators Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek are fugitives.
The General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; and Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Lindsey Schmidt for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Stephen Marzen of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section are prosecuting the case.
Defense Contractor Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Fraud, Money Laundering, and Unlawful Export of Technical DataRead the Press Release
Yuksel Senbol, 36, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, violating the Export Control Reform Act, and violating the Arms Export Control Act. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $275,430.90, the proceeds of Senbol’s fraud and money laundering scheme. Senbol entered pleaded guilty on May 7.
According to facts taken from public filings, beginning in approximately April 2019, Senbol operated a front company in the Middle District of Florida called Mason Engineering Parts LLC. She used this front company to assist her co-conspirators, Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek, to fraudulently procure contracts to supply critical military components to the Department of Defense. These components were intended for use in the Navy Nimitz and Ford Class Aircraft Carriers, Navy Submarines, Marine Corps Armored Vehicles, and Army M-60 Series Tank and Abrahams Battle Tanks, among other weapons systems.
To fraudulently procure the government contracts, Senbol and her co-conspirators falsely represented to the U.S. government and U.S. military contractors that Mason Engineering Parts LLC was a vetted and qualified manufacturer of military components, when in fact, the parts were being manufactured by Ozcan and Simsek in Turkey. As Senbol knew, Simsek’s involvement had to be concealed from the U.S. government because he had been debarred from contracting with the U.S. government after being convicted of a virtually identical scheme in the Southern District of Florida.
In order to enable Ozcan and Simsek to manufacture the components in Turkey, Senbol assisted them in obtaining sensitive, export-controlled drawings of critical U.S. military technology. Using software that allowed Ozcan to remotely control her computer — and thus evade security restrictions that limited access to these sensitive military drawings to computers within the United States — Senbol knowingly facilitated the illegal export of these drawings. She did so despite having executed numerous agreements promising to safeguard the drawings from unlawful access or export, and in spite of the clear warnings on the face of each drawing that it could not be exported without obtaining a license.
Once Ozcan and Simsek manufactured the components in Turkey, they shipped them to Senbol, who repackaged them — making sure to remove any reference to their Turkish origin. The conspirators then lied about the origin of the parts to the U.S. government and a U.S. government contractor to receive payment for the parts. Senbol then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds back to Turkey through international wire transfers.
This scheme continued until uncovered and disrupted by federal investigators. Parts supplied by Senbol were tested by the U.S. military and were determined not to conform with product specifications. Many of the components supplied to the U.S. military by Senbol were “critical application items,” meaning that failure of these components would have potentially rendered the end system inoperable.
Alleged co-conspirators Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek are fugitives.
The General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; and Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Lindsey Schmidt for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Stephen Marzen of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section are prosecuting the case.
China-Based Chemical Manufacturing Companies and Employees Indicted for Alleged Fentanyl Manufacturing and DistributionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Today, the Justice Department announced the unsealing of indictments against eight China-based chemical companies and eight employees charging federal crimes, including attempted distribution of synthetic opioids and precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, and money laundering. The indictments were filed under seal in the Middle District of Florida over the past year.
“Today, the Justice Department announced charges against eight China-based companies and eight individuals we allege are responsible for trafficking precursor chemicals that cartels use to manufacture lethal fentanyl,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The global fentanyl supply chain, which ends with the deaths of Americans, often starts with chemical companies based in China. In order to break this critical link in the fentanyl supply chain, the Justice Department has aggressively investigated and prosecuted these companies. We will continue to target every organization and individual that fuels the deadly drug trade.”
As described in the unsealed indictments, the defendants openly advertised their ability to thwart border officials and deliver the synthetic opioids or the chemicals used to make fentanyl to the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere in the United States. The defendants deliberately engaged in evasive activities, such as mislabeling the contents of shipments to ensure the illicit chemicals and controlled substances went undetected. As a result, these companies were able to sell a stable supply of precursor chemicals to clients in Mexico and the United States for years. One of the companies even represented that every month it sends “more than 20 kilograms to the United States, Africa, Canada, and other countries.”
“Today’s indictments against eight China-based chemical companies and eight Chinese nationals are further evidence of DEA’s unwavering commitment to disrupt every aspect of the global fentanyl supply chain,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “For the third time in over a year, DEA investigations have resulted in charges against chemical companies and individuals in China who we allege are supplying chemicals to the cartels to make deadly fentanyl. While they may go to great lengths to try to evade our detection, DEA will use every tool and authority we have to save American lives.”
