Middle District of Florida

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Javier Joel Perez (46, Immokalee) to 8 years in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Perez to forfeit the firearm involved in the offense. Perez entered a guilty plea on February 21, 2024.

According to court documents, during the execution of a search warrant at Perez’s residence, deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office located marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine packaged for distribution in addition to a loaded firearm. Perez told deputies that the items located in his home belonged to him. Perez is a nine-time convicted felon and is therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

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

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Dariel Javier Quiles-Davila (25, Kissimmee) pursuant to a criminal complaint charging him with knowingly receiving child sex abuse material. If convicted, Quiles-Davila faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison.

According to court documents, Quiles-Davila was an officer with the Kissimmee Police Department in October 2023. At that time, Quiles-Davila met a child victim while on duty. After receiving the child victim’s contact information, Quiles-Davila began to communicate directly with the child victim, sent the child victim money, and solicited and received sexually explicit photographs and videos of the child-victim.

Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland stated, “Our Department is aware of the charges and arrest and we are cooperating fully with the Department of Justice.”

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal offense, 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 Adam J. Nate.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Stephen Godbolt (50, Cross City) has pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with the intent to distribute it. Godbolt faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 13, 2024.

According to court documents, on January 31, 2024, Godbolt sold three pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. After the transaction, Godbolt was stopped by law enforcement in Dixie County. A search of his vehicle revealed approximately nine additional pounds of methamphetamine, all of which was intended for distribution. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST), and the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of David Antonetti (28, Riverview) on an indictment charging him with two counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Antonetti faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.                                                                                                                                  

According to court records, between March 2021 and October 2021, Antonetti devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting two false and fraudulent 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. Antonetti made false representations in both of his PPP applications to secure the loans. The loan proceeds were later electronically transferred into his 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.                                                                                                       

In May 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.                      

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Evan Sims (41, Rhode Island) to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for false information and threats regarding an explosive on an airplane. Sims has been in custody since his arrest on December 6, 2023. The court also ordered Sims to pay $25,478 in restitution to Breeze Airways. Sims pled guilty on March 5, 2024.

According to court documents, Sims was traveling on a flight from Orlando, Florida to Providence, Rhode Island on December 5, 2023. While seated on the plane, prior to takeoff, Sims began arguing with his travel companion. Sims told his travel companion that he had never heard of the airline for the flight and that he hoped the airplane did not “go down.” Sims stated that they would be “gone with the wind.”

During boarding and the airline safety briefing, Sims made comments to his travel companion about needing to use the emergency doors and that the windows looked like they had not been used. Sims also told his travel companion that he hoped they did not have to use the windows. Further, Sims questioned the flight crew regarding the emergency life raft that was in the overhead storage compartment. Sims’s travel companion and the surrounding passengers were uncomfortable with Sims’s statements and Sims’s travel companion asked Sims to stop making his comments.

As the flight began the initial ascent into the air, Sims partially stood up in his seat and exclaimed that he wanted to get off the plane. While the flight was airborne, Sims stated approximately two times that his travel companion had a bomb on the plane. Thereafter, due to Sims’s repeated disturbances and escalating behavior, the flight was diverted to the Jacksonville International Airport. Bomb detection dogs were deployed and searched the plane but did not locate a bomb.  

This case was investigated by the Transportation Security Administration, Jacksonville Aviation Authority Airport Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Joseph Raymond Morin (51, Ocala) with attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Morin faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Morin was arrested on July 15, 2024. He is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case.

According to the indictment, between May 3, 2024, and June 26, 2024, Morin  knowingly attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity.

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

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

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

Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Kirtan Patel (24, India) with attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Patel faces a mandatory minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Patel was arrested on the indictment on July 18, 2024. He is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case.

According to the indictment, between May 22-24, 2024, Patel knowingly attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity.

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

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

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

Jacksonville, Florida –United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Edgar Diaz Aquino (20, Jacksonville) to 24 months in federal prison, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Aquino pleaded guilty to that offense on March 28, 2024. Following his prison sentence, Aquino will be deported from the United States.

According to the court documents, on November 16, 2023, Aquino was involved in an altercation with his girlfriend. During the altercation, Aquino retrieved a Glock pistol with an extended magazine and discharged it five feet away from his girlfriend’s feet. When he was arrested by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officers, he admitted to possessing the firearm. Aquino was illegally present in the United States and admitted that he was a Honduran national and crossed into the United States through Mexico on April 2, 2019. Illegal aliens are prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office.  The case 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.       

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Rosson Hamilton (40, Brandon) on an indictment charging him with two counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Hamilton faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.                                                                                                                                  

According to court records, between February 2021 and January 2022, Hamilton devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting a false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application. PPP loans were one of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Hamilton made false representations in his PPP application to secure the loan. The loan proceeds were later electronically transferred into his 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.

In May 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.               

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Brian Todd Walker (51, Bradenton) with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Walker faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. 

According to court documents, Walker contacted a 12-year-old female living in his community over the social media application, TikTok. Walker engaged in sexual conversations with who he believed to be the 12-year-old female and attempted to coerce and entice her to engage in sexual activity. Within the conversations, Walker shared his attraction to 12-year-old females and expressed his desire to meet in person. On June 24, 2024, Walker travelled to meet the minor in person at the community pool and was arrested at the scene. Law enforcement seized a cell phone from Walker and located images of minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

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 Courtney Derry.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Wendy Cudemo-Gamez (47, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Cudemo-Gamez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Cudemo-Gamez owned and managed a construction company which she registered with the State of Florida in May 2021. This company purported to supply construction services and labor to work for construction site contractors. In order to comply with Florida law, Cudemo-Gamez’s company was required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage.

Providers of worker’s compensation insurance based the premiums they charged and the amount of coverage they provided on the number of employees a company had and the total annual payroll of those employees. Cudemo-Gamez’s company had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be Cudemo-Gamez’s employees at construction sites, and these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors. Cudemo-Gamez or others would then regularly receive “payroll checks” from contractors that were cashed at various financial institutions to pay Cudemo-Gamez’s purported “employees” and other related expenses.

During the time period charged in the criminal information, Cudemo-Gamez falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that her company had a very limited payroll and a very limited number of employees who worked on construction jobsites. Cudemo-Gamez also falsely and fraudulently sent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that her company’s employees had full worker’s compensation coverage.

