Middle District of Florida

Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging John Hill (40, Homosassa) with possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Hill faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. 

According to court documents, in February 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received nine cyber tips from a cloud-based storage provider that Hill was involved in the possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). Search warrants were executed on the storage provider, which revealed multiple images of CSAM had been uploaded to the cloud-based storage from Hill’s cellphone. On September 17, 2024, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Hill’s residence and seized his cellphone. The subsequent examination of Hill’s cellphone revealed multiple images of CSAM involving children as young as six to eight years old.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos.

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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Brett Avery Tipton (42, Rockledge) to 80 years in federal prison for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material. The Court also ordered Tipton to forfeit the device used in the commission of the offense and to register as a sex offender. Tipton had entered a guilty plea on July 24, 2024.

According to court documents, from approximately 2020 through 2021, Tipton groomed a minor victim (who was 12 years old when they met) and, through online gaming and social media platforms, convinced the victim to create pornographic images and videos of himself for Tipton. In return, Tipton sent gifts and food to the victim. Tipton also used the victim to “bait” other children on the internet into creating child sexual abuse material. Further, Tipton groomed a second minor victim and similarly convinced this victim to send pornographic pictures and videos of himself to Tipton in exchange for gifts. At one point, Tipton met the second victim in person and attempted to lure the victim into a public restroom for oral sex.

Lastly, Tipton was also active in online chat groups, where he shared child sexual abuse material and instructed that other members would need to also share material or be removed. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Chang, Robert Sowell, and Courtney Richardson-Jones. 

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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Luis Miguel Plaza (34, Orlando) to 10 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Plaza entered a guilty plea on July 24, 2024.

According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration used an undercover agent and confidential informants to conduct multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Plaza. During two of the controlled purchases, in August 2023 and January 2024, Plaza sold the undercover agent and a confidential informant a total of over 1,100 pills containing fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl. In February 2024, Plaza possessed more than 7,000 pills containing fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, which he intended to sell to a confidential informant.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Heather Darrey (45, Tampa) to 27 months in federal prison for wire fraud. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $875,323.19, the proceeds of her criminal scheme. Darrey pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024.

According to court documents, Darrey worked as the Records and Finance Manager at Church #1. Darrey abused her position of trust by engaging in a scheme in which she created false and fraudulent bank checks drawn against Church #1’s business bank account and made them payable to her own account, as well as to her mortgage company, creditors, and others. Darrey also input false and fraudulent data into Church #1’s accounting software system to conceal her theft. The investigation revealed that Darrey stole $875,323.19, which she largely spent on mortgage payments, car and boat loans, and credit card bills for clothing, restaurants, vacations, and concert tickets.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo, Suzanne Nebesky, and Jordan Howard.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Robert Leroy Badders, Jr. (34, Lake Mary) to 19 years and 7 months years in federal prison for receiving child sex abuse images and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Badders to forfeit two firearms, assorted ammunition, and his smart phone device seized on the date of his arrest. Additionally, Badders agreed to abandon the remainder of electronic devices seized by the FBI in this case. Badders entered a guilty plea on June 6, 2024.

According to court documents, an undercover FBI agent discovered an Internet Protocol (IP) address that was sharing files containing child sex abuse material. The FBI traced the IP address and the file-sharing account to Badders and his residence in Lake Mary, Florida. During the search of Badders’s residence, the FBI located two loaded firearms in Badders’s backpack. Badders admitted to the FBI agents that he was the owner of the firearms and knew he could not possess them since he was a convicted felon. Badders had been convicted of at least two felonies prior to this incident. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

Further, during the search of Badders’s residence, the FBI found his smart phone device and multiple microSD cards, all of which collectively contained hundreds of files child sex abuse material.

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

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.

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Richard Allen Randolph (44, Youngstown, OH) to 106 years and 6 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act robberies, attempted robbery, brandishing a firearm, and discharging a firearm during the commission of the robberies. The court also ordered Randolph to forfeit a Beretta Pico pistol used during the commission of the offenses. Randolph was found guilty by a federal jury on April 19, 2024.

According to evidence at trial, between January 27 and February 26, 2020, Randolph robbed four commercial businesses in Tampa wearing a hooded sweatshirt and facial covering. During each of the robberies, Randolph brandished and threatened the victims with a Beretta Pico pistol and removed cash from the registers.  During the attempted robbery on February 26, 2020, Randolph again concealed his identity, entered the store, and threatened the clerk with the firearm. However, the victim’s boyfriend, who was outside the store waiting to take her home, confronted Randolph. Randolph then discharged the pistol twice in the parking lot of the business as the victims fled. Law enforcement recovered the bullet casing from the parking lot and the case remained active and under investigation under the name “Beretta Bandit” as no subject was identified.

