Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Citizens Convicted of Conspiring to Act as Illegal Agents of the Russian GovernmentRead the Press Release
A jury today convicted Omali Yeshitela, 82, Penny Hess, 78, Jesse Nevel, 34, all of St. Louis, and Augustus C. Romain Jr., 38, of Atlanta, of conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government. The defendants were charged in a superseding indictment on April 13, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, from at least May 2015 until July 2022, Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel agreed to act on behalf of the Russian government within the United States. Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a resident of Moscow, was the founder and president of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), an organization headquartered in Moscow, Russia, and funded by the Russian government. Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel were leaders of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) or components thereof. Augustus C. Romain was a high-level leader of the APSP who, in November 2018, left and formed a Georgia-based group called the Black Hammer. Ionov’s influence efforts were directed and supervised by Moscow-based Federal Security Service (FSB) officers, including indicted defendants Aleksey Borisovich Sukhodolov and Yegor Sergeyevich Popov.
In May 2015, Ionov invited Yeshitela to Russia for an all-expenses paid trip to “communicate on future cooperation.” Prior to this trip, Hess relayed a request to Ionov to ensure that Yeshitela would be able to meet with an “official representative of the Russian government.” According to subsequent email communications, which were shared with Hess, Nevel and Romain, Yeshitela explained that it was “clear” that Ionov was an instrument of the Russian government. In these same communications, Yeshitela further explained that Ionov represented “a method by which the Russian government is engaging the U.S. and Europe in serious struggle” by utilizing “forces inside of the U.S. to s[o]w division inside the U.S.” In a subsequent meeting, at which Hess and Nevel were present, Yeshitela explained that Ionov would only provide resources for actions that would support Russia’s efforts to “undermin[e] the U.S.”
Acting under Ionov’s direction, the defendants took several actions within the United States. For example, in August 2015, Ionov requested that Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel draft and publish a petition to the United Nations charging the United States with actively committing genocide against African people. When Hess resisted, Ionov insisted that the APSP had to publish the petition because Ionov and his Russian backers were “not exactly Black to demand it for ourselves.” Hess subsequently drafted and published the requested petition, which Ionov promoted in Russian media.
In January 2016, Ionov provided a $12,000 guarantee letter to fund a four-city tour to promote the genocide petition that the APSP had published at his direction. Yeshitela and Hess oversaw the tour and reported information about the tour to Ionov. After the tour, Yeshitela explained in an APSP meeting that the APSP had “developed a relationship with forces in Russia who are involved in their own struggle with the US.”
In 2017, and again in 2019, Ionov attempted to influence local elections in St. Petersburg, Florida, on behalf of the FSB, although there is no evidence that he succeeded in doing so. For example, in July 2017, Ionov reached out to Nevel —who was a candidate for Mayor in St. Petersburg — to offer support, including “campaign finance.” In 2019, Ionov regularly reported to the FSB concerning an election for local office in St. Petersburg, referring to one candidate as the candidate “whom we supervise.” And, in January 2020, FSB Officer Popov directed Ionov that the United States’ 2020 Presidential election was the FSB’s “main topic of the year.”
In April 2020, Ionov invited Nevel and Yeshitela to speak at a conference to promote the right of self-determination for Russian-backed secessionist movements in eastern Ukraine. Shortly thereafter, Yeshitela provided a video-recorded statement of support for the Russian-backed secessionist group. Ionov reported to the FSB concerning these activities.
In late February 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ionov complained to FSB Officer Sukhodolov concerning Russia’s failure in the information war surrounding the invasion. Sukhodolov directed Ionov to “join in” in the information war. Ionov then directed Yeshitela and Romain to engage in demonstrations at a social media company headquarters in California to demonstrate against suppression of pro-Russian viewpoints. Ionov paid for Romain and three other members of Black Hammer to fly to California to conduct the demonstration, and Yeshitela directed members of the APSP located in California to conduct a similar protest a few days later. After the Black Hammer demonstration, Romain messaged Ionov: “This is great! That was fun! Who we attacking next? With more time I can get a bigger crowd.”
In May 2022, at Ionov’s direction, Romain demonstrated at a media company in Atlanta, Georgia, to celebrate Russia’s “Victory Day.” In June 2022, at Ionov’s direction, Romain demonstrated at the Georgia state capitol in support of Russia. During the demonstration, Romain stated that he was “not ashamed to say that the Black Hammer Party has relationships with the Kremlin,” in reference to Ionov.
Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Two Miramar Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of A U.S. Postal Service Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Christopher Raymond (20, Miramar) to nine years in federal prison and Andre Hylton (20, Miramar) to eight years in federal prison for committing an armed robbery of a postal carrier and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to that crime. The court also ordered Raymond and Hylton to forfeit a Glock 23 firearm and assorted ammunition, which were involved in the commission of the offense. Raymond and Hylton entered guilty pleas in May 2024.
According to court documents, on September 21, 2023, Raymond and Hylton traveled to Tampa in a rental vehicle. Around 3:40 p.m. that day, they spotted a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier who was delivering mail outside of his truck. Raymond entered the USPS truck, stole the keys from inside, and fled in the rental vehicle driven by Hylton. Later, around 4:30 p.m., they encountered another mail carrier delivering mail approximately one mile away from the earlier theft. Raymond approached the mail carrier, pulled a firearm from his waistband, and pointed it at the mail carrier. Raymond demanded USPS serialized keys (master keys that can be used to open several USPS mailboxes). The mail carrier handed two serialized keys to Raymond, who then ran into the vehicle driven by Hylton, and they fled the area.
The next day, police in Miramar encountered the rental vehicle, which Raymond was now driving, and conducted a traffic stop. Police searched the car and found a Glock 23 firearm with an extended magazine loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition, a general USPS key (not a serialized key), a black ski mask, and mail.
“The sentencing of these two individuals demonstrates the commitment of the United States Postal Inspection Service to the safety of Postal Service employees and customers,” said Miami Division Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas. “However, our work is not done, we will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer by continuing to arrest those accountable for these crimes.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department, the Miramar Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Ross Roberts.
Florida Man Sentenced for Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource CentersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – A Florida man was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison for conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate employees of pro-life pregnancy help centers in the free exercise of the right to provide and seek to provide reproductive health services. Caleb Freestone, along with two co-defendants, Amber Smith-Stewart and Annarella Rivera, selected reproductive health facilities that provided and counseled alternatives to abortion and vandalized those facilities with threatening messages.
According to court documents, these defendants engaged in a series of targeted attacks on pregnancy help centers in Florida. The defendants admitted they participated in the attack in the dark of night, and while wearing masks and dark clothing to obscure their identities, spray painted the facilities with threatening messages, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U” and “We are everywhere.” These defendants pleaded guilty on June 14 to a civil rights conspiracy.
“These defendants admitted that they conspired to paint threatening messages on crisis pregnancy centers, based on the defendants’ objection to the services those centers offered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Violence and threats of violence have no place in our national discourse on reproductive health. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the right to access reproductive health care and prosecuting anyone who interferes with that right.”