The indictments target the evolving tactics of drug traffickers, who often adapt to tightening restrictions on the production and sale of fentanyl. For example, when China banned the production of fentanyl in 2019, China-based companies began producing and selling fentanyl precursors, the ingredients needed to manufacture the drug. These China-based companies distribute fentanyl precursors throughout the world, including to the United States and to Mexico, where drug cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación combine the chemicals into fentanyl and other synthetic opioids that they then distribute throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
“These indictments are part of our continuing commitment to the protection of our country from the deadly scourge of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Along with our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration, we will be relentless in our pursuit of China-based chemical companies and their employees who are knowingly manufacturing and exporting fentanyl precursors that cause thousands of deaths every year in the United States.”
The Justice Department acknowledges the efforts of the People’s Republic of China, Ministry of Public Security. The following indicted companies are now out of operation: Jiangsu Jiyi Chemical, Tianjin Furuntongda Tech Co. Ltd, Wuhan Jinshang Import & Export Trading Co. Ltd., Hubei Shanglin Trading Co., and Wuhan Mingyue Information Technology.
In addition, the People’s Republic of China has recently scheduled three key chemicals, which in turn provides additional tools for the People’s Republic of China to regulate the chemicals’ production and distribution. DEA Administrator Milgram said, “I would also like to recognize the work done by the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Public Security in taking action to schedule protonitazene, piperidone, and 1-BOC-4-AP, which were not scheduled at the time of these investigations, but have now been scheduled.”
The DEA investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Chee, David Pardo, Lauren Stoia, and Adam McCall and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Haynes for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Case Summaries
In January, Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Co. Ltd., based in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, along with Chinese national Xiaojun Huang, who allegedly maintained a Bitcoin wallet for the remittance of payments for illicit synthetic opioids on the company’s behalf.
In January, Hubei Shanglin Trading Co., based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted international money laundering, along with Chinese national Zhihan Wang, who was the alleged registered owner of a Bitcoin wallet associated with the company utilized to complete the sale of fentanyl precursors.
In November 2023, Jiangsu Jiyi Chemical, based in Beijing, Hebei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, along with Ji Zhaohui, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In January, Tianjin Furuntongda Tech Co. Ltd, based in Tianjin, Hebei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of fentanyl precursors, along with Wenxing Gao, a Chinese national, who was the alleged registered agent of Tianjin Furuntongda and the owner of a cryptocurrency wallet associated with the company.
In November 2023, Wuhan Jinshang Import & Export Trading Co. Ltd., based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, attempted importation of a fentanyl precursor, and attempted international money laundering, along with Wenying Nie, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of a Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In January, Wuhan Mingyue Information Technology, based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of fentanyl precursors and attempted international money laundering, along with Chinese national Huanhuan Song, who was the alleged recipient of funds via Western Union on the company’s behalf and the alleged holder of a cryptocurrency wallet associated with the company.
In June, Henan Oumeng Trade Co. Ltd., based in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene and attempted international money laundering, along with Yinxia Zhao, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In June, Shanghai Senria New Materials Co. Ltd., doing business as Shanghai Senria Biotechnology Co. Ltd., based in the Fengxian District of Shanghai, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene and attempted international money laundering, along with Zhenbo Han, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
China-Based Chemical Manufacturing Companies and Employees Indicted for Alleged Fentanyl Manufacturing and DistributionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Justice Department announced the unsealing of indictments against eight China-based chemical companies and eight employees charging federal crimes, including attempted distribution of synthetic opioids and precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, and money laundering. The indictments were filed under seal in the Middle District of Florida over the past year.
“Today, the Justice Department announced charges against eight China-based companies and eight individuals we allege are responsible for trafficking precursor chemicals that cartels use to manufacture lethal fentanyl,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The global fentanyl supply chain, which ends with the deaths of Americans, often starts with chemical companies based in China. In order to break this critical link in the fentanyl supply chain, the Justice Department has aggressively investigated and prosecuted these companies. We will continue to target every organization and individual that fuels the deadly drug trade.”
