Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Second Orlando Man Sentenced for Burglarizing ATMRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Wendell Harp (24, Orlando) to 30 months in federal prison for bank burglary and bank theft in connection with the destruction of an ATM. Harp had pleaded guilty on December 16, 2022. He is the second defendant sentenced in this case. Judge Dalton previously sentenced Carlos Tawan Reed, Jr. (23, Orlando) to four years and three months in federal prison for the same offense. A third individual, Deontrae Walden (23, Orlando), has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
According to court records, Harp, Reed, and Walden wrapped a chain around an ATM at a Chase Bank on Colonial Drive in Orlando. Using a stolen F-250 truck, the men then destroyed the casing of the ATM and stole the cash boxes inside, containing $116,650. The three men fled in a rental car driven by Reed. Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office pursued them on the ground and in the air. Reed failed to stop and led police on a high-speed chase, which ended when deputies deployed spike strips and disabled the car. All three men then attempted to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended. Inside the vehicle, police recovered all of the stolen money.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Plant City Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Cameron Porter (35, Plant City) to three years and one month in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $5,000, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Porter had pleaded guilty on guilty on January 9, 2023.
According to court documents, in March 2019, Porter conspired with Christopher Alholm and others to defraud an FDIC insured bank (“Bank 1”) with branches located throughout the Middle District of Florida. Bank 1 was a member institution of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. During the conspiracy, Porter obtained a victim bank customer’s (“Customer 1”) stolen Home Equity Line of Credit (“HELOC”) account number and personally identifying information (“PII”), including name, signature, date of birth and Social Security number from a co-conspirator, and passed that information to Alholm. Alholm subsequently used the stolen PII and impersonated Customer 1 at a Bank 1 branch located in Spring Hill to conduct a fraudulent $495,000 advance of funds from the Customer 1’s HELOC account to an intermediary account at Bank 1. After Alholm had completed the fraudulent advance of funds, another conspirator subsequently wired the stolen HELOC funds from the intermediary account to offshore bank accounts. Porter then received a share of the stolen proceeds for his role in the conspiracy.
Alholm previously pleaded guilty to his role in this case. In November 2022, he was sentenced to five years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Osceola County Mortgage Loan Officer Convicted of Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges Involving Forging of Judges’ SignaturesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Omayra Ujaque (52, St. Cloud) guilty of three counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Ujaque faces a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count and a mandatory 2-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft county. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 5, 2023. Ujaque had been indicted on February 15, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Ujaque, in her capacity as a licensed mortgage loan officer, created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme targeting the financial institution where she worked. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers were approved for mortgage loans, Ujaque falsified the borrowers’ income by fabricating or inflating the amounts of their monthly child support payments on mortgage loan applications that she signed and certified to the financial institution’s underwriting department. In furtherance of her scheme, Ujaque created fictitious Final Judgments of Dissolution of Marriage and Final Orders Modifying Child Support that fraudulently represented that the borrowers were entitled to receive non-existent monthly child support payments. Ujaque then used the names of judges from the Circuit Court of the Ninth District of Florida and forged their signatures on the fabricated Final Judgments of Dissolution of Marriage or Final Orders Modifying Child Support.
Ujaque also created bogus Florida Department of Revenue Statements listing fraudulent monthly child support payments, as well as phony prepaid debit card statements listing fake borrower withdrawals of the non-existent monthly child support payments. In most cases, the borrowers did not, in fact, have the listed children and/or had never been married. Ujaque submitted bogus paperwork to the financial institution to support the false monthly income on the loan applications. Based on Ujaque’s misrepresentations, the financial institution approved and funded the mortgage loans.
This case was investigated by Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Heroin and Methamphetamine Dealers IndictedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Ciera Anderson (28) and Tequan Ramsey (28), both of St. Petersburg, with conspiracy to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
According to the indictment, from December 8, 2022, through March 3, 2023, Anderson and Ramsey conspired to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and 50 grams of more of methamphetamine. The distributions occurred in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.
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 Clearwater Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Download IndictmentFentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Ivon Javier Cobbs, Sr. (41, Clearwater) to eight years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl. Cobbs had pleaded guilty on January 5, 2023.
According to court documents, law enforcement received information identifying Cobbs as a distributor of fentanyl in Clearwater and began an investigation as to his drug activities in Pinellas County. On August 26, 2021, Cobbs distributed 25.36 grams of fentanyl and xylazine to a confidential source assisting in the investigation.
This case was investigated by the Clearwater Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Brooksville Man Found Guilty of Possessing Firearm as an Armed Career CriminalRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has found Wayne Allen Phillips, Jr. (45, Brooksville) guilty of one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon. Phillips qualifies for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 20, 2023. Phillips had been indicted on March 29, 2022.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial and throughout the prosecution, deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office encountered Phillips while attempting to serve a warrant for his arrest on another matter. Phillips ran from the deputies but was apprehended after a brief foot chase. Phillips was searched incident to his arrest, and deputies located a revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition in his pants pocket. As a previously convicted felon, Phillips is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
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.
Ten-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Jesus Rivas (29, Tampa) to eight years and four months in federal prison for unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Rivas had pleaded guilty on November 4, 2022.
According to court documents, On November 22, 2021, just after midnight, Tampa Police Department (TPD) officers observed a silver Infiniti use the shoulder of the road to illegally pass another car. The officers activated their police emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop and Infiniti pulled over to the side of the road. As officers approached the car on foot, the Infiniti fled from the scene and the officers radioed out a description of the car and the events that had just occurred. Another TPD officer was in the area, heard the radio call, and observed two men walking away from a silver Infiniti that was had just been parked. The officer looked inside the silver Infiniti and saw a firearm poking out from under the driver’s seat and radioed his findings. The officers from the earlier traffic stop responded to the scene and saw the two men walking, approached them. Rivas was one of the two men. During an interview with the officers, Rivas admitted that he had been driving the silver Infiniti and that he had fled from the scene.
During a search of the silver vehicle, officers located a ghost gun—a firearm that is assembled from different parts of firearms—loaded with 22 rounds of Blazer ammunition under the driver’s seat. After collecting a DNA sample from Rivas and the swabbing the found gun for a comparable, forensic testing determined that the samples matched. As a previously convicted felon, Rivas 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 Attorney Charlie D. 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.
Romanian National Indicted for Stealing Donation Checks from Numerous Florida ChurchesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Ionut Vaduva (34, Orlando) with 11 counts of bank fraud and 2 counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Vaduva faces up to 30 years in federal prison on each bank fraud count, a consecutive minimum mandatory penalty of 2 years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count, and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded.
According to the indictment, Vaduva obtained donation checks made payable to various religious institutions by stealing them from mail receptacles at churches located throughout the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere. Vaduva then deposited the stolen checks, using ATM machines, into various bank accounts that he controlled. In total, Vaduva deposited more than $150,000 in stolen donation checks into his accounts.
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 United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, with the assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie.
Download IndictmentGreen Cove Springs Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years for Distributing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Ethan Rabin Coleman (33, Green Cove Springs) to six years and eight months in federal prison for distributing videos of children being sexually abused. The court also ordered Coleman serve a five-year term of supervised release and pay $31,000 to victims of his offenses. Coleman entered a guilty plea October 20, 2022.