“These defendants conspired to threaten and intimidate providers offering reproductive health care,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Federal law protects these providers and those who seek their services. My office will continue its work to protect access to reproductive health care and federally prosecute those interfering with that right.”
Smith-Stewart and Rivera were also each sentenced today to 30 days in prison and 60 days in home detention.
The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Miami Police Department.
Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
Florida Man Sentenced for Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource CentersRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison for conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate employees of pro-life pregnancy help centers in the free exercise of the right to provide and seek to provide reproductive health services. Caleb Freestone, along with two co-defendants, Amber Smith-Stewart and Annarella Rivera, selected reproductive health facilities that provided and counseled alternatives to abortion and vandalized those facilities with threatening messages.
According to court documents, these defendants engaged in a series of targeted attacks on pregnancy help centers in Florida. The defendants admitted they participated in the attack in the dark of night, and while wearing masks and dark clothing to obscure their identities, spray painted the facilities with threatening messages, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U” and “We are everywhere.” These defendants pleaded guilty on June 14 to a civil rights conspiracy.
“These defendants admitted that they conspired to paint threatening messages on crisis pregnancy centers, based on the defendants’ objection to the services those centers offered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Violence and threats of violence have no place in our national discourse on reproductive health. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the right to access reproductive health care and prosecuting anyone who interferes with that right.”
“These defendants conspired to threaten and intimidate providers offering reproductive health care,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Federal law protects these providers and those who seek their services. My office will continue its work to protect access to reproductive health care and federally prosecute those interfering with that right.”
Smith-Stewart and Rivera were also each sentenced today to 30 days in prison and 60 days in home detention.
The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Miami Police Department.
Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov. For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
Federal Jury Finds Lookout in Ellenton Armored Truck Robbery Guilty at TrialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Jorge Serrano Espinoza (20, Clearwater) guilty of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Espinoza’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 12, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, on the morning of June 9, 2023, James Battle, Jr., Carlos Keanu Smith, and Jorge Espinoza met for the purposes of robbing an armored truck. They followed the armored truck along its route from Pinellas County to eastern Hillsborough County before eventually reaching a gas station in Ellenton. Toll records from the Florida Department of Transportation show Battle’s vehicle following seconds behind the targeted armored truck that morning. Surveillance video showed the vehicle also following the armored truck to other locations before conducting the robbery at the gas station in Ellenton. As the driver returned to the armored truck, Battle and Smith approached pointing pistols at the victim, forcing him to the ground. Espinoza was the lookout, who warned them when the armored truck driver attempted to reach for his firearm. Espinoza also supplied one of the firearms used in the robbery and surveilled the driver at one of the earlier stops on his route. The defendants stole more than $150,000 from the armored truck.
Battle previously pleaded guilty for his role in the case and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Smith also pleaded guilty; his sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 10, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fort Myers Sex Offender Arrested for Pizza Shop Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Shadarien Lamarr Ward (22, Fort Myers) with Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Ward appeared in federal court in Fort Myers earlier today and has been ordered to remain in federal detention pending trial in this case. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
According to court documents and other public records, on the evening of September 1, 2024, Ward robbed a pizza shop near downtown Fort Myers at gunpoint, pistol-whipping an employee in the process. After grabbing the cash register drawer and approximately $700 in cash, Ward fled the area on foot. Ward was later identified by law enforcement after an extensive review of surveillance cameras in the area tracked him to a nearby motel after the robbery.
Ward, a registered sex offender, was wearing a GPS monitor at the time of the robbery as part of his state sex offender probation, which helped law enforcement retrace his steps leading up to and immediately following the robbery. Although he cut off his GPS monitor and absconded from supervision after the robbery, Ward was located and arrested by law enforcement in North Fort Myers yesterday.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Clay County Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Anthony Rodriguez, Jr. (32, Orange Park) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Rodriguez faces up to 15 years in federal prison and forfeiture of a Glock pistol and ammunition traceable to the offense. Rodriguez made his initial appearance in federal court on July 9, 2024, and was ordered detained.
According to court records, on May 11, 2024, Rodriguez shoplifted merchandise from a retail store in Clay County. Store personnel stopped Rodriguez and deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office subsequently responded. As deputies searched Rodriguez incident to his arrest, a loaded Glock 43 9mm pistol fell on to the ground from Rodriguez’s clothing. At the time of the incident, Rodriguez had seven prior felony convictions, including two involving a firearm and ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, he 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.
Ocala Man Arrested for Attempted Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Christopher Shaun Jonas (32, Ocala) on an indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a minor. If convicted, Jonas faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment was returned on August 6, 2024.
According to court records, on July 23, 2024, Jonas contacted a profile on an internet application designed for prostitution. This profile, however, was operated by a Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) undercover detective. The undercover detective told Jonas that she was a 13-year-old girl and Jonas described in graphic detail the sexual acts that he wanted the girl to perform on him. Jonas subsequently agreed to pick up the child for the sexual encounter at a location in Marion County. When Jonas arrived, however, law enforcement arrested him. Investigators found the cellphone Jonas had used to communicate with the undercover detective inside his vehicle.
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 and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It case is being prosecuted by Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Jacksonville Woman Pleads Guilty to Credit Scheme and COVID Relief Fraud Involving the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Crystal Denean Harvell (37, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving a line of credit scheme and one count of wire fraud involving COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Harvell faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and payment of restitution to the victims she defrauded and to the United States government. Harvell has also agreed to forfeit $20,415, which is traceable to proceeds of the wire fraud offense involving COVID relief fraud. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Harvell and her co-conspirators fraudulently obtained the Social Security numbers (SSNs) of others. From February 2016 through September 2019, Harvell and others recruited individuals to obtain lines of credit at various businesses, using the SSNs. After fraudulently obtaining the lines of credit, they obtained jewelry and other merchandise. Harvell resold some of the merchandise and lines of credit on social media platforms.
In April 2021, Harvell submitted a PPP loan application to a lender authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. The PPP loan application falsely claimed that Harvell operated her own business. Throughout the loan application Harvell made multiple false statements regarding her purported gross income and expenses associated with operating her business. In support of her PPP loan application, she submitted a false IRS Form 1040 - Profit or Loss From Business. It contained false statements about operating expenses, gross income, and wage expenditures for her purported business. In truth, Harvell’s business did not exist. In reliance on the false statements in her loan application, her application was approved, and she received a PPP loan totaling $20,415.
After receiving the PPP loan proceeds in her bank account, Harvell began making withdrawals and spending the funds on personal expenses. In October 2021, Harvell submitted a PPP loan forgiveness application to the SBA that included multiple false representations. In the application, she falsely claimed that she spent more than $18,000 on payroll costs and that the PPP loan proceeds were only used for eligible purposes. In reliance on her false statements the SBA forgave the entire loan, plus accrued interest.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
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.