In July 2021, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of an individual who was found to have a Beretta Pico pistol in his car. The individual did not match the description of the robber and told law enforcement that he had purchased the pistol from Randolph, who was a former co-worker. Forensic examiners from the ATF laboratory later determined that the Beretta pistol was the firearm involved in the last robbery committed by Randolph.

During trial, the victims testified about their terror during the robberies committed by Randolph. However, they could not identify Randolph because he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a mask. The evidence at trial focused on the recovered Beretta Pico pistol, the testimony of the co-worker, the forensic analyses from the ATF laboratory in Atlanta, and other location data analyses by the FBI.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman and Brooke Padgett.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron today sentenced George Pherai-Bogeajis (35, Orlando) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The court also ordered Pherai-Bogeajis to forfeit four vehicles and four firearms used in the offense, along with $867,265 of drug proceeds. Pherai-Bogeajis entered a guilty plea on June 18, 2024.   

According to court documents, Pherai-Bogeajis was engaged in kilogram-level methamphetamine transactions for years. In March 2024, a co-conspirator was stopped after conducting a pickup from Pherai-Bogeajis’s residence and found to be carrying $149,785 of drug proceeds (see images below):

On April 9, 2024, the DEA executed a search warrant at Pherai-Bogeajis’s home and seized 48.9 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 5,500 grams of MDMA, more than 2 kilograms of cocaine, 978 grams of fentanyl, hallucinogens, marijuana, oxycodone pills, four firearms, and $717,480 in cash. Additional drugs and two vehicles containing “traps” to conceal drugs and proceeds for transport were located during a search of an address in Ocoee. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Ocoee Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oveido Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill. 

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

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Jonathan Nicola (23, Sanford) to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute two kilograms of fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Nicola entered a guilty plea on April 30, 2024. 

According to court documents, a DEA investigation in the St. Cloud area focused on a package delivered to an address in St. Cloud. On January 11, 2024, at around 2:10 p.m., law enforcement observed Nicola get out of a vehicle and retrieve that package. When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Nicola accelerated and entered the Florida Turnpike traveling north. An ensuing pursuit, lasting over approximately 14 miles, involved multiple car accidents, driving on the shoulder and into oncoming traffic, running red lights, and endangering traffic. At one point, pursuing officers estimated that the vehicle was traveling more than 100 mph in a 45-mph zone. Nicola crashed and disabled the vehicle at the corner of Washington Woods Lane and Landstar Boulevard in Orlando. A search of the vehicle revealed a digital scale and numerous plastic bags in the driver’s door, and a 9 mm Springfield Hellcat handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition. Officers also found a parcel addressed to the address in St. Cloud where they had conducted surveillance earlier that day. The box was sealed with tape, glue, and insulating foam. It contained a silver metal box containing a vacuum sealed bag of blue pills – sometimes known as fenta-pills – that weighed approximately 4.4 pounds. DEA laboratory tests later revealed that the package with pills contained 2 kilograms of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the St. Cloud Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill. 

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

Alan W. Filion, 18, of Lancaster, California, pleaded guilty today to four counts of making interstate threats to injure the person of another. Filion faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

“This prosecution and today’s guilty plea reaffirm the Justice Department’s commitment to using all tools to hold accountable every individual who endangers our communities through swatting and hoax threats,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “For well over a year, Alan Filion targeted religious institutions, schools, government officials, and other innocent victims with hundreds of false threats of imminent mass shootings, bombings and other violent crimes. He caused profound fear and chaos and will now face the consequences of his actions.”

“Alan Filion not only intended to cause as much harm as possible, but he also attempted to profit from these criminal activities by offering swatting-for-a-fee services,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Swatting poses severe danger to first responders and victims, wastes significant time and resources, and creates fear in communities. The FBI will continue to work with partners to aggressively investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in these activities."

According to the plea agreement, from approximately August 2022 to January 2024, Filion made more than 375 swatting and threat calls, including calls in which he claimed to have planted bombs in the targeted locations or threatened to detonate bombs and/or conduct mass shootings at those locations. He targeted religious institutions, high schools, colleges and universities, government officials, and numerous individuals across the United States. Filion was 16 at the time he placed the majority of the calls.

