Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Jury Convicts Florida Man Who Tampered with Witnesses While Pending Trial with Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, Obstruction of Justice, Suborning Perjury, and Contempt of CourtRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Javier Monserrate Vazquez (46, Wesley Chapel) guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy against the United States, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, suborning perjury, and contempt. He faces a maximum sentence of 100 years’ imprisonment. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 11, 2024.
Monserrate Vazquez was indicted on December 12, 2018. On April 20, 2021, he was arrested again while on pretrial release and awaiting trial for witness tampering and was subsequently detained.
According to evidence presented at trial, Monserrate Vazquez was a supplier of cocaine in Pasco County. The drugs were received through the mail from Puerto Rico. Coconspirators would receive the packages for further distribution. In October 2018, agents discovered a package containing two kilograms of cocaine addressed to one of Monserrate Vazquez’s coconspirators. In a controlled delivery, a third coconspirator picked up the package and a search of his cellphone showed that Monserrate Vazquez had coordinated the pickup. In June 2018, Monserrate Vazquez also delivered more than $171,000 in cash to an undercover agent for the purpose of laundering the funds to Colombia through the Black Market Peso Exchange.
In the summer of 2018, agents obtained recordings of Monserrate Vazquez threatening to kill an associate over an unpaid drug debt. The threats included claims that Monserrate Vazquez would burn the associate alive, cut off his head, and chop off his hands. In the spring of 2020, Monserrate Vazquez induced two people – including the person he threatened to kill – to sign affidavits claiming that Monserrate Vazquez had no involvement in drug trafficking. One of these affidavits was then relied on in court filings to exclude evidence and accuse the agents of misconduct. Monserrate Vazquez kept in contact with potential witnesses against him through an encrypted phone application and a contraband cellphone, as well as aided a witness in leaving Tampa while trial was pending to avoid a subpoena to testify. He also paid as much as $10,000 for the attorney of his codefendant in exchange for his silence.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Largo Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Diego Novaes.
Jacksonville Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Diandre Murel (29, Jacksonville Beach) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. Murel faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court documents, Murel and another individual were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration for distributing cocaine in the Jacksonville Beach area. As part of the investigation, DEA agents tracked Murel to Atlanta where he purchased almost a kilo of cocaine. Murel was stopped in Baker County on his way back from Atlanta. Deputies from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office searched Murel’s car and located the cocaine. DEA agents and officers from the Jacksonville Beach Police Department then executed a search warrant at the condominium where Murel was renting a room. Law enforcement recovered additional cocaine, three firearms, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition from inside Murel’s room. As part of his plea agreement, Murel has agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The State Attorney’s Office for the Eighth Judicial Circuit also provided assistance with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
Inmate Serving A 30-Year Sentence in Florida State Prison Sentenced for Mailing Threatening Letters to Florida JudgesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Aaron Thompson (43, Raiford) to three years and five months in federal prison for mailing interstate threats. Thompson, who is currently serving a 30-year state sentence for kidnapping, was ordered to serve his federal and state sentences consecutively. The court also ordered Thompson to serve three years of supervised release and have no contact with the victims of his offense or any judges in the 2nd District Court of Appeals in Florida. Thompson had pleaded guilty on July 28, 2023.
According to court documents, in 2004 in Sarasota County, Thompson was convicted at trial of aggravated battery, kidnapping, robbery, and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. While incarcerated at the Union Correctional Institute in Raiford, Thompson hand-wrote various letters that included death threats and white supremacy statements. Thompson mailed the letters from the correctional institution directly to sitting judges on the Second District Court of Appeals in Lakeland.
Thompson specifically referenced committing acts of violence upon the completion of his state sentence in 2034. For example, he wrote:
“I AM AN EXPERT WITH THE NRA GUNS, ESPECIALLY WITH A SCOPE. YOU WENT BEYOND ANY RESPECT FOR MY SERVICE RECORD TO SLOW THIS DOWN, XXXX YOU! AND-I’M VERY CLOSE, 2034 TO ERADICATE YOUR WHOLE FAMILY”
“I WILL EXECUTE YOUR WHOLE FAMILY PERSONALLY IN 2034. I WOULD LIKE TO DO WHAT MOST JUDGES EXPERIENCE IN 3RD WORLD CIVILIZATION.”
“Those who devote their career to service and the American system of justice should not be subjected to threats of violence, especially through the U.S. Mail,” said Juan Vargas, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is proud of its work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case. The conviction and sentence demonstrate our society will not tolerate efforts to erode the rule of law.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.
Clermont Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Prison for Production and Distribution of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Michael VanNess, Jr. (Clermont, 39) to 80 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production and distribution of child sex abuse material. The court also ordered VanNess, Jr. to forfeit a cellphone, which was used to commit the offense. VanNess, Jr. had pleaded guilty on July 21, 2023.
According to court documents, the investigation began when VanNess, Jr. uploaded child sex abuse material involving young children to a social media group. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed on his phone. Evidence recovered from the phone showed that VanNess, Jr. had sexually abused a 14-year-old victim over a seven-month span. VanNess, Jr. recorded the sexual abuse and threatened the child victim to ensure his illegal conduct remained a secret.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney D. Richardson-Jones and Shannon Laurie.
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.
Cape Coral Man Sentenced to Prison for COVID Relief FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Denis Casseus (44, Cape Coral) to two years in federal prison for bank fraud and an illegal monetary transaction. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $298,875, the proceeds of the bank fraud. Casseus had pleaded guilty on May 23, 2023.
According to court documents, between February 22 and March 4, 2021, Casseus submitted two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications to a financial institution federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) with branches in Lee County. In each application, Casseus falsely represented that the PPP funds would be used only for business-related purposes, as specified in the loan applications. Casseus falsely represented and certified that the PPP funds acquired from the requested loans would be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage payments, lease payments, and utility payments on behalf of his purported businesses. In total, Casseus’s false and fraudulent representations caused the financial institution to approve and fund a total of $298,875 in PPP loans for his businesses.
On March 4, 2021, Casseus made a wire payment of $110,000 to a title company for the purchase of a residence in Cape Coral. That money was an illegal monetary transaction as Casseus used more than $10,000 in the PPP loan funds towards the purchase of his residence.
In March of 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted as a federal law, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
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. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
Cape Coral Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal Prison for Manufacturing Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Brandon Albanito (37, Cape Coral) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl) with the intent to distribute it, possessing counterfeit drugs for sale, possessing equipment used to manufacture counterfeit drugs, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and bank fraud. The court also ordered Albanito to pay a $500,000 fine, forfeit $97,146 to the United States, and make full restitution to a victim of his bank fraud. Albanito had pleaded guilty in June 2023.
According to court documents, in 2016, agents with the Food and Drug Administration—Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) began investigating a series of packages destined for Cape Coral and North Fort Myers residences that had been intercepted from the mail stream. The packages contained prescription drugs (in bulk powder form, like sildenafil, commonly known as “Viagra”), drug precursors (such as tryptamine, a substance used in the manufacture of hallucinogens), and controlled substances (including methamphetamine). Ultimately, the investigation revealed that each of the addresses was associated in some way with Albanito.
To determine how Albanito might be connected to the seized packages, the United States Secret Service (USSS) initiated a financial investigation into Albanito. Amongst other things, the investigation revealed an array of bank, crypto, and gambling accounts controlled by Albanito. The accounts showed suspicious history of purchases from companies based in China and frequent transfers of money, consistent with money laundering techniques employed by criminals.
Additionally, federal investigators linked together other pieces of evidence demonstrating that Albanito was running a large-scale drug manufacturing operation. For instance, in January 2021, Albanito’s former federal cellmate was stopped by the Florida Highway Patrol in Alachua County. The vehicle contained a package of cocaine as well as parts for a pill press (i.e. a machine used to compress materials into a pill form). Ultimately, federal investigators determined that the cocaine and press had been destined for Albanito’s Cape Coral home.
In January 2023, the USSS, FDA-OCI, and the Cape Coral Police Department executed a search warrant at Albanito’s home. Almost immediately upon entry, law enforcement found a large, commercial-grade pill press in the garage and hundreds of counterfeit oxycodone pills on a nearby shelf. The counterfeit pills, which appeared identical to prescription oxycodone pills, were found by the FDA to contain fentanyl. Law enforcement also found a found a five-gallon bucket containing more than 40,000 counterfeit Xanax pills (which actually contained the designer drug clonazolam), a five-gallon bucket containing approximately 20 pounds of pill binding agent, pill dies (i.e. tooling used by a pill press to create pills), and two firearms within the residence. DNA testing arranged by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted on the seized firearms demonstrated that Albanito had possessed them, which he was prohibited from doing because he was a convicted felon.
Law enforcement also gathered other items and information from his residence demonstrating that, in 2021, Albanito had defrauded an online bank out of nearly $100,000, making lavish purchases with the proceeds, including a luxury vehicle and a luxury watch.
This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, the United States Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cape Coral Police Department, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Armed Fort Myers Drug Trafficker Sentenced to over 26 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Manuel Alfredo Dickerson Copland (30, Fort Myers) to 26 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of MDMA, possession of oxycodone, and attempted possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The court also ordered Copland to forfeit firearms, ammunition, and a vehicle, which were used to facilitate the offenses. A federal jury had found Copland guilty on July 21, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on December 30, 2021, Copland was stopped in his vehicle by members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Narcotics Team. Detectives recovered nearly 1,500 fentanyl pills, MDMA, oxycodone, and three firearms from Copland’s truck. Forensic evidence linked Copland to the drugs and firearms found in the vehicle. During the subsequent investigation, information was obtained that revealed Copland was associated with mail packages that were believed to contain drugs that were being shipped to him in the Fort Myers area. As a result, the investigation identified a package containing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine sent through the U.S. Mail from California. The package was seized by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The intercepted package containing methamphetamine was linked to Copland.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark R. Morgan and Patrick L. Darcey.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make 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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida Observes Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - October marks the observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg joins the U.S. Department of Justice in commemorating DVAM, paying tribute to victims and survivors, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work in support of survivors.
“Domestic violence is harmful to individuals, families, and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “We want our community to know that we are here to support victims and survivors in the Middle District of Florida – not just in October, but every month. We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to address the systemic problem that is domestic violence.”
Domestic violence, dating violence, and intimate partner violence can have long-lasting impacts and consequences. Approximately one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe domestic violence in their lifetimes; however, rates are disproportionately higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, including women of Color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and two-spirit people, and people with disabilities. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.
Lakeland Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Production, Distribution, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Illya Frederick Plavljanich II (36, Lakeland) to 15 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material. He is also required to register as a sex offender. Plavljanich had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2023.
According to court documents, in August 2018, using a social media application, Plavljanich distributed two videos of children being sexually abused. In May 2022, Plavljanich coerced and enticed a minor into producing an image of child sexual abuse material, which he then shared over the internet. Law enforcement searched Plavljanich’s cellphone and found approximately 1,271 images and 536 videos of child sexual abuse material.
“Arresting predators like Plavljianich and holding them accountable for victimizing children will always be a focus of our HSI special agents,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, we vow to continue protecting our most vulnerable from becoming lifetime victims.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
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.
Justice Department Reaches Significant Milestone in Combating Redlining Initiative After Securing over $107 Million in Relief for Communities of Color NationwideRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that its Combating Redlining Initiative has secured over $107 million in relief for communities of color nationwide that have experienced lending discrimination by banks or other mortgage lending businesses. As a part of the $107 million, the Department also announced a $9 million agreement with Ameris Bank to resolve allegations that Ameris engaged in a pattern or practice of redlining predominately Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Florida. Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in or seeking to live in, communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of the residents in those communities.
“As today’s case makes clear, redlining is not just a relic of the past,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why, two years ago this month, the Justice Department launched our Combating Redlining Initiative, and once today’s settlement is approved, that Initiative will have secured more than $100 million for communities across the country that have been harmed by discriminatory lending practices. This work is just the beginning – the Justice Department currently has over two dozen active investigations into redlining, spanning neighborhoods across the country.”
In October 2021, Attorney General Garland announced the Combating Redlining Initiative, the Department’s most aggressive coordinated enforcement effort to address redlining. The Department has partnered with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, federal financial regulatory agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and state Attorneys General offices to enforce federal fair lending laws that prohibit redlining, including the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Since 2021, the Department has secured 10 settlement agreements with banks and mortgage lending institutions to provide credit opportunities to communities of color in Houston, Memphis, Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, Newark, Los Angeles, Columbus, Tulsa, Rhode Island, and now Jacksonville. These agreements have provided millions of dollars to redlined communities and have helped to make homeownership a reality for families of color who have been unfairly denied access to credit.