Jacksonville Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced David Wayne Riddle (30, Jacksonville) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Riddle entered a guilty plea on May 22, 2024.
According to court documents, on January 8, 2023, Riddle was stopped by officers from the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office after they had observed Riddle not wearing his seat belt while driving. When the officers encountered Riddle, they smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and a loaded Smith and Wesson pistol was recovered from under the front passenger seat. Riddle was interviewed and admitted that he possessed the firearm knowing that he was a convicted felon.
Riddle has multiple prior felony convictions for serious drug related offenses and violent crimes making him prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
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.
Federal Inmate Arrested for Forcible Assault on Correctional Officers and Possession of ContrabandRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Muller Vedrine (33, Miami) on a two-count indictment charging him with assaulting, resisting, and impeding officers of the United States, and possession of contraband by a federal inmate. If convicted, Vedrine faces up to 14 years in federal prison.
According to court records, Vedrine is a federal inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. On March 10, 2024, during a routine search of Vedrine’s cell, correctional officers observed Vedrine with a cellphone in his hand. When the officers ordered Vedrine to hand over the contraband phone, he instead punched a correctional officer in the chest and then began smashing the phone. Once the officers subdued Vedrine, they also discovered buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance, hidden with the legal documents in his prison cell.
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 prosecuted as part of a United States Department of Justice task force aimed at rooting out contraband and misconduct in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP). The task force was led by the FBOP and the DOJ Office of the Inspector General, with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Deerfield Beach Man Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Anne Conway today sentenced Johnson Saint-Louis (39, Deerfield Beach) to 14 years and 3 months in federal prison for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The court also ordered Saint-Louis to forfeit a Ruger firearm and assorted ammunition, which were used during the commission of the offense. A jury had found Saint-Louis guilty on May 30, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Saint-Louis was a former ATM technician who traveled around the southeast tampering with ATMs serviced by his former employer. On February 16, 2021, Saint-Louis robbed a bank in Longwood. Saint-Louis visited the location’s drive-thru ATM, manipulated the ATM in a way that caused it to malfunction, and then waited for the ATM technician to arrive. Once the technician arrived and opened the ATM and vault containing the cash, Saint-Louis, dressed in dark clothing and wearing a mask and gloves to conceal his identity, approached from a hole in the parking lot perimeter fence. Saint-Louis confronted the ATM technician with a firearm, forcing him to his knees to wait out the robbery, while Saint-Louis moved the cash from the vault cassettes into a backpack. In total, Saint-Louis stole approximately $135,530 from the ATM.
As part of the FBI’s investigation into the bank robberies, Saint-Louis was surveilled by deputies from Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. On November 4, 2021, deputies observed Saint-Louis traveling to various bank locations in Seminole County. Deputies eventually stopped Saint-Louis, and during that traffic stop, they observed that Saint-Louis had a firearm inside his car with black tape covering its serial numbers, as well as several pieces of paper listing bank branch locations in Jacksonville. The listed bank branches were annotated with whether the ATM at each location was manufactured by Saint-Louis’s former employer or by another company, along with other notes.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tallahassee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel S. Lyons and Chauncey A. Bratt.
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.
Marion County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Joseph Raymond Morin (51, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Morin faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between May 3 and June 26, 2024, Morin communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The child, however, was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent. Morin engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover agent. Ultimately, Morin was arrested when he traveled to a pre-determined meeting location in Marion County to meet with the fictious minor to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Finds Miami Man Guilty of Producing and Attempting to Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material Using Hidden CamerasRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Gray Edward Rivera (46, Miami) guilty of two counts of production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material and one count of attempted production of child sexual abuse material. For each count, Rivera faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison. Rivera has been detained since his arrest on February 8, 2024. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 6, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Rivera gifted three items containing hidden cameras to a child—a Bluetooth speaker, calendar/clock, and a USB charging tower—and set them up in the child’s bedroom. In addition, a hidden camera smoke detector was discovered in the living room area. The hidden cameras were later discovered by the child’s mother, and she contacted the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Rivera was out of country at the time.
The CCSO partnered with Homeland Security Investigations and obtained Rivera’s cellphones when he re-entered the United States. A review of Rivera’s cellphones resulted in the discovery of 14 files containing child sexual abuse material of the child, as well as phone activity related to the use of the app for controlling the hidden cameras.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
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 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.
Convicted Jacksonville Sex Offender Indicted for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced that Alexander James Koby (39, Jacksonville) has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Jacksonville for knowingly receiving child sexual abuse material over the internet. If convicted, Koby faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison, and a potential lifetime term of supervised release.
Koby is a convicted child sex offender, having been convicted of a federal charge of knowingly possessing child sexual abuse material in 2014. Koby will make his initial appearance court in this case on September 10, 2024, before United States Magistrate Judge Samuel J. Horovitz at the United States Courthouse in Jacksonville.
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. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Divisio’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.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Cape Coral Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Diop McKenzie (30, Cape Coral) to 45 months in federal prison for bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. As part of his sentence, the court ordered McKenzie to pay restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $117,832, the proceeds of the bank and wire fraud. McKenzie pled guilty on June 11, 2024.
According to court documents, in May 2020, McKenzie submitted a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application to a financial institution that is federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). McKenzie fraudulently applied for the PPP loan through the SBA in the amount of $20,832 using the name of another individual, and McKenzie falsely represented that he had a business located in Cape Coral, Florida. McKenzie fraudulently represented in his application that the proceeds of the PPP loan would be used for payroll costs and for rent for the business. McKenzie’s false and fraudulent representations caused the financial institution to approve and fund the PPP loan for his business, but the investigation revealed that the loan proceeds were not used for business related purposes. Instead, McKenzie used the PPP funds for unauthorized purposes and for his own personal benefit.
In July 2020, McKenzie submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application to the SBA for a $97,000 loan using the name of another individual and using the other person’s social security number. Further, McKenzie falsely represented the revenue for his purported business and falsely represented the cost of goods sold for the twelve months prior to the date of the disaster.
McKenzie used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person. He used another individual’s name, social security number, and date of birth in a fraudulent loan application that was submitted to the SBA. The investigation revealed that the individual had not applied for the EIDL loan fraudulently obtained in his name, nor had the individual received any funds from the loan.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP.
The EIDL program was designed to provide economic relied to small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds could be used for payroll expenses, sick leave, production costs, and business obligations, such as debts, rents, and mortgage payments. If an applicant also obtained a loan under the PPP, the EIDL funds could not be used for the same purpose as the PPP funds.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the Cape Coral Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Richard W. Mills (50, Brevard County) to 10 years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervision for possession of images depicting the sexual abuse of children. The court also ordered Mills to forfeit a computer and hard drive which were used in furtherance of the commission of the offense. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Mills to pay restitution in the amount of $12,000. Mills entered a guilty plea on April 16, 2024.