Filion intended for his calls to cause large-scale deployment of police and emergency-services units to the targeted locations. During these calls, he provided information to law enforcement and emergency services agencies that he knew to be false, such as false names, false claims that he and others had placed explosives in particular locations, false claims that he and others possessed dangerous weapons, including firearms and explosives, and false claims that he and/or other individuals had committed, or intended to imminently commit, violent crimes.

During the time that dispatchers spent on the phone with Filion, they were unavailable to respond to other emergencies. Additionally, in response to many of his calls, armed law enforcement officers were dispatched to the targeted addresses, and likewise were made unavailable to respond to other emergencies. In some instances, armed law enforcement officers approached and entered targeted residences with their weapons drawn and detained individuals who occupied the residences. In a post on Jan. 20, 2023, Filion claimed that when he swats someone, he “usually get[s] the cops to drag the victim and their families out of the house, cuff them and search the house for dead bodies.”

According to court documents, Filion became a serial swatter for both profit and recreation. He claimed in a Jan. 19, 2023, online post that his “first” swatting was like “2 to 3 years ago” and that “6-9 months ago [he] decided to turn it into a business. . .” On several occasions, Filion placed posts on social-media channels advertising his services and swatting-for-a-fee structure.

On Jan. 18, Filion, then 17-years-old, was arrested in California on Florida state charges arising from a May 2023 threat he made to a religious institution in Sanford, Florida. In that threat, he claimed to have an illegally modified AR-15, a Glock 17 pistol, pipe bombs, and Molotov cocktails. He said that he was going to imminently “commit a mass shooting” and “kill everyone” he saw. Filion pleaded guilty today in federal court to making that threat.

Filion’s federal charges were brought under the Federal Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act (JDA). As noted in the criminal information filed on Oct. 21, Filion was 17 when the instant charges were filed against him. Filion has remained in custody since his arrest on state charges in January.

Filion also pleaded guilty to making three other threatening calls – an October 2022 call to a public high school in the Western District of Washington, in which he threatened to commit a mass shooting and claimed to have planted bombs throughout the school; a May 2023 call to a Historically Black College & University in the Northern District of Florida, in which he claimed to have placed bombs in the walls and ceilings of campus housing that would detonate in about an hour; and a July 2023 call to a local police-department dispatch number in the Western District of Texas, in which he falsely identified himself as a senior federal law enforcement officer, provided the officer’s residential address to the dispatcher, claimed to have killed his (federal officer’s) mother, and threatened to kill any responding police officers.  

The FBI and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Seminole County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office; the Anacortes (Washington) Police Department; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the California Department of Justice; the Los Angeles County (California) Sheriff’s Office; and the Volusia County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cherie L. Krigsman and Kara Wick for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the State Attorney’s Office for Seminole County, Florida, 18th Judicial Circuit, and the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Western District of Washington, Northern District of Florida, Western District of Texas, and District of Columbia.

Alan W. Filion, 18, of Lancaster, California, pleaded guilty today to four counts of making interstate threats to injure the person of another. Filion faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. Filion is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2025.

“This prosecution and today’s guilty plea reaffirm the Justice Department’s commitment to using all tools to hold accountable every individual who endangers our communities through swatting and hoax threats,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “For well over a year, Alan Filion targeted religious institutions, schools, government officials, and other innocent victims with hundreds of false threats of imminent mass shootings, bombings and other violent crimes. He caused profound fear and chaos and will now face the consequences of his actions.”

“Alan Filion not only intended to cause as much harm as possible, but he also attempted to profit from these criminal activities by offering swatting-for-a-fee services,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “Swatting poses severe danger to first responders and victims, wastes significant time and resources, and creates fear in communities. The FBI will continue to work with partners to aggressively investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in these activities."

According to the plea agreement, from approximately August 2022 to January 2024, Filion made more than 375 swatting and threat calls, including calls in which he claimed to have planted bombs in the targeted locations or threatened to detonate bombs and/or conduct mass shootings at those locations. He targeted religious institutions, high schools, colleges and universities, government officials, and numerous individuals across the United States. Filion was 16 at the time he placed the majority of the calls.

Filion intended for his calls to cause large-scale deployment of police and emergency-services units to the targeted locations. During these calls, he provided information to law enforcement and emergency services agencies that he knew to be false, such as false names, false claims that he and others had placed explosives in particular locations, false claims that he and others possessed dangerous weapons, including firearms and explosives, and false claims that he and/or other individuals had committed, or intended to imminently commit, violent crimes.