Ameris Bank Settlement
The resolution with Ameris Bank was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, along with the Department’s complaint, and is subject to court approval. The Department’s complaint alleges that, from 2016 through 2021, Ameris Bank avoided providing mortgage services to majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville and discouraged people seeking credit in those communities from obtaining home loans. Ameris’ home mortgage lending was focused disproportionately on white areas of Jacksonville while other lenders generated applications in majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods at three times the rate of Ameris. Although Ameris operates 18 branches in Jacksonville, Ameris has never operated a branch in a majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhood in the city.
The neighborhoods that the Department alleges Ameris redlined in Jacksonville are some of the same neighborhoods that were first redlined by Home Ownership Loan Corporation maps in the 1930s.
“Combating modern day redlining is one of the most important strategies for ensuring equal economic opportunity today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By taking on the discriminatory lending practices of banks and mortgage companies, we are helping to ensure that more Black, Hispanic, and other communities of color are able to buy a home, generate wealth, and fulfill the American Dream. This settlement marks a new pinnacle in our efforts to bring an end to redlining and provides tangible relief to communities that have been starved of access to credit for far too long.”
“For far too long, redlining has negatively impacted communities of color across our country,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Today’s agreement with Ameris Bank represents the first redlining case brought by the Department of Justice in the state of Florida and signals a step forward for Black and Hispanic communities in Jacksonville that were previously denied access to economic resources for generations. This settlement means that Ameris Bank will provide financial remedies to Jacksonville’s underserved communities, and it demonstrates our commitment to guaranteeing equal access to housing and credit resources for all Americans.”
Under the proposed consent order, which is subject to court approval, Ameris Bank will invest $9 million to increase credit opportunities for communities of color in Jacksonville. Specifically, Ameris will:
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Invest $7.5 million in a loan subsidy fund that will be made available to residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods and those seeking credit in those communities.
-
Invest $900,000 for advertising and outreach targeted toward the residents of these neighborhoods.
-
Invest $600,000 to develop community partnerships to provide services that increase access to residential mortgage credit.
-
Open a new branch in a majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Jacksonville.
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Ensure that at least three mortgage loan officers are dedicated to serving majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods.
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Retain a consultant to assess the bank’s compliance management system as it pertains to redlining risk.
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Employ a full-time Director of Community Lending who will oversee the continued development of lending in majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville.
Ameris is working cooperatively with the Department to address the credit needs of residents in majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville. Beyond the agreement, Ameris has committed to expanding its lending services across its markets to underserved communities.
Additional information about the Department’s fair lending enforcement can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/fair-lending-program-0. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
View the complaint here.
View the consent order here.-
Justice Department Reaches Significant Milestone in Combating Redlining Initiative After Securing over $107 Million in Relief for Communities of Color NationwideRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that its Combating Redlining Initiative has secured over $107 million in relief for communities of color nationwide that have experienced lending discrimination by banks or other mortgage lending businesses. As a part of the $107 million, the Department also announced a $9 million agreement with Ameris Bank to resolve allegations that Ameris engaged in a pattern or practice of redlining predominately Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Florida. Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in or seeking to live in, communities of color because of the race, color, or national origin of the residents in those communities.
“As today’s case makes clear, redlining is not just a relic of the past,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “That is why, two years ago this month, the Justice Department launched our Combating Redlining Initiative, and once today’s settlement is approved, that Initiative will have secured more than $100 million for communities across the country that have been harmed by discriminatory lending practices. This work is just the beginning – the Justice Department currently has over two dozen active investigations into redlining, spanning neighborhoods across the country.”
In October 2021, Attorney General Garland announced the Combating Redlining Initiative, the Department’s most aggressive coordinated enforcement effort to address redlining. The Department has partnered with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, federal financial regulatory agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and state Attorneys General offices to enforce federal fair lending laws that prohibit redlining, including the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Since 2021, the Department has secured 10 settlement agreements with banks and mortgage lending institutions to provide credit opportunities to communities of color in Houston, Memphis, Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, Newark, Los Angeles, Columbus, Tulsa, Rhode Island, and now Jacksonville. These agreements have provided millions of dollars to redlined communities and have helped to make homeownership a reality for families of color who have been unfairly denied access to credit.
Ameris Bank Settlement
The resolution with Ameris Bank was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, along with the Department’s complaint, and is subject to court approval. The Department’s complaint alleges that, from 2016 through 2021, Ameris Bank avoided providing mortgage services to majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville and discouraged people seeking credit in those communities from obtaining home loans. Ameris’ home mortgage lending was focused disproportionately on white areas of Jacksonville while other lenders generated applications in majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods at three times the rate of Ameris. Although Ameris operates 18 branches in Jacksonville, Ameris has never operated a branch in a majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhood in the city.
The neighborhoods that the Department alleges Ameris redlined in Jacksonville are some of the same neighborhoods that were first redlined by Home Ownership Loan Corporation maps in the 1930s.
“Combating modern day redlining is one of the most important strategies for ensuring equal economic opportunity today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By taking on the discriminatory lending practices of banks and mortgage companies, we are helping to ensure that more Black, Hispanic, and other communities of color are able to buy a home, generate wealth, and fulfill the American Dream. This settlement marks a new pinnacle in our efforts to bring an end to redlining and provides tangible relief to communities that have been starved of access to credit for far too long.”
“For far too long, redlining has negatively impacted communities of color across our country,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Today’s agreement with Ameris Bank represents the first redlining case brought by the Department of Justice in the state of Florida and signals a step forward for Black and Hispanic communities in Jacksonville that were previously denied access to economic resources for generations. This settlement means that Ameris Bank will provide financial remedies to Jacksonville’s underserved communities, and it demonstrates our commitment to guaranteeing equal access to housing and credit resources for all Americans.”
Under the proposed consent order, which is subject to court approval, Ameris Bank will invest $9 million to increase credit opportunities for communities of color in Jacksonville. Specifically, Ameris will:
-
Invest $7.5 million in a loan subsidy fund that will be made available to residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods and those seeking credit in those communities.
-
Invest $900,000 for advertising and outreach targeted toward the residents of these neighborhoods.
-
Invest $600,000 to develop community partnerships to provide services that increase access to residential mortgage credit.
-
Open a new branch in a majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Jacksonville.
-
Ensure that at least three mortgage loan officers are dedicated to serving majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods.
-
Retain a consultant to assess the bank’s compliance management system as it pertains to redlining risk.
-
Employ a full-time Director of Community Lending who will oversee the continued development of lending in majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville.
Ameris is working cooperatively with the Department to address the credit needs of residents in majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Jacksonville. Beyond the agreement, Ameris has committed to expanding its lending services across its markets to underserved communities.
Additional information about the Department’s fair lending enforcement can be found at www.justice.gov/crt/fair-lending-program-0. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.
View the complaint here.
View the consent order here.
View Exhibit A here.
View Exhibit B here.
View Exhibit C here.
View Exhibit D here.
View Exhibit E here.
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El Departamento de Justicia alcanza un hito importante en su Iniciativa para Combatir la Exclusión Financiera después de conseguir más de $107 millones en ayuda para comunidades de color por todo el paísRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que su Iniciativa para Combatir la Exclusión Financiera ha obtenido más de $107 millones de ayuda para comunidades de color por todo el país que han sido discriminadas por parte de bancos u otras empresas de préstamos hipotecarios. Como parte de los $107 millones, el Departamento también anunció un acuerdo de $9 millones con Ameris Bank para resolver las alegaciones de que Ameris incurrió en un patrón o una práctica de exclusión financiera en barrios predominantemente negros e hispanos en Jacksonville, Florida. La exclusión financiera es una práctica ilícita en la que los prestamistas evitan la provisión de servicios crediticios a individuos que viven en comunidades de color por motivos de la raza, el color de piel o el origen nacional de los residentes de esas comunidades.
“Como deja claro el caso de hoy, la exclusión financiera no es solo una reliquia del pasado”, comentó el Fiscal General Merrick B. Garland. “Por eso, este mes celebramos el segundo aniversario del lanzamiento por parte del Departamento de Justicia de la Iniciativa para Combatir la Exclusión Financiera y, una vez que se apruebe el acuerdo de hoy, esa Iniciativa habrá obtenido más de $100 millones para comunidades por todo el país que han sido perjudicadas por prácticas de préstamos discriminatorias. Este trabajo es solo el principio: el Departamento de Justicia actualmente tiene más de veinte investigaciones activas sobre la exclusión financiera que abarcan barrios por todo el país”.
En octubre del 2021, el Fiscal General Garland anunció la Iniciativa para Combatir la Exclusión Financiera, el esfuerzo de ejecución coordinado más agresivo del Departamento para abordar la exclusión financiera. El Departamento ha colaborado con Fiscalías Federales, agencias reguladoras financieras federales, incluida la Oficina para la Protección Financiera del Consumidor, y fiscales generales estatales para hacer cumplir las leyes federales de préstamos justos que prohíben la exclusión financiera, incluyendo la ley de Vivienda Justa y la ley de Igualdad de Oportunidades Crediticios. Desde el año 2021, el Departamento ha logrado 10 acuerdos conciliatorios con bancos e instituciones de préstamos hipotecarios para proporcionar oportunidades crediticios a comunidades de color en Houston, Memphis, Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, Newark, Los Angeles, Columbus, Tulsa, Rhode Island y ahora Jacksonville. Estos acuerdos han proporcionado millones de dólares a comunidades que han sido víctimas de la exclusión financiera y han ayudado a hacer que el sueño de ser propietario de una casa sea una realidad para las familias de color a las que se les ha denegado, de forma injusta, el acceso al crédito.
Acuerdo con Ameris Bank
La resolución con Ameris Bank se presentó hoy en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito para el Distrito Centro de Florida, junto con la queja del Departamento, y queda sujeta a la aprobación del tribunal. La queja del Departamento alega que, del 2016 hasta el 2021, Ameris Bank evitó la provisión de servicios hipotecarios en barrios de mayoría negra e hispana en Jacksonville y desalentaba a las personas que buscaban crédito en esas comunidades de obtener préstamos hipotecarios. Los préstamos hipotecarios de Ameris se centraron, de manera desproporcionada, en áreas blancas de Jacksonville, mientras que otros prestamistas generaron solicitudes en barrios de mayoría negra e hispana a un ritmo tres veces superior a Ameris. Aunque Ameris opera 18 sucursales en Jacksonville, Ameris nunca ha operado una sucursal en un barrio de mayoría negra e hispana en la ciudad.
Los barrios en los que el Departamento alega que Ameris practicó la exclusión financiera en Jacksonville son algunos de los mismos barrios que fueron víctimas de la exclusión financiera por primera vez en los mapas de la Home Ownership Loan Corporation [Corporación de Préstamos para Propietarios] en los años 1930.
“La lucha contra la exclusión financiera contemporánea es una de las estrategias más importantes para garantizar la igualdad de oportunidades económicas hoy en día”, comentó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Al enfrentarse a las prácticas discriminatorias de préstamos de bancos y compañías hipotecarias, estamos ayudando a asegurar que más comunidades negras, hispanas y otras comunidades de color puedan comprar una casa, generar riqueza y alcanzar el sueño americano. Este acuerdo marca una nueva cumbre en nuestros esfuerzos por poner fin a la exclusión financiera y proporciona un alivio tangible a las comunidades que han estado privadas de acceso al crédito durante demasiado tiempo”.
“Durante demasiado tiempo, la exclusión financiera ha tenido un impacto negativo en las comunidades de color por todo nuestro país”, dijo el Fiscal Federal Roger B. Handberg para el Distrito Centro de Florida. “El acuerdo de hoy con Ameris Bank representa el primer caso de exclusión financiera presentado por el Departamento de Justicia en el estado de Florida y señala un paso adelante para las comunidades negras e hispanas en Jacksonville a las que, durante generaciones, se les había denegado el acceso a recursos económicos. Este acuerdo significa que Ameris Bank proporcionará recursos financieros a las comunidades desatendidas de Jacksonville y demuestra nuestro compromiso de garantizar un acceso igualitario a la vivienda y los recursos crediticios para todos los estadounidenses”.
En virtud de la orden de consentimiento propuesta, que queda sujeta a la aprobación del tribunal, Ameris Bank invertirá $9 millones para aumentar las oportunidades crediticias para las comunidades de color en Jacksonville. En concreto, Ameris:
- Invertirá $7.5 millones en un fondo de subsidios para préstamos que se pondrá a disposición de los residentes de barrios de mayoría negra e hispana y de aquellos que buscan crédito en esas comunidades.
- Invertirá $900,000 en publicidad y proyección dirigidas a los residentes de estos barrios.
- Invertirá $600,000 para desarrollar asociaciones comunitarias para proporcionar servicios que aumenten el acceso al crédito hipotecario residencial.
- Abrirá una nueva sucursal en un barrio de mayoría negra e hispana en Jacksonville.
- Asegurará que al menos tres agentes de crédito hipotecario estén dedicados a servir a barrios de mayoría negra e hispana.