According to court documents, Mills was convicted in U.S. District Court (Orlando) on November 20, 2014, for possession of child pornography and sentenced to 6 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Mills completed his term of incarceration on November 13, 2019, and his federal supervised release began the same date.
As a result of a citizen complaint, on November 2, 2023, officers from U.S. Probation made an unannounced visit to Mills’ place of employment for inspection of his mobile device to ensure compliance with the special condition of his supervised release, specifically, that he shall not possess or use a computer with access to online service at any location without approval from the probation officer. The investigation led the probation officers to perform a home inspection, where they discovered that Mills had a smart phone and computer. Upon executing a federal search warrant, the laptop’s hard drive was found to contain approximately 330 tagged thumbnail images and one video that clearly depicted the sexual abuse of infants and young children.
Additionally, Mills was sentenced to six months in federal prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. This sentence is to be served consecutive to the 10 years imposed in this criminal case.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
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.
Russian and Kazakhstani Men Indicted for Running Dark Web Criminal Marketplaces, Forums, and TrainingsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alex Khodyrev (35, Kazakhstan) and Pavel Kublitskii (37, Russia) with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Khodyrev and Kublitskii that the United States intends to forfeit Khodyrev’s 2023 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG sport utility vehicle and Kublitskii’s 2020 Cadillac CT5 Sport sedan, both of which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses.
According to the indictment, between 2014 and 2024, Khodyrev and Kublitskii served as two of the main administrators of wwh-club.ws (WWH Club) and several sister websites, all of which were dark web marketplaces, forums, and training centers that existed solely to facilitate crime. WWH Club and sister site members used the marketplaces to buy and sell stolen personal identifying information (PII), credit card and bank account information, and computer passwords, among other sensitive information. On the forums of WWH Club and its sister sites, users discussed best practices for committing frauds, launching cyberattacks, and evading law enforcement, among other topics. WWH Club also offered online courses that taught aspiring and active cyber criminals how to commit frauds. As of 2023, WWH Club had approximately 353,000 users worldwide. Khodyrev, Kublitskii, and other co-conspirator site administrators profited through membership fees, tuition fees, and advertising revenue.
Prior to being arrested and indicted, Khodyrev, a Russian citizen, and Kublitskii, a citizen of Kazakhstan, had been living in Miami for the past two years, while secretly continuing to administer WWH Club and its sister dark web marketplaces, forums, and schools.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.
Winter Haven Man Indicted for Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Raysheio Black (24, Winter Haven) with Hobbs Act robbery, use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense. If convicted on all counts, Black faces a minimum mandatory sentence of seven years in federal prison—which must be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
According to court documents, on February 19, 2024, three individuals entered a convenience in Plant City with dark-colored face coverings, gloves, masks, and armed with semi-automatic pistols. They demanded money from the clerk and removed cash from the register. A review of store surveillance video captured the suspects’ arrival and departure in a black SUV.
Agents noticed several similarities between the convenience store robbery and another robbery that had occurred days earlier at a pizza delivery location in Lakeland. On February 22, 2024, after identifying Black, officers with the Lakeland Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a black SUV in Lakeland and ultimately arrested Raysheio Black.
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 Lakeland Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tampa Man Indicted for Distribution of Cocaine, Possessing AK-47 Pistol, Silencer, Cocaine, and Machinegun SwitchRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Joshua Black (38, Tampa) with several counts of distribution of cocaine, possession of firearms after having been convicted of a felony offense, and possession of an unregistered silencer and machinegun switch. If convicted of all counts, Black faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment and criminal complaint, between February and March 2024, Black distributed cocaine from a residence in Tampa. On April 10, 2024, law enforcement officers with the Tampa Police Department executed a search warrant at the residence. In Black’s bedroom, law enforcement found a 9 mm “Freedom Ordinance” pistol, a “Zastava Arms” AK-47 pistol, a ballistic vest, a silencer, a machinegun switch which had the ability to convert firearms into machineguns, and various items indicative of drug trafficking, including glass bowls and plates containing crack cocaine, individually wrapped marijuana bags, crack cocaine, two digital scales, and $30,000 in cash hidden inside a hollowed out book.
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 investigation was led by the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being 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.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Involving Stolen MailRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jonathan Benavide Hidalgo (27, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, eight counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit theft of mail, and one count of theft of mail. Hidalgo faces up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and up to 5 years’ imprisonment for theft of mail and conspiracy to commit theft of mail. In addition, he faces payment of restitution to the victims he and his co-defendant, Frank Anthony Acanda (27, Jacksonville), defrauded. Acanda entered a guilty plea on June 12, 2024. His sentencing hearing is set for September 30, 2024.
According to court documents, Hidalgo, Acanda, and others drove around areas of Fleming Island, Jacksonville, and St. Augustine and stole large volumes of mail from residential and business mailboxes over a period of several months. After opening the mail and stealing checks and money orders, Hidalgo, Acanda, and others acting on their behalf, deposited the items into bank accounts controlled by them. They then used ATMs to immediately withdraw cash. In some instances, Hidalgo and Acanda altered the stolen checks by increasing the amount to maximize the amount of money they could withdraw from ATMs.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Jacksonville Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.
Four Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Eber Alexander Lopez (49, Tampa), Eduardo Ponce Tondee (44, Tampa), Jaime Ayala Rivera (41, Tampa), and John Hernandez Martin (44, Tampa) with conspiracy and distribution of more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. If convicted on all counts, each faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the indictment, between December 2023 and August 2024, Alexander Lopez, Ponce Tondee, Ayala Rivera, and Hernandez Martin were part of a conspiracy that used the U.S. mail to ship kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the Middle District of Florida for distribution. In total, FBI agents seized more than 8 kilograms of cocaine that were destined for the Tampa Bay area, and approximately $87,000 in drug proceeds.
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, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Fort Myers Woman Indicted for Defrauding Department of Veterans Affairs of More Than $300,000Read the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Laurie Ann Roszelle (65, Fort Myers) with one count of wire fraud. If convicted, Roszelle faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Roszelle that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $338,364.66, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, for nearly 19 years after her mother’s death in 2005, Roszelle schemed to wrongfully receive United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits intended for her mother. To effectuate the scheme, Roszelle falsified her mother’s signature in responding to VA correspondence and represented, in telephone and in-person interviews with the VA, that her mother was still alive years after her mother’s death.
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 Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Ex-Convict Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Hundreds of Kilograms of Cocaine Across the Mexican Border for Distribution in Central FloridaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jose Ramirez (39, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. Ramirez faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, after being released from prison for drug trafficking, Ramirez became part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that imported cocaine from Mexico through the Texas border. The cocaine was transported to Manatee County for distribution via hidden compartments inside passenger vehicles. Between 2021 and 2023, Ramirez received at least 20 kilograms of cocaine per month, which he later distributed. Members of this conspiracy transported the drug proceeds back to Texas on commercial flights, hiding the cash inside carry-on luggage. They then smuggled it back across the Mexican border.