During the time that dispatchers spent on the phone with Filion, they were unavailable to respond to other emergencies. Additionally, in response to many of his calls, armed law enforcement officers were dispatched to the targeted addresses, and likewise were made unavailable to respond to other emergencies. In some instances, armed law enforcement officers approached and entered targeted residences with their weapons drawn and detained individuals who occupied the residences. In a post on Jan. 20, 2023, Filion claimed that when he swats someone, he “usually get[s] the cops to drag the victim and their families out of the house, cuff them and search the house for dead bodies.”

According to court documents, Filion became a serial swatter for both profit and recreation. He claimed in a Jan. 19, 2023, online post that his “first” swatting was like “2 to 3 years ago” and that “6-9 months ago [he] decided to turn it into a business. . .” On several occasions, Filion placed posts on social-media channels advertising his services and swatting-for-a-fee structure.

On Jan. 18, Filion, then 17-years-old, was arrested in California on Florida state charges arising from a May 2023 threat he made to a religious institution in Sanford, Florida. In that threat, he claimed to have an illegally modified AR-15, a Glock 17 pistol, pipe bombs, and Molotov cocktails. He said that he was going to imminently “commit a mass shooting” and “kill everyone” he saw. Filion pleaded guilty today in federal court to making that threat.

Filion’s federal charges were brought under the Federal Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act (JDA). As noted in the criminal information filed on Oct. 21, Filion was 17 when the instant charges were filed against him. Filion has remained in custody since his arrest on state charges in January.

Filion also pleaded guilty to making three other threatening calls – an October 2022 call to a public high school in the Western District of Washington, in which he threatened to commit a mass shooting and claimed to have planted bombs throughout the school; a May 2023 call to a Historically Black College & University in the Northern District of Florida, in which he claimed to have placed bombs in the walls and ceilings of campus housing that would detonate in about an hour; and a July 2023 call to a local police-department dispatch number in the Western District of Texas, in which he falsely identified himself as a senior federal law enforcement officer, provided the officer’s residential address to the dispatcher, claimed to have killed his (federal officer’s) mother, and threatened to kill any responding police officers.  

The FBI and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Seminole County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office; the Anacortes (Washington) Police Department; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the California Department of Justice; the Los Angeles County (California) Sheriff’s Office; and the Volusia County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cherie L. Krigsman and Kara Wick for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the State Attorney’s Office for Seminole County, Florida, 18th Judicial Circuit, and the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Western District of Washington, Northern District of Florida, Western District of Texas, and District of Columbia.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Ron Yarde (23, Hillsborough) with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. If convicted, Yarde faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Yarde is the second individual charged in connection with these offenses. His alleged accomplice, Malcolm Green, was indicted on September 12, 2024, and is currently pending trial. If convicted, Green faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, in federal prison. 

According to court documents, between May 27 and July 27, 2024, Yarde, Green, and one other co-conspirator committed a series of robberies in Brooksville, Ocala, and Tampa, robbing a convenience store, a drug store, a gas station and two retail stores. At the time he committed these robberies, Yarde was on state probation for various offenses, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, burglary, grand theft, and carrying a concealed firearm.

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.

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

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Myles Edwin Huff (46, Naples) to five years in federal prison for possessing and accessing with intent to view images depicting the sexual abuse of children. Huff was also ordered to register as a sex offender. Huff entered a guilty plea on July 23, 2024.

According to court documents, between July and September 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 28 cyber tips from an electronic service provider reporting that Huff was involved in the possession of child sex abuse material. On November 16, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Huff’s residence and seized his cellphone. During an interview with agents, Huff stated that he used his cellphone to search for child sexual abuse material. The subsequent forensic examination of Huff’s cellphone revealed images of child sexual abuse material. 

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

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

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Damion Clarke (33, Lakeland) guilty of conspiring to distribute cocaine. Clarke faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 12, 2025. 

According to the evidence and testimony presented during the three-day trial, the FBI Orlando Safe Streets Task Force began an investigation into a Jamaican Criminal Enterprise engaged in the distribution of controlled substances in Central Florida. The FBI received information from a confidential source that Clarke had connections to this enterprise and was willing to connect them with Rafick Gilpin, an individual who distributed large volumes of cocaine, in exchange for a portion of the profits from the drug transactions. The FBI utilized the confidential source and an undercover agent to conduct controlled purchases of cocaine ranging from ounces to one kilogram, as well as firearms, from Gilpin and his co-conspirators from November 2021 until July 2022 in Orlando. During the course of the investigation, Clarke acted as the middleman between the confidential source and Gilpin by introducing the parties, facilitating their communications during the negotiations and lead ups to the transactions, and ensuring the transactions were successfully completed. 