As described in the unsealed indictments, the defendants openly advertised their ability to thwart border officials and deliver the synthetic opioids or the chemicals used to make fentanyl to the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere in the United States. The defendants deliberately engaged in evasive activities, such as mislabeling the contents of shipments to ensure the illicit chemicals and controlled substances went undetected. As a result, these companies were able to sell a stable supply of precursor chemicals to clients in Mexico and the United States for years. One of the companies even represented that every month it sends “more than 20 kilograms to the United States, Africa, Canada, and other countries.”
“Today’s indictments against eight China-based chemical companies and eight Chinese nationals are further evidence of DEA’s unwavering commitment to disrupt every aspect of the global fentanyl supply chain,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “For the third time in over a year, DEA investigations have resulted in charges against chemical companies and individuals in China who we allege are supplying chemicals to the cartels to make deadly fentanyl. While they may go to great lengths to try to evade our detection, DEA will use every tool and authority we have to save American lives.”
The indictments target the evolving tactics of drug traffickers, who often adapt to tightening restrictions on the production and sale of fentanyl. For example, when China banned the production of fentanyl in 2019, China-based companies began producing and selling fentanyl precursors, the ingredients needed to manufacture the drug. These China-based companies distribute fentanyl precursors throughout the world, including to the United States and to Mexico, where drug cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación combine the chemicals into fentanyl and other synthetic opioids that they then distribute throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
“These indictments are part of our continuing commitment to the protection of our country from the deadly scourge of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Along with our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration, we will be relentless in our pursuit of China-based chemical companies and their employees who are knowingly manufacturing and exporting fentanyl precursors that cause thousands of deaths every year in the United States.”
The Justice Department acknowledges the efforts of the People’s Republic of China, Ministry of Public Security. The following indicted companies are now out of operation: Jiangsu Jiyi Chemical, Tianjin Furuntongda Tech Co. Ltd, Wuhan Jinshang Import & Export Trading Co. Ltd., Hubei Shanglin Trading Co., and Wuhan Mingyue Information Technology.
In addition, the People’s Republic of China has recently scheduled three key chemicals, which in turn provides additional tools for the People’s Republic of China to regulate the chemicals’ production and distribution. DEA Administrator Milgram said, “I would also like to recognize the work done by the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Public Security in taking action to schedule protonitazene, piperidone, and 1-BOC-4-AP, which were not scheduled at the time of these investigations, but have now been scheduled.”
The DEA investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Chee, David Pardo, Lauren Stoia, and Adam McCall and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Haynes for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Case Summaries
In January, Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Co. Ltd., based in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, along with Chinese national Xiaojun Huang, who allegedly maintained a Bitcoin wallet for the remittance of payments for illicit synthetic opioids on the company’s behalf.
In January, Hubei Shanglin Trading Co., based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted international money laundering, along with Chinese national Zhihan Wang, who was the alleged registered owner of a Bitcoin wallet associated with the company utilized to complete the sale of fentanyl precursors.
In November 2023, Jiangsu Jiyi Chemical, based in Beijing, Hebei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, along with Ji Zhaohui, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In January, Tianjin Furuntongda Tech Co. Ltd, based in Tianjin, Hebei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of fentanyl precursors, along with Wenxing Gao, a Chinese national, who was the alleged registered agent of Tianjin Furuntongda and the owner of a cryptocurrency wallet associated with the company.
In November 2023, Wuhan Jinshang Import & Export Trading Co. Ltd., based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, attempted importation of a fentanyl precursor, and attempted international money laundering, along with Wenying Nie, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of a Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In January, Wuhan Mingyue Information Technology, based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of fentanyl precursors and attempted international money laundering, along with Chinese national Huanhuan Song, who was the alleged recipient of funds via Western Union on the company’s behalf and the alleged holder of a cryptocurrency wallet associated with the company.
In June, Henan Oumeng Trade Co. Ltd., based in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene and attempted international money laundering, along with Yinxia Zhao, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In June, Shanghai Senria New Materials Co. Ltd., doing business as Shanghai Senria Biotechnology Co. Ltd., based in the Fengxian District of Shanghai, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene and attempted international money laundering, along with Zhenbo Han, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
China-Based Chemical Manufacturing Companies and Employees Indicted for Alleged Fentanyl Manufacturing and DistributionRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced the unsealing of indictments against eight China-based chemical companies and eight employees charging federal crimes, including attempted distribution of synthetic opioids and precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, and money laundering. The indictments were filed under seal in the Middle District of Florida over the past year.