According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Jacksonville received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that four files depicting child sexual abuse had been uploaded over the internet on January 6, 2021. The report indicated that the upload of the files came from an account with the username of “bige1131990,” an associated email address, and an IP (Internet Protocol) address that traced back to an address in Green Cove Springs. After reviewing the files and upon further investigation, HSI agents and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal search warrant at the residence on November 9, 2021. During the execution of the search warrant, agents encountered Coleman, who exited the residence holding a phone in his hand. An onsite preview of the phone yielded numerous files depicting the sexual abuse of children, including one of the files identified in the reported uploads.
During an interview with law enforcement, Coleman admitted that the associated email address belonged to him and acknowledged that he “got banned for some reason” from a social media account reported by NCMEC. At first, Coleman denied sending any child sexual abuse files over the social media application. When asked again, he acknowledged such files were shared in a group to which he belonged. Further, Coleman admitted to viewing the files on multiple occasions, downloading files showing children being sexually abused from a file-sharing application onto his phone, sharing images with others, and acknowledged knowing the individuals depicted being sexually abused were young, including a file depicting the sexual assault of a toddler. When asked why he thought it was wrong, Coleman stated, “Because they’re little kids.”
“This predator, knowing it was images of children being sexually abused, decided to feed his perversion by collecting, viewing, and sharing the digital files many times over with others on the internet,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to our partnership with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the efforts of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, we have pulled another predator offline and stopped him from his continued victimization of children.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Possession of Guns, Grenades, and Classified InformationRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Jeremy Brown (48, Tampa) to seven years and three months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of unregistered short-barrel firearms, possession of unregistered explosive grenades, improper storage of explosive grenades, and retention of classified information. In addition, he was ordered to forfeit the unregistered devices traceable to the offense, pay child support arrears and a special assessment in the amount of $525.
Brown was found guilty after a jury trial on December 12, 2022. According to evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 30, 2021, the FBI executed an arrest and search warrant at Brown’s residence in Tampa. During the search, agents found an unregistered AR-15-style rifle, modified to have a 10” barrel, in Brown’s bedroom. Agents also found a sawed-off shotgun, also unregistered, on a couch inside of Brown’s recreational vehicle (RV), which was parked near his home. Inside a briefcase next to the shotgun, agents found a classified Trip Report that Brown had authored shortly before he retired from the U.S. Special Forces. Inside the bedroom of that same RV, agents found an ammunition vest containing two M-67 fragmentation grenades hidden in the pockets. U.S. Army records confirmed that the grenades had originally been in the possession of the U.S. Army.
Trial evidence also established that Brown had served as a weapons sergeant in the Special Forces, which would have given him access to M-67 fragmentation grenades. Finally, the evidence established that the classified Trip Report contained highly sensitive information about U.S. Department of Defense intelligence – gathering tactics, techniques, and procedures, including information about a human source that, if released, could have caused the source to be arrested, tortured, or killed.
“The communities we serve can be assured by investigations such as this that the FBI and its law enforcement partners are working diligently and tirelessly to support the mission of protecting the American people and upholding the United States Constitution,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge David Walker.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan, and by National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section Trial Attorney Menno Goedman.
Oviedo Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Trevor Lang (29, Oviedo) to 30 years in federal prison for receipt of child sex abuse material. The court also ordered Lang to forfeit a computer and hard drive which were used in the commission of the offense. Lang had pleaded guilty on November 17, 2022.
According to court documents, after a cyber tip was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), federal agents executed a search warrant on Lang’s residence and recovered several electronic devices. A search of those devices revealed that Lang had sent, received, and viewed hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. At the time, Lang was on sex offender probation for a prior state offense.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie.
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.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Preston Percyville Cresser (22, Orlando) to 40 years in federal prison for production and possession of child sexual abuse material, to by followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The court also ordered Cresser to forfeit the electronic device utilized in the commission of the offense and to register as a sex offender. Cresser had pleaded guilty on December 7, 2022.
According to court documents, Cresser engaged in a “sextortion” scheme where he would engage minor females on various social media platforms and coerce them to create and send him child sexual abuse material. Cresser would demand additional sexual images or videos, and if the victim did not want to comply, would threaten to send the previous images to the victim’s family or post them to social media. Cresser would often demand that the minor video-call him, and he would surreptitiously record the minor performing the requested sexual acts.
“This investigation demonstrates the FBI and its law enforcement partners’ vigilance in rescuing young victims of sextortion and ensuring justice for their abusers,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “We’ve seen an alarming increase in sextortion schemes and encourage parents and caregivers to talk to their children about it. You can find information at www.fbi.gov/stopsextortion.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Apopka Police Department, and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Laurie.
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.
Four Tampa Bay Area Tax Preparers Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jamica Nelms, Capriesha Cummings, Camille Harper, and Ashley Flournoy have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit tax fraud and aiding or assisting in the preparation of false income tax return documents. Each faces a maximum penalty of eight years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, from January 2017 through April 2019, Nelms, Cummings, Flournoy, and Harper were income tax return preparers at Business #1 in St. Petersburg. They conspired to defraud the United States by preparing false income tax returns for numerous clients of Business #1 in order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to issue tax refunds in excess of what the clients were entitled to receive. In doing so, Nelms, Cummings, Flournoy, and Harper documented on Schedule C forms they prepared that clients owned fictitious businesses which maximized the clients’ ability to claim the Earned Income Credit on their tax returns and thereby increase their tax refunds. They also fraudulently reported that clients were entitled to claim credits for fuel taxes or education expenses paid to make it appear that their clients were entitled to tax refunds.
“The defendants’ admissions today stress the importance of the taxpayer acting as the first line of defense against unscrupulous preparers and their scams,” said IRS-CI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne. “With the filing season deadline just a week away, this investigation is a timely reminder about why the taxpayer must do their due diligence when selecting a preparer because ultimately you are responsible for your return.”
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo, Jay Trezevant, and Maria Guzman.
Dentist Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Frantz Brignol has pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and one count of failing to file a tax return. Brignol faces up to six years in federal prison on the offenses. A federal grand jury had returned the indictment against Brignol on November 22, 2022. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the court records, Brignol, a dentist, had amassed almost $900,000 in tax liabilities to the IRS. Between approximately 2014 and 2020, Brignol evaded his tax payments by hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in his mother’s bank accounts (for which he had signatory authority), trading funds overseas, and failing to disclose a bank account to the IRS. Despite an annual income of more than $200,000 in the calendar year 2020, Brignol also failed to file an income tax return as required under federal law.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Zephyrhills Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Making A Destructive DeviceRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that James John Hall (34, Zephyrhills) has pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully making a firearm (destructive device). Hall faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Hall has also agreed to forfeit the destructive device, which includes a pipe, Tannerite, pyrotechnic powder, and pyrotechnic fuse.
According to court documents, on November 1 and 2, 2022, Hall spoke on the phone with a man to whom he had sold firearms in the past. In these conversations Hall offered to sell the man a “pipe bomb” that Hall had built. Hall shared with the man that he had contemplated using the “pipe bomb” to target an individual with whom he was angry. The man with whom Hall was communicating was a confidential informant with the Pasco Sherriff’s Office. The confidential informant reached out to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, who then coordinated further investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Later in the evening on November 2, the confidential informant and an undercover Pasco Sheriff’s detective met with Hall, where the detective purchased the “pipe bomb.” When asked about future purchases, Hall indicated he “had enough to build six more now.” Hall also indicated that the device he was selling to the detective had a magnet on the bottom of it.