- Contratará a un asesor para que evalúe el sistema de gestión de cumplimiento del banco en lo que se refiere al riesgo de la exclusión financiera.
- Empleará a un Director de Préstamos Comunitarios a tiempo completo que supervisará el desarrollo continuo de préstamos en barrios de mayoría negra e hispana en Jacksonville.
Ameris está trabajando en cooperación con el Departamento para abordar las necesidades crediticias de los residentes de barrios de mayoría negra e hispana en Jacksonville. Más allá del acuerdo, Ameris se ha comprometido a expandir sus servicios crediticios en todos sus mercados a comunidades desatendidas.
Puede encontrar información adicional sobre la aplicación de las leyes de préstamos justos del Departamento en www.justice.gov/crt/fair-lending-program-0. Para informarnos de incidentes de discriminación en el ámbito crediticio, llame a la línea informativa del Departamento de Justicia para discriminación en la vivienda al 1‑833‑591‑0291 o entregue un informe en línea.
Vea la queja aquí.
Vea la orden de consentimiento aquí.
Winter Garden Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Receipt of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Michael Remaley (22, Winter Garden) to 40 years in federal prison for the production and receipt of child sex abuse material. Remaley had pleaded guilty on July 18, 2023.
According to court documents, over the course of a two-week span, Remaley used the application Snapchat to entice a 14-year-old girl to send him sexually explicit videos of herself. Remaley also shared with a second Snapchat user several media files depicting child sex abuse material, including a video of a female child between the ages of five and eight years old being sexually abused.
“Removing predators like Remaley from society and away from victimizing young children will always be a focus of our HSI special agents,” said HSI Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “This significant sentence is a testament to our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Together, we’ll continue to protect our most vulnerable from becoming lifetime victims.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
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 Attorney’s 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.
Two Lakeland Men Plead Guilty to Federal Charges in Connection with Drive-By Shooting of 11 Men in LakelandRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Nicholas Quinton Hanson (31, Lakeland) and Marcus Dewonn Mobley, Jr. (23, Lakeland) have pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition, and possessing a firearm and ammunition, respectively, as convicted felons. Each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not yet been set.
According to the plea agreements, on January 30, 2023, 11 individuals were shot in a drive-by shooting carried out from a blue Nissan Altima near Iowa Avenue and Plum Street in Lakeland. Mobley owned a blue Nissan Altima. Evidence collected from Hanson and Mobley’s cellphones showed they communicated prior to, and after, the shooting. Hanson and Mobley’s DNA was recovered from spent shell casings found at the scene of the shooting. At the time, Hanson and Mobley both had prior felony convictions and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) unit of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Lakeland Police Department, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and the State Attorney’s Office for Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
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 Felon Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Carvia Harris (35, Tampa) to two years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Harris had pleaded guilty on May 9, 2023.
According to court documents, Harris, a multi-time convicted felon, fled from a traffic stop involving a stolen car in Hillsborough County. The vehicle was driven by a known fentanyl trafficker, Randell Love, who later pleaded guilty to federal armed fentanyl trafficking charges arising from a separate incident. Deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office recovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number from a bag inside the car. A crime scene technician processed the firearm and magazine for fingerprints. A print on the magazine was comparable and came back as a match to Harris. As a convicted felon, Harris is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Christopher F. Murray.
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.
Moldovan Charged, Arrested, and Extradited for Administration of Site Involved in the Illicit Sale of Compromised Computer CredentialsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg, along with Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the IRS - Criminal Investigation Washington DC Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI - Tampa Division, announces today the extradition and removal from the United Kingdom of Sandu Diaconu (31, Moldova) for crimes related to his administration of the E-Root Marketplace, a website that operated for years and was used to sell access to compromised computers worldwide, including servers belonging to companies and individuals in the United States. Diaconu had his initial appearance and arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson on October 16, 2023.
According to the indictment, Diaconu has been charged (along with a sealed co-defendant) with conspiracy to commit access device and computer fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, access device fraud, and computer fraud. If convicted on all counts, Diaconu faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Diaconu that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture relating to the proceeds of and used in the charged criminal conduct.
Seizure orders were executed against the domain names of the E-Root Marketplace and a public takedown notice was issued at the end of 2020. Diaconu was arrested while attempting to leave the United Kingdom in May 2021. In September 2023, after Diaconu consented, the Westminster Magistrates’ Court ordered Diaconu to be extradited to the United States to face the outstanding charges.
According to court documents, the E-Root Marketplace operated across a widely distributed network and took steps to hide the identities of its administrators, buyers, and sellers. Buyers could search for compromised computer credentials on E-Root, such as RDP and SSH access, by desired criteria such as price, geographic location, internet service provider, and operating system. The Marketplace also used Perfect Money, an online payment system, to help conceal buyers’ payments. It also offered its illicit cryptocurrency exchange service for the purpose of converting Bitcoin to Perfect Money and vice-versa. This exchange was also seized.
Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, authorities believe that more than 350,000 compromised computer credentials were listed for sale on the Marketplace. The victims span the globe and all industries, including a variety of businesses and firms, as well as at least one local government agency in Tampa. Many victims were subject to ransomware attacks, and some of the stolen credentials listed on the Marketplace were linked to stolen identity tax fraud schemes.
The U.S. investigation was led by the IRS - CI Cyber Crimes Unit (Washington, D.C) and the FBI - Tampa Division. Substantial assistance was provided by the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, IRS-CI and FBI International Operations at Mission UK, the United Kingdom’s National Extradition Unit, the United Kingdom’s Central Authority, and the United States Marshals Service, Tampa Field Office. The criminal investigation is being overseen by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Jones and Daniel Marcet. The asset forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
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.
Jena Medical Group, LLC, Its Principals and Physician Agree to Pay over $1.7 Million to Settle False Claims Act Liability for Improperly Performed ProceduresRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that Jena Medical Group, LLC, Benjamin Weiss, Moishe Hoffman, and Jason Schultz have agreed to pay the United States $1,724,986.08 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicare and TRICARE for radiofrequency ablations that were performed by an unqualified technician.
According to the settlement agreement, Jena Medical, through its principals, Benjamin Weiss, Moishe Hoffman, and through Dr. Jason Schutlz, billed Medicare and TRICARE for radiofrequency ablations that were not medically necessary, not provided by a qualified provider, or both, during the period from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020. According to the allegations, patients referred to the unqualified technician as “doctor” and were led to believe he was qualified to perform their procedures. Jena Medical also permitted the washing and re-use of catheters that were designed for a single use.
“Protecting Medicare and TRICARE patients is paramount,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “This civil settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to hold accountable those who abuse the nation’s healthcare programs at the expense of the taxpayers.”
“Allegations of health care providers billing our federal health care programs for unnecessary services is of deep concern, especially if such services could potentially cause harm to patients,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Julie Rivera of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect the health of patients and the integrity of the federal health care programs serving them.”
“When actors within our health care system are focused on profit rather than patient care, it undermines the integrity of the medical decision-making process,” stated Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones, DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “ DCIS will continue to work with our investigative partners to protect the funding entrusted to the Defense Health Agency which serves our military members and their families.”
The settlement concludes a lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Relator Michael Lomonaco, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and former employee of Jena Medical. Dr. Lomonaco 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 $300,000 of the proceeds from the settlement with the defendants.
This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor 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 case is captioned United States ex rel. Lomonaco v. Jena Medical Group, LLC et al., Case No. 6:20-cv-312-ORL-WWB. The settlement resolves the United States’ claims in that case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Threatening Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jeziah Guagno (23) has pleaded guilty to mailing threatening communications to a federal judge. Guagno faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents, in May 2021, a federal judge in the Middle District of Florida received a threatening letter from M.S.—an inmate at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution. The letter included violent threats to murder the judge and his wife. When interviewed, M.S. denied making the threats. Guagno, however, was also serving time in the same Florida prison as M.S. A subsequent DNA and fingerprint analysis by the FBI determined that Guagno’s DNA was on the envelope and his palmprint was on the letter. Known handwriting samples from Guagno also matched the handwritten threats in the letter. Further investigation revealed that the federal judge who had been threatened in the letter previously had dismissed a civil case filed by Guagno.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Corrections. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.
Del Rio Armed Career Criminal Pleads Guilty to Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kenneth Lorenzo Jackson (48, Del Rio) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jackson faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in federal prison under the Armed Career Criminal Act. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Jackson was indicted on September 7, 2022, in a separate federal case charging him with possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Because of that indictment, Jackson was the subject of a federal arrest warrant. On October 18, 2022, officers from the Tampa Police Department were patrolling the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa when they encountered Jackson walking along the street. The officers were familiar with Jackson and were aware of his outstanding arrest warrant. When the officers arrested Jackson, they recovered a loaded firearm (Phoenix Arms HP22A .22 caliber pistol) that was tucked in the front waistband of his pants. The officers also found a crack rock in his pocket and a small quantity of MDMA. Jackson later admitted to possessing the firearm for two weeks for protection.
Jackson has multiple prior felony convictions for drug offenses and is therefore prohibited from carrying a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Shauna S. Hale.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Armed Hillsborough County Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Randell Alexander Love (48, Hillsborough County) to 25 years in federal prison for possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence consists of 20 years’ imprisonment on the fentanyl charge and a consecutive five-year sentence for the firearm offense. Love had pleaded guilty on July 31, 2023.
According to court documents, Love was a prolific and violent fentanyl trafficker who carried a loaded firearm to conduct and protect his illicit drug business. Love used violence and intimidation to resolve disputes with his drug suppliers and customers, and to keep them in line. He harmed others to get his way. For example, he punched a potential witness against him in the face, knocking her teeth out. The woman subsequently died of a fentanyl and heroin overdose. Love pistol-whipped one of his drug sources of supply and also battered a man with a metal pipe. Love trafficked enough fentanyl to kill 45,000 people.
During a traffic stop on October 5, 2021, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a car driven by Love, and subsequently found and seized nearly an ounce of fentanyl and a loaded 9mm handgun.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
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.
Starke Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft of MailRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia M. Howard has sentenced Connor Lee Austin (31, Starke) to 18 months in federal prison for theft of mail. His term of imprisonment will run consecutive to his current sentence of 36 months in Florida State Prison. Austin’s co-defendant, Maranda Ann Stewart (26, Starke), was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison for theft of mail. The court ordered the pair to pay restitution to the victims in the case. Stewart had pleaded guilty on June 27, 2023, and Austin had pleaded guilty on July 12, 2023.
According to court documents and public records, in late April 2022, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) received multiple reports of mail being stolen from mailboxes in the Keystone Heights area. Surveillance footage from homes in that area captured a truck containing two individuals driving down roads and stealing mail from mailboxes. Law enforcement subsequently identified the driver as Stewart and Austin as the passenger. On May 6, 2022, the Baker County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) arrested Austin and Stewart for their involvement with a fraudulent check. During the arrest, the BCSO conducted an inventory search of the truck used by Stewart and Austin and located more than 100 pieces of mail that had been stolen from various addresses in Clay County.
Follow up investigation by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service – Jacksonville Office determined that after stealing mail, Austin and Stewart used Austin’s phone in an effort to deposit stolen checks into their bank accounts through mobile deposit. They also obtained funds by forging signatures on checks stolen from the mail and subsequently cashing the fraudulent checks. Law enforcement recovered mail stolen by Austin and Stewart from Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, and Putnam Counties.
Austin appeared in federal court on April 19, 2023, pursuant to a writ bringing him to Jacksonville from Florida State Prison where he is serving a prison sentence of 36 months for grand theft, grand theft from a dwelling, and burglary. The Court ordered Austin detained. After initially releasing Stewart, the court ordered her detained on August 15, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service – Jacksonville Office with valuable assistance from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Orlando Man Indicted for Possessing and Receiving Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Pietro Devine (37, Orlando) with three counts of receiving child sex abuse material and one count of possessing child sex abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Devine faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Devine that the United States intends to forfeit certain digital media devices, which are alleged to have been used by him to commit the offenses with which he is charged.
According to the indictment, Devine received child sex abuse material on August 21, September 3, and September 8, 2023, and possessed child sex abuse material on September 14, 2023.
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 Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.
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 Attorney’s 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.
Middle District of Florida Task Force Continues to Combat COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved by the Middle District of Florida’s efforts to combat fraud related to COVID-19. Those efforts have included complementary actions by the United States Attorney’s Office’s (USAO-MDFL) Criminal, Asset Recovery, Appellate, and Civil Divisions, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
“The Middle District of Florida United States Attorney’s Office continues to pursue, investigate, prosecute, and recover money from those who were engaged in major or sophisticated fraud schemes designed to steal benefits intended for Americans coping with the myriad impacts of the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg.