During the course of this investigation, DEA agents seized large amounts of drug proceeds from the DTO, including nearly $300,000 from a co-conspirator outside of a bank in Bradenton. They also seized approximately $500,000 from a tractor trailer in Gulfport, Mississippi.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with substantial assistance provided by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Tampa Police Department, and the Gulfport Police Department (Mississippi). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Threatening to Kill A Member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Lying in an Attempt to Purchase A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Michael Guy Dambrosia (61, Ocala) to 33 months in federal prison for interstate transmission of a threat to injure and making a false statement in connection with the attempted purchase of a firearm. Dambrosia entered a guilty plea on February 29, 2024.
According to court documents, on January 30, 2023, Dambrosia made a call to the Washington D.C. office of a United States Congresswoman and left an obscenity-laden, threatening voicemail stating that he would kill her.
On August 30, 2021, Dambrosia attempted to purchase a firearm from a local federally licensed firearms dealer. In completing the necessary paperwork to purchase the firearm, Dambrosia indicated that he was not a convicted felon even though he knew this to be false.
This case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police – Threat Assessment Section and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joe Wheeler III and Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie Boyer.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dainton Drummond (62, Orlando) to 15 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, which is to run consecutively with a prison sentence already imposed in the Superior Court of Arizona. The court also ordered Drummond to forfeit the firearm that was seized from him on the date of the arrest. Drummond entered a guilty plea on April 30, 2024.
According to court documents, on September 17, 2023, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) responded to South Hiawassee Road and Hunterdon Drive in Orlando in reference to Drummond (presenting himself under the fraudulent alias of “Anselmo Lionel Jackson”) driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated (DUI). After Drummond was arrested for DUI and requested that his vehicle to be towed, OCSO located and recovered a loaded Hi-Point 9mm River Pistol from within the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that Drummond, a multi-convicted felon and Jamaican citizen, illegally re-entered the United States and was living in Orlando under the alias of “Anselmo Lionel Jackson.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. 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.
Orlando Man Indicted for Enticing A Minor, Producing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Kevin Michael Lukens (38, Orlando) with one count of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, one count of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of receipt of CSAM, and one count of possession of CSAM. If convicted, Lukens faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the enticement offense; a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the production offense; a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for the receipt offense; and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the possession offense.
According to the indictment, the conduct underlying the enticement, production, and receipt offenses took place between July 2020, and September 2021. Lukens was then found in possession of CSAM on January 29, 2024.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
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.
Lee County Felon Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Possessing A Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Caleb Frank Hamm (21, Lee County) to 30 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm. Hamm entered a guilty plea on May 24, 2024.
According to court documents, on September 15, 2023, a deputy from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Hamm was driving and observed indicators of alcohol impairment. Hamm, a convicted felon and state probationer, was subsequently arrested for DUI and his vehicle was searched before it was towed from the scene. Inside the center console of the vehicle deputies located Hamm’s loaded, unserialized, Glock-style 9mm handgun equipped with a high-capacity magazine and a machinegun conversion device. As a previously convicted felon, Hamm is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Lake County Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida– United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced William Scott Fogg (37, Altoona) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Fogg entered a guilty plea on May 21, 2024.
According to court records, Fogg has been convicted of eight state felonies since 2008, including burglary, grand theft, and illegal drug possession. As a convicted felon, Fogg is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. On August 28, 2023, Fogg approached his girlfriend, who was seated in a truck with her minor children. Fogg entered the truck and removed his girlfriend’s loaded handgun from the center console. He then chambered a round of ammunition and told his girlfriend that he was going to shoot her, her children, and himself. Responding deputies took Fogg into custody and recovered the loaded firearm.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Former International Cyclist Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for International Gun SmugglingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza today sentenced Varun Maharajh (32, Trinidad and Tobago) to seven years in federal prison for smuggling firearms overseas and possessing firearms as an unlawful alien. The court also ordered Maharajh to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized in the case. Maharajh entered a guilty plea on March 21, 2024.
According to court documents, on June 28, 2022, Maharajh shipped a parcel to London containing a microwave with five concealed pistols inside. The package contained a Taurus G2C pistol, a Glock 17 Gen 5 pistol, two Glock 19 Gen 5 pistols, and 59 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. The serial numbers were obliterated on the firearms and Maharajh used a fake name, “Kelvin Singh,” to ship the package.
On July 18, 2022, Maharajh dropped off a package at a freight forwarding company in Miami. The package was addressed to Trinidad and Tobago and Maharajh worked with an intermediary who filled out the paperwork. The package contained a tent with two AK-47 style firearms concealed within its folds along with a microwave containing pistols. All of the serial numbers on the firearms were obliterated. While Maharajh worked with another individual, he did show a fake ID with the name “Kelvin Singh” to the freight forwarding company when he dropped off the package.
Maharajh was arrested in Indian River County on November 19, 2023, and engaged in a high-speed chase on I-95 before totaling his vehicle and attempting to flee on foot.
Maharjh had entered the United States in 2020 and stayed without legal status after he was scheduled to depart. Maharajh was previously a World Cup cyclist for Trinidad and Tobago and qualified for the Olympics in 2016.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Industry and Security at the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
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.
Federal Jury Finds Manatee County Man Guilty of Using A Hidden Camera to Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Joshua Scott Landers (48, Bradenton) guilty of three counts of producing child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Landers faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years in federal prison for each production offense and a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment for the possession offense. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Landers installed a video camera inside a smoke detector on the ceiling of the teenage victim’s bedroom. Landers used the footage he captured of the victim to save videos specifically of her engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He then saved that footage on multiple devices and maintained those videos and screenshots for multiple years.
This case was investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Courtney Derry.
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.
Marion County Woman Sentenced to Prison for $600,000 Payroll Theft from Alternative SchoolRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Danielle Jane Liles (41, Summerfield) to one year and one day in federal prison for wire fraud. Liles was also ordered to pay $766,553.54 in restitution to the victim alternative school and forfeit $616,793.43, which represents the proceeds of her crimes. Liles entered a guilty plea on December 12, 2023.
According to court records, between January 11, 2016, and April 10, 2023, Liles devised a scheme to defraud Silver River Mentoring and Instruction (SRMI), an alternative school for middle and high school students. During this time, Liles handled the school’s payroll and had 137 unauthorized paychecks issued in her name by logging false information into SRMI’s accounting software. Liles then received the fraudulent paychecks through wire transfers directly into her bank account. During a financial review with the school’s executive staff in April 2023, Liles admitted that she had been “paying [herself] extra money" and had become addicted to stealing the payroll funds. In total, Liles’s actions cost the school $766,553.54—a figure representing the fraudulent pay she received ($616,793.43) plus the associated benefits and taxes.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Education - Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Kissimmee Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Giovanny Rivera-Sanchez (38, Kissimmee) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Rivera-Sanchez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 17, 2024.