The suspected destructive device was then disassembled by ATF bomb technicians, revealing a metal pipe sealed at both ends with end caps and filled with suspected pyrotechnic powder, with suspected pyrotechnic fuse inserted into one of the end caps. The pipe was taped to suspected mixed explosive materials. Further analysis by the ATF concluded that the device was designed to function as a weapon and would be characterized as both an improvised explosive bomb and destructive device. ATF found no records for Hall in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, indicating he was unlawfully in possession of the device.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tampa Area Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Series of Convenience Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Enrique Marquez (26, Tampa) to 17 years and 11 months in federal prison for four Hobbs Act robberies, conspiracy to commit those robberies, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during the commission of the robberies. Marquez had pleaded guilty on December 5, 2022.
According to court documents, on May 5, 2022, Marquez and his co-defendants robbed two convenience stores in the Tampa area. During the robberies, Marquez brandished a firearm. The next morning, Marquez and his co-defendants robbed two more Tampa area convenience stores in the same manner. In addition, on May 1, 2022, Marquez shot two individuals when he and one of his co-defendants attempted to rob an individual in an effort to obtain narcotics.
Marquez’s co-defendants, Christopher Alvarez and Dyonnie Alvarez, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in this case. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for April 18, 2023.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
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.
Manatee County Bank Robber SentencedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Robert Frascella (55, Bradenton) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for bank robbery. The court also ordered Frascella to forfeit $5,000, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. Frascella had pleaded guilty on December 12, 2022.
According to court documents, on August 8, 2022, Frascella entered a bank in Parrish and asked to complete a $10,000 wire transfer. When he was advised that he didn’t have sufficient funds for the transfer, he left the bank. A short time later he returned to the bank, pulled a box from his backpack, and placed it on the ground of the lobby floor. Frascella indicated it was an explosive device and demanded money. He left the bank with $5,000, the only money the teller had available. As a result of the bomb threat, the bank employees and customers were evacuated from the building. Law enforcement and a bomb squad determined that the box did not contain an explosive device. Frascella was identified and arrested later that day.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Sarasota division, and the Manatee County Sheriffs’ Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.
Tampa Man Charged with Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Kenneth Fowler with three counts of making and filing false federal income tax returns. If convicted, Fowler faces a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment as to each count.
According to the indictment, between the end of December 2013 and August 2018, Fowler, who was then working as a payroll coordinator at the Salvation Army Suncoast Adult Rehabilitation Center in St. Peterburg, engaged in a scheme to embezzle funds from the Salvation Army. Fowler falsely altered records to reflect that employees who had left the employment of the Salvation Army were still on its payroll so that Fowler could collect their paychecks and ultimately forge their signatures and deposit those checks into his own personal bank accounts. Fowler also misdirected direct deposit checks from the former employees’ bank accounts into his own personal bank account. In this manner, Fowler obtained more than $239,000 in Salvation Army funds to which he was not entitled. He then failed to include those stolen funds as income on his 2016, 2017, and 2018 Individual Income Tax Returns. By doing so, he avoided the payment of substantial taxes due and owing to the United States.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Pinellas Park Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Jacksonville Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Terry Lenard Shipman (48, Jacksonville) to five years and five months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Shipman had pleaded guilty in December 2022.
According to court documents, on February 5, 2022, an officer from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office observed Shipman steal two alcoholic beverages from a RaceTrac gas station in Jacksonville. Shipman hid the beverages in his coat pocket and was confronted by the officer as he exited the store. Once detained, the officer retrieved the stolen merchandise from Shipman’s pocket, along with a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver. At the time, Shipman had multiple prior felony convictions and had recently been released from prison for selling narcotics. As a previously convicted felon, he 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 Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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.
Wesley Chapel Man Pleads Guilty to Exploiting and Producing Sexual Abuse Material Depicting Half A Dozen ChildrenRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Clayton Everett Colborn (31, Wesley Chapel) has pleaded guilty to two counts of enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity, five counts of using minors to produce child sexual abuse images and videos, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material. Colborn faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison and mandatory court-ordered restitution. Colborn has agreed to forfeit electronic devices and his black Chevrolet Corvette, which were used in the commission of the offense. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, between 2018 and continuing through 2020, Colborn used a social networking application to find minors for the purpose of engaging in sex acts. Colborn, who was between the ages of 27 and 28 at the time of his offenses, created a fictitious profile named “Jason Rich” and indicated that he was 16 years old. The social networking application is designed to help people make friendships and has two distinct age groups based on a user’s profile: 1) ages 13 to 17 years old, and 2) ages 18 years and older. Using the fictitious profile, Colborn met the victims in group one—ages 13 to 17 years old. He told the victims he was 16 years old and enticed them into engaging in sexual intercourse with him at various locations throughout the Middle District of Florida, including his car, apartment, and victims’ residences. In one instance, the Ocoee Police Department caught Colborn in a public park in the middle of the night with a child victim. Colborn’s pants were unzipped at the time officers chased and apprehended him in the park. Law enforcement officers obtained DNA evidence which showed that Colborn had engaged in sexual activity with the child victim.
To date, the FBI has identified and interviewed seven child victims who all resided within the Middle District of Florida. Colborn victimized each child victim in a similar manner.
During the investigation, the FBI obtained a federal search warrant for Colborn’s iCloud account and found approximately 30 videos and 81 images that Colborn had produced of himself engaging in sexual acts with various young girls between the ages of 13 and 17 years old.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ocoee Police Department, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.
Anyone with information regarding Clayton Everett Colborn, also known as “Jason Rich,” “Jason,” “Clay,” or “Clayay” should call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit online at tips.fbi.gov.
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.
Nine-Time Convicted Felon Federally Indicted for Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Brady Williams (27, Ocala) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Williams faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on January 13, 2023, Williams knowingly possessed a Heritage Arms firearm. Williams is a nine-time convicted felon, including offenses of fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and owning or operating a chop shop. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It will be 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.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years Additional Prison Term for Escape from Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Keenan Hunter (32, Jacksonville) to two years and three months in federal prison for his escape from custody from a halfway house in Jacksonville. Hunter had pleaded guilty on December 29, 2022.
According to court documents, on October 29, 2018, Hunter was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In August 2020, the Federal Bureau of Prisons placed Hunter in a halfway house, in Jacksonville, to complete his sentence. He had an estimated release date of February 5, 2021.
On December 9, 2020, at 9:45 a.m., Hunter walked out of the halfway house without authorization. He was therefore listed as an escapee. Paperwork from the halfway house confirms that Hunter was informed of the rules of the halfway house, including that a failure to remain there could result in prosecution for escape. He also electronically signed a written acknowledgment. Hunter never returned to the halfway house.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
Jacksonville Convicted Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Frederick Lamont Sams (41, Jacksonville) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. Sams had pleaded guilty in December 2022.
According to court documents, on February 16, 2022, Sams was seen by a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer driving a stolen vehicle. Officers followed Sams which led to a pursuit where Sams fled from the vehicle. As Sams was fleeing, he threw a Glock .45 caliber pistol loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition, which was recovered once Sams was arrested.