On the criminal enforcement front, the USAO-MDFL and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combined resources in March 2020 to form the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since its inception, the Task Force has prosecuted 73 defendants for fraud schemes designed to exploit federal programs including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), Unemployment Insurance (UI), the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP), the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), as well as government Healthcare programs such as Medicare (HCF). Collectively, these defendants sought to defraud the United States of over $83 million. Fifty-three of those defendants have already been found guilty, while prosecution remains pending against 20 defendants. (See chart for criminal case details.) In fiscal year 2023, the Task Force indicted 24 COVID-19 fraud related cases in which defendants sought to obtain more than $14 million from the various federal programs.
For example, in September 2023, Jordan Ross was indicted on charges relating to EIDL and PPP applications he submitted. During the pandemic, Ross applied for 3 EIDLs and 5 PPP loans. Ross made numerous false statements in these applications including misrepresenting the number of employees, submitting fake tax documents, and submitting fake invoices. Ross’s false and fraudulent representation caused the SBA and PPP lender to approve and fund 1 EIDL and 2 PPP loans totaling over $800,000. Ross used these funds for his personal benefit, allegedly purchasing a vehicle with the fraudulent funds amongst other items.
In another matter, U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Alexander Leszczynski (24, North Redington Beach) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for three different fraud schemes (one of which including a fraudulent PPP loan) in which he attempted to obtain more than $10 million from the U.S. government, financial institutions, and individual victims.
In a case handled by the Civil Division, Victory Automotive Group, Inc. (VAG) agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by providing false information in support of PPP loan forgiveness application. Only small businesses are eligible for PPP loans. Whether an applicant qualifies as a small business is determined by assessing the employees, revenues, or net worth of the applicant along with any other corporate affiliates that share common operational control. VAG’s application for a PPP loan certified it was a small business with fewer than 500 employees. However, VAG shared common operational control with dozens of automobile dealerships across the country, and VAG and its affiliates had more than 3,000 employees. For that reason, VAG should have known that VAG was ineligible for the $6,282,362 PPP loan it received, which was later forgiven in full.
Further, the USAO-MDFL’s Asset Recovery Division and federal seizing agencies have completed the forfeiture of more than $17.2 million of EIDL, UI, and PPP funds that were fraudulently obtained, depriving the fraudsters of their ill-gotten gains and recovering the proceeds for the victims. More than $18 million in additional pandemic fraud proceeds have been seized and are pending civil or criminal forfeiture.
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. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Through the PPP, the federal government authorized over $600 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The EIDL program provides economic relief to small businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. The MSLP provided support to small and medium-sized businesses and their employees across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. UI programs provided unemployment benefits to eligible workers who became unemployed through no fault of their own.
The criminal cases charged by the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force have been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, the Department of Labor—Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Small Business Administration, the Small Business Administration—Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board—Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Winter Park Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys throughout the Middle District of Florida.
The Department of Justice needs the public’s assistance in remaining vigilant and reporting suspected fraudulent activity. To report suspected fraud, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (“NCDF”) at (866) 720-5721 or file an online complaint at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Complaints filed will be reviewed at the NCDF and referred to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies for investigation.
United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida
COVID Fraud Criminal Cases
Charged Cases
Defendant(s) (Age)
Charge(s)
Max. Imprisonment
Type of Fraud*
Intended Loss
Amount
Tampa Division
Alexander Alli
Wire fraud conspiracy
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL
$80k
Ellyn Pinkney
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL
$40k
Kieanna Garrett
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL
$40k
Nicole Bramble-King
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$40k
Mehdi Tazi
Conspiracy
Maximum Prison Term: 5 years
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Aggravated identity theft
Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
UI
$1.5M
Modupe Ogundele
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$20k
Jalissa McDuffy
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$41k
Devontaie Deravil
Aggravated identity theft
Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
Access device fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
UI
$480k
Jordan Ross
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
EIDL/PPP
$1.3M
Demarius Wilson
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$18K
These COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Rachel Jones, Tiffany Fields, Greg Pizzo, Candace Rich, Jennifer Peresie, and Michael Kenneth
Orlando Division
Evan Edwards
Joshua Edwards
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
Bank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
Visa fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 10 years
False statements
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
PPP
$8M
Emmet Bowens
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
PPP
$740k
Latresia Wilson
False Statements
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
HCF
$2.6M
These COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by AUSAs Kara Wick and Amanda Daniels
Jacksonville Division
Deconna Burke
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$20k
These COVID Fraud cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSA Kevin Frein
Fort Myers Division
Venera Price
Mail fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
ERAP
$82k
Timothy Jolloff
Lisa Jolloff
Wire Fraud (T. Jolloff only)
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Money laundering
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
PPP/EIDL
$3.4M
Diop McKenzie
Bank Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
Wire Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Aggravated Identity Theft
Maximum: Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
EIDL/PPP
$237K
These COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSA Yolande Viacava and Trent Reichling
Ocala Division
Henry Wade
Wire Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
EIDL
$500k
This COVID Fraud case from the Ocala Division is being handled by AUSA Hannah Nowalk
Adjudicated Cases
Tampa Division
Joseph Abdo
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Illegal monetary transactions
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
PPP
$500k
Keaujay Hornsby
Racketeering conspiracy
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Aggravated identity theft
Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
Access device fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
UI
$3M
Kareem Spann
Racketeering conspiracy
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Aggravated identity theft
Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
Access device fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
UI
$3M
Marqus Willard Johnson
Bank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years
Money laundering
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$500k
Charles Cunningham
Bank fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
PPP
$800k
These COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Rachel Jones, Diego Novaes, Tiffany Fields, Jennifer Peresie, and Greg Pizzo, and DOJ Trial Attorney John Scanlon
Orlando Division
Joseph Faubert
Bank Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 years
PPP
$778k
This COVID Fraud case from the Orlando Division is being handled by AUSAs Chauncey Bratt
Jacksonville Division
Kenneth Landers
Wire Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Money Laundering
Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years
PPP
$1.4M
Christopher Daragjati
Wire fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
Theft of government funds
Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years
Aggravated identity theft
Maximum: Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive
PPP
$150k
These COVID Fraud cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSA Kevin Frein and Michael Coolican
Ocala Division
Passion Jackson
Wire Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$20K
These COVID Fraud cases from the Ocala Division are being handled by AUSA Hannah Nowalk
Fort Myers Division
Ismaelle Manuel
Bank Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years
Wire Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$280k
Denis Casseus
Bank Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years
Wire Fraud
Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years
PPP
$298k
These COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSA Yolande Viacava
Sentenced Cases
Tampa Division
Alexander Leszczynski
Wire fraud, bank fraud, illegal monetary transactions
Sentence Imposed: 17 and ½ years in federal prison
PPP
$1.1M
Louis Thornton, III
Wire Fraud
Sentence Imposed: 42 months in federal prison
EIDL/PPP
$815k
Kary Stevenson
Corey Quinn
Conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 5 years, 10 months in federal prison (Stevenson)
Sentence Imposed:7 years in federal prison (Quinn)
UI
$1M
Bridgitte Keim
Bank fraud
Sentence Imposed: 2 years in federal prison
PPP
$588k
Wayne Ganaway
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 4 years in federal prison
EIDL
$300k
Eriaius Bentley
Racketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud
Sentence Imposed: One year in federal prison
UI
$3M
Rolanda Wingfield
Access device fraud, Aggravated identity theft
Sentenced Imposed: 3 years in federal prison
UI
$135k
Tywon Spann
Racketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud
Sentence Imposed: 6 years and 9 months in federal prison
UI
$3M
Randy Jones
Wire fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 5 years and 1 month in federal prison
EIDL/UI
$250k
Julio Lugo
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence Imposed: 7 years and 6 months in federal prison
EIDL/PPP
$4.4M
Keith Nicoletta
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence Imposed: 24 months in federal prison
PPP
$1.9M
Rosenide Venant
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison
EIDL/PPP
$413k
Melinda Hernandez
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Wire fraud and aggravated identity theft
Sentence imposed: Three years and six months in federal prison
UI
$1.5M
Bri’antina Mills
Wire fraud and theft of government funds
Sentence imposed: 15 months in federal prison
$10K
Jorge Gutierrez Echeverria
Wire fraud
Sentence imposed: Two years and six months in federal prison
EIDL
$150k
Omar Esquivel Bello
Wire fraud
Sentence imposed: 15 months in federal prison
EIDL
$242k
Steve Moodie
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentence imposed: 5 years and 10 months in federal prison
UI
$1.5M
Richard Simpkins
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence imposed: 5 years and 10 months in federal prison
PPP
$1.9M
Devaris McClain
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, access device fraud
Sentence imposed: 5 years and 1 month in federal prison
UI
$85K
These COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division were handled by AUSAs Rachel Jones, Greg Pizzo, Tiffany Fields, Diego Novaes, Jennifer Peresie, and SAUSA Chris Poor
Orlando Division
Daniel Johnson
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, unlawful transfer of firearm
Sentence Imposed: 7 years, 6 months in federal prison
UI
$2.3M
Jacquavius Smith
Possession of short-barreled rifle; felon in possession of firearm; and aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 7 years, 1 month in federal prison
PPP
$10k
Johnson Eustache
Wire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison
EIDL/PPP
$2.2M
Joseph Harrison
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 12 months in federal prison
UI
$2.1M
Tomas Ziupsnys
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison
PPP
$2M
Holly Urban
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud
Sentence Imposed: 30 months in federal prison
PPP
$1.5M
Joel Greenberg
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and other offenses while on pretrial release
Sentence Imposed: 11 years in federal prison
EIDL
$430k
Don Cisternino
Wire fraud, illegal monetary transactions, and aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 8 years and 6 months in federal prison
PPP
$7.2M
Keith Ingersoll
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentence imposed: 9 years, 1 month in federal prison.
EIDL
$66k
Jaheim Davis
Access device fraud and aggravated identity theft
Sentence imposed: 3 years, 6 months in federal prison.
UI
$219k
Teresa McIntyre
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and other offenses
Sentence Imposed: 5 years’ probation
EIDL
$730k
Brian Blake
Possession of device-making equipment, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft
Sentence Imposed: 9 years and 8 months in federal prison
PPP/UI
$832k
These COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division were handled by AUSAs John Gardella, Amanda Daniels, Chauncey Bratt, Emily Chang, Shannon Laurie, and Jennifer Harrington, and U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg
Jacksonville Division
Jacob Byrd
Wire fraud
Sentence Imposed: probation
PPP
$10k
Desmond Williams
Wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud
Sentenced Imposed: 5 years’ probation
PPP
$40k
This COVID Fraud case from the Jacksonville Division was handled by AUSA Kevin Frein
Fort Myers Division
Casey Crowther
Bank fraud, false statement to a financial institution, illegal monetary transaction
Sentence Imposed: 3 years, 1 month in federal prison
PPP
$2.7M
Anthony Bruey
Amber Bruey
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, illegal monetary transactions
Sentence Imposed:
Anthony Bruey: 4 years, 3 months in federal prison
Amber Bruey: 4 years in federal prison
PPP/EIDL
$881k
Edrica Leann Watson
False statement to a lending institution
Sentence Imposed: 15 months in federal prison
PPP
$392k
Daniel Joseph Tisone
Wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person
Sentence Imposed: 7 years in federal prison
PPP/EIDL/MSLP
$10.7M
Liliana Gonzalez
Wire fraud
Sentence Imposed: 5 years of probation with 18 months of home confinement
PPP
$169k
Al Clint LaRoche
Bank fraud
Sentence Imposed: Two years in federal prison
PPP
$1M
These COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division were handled by AUSAs Trent Reichling, Michael Leeman, and Jesus M. Casas
Ocala Division
Lavelle Harris
Wire Fraud
Sentence Imposed: Two years and three months in federal prison
PPP
$1.2M
This COVID Fraud case from the Ocala Division was handled by AUSA Hannah Nowalk
Types of Fraud*
Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Unemployment Insurance (UI)
Main Street Lending Program (MSLP)
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
Health Care Fraud (HCF)
Middle District of Florida Fourth Quarter 2023 Prosecutions Reach 123 Firearms and Violent Crime Defendants as Part of Project Safe Neighborhoods StrategyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today the fourth quarter results of the Middle District of Florida’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) strategy. During the fourth quarter, ending on September 30, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has prosecuted 123 defendants for federal firearms and violent crime offenses. The prosecutions include defendants who have been indicted, pleaded guilty, been convicted at trial or who have been sentenced. In addition, law enforcement seized several silencers and hundreds of machine gun conversion devises. Over the last fiscal year, the United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted more than 250 defendants and seized approximately 400 firearms. (See chart for case details)
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also engaged in community outreach efforts aimed at violent crime prevention throughout the year. Specifically, re-entry program events this summer reached over 300 inmates and individuals recently released to the community.
“Our office is committed to reducing violent crime throughout the Middle District of Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners and community stakeholders as part of our joint effort to make our communities safer.”