On August 8, 2023, Gilpin was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, and the Apopka Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jeremy Wayne Leggett (36, Jacksonville) with using the internet to attempt to entice a child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Leggett faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. Leggett is a registered child sex offender, having been previously convicted in Florida in 2020 of traveling to meet a child to commit an unlawful sexual offense and transmission of harmful materials to a child. Leggett has been ordered detained pending the outcome of his case.   

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

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

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

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.

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

Tampa, FL – Brandon Eye Associates P.A. (Brandon Eye), an ophthalmology practice with offices in Brandon, Sun City and Plant City, Florida, has agreed to pay $1.3 million to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act and an analogous Florida statute arising from its billing for trans-cranial doppler ultrasounds (TCDs) provided through a kickback arrangement with a third party. Brandon Eye has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigations of other participants in the alleged scheme.

“The payment of kickbacks can bias medical decision making, result in unnecessary services, and drive up health care costs at the expense of the American taxpayers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those who enter into kickback arrangements that undermine the integrity of federal health care programs.”

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Brandon Eye knowingly submitted, and caused the submission of, false claims for medically unnecessary TCDs performed on Brandon Eye’s patients. Brandon Eye and a third-party provider of turnkey mobile TCD services, through an agreement, performed TCDs on Brandon Eye patients who had been diagnosed with common health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and glaucoma. Before the patient received the TCD result, Brandon Eye and the third-party provider identified the patients as having received a serious diagnosis — most commonly of occlusion and stenosis of their cerebral arteries — that could qualify the patient for reimbursement of a TCD by Medicare or Medicaid. However, nearly all patients who received TCDs never had occlusion and stenosis of cerebral arteries, and that diagnosis was accordingly not reflected in the patient’s medical history or in the TCD results. For each TCD ordered for each Medicare Part B patient, Brandon Eye claimed reimbursement for the technical component of the test, paid the third-party TCD provider based on the volume or value of tests ordered, and referred the patient to the TCD provider’s preferred radiology group for the TCD’s professional component.

The United States alleged that as a result of this scheme, Brandon Eye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for TCDs that were medically unnecessary, that were premised on false diagnoses, and that resulted from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. Of the $1.3 million total settlement amount, $1,210,245.70 is to be paid to the United States, and $89,754.30 is to be paid to the State of Florida for its share of Medicaid, which is a jointly funded federal and state program.

“This settlement demonstrates the continued commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and hold responsible medical providers seeking reimbursement from federal health care programs for unnecessary medical tests at taxpayers’ expense,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to pursue these actions against providers who exploit federal health care programs for personal gain.”

“We are all victims when the Medicare and Medicaid systems taxpayers fund are cheated,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office. “This is why the FBI vigorously investigates alleged kickback schemes and false billing practices, because it is our mission to protect the American people.”

“Kickback arrangements meant to boost company profits can corrupt the legitimate medical decision-making process and undermine the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Mahmood of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue allegations of improper billing and kickback schemes to protect both Medicare and Medicaid and those served by those programs.”

The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG and the FBI.

Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mamie Wise for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.

The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. 

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Francisco Cabrera (29, Dover) to 38 years in federal prison for robbery, carjacking, attempted murder, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Cabrera entered a guilty plea on December 1, 2023.

According to court documents and evidence presented during the sentencing hearing, between January 13 and 17, 2022, Cabrera engaged in a crime spree where he robbed two stores and a gas station in Plant City and Brandon. During these robberies, Cabrera held victims at gunpoint. At times, he removed the magazine from his pistol, showed bullets to the victims and stated, “this is for real” or “give me the money or I will shoot you.”

On January 19, 2022, Cabrera returned to the gas station he had robbed. Cabrera approached an individual sitting inside a truck and carjacked him at gunpoint. As Cabrera was escaping in the vehicle, he brandished his firearm at others who had attempted to stop him and help the victim.

Hours later, detectives from the Lakeland Police Department and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) located Cabrera in Plant City. The officers turned on their lights and sirens and began pursuit. Cabrera fled, tore through Plant City, eventually getting on I-4 headed east towards Lakeland. During the 11-mile chase, Cabrera traveled at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, nearly crashed into a truck, drove through red lights and into oncoming traffic causing other vehicles to take evasive actions, and nearly missed hitting other vehicles. While fleeing, Cabrera fired gunshots at numerous local and federal agents, firing approximately 8 to 15 gunshots at 7 different police officers. On one occasion, he fired at two officers who were in front of him outside their vehicles attempting to deploy stop sticks, striking the front hood of one of their vehicles.