Sams is a multi-convicted felon and was recently released from prison after having been convicted of burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was out of prison less than six months before committing this offense. As a previously convicted felon, he 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 Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture will be handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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.
Two Orlando Women Sentenced for Preparing Fraudulent Tax Returns for Three YearsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Erotida Natasha Harden Ortiz to eight years in federal prison and Aida Cortes to four years and six months in federal prison. A federal jury had found Harden and Cortes guilty in October 2022. Harden was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and six counts of aiding in fraudulent and false statements related to IRS tax returns. Cortes was convicted of one count conspiracy to defraud the United States.
According to evidence admitted during the trial and sentencing hearing, Ortiz owned Certified Taxes, LLC and Cortes was her office manager. Prior to opening Certified Taxes, Harden and Cortes both worked for two other tax businesses that had been closed down by the IRS. From 2016 through 2018, Ortiz and Cortes orchestrated a scheme to file taxes for unsuspecting taxpayers by filling out fraudulent Schedule C forms, which showed a business loss and enabled the taxpayers to obtain the Earned Income Tax credit. By obtaining the Earned Income Tax credit, the taxpayers were able to receive refunds to which the taxpayers were not entitled. As a result, the taxpayers continued to come back to Certified Taxes every year. The evidence revealed that Certified Taxes did not provide the tax returns to the taxpayers to review or review the tax returns with the taxpayers prior to filing them with the IRS.
During the conspiracy, Certified Taxes filed more than 3,600 tax returns with the IRS, with only 1 tax return resulting in a taxpayer owing money to the IRS. For each tax return Certified Taxes charged the taxpayer approximately $400, resulting in Certified Taxes receiving more than $1.2 million in tax preparation fees. In addition, in the last year of operation, Harden claimed income from Certified Taxes of approximately $394,000 but due to a fraudulent Schedule C, which claimed expenses of $379,000 on her tax return, she was able to qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit and receive a refund of $6,375.
At sentencing, Harden and Cortes were ordered to repay the IRS $3.796 million in restitution for the fraudulent tax returns that generated tax refunds to which taxpayers were not entitled.
“Knowingly submitting false documents to the IRS is a crime,” said Ronald A. Loecker, IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “The defendants personally benefitted from filing false tax returns for clients and yesterday’s sentence demonstrates that willfully interfering with the integrity of our nation’s tax system will result in fraudsters spending time in prison.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn P. Napier.
Two Additional Defendants Charged with Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource CentersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida returned a superseding indictment charging two additional Florida residents with federal crimes arising out of a series of targeted attacks on pregnancy resource facilities in the state. Caleb Freestone, 27, and Amber Smith-Stewart, 23, were previously charged with the same offenses in March.
According to the superseding indictment, Gabriella Oropesa and Annarella Rivera, along with Freestone and Smith-Stewart, engaged in a conspiracy to prevent employees of reproductive health services facilities from providing those services. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants allegedly targeted pregnancy resource facilities and vandalized those facilities with spray-painted threats. Some of the co-conspirators are alleged to have spray painted threats, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U,” and “We are everywhere,” on a reproductive health services facility in Winter Haven, Florida. Facilities in Hollywood, Florida, and Hialeah, Florida, were also allegedly targeted.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Rivera, along with Freestone and Smith-Stewart, violated the FACE Act by using threats of force to intimidate and interfere with the employees of a reproductive health services facility in Winter Haven because those employees were providing or seeking to provide reproductive health services. The superseding indictment further alleges that Rivera, along with Freestone and Smith-Stewart, violated the FACE Act by intentionally damaging and destroying the facility’s property because the facility provides reproductive health services.
If convicted of the offenses, Rivera, Freestone and Smith-Stewart each face up to a maximum of 12 years in prison, three years of supervised release and fines of up to $350,000. Oropesa faces up to a maximum of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Miami Field Office, the Miami Police Department, the Hialeah Police Department and the Hollywood Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Thelwell for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats, and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov.
For more information about clinic violence, and the Department of Justice’s efforts to enforce FACE Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tampa Felon Charged with Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Leonon Ricky Davis (37, Tampa) with being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Davis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to statements made in open court, on December 1, 2022, Davis crashed into a parked vehicle while driving drunk on 26th Street in Tampa. Eyewitnesses reported that Davis was waving a black pistol when he exited the vehicle. Davis fled from the scene of the crash on foot, abandoning the pistol, a bag of crack cocaine, and cash along the way. Officers from the Tampa Police Department responded to the scene and apprehended Davis minutes after the crash.
Davis has multiple prior felony convictions, including for possession of cocaine, felony battery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As such, federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms and ammunition.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney 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 out neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Ponte Vedra Beach Contract Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty to Theft of MailRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kori Ann Moreno (26, Ponte Vedra Beach) has pleaded guilty to theft of mail. She faces up to five years in prison and payment of restitution to the victims in the case. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Moreno was arrested on November 29, 2022, by the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) and subsequently released on a bond.
According to court documents, in 2020, Moreno began working as a highway contract carrier delivering U.S. Mail on multiple highway contract routes (HCRs), primarily in the area of Ponte Vedra Beach. In July 2022, the USPS-OIG received multiple complaints regarding a high volume of stolen and undelivered mail on various HCRs handled by Moreno. On July 13, 2022, the USPS-OIG put a greeting card containing two $20 bills in a mail depository for outgoing U.S. Mail at a condominium complex on one of Moreno’s HCRs in Ponte Vedra Beach. Later that morning, while Moreno was processing mail at the condominium complex, USPS-OIG agents determined that Moreno had opened the greeting card. Agents who were in the area approached Moreno and located the greeting card which had been opened and was missing the cash. Moreno subsequently handed the missing money over to the agents.
During an on-scene search of Moreno’s car and personal belongings, agents located mail and gift cards that had been stolen out of the mail. During an interview with agents, Moreno stated in substance that since around December 2021 she had been opening mail – two to three letters a day. If the mail contained cash and/or gift cards, she would steal the contents and throw the cards in the trash. She was unsure how much money she obtained through her theft of mail.
This case was investigated by United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Lake City Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced John Nathan Hemingway (52, Lake City) to nine years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base – also known as “crack” cocaine – and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Hemingway had pleaded guilty on October 4, 2022. As part of his plea, Hemingway agreed to forfeit the cash, firearm, and ammunition found in his home.
According to court documents, on multiple occasions, a confidential informant purchased crack cocaine that had been supplied by Hemingway at his home in Lake City. Following these controlled purchases, a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives obtained a federal search warrant authorizing the search of Hemingway’s home. On February 15, 2022, law enforcement searched the home and located a digital scale, plastic baggies, more than $11,000 in cash, a loaded semi-automatic pistol, methamphetamine, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran is handling the forfeiture of assets.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Clay County Man Indicted for Fraud Scheme Using Stolen Identities to Obtain Paycheck Protection Program Loans, Filing A False Tax Return, and Stolen PropertyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Christopher Leo Daragjati (33, Middleburg) with seven counts of wire fraud, ten counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of theft of government property over $1,000, and two counts of false representation of a Social Security number (SSN). If convicted, Daragjati faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, a consecutive minimum mandatory penalty of 2 years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count, up to 5 years on each false SSN representation count, up to 10 years in prison on the charge of theft of government property, and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. Daragjati appeared in federal court yesterday. The court ordered him temporarily detained and set a detention hearing for April 3, 2023. No trial date has been set.