In reality, Cudemo-Gamez’s company received and cashed more than $7.8 million in checks from various construction contractors for these purported “employees.” These payroll figures far exceeded the very limited payroll figures that Cudemo-Gamez had reported to her worker’s compensation insurance company. As a result, these employees of Cudemo-Gamez’s company, in reality the employees of other entities, performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the insurers lost premiums they would have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover.

As a result of these misrepresentations, Cudemo-Gamez’s company also disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and that required state and federal payroll taxes were being paid for these workers. The contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were able to avoid responsibility for those duties as well.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

 

Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Ernesto Vazquez (23, Orlando) and Derick Yamir Perez Diaz (22, Orlando) with federal firearms trafficking related offenses, including conspiracy to traffic firearms, firearms trafficking, and dealing in firearms without a license. If convicted on all counts, Vazquez and Perez Diaz each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, Vazquez and Perez Diaz engineered a firearms-trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the distribution of over 100 firearms, including machineguns, into the Middle District of Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Vazquez and his co-conspirators acquired firearms (pictured below) from private sellers, federal firearms licensees (FFLs), and Chinese manufacturers:

 

The majority of the transactions occurred in public places. Perez Diaz carried trunks full of firearms to the meeting locations.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Vazquez’s residence. Inside they found multiple firearms, stockpiles of ammunition, and grenades:

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.

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

Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Jose G. Medina (48, Leesburg) on a criminal complaint charging him with one count of knowingly making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, and one count of causing a Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. If convicted, Medina faces a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment—10 years on the materially false statement offense and 5 years on the record-keeping offense.

According to the complaint, between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, Medina purchased multiple firearms in the Middle District of Florida for other individuals. Some of these firearms were intercepted by the United States Custom and Border Protection (CBP) as other individuals attempted to transport them across the United States’ border into Mexico. 

On May 27, 2023, an individual was encountered by CBP as he attempted to make entry into Mexico at the Eagle Pass (Texas) Port of Entry. He was attempting to bring 10 handguns, 9 rifles, 7 shotguns, 20 magazines, and large amounts of assorted ammunition into Mexico. The individual stated that he was traveling from Orlando, Florida, to San Diego de la Union, Guanajuato, Mexico—an area where Mexican cartels are fighting for control of the territory. Medina had purchased one of these recovered firearms only nine days prior.  

On November 17, 2023, CBP officers stopped another individual at the Eagle Pass (Texas) Port of Entry who also was attempting to bring five firearms to Mexico. Medina had purchased two of these firearms less than two weeks before their recovery by CBP.

A record check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, firearms, and Explosives (ATF) showed that between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, Medina had purchased 82 firearms for a total of $42,085.61—an amount that exceeded his reported annual income. The investigation also revealed that another firearm purchased by a person associated with Medina had recently been recovered and electronically traced by Mexican law enforcement using ATF’s e-Trace system.     

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Eustis Police Department, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. 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.

Jacksonville, Florida –United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Joven Montecer Reyes (39, Jacksonville) to 7 years and 11 months in federal prison, for distributing child sexual abuse material. Reyes pleaded guilty to that offense on March 28, 2024.  

According to the court documents, Reyes distributed child sexual abuse material on a social media website on November 3, 2022. During the investigation, Reyes’ cell phone was searched, and forensic analysis revealed that he possessed over 200 images and 300 videos of child sexual abuse material.

“This predator’s disgraceful actions of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material online inflicts irreparable physical and psychological damage upon innocent victims for a lifetime,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Hemker. “Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force law enforcement partners work tirelessly to protect children from predators who exploit the innocence of children by distributing their abhorrent content.”

This case was investigated by the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, to include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John John Cannizzaro. 

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

Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Josue Garriga III (34, St. Augustine) today pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Garriga faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Following his release from prison, Garriga will be required to register as a sex offender and serve a term of supervised release of at least 5 years. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, Garriga, who at the time was a detective with the gang unit of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), met the minor victim, who was 17 years old, at church in 2023. Garriga pursued a sexual relationship with the child victim until approximately March 7, 2024. This included reaching up the child victim’s skirt while she worked serving coffee before church service. At some point, Garriga used his JSO-issued cell phone and an undercover Instagram account to reach out to the child victim and obtained her phone number. Garriga then used his personal cell phone to communicate with the child victim, directing their messages to an end-to-end encrypted app set to automatically delete the messages after 24 hours. 

Garriga requested nude photos from the child victim and sent her nude photos of himself. Garriga also video chatted with the child victim over FaceTime more than 120 times, including when the child victim showered. On one occasion, Garriga requested that the child victim livestream herself masturbating.

On at least two occasions, Garriga used his JSO work vehicle to travel to the child victim’s neighborhood in Clay County to meet with the minor victim and engage in sexual contact that was illegal under Florida law. On another occasion, Garriga met with the child victim at a coffee shop in Clay County and enticed her to his JSO work vehicle, where he engaged in unlawful sexual activity with the child victim and refused to let her leave until she performed oral sex on him.

This case was investigated by the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, to include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Kelly S. Milliron.

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

Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Benjamin Crawford (46, Brandon) with distribution of child sexual abuse material, destruction of evidence, and access with intent to view child sexual abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Crawford faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Crawford that the United States intends to forfeit a cellphone and laptop, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

According to the indictment, Crawford distributed child sexual abuse material with the intent to view child sexual abuse material. Additionally, Crawford did knowingly alter, destroy, and mutilate records or tangible objects with the intent to impede, obstruct and influence the investigation and proper administration of the execution of a search warrant.

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 Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Abigail K. King.

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

Orlando, Florida– U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Cristian Manuel Rodriguez Nunez (28, Sanford) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act Robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Rodriguez Nunez entered a guilty plea on April 1, 2024.

According to court documents, on August 10, 2019, Rodriguez Nunez, along with his co-defendants Tauri Benjamin Rivas Nunez (Rivas Nunez), Victor Hugo Castillo Vallejo (Castillo Vallejo), and Luis Miguel Valdez Mendez (Valdez Mendez) robbed a T-Mobile store in Oviedo, Florida. During the robbery, Rodriguez Nunez entered the store wearing a facemask and pointed a firearm at one of the employees. While pointing the firearm at the employee, Rodriguez Nunez forced the employee to open the store’s safe and remove the electronics and other merchandise from the safe into a trash bag. Meanwhile, Rivas Nunez approached another T-Mobile employee, who he placed in a chokehold, after which he stole that employee’s cell phone and money from the cash register. Valdez Mendez searched through a customer’s purse and assisted Rivas Nunez with taking money from the register. Once the robbery was completed, all defendants entered a vehicle driven by Castillo Vallejo, who acted as the lookout and getaway driver.