“Today, the Justice Department announced charges against eight China-based companies and eight individuals we allege are responsible for trafficking precursor chemicals that cartels use to manufacture lethal fentanyl,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The global fentanyl supply chain, which ends with the deaths of Americans, often starts with chemical companies based in China. In order to break this critical link in the fentanyl supply chain, the Justice Department has aggressively investigated and prosecuted these companies. We will continue to target every organization and individual that fuels the deadly drug trade.”
As described in the unsealed indictments, the defendants openly advertised their ability to thwart border officials and deliver the synthetic opioids or the chemicals used to make fentanyl to the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere in the United States. The defendants deliberately engaged in evasive activities, such as mislabeling the contents of shipments to ensure the illicit chemicals and controlled substances went undetected. As a result, these companies were able to sell a stable supply of precursor chemicals to clients in Mexico and the United States for years. One of the companies even represented that every month it sends “more than 20 kilograms to the United States, Africa, Canada, and other countries.”
“Today’s indictments against eight China-based chemical companies and eight Chinese nationals are further evidence of DEA’s unwavering commitment to disrupt every aspect of the global fentanyl supply chain,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “For the third time in over a year, DEA investigations have resulted in charges against chemical companies and individuals in China who we allege are supplying chemicals to the cartels to make deadly fentanyl. While they may go to great lengths to try to evade our detection, DEA will use every tool and authority we have to save American lives.”
The indictments target the evolving tactics of drug traffickers, who often adapt to tightening restrictions on the production and sale of fentanyl. For example, when China banned the production of fentanyl in 2019, China-based companies began producing and selling fentanyl precursors, the ingredients needed to manufacture the drug. These China-based companies distribute fentanyl precursors throughout the world, including to the United States and to Mexico, where drug cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación combine the chemicals into fentanyl and other synthetic opioids that they then distribute throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
“These indictments are part of our continuing commitment to the protection of our country from the deadly scourge of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Along with our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration, we will be relentless in our pursuit of China-based chemical companies and their employees who are knowingly manufacturing and exporting fentanyl precursors that cause thousands of deaths every year in the United States.”
The Justice Department acknowledges the efforts of the People’s Republic of China, Ministry of Public Security. The following indicted companies are now out of operation: Jiangsu Jiyi Chemical, Tianjin Furuntongda Tech Co. Ltd, Wuhan Jinshang Import & Export Trading Co. Ltd., Hubei Shanglin Trading Co., and Wuhan Mingyue Information Technology.
In addition, the People’s Republic of China has recently scheduled three key chemicals, which in turn provides additional tools for the People’s Republic of China to regulate the chemicals’ production and distribution. DEA Administrator Milgram said, “I would also like to recognize the work done by the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Public Security in taking action to schedule protonitazene, piperidone, and 1-BOC-4-AP, which were not scheduled at the time of these investigations, but have now been scheduled.”
The DEA investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Chee, David Pardo, Lauren Stoia, and Adam McCall and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Haynes for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Case Summaries
In January, Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Co. Ltd., based in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, along with Chinese national Xiaojun Huang, who allegedly maintained a Bitcoin wallet for the remittance of payments for illicit synthetic opioids on the company’s behalf.
In January, Hubei Shanglin Trading Co., based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted international money laundering, along with Chinese national Zhihan Wang, who was the alleged registered owner of a Bitcoin wallet associated with the company utilized to complete the sale of fentanyl precursors.
In November 2023, Jiangsu Jiyi Chemical, based in Beijing, Hebei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, along with Ji Zhaohui, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In January, Tianjin Furuntongda Tech Co. Ltd, based in Tianjin, Hebei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of fentanyl precursors, along with Wenxing Gao, a Chinese national, who was the alleged registered agent of Tianjin Furuntongda and the owner of a cryptocurrency wallet associated with the company.
In November 2023, Wuhan Jinshang Import & Export Trading Co. Ltd., based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene, attempted importation of a fentanyl precursor, and attempted international money laundering, along with Wenying Nie, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of a Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In January, Wuhan Mingyue Information Technology, based in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of fentanyl precursors and attempted international money laundering, along with Chinese national Huanhuan Song, who was the alleged recipient of funds via Western Union on the company’s behalf and the alleged holder of a cryptocurrency wallet associated with the company.