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. This evidence-based program has proven to be effective at reducing violent crime by engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders working together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in communities and developing comprehensive solutions that reduce crime. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on prevention and intervention efforts through community engagement and problem-solving partnerships, strategic enforcement of the most violent offenders, and locally based re-entry programs to reduce recidivism.
MDFL PSN 4th Quarter Case Highlights
United States v. Louis Michael Pasquazzi (Ft. Myers)
In July 2022, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Louis Michael Pasquazzi. A search of the vehicle revealed two firearms, one under the driver’s seat and the other in the passenger side glovebox. Following the traffic stop, a search warrant was executed at Pasquazzi’s residence which resulted in the recovery of cocaine and fentanyl. Additionally, four firearms and ammunition were located inside the home. Pasquazzi, a 12-time convicted felon, qualified as an Armed Career Criminal and was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
United States v. Dwayne Eric Thompson (Jacksonville)
On July 11, 2023, a federal jury found Dwayne Eric Thompson guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Thompson faces a minimum mandatory maximum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 17, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial, on March 8, 2023, Thompson was arrested, pursuant to an outstanding warrant, by officers from the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office and his car was searched. A loaded pistol was recovered from the center console. During the search, Thompson and the other passengers denied knowledge and ownership of the firearm. DNA evidence presented at trial showed that Thompson’s DNA was present on the firearm and the loaded magazine. At the time he possessed the firearm, Thompson had multiple prior felony convictions and was on federal supervised release, having previously been convicted by a federal jury in 2010, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Thompson had previously been sentenced to over 14 years in federal prison and was released on November 20, 2022. As a convicted felon, Thompson is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. Thompson qualifies as an Armed Career Criminal based upon his past criminal record.
United States v. Kingsley Wilson and Viviana Rodriguez (Ocala)
On August 22, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a 39-count indictment charging Kingsley Wilson (35, Kissimmee) and Viviana Rodriguez (41, Kissimmee) with dealing in firearms without a license, making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL), and causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. If convicted, Wilson and Rodriguez each face 10 years in federal prison for each count of making a materially false statement to an FFL; a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment for dealing in firearms without a license; and 5 years in prison for each count of causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. According to evidence presented in court, between January 2022 and July 2023, Wilson purchased 89 firearms from multiple gun dealers in Florida. During that same period, Rodriguez purchased approximately 40 firearms, also from licensed gun dealers. While purchasing these firearms, Wilson and Rodriguez each falsely certified on ATF Form 4473s (Firearm Transaction Records) that they were the “actual transferee/buyer” of the firearms. Actually, they were purchasing the firearms for other individuals. Ten firearms purchased by Wilson have been recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes (including homicides) in the Bahamas and Canada. 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.
United States v. DaMarris Jean Saint-Juste, et al (Orlando)
In September 2023, DaMarris Jean Saint-Juste, Marcus Terrell Ellington, Jr., Nelson Ross Henderson, and Rodreakas Deshay Smith, Jr. were each sentenced to prison terms of between 10-17 years for their respective roles in a string of armed robberies throughout Orlando. In a series of eight armed robberies, the men entered convenience stores wearing masks and brandishing firearms to compel the employees to surrender cash, lottery tickets, and tobacco products. The robberies were investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and all four of the perpetrators were identified, charged, and convicted. Saint-Juste and Ellington fled Orlando and were apprehended by the FBI while hiding in North Carolina. A fifth participant, who was a juvenile when these crimes occurred, was prosecuted in state court.
United States v. Lemar Cowart and Armani Dilworth (Tampa)
On September 15, 2023, Lemar Cowart (27, St. Petersburg) was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and Armani Dilworth (28, St. Petersburg) was sentenced to 8 years and 10 months’ imprisonment for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on May 4, 2020, an eyewitness observed a car occupied by Dilworth and Cowart pull into oncoming traffic and shoot into the front of another vehicle. This action caused the other vehicle to retaliate, and a high-speed chase ensued. The car which Dilworth and Cowart occupied ultimately crashed into a gate at Azalea Middle School, and Cowart and Dilworth ran from the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, officers found cocaine, two substances containing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, alprazolam, oxycodone, amphetamine, buprenorphine, and cannabis. They also found indications of narcotics distribution, including plastic sandwich bags; two scales, scissors, smaller jewelry bags, and one firearm inside the vehicle. Dilworth’s and Cowart’s DNA were found on the firearm recovered in the vehicle.
These cases are being prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorneys in all five divisions throughout the Middle District of Florida. For additional information on Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit our website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/project-safe-neighborhoods-0.
Charged Cases
Defendant(s)
(Age)
Charges
Minimum/Maximum Terms of Imprisonment
Firearms Seized
Fort Myers Division
4th Quarter
Jimmy Derrick Diggs (57)
Possession of firearms and ammunition as an Armed Career Criminal
Minimum mandatory prison term:
15 years, up to life
2
Wyatt Henderson (64)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Coroy Flournoy (40)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
These PSN cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSAs Simon Eth.
Jacksonville Division
4th Quarter
Danny Ray Boree (38)
Angela Denee Lynch (47)
Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to 40 years
Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to 40 years
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Antonio Jose Melean Reyes (29)
Using common carrier to transport firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number
Maximum prison term: 5 years
Smuggling goods from the U.S.
Maximum prison term: 10 years
3
Jucory Randell Kirtsey (44)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Minimum mandatory prison term: 15 years, up to life
1
Brendon Bobby Brown (25)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Minimum mandatory prison: 15 years, up to life
1
Tyler Christian Parker-Rivero (24)
Conspiracy to distribute marijuana; distribution of marijuana; possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute
Maximum prison term: 5 years per count
Possession of a firearm during commission of a federal crime
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to life
6
Anthony Tyrone Mackey (40)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
2
Jason Dion Harris (42)
False statements to a firearms dealer
Maximum prison term: 5 years
0
Timothy Crowe (54)
False statements to a firearms dealer
Maximum prison term: 5 years
0
These PSN cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSAs Kevin Frein, Brenna Falzetta, John Cannizzaro, Frank Talbot and Aakash Singh.
Ocala Division
4th Quarter
Clinton Kaham (25)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Brady Kyle Milton Williams (27)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
2
Raymond Devon Haynes (33)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Kingsley Samuel Richard Wilson (35)
Viviana Rodriguez (41)
False statement to a firearms dealer
Maximum prison term: 10 years
Dealing in firearms without a license
Maximum prison term: 5 years
False statement in required information kept by a firearms’ dealer
Maximum prison term: 5 years
139
These PSN cases from the Ocala Division are being handled by AUSAs Hanna Nowalk, Sarah Swartzberg, and Belkis Crockett.
Orlando Division
4th Quarter
Antoine Johnson (44)
Possession of a firearm by an Armed Career Criminal
Minimum mandatory prison term 15 years, up to life
1
Robert Badders (33)
Receipt of child pornography
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to 20 years
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
2
Angel Ruben Hernandez, Jr. (75)
Failure to record firearms purchaser by FFL dealer
Maximum prison term: 5 years
9
Nicholas Brooks Race (40)
Bank robbery (two counts)
Maximum prison term: 20 years per count
0
Xavier Omar Hernandez-Gerena (34)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Ellis Dulaire (25)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Jose’Luis Gabriel Villanueva (31)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
4
These PSN cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by AUSAs Stephanie McNeff, Ranganath Manthripragada, Dana Hill, Michael Sartoian, Courtney Richardson-Jones, and Rachel Lyons.
Tampa Division
4th Quarter
Devon Floyd (31)
Hobbs Act robbery
Maximum prison term: 20 years
2
Stewart Walter Bachmann (55)
Unlicensed possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record
Maximum prison term: 10 years
4
Emmanuel Dourthe (24)
Brendan Wells (27)
Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances
Minimum mandatory prison term:
10 years, up to life
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to life
1
Sherron Gary (40)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Minimum mandatory prison term: 15 years, up to life
1
Reshay Rashard Nelson (43)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: life
1
These PSN cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Samantha Newman and Michael Kenneth.
Adjudicated Cases
Defendant(s)
(Age)
Charges
Minimum/Maximum Terms of Imprisonment
Firearms Seized
Fort Myers Division
4th Quarter
Brandon Albanito (37)
Possession of a firearm by convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
2
Steven Barnes (26)
Possession of a firearm by convicted felon.
Maximum prison term: 15 years
Possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number
Maximum prison term: 5 years
1
Manuel Copland (30)
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to life
3
Deshon Walker (27)
Possession of a firearm by convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Keith Drayton, Jr. (30)
Possession of a firearm by convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Marvin Harris (25) and
Latrel Jackson (26)
Conspiracy to commit interstate murder for hire, interstate murder for hire
Maximum prison term: life
2
Mar’tavious Brown (45)
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to life
1
Chester Risco, III (19)
Possession of a firearm by convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Robert Wright (21)
Possession of a machine gun
Maximum prison term: 10 years
1
These PSN cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSAs Simon Eth, Mark R. Morgan, and Michael Leeman.
Jacksonville Division
4th Quarter
Dwayne Eric Thompson (39)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Maisha K. Daniels (46)
Selling a stolen firearm
Maximum prison term: 10 years
1
Shawntae Jamell Clark (44)
Possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine
Maximum prison term: 10 years
Possession of a firearm as a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Edward Sherwood Gustafson, IV (30)
Possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to 40 years
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Lucas Shirley II (28)
Transferring short-barreled rifles not registered in the national firearms registration and transfer record
Maximum prison term: 10 years
29
Pocols Lashawn Jackson (39)
Illegal distribution of a controlled substance
Maximum prison term: 20 years
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Tony Kenneth Paul, Jr. (23)
Possession of a machine gun
Maximum prison term: 10 years
Possession with intent to distribute marijuana
Maximum prison term: 5 years
3
Pernell Dewayne Bodiford, Jr. (25)
False statements to a firearms dealer during firearm purchase
Maximum prison term: 10 years
0
Bronquell Aurion Hutchinson (24)
False statements to a firearms dealer during firearm purchase
Maximum prison term: 10 years
0
Mario Lenard Elbert (34)
Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
Maximum prison term: 20 years of
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to life
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
Possession of a machine gun
Maximum prison term: 10 years
2
Charles Hood (65)
Possession of an unregistered machinegun
Maximum prison term: 10 years
3
These PSN cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSAs John Cannizzaro, Michael J. Coolican, and Kevin Frein.
Ocala Division
4th Quarter
Christopher Worlds (36)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Eddie Lee Parks, III (24)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Brian David Casey (35)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
These PSN cases from the Ocala Division are being handled by AUSAs Tyrie K. Boyer, and
Hannah Nowalk.
Orlando Division
4th Quarter
Antione Oshea Ladson (29)
Possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana
Maximum prison term: 20 years
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Christian Arroyo-Rivera (30)
Possession of firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 10 years
Possession with intent to distribute cocaine
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to 40 years
1
Zachary Ramyard (22)
Conspiracy to rob a postal carrier, robbery of postal carrier
Maximum prison term: 35 years
0
Camilo Ignacio Vivas Sanchez (20)
Conspiracy to rob a postal carrier, robbery of postal carrier
Maximum prison term: 35 years
0
Jeremy Deion Middleton (24)
Receiving stolen firearms
Maximum prison term: 10 years
13
Terrell Anthony Robinson (36)
Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA
Maximum prison term: 20 years
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and Armed Career Criminal
Minimum mandatory prison term: 15 years, up to life
1
Allen Lee Glover (24)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
2
These PSN cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by AUSA David Pardo, Megan Testerman, Kara Wick, John Gardella, and Dana Hill.
Tampa Division
4th Quarter
Deandre Riviera Lopez (33)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Minimum mandatory prison term: 15 years, up to life
1
Antonio Brown (55)
Steve Jackson (41)
Conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery
Maximum prison term: 20 years
Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence
Mandatory minimum prison term: 7 years
1
Basilio Amaury Bron, Jr. (43)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 10 years
1
Randell Love (48)
Possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute
Maximum prison term: 20 years
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to life
1
Marquis Henry Mack (33)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Jonathan Kyle Eva (51)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years
1
Rodney Devon Jones (28)
Carjacking
Maximum prison term: 15 years
Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence
Minimum mandatory prison term: 7 years, up to life
1
Sean Peter Brewer (32)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Maximum prison term: 15 years of
Possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it
Maximum prison term: 20 years
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Minimum mandatory prison term: 5 years, up to life
1
Michael Edward Lindsey (47)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of controlled substance with the intent to distribute it
Under the Armed Career Criminal Act, the minimum mandatory prison term: 15 years, up to life
1
Michelle Denise Herds (45)
Possession of controlled substances with intent to sell; possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime
Maximum prison term: life
(1)
These PSN cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs David W.A. Chee, Charlie D. Connally, Michael Kenneth, Christopher F. Murray, Samantha Beckman, and David P. Sullivan.