In fear that Cabrera was going to kill someone, and after determining that no other law enforcement officers or civilians would be in danger, an ATF special agent fired at Cabrera striking him twice in his lower back. Lakeland Police officers and ATF agents then surrounded Cabrera. The same law enforcement officers that Cabrera had fired upon then quickly provided him with first aid medical assistance, saving his life.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lakeland Police Department. It was 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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Byron Louder (35, Orlando) to three years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Louder entered a guilty plea on August 15, 2024.

According to court records, in the late afternoon on December 25, 2022, law enforcement observed Louder standing in the parking lot of a closed business wearing a ski mask, drinking liquor, and conducting several quick hand-to-hand transactions. The officers also observed a firearm in Louder’s waistband. After detaining Louder, a Sig Sauer pistol was recovered from his person. Louder had been convicted of at least three felonies prior to this incident. As a previously 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 and 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.

Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jackson Richard Perint (27, Clay County) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Perint faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and forfeiture of a SCCY Industries 9mm pistol and ammunition. Perint was arrested on April 3, 2024, and released on conditions. He violated the conditions of release and was ordered detained on August 15, 2024. No sentencing date has been set.   

According to court documents and court proceedings, on August 8, 2023, a detective with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Narcotic’s Unit, acting in an online undercover capacity, arranged a drug transaction with Perint. The next day, Perint arrived by car to a predetermined location. Based on a prior suspension of Perint’s driver license, the CCSO conducted a traffic stop of his car. During a subsequent search of the car the deputies located a 9mm pistol, loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition in between the driver’s seat and the center console. They also located cash and drugs in the car.  

At the time of the offense, Perint had previously been convicted in state court in Florida of nine felonies, including possession of a weapon by a convicted felon (2021, 2022). As a convicted felon, Perint is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.       

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the release of the Servicemembers and Veterans Manual. The Manual, located online at https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/servicemembers-and-veterans-working-group, is a comprehensive guide to the unique legal issues facing the servicemember and veterans community, including legal protections in the areas of housing, employment, consumer protection, disability rights, financial assistance, and mental health. The Manual also identifies organizations throughout Florida focused on helping servicemembers and veterans with these matters.

The Manual is the result of a successful collaboration between federal and state military branches, federal and state agencies, legal aid organizations, and others who serve the military within the Middle District of Florida and throughout the state. In addition to members from the United States Attorney’s Office, it includes members from the following organizations: Florida’s Army National Guard; U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; U.S. Department of Labor VETS Office; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Florida Attorney General’s Office; Florida Department of Veterans Affairs; Florida Commission on Human Relations; Bay Area Legal Services; Community Legal Services; Jacksonville Area Legal Aid; University of Florida Levin College of Law Veterans and Servicemembers Clinic; National Veterans Legal Services Program; the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors or TAPS; and counseling services within the Middle District of Florida. 

“As we honor our veterans, we reflect on their sacrifice and the freedoms they’ve secured for us all. Florida, one of the most veteran-populated states, is home to countless heroes whose service inspires us. Veterans have given us more than freedom; they’ve given us the responsibility to build a just and inclusive society in their honor,” stated Cheyanne Costilla, Executive Director of the Florida Commission on Human Relations. “At the Florida Commission on Human Relations, we’re committed to ensuring that their legacy lives on through our work to foster fairness, inclusion, and respect for all, and this agency is proud to have participated in the development of this useful reference guide for servicemembers, veterans, and their families.”

“Region Legal Service Office Southeast is proud to join the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida in the creation of a collaborative online manual touching on countless topics critical to the support and representation of servicemembers and veterans,” said Captain Katherine S. Pasieta, Commanding Officer at the U.S. Navy Regional Legal Service Office Southeast. “Legal Assistance Attorneys across the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps and Region Legal Service Office Southeast are committed to providing timely, expert advice to servicemembers and their families on consumer affairs, estate planning, and family law matters. The release of this new online resource will launch a user-friendly guide to navigate the often-complex legal landscape affecting our military members, veterans, and their dependents. I am grateful to our local experts and their ability to provide countless manhours of guidance and support to the Consumer Law Subcommittee and creation of Consumer Law materials for the manual.  This collaborative effort underscores our shared commitment with other public agencies to support those who are now serving or have previously served our nation.”