According to the indictment, Daragjati obtained the personal identifiable information (PII), including the SSNs of multiple victims. Using the victims’ PII, Daragjati went to the Lake County Tax Collector and the Orange County Tax Collector and obtained Florida Identification cards in the identity of two victims. Using the two Florida Identification cards, he then applied for three different Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in the identity of the two victims. When applying for the three PPP loans Daragjati allegedly submitted numerous fraudulent tax related documents and repeatedly made false statements when completing the Small Business Administration loan application for each of the loans. In reliance on this false information, lenders approved the loan applications and Daragjati received approximately $150,000 in PPP loan proceeds for the three approved loans. As part of the scheme, he also set up bank accounts in the identities of the victims in order to receive the PPP loan proceeds.
In another fraud scheme Daragjati opened four commercial lines of credit with Sunbelt Rentals, using the PII of four victims. After being approved for the lines of commercial credit under the victims’ identities, he rented thousands of dollars of equipment. Rather than return the rented equipment, Daragjati pawned some of the items using the identities of various victims or otherwise disposed of the stolen equipment. In at least one incident, this resulted in a felony arrest warrant being issued and entered into the National Crime Information Center for a victim of identity theft.
In another scheme, in January 2022, Daragjati filed a false tax return, using the identity of a victim. In reliance on the false documents and use of the stolen identity by Daragjati, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approved a tax refund in which he received a tax refund of more than $1,000 in under the assumed victim’s identity. Daragjati arranged to have the fraudulently obtained tax refund deposited directly into a bank account that was in the name of the victim but controlled by Daragjati.
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), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol – Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Download IndictmentPlant City Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distribution, Receipt, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Michael Conover (32, Plant City) to 20 years in federal prison for distribution, receipt, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Conover was also ordered to serve a 20-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. The court also ordered Conover to forfeit an Apple iPhone, which was used in the commission of the offense. Restitution will be determined at a later time. Conover had pleaded guilty on September 1, 2022.
According to court documents, federal agents received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding a user on a social media platform distributing images and videos of minors engaged in sexual activity. That same user was also the subject of an additional cyber tip which referenced the hands-on abuse of a child. Federal agents executed a search warrant on Conover’s cellphone and social media accounts and discovered that Conover had sent, received, and viewed hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse.
“This predator traded child sexual abuse material of very young children online and has caused irreparable harm to his victims,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge John Condon. “The abhorrent actions of child predators will not go undetected, and thanks to the painstaking, tireless efforts of the HSI Special Agents, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service, he will be held accountable for his actions.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
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.
Matriarch Sentenced for Role in Violent Multimillion-Dollar Honduran Cocaine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
A Honduran woman was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for a large-scale conspiracy to traffic cocaine for importation into the United States.
According to court documents, from 2006 until 2015, Erlinda Ramos-Bobadilla, aka Chinda, 62, served as a leader in the Montes-Bobadilla drug-trafficking organization, or Los Montes, one of the most significant drug-trafficking organizations operating in Honduras. The Los Montes drug-trafficking organization was based in the town of Francia on the northeastern coast of Honduras. There, the organization received clandestine maritime and air shipments of cocaine from sources in South America. Individual shipments of cocaine usually carried hundreds of – and sometimes more than a thousand – kilograms of cocaine. After receiving a shipment of cocaine, Los Montes worked with other drug traffickers to transport the cocaine inland through Honduras into Guatemala and, eventually, Mexico, where the cocaine would then be imported into, and distributed within, the United States.
“Today’s sentencing reflects the Department of Justice’s commitment to holding traffickers like Ramos-Bobadilla accountable and dismantling the trafficking organizations they support,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and international partners to ensure that our communities are kept safe.”
Ramos-Bobadilla played an active leadership role in Los Montes. Among other responsibilities, she participated in the negotiation of cocaine transactions with other drug traffickers in Central and South America, managed the proceeds that the organization made from the sale of cocaine and, at times, paid sources of supply for cocaine that Los Montes purchased. Ramos-Bobadilla employed armed individuals to work at her direction and control, including by providing security for her and her cocaine shipments.
“The defendant and her family lead a dangerous drug cartel that brought thousands of kilograms of poisonous drugs into the United States from Honduras and left murder, corruption, violence, and terror in its wake. EDVA prioritizes the investigation, dismantling, and prosecution of organizations like The Los Montes cartel that destroy communities across nations,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Today’s sentence would not have been possible without the coordinated efforts of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to stop illicit drugs and violence from infiltrating our neighborhoods.”
Ramos-Bobadilla also participated in procuring, planning, and arranging acts of violence, including murders, in furtherance of the conspiracy. For example, Los Montes and other Honduran drug-trafficking organizations conspired to finance the murder of the head of Honduras’ anti-drug trafficking agency in December 2009. In June 2013, along with her son, Noe Montes-Bobadilla, and another co-conspirator, Ramos-Bobadilla also participated in coordinating and directing the murder of a permanent resident of the United States in Tocoa, Honduras, in retaliation for perceived cooperation with the U.S. government.
In addition to her participation in these acts of violence, Ramos-Bobadilla engaged in bribery in furtherance of the conspiracy. Ramos-Bobadilla and her co-conspirators made payments to public officials in Honduras, including police officers and other law enforcement officials, to facilitate and protect the family’s drug-trafficking operations.
“The Montes-Bobadilla Drug Trafficking Organization terrorized and poisoned communities under Ramos-Bobadilla’s leadership,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the DEA Washington Field Office. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to the capabilities and commitment by DEA to ensure that any domestic or foreign criminal who peddles deadly drugs into our neighborhoods and puts our families at risk will be held accountable.”
“Erlinda Ramos-Bobadilla played a leadership role in a major operation trafficking narcotics into and distributing them throughout the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “There is no way to know for sure just how much damage Ramos-Bobadilla left in her wake; however, thanks to the collaborative efforts of HSI and our law enforcement partners, Ramos-Bobadilla’s drug trafficking days are over now. HSI will continue to exhaust every resource at our disposal to bring such drug traffickers to justice and ensure the safety of the communities we have sworn to protect.”
On Oct. 8, 2015, Ramos-Bobadilla and five co-conspirators were charged by indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States. Three of Ramos-Bobadilla’s co-conspirators have been convicted and sentenced in this case:
Noe Montes-Bobadilla was sentenced in April 2019 to 37 years in prison.
Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo was sentenced in May 2019 to 33 years in prison.
Jose del Trancito Garcia-Teruel was sentenced in February 2022 to 13 years in prison.
One co-conspirator, Tito Montes-Bobadilla, aka Alejandro Montes-Bobadilla, aka Pimpi, is deceased.
The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) supported this case.
The DEA Washington Division investigated the case with assistance from FBI’s Washington Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) HSI Washington, D.C., and the Virginia State Police. The Honduran National Police and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.
Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Janet Turnbull of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler, Anthony T. Aminoff, and James L. Trump of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of New York, the Middle District of Florida, and the Southern District of Florida also provided assistance.
South Florida Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Cambrel Jamal Smart (29, Fort Lauderdale) to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Smart to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he illegally possessed. Smart had pleaded guilty on December 1, 2022.