Sentenced Cases
Defendant(s)
(Age)
Charges
Sentence Imposed
Firearms Seized
Fort Myers Division
4th Quarter
Travis Anderson (36)
Possession of firearms and ammunition by convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 9 years
4
Michael Karp (50)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Sentence imposed: 5 years
6
Shaborn Washington (25)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 9 years, 2 months
1
James Blanks (27)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 1 year
1
Samuel Bruner (37)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 15 years
3
Louis Pasquazzi (53)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by convicted felon
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substance.
Sentence imposed: 18 years
4
Javonte Whitfield (25)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 4 years, 9 months
1
These PSN cases from the Fort Myers Division were handled by AUSAs Simon Eth and Mark Morgan.
Jacksonville Division
4th Quarter
Dylan Milton Jarvis (31)
Unlawful possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act firearm (sawed-off shotgun)
Sentence imposed: 1 year, 4 months
1
Gregory Austin Eward (25)
Conspiracy to possess and transfer unregistered firearm silencers
Sentence imposed: 2 years
0
Antoine Danielle Pearson, Jr. (28)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 3 years, 1 month
1
Kristopher Justinboyer Ervin (43)
Matthew Hoover (43)
Conspiracy to transfer unregistered machineguns, transfer of unregistered machine guns, structuring withdrawals, possession of unregistered machine guns
Sentenced imposed (Ervin):
5 years, 8 months
Sentence imposed (Hoover):
5 years
0
Cody Mack McCormick (35)
Possession of ammunition by a convicted felon
Sentenced imposed: 1 year
0
Byron Jones (34)
False statements to a firearms dealer
Sentenced imposed: Time served plus 2 years’ supervised release
0
These PSN cases from the Jacksonville Division were handled by AUSAs John Cannizzaro, Michael Coolican, Kevin Frein, Laura Taylor, Kirwin Mike, Frank Talbot, and Cherie Krigsman.
Ocala Division
4th Quarter
David Robinson (24)
Possession of an unregistered NFA weapon
Sentence imposed: 18 months’ probation
1
Luis Alicea (29)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 2 years
1
Brandon Jamal Alex Grant (22)
Possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 3 years, 1 month
2
Wayne A. Phillips, Jr. (44)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 15 years
1
Antonio Eugene Brutton (35)
Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 16 years
2
Raeqwon Emmanuel Munnerlyn (27)
Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 18 years
1
Woodrow Milton Butler (40)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 7 years
1
These PSN cases from the Ocala Division were handled by AUSAs Sarah Swartzberg, William S. Hamilton, Hanna Nowalk, and Tyrie K. Boyer.
Orlando Division
4th Quarter
Anthony Quantarius Brooks (21)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 4 years
1
Michael Jerome Virgil (23)
Armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence
Sentence imposed: 10 years, 10 months
1
Robert J. Potocnack (48)
Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crimes
Sentence imposed: 15 years
2
Alvarez Caprio Cosby (25)
Desmond Nyshon Smith (18)
Possession of firearm as a convicted felon
Sentence imposed (Cosby): 3 years
Sentence imposed (Smith): 3 years
3
Rafick Gordon Gilpin (32)
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense
Sentence imposed: 10 years
1
Leo Lamar Massey, III (47)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 1 year
1
Jacoby Jules Colon (20)
Darius Rodney Capers (19)
Conspiracy to rob postal carriers, armed postal robbery, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence
Sentence imposed: 10 years
Conspiracy to rob postal carriers and attempted robbery of a postal carrier.
Sentence imposed: 4 years, 9 months
0
DaMarris Saint-Juste (20)
Marcus Ellington (22)
Nelson Henderson (21)
Rodreakas Deshay Smith, Jr. (19)
Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence
Sentence imposed (Saint-Juste):
17 years, 10 months
Sentence imposed (Ellington):
16 years
Sentence imposed (Henderson):
15 years, 6 months
Sentence imposed (Smith):
10 years, 6 months
1
Deontrae Walden (23)
Aqunis Green (24)
Bank burglary and bank theft in connection with the destruction of an ATM
Sentence imposed (Walden):
3 years, 6 months
Sentence imposed (Green):
1 year, 6 months
0
Bengie Emannual Silva-Ramos (31)
Unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms, transferring and possession of machine guns, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, possession of firearms in furtherance of the drug conspiracy
Sentence imposed: 7 years, 9 months
4
These PSN cases from the Orlando Division were handled by AUSAs. Courtney Richardson-Jones, Megan Testerman, John M. Gardella, Ranganath Manthripragada, Michael P. Felicetta, and Dana Hill.
Tampa Division
4th Quarter
Shawn Lanier Lowman, Jr. (23)
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 6 years, 6 months
1
Rafael Jose Gonzalez Alomar (39)
Possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute it
Sentence imposed: 7 years, 3 months
1
Dartis Cobb (35)
Possession of ammunition by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 4 years, 3 months
1
James John Hall (34)
Unlawfully making a firearm
Sentence imposed: 2 years, 3 months
1
Deion R. Brown (27)
Possession of a firearm by a felon
Sentence imposed: 15 years, 8 months
1
Johnathan Thuemler (32)
Possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 6 years, 5 months
1
Demetrius Lamar Rahmings (28)
Possession of a loaded firearm by a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 10 years
1
Jerome Miller, Jr. (39)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition as an Armed Career Criminal
Sentence imposed: 15 years
1
Lemar Cowart (27)
Armani Dilworth (28)
Possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute them
Sentence imposed: 12 years, 7 months
Possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute them and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Sentence imposed: 8 years, 10 months
1
Steve Jackson (41)
Conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence
Sentence imposed: 13 years, 6 months
1
Toney Dewayne Salter (30)
Possession of a firearm by convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 15 years
1
Marquvius Trevon Dixon (27)
Possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number; conspiracy to possess a firearm as a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 10 years
1
Terrance Paul Snow (22)
Possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon
Sentence imposed: 1 year, 9 months
1
These PSN cases from the Tampa Division were handled by AUSAs Charlie D. Connally, David W.A. Chee, Samantha Newman, Risha Asokan, Samantha Beckman, Shauna Hale, Maria Guzman, Michael Gordon, Michael Sinacore, and David P. Sullivan.
Federal Jury Convicts Maryland Man of Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found William Daniel Leonard (55, Maryland) guilty of using the internet and his cellphone to attempt to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Leonard faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison, as well as a potential life term of supervised release. Leonard was remanded into custody after the return of the verdict. His sentencing hearing in scheduled for January 4, 2024. Leonard was indicted on February 23, 2022.
According to evidence and testimony introduced during the two-day trial, on November 12, 2021, Leonard reached out to an undercover agent who was posing as the father of a 13-year-old daughter online. Leonard expressed interest in meeting the notional child for sex and spent the next three weeks planning his trip from Maryland to Florida. During the same time that he was making plans to come to Florida, Leonard was talking to two other minors online, a 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl.
Leonard traveled to North Carolina on November 19, 2021, to see the 14-year-old girl after deciphering her address from a digital photograph that she had sent to Leonard. On December 7, 2021, Leonard arrived in Florida with two boxes of condoms to meet the notional 13-year-old girl, where he was met by law enforcement officers and arrested.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie McNeff and Amanda Daniels.
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 Attorney’s 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.
Convicted Sex Offender in Orlando Charged with Distributing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Sean Calvin Ellixson (30, Orlando) with distribution of child sex abuse material. If convicted, Ellixson faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ellixson that the United States intends to forfeit certain digital media devices, which are alleged to have been used by him to commit the offense.
According to the indictment, Ellixson distributed child sex abuse material on September 7, 2023. Ellixson is also alleged to have a prior conviction involving child sex abuse material.
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 with valuable assistance from the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office (New York) . It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.
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 Attorney’s 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.
Brandon Man Indicted for Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Brandon Lewis Graham (42, Brandon) with distribution of a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl which resulted in an overdose death, and with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Graham faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for the distribution of cocaine and fentanyl resulting in death, and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession with intent to distribute offense. The indictment also notifies Graham that the United States intends to forfeit any assets, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, on March 30, 2022, Graham distributed a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl to an individual who died after ingesting the substance, and on August 3, 2022, Graham possessed fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
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 the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice A 15-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Victor Aguilar (31, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Aguilar 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 court documents, in May 2023, Aguilar responded to a social media posting from an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old child. Aguilar engaged in sexually oriented conversation, detailing for the undercover officer what he planned to do with the minor. The two discussed meeting locations, including a mall in the Ocala area. A few hours later, Aguilar told the undercover officer he had arrived at the mall in Ocala to meet with the minor. As Aguilar was waiting, deputies arrived and arrested him.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Secret Service, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Belkis H. Crockett and Tyrie K. Boyer.
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.
Del Rio Armed Career Criminal Pleads Guilty to Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kenneth Lorenzo Jackson (48, Del Rio) has pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Jackson faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in federal prison under the Armed Career Criminal Act. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to the plea agreement, on May 12, 2022, at approximately 3:45 a.m., a Tampa Police Department (TPD) patrol officer on patrol near Bush Boulevard and 14th Street North stopped Jackson, who was driving a grey Dodge Caliber, for not to wearing a seatbelt. The officer requested Jackson’s license, registration, and proof of insurance. Jackson grabbed a backpack from the passenger side footwell and searched for his documents. As the officer stood over the vehicle’s open window, he looked into the bag which Jackson was rummaging through and saw the handle of a firearm inside the bag. The officer reached into the vehicle to position the backpack opening towards the driver’s side window to confirm what he saw, then grabbed the backpack immediately from Jackson’s hands and Jackson was removed from the vehicle and detained by another TPD officer.
Officers discovered numerous plastic baggies containing a white rock-like substance in Jackson’s pocket during a safety pat down. The substance was Dimethylpentylone, a Schedule I controlled substance. Inside the backpack, officers discovered a Rohm Gesellschaft RG-12 .22 caliber firearm and six rounds of ammunition. An inventory search of the vehicle also revealed a metal box that contained a small amount of suspected cocaine and other drug paraphernalia.
Jackson is a multiple time convicted felon who has not had his right to own or possess firearms or ammunition restored, therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. At the time he committed this offense he knew that he was a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Shauna S. Hale.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Marion County Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Mario Jerard Delancy (33, Ocala) to 3 years and 1 month in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Delancy was also ordered to forfeit the firearm and ammunition from the offense. Delancy had pleaded guilty on May 8, 2023.
According to court documents, on June 4, 2022, an officer with the Ocala Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Delancy’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded firearm tucked under the driver’s seat. At the time of the offense, Delancy had a prior state conviction for felony battery. He is, therefore, prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Albanian National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Alban Lukaj (52, Albania) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after removal subsequent to a conviction for commission of an aggravated felony. Lukaj faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Lukaj is a native and citizen of Albania. In 2009, Lukaj was convicted of trafficking and conspiracy to traffic MDMA. In 2010, he was convicted of aggravated battery with a firearm. Due to his conviction for an aggravated felony, Lukaj received a permanent ban from the United States. On February 10, 2020, following his release from state prison, Lukaj was deported to Albania. Law enforcement officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami – Jacksonville sub-office subsequently learned that Lukaj had unlawfully returned to the United States and arrested him in Jacksonville on August 11, 2023.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
Wimauma Man Charged with Receiving and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging James Falzone (55, Wimauma) with receipt of child sex abuse material and possession of child sex abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Falzone faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on October 18, 2022, Falzone received a visual depiction of a minor being sexually abused. Additionally, Falzone possessed material that depicted young children being sexually abused.
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). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Ross Roberts.
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.
Victory Automotive Group Inc. Agrees to Pay $9 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
Port Richey, Florida-based automotive management company Victory Automotive Group Inc. (VAG) has agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly providing false information in support of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application it submitted.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized these businesses to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan funds on eligible expenses. Only small businesses were eligible for PPP loans. Whether an applicant qualified as a small business depended on various factors, including the number of employees, amount of revenues and net worth of the applicant, along with any other corporate affiliates that share common operational control. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications.
VAG’s application for a PPP loan certified it was a small business with fewer than 500 employees. However, VAG shared common operational control with dozens of automobile dealerships across the country, and VAG and its affiliates had more than 3,000 employees in total. For that reason, VAG was not eligible for the $6,282,362 PPP loan it received, which was later forgiven in full.
“PPP loans were intended to help small businesses during the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who undermined the purpose of the PPP program and knowingly obtained PPP funds for which they were not eligible.”
“Even though the PPP Program has ended, our mandate to investigate and redress the harm from improper PPP loans to companies and sole proprietors continues,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to seek repayment of those loans and, where appropriate, additional sanctions from applicants who obtained a loan to which they were not entitled.”