“Our goal was to create a comprehensive, accessible guide to legal rights and resources that addresses the unique challenges faced by our veterans,” said CEO & President of Bay Area Legal Services Joan Cain Boles. With Florida home to the third-largest veteran population in the nation, it was critical for us all to enhance the health, safety, and quality of life for Florida’s veterans. This guide stands as a testament to our commitment to empowering those who have served.”

"The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proud to work alongside our federal and state partners to safeguard the rights of servicemembers in the Middle District of Florida," said James S. Rice, the CFPB's Assistant Director for the Office of Servicemember Affairs.

Members of the Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic at the University of Florida Levin College of Law are also actively participating in the area of financial assistance. Professor Judy Clausen, who leads the clinic, explained, “in working with the attorneys in our committee in drafting the Financial Assistance chapter of the Manual, our team members collaborated to identify and find solutions to address the financial issues that most affect service members, veterans, and military families, ensuring that the manual is most useful and easily accessible.”

Organizations interested in joining the Working Group or anyone who would like outreach from Working Group participants can send an email to:  [email protected]. 

Video message from U.S. Attorney Handberg on the rollout of the Servicemembers and Veterans Working Group Manual.

Press conference hosted by Community Legal Services. 

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Mitchell Regan (36, Leesburg) with two counts of distribution of child sex abuse material (CSAM) and one count of possession of CSAM. If convicted, Regan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count, including a 5-year minimum sentence on both distribution offenses. Regan is detained in federal custody pending the resolution of this case. 

According to the superseding indictment and court records, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Regan’s residence on October 17, 2024. During a search of Regan’s cellphone, an HSI computer forensic agent located an image of CSAM in his photo gallery. Regan advised law enforcement that he was employed at a middle school and the Boys and Girls Club and that that he teaches chess club and music lessons. A subsequent review of Regan’s social media applications by law enforcement revealed Regan had distributed two videos of CSAM on June 24, 2024.

A superseding 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 HSI and the Orange 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.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Bryce Fleetwood (26, Clermont) with two counts of receipt of child sex abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Fleetwood faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count, including a 5-year minimum term of imprisonment. Fleetwood is currently in custody pending the resolution of this case.

According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, on May 11 and November 15, 2022, Fleetwood, using an online social media messaging application, received CSAM depicting young children.

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

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It will be 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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Gerit William Naber (39, Palm Bay) to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Naber entered a guilty plea on June 24, 2024. 

According to the plea agreement, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office used a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of multiple ounces of methamphetamine from Naber. After a third controlled purchase failed when the confidential source refused to use the drugs with Naber, a search warrant was executed at Naber’s home, resulting in the seizure of over 100 grams of methamphetamine. In total, Naber was responsible for over 320 grams of pure methamphetamine. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Vincent Luke Governor, Jr. (34, Tampa) guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Governor faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 11, 2025.        

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on August 28, 2022, officers with the Tampa Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Governor. Governor was the sole occupant of the vehicle. During the stop, officers observed the odor of marijuana coming from Governor’s vehicle. As Governor was being removed from the vehicle to allow the officers to conduct a search of the vehicle, the officers observed the grip of a handgun underneath the driver’s seat. The firearm (Springfield Armory XD pistol) was loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. A DNA sample taken from the gun linked Governor to the firearm. The officers also located 80 grams of marijuana in multiple bags and a digital scale in the glove compartment. 

At the time, Governor had previous felony convictions for burglary of a dwelling, grand theft, possession of burglar tools, and armed robbery. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Kellis Dion Jackson (63, Pinellas Park), a/k/a Chandler Dante Alexander, to six years in federal prison for making a false statement to a federal agency, theft of government property, and fraudulent use of a Social Security number. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Jackson to pay restitution in the amount of $46,695. A federal jury found Jackson guilty on August 13, 2024.

According to evidence presented at trial, Jackson stole Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits from the Social Security Administration while on federal supervision for prior federal offenses. Prior to applying for SSI, Jackson obtained a Social Security number (SSN) under the fictional identity of Chandler Dante Alexander by falsely reporting that he had never had an SSN and providing false information regarding his birthdate and parents. Jackson used the fraudulently obtained SSN to get a Commercial Driver’s License, work, file tax returns, get married, and open bank accounts. Jackson then applied for SSI and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits using his birth name and valid SSN. Jackson made false statements on the SSI application and related documents, including falsely stating he was not married, and his application was approved. Jackson’s SSI application would not have been approved had he reported his marriage and work activity under the fraudulently obtained SSN. 