According to court documents, on January 5, 2022, at around 3:00 a.m., a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper pulled over a vehicle Smart was driving after it was observed traveling at a high rate of speed on I-75 in Collier County. The car was searched, after a Trooper could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and observed a clear plastic baggy containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, in the center console. Upon searching the vehicle, a Trooper found a loaded firearm between the front and back passenger-side seats. The firearm was loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition. Subsequent DNA testing linked the firearm to Smart, who is a multi-convicted felon. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make out neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Marine Corps Lance Corporal Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice A 13-Year-Old over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that David Wayne Hogle, Jr. (29, Cherry Point, North Carolina) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a 13-year-old child to produce sexually explicit photos of herself and send them to him over the internet. Hogle faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a lifetime term of supervised release. Hogle was arrested at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point in North Carolina and was transported to Jacksonville for prosecution. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to court documents, on July 13, 2022, an FBI agent in Jacksonville began an undercover investigation to identify individuals using the internet to engage in sexual activity with children. This FBI agent (UC) posted a message in a chat room on a particular social media application (“app”) posing as the “mother” of a 13-year-old child. App user “Kaligula,” who was later identified as Hogle, responded, “Interested in domination, degrading, breeding, inc’est, and very young girls.” When asked about his age preference for children, Hogle responded, “No lower age limit.” The UC explained that her daughter was 13 years old, and Hogle replied, “Typically [I] like younger …” The UC confirmed that she and the “child” were located in Florida, and Hogle replied that he lived in North Carolina. After exchanging phone numbers, Hogle texted the UC, “So when do I get to see … your daughter?” He stated that he had previously had sex with a 13-year-old and a 2-year-old. Hogle sent the UC a hyperlink to a cloud storage account that contained 28 photos of infants and toddlers being sexually abused.
On July 15, 2022, Hogle texted the UC, who was portraying the “child,” stating “I understand your only 13, so there is going to be a lot of things you still need to learn. I [am] happy to teach you about them.” Hogle then requested the “child” take a “naughty pic” or a video of her genitalia for him and directed her as to how to do so using her smart phone. The next day, Hogle texted the UC, asked again for an explicit photo of the “child,” and provided step-by-step instructions as to how to take a picture of the “child’s” genitalia. To demonstrate what kind of picture that he wanted the “child” to take, Hogle sent the “child” a photo of his own genitalia.
The FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) confirmed that Hogle was a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps stationed at MCAS Cherry Point in North Carolina. Further investigation revealed that Hogle was accessing the internet during his online conversations with the UC while onboard MCAS Cherry Point.
On July 29, 2022, Hogle was arrested by the FBI onboard MCAS Cherry Point. During an interview with law enforcement, Hogle admitted that he had sent the UC a hyperlink containing child sexual abuse materials to show to the 13-year-old “child,” that he directed the “child” to take a picture of her “privates,” and that he was sexually interested in children aged “double digits, ten, twelve and plus.” A search of Hogle’s computer revealed that it contained 162 images and 45 videos depicting infants, toddlers, and young children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville, Florida and Greenville, North Carolina, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Convicted Murderer Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Christopher Richard Munroe (55, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Munroe faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 15, 2023. Munroe had been indicted on December 20, 2022.
According to court documents, on November 14, 2022, the Ocala Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from the owner of a moving company who reported Munroe had stolen three firearms while packing a residence for customers. When officers arrived on scene, they found Munroe crouched down in some nearby bushes. Officers located the stolen firearms, seven ammunition magazines, and ammunition where Munroe had been hiding. Munroe had previously been convicted of second-degree murder in New York. He was released on parole in 2018. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the City of Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Crockett.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Carrollwood Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Timothy Paul Longworth (43, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to bank robbery. Longworth faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, at approximately 9 a.m. on July 8, 2022, Longworth entered a bank on Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, jumped over the teller’s counter, and demanded that the bank’s employees open their cash drawers. After obtaining approximately $4,000 from the bank, Longworth fled the scene and escaped in a van driven by an indicted co-conspirator, John Kennedy Braun. Braun is awaiting trial for his alleged role in the robbery.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
Former Tampa Area Real Estate Professional Sentenced to 24 Months for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Frank Sebastian Visicaro (63, Trinity) to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Visicaro to pay restitution in the amount of $1,088,440, the proceeds of funds laundered through bank accounts he controlled. Visicaro had pleaded guilty on December 9, 2021.
According to the plea agreement, Visicaro used his real estate company, two shell companies, and bank accounts in the companies’ names to launder the proceeds of an international boiler room fraud scheme, which defrauded foreign victims via the sale of worthless investments. Visicaro used the companies and bank accounts to receive fraud proceeds. Some of the fraud proceeds were wired directly from victims overseas into these accounts. More often, fraud proceeds from the victims were wired to United States-based accounts controlled by other conspirators and then later wired to accounts controlled by Visicaro. In such instances, Visicaro’s accounts served as “buffer” accounts, that is, secondary bank accounts used to transfer and conceal foreign victims’ money and avoid detection by banks.
In total, more than $1 million in victims’ funds flowed into Visicaro-controlled accounts. Thereafter, at the direction of other conspirators, Visicaro wired most of the funds to multiple other financial institutions—held by, among others, boiler room sales agents or other conspirators—in order to promote the scheme and to conceal and disguise the source of, and to hinder any efforts to locate, those proceeds. Visicaro was compensated, via a percentage of the amount of funds he helped to launder, for his role in the conspiracy.
“We are committed to stopping transnational criminal organizations from targeting unsuspecting victims with fraudulent investment schemes that use high-pressure tactics,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI Tampa and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) are formidable investigative partners working together with our international partners to stop these fraudsters from taking peoples’ hard-earned money.”
“Illegal activity involving the investment industry has brought financial ruin to many people,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker. “IRS Criminal Investigation is determined to attack these fraud schemes by utilizing our forensic accounting skills and working side by side with Homeland Security Investigations and put a stop to this and other types of financial crime.”
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachelle DesVaux Bedke and David W.A. Chee.
Federal Jury Convicts Registered Sexual Predator of Attempting to Entice A 14-Year-Old Child to Produce Sexual Abuse Videos Using A Smart PhoneRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Paul Edward Lee, Jr. (43, Jacksonville) guilty of attempting to entice a 14-year-old child to produce and send him pornographic videos and images depicting her own sexual abuse. In 2011, Lee was convicted of lascivious molestation and exhibition of a 10-year-old child and was required to register as a sexual predator. Because of these prior child sex convictions, at sentencing Lee faces an enhanced minimum mandatory penalty of 25 years, up to 50 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Lee was arrested in Jacksonville on May 2, 2018. His sentencing hearing is set for July 10, 2023.