Unbeknownst to Rodriguez Nunez and his co-defendants, a location tracking device placed into the trash bag containing the stolen merchandise provided law enforcement with their location, which led to the apprehension of Valdez Mendez, Rivas Nunez, and Castillo Vallejo, as well as the recovery of approximately $20,000 in stolen electronics and the firearm.

Rodriguez Nunez had fled the area prior to law enforcement arriving and remained a fugitive for several years. In October of 2023, law enforcement located and apprehended Rodriguez Nunez in New York.

Castillo Vallejo pled guilty and was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison on July 14, 2021. Valdez Mendez pled guilty and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on July 14, 2021. Rivas Nunez was found guilty by a jury on May 12, 2021, and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison on July 21, 2021.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was 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, Florida– U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Cristian Manuel Rodriguez Nunez (28, Sanford) to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act Robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Rodriguez Nunez entered a guilty plea on April 1, 2024.

According to court documents, on August 10, 2019, Rodriguez Nunez, along with his co-defendants Tauri Benjamin Rivas Nunez (Rivas Nunez), Victor Hugo Castillo Vallejo (Castillo Vallejo), and Luis Miguel Valdez Mendez (Valdez Mendez) robbed a T-Mobile store in Oviedo, Florida. During the robbery, Rodriguez Nunez entered the store wearing a facemask and pointed a firearm at one of the employees. While pointing the firearm at the employee, Rodriguez Nunez forced the employee to open the store’s safe and remove the electronics and other merchandise from the safe into a trash bag. Meanwhile, Rivas Nunez approached another T-Mobile employee, who he placed in a chokehold, after which he stole that employee’s cell phone and money from the cash register. Valdez Mendez searched through a customer’s purse and assisted Rivas Nunez with taking money from the register. Once the robbery was completed, all defendants entered a vehicle driven by Castillo Vallejo, who acted as the lookout and getaway driver.

Unbeknownst to Rodriguez Nunez and his co-defendants, a location tracking device placed into the trash bag containing the stolen merchandise provided law enforcement with their location, which led to the apprehension of Valdez Mendez, Rivas Nunez, and Castillo Vallejo, as well as the recovery of approximately $20,000 in stolen electronics and the firearm.

Rodriguez Nunez had fled the area prior to law enforcement arriving and remained a fugitive for several years. In October of 2023, law enforcement located and apprehended Rodriguez Nunez in New York.

Castillo Vallejo pled guilty and was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison on July 14, 2021. Valdez Mendez pled guilty and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on July 14, 2021. Rivas Nunez was found guilty by a jury on May 12, 2021, and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison on July 21, 2021.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was 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, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Ivan Desiderio Peralta Rosario (33, Dominican Republic) to four years in federal prison for passport fraud and aggravated identify theft. Peralta Rosario pleaded guilty to these offenses on March 20, 2024. 

According to the plea agreement, Peralta Rosario is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was previously deported from the United States after being convicted of unauthorized possession of an identification card and dealing in stolen property. He subsequently reentered the United States and filed an application for a U.S. Passport. Peralta Rosario presented a false Florida Driver License and birth certificate in the name of L.J.M.M. and used the name, date of birth, and Social Security Number of L.J.M.M. in his passport application.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement- Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the North Carolina DMV Police, the Georgia DMV Police, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Dickson Tennessee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Ivan Desiderio Peralta Rosario (33, Dominican Republic) to four years in federal prison for passport fraud and aggravated identify theft. Peralta Rosario pleaded guilty to these offenses on March 20, 2024. 

According to the plea agreement, Peralta Rosario is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was previously deported from the United States after being convicted of unauthorized possession of an identification card and dealing in stolen property. He subsequently reentered the United States and filed an application for a U.S. Passport. Peralta Rosario presented a false Florida Driver License and birth certificate in the name of L.J.M.M. and used the name, date of birth, and Social Security Number of L.J.M.M. in his passport application.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement- Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the North Carolina DMV Police, the Georgia DMV Police, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Dickson Tennessee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie.

Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging William Ervin Daniels (45, Lake City) with distributing child sex abuse material. If convicted, Daniels faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5, up to 20 years, in federal prison.

According to the criminal complaint, Daniels distributed two videos containing child sex abuse material in a group called “Da Litl Kidz Gc” on a social media application on November 16, 2023. He identified his name and phone number in his account profile on the social media application. Daniels was also listed as an administrator for the group to which he distributed the videos.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Milliron.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jorge Giovanny Gonzalez-Lopez (42, Colombia) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Colombia. Gonzalez-Lopez faces a maximum term of five years in federal prison and three years of supervised release, although he is expected to be removed from the United Staes at the completion of his prison sentence. Gonzalez-Lopez was extradited from Colombia to the United States in February 2024, and he has been in custody since that time. His sentencing hearing is expected to be set in the next 90 days.

According to court documents, Gonzalez-Lopez is a citizen of Colombia who traveled to Florida in late 2017 and again in early 2018 and, aided and abetted by others, acquired firearms, including several types of assault rifles, then illegally exported them from Clearwater, Tampa and Kissimmee, Florida, to Colombia. Gonzalez-Lopez and his co-conspirators attempted to obliterate the serial numbers on some of the firearms so that they could not be traced. Neither Gonzalez-Lopez nor his co-conspirators applied for or obtained the necessary licenses for exporting defense articles as required by federal law.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Colombia’s Policía Fiscal y Aduanera (POLFA), a unit of the National Police of Colombia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá worked with Colombian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Gonzalez-Lopez.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Danny Ray Boree (39, Keystone Heights) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Boree faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison on the drug charge and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the firearm offense. Boree also agreed to forfeit a Raven Arms pistol traceable to the firearm offense. Boree was arrested on September 8, 2023 and ordered detained. No sentencing date has been set.  

According to court documents and court proceedings, Boree is a member of The Unforgiven, a violent white supremacist gang. On June 8, 2023, a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) pulled over a Jeep for a stop sign violation in Keystone Heights. Upon approaching the car, the deputy observed Boree in the passenger seat with a meat cleaver/hatchet directly in front of him and a knife in a sheath, by his feet. For officer safety, the deputy directed Boree to step out of the car. As Boree got out, he observed part of a clear baggie in the waistline of Boree’s shorts. During a pat down of Boree, the deputy removed the baggie which contained a large amount of methamphetamine. During a subsequent search of the car, CCSO located a Raven Arms pistol and additional methamphetamine.

At the time of the drug offenses, Boree had previously been convicted in state court in Florida for 10 felonies, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2007, 2019). As a convicted felon, Boree is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. Boree had recently been released from the Florida Department of Corrections in January 2023, for his last firearm conviction. 

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

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

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that Vista Clinical Diagnostics, LLC; Access Dermpath, Inc.; and Advanced Clinical Laboratories, Inc. have agreed to pay the United States, the State of Florida, the State of North Carolina, and the Commonwealth of Virginia $2,450,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid that contained manipulated diagnosis codes. 

According to the settlement agreement, Vista Clinical Diagnostics, along with Access Dermpath and Advanced Clinical Laboratories, billed Medicare and Medicaid for clinical laboratory services using diagnosis codes that were generated by a macro and inserted into beneficiaries’ reimbursement submissions. This allegedly occurred during the period from January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2021. According to the allegations, these diagnosis codes were generated by the Defendants and not provided by the beneficiaries’ physicians. 

“My office is committed to investigating and federally prosecuting providers who submit false claims and attempt to cheat the system,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “This case exemplifies our dedication to protecting our nation’s taxpayers from fraud.”

“Health care providers who receive Medicaid funds must be responsible stewards of taxpayers’ money,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “When they defraud North Carolinians, we will hold them accountable.”

“Medical providers who participate in federal health care programs must follow the law when billing federally funded health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Mahmood of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement illustrates HHS-OIG’s commitment to protecting the integrity of these taxpayer-funded programs and the people they serve. Working closely with the United States Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners, we will continue to thoroughly investigate such schemes.”

The settlement concludes a lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Relator Balbina Castillo, a former employee of Vista Clinical Diagnostics, who sued under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act permitting private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in the recovery. The Act also allows the United States to intervene and prosecute the action. The Relator will receive over $440,000.00 of the proceeds from the settlement with the Defendants.

The settlement agreement was subject to approval the by United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. Vista Clinical Diagnostics filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code on October 2, 2023. That case is captioned In re: Vista Clinical Diagnostics, LLC, Case No. 6:23-bk-04109. The Bankruptcy Court approved the Settlement Agreement and confirmed Vista Clinical Diagnostic’s bankruptcy plan on July 9, 2024. 

Contemporaneous with the settlement, Vista Clinical Diagnostics, Access Dermpath, and Advanced Clinical Laboratories have entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG, which requires the labs, among other obligations, to establish and maintain a compliance program meeting certain requirements and to submit to an Independent Review Organization’s review of the labs’ Medicare claims to determine whether such claims were medically necessary, appropriately documented, and correctly coded.

This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Florida Office of the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (“MFCU”), North Carolina Office of the Attorney General MFCU, Virginia Office of the Attorney General MFCU, and the HHS Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy R. Bloor and Christopher Emden, Florida MFCU’s Senior Assistant Attorney General Matthew Vitale, North Carolina Special Deputy Attorney General Matthew Petracca, and Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General Adele M. Neiburg led the investigation.

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

The False Claims Act case is captioned United States ex rel. Castillo v. Vista Clinical Diagnostics, LLC, et al., Case No. 6:20-cv-617-ORL-WWB. The settlement resolves the United States, the State of Florida, the State of North Carolina, and the Commonwealth of Virginia’s claims in that case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

 

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Dontae Burton (39, Tampa) with sex trafficking of a minor. If convicted, Burton faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

According to court documents, Burton coordinated commercial sex acts on behalf of a minor victim after posting photographs of her on adult escort websites. Burton told the minor victim how the dates worked and the portion of money that he would receive from the dates. Burton transported the minor victim for the dates and received proceeds from her commercial sexual activity.

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

This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.

If you suspect human trafficking, call the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP. Callers may remain anonymous. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

 

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jeremiah Cundiff (19, Orlando) with possession of a machinegun. If convicted, Cundiff faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Cundiff that the United States intends to forfeit a Glock GMBH 23 .40 caliber pistol, a machinegun conversion device, and associated ammunition. 

According to the indictment, on October 23, 2023, Cundiff possessed a machinegun.

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

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

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

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Eddy Fonseca (25, Tampa) to 5 years and 11 months in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Fonseca entered a guilty plea on January 30, 2024.

According to court documents, Fonseca was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2019 and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. In May 2023, law enforcement officers observed Fonseca and his girlfriend travel to a firearms store. Fonseca’s girlfriend picked up a firearm from the store that she had filled out the paperwork for, but that Fonseca had paid for. Law enforcement followed Fonseca back to his home in Tampa where they observed Fonseca carrying the box with the firearm into his residence. During the subsequent execution of a search warrant at Fonseca’s home, law enforcement located six firearms in various locations throughout the home. Fonseca claimed responsibility for these six firearms in his plea agreement.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench.

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

Tampa, FL – Two New Horizons Computer Learning Center franchises and their owner agreed to pay $1,350,000 to resolve allegations that the schools overcharged the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by failing to report tuition waivers and scholarships provided to VA-supported students and by falsely certifying compliance with Title 38’s ban on incentive compensation tied to student enrollment.

The Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 (“GI Bill”) financially supports service members, veterans, and their eligible dependents who attend an education or training program at an educational institution. The longer a person serves in the military, the greater the benefits available under the GI Bill. If a school offers to waive tuition for a student receiving less than 100-percent assistance, that tuition waiver must be reported to the VA and the student’s portion reduced accordingly. Additionally, Title 38 prohibits participating schools from paying any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on securing student enrollments.

The United States alleged that, between 2017 and 2021, LTJ Group V, LLC, and Innovak of Florida, Inc., which did business as New Horizons Computer Learning Centers in Tampa, Florida, and Orlando, Florida, failed to report tuition waivers for students receiving less than 100-percent assistance under the GI Bill and falsely certified compliance with Title 38 by paying commissions, bonuses, or other incentive payments to enrollment representatives.

The settlement resolves United States v. Robert J. Remington, et al., Case No. 8:24-cv-511-TPB-UAM. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. No determination of liability has occurred.

“The Post-9/11 GI Bill recognizes the bravery and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans by providing them the opportunity to obtain education and training necessary to furthering a post-military career,” said United States Attorney Roger Handberg. “My office will continue to work with the VA to ensure compliance with GI Bill requirements and to vigilantly protect the program’s financial viability.”

“The settlement announced today demonstrates the VA Office of Inspector General’s commitment to aggressively pursuing individuals and schools who target veterans’ education benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office.

“The VA OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of VA’s education benefits program.”

This resolution results from a coordinated effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General. Senior Litigation Counsel Lindsay S. Griffin and Assistant United States Attorney Mamie V. Wise handled the investigation and prosecution of the case.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Angel Jackson (44, Astatula) with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. If convicted, Jackson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, Jackson and others conspired to create and execute a mortgage fraud scheme targeting financial institutions. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers obtained mortgage loans from financial institutions, Jackson created fictitious and fraudulent paystubs that falsely indicated that the borrowers worked at particular companies for certain periods of time and earned income that they did not. Further, Jackson altered legitimate Social Security benefit letters to reflect exaggerated monthly disability income, and she altered bank statements to show falsely inflated account balances. Based on Jackson’s and her co-conspirators’ misrepresentations, the financial institutions approved and funded the mortgage loans.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that April L. Brockman (42, Deltona) has pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Brockman faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Brockman must also pay restitution to the Social Security Administration and forfeit the proceeds of her criminal conduct. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, “B.B.” received Social Security benefits, which were direct deposited into her checking account. Brockman, B.B.’s granddaughter, had access to the account via a power of attorney. B.B. died on June 19, 2021, at age 95. No one reported her death to the Social Security Administration, which continued to deposit monthly benefits into her account. Brockman accessed and spent all these post-death benefit payments for B.B. via a variety of online expenditures, Cash App payments to herself, and debit purchases. In total, Brockman knowingly converted to her own use and/or the use of another $66,016 in Social Security benefits to which she was not entitled.

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.

Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Daniel Gonzalez (23, St. Petersburg) has pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court proceedings, on January 1, 2023, a 16-year-old person was shot in a parking garage in St. Petersburg. After the shooting, officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department observed a vehicle fleeing from the parking garage and followed it for a short period of time until the pursuit was terminated due to weather conditions. Soon after, a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm pistol was found in the road where officers observed the vehicle fleeing. The firearm was swabbed for DNA and Gonzalez’s DNA was present on two different parts of the firearm. Ballistic testing confirmed that three of the cartridge cases found at the scene of the shooting were a match to the firearm with Gonzalez’s DNA on it. Gonzalez is a convicted felon and, therefore, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Anthony Rodriguez, Jr. (32, Orange Park) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Rodriguez faces up to 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Rodriguez that the United States intends to forfeit a Glock pistol and ammunition traceable to the firearm offense.  

According to the indictment, on May 11, 2024, Rodriguez possessed a Glock pistol. At the time of the incident, Rodriguez had seven previous felony convictions to include two convictions involving a firearm and ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

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 Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Elizabeth Carpenter (44, St. Cloud) has pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Carpenter faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Carpenter has agreed to forfeit $183,079.60, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 12, 2024.

According to the plea agreement, Carpenter was employed as an accounting technician by Shades of Green, an Armed Forces Recreation Center resort owned by the Department of Defense (“DOD”) located on Walt Disney World Resort property in Lake Buena Vista. Between July 13, 2022, and March 19, 2024, Carpenter used her position as a DOD employee with computer credentials to access guest accounts to refund a portion of guests’ room payments to Carpenter’s personal credit card accounts. Carpenter engaged in at least 652 unauthorized transactions totaling approximately $183,079.

This case was investigated by the Department of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Christian Andujar Rivera (26, Tampa), Irving Diego Bruzon (28, Tampa), Xavier Chase Gardner (31, Tampa), Mohamed Nidal Jaber (32, Tampa), Julissa Collazo (27, Port Ritchey), and Kyle Miller (33, Orlando) with racketeering conspiracy and various related charges including conspiracy to commit robbery, bank fraud, murder in aid of racketeering, arson, and possession with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana. If convicted on all counts, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies each defendant that the United States intends to forfeit any assets, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

According to the indictment, these individuals were members and associates of a criminal organization or enterprise operating in Hillsborough County and elsewhere, known as “AP,” short for Alexander Park. AP engaged in narcotics distribution, bank fraud, obstruction of justice, and acts of violence to include murder, aggravated assault, robbery, and arson. In furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy, AP members also committed acts outside of Florida including Oregon, California, and Michigan. Those acts include aggravated assault, home invasion robbery, and burglary.

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the State Attorney’s Office for the 13th Judicial Circuit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Devaris Lemain Simmons (33, St. Petersburg) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The jury further found that Simmons is an Armed Career Criminal after having committed three prior serious drug offenses. Simmons faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on March 23, 2023, officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department approached an idling vehicle registered to Simmons and smelled the odor of marijuana emanating from inside. When Simmons opened the vehicle, officers observed green leaf-like particles inside and conducted a search. During the search officers located a Taurus PT-111 Millennium Pro 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition stored in the center console. A DNA swab of the grip and trigger of the firearm matched the DNA of Simmons.

Testimony and evidence presented at trial also established that Simmons had sold cocaine on three separate occasions in 2014 to an undercover officer with the St. Petersburg Police Department. The jury found that the above three offenses were committed on occasions separate from one another.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Albert Ayala (34, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ayala faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for August 21, 2024.

According to court records, Ayala was driving a vehicle on I-4 when his girlfriend, the sole passenger in the vehicle, was ejected from the car. The woman was struck by multiple vehicles, causing her death. Ayala continued driving and crashed the vehicle at the base of an I-4 exit. Ayala then fled the scene on foot, leaving behind a pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. Ayala’s DNA was located on the firearm and airbag that had deployed during the crash. At the time, Ayala had 10 prior felony convictions and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

Although the firearms offense falls under federal jurisdiction and was, accordingly, prosecuted in federal court, any investigation or prosecution related to [decedent’s] death lies with state officials.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

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

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sherri Polster Chappell today sentenced Nicholas Munson Troemner (41, Marco Island) to 5 years and 5 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Troemner to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. Troemner entered a guilty plea on January 24, 2024.

According to court documents, on February 16, 2023, Troemner possessed a loaded Taurus pistol in North Fort Myers. At the time, had multiple prior felony convictions and there was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

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

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Zecki Halum, (40, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana. Halum faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in August 2009, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information that a recreational vehicle (RV) would be used to transport approximately 200 pounds of marijuana from Arizona to the Middle District of Florida. Agents tracked the RV as Halum’s co-conspirator, Dale Wetherholt, drove the RV to Florida. Upon Wetherholt’s arrival in Tampa, he was met by a vehicle driven by another co-conspirator with Halum in the passenger seat. Wetherholt, Halum, and the co-conspirator followed each other first to a convenience store parking lot, and then to a church parking lot in Crystal Springs, where they planned to unload the marijuana from the RV. At that time, agents arrested Halum and his coconspirators. Agents searched the RV and found over 100 kilograms of marijuana packaged in bales and wrapped in a manner consistent with drug trafficking.

Halum was indicted on September 23, 2009. In February 2010, Halum violated the conditions of his pretrial release, failed to appear for court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Halum was arrested on the warrant on March 29, 2024.

Wetherholt pleaded guilty on November 12, 2009, to the same offense and was sentenced on April 30, 2010, to 30 months in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Chang and Kelley Howard Allen.

Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Daniel Michael Mohat (27, St. Cloud) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Mohat faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in August 2022, law enforcement engaged in an online undercover multi-agency operation based out of Nassau County, for the purpose of identifying and apprehending individuals using the internet to exploit juveniles for sexual activity. During the operation, Mohat contacted one of the undercover agents, who was posing as a 14-year-old girl, via social media. Over the course of several days, Mohat engaged in a sexually oriented conversation with the undercover agent. On multiple occasions, Mohat requested that the “girl” create explicit videos and pictures of herself and send them to him.      

This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Damien Jesse Suhr (41, Kissimmee) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct. Suhr was found guilty by a federal jury on March 28, 2024.

According to evidence presented at trial, on May 27, 2023, the FBI was involved in an operation with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. As part of the operation, a profile was created by the FBI on a dating application, which indicated that the user, “Jack,” was an adult, but depicted a photo of a 14-year-old boy. On that dating application, “Jack” and Suhr began exchanging messages and then quickly switched to exchanging cellphone text messages, in which the “child” made clear to Suhr that he was 14 years old. For two weeks, Suhr spoke to the “child” about engaging in sex with him. Suhr explained in detail the sexual acts he wanted to perform on and with the “child.” Additionally, he directed the “child” to delete his text messages with Suhr to avoid detection by his mother or law enforcement. He selected a location at a gas station that was convenient for him to meet the “child.” Suhr sent messages to the “child” requesting that he wear a specific type of underwear to the meeting. On June 9, 2023, Suhr went to the gas station to meet with the “child,” where Suhr was arrested by law enforcement officers. Evidence presented at trial showed that Suhr had previously exchanged messages with other online users about his desire to have sexual encounters with children as young as 12. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin-Aronson and Dana Hill.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Edward Sherwood Gustafson, IV, (31, Green Cove Springs) to 6 years and 3 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Gustafson to forfeit a Smith and Wesson pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition traceable to the firearm offense. Gustafson was arrested on May 9, 2023, and ordered detained. He entered a guilty plea on August 31, 2023.   

According to court documents, on January 21, 2023, members of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) were looking for Gustafson based on an active felony arrest warrant. A CCSO deputy observed him driving and initiated a traffic stop. Upon stopping, Gustafson immediately got out of his truck and a struggle ensued between him and the deputy. The deputy eventually handcuffed and arrested Gustafson based on the felony arrest warrant. During a subsequent search of Gustafson’s truck, officers located a loaded Smith and Wesson pistol. Underneath the truck’s hood, a travel bag was zip-tied to the engine bay area which contained cocaine, methamphetamine, a scale for weighing drugs, approximately 50 small baggies, and numerous pills. Further investigation determined that the total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 22 grams and that Gustafson had seven prior felony convictions to include felony domestic battery, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and shooting a deadly missile. As a convicted felon, Gustafson is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

“As we fight the scourge of drugs that plague our communities, we are grateful for our partnership with the US Attorney’s Office. Together we will continue to hold accountable those who choose to sell this poison in our streets,” said Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook.

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

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Victor Alexander Morales-Acosta (27, Venezuela) to 24 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. Morales-Acosta entered a guilty plea on March 20, 2024.

According to court documents, Morales-Acosta is a Venezuelan citizen and national who entered the United States illegally on September 1, 2022, by crossing the border from Mexico into Texas, at a place other than a port of entry, without inspection. On November 1, 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) task force officers (TFOs) preparing to execute a search warrant on an Orlando residence suspected of being used in drug trafficking observed Morales-Acosta run inside the home. Morales-Acosta subsequently exited the back of the house carrying a loaded Glock 27 semiautomatic 40 caliber handgun and two baggies containing approximately 56 grams of cocaine. Morales-Acosta was immediately confronted by a TFO and threw the firearm and baggies into a planter bed behind the residence. The firearm had been reported stolen by its owner in Virginia in September 2023.

During a search incident to arrest, officers recovered from Morales-Acosta’s person a fake lawful permanent resident (LPR) card. Morales-Acosta admitted buying the fake LPR card for a $100 when he arrived in the Orlando area in 2022 and needed documentation to be able to work.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the DEA, the Orlando Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was 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, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrests of Brock David Fischer (27, Robins, Iowa), a/k/a “iFruit,” and Miguel Angel Fortier, Jr. (24, Milwaukee, Wisconsin), a/k/a “Destined,” on an indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit mail fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Fortier made his initial appearance on June 28, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was released on conditions pending his trial in Tampa. Fischer will make his initial appearance today in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

According to court documents, beginning around December 2021, the co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to the tracking platform of a multinational shipping, receiving, and supply chain management company (the Victim Company). This access allowed the co-conspirators to enter false and fraudulent tracking information for merchandise shipped by the Victim Company on behalf of victim-retailers located all over the country.

Fischer, Fortier, and Matthew Frederic Bergwall (22, Darien, Connecticut)—who has been charged federally with conspiracy, mail fraud, and computer fraud in a separate case—served as administrators for “the Service,” a chat room/marketplace on an encrypted messaging platform. The Service sold access to the Victim Company’s tracking platform. Specifically, customers used the Service to obtain full refunds from victim-retailers while maintaining physical possession of merchandise ordered, such as high-end electronics, jewelry, and designer clothing and accessories. During a five-month period, the return-fraud scheme caused nearly 10,000 fraudulent returns and resulted in victim-retailers losing more than $8 million in merchandise.

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 (HSI) Tampa, with valuable assistance from HSI Cedar Rapids, HSI Milwaukee, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Newark office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Joel David Fonseca Flores (42, Orlando) guilty of conspiring to distribute fentanyl that resulted in death. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 7, 2024.

Fonseca Flores and his co-conspirator, Misty Lynn Parady, were charged by superseding indictment on August 16, 2023. Count one of the superseding indictment charged Fonseca Flores and Parady with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, resulting in N.K.’s death, as described above. Count two charged Fonseca Flores and Parady with aiding and abetting in the possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and cocaine. Count three charged Flores with knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Fonseca Flores pleaded guilty to counts two and three of the superseding indictment on June 3, 2024.

According to evidence presented at trial, Fonseca Flores and Parady sold fake “M30” pills laced with fentanyl to the victim, N.K. Between April 2020 and April 2022, Fonseca Flores and Parady sold N.K. what she, at first, believed to be oxycodone. After some time, N.K. realized that the pills she was buying from them contained fentanyl.

Specifically, on October 31, 2021, N.K. warned Parady by text message that N.K. had tested positive for fentanyl. Parady relayed that information to Fonseca Flores. Then, again on March 31, 2022, within days of purchasing “M30” pills from Fonseca Flores, N.K. sent a text message to Parady containing an image of her drug test, showing that N.K. had tested negative for oxycodone and positive for fentanyl.

Despite these and other warnings, Fonseca Flores and Parady continued to supply N.K. with the counterfeit fentanyl pills, and N.K. ultimately died from a fentanyl overdose on April 4, 2022.

Parady pleaded guilty to a superseding information on May 24, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2024.

Pursuant to the superseding indictment, Fonseca Flores must also forfeit all firearms and ammunition involved in or used in the charged offenses, including, but not limited to a Ruger 9mm pistol and associated ammunition.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orlando Police Department Overdose Unit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kara M. Wick and Stephanie McNeff.

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

 

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Erlin Maradiaga-Flores (31, Honduras) today pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft.  Maradiaga-Flores faces a penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, E-Verify is a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. E-Verify is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The SSA and USCIS check submitted information against the records of actual persons who are authorized to work in the United States. E-Verify is a voluntary program for employers and requires documents such as a Social Security number and photo identification of a prospective employee.  

From at least 2022 through May 2024, Maradiaga-Flores used another person’s means of identification in order to defeat the E-Verify system and to commit the felony offenses of misuse of a Social Security number and false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Juan Nicolas Pachay Lopez (40, Manta, Ecuador) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a substance or mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine, and possession with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a substance or mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Pachay Lopez faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, on or about February 24, 2024, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter MUNRO was on routine patrol in international waters approximately 580 nautical miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico. A Coast Guard drone encountered an unnamed four-engine go-fast vessel (“GFV”) and began to investigate suspected illicit maritime activity. The drone observed three individuals on board the GFV, which was approximately 40 feet in length with a blue and green hull, with packages and fuel drums on the GFV’s deck. MUNRO’s helicopter arrived on scene and fired several warning shots after the GFV ignored Spanish language commands to stop broadcasted via the helicopter’s loudspeaker and on maritime radio channels.

A small vessel dispatched from MUNRO with a boarding team comprised of Coast Guard law enforcement personnel arrived and gained control of the GFV. Pachay Lopez, a national of Ecuador, was one of the crewmen and was identified as the vessel master. During the boarding, the Coast Guard recovered 33 bales containing an at-sea weight of 1,725 kilograms of cocaine. 

This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. 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. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday sentenced Jhon Zambrano Caicedo (37, Colombia) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. He entered a guilty plea in March 2024.

According to the plea agreement, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a panga-style “go-fast vessel” (GFV) in the Pacific Ocean, about 60 miles north of the nearest point of land in Ecuador. The vessel was suspected of drug smuggling because it had several fuel barrels, no registration numbers on the hull, was flying no flag, was operating at a high rate of speed, and was sailing in a location where maritime drug smuggling by similar vessels is common. A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) helicopter and a USCG law enforcement team were deployed from USCG Cutter James to intercept the suspicious vessel. 

The helicopter signaled the GFV to stop, but the vessel and its crew were non-compliant until the firing of warning shots. The boarding team found Zambrano Caicedo and two others onboard. A search of the vessel revealed over 3,100 kilograms of cocaine, worth more than $55 million.

Zambrano Caicedo had previously been convicted in the Southern District of Florida for trafficking approximately 750 kilograms of cocaine via a go-fast vessel on the high seas in February 2016.

This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Haynes.

Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Craig Anthony (25, Alabama) to 15 years and 6 months in federal prison for distribution of child sex abuse material. Anthony entered a guilty plea on January 29, 2024.

According to court documents, beginning on May 31, 2023, Anthony distributed multiple videos containing child sex abuse material to a social media account operated by an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent in Lake County. Anthony believed he was distributing the child sex abuse material to a minor. On August 3, 2023, HSI executed a federal search warrant at Anthony’s residence in Alabama. At least one image of child sex abuse material was confirmed on Anthony’s cellphone. Anthony later admitted to sending child sex abuse material over the internet to the undercover agent.  

“The distribution of child sexual abuse material creates a permanent record of a child’s darkest moments, and revictimizes them in perpetuity,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “When predators distribute images of children being sexually exploited online, it forces these victims to confront the enduring, widespread circulation of their abuse for a lifetime. This is an unacceptable scenario for HSI, as we dedicate ourselves daily to stopping this vile behavior.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces criminal charges against nine individuals in connection with alleged schemes to defraud programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled, and to obtain controlled substances through fraud. The charges filed in the Middle District of Florida (MDFL) are part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute health care fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “This enforcement action demonstrates my office’s resolve, and that of the Department of Justice, to protect these programs and the people they benefit from exploitation.”

“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”        

The MDFL cases are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.      

The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces 32 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.

The MDFL has worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; and Food and Drug Administration - Office of Criminal Investigations.