In June, Henan Oumeng Trade Co. Ltd., based in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene and attempted international money laundering, along with Yinxia Zhao, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
In June, Shanghai Senria New Materials Co. Ltd., doing business as Shanghai Senria Biotechnology Co. Ltd., based in the Fengxian District of Shanghai, China, was charged with attempted importation of protonitazene and attempted international money laundering, along with Zhenbo Han, a Chinese national, who was the alleged holder of the Bitcoin wallet associated with the company.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Postal Employee Arrested for COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Marina Tusca Brooks Stewart (61, Groveland) on an indictment charging her with one count of wire fraud related to COVID relief. If convicted, Brooks Stewart faces up to 20 years in federal prison. In addition, she faces a forfeiture order of $10,000, which represents the alleged proceeds she obtained through this offense.
According to court documents, during the COVID pandemic, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) offered Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advances that did not need to be repaid. The advances were for small businesses that were in low-income communities and received a reduction in revenue of more than 30% during an eight-week period. Between June 28 and 30, 2020, Brooks Stewart devised a scheme to defraud the SBA by electronically applying for an EIDL advance and providing false representations in her application. Afterwards, she fraudulently received a $10,000 EIDL advance.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Member of Anti-Government Militia Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Machinegun Conversion Devices and A SilencerRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Joshua Fries (30, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons: a silencer (Count One) and machinegun conversion devices (Count Two). Fries faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Fries provided a confidential informant with two auto sears (machinegun conversion devices) and a silencer, all of which he made himself. During their conversations, Fries disclosed to the informant that he was part of a local anti-government militia group and that he made silencers, auto sears, and other weapons for the militia. Contrary to federal law, none of these devices were registered to Fries in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record—a database maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Justice Department Announces Four Cases Brought by Election Threats Task ForceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force (ETTF) announced developments this week in four cases involving interstate transmissions of threats to election personnel and other victims.
Teak Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, Colorado, pleaded guilty today to threatening a Colorado election official and making other threats to an Arizona election official, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents between September 2021 and July 2024.
Brian Jerry Ogstad, 60, of Cullman, Alabama, was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison for sending messages threatening violence to election workers with Maricopa County Elections in Phoenix from Aug. 2-4, 2022, during and immediately following the Arizona primary elections.
Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, Florida, was charged on Monday for allegedly sending a threat on Feb. 9 to an election official in addition to already pending charges for threats made to three other victims based on their political commentary in 2019 and 2020.
John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, was charged on Monday for allegedly threatening on Sept. 6 to kill a representative of a Pennsylvania state political party who was recruiting official poll watchers.
“As we approach Election Day, the Justice Department’s warning remains clear: anyone who illegally threatens an election worker, official, or volunteer will face the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Over the past three and a half years, the Justice Department has been aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who threaten the public servants who administer our elections, and we will continue to do so in the weeks ahead. For our democracy to function, Americans who serve the public must be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives.”
“Threats to election workers are threats to our democratic process,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “No one should face violence or threats of violence simply for doing their job. The actions announced today make clear that we will not tolerate those who use or threaten violence in an effort to undermine our democratic institutions. To carry out their essential work, election officials must be free from improper influence, physical threats, and others forms of intimidation.”
“Our elections are made possible by the hard work and patriotism of election workers in communities across the country who are also our neighbors, relatives and friends, and they deserve to do this important work without being subjected to threats,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The fact that election workers need to be worried about their security is incomprehensible and unacceptable. While these four cases are examples of the kinds of threats election workers are unfortunately facing, these cases also represent the FBI’s dedication in holding accountable those who undermine our democracy with this conduct. The FBI and our partners on the ETTF will work tirelessly to charge and arrest those callous enough to make these threats and make sure they are held accountable. Free, fair, and safe elections are critical to our country and our democratic ideals.”
“These defendants made serious threats of violence against members of the election community. Threats like these strike at the very heart of our democracy,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The cases announced today underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to defending our democracy, safeguarding our elections, and protecting all election workers. Through the ETTF, the Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute all criminal threats against members of the election community.”
The four cases were all brought by the ETTF. Created by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they join the task force in its critical work.
Under the leadership of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
United States v. Brockbank (District of Colorado)
According to court documents, Brockbank admitted to using three social media accounts to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials between September 2021 and July 2024.