According to evidence and testimony introduced at trial, in April 2018, an FBI agent in Illinois discovered that a 14-year-old child was having online contact with an adult male in Florida through a smart phone gaming application (app) designed for use by children. The messages sent to the child by the adult male were increasingly graphic and sexually explicit. The FBI was able to identify this individual as Paul Edward Lee, Jr., a registered sexual predator living in a residence in Jacksonville along with eight other registered sex offenders. On April 25, 2018, an undercover FBI agent in Jacksonville, posing as the 14-year-old child, resumed text messaging with Lee. During these communications, Lee told the “child” in graphic terms how he wanted to have sex with the “child,” and he sent several images and videos of his own genitalia to the “child.” On April 27, 2018, Lee repeatedly texted and solicited the “child” to produce and send him graphic images and videos of “her” genitalia. When FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at his residence on May 2, 2018, Lee damaged his cellphone in an effort to conceal evidence of his criminal activity.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Demetrius Sanchez Mitchell (38, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Mitchell faces a mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison. He has agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition traceable to his offense.
According to court documents, on July 2, 2022, officers with the Tampa Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by Mitchell. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded 9 mm pistol in the center console. At the time of the stop, Mitchell had multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, carjacking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Mitchell is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney 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.
St. Petersburg Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Producing Child Sexual Abuse VideoRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven today sentenced Emrah Kuc (27, St. Petersburg) to 15 years in federal prison for production, distribution, receipt, and possession of child sexual abuse material, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a requirement to register as a sex offender. The court also ordered Kuc to forfeit a MacBook Pro and four iPhones, which were used in the commission of the offense. The court reserved ruling on the issue of restitution. Kuc had pleaded guilty on December 12, 2022.
According to court documents, after a cyber tip was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), law enforcement investigated Kuc’s online activities and recovered multiple electronic devices from Kuc’s residence. A search of those devices revealed images and videos of children being sexually abused. Law enforcement discovered that Kuc was receiving and sharing videos and images of child sexual abuse on various social media applications and had also produced a video of child sexual abuse material with a toddler.
“This sentence demonstrates the unwavering dedication and commitment of HSI special agents who are working tirelessly to protect our most vulnerable,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Our message is clear. HSI will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to bring to justice those who prey upon children.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
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.
St. Petersburg Man Arrested for Possession of A Controlled Substance with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Erik Barner (44, St. Petersburg) with one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. If convicted, Barner faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on February 22, March 1, and March 10, 2023, Barner sold a total amount of 63 grams of crack cocaine to a confidential informant working with the St. Petersburg Police Department. The complaint further alleges that Barner has prior convictions for trafficking in cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Multi-Convicted Violent Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Shawn Lanier Lowman, Jr. (23, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Lowman faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, at approximately 11:00 p.m. on November 1, 2022, Lowman was a passenger in a black BMW 328i sedan that fled after officers from the Tampa Police Department (TPD) had attempted to conduct a traffic stop near the intersection of East Sligh Avenue and North Central Avenue, in the Old Seminole Heights neighborhood of Tampa. A short time later, TPD officers located the same black sedan in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa, near the intersection of North Klondyke Street and East Bird Street. The car was eventually parked on the side of the road, and three occupants, including Lowman, exited the vehicle.
Two TPD officers attempted to make contact with Lowman, but Lowman fled on foot through the neighborhood evading the officers. A TPD Air Service helicopter positioned above Sulphur Springs used a Forward Looking InfraRed (“FLIR”) camera to track Lowman as he fled through the neighborhood and into the backyard of a residence where he hid in a shed. The helicopter’s FLIR camera was able to see the thermal signature of Lowman inside the shed. TPD officers converged on the shed and arrested Lowman. Inside the shed, the officers located 10.9 grams of bagged cocaine. During a search of Lowman, officers recovered three pills which tested positive for oxycodone. The officers then retraced Lowman’s path and found a backpack containing two loaded firearms: (1) a Glock 9mm pistol; and (2) a Smith & Wesson Model 659 9mm pistol (loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber). The backpack also contained a digital scale, an extended magazine (11 rounds) and a black ski mask. Latent fingerprints belonging to Lowman were located on the slide of the Glock pistol and two of Lowman’s latent fingerprints were found on the magazine of the 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol. In an interview with officers following his arrest, Lowman admitted that the fingerprints found on the firearms belonged to him and that he had possessed the firearms.
Lowman had previously served approximately six years in state prison for armed carjacking with a deadly weapon and armed burglary in July 2017. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make 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 Woman Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Kemi Lim-Tom (38, Tampa) to eight years and four months in federal prison for bank fraud, tax fraud, credit card fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Lim-Tom was ordered to pay $345,943.49 in restitution. She had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2022.
According to court documents, in February 2018, pursuant to a search warrant, officers from the Tampa Police Department found Lim-Tom and her coconspirator, Sonya Seago, in possession of more than 1,500 individuals’ stolen personal identifying information. Subsequent investigation revealed that Lim-Tom used these identities to commit bank fraud, tax fraud, and credit card fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, between 2012 and February 2018, Lim-Tom orchestrated a scheme to defraud financial institutions by manufacturing counterfeit checks with fraudulent company names and bank account numbers belonging to victim businesses and then cashing these checks for profit. Lim-Tom recruited and paid others to receive some of these checks and provide her with the proceeds. The face value of the fraudulent checks involved in the scheme was more than $600,000.
Between March 2013 and July 2014, Lim-Tom committed tax fraud by using stolen identities to obtain tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service. Lim-Tom obtained four fraudulent tax refunds totaling more than $27,000 and attempted to obtain an additional 56 refunds totaling more than $300,000.
Between January 2015 and February 2018, Lim-Tom and Seago used stolen personal identifying information to obtain fraudulent credit cards, which they used to make more than $215,000 in purchases.
On February 15, 2023, Sonya Seago (50, Tampa) was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for her role in the fraud offenses.
“Greed is a strong motivator for illegal activity and these sentencings demonstrate our commitment to hold criminals accountable for their corrupt behavior,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker. “These individuals demonstrated a blatant disregard for the United States tax system and caused immeasurable damage to innocent victims. IRS Criminal Investigation, along with our partners at the United States Secret Service, the Tampa Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, remains committed to the pursuit of identity theft and other related crimes.”
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and John Cannizzaro.
St. Petersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Dartis Cobb (35, St. Petersburg) has pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Cobb faces up to 15 years in federal prison. He has agreed to forfeit the ammunition traceable to the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on August 13, 2022, Cobb was pulled over during a traffic stop. During a search of Cobb’s vehicle, a firearm and ammunition were located. As a previously convicted felon, Cobb is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
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.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possession of A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jojuan Lindsey (27, St. Petersburg) with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted, Lindsey faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on December 27, 2022, Lindsey possessed a Glock model 42 semiautomatic pistol and six rounds of Hornady 38 Auto ammunition. Lindsey has previously been convicted of six felonies, including battery of a law enforcement officer; burglary; fleeing or eluding a law enforcement officer; and three separate convictions for sale or delivery of heroin. As a previously convicted felon, Lindsey 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 St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Oxycodone Prescription SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Jacquelyn DeVito (40, Brandon) to 24 months in federal prison for unlawful drug distribution and for acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation. DeVito also relinquished her Nurse Practitioner and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner licenses to the State of Florida Board of Nursing and agreed never to reapply for a Drug Enforcement Administration registration number. DeVito had pleaded guilty on December 9, 2022.