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Department of Agriculture - Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that William Skaggs, Jr. and Billie Adkison today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit tax fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

According to the plea agreement, Skaggs owned and operated Nastar Roofing, a Cape Coral based roofing company. Adkison served as the main office administrator for Nastar, and her duties included managing the company’s payroll. Between 2013 and 2023, Nastar paid its employees predominantly in cash to avoid paying taxes they knew were owed to the federal government.

Typically, one or more Nastar employees, including Skaggs and Adkison, withdrew significant amounts of cash on Thursdays and Fridays to make Nastar’s payroll at the end of the work week. Between 2013 and 2023, Nastar employees withdrew more than $21 million from the company’s bank accounts to pay employees in cash. Skaggs and Adkison knew, and intentionally caused, Nastar to not withhold taxes from the cash payments to employees. Nastar also did not pay its own share of FICA taxes on these wages.

As part of their plea agreement, Skaggs and Adkison have agreed to make full restitution to the United States for the employment taxes Nastar avoided, including an upfront partial restitution payment of $1 million prior to their sentencing hearing, which has not yet been set.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman and Department of Justice Tax Division trial attorney Kevin Schneider.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Solomon Marquise Smith (22, Lakeland) today pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Smith faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

According to court records, on July 2, 2024, while officers with the Lakeland Police Department were surveilling a home to serve an outstanding arrest warrant for Smith, they observed Smith with a handgun, equipped with an extended magazine, tucked in his waistband. After Smith was arrested on the warrant, the officers obtained a search warrant, searched the residence, and found the handgun hidden in an air vent. The handgun was not marked with a serial number and was loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, officers located images of Smith in possession of the same handgun on social media that had been posted four days before its recovery. Smith has multiple prior felony convictions, including carrying a concealed firearm and possession of cannabis resin. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

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

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Patrick Hugh Mitchell (57, Orlando) to 10 years in federal prison and Kyle Jay Hunter Baronville (37, Orlando) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for their roles in distributing multiple pounds of methamphetamine. Baronville pleaded guilty on January 26, 2024, and Mitchell was convicted by a jury on June 27, 2024. 

According to Baronville’s plea agreement and testimony and evidence presented at Mitchell’s trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration used a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Baronville. During the first transaction, Baronville sold the confidential source 357.3 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine. During the second transaction, Baronville obtained 892.5 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from Mitchell, which they then sold to the confidential source. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Enock Edouard (37, Tampa) to 28 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Edouard was found guilty on May 8, 2024, following a two-day bench trial. His co-conspirators have been sentenced to the following prison terms:        

Joshua Robertson

(36, Auburndale)

Cameron Mosley

(31, Tampa)

Nathaniel Fagan

(38, Tampa)

Jordan Myers

(32, Los Angeles)

Michael Lee Johnson

(22, Auburndale)

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between 2021 and 2023, Edouard was part of a drug trafficking network that operated throughout the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere, including California. Working with others, Edouard moved methamphetamine and fentanyl originating in Mexico, shipped to California in car tires, then shipped or transported to Orlando and Tampa. Edouard carried large amounts of cash to California to purchase the narcotics, then utilized various accomplices to hide narcotics in boxes and passenger suitcases for distribution in Florida. At trial, one co-conspirator described Edouard as “the only person between me and the cartels,” and estimated that Edouard sold him over 300 kilograms of methamphetamine in less than 10 months.

FBI agents arrested Edouard in Las Vegas and executed a search warrant at his apartment in downtown Tampa, recovering additional fentanyl and a firearm. Fifteen firearms, two hand grenades, more than 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, and more than $80,000 in cash were seized from Edouard and his co-conspirators as part of this investigation.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. 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. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Diego F. Novaes.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dany Telfort (20, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Telfort faces a minimum penalty of 14 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is set for February 13, 2025.

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

Mitchell is currently pending trial. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Clermont Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oakland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jeremiah Cundiff (19, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun.  Cundiff faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on October 23, 2023, law enforcement apprehended Cundiff, who had an active warrant for his arrest. During the apprehension, Cundiff fled and made a stealthy movement. At the area of Cundiff’s movement, a loaded firearm with a machinegun conversion device installed (pictured below), was recovered. Cundiff’s DNA was found on the firearm.

The type of machinegun conversion device in this case is commonly referred to as a “switch,” and is designed and intended, solely and exclusively, to convert a semiautomatic pistol into a machinegun, causing the pistol to fire more than one shot with the single pull of the trigger.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with valuable assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.

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

Jacksonville, 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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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, 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. 

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.

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

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.

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.

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). 

Download Defendant Chart

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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