According to court records, Rivera-Sanchez was convicted of felony offenses in 2004 and 2008. He began serving a term of federal supervised release on September 16, 2021, after being released from prison. On March 25, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rivera-Sanchez’s residence and located a Glock pistol and ammunition in the closet of the master bedroom. Near the firearm was paperwork related to Rivera-Sanchez’s federal supervision and a copy of his judgement and sentence for a prior conviction for drug trafficking. As a previously convicted felon, Rivera-Sanchez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Officers interviewed Rivera-Sanchez, who stated he knew the firearm was inside his residence.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.
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.
Kissimmee Woman Indicted for Distributing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jessica Corin Mangano (34, St. Cloud) with two counts of distributing, two counts of receiving, and one count of possessing child sexual assault material (CSAM). If convicted, Mangano faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years up, to 20 years, in federal prison for each distribution and receipt offense and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession offense.
According to the indictment, on July 2, 2024, Mangano distributed multiple videos that contained CSAM. On July 14 and August 2, 2024, Mangano received videos that contained CSAM. Finally, on August 15, 2024, Mangano possessed CSAM material that involved a young child and a child who had not attained 12 years of age.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
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.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearms on Two OccasionsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Loveking Kitching (22, Deland) has pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Kitching faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is set for December 11, 2024.
According to court records, on May 13, 2023, Kitching was involved in a shooting while riding as a passenger in car near a gas station in Deland. Within minutes of the shooting, gas station security camera footage captured Kitching exiting the car and walking into the gas station’s convenience store while holding a loaded 9mm pistol. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and recovered the pistol and other evidence, which indicated that Kitching had exchanged gunfire with someone outside the car. During the shooting, Kitching was shot in the mouth and hand. Shell casings found inside the vehicle where Kitching had been seated indicated that he had also fired the 9mm pistol from inside vehicle.
On December 12, 2023, law enforcement officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle Kitching was driving. Kitching failed to stop and instead led police on a car chase into an industrial park that ended when Kitching reached a dead end. On the ground along the path of the chase, officers located Kitching’s cellphone and a loaded .40 caliber pistol. Kitching’s DNA and fingerprints were found on the pistol.
Kitching had previously been convicted in 2022 of multiple felonies and therefore 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, the Deland Police Department, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
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 Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Cocaine and Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Lennard Rashard Monroe (32, Tampa) to 20 years in federal prison for possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Monroe’s co-conspirator, Justin Latrun Farrior, was previously sentenced to 4 years and two months in federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration used a confidential source to purchase cocaine from Monroe and Farrior at a “trap house” (a residence used primarily to distribute drugs from) in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa. When executing a search warrant at the trap house, agents found Monroe asleep in a bedroom with his two-year-old son. During a search of that bedroom, agents located a kilogram brick of cocaine, three firearms, and more than $18,000 in cash.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David P. Sullivan and Suzanne C. Nebesky.
Port Charlotte Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud Related to NASA’s Space Launch SystemRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Steven Lukens (54, Port Charlotte) to 21 months in federal prison for wire fraud. The court also ordered Lukens to forfeit $271,024.35, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. Lukens was also ordered to pay $689,280.03 in restitution. Lukens entered a guilty plea on February 20, 2024.
According to court documents, Lukens was the Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Atlantic International Supply, LLC (Gulf Atlantic). Gulf Atlantic entered into a sub-contract with Company-1 to procure materials needed for NASA’s space launch system at the Kennedy Space Center. The products provided were intended for use on supporting platforms for the Artemis mission and Orion, the spacecraft designed to return humans to the moon and eventually Mars. Some of the parts Lukens provided were intended to be utilized in hypergolic systems. Hypergolic fluids are toxic liquids that react violently and spontaneously when they come into contact with each other and are frequently used by NASA for propulsion and hydraulic power systems. The general hazards associated with hypergolic fluids, which are extremely reactive and poisonous fluids, are fire, explosion, and toxic human exposure. NASA has implemented rigorous quality assurance standards to avoid such hazards. However, Lukens submitted products that did not meet the quality standards and specifications required under the contract. Lukens then fraudulently led Company-1 to believe that the products met the required standards by submitting forged quality control documentation.
In total, Lukens submitted at least 190 fraudulent quality control documents to Company-1. These included fraudulent Certificates of Compliance, fraudulent Pressure Testing Certificates, and fraudulent test reports. Lukens’s materially false, fraudulent, and misleading representations caused Company-1 to pay Gulf Atlantic at least $271,024. for the parts it submitted.
“Ensuring the integrity of NASA's component procurements and quality control is a top priority for the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG),” stated Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Robert Steinau of NASA-OIG.
“This case highlights the OIG’s dedication to collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute companies that defraud NASA.”
This case was investigated by the NASA Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.
Pasco County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that James Vega, Jr. (28, Zephyrhills) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Vega faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court records, in 2016, Vega was convicted of the felony offense of aggravated battery with great bodily harm. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
On July 29, 2023, Vega was stopped for a traffic violation in Lake County. Vega told the officer that he had a firearm in his pocket. The officer took the firearm, which was loaded. The officer later discovered another loaded firearm in a bag on the passenger seat of the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Groveland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Three Men Indicted in Marion County for Attempted Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of three indictments separately charging Devin Joseph Rivera (24, Ocala), Rickey Lee Miller, Jr. (45, Ocala), and Obdy Mencia Guerrero (40, Honduras) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Mencia Guerrero has been charged with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. If convicted of the enticement offense, Rivera, Miller, and Mencia Guerrero each face a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Mencia Guerrero also faces up to an additional 2 years’ imprisonment for the illegal re-entry offense. All three individuals are currently detained pending the resolution of their criminal cases.
Devin Joseph Rivera
According to court records, on July 26, 2024, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations posed undercover (UC) as a 13-year-old girl on an online social media platform. Rivera contacted the undercover agent’s account. The conversation between Rivera and the UC spanned three different online messaging platforms. Rivera engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the UC, whom Rivera believed was a 13-year-old girl. Rivera and the UC agreed to meet at a predetermined location in Marion County to have sex. When Rivera arrived at that location, he was arrested by law enforcement. A search of Rivera’s person revealed an opened condom and a cellphone. The cellphone was confirmed to be the same one used to communicate with the undercover detective.
Rickey Lee Miller, Jr.
According to court records, on July 27, 2024, a detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) posed as a 15-year-old girl on an online messaging platform. Miller contacted the undercover detective’s account and asked if she wanted to “hang out.” Miller then engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the detective. During the conversation, Miller asked the detective if she would be interested in having “some fun” with himself and a friend. Miller asked the detective to lie to his friend, stating, “and one more thing will you tell my friend your 18 I really don’t want her to know your real age.” Ultimately, Miller and his friend arrived at a predetermined location to meet with the minor. Miller was arrested by law enforcement. The cellphone in Miller’s vehicle was confirmed to be the same one used to communicate with the undercover detective.
Obdy Mencia Guerrero
According to court documents, on July 27, 2024, Mencia Guerrero contacted an undercover MCSO deputy who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. After acknowledging the undercover deputy’s age, Mencia Guerrero told her they could have sex. Mencia Guerrero and the deputy arranged to meet at a location in Marion County. Upon his arrival at the location, Mencia Guerrero was arrested. Mencia Guerrero is a citizen of Honduras. He was previously deported from the United States on four occasions—January 16, 2003, April 11, 2011, August 8, 2011, and June 2, 2014. He never had obtained permission to lawfully re-enter the United States.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
These cases were investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Chiefland Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
Three Individuals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine Through the Orlando AirportRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced three individuals for their roles in a multi-kilogram methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Each of the individuals charged in the case previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. They were sentenced as follows:
Name
Sentencing Date
Sentence Imposed
Jevonn Clayton (48)
8/28/24
13 years, 2 months
Richardson Sid (41)
7/16/24
6 years, 6 months
Venus Lott (46)
7/22/24
5 years
According to court documents, on August 11, 2022, Clayton agreed to transport suitcases containing methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Orlando on behalf of a drug trafficker. Shortly thereafter, Clayton and the drug trafficker recruited Lott and Sid to travel to California to assist in transporting the suitcases.
On August 16, 2022, Clayton, Lott, and Sid departed Los Angeles for Orlando, with five suitcases packed with large amounts of methamphetamine. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation were investigating inbound flights at the Orlando airport. The agents located and searched the suitcases belonging to Clayton, Lott, and Sid and recovered several vacuum-sealed bags that contained more than 35 kilograms of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
Seven-Time Convicted Felon Found Guilty Following Federal Jury TrialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Anthony Tyrone Mackey (41, Jacksonville) guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Mackey faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the indictment and evidence presented at trial, on March 29, 2023, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office stopped Mackey for a traffic infraction near the 5800 block of University Boulevard in Jacksonville. At the time, Mackey was the sole occupant of the vehicle. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located a 12-gauge shotgun on the back passenger-side floorboard and a .25 caliber pistol in a backpack on the back passenger seat. DNA analysis later showed that Mackey’s DNA was found on the shotgun and the shotgun’s magazine. Mackey was barred from possessing firearms because he had been previously convicted of seven felonies, including possession of a short-barreled shotgun, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated assault, and aggravated fleeing or attempted to elude a law enforcement officer.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Cannizzaro and Brenna Falzetta.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods 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.
Pensacola Man Sentenced to Prison for Threatening A Federal Judge and Family MembersRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Stephen Jay Thorn (66, Pensacola) to five years in federal prison for transmitting a threat to harm a federal judge and members of the judge’s immediate family. Thorn entered a guilty plea on May 16, 2024.
According to court documents, on October 24, 2022, Thorn, unhappy with a judicial opinion that he had read about online, made five interstate telephone calls to the judge’s chambers and left vulgar, obscenity-laden voicemail messages threatening to harm the judge as well as members of the judge’s immediate family.
“Threatening harm against public officials, or their families, is an intolerable offense,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “My office takes such threats seriously and is committed to investigating and federally prosecuting anyone who threatens this sort of violence.”
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joe Wheeler III.
Uzbek National Sentenced for Role in Long-Running Immigration and Passport Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Dilrabo Obidova (36, Uzbekistan) for her role in a long-running immigration and passport fraud conspiracy. The Court sentenced Obidova to a time-served sentence reflecting the time Obidova was detained pending trial. The Court has also entered an order immediately deporting Obidova to Uzbekistan with no option to apply for asylum or any other immigration relief. Obidova entered a guilty plea in May 2024. Obidova’s husband, Abduvosit Razikov, was charged in the same indictment. He remains at-large.
According to court documents, Razikov and Obidova conspired since at least 2007 to bring Obidova to the United States from Uzbekistan and fraudulently obtain immigration benefits for her. To this end, Obidova entered into a sham marriage with a U.S. citizen, even though she was already married to Razikov. To perpetuate the myth that she was legitimately married to a U.S. citizen, Obidova moved in with her sham husband, filed joint tax returns with him, staged photos, and even listed her sham husband on her and Razikov’s children’s birth certificates. Obidova, with Razikov’s assistance, also filed several immigration and passport applications, each time making false statements or concealing information about her sham marriage and her marriage to Razikov.
After obtaining lawful permanent resident status, Obidova attempted to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. In her application for naturalization, Obidova made numerous false statements, under penalty of perjury, relating to her background, marriages, and past attempts to illegally obtain immigration benefits and status. Law enforcement officers took Obidova into custody when she traveled to Orlando for her final naturalization interview.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kara M. Wick and Richard Varadan.
Ocala Woman Arrested for COVID FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Lisa Yvette Starkes (52, Ocala) on an indictment charging her with two counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Starkes faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and a forfeiture order for $41,452—an amount representing the unlawful proceeds of the offense. The indictment was returned on August 6, 2024.
According to court documents, between August 4, 2020, and April 12, 2021, Starkes devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. PPP loans were one of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Starkes, however, provided false representations in her PPP applications to secure the loans. The loan proceeds—$41,452—were later electronically transferred into her bank account.
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 the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
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.
Multi-Convicted Felon Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jerome Junior Swopshire (40, Silver Springs) to eight years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Swopshire to forfeit the firearm involved in the offense. Swopshire entered a guilty plea on July 29, 2024.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2023, the United States Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force received information that Swopshire, a wanted fugitive, was in Ocala, Florida. A USMS Task Force Officer conducted surveillance and observed Swopshire leaving a residence in Ocala. Swopshire was detained as he was getting into the driver’s seat of a rented vehicle. A search of a backpack Swopshire was wearing revealed a loaded Taurus pistol with an extended ammunition magazine. Swopshire’s backpack also contained a digital scale (coated in a powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine), a jar of marijuana, and small plastic baggies. In the center console of Swopshire’s vehicle was a hard white substance which tested positive for fentanyl and more plastic baggies. Under the driver’s seat, officers located a spent 9mm shell casing—the same caliber as the ammunition in Swopshire’s firearm. At the time, Swopshire had previous state felony convictions for robbery, child abuse, resisting an officer with violence, felony domestic battery, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
Swopshire’s firearm with extended magazine.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Ocala Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Marion County Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Marcus Cleaver Morgan, Jr. (24, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Morgan faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on January 14, 2023, officers from the Ocala Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Morgan. Morgan failed to stop, and a high-speed pursuit took place. The pursuit ended when the vehicle Morgan was driving crashed into an embankment. Officers located a backpack near the open driver’s side door where Morgan had been seated. The backpack contained two Glock pistols, approximately 239 grams of marijuana, 33.5 grams of MDPV, and a scale. Testing by the FBI DNA Casework Unit confirmed Morgan’s DNA on the trigger, grip, and slide of one of firearms. At that time, Morgan had a previous state felony conviction for carrying a concealed firearm, therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Del Rio Armed Career Criminal Sentenced 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Kenneth Lorenzo Jackson (49, Del Rio) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jackson entered a guilty plea on October 18, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, Jackson was indicted on September 7, 2022, in a separate federal case charging him with possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. As a result of that indictment, Jackson was the subject of a federal arrest warrant. On October 18, 2022, officers from the Tampa Police Department were patrolling the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa when they encountered Jackson walking down the street. The officers were familiar with Jackson and were aware of his outstanding arrest warrant. The officers recovered a loaded firearm (Phoenix Arms HP22A .22 caliber pistol) from the front waistband of Jackson’s pants, along with a crack cocaine rock in his pocket and a small quantity of MDMA. Jackson later admitted to possessing the firearm for protection.
Jackson has multiple prior felony convictions for drug offenses and, therefore, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Shauna 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.
Plant City Man Indicted for Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Janye B. Evans (18, Plant City) with interstate transmission of a threat to injure. If convicted, Evans faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to court records, on July 24, 2024, law enforcement learned that Evans had posted a photograph of himself on social media. The photograph depicted Evans in front of a Hillsborough County high school and contained a caption threatening to injure others. Law enforcement obtained additional photographs from Evans’s account on the social media platform, several of which depicted Evans in possession of what appeared to be firearms.
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 Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Twelve Individuals in Central Florida, Puerto Rico, and South Carolina Charged with Murder, Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, Firearms Offenses, and FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of four indictments charging a total of 12 individuals with murder in furtherance of drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, illegal possession of firearms, and bank fraud. The indictments also seek the forfeiture of more than $6.5 million identified as the amount involved in the offenses and proceeds of the offenses, two properties, and firearms.
INDICTMENT ONE
Carlos Limery Dones Drug Trafficking Organization Indictment
Name
(Age, Residence)
Charges
Max Penalty
Carlos Limery Dones, a/k/a “Siervo,” “Chino”
(46, Puerto Rico)
Drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering, and bank fraud
Life in federal prison.
Santos Cruz Rivera
(44, Kissimmee)
Drug trafficking conspiracy, distribution of controlled substances, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, maintaining a drug premises, possessing a firearm while a convicted felon, and money laundering conspiracy
Life in federal prison.
Nelson Franco, a/k/a “Voltio”
(48, South Carolina)
Drug trafficking conspiracy, distribution of controlled substances, and money laundering conspiracy
Life in federal prison.
Rebel Rivera Carbonell
(46, Dundee)
Drug trafficking conspiracy, maintaining a drug premises, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute
Life in federal prison.
Madelyn Sanchez, a/k/a “La Negra”
(50, Kissimmee)
Drug trafficking conspiracy and maintaining a drug premises
Life in federal prison.
Roberto Rodriguez Almodovar
(59, Kissimmee)
Drug trafficking conspiracy and committing murder in furtherance of drug trafficking
Faces a maximum sentence of death.
Luis Torres Sanchez, a/k/a “Gordo”
(39, Puerto Rico)
Drug trafficking conspiracy, distribution of controlled substances, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking
Life in federal prison.
Johnson Rivera Martinez
(40, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy and distribution of controlled substances
Life in federal prison.
Yesenia Laracuente
(35, Kissimmee)
Money laundering conspiracy
20 years in federal prison.
Nancy Contreras, a/k/a “La Doña”
(46, Dundee)
Money laundering conspiracy
20 years in federal prison.
Carol Flores Morales
(48, South Carolina)
Money laundering conspiracy and money laundering
20 years in federal prison.
INDICTMENT TWO
Wire Fraud Conspiracy in Purchase of a Home
Yesenia Laracuente
(35, Kissimmee)
Wire fraud conspiracy
20 years in federal prison.
Wilmary Sepulveda
(36, Kissimmee)
Wire fraud conspiracy
20 years in federal prison.
INDICTMENT THREE
COVID-Related Fraud
Carlos Limery Dones
46, Puerto Rico
Wire fraud
20 years in federal prison.
INDICTMENT FOUR
COVID-Related Fraud
Santos Cruz Rivera
(44, Kissimmee)
Wire fraud
20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictments, there was a multi-year conspiracy to traffic cocaine and fentanyl within the Middle District of Florida, resulting in several seizures of both substances. Eight of the charged individuals are alleged to be involved in the trafficking of controlled substances. On August 3, 2021, in retaliation for the killing of a lookout at a stash house the organization used, Almodovar murdered one of the individuals present at the homicide with a single gunshot to the back of the head.
The individuals charged across the four indictments also engaged in schemes to acquire various homes and other properties by various means. As charged in one indictment, Limery Dones defrauded a bank by transmitting $110,000 to buy a house in the name of a third-party when, in reality, he was the actual purchaser of the home. Franco, Flores Morales, and Contreras allegedly conspired to put a home in Flores Morales’s name when the money came from Franco’s sale of controlled substances. In another scheme charged across two of the indictments, Laracuente and Sepulveda conspired to falsely report Laracuente’s employment and income to secure a mortgage that Cruz Rivera then made payments on in Laracuente’s name with drug proceeds. The third and fourth indictments charge Limery Dones and Cruz Rivera with fraud in obtaining Paycheck Protection Program loans by filing claims for companies that did not exist.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Osceola County Sheriff’s Office; and Kissimmee Police Department, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Central Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Michael Buchanan.
Port Richey Brothers Plead Guilty to Trafficking 100 Kilograms of FentanylRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Marcus Fowler (33) and Pierre Fowler (35), both of Port Richey, have pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, over 500 grams of methamphetamine, and cocaine. Marcus Fowler also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2006, Marcus and Pierre Fowler conspired with others to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine in the Middle District of Florida. Co-conspirators reported receiving over 100 kilograms of fentanyl and 500 pounds of methamphetamine from the brothers between 2020 and 2022. In January 2023, agents seized more than 13 pounds of methamphetamine and 3 kilograms of fentanyl through postal intercepts that were bound for members of the conspiracy. On February 8, 2023, agents recovered more than a kilogram of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in addition to numerous firearms—including a machinegun—from the brothers’ stash house in Tarpon Springs.
Marcus and Pierre Fowler used drug proceeds to purchase several properties in Pasco and Pinellas Counties. As part of their plea agreement, they have agreed to forfeit the following properties which are traceable to the offenses:
1. 7715 Topay Lane, Port Richey, Florida 34668
2. 4152 Memphis Avenue, New Port Richey, Florida 34652
3. 5606 Sunshine Park Drive, New Port Richey, Florida 34652
4. 4330 Kibler Lane, Holiday, Florida 34691
5. 2141 Speck Drive, Holiday, Florida 34691
6. 4240 Oakfield Avenue, Holiday, Florida 34691
7. 710 North Avenue, Tarpon Springs, Florida 34689
8. 122 East Lime Street, Tarpon Springs, Florida 34689
9. 1522 Elite Court, Holiday, Florida 34691,
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Tarpon Springs Police Department, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman, and the asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.