“This resolution demonstrates the department’s resolve in pursuing businesses that improperly received pandemic relief funds,” said Director Michael C. Galdo of the Justice Department's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement. “I want to thank the Small Business Association (SBA) and our law enforcement partners for their assistance with the Justice Department’s pandemic fraud enforcement efforts.”
“The settlement in this matter demonstrates the excellent results achieved through the combined efforts of SBA and the Department of Justice to uncover and forcefully respond to PPP misconduct,” said SBA General Counsel Therese Meers. “The federal government is strongly committed to identifying and aggressively pursuing any instances of fraud or misconduct within the Paycheck Protection Program.”
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the FCA, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Jones v. Victory Automotive Group, Inc, et al., No. 8:21-cv-1742 (M.D. Fla.). The whistleblower will receive a total of approximately $1.62 million in connection with the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and the SBA's Office of Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Benjamin C. Wei of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Saxe Griffin for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from Christopher J. McClintock of the SBA.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department 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, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Victory Automotive Group Inc. Agrees to Pay $9 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
Port Richey, Florida-based automotive management company Victory Automotive Group Inc. (VAG) has agreed to pay $9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly providing false information in support of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application it submitted.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized these businesses to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan funds on eligible expenses. Only small businesses were eligible for PPP loans. Whether an applicant qualified as a small business depended on various factors, including the number of employees, amount of revenues and net worth of the applicant, along with any other corporate affiliates that share common operational control. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications.
VAG’s application for a PPP loan certified it was a small business with fewer than 500 employees. However, VAG shared common operational control with dozens of automobile dealerships across the country, and VAG and its affiliates had more than 3,000 employees in total. For that reason, VAG was not eligible for the $6,282,362 PPP loan it received, which was later forgiven in full.
“PPP loans were intended to help small businesses during the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who undermined the purpose of the PPP program and knowingly obtained PPP funds for which they were not eligible.”
“Even though the PPP Program has ended, our mandate to investigate and redress the harm from improper PPP loans to companies and sole proprietors continues,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to seek repayment of those loans and, where appropriate, additional sanctions from applicants who obtained a loan to which they were not entitled.”
“This resolution demonstrates the department’s resolve in pursuing businesses that improperly received pandemic relief funds,” said Director Michael C. Galdo of the Justice Department's COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement. “I want to thank the Small Business Association (SBA) and our law enforcement partners for their assistance with the Justice Department’s pandemic fraud enforcement efforts.”
“The settlement in this matter demonstrates the excellent results achieved through the combined efforts of SBA and the Department of Justice to uncover and forcefully respond to PPP misconduct,” said SBA General Counsel Therese Meers. “The federal government is strongly committed to identifying and aggressively pursuing any instances of fraud or misconduct within the Paycheck Protection Program.”
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the FCA, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Jones v. Victory Automotive Group, Inc, et al., No. 8:21-cv-1742 (M.D. Fla.). The whistleblower will receive a total of approximately $1.62 million in connection with the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and the SBA's Office of Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Benjamin C. Wei of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Saxe Griffin for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from Christopher J. McClintock of the SBA.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department 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, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
SettlementTwo Members of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Heriberto Castillo (44, Denton, Texas) to seven years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. His co-conspirator, David Ceballos (27, Alvarado, Texas), was sentenced to three years and one month imprisonment for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Castillo had pleaded guilty on November 28, 2022, and Ceballos had pleaded guilty on June 5, 2023.
According to court documents, in the summer of 2021, Castillo was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy that was sending narcotics to the Middle District of Florida. On August 3, 2021, Castillo, while still in Texas, delivered approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine that was destined for the Middle District of Florida. Castillo then flew to Florida on multiple occasions to collect the proceeds, including to pick up a semi-truck tire that was supposed to contain over $400,000.
Also, according to court documents, in August 2021, Ceballos traveled from Texas to Bradenton to distribute approximately six kilograms of cocaine. On August 26, 2021, Ceballos was arrested in Bradenton while transporting the cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which 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 was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Diego F. Novaes.
Pain Clinic Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Drug Distribution, Money Laundering, and Filing A False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced Qing McGaha to seven years and eight months in federal prison for unlawful drug distribution, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. The court also ordered McGaha to forfeit an office condominium, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense, pay $100,000 in criminal fines, and $119,462.34 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. As part of her sentence, McGaha also forfeited $774,216.12 in cash seized from her residence and $170,512.34 seized from her two bank accounts, which were proceeds of her criminal conduct. A federal jury had found McGaha guilty on June 16, 2023.
According to court documents, McGaha was a Florida-licensed medical doctor who owned and operated MD Care Clinic, a pain management clinic in Hillsborough County. Over a 20-month period, undercover agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted numerous appointments with McGaha. At each appointment, they received hydrocodone, hydromorphone, or oxycodone, Schedule II controlled substances, not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice. Between January 2016 and January 2021, McGaha distributed more than 2.1 million opioid pills.
In addition, McGaha engaged in multiple monetary transactions over $10,000 in funds criminally derived from the operation of her clinic. She used these funds to purchase a piece of real property located in Clearwater and deposited the, into her bank account. In 2021, McGaha filed false and fraudulent tax forms for tax year 2020 that underreported MD Care’s gross revenue by nearly $300,000.
“Medical professionals who put personal profit over the safety and health of their patients by prescribing controlled substances without legitimate medical need violate both their oath to ‘do no harm’ as well as the Controlled Substances Act, ” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “This sentence is a testament to the DEA Miami Field Division’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue those medical professionals who violate the public’s trust and put our communities at risk.”
“Dr. McGaha greedily ignored her oath to put her patients first - she thought she could get away with using her pill mill to doctor scripts that put harmful drugs on the streets,” said Brian Payne, special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office. “To make matters worse, she then tried to evade her tax obligations by failing to report the fruits of her crimes to the IRS. The fall of another tax evading pill mill is a victory for all law enforcement involved.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration—Tampa District Office, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, the Lakeland Police Department, the Tampa Police Department, the Largo Police Department, and by the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office, which focuses on opioid-related fraud and abuse by medical and health care professionals who have contributed to the prescription opioid epidemic. This case was also part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Suzanne Nebesky.
Jacksonville Brothers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses and Ordered to Pay $141,000 in Restitution to VictimsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jonathan William Brown (26, Jacksonville) to five years in federal prison for receiving photos and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. His brother, Joshua Thomas Brown (28, Jacksonville), was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison for possessing similar illegal photos and videos. Jonathan Brown was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and pay $46,000 in restitution to child victims. The court ordered Joshua Brown to serve a 10-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and pay $95,000 in restitution to child victims.
Jonathan William Brown had pleaded guilty on March 16, 2023, and Joshua Brown had pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023. Both have been detained since their arrests on August 30, 2022.
According to court documents, in January 2022, an internet service provider documented several uploads of child sexual abuse material to a particular online account with the user name “Jonathan Brown” and other identifiers that were associated with this same name. These reports were forwarded to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office for investigation. The investigation revealed that at least one contraband file had been uploaded using an internet connection that resolved to Jonathan Brown’s residence in Jacksonville.
On July 8, 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), together with officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search warrant at Jonathan Brown’s residence. Jonathan Brown was at the residence. During the execution of this warrant, agents seized several electronic devices, including computers, cellphones, and storage media. During an interview with law enforcement, Jonathan Brown stated that he had downloaded child sexual abuse materials, he had started engaging in this conduct “a long time ago” when he was in middle school, and since then has been in a cycle of seeking such materials on the internet, downloading it, and then deleting it. Forensic analysis of his electronic devices revealed that Jonathan Brown had downloaded more than 400 photos and 10 videos of child sexual abuse materials, including photos depicting infants and toddlers being sexually abused.
Joshua Brown lived at the same residence and was present during the search on July 8, 2022. During an interview with law enforcement, Joshua Brown admitted that a particular cellphone that was seized belonged to him and that only he used it. Forensic analysis of this device revealed that it contained hundreds of image and video files of child sexual abuse material. Further investigation revealed that Joshua Brown possessed more than 2,100 videos and 600 photos depicting children being sexually abused that were recovered from his three cellphones, a gaming computer, an external hard disk drive, and his online cloud storage account.
“This disturbing investigation exposed the Brown brothers, who admittedly shared child sexual abuse materials on the internet for many years. These images included vile depictions of infants and toddlers being sexually abused,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to the law enforcement partnerships forged under the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, we were able to identify these brothers and put a stop to their victimization of our most vulnerable.”
These cases were investigated by the Northeast Florida INTECEPT Task Force, to include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. They were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Deterrio M. Young (29, Tampa) to 15 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Young to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. Young had pleaded guilty on February 2, 2023.
According to court documents, Young had previously been convicted of battery on a law enforcement officer, obstructing or opposing an officer with violence, and aggravated assault. On July 28, 2021, law enforcement received a call that Young had recently been in possession of a firearm. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, Young fled. After a short pursuit, Young was detained, and officers found a magazine in his possession with seven rounds of ammunition. Officers also located the firearm, and DNA from the firearm was later determined to be a match for Young.
As a previously convicted felon, Young is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Callan Albritton.
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.
Indian River County Man Who Committed Three Armed Robberies in Six-Day Spree in Melbourne and Orlando Sentenced to 17 YearsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Bernard Rogers (35, Sebastian) to 17 years in federal prison for committing armed robbery on July 14, 18, and 20, 2022. The court also ordered Rogers to forfeit $3,218 in cash and the firearm and ammunition possessed by Rogers when he was arrested. Rogers had pleaded guilty on June 8, 2023.
According to court documents, on Thursday, July 14, 2022, Rogers entered a Cracker Barrel in Melbourne and, after approaching the cashier with items to purchase, pointed a small black firearm at her and demanded money from the register. Rogers left the store with approximately $1,000 and fled from the scene in a vehicle that he had rented. On Monday, July 18, 2022, Rogers arrived at a Dollar General in Orlando, pointed a small handgun at the cashier, demanded all the money in the drawer, and told the cashier not to “try anything.” Rogers fled with $300 in his rental vehicle. On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, Rogers entered a T.D. Bank in Melbourne, showed his gun, and told the teller to empty his drawer and not do anything “stupid.” The teller gave Rogers more than $3,000, along with a concealed GPS tracker. Law enforcement located the tracker and after a short chase, Rogers was arrested in his rental getaway car with more than $3,000, the GPS tracker, and a black Ruger .380 firearm loaded with six bullets. License plate readers and other electronic information from Roger’s phone and rental car placed him at the scenes of all three robberies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Bradenton Felon Sentenced to Four Years for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Kranston Algeno Rolle (33, Bradenton) to four years in federal prison for firearms trafficking. Rolle had pleaded guilty on June 14, 2023.
According to court documents, on December 30, 2022, Rolle trafficked in and received multiple firearms, specifically: a Smith & Wesson Model SD9 VE 9mm caliber pistol, a Glock Model 45 .9mm caliber pistol and, a GForce Arms Model GF2P semi-automatic shotgun. Rolle discharged the firearms at a shooting range in Palmetto. Rolle had received the firearms knowing that receiving them would constitute a felony. Additionally, Rolle purchased a box of shotgun shells at the shooting range and signed a liability release form where he knowingly misrepresented his status as a convicted felon.
On March 17, 2022, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Rolle’s residence and located two firearms that matched the type used by Rolle to the shooting range on December 30, 2022. Rolle confirmed his identity in a video recording showing him discharging the firearms. He also confirmed his identity in a photograph showing him posing with one of the pistols. Rolle later admitted to using the pistols at the shooting range and having unlawfully received and fired the shotgun.
At the time of the offense, Rolle had multiple prior felony convictions including robbery, grand theft of a motor vehicle, felony battery, and fleeing and eluding a police officer. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and David P. Sullivan.
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.
Polk County Drug Trafficker Convicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Floyd Hintteon Green, Jr. (62, Winter Haven) has been found guilty, following a bench trial before United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber, of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Green faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 7, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Green was stopped by officers from the Winter Haven Police Department for an illegal tint violation. During a search of Green’s vehicle, K-9 units alerted their handlers to the presence of narcotics. The officers recovered a large toiletry bag containing approximately 437.2 grams of pure substance methamphetamine. Green later admitted to being a drug dealer, knowing the methamphetamine was present in the vehicle, and to selling it for approximately $2,600 per pound. Green also admitted to previously serving a sentence in Florida State Prison for drug trafficking.
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.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Winter Haven Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha J. Newman and David W.A. Chee.
North Redington Shores Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Alexander Leszczynski (24, North Redington Beach) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for three different fraud schemes in which he attempted to obtain more than $10 million. The court furthered ordered Leszczynski to forfeit the proceeds and facilitating property of the offense—$337,000—and ordered Leszczynski to pay a total of $621,000 in restitution to the victims of the offenses.