            The following individuals have been charged in Middle District of Florida:

• Ma Gracia Cadet, 53, of Kissimmee, Florida, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $9.3 million in Medicare funds. According to the information, Cadet, the owner of durable medical equipment (“DME”) companies KGA Medical Supply LLC and Sapphire Medical Supply LLC, caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary and ineligible for reimbursement by Medicare. Cadet offered and paid illegal kickbacks to her co-conspirators at purported telemedicine companies in exchange for signed doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces that were ultimately billed to Medicare. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jessica A. Massey of the Florida Strike Force.
• Eva LeBeau, 65, of Clearwater, Florida, and Lori Lebrecht, 60, of Largo, Florida, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive illegal health care kickbacks, as well as with paying illegal health care kickbacks to patient recruiters, all in connection with an alleged scheme to refer Medicare beneficiaries to Prestigious Senior Home Health Care, Inc. and to submit false and fraudulent claims totaling over $2 million for home health services. LeBeau owned Prestigious and Lebrecht was Prestigious’ Director of Nursing. The indictment alleges that LeBeau and Lebrecht conspired to pay, and paid, patient recruiters per patient referral that Prestigious to billed to Medicare. Medicare paid approximately $1.3 million based on the false and fraudulent claims. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Reginald Cuyler Jr. and Charles D. Strauss of the Florida Strike Force.
• Robert Desselle, 46, of Sarasota, Florida was charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and with paying illegal health care kickbacks, in connection with a scheme to pay illegal health care kickbacks to patient recruiters in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries. The alleged scheme involved Desselle, through his company Desselle’s Sky High Enterprise, LLC, paying marketers on a per-patient basis to recruit Medicare beneficiaries for cancer genetic testing (“CGx”) tests which were not medically necessary. As a result of the charged scheme, Medicare paid approximately $4.5 million on CGx claims billed for these beneficiaries. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Charles D. Strauss of the Florida Strike Force.
• Marques Elijah Green, 29, of Windermere, Florida, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $3.4 million in Medicare funds. According to the information, Green, owner of durable medical equipment (“DME”) companies Onyx Medical Supply LLC and AquaMed Supply LLC, caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary and ineligible for reimbursement by Medicare. Green offered and paid kickbacks to his co-conspirators at purported telemedicine companies in exchange for signed doctor’s orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces that were ultimately billed to Medicare. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jessica A. Massey of the Florida Strike Force.

• Lisa Williams, 56, of Lithia, Florida, was charged by indictment with six counts of tampering with a consumer product and six counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud in connection with her unlawfully acquiring and tampering with fentanyl infusion bags at a hospital. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Pizzo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

• Lawrence Waldman, 57, of Miami, Florida, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks and bribes, as well as with illegal monetary transactions, in connection with a scheme to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. As alleged in the indictment, Waldman worked for ASAP Lab, LLC as a sales representative. Waldman used his position with ASAP to travel throughout the State of Florida, and elsewhere, to obtain genetic test and respiratory viral panel test swabs from Medicare beneficiaries. Waldman and his coconspirators used the test swabs, along with requisition forms containing forged and unauthorized signatures of medical practitioners, to obtain approximately $380,000 in illegal kickbacks and bribes for causing the submission of false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement from Medicare. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

• Erin Kim, 54, of Orlando, Florida, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances, in connection with her role in an unlawful scheme to distribute Adderall and other stimulants. As alleged in the indictment, Kim was a nurse practitioner employed by Done, a California-based digital health company. In the course of her employment with Done, Kim prescribed Adderall and other stimulants that were not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice. The indictment further alleges that Kim and others fabricated patient files and signed prescriptions for Adderall and other stimulants where Done patients did not meet the requisite diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, where the prescriptions posed a risk of diversion, and where the dosages went beyond what was normally prescribed. In total, Kim is alleged to have prescribed over 1.5 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants, for which she was paid by Done over $800,000. Trial Attorney Raymond Beckering III of the National Rapid Response Strike Force is prosecuting the case.
• Eric Brewer, 28, of Lakeland, Florida, was charged by indictment with tampering with a consumer product and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud in connection with his unlawfully acquiring and tampering with fentanyl infusion bags. As alleged in the indictment, Brewer, a registered nurse who worked in intensive care units, engaged in two similar criminal schemes to divert fentanyl at five different Tampa-area hospitals across seven different dates. In the first scheme, which Brewer executed on several occasions, Brewer stole fentanyl by checking out 100 mL bags of liquid fentanyl from locked controlled substance cabinets but keeping the bags for himself rather than administering them to patients or returning them. In the second scheme, Brewer used hospital computers to research which patients were receiving fentanyl intravenously, entered those patients’ rooms even when he had no medical reason to do so, and surreptitiously siphoned fentanyl from their IV drip bags into his own vessel; Brewer would then go to the hospital bathroom, where he would inject himself with stolen fentanyl. Sometimes, Brewer tried to cover his theft by replacing the fentanyl he withdrew with an equivalent volume of saline, but sometimes he did not. In both scenarios, however, Brewer’s actions deprived the most vulnerable patients of needed medicine. Brewer was caught when colleagues observed him acting impaired during a shift and the person who entered the bathroom immediately after Brewer exited found a bloody paper towel and needle inside. Hospital officials subsequently examined records and video and discovered Brewer’s pattern of diversion.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Gordon of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
• Waymon Wallace, 63, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was charged by information with conspiracy to solicit and receive illegal kickbacks and bribes in connection with a scheme to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Wallace, a licensed physician and an enrolled Medicare provider agreed to sign, and authorize the use of his signature on, laboratory requisition forms for medically unnecessary genetic and respiratory panel tests in exchange for cash.  Wallace and his coconspirators caused over $500,000 in false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to be submitted to Medicare. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Gary Dale Thrasher (56, Georgia) has pleaded guilty to five counts of bank fraud, three counts of passport fraud, and seven counts of aggravated identity theft. Thrasher faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each of the bank fraud counts; a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment for each of the passport fraud offenses; and a 2-year minimum mandatory term of imprisonment for the aggravated identity thefts. Thrasher was indicted on March 27, 2024.

According to the plea agreement, between May and June 2023, Thrasher obtained and used, or attempted to use, fraudulent identification documents (including fraudulent United States passport cards) containing the identification of others. Thrasher used the fake documents as a means of identification to make cash withdrawals from multiple branches of four different federally insured financial institutions within the Middle District of Florida. As part of his guilty plea, Thrasher has agreed to forfeit $25,200—the proceeds of the fraud offenses.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Ocala Police Department, the Wildwood Police Department, the Leesburg Police Department, and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.