On Sept. 22, 2021, Brockbank posted the following message on social media:
“[Election Official-1] . . . needs to- No has to Hang she has to Hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead. There will be accountability for these peoples actions in Communist Colorado and it won’t be judges and it won’t be weakmided cops that bring it!!! It will be Me it will be You it Will be every day people that understand that there life does not matter anymore with the future our country has laid out before it.”
As part of his plea, Brockbank also admitted to posting a message on Aug. 4, 2022, referring to election officials in Arizona and Colorado, saying: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”
In addition, Brockbank admitted to posting a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021, saying: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?”
Brockbank further admitted to threatening federal law enforcement on July 13, posting: “I believe every single FBI agent deserves to go explain themselves to our creator right away!!!! I am more than willing to send any/All of you there.”
Finally, Brockbank admitted to illegally possessing multiple firearms and ammunition.
“The security and sanctity of the American election system is core to the foundation of our Democracy,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “We will prosecute people who threaten elections, election officials, or election workers to the fullest extent of the law.”
Brockbank pleaded guilty today to interstate transmission of a threat. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Denver Field Office is investigating the case.
Acting Deputy Director Jonathan E. Jacobson of PIN’s Election Crimes Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Ogstad (District of Arizona)
According to court documents, on or about Aug. 2, 2022, Arizona held primary elections for federal and state officeholders, including a gubernatorial primary election that received nationwide media coverage. From the day of the election through on or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad sent multiple threatening direct messages to a social media account maintained by Maricopa County Elections. For instance, on or about Aug. 3, 2022, Ogstad stated: (1) “You did it! Now you are f*****.. Dead. You will all be executed for your crimes”; (2) F*** you! You are caught! They have it all. You f****** are dead”; (3) “You are lying, cheating m****** f******* . . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are f****** stupid if you think your lives are safe”; and (4) “You f****** are so dead.” On or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad also stated, “[Y]ou people are so ducking stupid. Everyone knows you are lots, cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang f******!” In the course of his messages to the recipient, Ogstad transmitted an image of the character “Woody,” from the Toy Story film franchise, lying face down with an unidentified projectile in its back.
“In this election season we honor and respect those public servants who enable Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “And we seek to protect all election workers from intimidation and harassment. Threats of violence, whether conveyed by words or deeds or pictures, will be met in this District with robust prosecution.”
Ogstad was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,000 fine, after pleading guilty on July 25 to one count of interstate transmission of a threat.
The FBI Phoenix Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Birmingham Field Office.
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case.
United States v. Kantwill (Middle District of Florida)
According to court documents, from September 2019 to July 2020, Kantwill, a dentist, sent over 100 threats to various public figures via Facebook and Instagram messages, email, and text. As charged in the superseding information filed on Monday, those threats included a threat sent via email to an author, a threat sent via text to a religious leader, and a threat sent via Instagram to a television personality. From April 2022 to April 2024, Kantwill also sent at least seven additional threats to four public figures via Facebook, including a threat to an election official in another state on Feb. 9, when Kantwill wrote: “You are a degenerate c***. and you are now the target of our own investigation. Take note because liberal t***s like you get raped in alleys, by really big black guys that serve our cause. So, you t*** are going to get raped by at least 5 n*****s, and do nothing. You are the number 1 target, you degenerate t***.”
“If you threaten someone with violence, we will take you at your word,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Law enforcement officers and members of my office will work together to hold accountable and federally prosecute individuals who threaten to injure or kill others.”
Kantwill is charged with four counts of interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of PIN and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado.
United States v. Pollard (Western District of Pennsylvania)
According to the indictment, on Sept. 6, Pollard sent threatening text messages to Victim 1, a resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania. Victim 1 had previously posted online, in Victim 1’s capacity as an employee of a state political party, that Victim 1 was recruiting volunteers to “help[] observe at the polls on Election Day” and included Victim 1’s phone number. Pollard allegedly texted Victim 1 that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and included Victim 1’s first name. Pollard then allegedly texted three threats to Victim 1: (1) “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”; (2) “Your days are numbered, B****!”; and (3) “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!”
“Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This is no less true when those threats of violence are directed at individuals associated with our electoral process — in this case, someone seeking to organize poll watchers. This conduct will not be tolerated in our district, and we will continue to work with our partners at the FBI to prosecute these offenses with the full weight of the law.”
Pollard was arrested on Monday and appeared in federal court in Philadelphia. He is charged with one count of interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of PIN and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole A. Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
*****
An indictment or information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at tips.fbi.gov/home. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
Fort Myers Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Stolen Firearm and SilencerRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Trequille Donte Rodreguez, Sr. (31, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing an unregistered firearm silencer. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, while executing a search warrant at the residence of Rodreguez on July 2, 2024, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department located a Ruger firearm and a firearm silencer inside a bag in one of the bedrooms. Both the firearm and the suppressor had been reported stolen in a car burglary approximately one month earlier in Hendry County. Two latent fingerprints were lifted from the silencer. Both were later identified as belonging to Rodreguez. As a convicted felon who previously served time in Florida state prison for firearms and burglary offenses, Rodreguez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Colombian National Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Trafficking $75 Million of Cocaine on A Self-Propelled Semi-SubmersibleRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Henry Aguirre-Valois (36, Colombia) to 16 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Aguirre-Valois entered a guilty plea on May 24, 2024.
According to court documents, on November 20, 2023, Aguirre-Valois and his three co-defendants smuggled cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on board a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel, which is a closed hull boat built specifically for transporting bulk levels of narcotics. Members of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Waesche interdicted the defendants and their vessel approximately 170 nautical miles west of Ecuador, in international waters.
The United States Coast Guard seized 2,523 kilograms of cocaine from the vessel, which has an approximate wholesale value of $75 million.
Aguirre-Valois had previously been convicted and sentenced in 2019 for trafficking cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
Belleview Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kyle Burbank (32, Belleview) has pleaded guilty to three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material. Burbank faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between January 5 and 17, 2024, Burbank received five video files over the internet from a 12-year-old child in another state. The videos depicted child sex abuse material. During a review of Burbank’s social media accounts, investigators identified a second victim, a 13-year-old child, also living in a different state. Burbank had received child sex abuse material from the second victim on September 26, 2023.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Clinton County (Indiana) Sherriff’s Office and the Rossville (Indiana) Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Winter Haven Woman Indicted for Fraud in Using Drug Proceeds to Purchase HomeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Rose Esquilin Rios (34, Winter Haven) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, Esquilin Rios faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Esquilin Rios that the United States intends to forfeit $368,207, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, Esquilin Rios secured a mortgage for a home she shared with her domestic partner, a trafficker of cocaine in the Middle District of Florida since at least July 2020. After agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration interviewed Esquilin Rios’s partner in March 2022, he closed his bank account, sold his house that he had paid for with drug proceeds, and transferred the proceeds of that sale to an account in Esquilin Rios’s name. During the summer of 2022, Esquilin Rios applied for a mortgage on a new home, claiming that she made $127,631 in a document sent to the lender. In a Uniform Residential Loan Application also sent to the lender, Esquilin Rios claimed a monthly income of $8,179.17 as a delivery driver. Both claims were false and Esquilin Rios knew them to be false because the source of the money was her partner’s sale of a house paid for with drug proceeds. The total loan amount Esquilin Rios secured through her false claims was $368,207.
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 as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Texas Man Indicted for Coercion and Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Receipt of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging James Anthony Davila (20, Cleburne, TX) with coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and receipt of child sex abuse material. If convicted, Davila faces a mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the coercion and enticement count, and a mandatory 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for receiving child sex abuse material.
According to court documents, Davila met a 12-year-old girl online while playing a video game. The two continued to communicate and exchanged sexually explicit photos. Davila later drove from Texas to Florida to pick up the child and engage in sexual acts with her.
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 Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Midway (Florida) Police Department and the Johnson County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Cloud Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Attempting to Entice A Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Daniel Michael Mohat (27, St. Cloud) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Mohat entered a guilty plea on July 2, 2024. He has been in custody since his arrest on January 5, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, in August 2022, law enforcement engaged in an online undercover multi-agency operation based out of Nassau County, Florida, for the purpose of identifying and apprehending individuals using the internet to exploit juveniles for sexual activity. During the operation, Mohat contacted one of the undercover agents, who was posing as a 14-year-old girl, via social media. Over the course of several days, Mohat engaged in a sexually oriented conversation with the undercover agent. On multiple occasions, Mohat requested that the “girl” create explicit videos and pictures to send to him including videos depicting herself masturbating.
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
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.