According to court documents, between March 2020 and June 2022, DeVito worked as nurse at an urgent care medical office. During this employment, she offered patients separate home health services through her privately-owned company, Bee Home Medical LLC. DeVito used Bee Home Medical patients’ names and dates of birth to prescribe oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, without their knowledge or consent and issued those prescriptions to local retail pharmacies. When the prescriptions were filled and ready to be picked up, DeVito went to the pharmacies and acquired the controlled substances by falsely stating that she was the victim patients’ caregiver and was picking up the controlled substances on their behalf. In this manner, DeVito prescribed and acquired more than 2,900 oxycodone pills. Many of the victim patients had no knowledge that DeVito had issued the prescriptions in their names and confirmed that there was no legitimate need for them to receive the medication.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Tampa District Office) and the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit. The Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit was created by the Department of Justice to help combat the devastating opioid crisis. The Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit focuses specifically on opioid-related health care fraud, using data to identify and prosecute individuals contributing to the prescription opioid epidemic. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
Florida Resorts Agree to Pay $325,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to False Certifications on a Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness ApplicationRead the Press Release
Note: View a copy of the settlement agreement here.
Orlando, FL – Florida companies Kingwood Orlando Reunion Resort LLC (Orlando Reunion) and Kingwood Crystal River Resort Corp. (Crystal River) have agreed to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) by knowingly providing false information in support of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application submitted by Crystal River.
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, such as payroll. When applying for forgiveness of PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their applications. A PPP recipient seeking loan forgiveness based on the payment of wages was only entitled to forgiveness for the amount of wages actually paid to its employees during the designated period.
Here, Orlando Reunion and Crystal River, which are related but operate separate resorts, both received separate PPP loans. The United States alleged that Crystal River sought forgiveness of its PPP loan, in-part, by certifying that it used a portion of its PPP loan to pay wages of Crystal River employees, when in fact, some of the employees to whom it claimed to have paid wages were actually Orlando Reunion employees whom Crystal River did not employ or pay. As a part of the settlement announced today, Crystal River and Orlando Reunion agreed to pay $271,720 in damages and penalties under the FCA and $53,280 in civil penalties under FIRREA.
“PPP loans were intended to help small businesses retain employees and keep their doors open 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 knowingly and improperly sought PPP loans or forgiveness of those loans.”
“A primary mission of the United States Attorney’s Office is protecting government programs from fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to hold accountable those who abuse the CARES Act and PPP Program at the expense of the taxpayers.”
“This settlement demonstrates that attempts to wrongfully obtain loan forgiveness will not go unnoticed, and violators will be identified,” said Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General (SBA OIG) Eastern Region. “I want to thank the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, 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 was filed by the former Director of Human Resources for Kingwood resorts and is captioned U.S. ex rel. Falzarano v. Kingwood International Resort, LLC, et al., Dkt. No. 6:20-cv-976-ORL-37EJK (M.D. Fla.). The whistleblower will receive a total of approximately $46,000 in connection with the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and the SBA OIG.
This matter was handled by Trial Attorney Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor for the Middle District of Florida.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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 https://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 Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://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.
Leader of Multi-Kilogram Cocaine Conspiracy Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced James Mirabal (46, St. Cloud) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The court also ordered Mirabal to forfeit $124,598, traceable proceeds of the offense. Mirabal had pleaded guilty on December 27, 2022. Mirabal’s two conspirators, Johnathan Beharry and Vilnarie Figueroa Matos, previously pleaded guilty. Beharry was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison on February 14, 2023. Figueroa Matos is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023.
According to court documents, Mirabal conspired with numerous others to distribute kilograms of cocaine. During the investigation, Mirabal had discussed, among other things, a seizure of 50 kilograms of cocaine in April 2022, as he arranged for the delivery of 20 kilograms of cocaine to Beharry. The drugs were later seized during Beharry’s arrest on October 17, 2022. Mirabal routinely discarded cellphones and, when arrested on October 31, 2022, was found in possession of 24 cellphones and $124,598 in currency.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Winter Garden Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Kissimmee Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Clermont Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Apopka Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Operation Titan Fall is a multi-agency Organize Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Fort McCoy Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Prison for Impersonating Federal Agent to Produce and Receive Child Sex Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Eddie Joe Oglesby, Jr. (52, Fort McCoy) to 80 years in federal prison for two counts of production of child sex abuse material and one count of receipt of sex abuse material. A federal jury previously found Oglesby guilty on October 14, 2022. He had been charged in a superseding indictment on September 13, 2022.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Oglesby created an elaborate false identity which he used to impersonate a federal agent. He then used this false identity to coerce underaged female victims to produce and send him child sex abuse material over the internet. Posing as the false agent, Oglesby threatened to have the victims arrested, imprisoned, institutionalized, or killed if they did not comply with his demands.
During a search of Oglesby’s Marion County residence by FBI agents on September 27, 2021, they found him with an underaged female runaway. A search of Oglesby’s cellular phone showed him logged into multiple social media applications under both his real and false identities. Agents ultimately found 473 pages of electronic communications between Oglesby and one of his victims on that cellular phone.
“This case exemplifies the commitment of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to identify and locate abusers who prey on our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Sherri E. Onks for the Jacksonville Division. “The crimes committed by this predator are inexcusable and we will stop at nothing to thwart criminals like him from taking advantage of innocent youth.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Weatherford (Texas) Police Department, and the Cobb County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Hannah J. Nowalk.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tampa Man Arrested for Possessing Fentanyl with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Perry Ivory Wims (37, Tampa) on a criminal complaint charging possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Wims was arrested on March 9, 2023 and ordered detained pending the outcome of his case.
According to the complaint, the Tampa Police Department (TPD) learned that Wims was selling fentanyl out of his room at the Garden View Motel located at 2500 East Busch Boulevard in Tampa. Based on that information, TPD obtained a warrant authorizing the search of Wims’ motel room. Prior to the execution of the warrant, officers observed Wims exit his motel room with a pistol tucked in the waistband of his shorts. Additionally, TPD learned that Wims had a verbal altercation with unknown individuals shortly before the execution of the warrant, during which Wims pointed a gun at people with whom he was arguing.
During the execution of the search warrant, officers located approximately 283 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for fentanyl, a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol, a Zaviar Arms AR-style pistol, $3,705 in cash, and other suspected narcotics.
Wims previously received a 15-year sentence in federal court for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He completed serving that sentence on December 21, 2022.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
Man Charged with Attempted Murder of ATF Agents, Robbery, and Carjacking After Opening Fire During A High-Speed Chase on Interstate 4Read the Press Release
Tampa, Florida–United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Francisco Cabrera (28, Dover) with armed robbery, armed carjacking, and attempting to murder federal agents. If convicted on all counts, Cabrera faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 28 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to the indictment, between January 13 and 17, 2022, Cabrera robbed two Smoke Shops and one gas station in the Tampa Bay area. During each robbery, Cabrera showed victims a loaded magazine, inserted it into his pistol, and pointed the gun at the victims. On January 19, 2022, Cabrera approached a victim at a gas station and carjacked him at gunpoint. The same day, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents and Lakeland Police Department officers found Cabrera and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Cabrera fled at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour in heavy midday traffic, including on Interstate 4. While fleeing, Cabrera fired multiple shots from his driver side window at the agents and officers pursuing him. ATF agents returned fire, striking Cabrera, which ended the pursuit. No other individuals were struck by the gunfire.
Cabrera has been charged separately by the State Attorney’s Office (10th Judicial Circuit) with attempted murder of local law enforcement officers.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lakeland Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.