According to the court documents, Leszczynski used fictitious religious organizations—Love & Bliss, Aura, Inc., King Neptune, Inuyasha, Inc., Rhone, Inc., King Cobra, Inc., Tinnitus Institute of Love & Bliss, Inc., and King Country Road, Inc. entities—to engage in numerous frauds. The schemes included fraudulently applying for Payroll Protection Plan (“PPP”) loans totaling approximately $1.3 million, engaging in a check kiting scheme, and attempting to deposit more than $3 million of worthless checks into the Love & Bliss, Inc. business account. Leszczynski laundered the proceeds of the PPP and check kiting schemes through multiple accounts in an effort to conceal those proceeds from the United States and forestall its recovery. The United States ultimately seized $337,000 from an account Leszczynski controlled and, when he discovered that the money had been frozen, he attempted to have it released by producing a fabricated pardon purportedly signed by former President Donald Trump.
In a separate fraud scheme, Leszczynski filed fraudulent warranty deeds purporting to deed to himself and his businesses 10 properties around the United States collectively valued at more than $300 million. When property owners and attorneys attempted to correct the fraudulent deeds, Leszczynski responded by sending harassing and threatening letters, emails, and faxes. Among the victims of Leszczynski’s deed scheme were Victim 1 and Victim 2.
In April 2022, a grand jury in the Middle District of Florida charged Leszczynski with the PPP, check, and deed frauds, as well as multiple counts of money laundering in case United States v. Alexander Leszczynski, 8:22-cr-155-MSS-SPF. He was arraigned on May 17, 2022, and ordered detained.
In August 2022, the FBI became aware that while incarcerated at the Pinellas County Jail, Leszczynski sought out a hitman to kill Victim 1 and Victim 2. Leszczynski reported to a confidential informant that he had $45,000 hidden at his home available to pay someone to kill the victims. Leszczynski relayed to the confidential informant that his pending criminal case (the fraud case) would have to be dropped if the victims were dead. The confidential informant agreed to put Leszczynski in contact with a purported hitman, who was an undercover agent.
On September 8 and 9, 2022, Lesczcynski had calls with the undercover agent. Among other details, Leszczynski shared the names, addresses, physical descriptions, and approximate ages of Victim 1 and Victim 2, and provided additional details that would allow the undercover agent to find photographs of Victim 1 and Victim 2 online. Leszczynski also negotiated a price, settling on paying $30,000, and repeatedly assured the undercover agent that he wanted Victim 1 and Victim 2 dead.
Leszczynski pleaded guilty to both cases in November 2022. He later withdrew his plea in the murder-for-hire case, but again pleaded guilty in June 2023. Since he pleaded guilty to both cases, Leszczynski has written numerous letters—intercepted by the United States—attempting to solicit others to come forward and fraudulently take responsibility for his crimes.
Leszczynski’s sentencing in the murder-for-hire case is pending before U.S. District Judge James Moody, in case number 8:22-cr-155-MSS-SPF, on November 7, 2023, at 9:45 a.m.
The fraud case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Largo Police Department, the Indian Shores Police Department, and the Palm Beach Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones. The murder-for-hire case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
Cape Coral Man on Federal Supervised Release Carrying Tactical Swords, Nunchucks, and Loaded Firearm Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Basilio Amaury Bron, Jr. (43, Cape Coral) to five years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for violating his federal supervised release. Bron must serve his sentence for violating his supervised release consecutive to his sentence on the underlying federal charge.
According to court documents, at around 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 2022, Bron drove an SUV carelessly and in excess of 100 miles per hour northbound on Interstate 75 in Sarasota County near the Laurel Road exit. A Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped Bron’s vehicle for speeding. The deputy conducted a background check which revealed that Bron was a convicted felon and currently on federal supervised release in the Middle District of Florida. During the traffic stop, the odor of marijuana emanated from Bron’s vehicle, and two 20-inch tactical swords were visible near the driver’s seat and the driver’s door. Bron also admitted to having a firearm in the vehicle. The deputy located a SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol, loaded with seven rounds of ammunition, inside the vehicle’s center console and a bag containing 4 grams of marijuana. The deputy also recovered a pair of nunchucks from the driver’s seat pocket. Bron later admitted to ATF agents that he had possessed the firearm, handled it multiple times, and sold marijuana.
In 2016, Bron was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A Chee and Michael Kenneth.
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.
Alabama Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Transferring Machinegun Conversion Devices and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Ivan Hollingsworth (35, Florence, AL) to 10 years in federal prison for transferring machinegun conversion devices and theft of government funds. The court also ordered Hollingsworth to forfeit $46,426.91, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense involving the theft of government funds. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Hollingsworth to pay the same amount in restitution to the Social Security Administration. Hollingsworth had pleaded guilty on April 10, 2023.
According to the plea agreement, Hollingsworth manufactured and transferred hundreds of 3D printed auto sears, which are parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun. Hollingsworth advertised his 3D printing business through social media.
Between December 2021 and March 2022, Hollingsworth communicated with an undercover ATF agent and negotiated the sale and transfer of hundreds of auto sears, which he delivered from Alabama to Florida via the U.S. Postal Service.
On March 17, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Hollingsworth’s residence and located a machinegun, 111 3D printed auto sears, 11 silencers, and three 3D printers.
Additionally, court records show that beginning in June 2018, and continuing through October 2022, in the Northern District of Alabama, Hollingsworth stole and converted to for his own use $46,426.91 in funds belonging to the Social Security Administration. Those funds represented Social Security disability benefits intended for another person.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
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.
29-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession After Shooting Down Law Enforcement DroneRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Wendell Doyle Goney (52, Mount Dora) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Goney faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on July 11, 2021, deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary at a 10-acre business property in Mount Dora. As deputies were using a law enforcement drone to assist with the outdoor search, the drone was destroyed by gunfire from a neighboring property. Deputies responded to the neighboring property and were confronted Goney, who admitted that he had just shot down the drone with a .22 caliber rifle. Goney claimed that the drone had been “harassing” him. Goney then admitted to the deputies that he could not lawfully possess a firearm because he was a convicted felon. A record check confirmed his 29 prior Florida felony convictions, which included aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, illegal drug possession, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, Goney is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
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.
Trinidad National Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Identity and Applying for Passport in Name of Disabled VeteranRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Lorenzo Antoni Alfred (64, New York) to seven years in federal prison for passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. Alfred had pleaded guilty on May 19, 2023.
According to court documents and testimony, in 1988, Alfred, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, stole the identity of a disabled United States veteran to illegally come into the United States. Alfred obtained the victim-veteran’s birth certificate and Social Security card and used those documents to claim he was the victim for the next three decades. In 1989, Alfred was convicted in New York of second degree murder under the veteran’s identity. After his release from prison in 2014, Alfred obtained identity documents, credit cards, and government benefits in the victim’s name in New York and Florida. In June 2019, while he was residing in Tampa, Alfred attempted to apply for a passport in the victim’s name. The victim was harmed psychologically and financially by the offenses, including temporarily losing his government benefits and being unable to obtain credit in his name.
“We are pleased at the outcome of this case,” said Philippe Furstenberg, Special Agent in Charge of the DSS Miami Field Office . “The Diplomatic Security Service values our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies around the world to prevent and jointly combat U.S. passport and visa fraud. Deterring, detecting, and investigating U.S. passport and visa fraud is essential to safeguarding our national security.”
“Today’s sentence rightfully holds the defendant accountable for stealing the identity of a U.S. Army veteran and receiving benefits to which he was not entitled,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri, VA-OIG, Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG appreciates the hard work of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners in securing justice in this matter.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Peresie.
Serial Robber Sentenced to 17 Years for Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Armed Robberies of Auto Parts Stores in South Tampa and Ybor CityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Antonio Brown (45, Tampa) to 17 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. His codefendant, Steven Jackson, was previously sentenced to 13 years and 6 months in prison. Brown had pleaded guilty on June 23, 2023.
According to court documents, Brown and Jackson robbed two auto parts stores in the Tampa area on August 29, 2021. They first drove from Jackson’s home in the Palm River-Clair Mel neighborhood of Tampa to an auto parts store on South Dale Mabry Highway, where Brown and Jackson carried firearms and wore surgical masks when they entered the store. They brandished their firearms, demanded money from store employees, and stole approximately $300 from cash registers.
Shortly after completing the first robbery, Brown and Jackson drove to an auto parts store on 50th Street North in Tampa, where they again entered wearing masks and carrying firearms. They pointed their firearms at store clerks and demanded money from the cash registers. Brown and Jackson stole approximately $1,140 from the store during this robbery.
Later that night, officers from the Tampa Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that Brown was driving. During a search of the car, they found a distinctive hat that one of the robbers had worn during the armed robberies, approximately $900 in cash, and Jackson’s wallet containing his identification. Further investigation provided evidence showing Jackson in the vicinity of the auto parts stores at the times of the robberies. Officers also found the clothes Jackson had worn during the robberies in his garbage outside his residence.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee, Michael Sinacore, and Charlie Connally.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Orlando Man Who Attempted to Destroy Evidence Sentenced to 14 Years for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Christian Tristan McKie (39, Orlando) to 14 years in federal prison for distribution and possession of child sexual abuse materials. The court also ordered McKie to forfeit an external hard drive, a laptop, and a thumb drive, which were used to commit the offenses McKie had pleaded guilty on June 29, 2023.
According to court documents, law enforcement received a CyberTip regarding a user distributing child sexual abuse materials on a social media platform. Through investigative means, they learned that McKie was the user who had uploaded the child sexual abuse materials. While executing a search warrant at McKie’s residence, law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices belonging to McKie, including a damaged laptop located under McKie’s bed and an external hard drive broken into pieces behind a freezer. Law enforcement also found a folder that belonged to McKie containing handwritten stories portraying sexual abuse of children between the ages of five and sixteen. A forensic examination was conducted on McKie’s devices revealing several videos and images of child sexual abuse. During an interview with law enforcement, McKie admitted to viewing and trading child sexual abuse images.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones.
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.
Oldsmar Man Charged with Producing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Justin Ryan Culmo (39, Oldsmar) with production and distribution of child sexual abuse materials. Culmo was arrested on September 26, 2023, and has been ordered detained.
According to the complaint, Culmo has been linked to an online community of individuals who regularly produce, distribute, and receive child sexual abuse material via hidden service websites also known as dark web sites, that operate on an anonymity network. The websites Culmo accessed are exclusively dedicated to the sexual abuse of children. There is probable cause to believe that Culmo produced and distributed child sexual abuse material on these sites.
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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris.
Any person who was, or knows of someone who may have been, a possible victim of Culmo is urged to contact HSI at 1-866-347-2423 or http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423 or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may also be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678).
Four Indicted for Defrauding Federal Program Intended for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses in Connection with A Construction Contract for Cancer Treatment Center at Bay Pines VA Medical CenterRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Matthew West (52, Lantana, Florida), Kevin Kutina (61, Ramona, California), Roberto Gonzalez (58, Palmetto Bay, Florida), and William Gonzalez (51, Orlando, Florida) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and substantive counts of wire fraud and major fraud against the United States for the conspirators’ alleged roles in fraudulently obtaining a multi-million dollar construction contract. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each of the conspiracy and wire fraud counts, and a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment on the major fraud against the United States count. The indictment also puts the defendants on notice of the United States intends to forfeit at least $4,835,035, which represents the proceeds of the criminal conduct.
According to the indictment, in July 2016, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a request for bid proposals for a contract to construct the Cancer Infusion Therapy Center (CITC) at Bay Pines VA Medical Center in Pinellas County, Florida. The construction contract, valued between $5 million and $10 million, was for the construction of a 14,909 square-foot building to augment the Bay Pines VA Medical Center’s existing radiation oncology clinic and enable VA health care providers to treat more veterans diagnosed with various types of cancer in an environment that was accessible and patient-centered. The CITC contract was set-aside for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs), which required only bids from qualified businesses be considered.
The indictment alleges that the conspirators utilized a company owned and operated by service-disabled veteran Roberto Gonzalez and William Gonzalez, Maxon Groupe, LLC (Maxon), to submit a bid containing false statements and omissions to be awarded the contract. The conspirators falsely represented qualified employees from Kevcon, Inc. (Kevcon), owned and operated by Kevin Kutina, would serve in supervisory roles per a teaming agreement between Maxon and Kevcon. Additionally, the conspirators failed to disclose to the VA contracting officials that Maxon was a pass-through for Matthew West’s company, West Construction, Inc., which managed nearly all the work for the CITC contract and received most of the payment for the same. West Construction, Inc. was not a company eligible for the SDVOSB set-aside contract. As a result of the false statements and omissions within the bid proposal, the VA awarded the contract to Maxon.
The indictment further alleges that between March 2017 and January 2019, the conspirators submitted multiple invoices for payment. As a result, the U.S. Treasury paid Maxon approximately $4.8 million. During this same period, the conspirators transferred approximately $4.2 million of those funds to West, and in turn, West transferred approximately $1.1 million to Kevcon.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields.