Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
New York Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Dominic Shapiro (33, Forrest Hills, New York) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted coercion or enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The court also ordered Shapiro to register as a sex offender and forfeit a cellphone that was used in the commission of the offense. Shapiro had pleaded guilty on November 18, 2022.
According to court documents, Shapiro spent approximately six weeks communicating with an undercover detective, who was posing as a 14-year-old girl, over various social media platforms including Kik, Snapchat, and text messages. During these conversations, Shapiro engaged the fictitious child in sexual conversations, sent images and videos of himself masturbating, and ultimately drove to a park for the purpose of engaging in sexual activities with this child.
“Predators, like Dominic Shapiro, use the pseudo-anonymity of the internet to lure children into a false sense of security before proposing to meet in person,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of our task force officers and law enforcement partners with the St. Petersburg Police Department along with support from HSI New York, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the New York Police Department, he was sentenced to a decade behind bars.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being 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.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Six Years for Firearm Possession Related to Illegal Gun SalesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Covington has sentenced Robert Humberston (39, Sarasota) to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Humberston had pleaded guilty on December 2, 2021.
According to court documents, in March 2021, law enforcement officers recovered three firearms from a felon during a probation search. The felon was prohibited from possessing firearms and informed the officers that they had purchased all three firearms from Humberston, as recently as January 2021. The felon showed the officers a series of Facebook messages where Humberston arranged for the sale of a firearm.
Law enforcement officers secured a search warrant for Humberston’s Facebook account. The account contained several pictures of Humberston holding various firearms, along with numerous posts and messages relating to the sale of firearms. The officers discovered the chain of messages where Humberston agreed to sell the firearm to the felon. Tattoos in the photos also matched those on Humberston.
Humberston has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. 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.
Twenty-Six Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Terry Augusta Newsome (34, Tampa) to seven years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. The court also ordered Newsome to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. Newsome had pleaded guilty on November 1, 2022.
According to court documents, on February 15, 2021, an officer from the Tampa Police Department observed Newsome driving a moped, failing to stop at a stop sign, and colliding with a bicyclist. The officer responded to the scene of the crash and called for emergency services.
When the officer arrived at the scene, he observed that Newsome and the bicyclist were both severely bleeding. The officer attempted to attend to Newsome’s injuries, but Newsome rose to his feet clutching a firearm that he had hidden under his shirt. Additional officers that had arrived on scene noticed a holster partially hidden under Newsome’s shirt. The officers restrained Newsome and retrieved a loaded firearm from Newsome’s pants.
At the time of the incident, Newsome had at least 26 prior state felony convictions, including 3 convictions for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, 5 for grand theft motor vehicle, 9 burglary, and 1 for armed robbery. Because of his prior felony convictions, Newsome is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the 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.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Access Device Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Tyler Deandre Johnson (27, Tampa) to three years and eight months in federal prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $40,039.67, which represents the proceeds Johnson obtained from these offenses. The federal sentence is to run consecutively to a three-year state prison sentence Johnson is currently serving on four Hillsborough County state cases. In those cases, Johnson was convicted of three counts of fleeing to elude, two counts of armed possession of a controlled substance, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Johnson had pleaded guilty to the federal charges on November 15, 2022.
According to court records, between March 16 and June 15, 2021, Johnson used Green Dot VISA debit cards and PayPal credit cards with stolen account numbers embossed on them to purchase a total of $40,039.67 worth of merchandise. The merchandise included jewelry and cellphones. Because another person’s name was embossed on these cards, Johnson used fraudulent identification cards to corroborate the names on the debit and credit cards as his own.
This case was investigated by the U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General, Southeast and Caribbean Regional Investigations Office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Southeast Region, Amtrak - Office of Inspector General, Central Region, the U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, the Davie Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff's Office, the Cape Coral Police Department, the Belleview Police Department, the Sarasota Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and the Synchrony Bank Special Investigations Team. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
Tampa Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Jorge Gutierrez Echeverria (34, Tampa) to two years and six months in federal prison for wire fraud in connection with his fraudulent receipt of Covid-19 funds. The court also ordered Gutierrez Echeverria to forfeit $149,900, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Gutierrez Echeverria had pleaded guilty on August 11, 2022.
According to court documents, in July 2020, Gutierrez Echeverria falsely and fraudulently claimed in a federal application for Covid-19 funding that he was the sole proprietor of a business suffering an economic injury due to the Covid-19 pandemic when in fact Gutierrez Echeverria had no such business. He further claimed that he had no felony convictions when in fact he had two felony convictions. Gutierrez Echeverria submitted a fraudulent 2018 tax return, including a fraudulent Schedule C, in support of his application as purported proof that his claimed business was real. As a result of his false and fraudulent representations, Gutierrez Echeverria received a $149,900 loan to which he was not entitled. He spent the money on extravagant personal expenses.
“The Secret Service remains committed to holding individuals accountable that attempt to exploit taxpayer funded pandemic relief programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel of the United States Secret Service – Tampa Field Office. “The outcome of this case is the direct result of the coordination with our partners at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
North Fort Myers Man Indicted After Brandishing Gun in Crowded BarRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Terrance Paul Snow (22, North Fort Myers) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Snow faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Snow that the United States intends to forfeit a Taurus Model 85 .38 Special revolver and 4 rounds of .38 ammunition, which are alleged to be traceable to the offense.
According to court proceedings, on January 8, 2023, Snow was at a bar in New Port Richey. After a verbal dispute with other patrons of the bar, Snow pulled a small black revolver out of his waistband and pointed it at the patrons. Officers from the New Port Richey Police Department responded to the scene and apprehended Snow a short distance from the bar. The officers located a black Taurus Model 85 .38 Special revolver hidden behind a dumpster near the location where Snow was apprehended. At the time of the incident, Snow was serving a 5-year probation term related to his prior federal felony conviction for conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. As a convicted felon, Snow is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Port Richey Police Department. 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 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 Men Indicted on Federal Charges Related to Drive-By Shooting in LakelandRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Nicholas Quinton Hanson (32, Lakeland) with possessing ammunition as a convicted felon and Marcus Dewonn Mobley, Jr. (22, Lakeland) with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to court documents and information presented in court, on January 30, 2023, Hanson, Mobley, and others shot 11 men in Lakeland from a blue Nissan Altima in a drive-by shooting. The victims all survived. Crime scene technicians recovered 9-millimeter, .40 caliber, and 5.56 millimeter spent shell casings from the crime scene. The evidence includes DNA collected from some of those shell casings, as well as from the Altima. Mobley’s DNA was recovered from a .40 caliber spent shell casing and the Altima. Hanson’s DNA was recovered from two spent 9-millimeter shell casings. Officers also subsequently seized a loaded, 9-millimeter handgun from Hanson’s home.
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 Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) unit of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Lakeland Police Department, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and the State Attorney’s Office for Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Download Criminal Complaint (Hanson)
Download Indictment (Hanson/Mobley)Jacksonville Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Entice and Meet A 12-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Zachary Ray Ellis (45, Jacksonville) has been arrested and charged with using the internet to attempt to entice a 12-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Ellis faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. At the time of his arrest on February 14, 2023, Ellis was an employee of a media and technology company.
According to court documents, on August 26, 2022, an undercover FBI agent, who was posing online as the mother (the “mother”) of an 11-year-old “child,” received a message from the user “Twiztd,” subsequently identified as Ellis, on a particular social media application. During the conversation, which eventually switched to text messages, the “mother” advised that she was looking for the “child” to get some experience and Ellis stated that he “love[s] young girls. 10-12 fav age.” Ellis detailed his sexual interest in the “child,” telling the “mother” about the sexual acts he wanted to perform on the “child.” During the messaging, Ellis spoke directly with the “child” via text message, grooming her, and directing her on how to perform a sex act. The conversation then continued on and off throughout September, October, and November 2022, with Ellis reinitiating contact each time, checking to see if the “mother” had found anyone to help her with the “child” yet.
On February 5, 2023, Ellis again reached out to the “mother” to find out about her progress with finding someone for the “child.” From February 6 through February 13, 2023, Ellis detailed his interest in the “child,” who was now 12 years old, including specific sexual activities he wanted to engage in with her. Ellis discussed meeting the “mother” first and then if the meeting went well, taking the “child” out separately on his own. On February 13, 2023, Ellis made arrangements to meet with the “mother” at a prearranged location and was arrested by FBI agents when he arrived.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
It 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.
Ocala Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms and DrugsRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Aaron Haa (42, Ocala) to 17 years and 7 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Haa had pleaded guilty on July 13, 2022.
According to information presented in court, on December 9, 2020, Haa was arrested by state authorities after being found with a firearm during a traffic stop. After being released from state custody, Haa was arrested again on January 22, 2021. During that second incident, Haa led police on a high-speed chase on U.S. 441 in Marion County. A deputy had to force Haa’s vehicle to stop when Haa started fleeing into the opposite lanes of traffic. After Haa flipped his vehicle, deputies took him into custody. Deputies found another firearm and 70 grams of methamphetamine in Haa’s vehicle.
Haa has at least 21 prior state felony convictions, including trafficking in a controlled substance, fleeing and eluding, and sale of a controlled substance. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.
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.
Lakeland Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Ramon Paz (52, Lakeland) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Paz faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Paz owned and managed a construction company which he registered with the State of Florida in December 2016. This company purported to supply construction services and labor to work for construction site contractors. In order to comply with Florida law, Paz’s company was required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage. Providers of worker’s compensation insurance base the premiums they charge and the amount of coverage they provide on the number of employees a company has and the total annual payroll of those employees. Paz’s company had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be Paz’s employees at construction sites and these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors. Paz or others would then regularly receive “payroll checks” from contractors that were cashed at various financial institutions to pay Paz’s purported “employees” and other related expenses.
During the time period charged in the criminal information, Paz falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that his company had a very limited payroll and a very limited number of employees that worked on construction jobsites. Paz also falsely and fraudulently sent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that his company’s employees had full worker’s compensation coverage. In reality, Paz’s company received and cashed more than $21 million in checks from various construction contractors for these purported “employees.” These payroll figures far exceeded the very limited payroll figures that Paz had reported to his worker’s compensation insurance company. As a result, the employees of Paz’s company, in reality the employees of other entities, performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the insurers lost premiums they would have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover.
As a result of these misrepresentations, Paz’s company also disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and that required state and federal payroll taxes were being paid for these workers. The contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were thus also able to avoid responsibility for those duties as well.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Relief Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kenneth Steven Landers (57, Jacksonville) today pleaded guilty to wire fraud and engaging in an illegal monetary transaction. Landers faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, during 2020 and 2021, Landers applied for federally backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans ten times, requesting a total of $1,410,000. He submitted the applications on behalf of four different corporate entities that he controlled, specifically, the American Fallen Veterans Service Project Inc., Tire Empire LLC, Maypops LLC, and Florida United Inc. In support of each application, Landers electronically submitted false information and documents, including fictitious or altered Internal Revenue Service tax forms.
Notwithstanding Landers’s use of fraudulent documents, seven of his ten PPP loan applications were approved and funded in the total amount of $910,000, which was deposited into financial accounts that he controlled. Rather than use the loan proceeds exclusively to pay employees or for other allowable expenses under the PPP, Landers used funds for his personal benefit. For example, he paid off the mortgages on his home and a business property, purchased an 18kt gold Rolex watch, and bought a vintage Jaguar XKE Roadster. He also wrote checks to himself, transferred funds electronically to personal accounts, paid down personal debt, and made approximately $113,000 in cash withdrawals of funds traceable to PPP loan proceeds.
As part of his plea agreement, Landers agreed to forfeit $910,000, the proceeds of the wire fraud, as well as two pieces of real estate that he purchased or funded with the proceeds.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act relief programs. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the two programs that were developed through CARES Act is the PPP. It provides funding to businesses through PPP loans for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. PPP allows the interest and principal on loans to be forgiven if the business spends proceeds on certain expense items within a designated time and uses a certain percentage of the loan on payroll expenses. The Department of Justice remains vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mai Tran and Michael J. Coolican.
Convicted Identity Thief Pleads Guilty to Access Device Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Yonasky Fernandez Rosa (40, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Rosa faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for access device fraud and a consecutive 2-year minimum mandatory term of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2018, Rosa was convicted of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft in federal court in Ohio. After serving 22 months in prison, his supervised release was transferred to the Middle District of Florida, during which he continued to commit identity theft and access device fraud. On April 6, 2021, Rosa used a victim’s personally identifiable information (PII) to purchase gasoline at a Circle-K gas station in Plant City without the victim’s authorization. The victim told law enforcement that he did not know Rosa, did not authorize the purchase, and did not give Rosa permission to possess his PII.
On June 2, 2021, during a search of Rosa’s residence in the Town N’ Country neighborhood of Tampa, law enforcement officers discovered device-making equipment, including magnetic stripe encoders and skimmers, and hundreds of instances of PII in the form of credit card numbers, cardholder names, and PINs, on Rosa’s laptop computer.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Office of Agriculture Law Enforcement, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Selling A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Troy Nix (30, Mount Dora) to five years and eight months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Nix had pleaded guilty on September 21, 2022.
According to court records, on June 3, 2022, Nix sold a 9mm firearm to an undercover ATF agent and then fled on foot when agents attempted to arrest him. Nix is a previously convicted felon with at least eight prior state felony convictions including battery on a person 65 years of age or older, sale of cocaine, and fleeing to elude police. Because of his prior felony convictions, Nix is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mount Dora Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.
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.
Jury Finds St. Petersburg Man Guilty of Fraud Scheme to Strip Liens from Vehicles and Obtain Clear TitlesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Jonathan Daniels (44, St. Petersburg) guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Daniels faces a maximum penalty of 62 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2023. Daniels had been indicted on August 25, 2021.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Daniels and his co-conspirators were involved in a fraud scheme to strip bank liens from 100 vehicles and obtain clear titles to the vehicles. The conspirators submitted fraudulent and counterfeit documents and fake certified mail receipts to tax collector offices in Florida to make it look like the vehicles had towing and storage liens, which enabled the conspirators to obtain clear titles to the vehicles and sell the vehicles to unsuspecting buyers for profit.
One of Daniels’s co-conspirators, Ian McGeehan, has pleaded guilty. His sentencing is scheduled for May 4, 2023.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
Jury Finds Felon Guilty of Possessing Firearm and Multiple Bags of Drugs for DistributionRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Curtis Tyrone Johnson (35, Melbourne) guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and possession with the intent to distribute various controlled substances. Johnson faces a minimum mandatory term of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 10, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, on March 25, 2022, the Melbourne Police Department and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, along with members of the DEA and the FBI, executed search warrants at two residences on Williams Street in Melbourne. While law enforcement moved in to set a perimeter one street south, Johnson came jogging down the side of a residence holding a black bag. Upon making eye contact with law enforcement, Johnson took off running through backyards on Ryoland Street. Agents following Johnson observed him holding the black bag and a firearm. Johnson was given commands to put his hands in the air but instead threw the black bag and firearm over a fence into a church parking lot. Both items, the Glock .40 caliber pistol loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition, and a bag containing approximately 181 grams of methamphetamine, 35 grams of crack cocaine, 15 grams of fluorofentanyl, and 194 grams of N, N-Dimethylpentylone – a drug similar to MDMA – were recovered.
After he was arrested, Johnson told agents that they “didn’t get no gun off me” and asked if possession is nine-tenths of the law. Further investigation revealed that a vehicle located in an open field, which had been towed to the Melbourne Police Department pending a search warrant, belonged to Johnson and his girlfriend. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and located $7,000 inside a sock and two digital scales. During a jail phone call that Johnson had placed to his girlfriend after his arrest, Johnson instructed his girlfriend to get the title to the car because there were 8 “wraps” in the vehicle, which is common street terminology for a stack of $1,000.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Melbourne Police Department, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Beatriz Gonzalez and Megan Testerman.
Florida Cardiology, P.A. and 10 Physicians Agree to Pay $2 Million to Settle False Claims Act LiabilityRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that Florida Cardiology, P.A., Sandeep Bajaj, Karan Reddy, and eight other physicians have agreed to pay the United States and the State of Florida $2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting inflated claims to Medicare and Medicaid and for billing while the physicians were outside the United States.
The United States and the State of Florida previously intervened in a whistleblower lawsuit against Florida Cardiology and the physician-defendants on June 27, 2022. The lawsuit and settlement relate to the submission of claims that were improperly billed or performed, and submitted or caused to be submitted by Florida Cardiology, Sandeep Bajaj, Abbas Ali, Karan Reddy, Claudio Manubens, Milan Kothari, Saroj Tampira, Sayed Hussain,Raviprasad Subraya, Harish Patil, and Edwin Martinez.
According to the lawsuit and settlement agreement, Dr. Bajaj and Dr. Reddy caused Florida Cardiology to bill for more intravascular stents than were actually inserted into patients; Dr. Bajaj caused Florida Cardiology to bill for radiofrequency ablations that were not performed by him and in some instances, were not performed by a qualifying provider; and all ten physician-defendants caused Florida Cardiology to bill for procedures and services while they were outside the United States. According to the Complaint in Intervention, except in limited circumstances, providers cannot bill for services while outside the United States. According to the settlement agreement, Florida Cardiology submitted these false claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
“Fraud schemes represent a tangible threat to our public health programs,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “This civil settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to the integrity of these programs, and to holding providers accountable for the truth of what they represent in their claims.”
“The defendants in this case attempted to rip off taxpayers—even going as far as billing Medicaid and Medicare for services they claimed were provided to patients in Florida while these doctors were actually out of the country. As a result of their brazen scheme and the great work of whistleblowers, my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and our federal partners, these defendants will now pay for ripping off taxpayers,” stated Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
“Health care professionals participating in Medicare and Medicaid are expected to abide by rules meant to protect patients, and to properly bill the programs on which their patients rely. Physicians who put financial gain above the well-being of patients and the integrity of federal health care programs will be held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “In coordination with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to investigate such allegations to protect the beneficiaries of all HHS programs.”
“We commend the U.S. Attorney’s office, the Florida MFCU, HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their commitment to safeguarding the TRICARE Health Plan,” stated the Defense Health Agency. “Their efforts protect taxpayer dollars to ensure our service members, veterans, and their families continue to receive the highest degree of medical care.”
“False claims threaten the integrity of the Federal health care programs and waste American taxpayer funds,” said Conrad J. Quarles, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, OPM OIG. “We applaud our partners at the Department of Justice for holding providers accountable for fraudulent billing practices.”
The settlement concludes a lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Relators Derrick Graham and Jesse Frauenhofer. The Relators sued under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act permitting private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in the recovery. The Act also allows the United States to intervene and prosecute the action. The Relators will receive $420,000 of the proceeds from the settlement with the Defendants.
This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the Florida Office of the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (“MFCU”), the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor and Florida MFCU’s Senior Assistant Attorney General Matthew Vitale led the investigation.
The case is captioned United States and the State of Florida ex rel. Graham and Frauenhofer v. Florida Cardiology, P.A., et al, Case No. 18-cv-1444-Orl-RBD-LHP. The settlement resolves the United States and the State of Florida’s claims in that case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Convicted Felon Indicted for Possession of Firearms, Ammunition and Distribution of A Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Evan Ingram (42, Clearwater) with seven counts of distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted, Ingram faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the distribution charges and a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison on each of the possession of firearm and ammunition charges.
According to the indictment, on seven separate dates in August and September 2022, Ingram distributed cocaine. On four dates during that time frame, he possessed a firearm. The indictment also alleges that Ingram has previously been convicted of seven felonies, including three or more violent felonies or serious drug offenses. As a previously 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 Clearwater 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.
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 Arrested and Charged with Distributing and Possessing Child Sex Abuse Videos and ImagesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and the return of an indictment charging Carl Stephen Smith, Jr. (32, Green Cove Springs) with distributing and possessing child sexual abuse materials using the internet. If convicted, Smith faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Smith was arrested on January 31, 2023, and has been detained pending trial in this case.
According to court documents and evidence proffered in open court, in July 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTipline report from an online social media application (app) that three child sexual abuse videos had been uploaded on the app by a user named “daddysir142.” The IP address used to upload these materials resolved to an internet service provider in Green Cove Springs. An investigation commenced by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office revealed nine other CyberTipline reports submitted by several online social media apps for IP addresses that traced back to either the same internet service provider account at Smith’s residence or a cellphone service carrier used by Smith.
On January 31, 2023, members of the Northeast Florida Intercept Task Force, including agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Clay County Sheriff's Office, and other state and local investigators, executed a federal search warrant at Smith’s residence and seized a cellphone belonging to Smith. A forensic review of this device revealed that it contained at least 15 videos and 14 images depicting young children being sexually abused. The review also showed Smith had distributed one such video over the internet on January 6, 2023, using a social media app.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Sixteen Individuals Plead Guilty in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy – “Operation Titan Fall”Read the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that 16 individuals, charged in 3 indictments, have all pleaded guilty to their respective roles in conspiring to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl and cocaine, in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) “Operation Titan Fall” investigation. This investigation yielded evidence from three drug trafficking organizations, and each defendant faces penalties of up to life in federal prison (see chart below):
Name
Drugs, Drug Quantities, Other Charges
Date of Plea
Sentencing Date
Sentence or Sentencing Range
Alexander Acosta-Zapata
5 kilograms cocaine; 400 grams fentanyl
12/13/22
4/10/23
15 years to life
Frank Cadiz
5 kilograms cocaine
12/14/22
3/20/23
15 years to life
Adal Antonio Navas-Feliciano
400 grams fentanyl
1/18/23
4/10/23
15 years to life
Jonathan Andres Marte-Rodriguez
5 kilograms cocaine
2/8/23
TBD
10 years to life
Juan Felipe Sanchez
40 grams fentanyl
2/7/22
4/24/23
10 years to life
Nimesh Rashmikant Patel
500 grams cocaine
2/9/23
TBD
10 years to life
Joseph Juan Torres-Torres
500 grams cocaine
9/7/22
12/21/22
5 years
Gabriel Isaac Irizarry-Aponte
500 grams cocaine
2/10/23
TBD
5-40 years
Jacob Nelson
500 grams cocaine
1/25/23
4/17/23
10 years to life
Carlos Alberto Roman
cocaine, firearm w/silencer possessed in furtherance of drug offense
12/6/22
3/14/23
30 years to life
James Richard Howell
cocaine, fentanyl
12/5/22
3/14/23
Up to 20 years
Joely Manuel Burgos
40 grams fentanyl
12/28/22
3/13/23
5-40 years
Kenneth Angel Vera
cocaine
12/6/22
3/14/23
Up to 20 years
James Mirabal
5 kilograms cocaine
12/27/23
3/20/23
10 years to life
Jonathan Beharry
5 kilograms cocaine
11/29/22
2/13/23
15 years to life
Vilnarie Figueroa-Matos
5 kilograms cocaine
1/30/23
4/17/23
10 years to life
According to plea agreements and other court documents, during the course of this investigation the DEA seized an estimated 110 kilograms of cocaine along with kilograms of fentanyl through the mail, traffic stops, and search warrants. Many of the communications between Acosta-Zapata, Cadiz and their conspirators related to the “brand” or “logo” of the cocaine – for example, an anchor or Ferrari – that was visible on the exterior of the packaging of the cocaine that was seized.
A search warrant executed on Carlos Alberto Roman’s home on August 9, 2022, yielded 19 firearms, 6 silencers, 3 flash-bang grenades, and thousands of rounds of ammunition, depicted here along with three firearms seized from Cadiz’s home.
Mirabal and his conspirators were linked to a seizure of 50 kilograms of cocaine in April 2022, and the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine seized in Beharry’s apartment in the Baldwin Park area in October 2022 (pictured below):
In addition to controlled substances, the DEA seized proceeds and other assets used in the offenses. Upon the arrest of Beharry on October 17, 2022, the DEA seized $39,560; upon the arrest of Mirabal on October 31, 2022, 24 cellphones and $124,598 was seized (pictured below):
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.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Shawn Curtis Robinson, Jr. (33, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for distributing over 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. Robinson had pleaded guilty on December 28, 2021.
According to court documents, Robinson started selling methamphetamine to an undercover detective in March 2021. The methamphetamine purity level was very high, with one laboratory testing placing its purity level at 100%. Robinson was ultimately held responsible for the distribution of almost one-fourth kilogram of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Taylor and Frank Talbot.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Felipe Kearley (28, Jacksonville) to 13 years and 9 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Kearley had pleaded on October 20, 2022. In June 2022, Kearley’s co-defendant, George Walters (32, Jacksonville), was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison. Walters was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on February 4, 2021, Kearley met with a cooperating individual who made contact with the methamphetamine supplier, Walters, and received a pound of methamphetamine in exchange for $5,500. On February 19, 2021, Kearley arranged another transaction with Walters in a public parking lot. Walters fled from law enforcement on foot and threw two packages, one containing over two kilograms of methamphetamine with a purity level of 98.9%, and the second containing cocaine weighing 27.9 grams.
“Methamphetamine is a poison that erodes our communities and our culture,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “This 13-plus-year sentence is a direct result of outstanding law enforcement partnerships between HSI, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Highway Patrol, and serves as a strong notice that we will continue to seek out and prosecute those who introduce illicit narcotics into our communities.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hackenberry. The asset forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
Jacksonville Convicted Murderer Pleads Guilty to Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Ronald Bernard Thomas, Jr. (46, Jacksonville) today pleaded guilty to selling fentanyl and high-purity methamphetamine while armed and possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for each of the two counts of selling fentanyl, a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in prison for each of three counts of selling methamphetamine, a minimum of 5 years, up to life imprisonment, consecutive, for each of two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and a maximum of 10 years in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Thomas’s sentence for the methamphetamine sales was enhanced because of his prior conviction for second-degree murder. The government intends to forfeit the two recovered firearms, which were used in the offenses.
According to court documents, Thomas had been convicted of second-degree murder with a firearm in Florida (2002) and was in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections from April 2002 through December 2017. In 2021, an individual who knew Thomas by the street name “Gorilla” informed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that they could purchase drugs from Thomas at a hotel in the area of the Jacksonville airport. On August 20, 2021, Thomas sold that individual a quantity of fentanyl.
In 2022, a second individual informed ATF that they could purchase drugs from “Gorilla,” who was then operating out of a hotel on Jacksonville’s southside. During the summer of 2022, at the direction of ATF, the individual purchased drugs from Thomas at that hotel, on several occasions. On two occasions, Thomas sold the individual approximately an ounce of methamphetamine that was up to 99% pure. During one of those drug sales, Thomas kept two firearms within his reach while measuring the drugs he was selling. On July 28, 2022, Thomas was arrested during a traffic stop on a federal arrest warrant. ATF agents searched Thomas and recovered a Glock 9mm pistol from his pants pocket, and a search of Thomas’s vehicle yielded an FN Herstal 5.7 x 28mm pistol, magazines loaded with ammunition, and drugs – including approximately a half ounce of fentanyl that was 95% pure.
As a convicted felon, Thomas is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor. The asset forfeiture is being 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.
Jacksonville Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm While on Bond for Separate Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Cory Lee Kelly (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, on April 28, 2022, Kelly was pulled over by a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper for a seatbelt violation. The vehicle was occupied by Kelly and a two-year-old child. At Kelly’s driver’s side window, the trooper smelled marijuana. Kelly did not possess a valid driver license and the trooper also determined that Kelly had an outstanding arrest warrant for an unresolved charge of driving with a suspended license. Kelly was detained, and based on the smell of marijuana, his vehicle was searched. During the search, the trooper located remnants of marijuana and a Glock-type pistol, which once the driver’s side door was opened, was readily visible under the driver’s seat. The pistol had no serial number, was loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition, and had a so-called “Glock switch” – a device converting the pistol into a machine gun; allowing it to fire multiple rounds with the single pull of the trigger – visibly installed at the rear of the slide. A search of Kelly’s criminal history determined that he had previously been convicted of possession of a controlled substance while armed, a felony offense. The trooper arrested Kelly for, among other things, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, a state offense. On May 3, 2022, while his state case was pending, Kelly was released from custody after posting bond.
On July 19, 2022, an officer from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office saw Kelly driving a car while speeding, with illegal window tint, and an expired registration. The officer signaled Kelly to pull over, which he did. As the officer approached the driver’s side window, Kelly rolled it down a minimal amount. When asked to roll it down further, Kelly complied, and the officer smelled marijuana. Kelly was alone in the car and visibly within his reach was an AR-style semi-automatic pistol on the passenger-side of the car. When asked, Kelly could not produce a driver license and confirmed that he was a convicted felon. Kelly was detained, and pursuant to a search, in addition to the semi-automatic pistol (loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition), officers located counterfeit currency, and bags of marijuana and crack cocaine. Kelly was arrested for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On September 1, 2022, while his two state prosecutions were pending, Kelly was released from custody after posting bond. On September 15, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Kelly for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was arrested at his home on September 22, 2022, pursuant to that indictment. When officers entered the home, they located a loaded shotgun on the floor of a bathroom. As a convicted felon, Kelly is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
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.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Anthony Jermaine Robinson (31, Covington, Georgia) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 32 in federal prison, to include a 2-year minimum mandatory term of imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft charge, and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. Robinson made his initial appearance in federal court on November 3, 2022, pursuant to a writ from a Georgia State Prison, where he is serving a prison sentence for violating parole on a fraud-related crime. He was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the plea agreement, in 2019, a deputy from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) stopped a car driven by Robinson for a cracked windshield. Based on a probable cause search of the car, the deputy located counterfeit Social Security cards and driver licenses with the identities of genuine individuals, genuine credit cards in the names of individuals, and multiple phones. Pursuant to a search warrant, the CCSO conducted a forensic examination of Robinson’s iPhone and determined that it contained text messages between Robinson and his co-defendant, Kiana Fina Alphonse. The text messages outlined instructions on how to fraudulently set up business bank accounts using, among other items, fraudulent business documents for non-existent businesses, identification documents and Social Security numbers (SSNs).
Further investigation by law enforcement determined that, in 2019, Robinson and Alphonse obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of multiple victims. They then obtained counterfeit driver licenses, purportedly from Washington and Delaware. The counterfeit licenses contained the PII of victims, but Alphonse’s photo. Using the PII, including the SSNs of victims, the counterfeit licenses, and documents created for fictitious businesses, Alphonse set up fraudulent business bank accounts in the names of various victims. These bank accounts were then utilized as part of a scheme to defraud multiple victims involving the online purchase of nonexistent cars. Once the bank accounts received funds from the victims, Robinson, Alphonse, and co-conspirators withdrew the money for their own personal use.
Kiana Fina Alphonse (28, Covington, Georgia) appeared in federal court on September 27, 2022. Her trial is set for March 2023.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Armed Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Brandon Corey Skeith (40, Jacksonville) to seven years and eight months in federal prison for possessing fentanyl and cocaine base with the intent to distribute it and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Skeith had pleaded guilty on November 3, 2022.
According to court documents, Skeith was selling drugs out of a motel near Dunn Avenue in Jacksonville. In April 2022, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit observed Skeith selling fentanyl from the motel and obtained a search warrant for his room. During the execution of the search warrant, Skeith was caught with fentanyl packaged for sale, cocaine base, scales, beakers and a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement analyzed the pistol and found Skeith’s DNA on the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran handled the forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition.
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 Murderer Found Guilty of Assaulting Federal Correctional Officers and Possessing A ShankRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury today found Lester Lee Nash (47) guilty of two counts of forcibly assaulting a federal officer causing bodily injury, and one count of possessing a prohibited object (shank) while incarcerated in a federal prison. Nash faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 17, 2023. Nash was indicted on August 31, 2021.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Nash was incarcerated at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County, serving a life sentence for murder. On June 11, 2021, Nash attacked one of the correctional officers in his cell block, striking him from behind and causing severe injuries. He then charged another nearby correctional officer and struck him repeatedly. After Nash was subdued and searched, prison staff found a shank made from a sharpened toothbrush handle hidden in his underwear.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Sarah J. Swartzberg.
Tampa Man Sentenced for Role in Fraudulent Tax Preparation SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Thomas Johnson to three years in federal prison for his role in the preparation of well over a thousand false and fraudulent income tax returns. The court also ordered Johnson to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $1,688,931.90. Johnson had pleaded guilty on October 20, 2022.
According to court documents, Johnson owned and operated a tax preparation business located in Seffner, Florida. Between 2015 and 2017, Johnson aided in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of his clients. The fraudulent returns that Johnson helped to prepare contained false entries as to education credits that his clients were supposedly owed and Schedule C business losses for businesses that his clients denied having. The filing of these false tax returns led to the overpayment of tax refunds to his clients and the loss to the IRS of $1,688,931.90.
Johnson often concealed his activity by listing other persons as the preparers of most of the false returns that he created and filed. The false education credits and Schedule C business losses that Johnson submitted on behalf of his taxpayer clients generated large refunds that were unjustified. Johnson also required that his clients split those large refund amounts with him after the IRS processed these tax returns and paid those refunds.
“While most tax return preparers provide excellent service to their clients, it only takes a few dishonest return preparers to negatively impact thousands. IRS-CI works year-round to investigate fraudulent return preparers and protect the American taxpayers’ money,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker. “Return preparers must comply with the same tax obligations as the clients they serve. No one is above the law.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Naples Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Giovanni Francois (23, Naples) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and MDMA, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Francois faces up to 10 years in federal prison for possessing the firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for possessing with the intent to distribute MDMA and fentanyl. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to life, in federal prison for possessing the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing date has not been scheduled yet.
According to court documents, in January 2022, a deputy from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop for routine traffic violations on a vehicle in which Francois was a passenger. After the lights and sirens were activated, the driver continued driving without pulling over. During that time, Francois, a convicted felon, threw items from the car two different times. The first time, Francois discarded a white and yellow bag containing various items including a chamber-loaded 9mm pistol and a large clear bag containing multiple empty packages consistent with narcotics sales. The second time, Francois discarded a rectangular box containing various types and quantities of drugs, including 33 units of suspected MDMA, more than 28 grams of cocaine, and a bag of powder containing suspected fentanyl. Inside the car’s rear floorboard, on the passenger side, deputies located a plastic bottle with additional suspected fentanyl powder and two small clear plastic baggies containing cocaine base.
This case was investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make 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.
Leaders of Jacksonville Armed Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison, Ten Other Members Also SentencedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Kimberly Michelle Claridy Walker (46) and Neal Merrell Walker (51), both of Jacksonville, to 25 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute narcotics and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The Walkers were also ordered to forfeit over $167,000 in cash, a .38 caliber pistol, a 2015 BMW 5501, a 2015 Lexus IS 250, a 2013 Audi AS L Quattro, a 2020 Ryker Rally Edition motorcycle, and numerous other items, such as Rolex watches, gold and diamond jewelry, and designer clothing and shoes.
According to court documents and statements made during the sentencing hearing, the Walkers, a married couple, were the leaders of an armed drug trafficking organization that distributed synthetic stimulant drugs, known as “flakka,” and other narcotics out of “trap” houses in Jacksonville. The organization distributed the drugs beginning no later than July 2018 through April 2021.
The Walkers employed sellers at the trap house who worked in regular shifts, usually three per day. The trap house was almost always staffed by at least one seller, 24 hours a day. Over the period of the conspiracy, the Walkers sold kilogram quantities of drugs each week.
In April 2019, July 2019, and January 2020, the Walkers, with the assistance of co-defendants, laundered approximately $120,000 by making numerous cash deposits into financial institutions—in amounts of less than $10,000, to avoid federal reporting requirements—and then obtaining cashier’s checks that they used to buy six properties in Jacksonville, five through Duval County tax deed auctions.
On April 13, 2021, law enforcement agents searched the Walkers’ residence and found more than $148,000 in cash, approximately two kilograms of synthetic narcotics, drug packaging material, digital scales, a .38 caliber pistol under the mattress in the Walkers’ bedroom, and numerous luxury items.
Ten other members of the organization were also sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy, as follows:
Name
Age
Role
Sentence
Marcus Antonio Peterson
37
Supplier
7 years, 11 months
David Lee Geathers
26
Seller
6 years, 8 months
Mar’Quez Maurice Mickler
22
Seller
5 years, 6 months
Ramone Lazai Astin
37
Seller
5 years
Eugene Antwonn Farmer
25
Seller
4 years, 2 months
Alfred Eugene Bell
38
Seller
3 years, 4 months
Michael Shaquille Lee
25
Seller
3 years, 4 months
Antwan Le’Queze Major
25
Seller
4 years’ probation
Porschee Laneal Walker
30
Bagger/Transporter
4 years’ probation
Brandiesa Tylese Williams
26
Bagger/Transporter
4 years’ probation
Geathers and Williams were ordered to forfeit more than $18,000 and four firearms that were seized during a search of their apartment. Bell was ordered to forfeit $5,654 seized from him when he was arrested.
“We share our partners’ unwavering commitment to help keep Florida’s communities safe,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Coes. “These individuals earned steep sentences for committing serious federal crimes.”
“These sentencings are important victories for the American public. The role of IRS-CI in narcotics investigations is to follow the money to financially disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations,” said Ronald A. Loecker, IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “One of our most powerful weapons is our ability to work hand-in-hand with law enforcement partners to unravel intricate money laundering schemes and seize associated assets.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
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.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Margaret Catherine Lynch (36, Bradenton) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Lynch had pleaded guilty on October 13, 2022.
According to court documents, on October 27, 2020, Lynch and a co-conspirator sold 28 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. On November 5, 2020, Lynch and her co-conspirator sold an additional 56 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant.
On July 22, 2021, law enforcement officers served a search warrant at Lynch’s residence. The officers seized more than 70 grams of methamphetamine and drug packaging materials during the search of the home.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
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.
Jacksonville Contract Postal Carrier Sentenced for Theft of MailRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced former United States Postal Service contract mail carrier Randolph Varbelow (48, Jacksonville) to time served, approximately four months’ imprisonment. Varbelow was also ordered to serve a two-year term of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims. He had pleaded guilty to theft of mail matter on November 15, 2022.
According to court documents, Varbelow worked as a contract mail carrier from November 2021 through January 2022 and was assigned to deliver mail on a route in Duval and St. Johns Counties. In response to complaints about missing mail on his route, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General conducted an investigation and linked multiple stolen Target gift cards to Varbelow through transaction records and surveillance video.
This case was investigated by U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
Volusia County Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Using His Missing Father’s Identity to Steal Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Robert Butzlaff (57, Volusia County) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for fraudulent use of an unauthorized access device and aggravated identity theft. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Butzlaff to pay restitution in the amount of $57,296, and entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $57,296, the proceeds of the access device fraud. A federal jury had found Butzlaff guilty on September 21, 2022.
According to evidence presented at trial, Social Security beneficiary M.B. was reported missing in October 2014 and has never been located. M.B.’s disappearance was not reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and SSA continued to make benefit payments on his behalf. M.B.’s SSA benefits were being deposited into an account held jointly with his son, Butzlaff, at the time of his disappearance. Following M.B.’s disappearance, Butzlaff opened a new bank account using M.B.’s personally identifiable information and redirected M.B.’s SSA benefits to the new account. The new account was solely in M.B.’s name. Butzlaff obtained and used two debit cards issued in the name of M.B. to withdraw the funds that were being deposited by SSA into the new account. Butzlaff used the SSA funds intended for M.B. for his own personal expenses.
“This sentence of 70 months’ imprisonment holds Mr. Butlzaff accountable for intentionally misusing Social Security benefits, intended for his father, for his own personal gain. This is a federal crime, and we will continue to pursue perpetrators of Social Security fraud,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. “I want to thank the Ormond Beach Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Huyler for their efforts in investigating and prosecuting this case.”
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General and the Ormond Beach Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
Hamilton County Man Pleads Guilty to COVID Relief Fraud Involving Two Fraudulently Obtained Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Desmond Dondre Williams (34, Jasper) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud involving COVID Relief Fraud. Williams faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and payment of restitution to the United States government. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, in April 2021, Williams submitted two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to two different lenders authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. Both PPP loan applications falsely claimed that Williams operated his own business – “Tastebudz.” Throughout the loan applications Williams made multiple false statements regarding his purported gross income and business expenses associated with operating Tastebudz. In support of his PPP loan applications, Williams submitted a false IRS Form 1040 “Profit or Loss From Business” for Tastebudz. It contained false statements about operating expenses, gross income, and wage expenditures for his purported business. In truth, Tastebudz did not exist. In reliance on the false statements in his two PPP loan applications, the SBA funded a PPP loan for Tastebudz in the amount of $16,386 and a second PPP loan in the amount of $22,941. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds into his bank account, Williams began making withdrawals and spending it on personal expenses.
This case is being prosecuted as part the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act relief programs. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the two programs that were developed through CARES Act is the PPP. It provides funding to businesses through PPP loans for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. PPP allows the interest and principal on loans to be forgiven if the business spends proceeds on certain expense items within a designated time and uses a certain percentage of the loan on payroll expenses. The Department of Justice remains vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.
Convicted Murderer Indicted for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Cody Richard Hawk (51, Ocklawaha) with possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted, Hawk faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on October 9, 2022, Hawk possessed a Savage Arms rifle and Winchester ammunition. At that time, Hawk had five previous felony convictions, including second-degree murder with a firearm, statutory rape, felon in possession of a handgun, failure to comply with registration law, and possession of methamphetamine. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and 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 Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Atlanta Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy Using Laundry Detergent BoxesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jose Javier Galvan (52, Atlanta, GA) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Galvan faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in July and August 2021, Galvan and others conspired to distribute kilogram quantities of high-purity methamphetamine from Guadalajara, Mexico to Atlanta and Tampa.
Galvan drove from Atlanta to Tampa to plan for the distribution of the methamphetamine. He agreed to sell several kilograms of methamphetamine for approximately $5,700, with more quantities of the drug to follow by deliveries from his drug courier.
The drug courier drove from Atlanta to Plant City and delivered 1.89 kilograms of high-purity methamphetamine imported from Mexico. The methamphetamine was transported in a bright green laundry detergent box.
On or about July 22, 2021, Galvan again traveled from Atlanta to Temple Terrace, Florida to collect more than $11,000 in drug proceeds owed to him for the methamphetamine delivery. The following week, Galvan and a coconspirator agreed to deliver another multi-kilogram package of methamphetamine into the Middle District of Florida from the Atlanta area. The drug courier drove from Atlanta with methamphetamine contained in two bright orange laundry detergent boxes. Law enforcement stopped the vehicle in Lowndes County, Georgia. During the traffic stop, the officers discovered the laundry detergent boxes containing an aggregate amount of approximately 4.9 kilograms of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Winter Haven Police Department, the Plant City Police Department, and the Lowndes County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
U.S. Attorney Announces Results of Local, State, and Federal Partnerships Combating Violent Crime in Ocala and Marion CountyRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results of a more than four-year gun violence reduction initiative between local, state, and federal law enforcement in Marion County. Since July 2018, the Ocala Division of the United States Attorney’s Office has partnered with the City of Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Fifth Judicial Circuit Office of the State Attorney, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in a joint effort to federally prosecute defendants who illegally possess firearms and ammunition in the Marion County area.
Between July 2018 and December 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office (Ocala Division) prosecuted 57 firearms cases involving 60 defendants. Many of the cases were adopted from the state system with the support of the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office; others were handled jointly between state and federal investigators. As of December 31, 2022, 49 of the 60 defendants have been sentenced in federal court to a combined 388 years in federal prison.
“Combating violent crime requires the commitment and cooperation from everyone in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “The partnerships displayed here today have existed for many years and we look forward to working with the dedicated men and women of these local, state and federal agencies and our citizens in making this community a safer place to live.”
“Keeping our neighborhoods safe from gun violence is a shared responsibility that requires local law enforcement to collaborate with state and federal authorities,” said Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken. “I am extremely proud of the incredible work these partners are doing to hold violent criminals accountable for their actions. The efforts of this unified partnership should be celebrated as it has been relentless in the pursuit of justice and has made tremendous strides to ensure that citizens feel safe in their community.”
“In a world where criminal activity and violent gun crimes are at the forefront of citizen concerns, I am proud to live here in Marion County. In this county, we have joined forces on a federal, state, and local level to fight against this. We support, protect and defend the Constitution and have a great appreciation for those lawful gun owners that simply wish to live peaceably. But, we will come together bringing all of our available resources to maintain that peace when the violent, evil person tries to disrupt that. We cannot accomplish this on our own. It takes our citizen’s support and the cohesive working relationship with our fellow law enforcement agencies to keep Marion County one of the safest places to live, work, and play,” stated Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods.
We’re proud to help contribute the firepower of the federal government to the horsepower of our state and local partners to protect Central Florida’s communities,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Coes. “No agency can tackle the issue of violent crime alone.”
“The FBI is committed to assisting our state and local law enforcement partners and enhancing their ability to impact or mitigate violent crime by providing analytical resources and agents to support their investigations when needed,” said Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “In today’s world, the threats we face are too diverse, too dangerous, and too all-encompassing for any of us to tackle alone. This is a team approach, and the men and women of the FBI are committed to doing their part to help protect our communities across Florida.”
“Our primary mission at the State Attorney’s Office is public safety. In collaboration with the US Attorney’s Office, and all our law enforcement partners throughout Marion County, we strive every day to seek justice on behalf of victims of crime, and I consider it a privilege to work and live in our community,” stated State Attorney Bill Gladson.
This initiative in Marion County is part of the larger 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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal Prisoner Convicted of Robbing Banks on Weekend Passes from Halfway House Sentenced to 20 YearsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron today sentenced LaTavis Deyonta Mackroy (29, Orlando) to 20 years in federal prison for three bank robberies and an attempted bank robbery. A federal jury had found Mackroy guilty after a trial on November 4, 2022.
According to court documents and evidence presented during the three-day trial, Mackroy was a federal prisoner residing at a halfway house in Orlando. After staying at the halfway house for more than a month, Mackroy was given a home pass which allowed him to spend the weekend with his family. On April 16, 2022, while on his home pass, Mackroy robbed the Fairwinds Credit Union in Winter Park by passing a demand note and threatening the teller. He left the credit union with $3,231 and returned to the halfway house the following day. The next weekend, Mackroy was again given a home pass. He robbed one bank on Friday, one bank on Saturday, and attempted to rob another bank on Saturday, which was not successful. During the robbery on Friday, April 22, 2022, Mackroy took $4,000 from a teller at Chase Bank in Kissimmee, after passing her a threatening demand note. The following day, he robbed the TD Bank in Winter Park and took $2,820. During the final robbery at a Regions Bank in Orange City, the teller walked away from his station after reading the demand note, which caused Mackroy the flee the bank empty-handed.
Although he wore a face mask and sunglasses to conceal his identity during all four robberies, Mackroy failed to retrieve the demand note after the final, attempted robbery at the bank in Winter Park. That note was processed for fingerprints and contained four prints matching Mackroy’s fingerprints which were on file with the FBI. An ensuing investigation revealed additional evidence showing Mackroy’s presence at all four robbery scenes, including clothing retrieved from Mackroy at the halfway house that matched the clothes on the bank surveillance videos, location data from the cellphone Mackroy was carrying at the time of the arrest, and location data from the car Mackroy was driving at the time of the arrest. At the time of the April 2022 robbery spree, Mackroy was still serving a federal sentence for a robbery of a pawn shop in Apopka in 2014.
During the sentencing hearing, the court enhanced Mackroy’s sentence because of his extensive criminal history, because he threatened one teller by stating that he had a gun in the note he presented, and because in 2014 and 2022, Mackroy obstructed legal proceedings by taking the witness stand in pre-trial proceedings and lying about his involvement in the robberies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Winter Park Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange City Police Department, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dana E. Hill and Michael P. Felicetta.
Miami-Area Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Multi-City Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Hector Enrique Veliz Villeda (31, Hialeah) to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Veliz Villeda had pleaded guilty on October 20, 2022.
According to court documents, in June and July 2022, Veliz Villeda and others were part of a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy moving kilogram quantities of high-purity methamphetamine throughout cities located in the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida and the Northern District of Alabama. Veliz Villeda received shipments of high-purity methamphetamine from a coconspirator in Birmingham, Alabama and subsequently transported the methamphetamine into the Miami and Tampa metropolitan areas for resale.
On June 14, 2022, at his home in Hialeah, Veliz Villeda obtained high-purity crystal methamphetamine from a coconspirator in Alabama. He later sold the drugs to a confidential source in Bradenton. On July 14, 2022, Veliz Villeda again traveled from Hialeah to Bradenton and sold more high-purity crystal methamphetamine he had received from coconspirators.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bradenton Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.
Leader of International Drug Network Extradited from Costa Rica Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William Jung has sentenced Piero Antonio Lubo-Barros (52, Colombia), a/k/a “Nostradamus,” to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine knowing and intending it to be imported into the United States. The indictment against Lubo-Barros was returned in the Middle District of Florida in April 2019. He was arrested in January 2021 while living under an assumed identity in Costa Rica and then extradited to the United States in November 2021. Lubo-Barros pleaded guilty on August 10, 2022.
According to testimony presented at sentencing, beginning in approximately September 2017 and continuing through 2019, Lubo-Barros oversaw a transnational criminal conspiracy that transported cocaine throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and directly to the United States, including parts of Texas, California, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Florida. During the investigation, Lubo-Barros discussed the shipment of cocaine through land and sea, including negotiating drug shipments, establishing new drug trafficking routes, paying his co-conspirators, discussing currency transfers, drug debts and methods used to avoid apprehension and detection by law enforcement. One such distribution was attempted by Lubo Barros in 2018 on board the cruise vessel the Island Princess as it docked in Fort Lauderdale. The cocaine distributed by Lubo-Barros and others displayed identifying symbols and marks. Those marks were found in kilograms of cocaine recovered by law enforcement in New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
Lubo-Barros’s co co-conspirator, Gerardo Gomez-Lubo, was also indicted in April 2019. He was later extradited from Panama to the United States. On June 24, 2022, Gomez Lubo was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
“This case should serve as a reminder to those who seek to poison American communities with illicit drugs; the Drug Enforcement Administration is relentless in our pursuit of bad actors,” said Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “Wherever you are in the world, the dedicated men and women of the DEA will find you and bring you to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with the defendant’s extradition. 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.
Former Florida CEO Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A former Jacksonville company CEO was sentenced yesterday to 32 months in prison for willfully attempting to evade the assessment of his federal income taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2015 and 2016, Jason Cory, 49, of Jacksonville, was a manager at a New York-based IT services company and from 2017 through 2019, he was the CEO of a different IT services company based in Jacksonville. From 2015 through 2018, Cory used his positions to cause more than $1.5 million to be deposited into the bank accounts of Gambit Matrix LLC, a shell company he controlled. As CEO, Cory caused transfers to Gambit Matrix under the false pretense that they were payments for consulting services that had never been provided.
Cory did not report the income he earned through transfers to Gambit Matrix on his tax return for 2015 and did not file tax returns for the years 2016 through 2018 as required by law. To conceal the fraud scheme from the second company and evade taxes on his income for those years, Cory invented fictitious owners of Gambit Matrix, made false representations to his employer, and falsified emails and IRS Forms W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number). Cory used the money directed to Gambit Matrix to pay for personal expenses such as credit card bills, rent, and club memberships. In total, Cory evaded more than $600,000 in taxes through his actions.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Marcia Morales Howard ordered Cory to serve 36 months of supervised release and to pay approximately $606,195 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated the case.
“For years, Jason Cory operated out of a sense of entitlement and greed, leading him to defraud previous employers and honest law-abiding taxpayers,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker. “The conviction and sentence show that IRS-CI will vigorously investigate those individuals intent on concealing their income, whether through the use of fictitious shell entities such as Gambit Matrix, or other sophisticated means.”
“The sentencing of Jason Cory is the result of a multi-agency effort to ensure justice for the American taxpayer,” said Sherri E. Onks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Instead of following the law, Cory blatantly ignored it, and selfishly lined his wallet with money he wasn’t entitled to. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to allocate expert resources to investigate these crimes and prosecute those who are intent in defrauding the American public."
Trial Attorney Richard J. Hagerman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Mesrobian for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Palm Beach County Man Pleads Guilty to Million Dollar COVID Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Al Clint LaRoche (43, West Palm Beach) today pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between April 2020 and April 2021, LaRoche submitted false and fraudulent First Draw and Second Draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to a financial institution through a financial services and technology company based in Naples for his business – Bornwild, LLC. The loan applications contained numerous false representations and certifications, including Bornwild’s average monthly payroll, number of employees, and that the loan funds would be used for authorized purposes.
In addition, to qualify for each PPP loan, and in support of his fraudulent loan applications, LaRoche submitted fake and fictitious quarterly federal tax returns (IRS Form 941s) for Bornwild that contained false representations about the business’s quarterly payroll expenses. LaRoche’s false and fraudulent representations caused the PPP lender to approve and fund a First Draw and Second Draw PPP loan, resulting in the deposit of approximately $1,078,652.50 into bank accounts LaRoche controlled. LaRoche then unlawfully used the funds for unauthorized purposes and for his own personal enrichment, including the purchase of a Mercedes Benz SUV, jewelry, hotel and travel stays, various retail purchases, and more than $350,000 in cash withdrawals.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if the business spends the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and uses at least a certain percentage of the loan toward payroll expenses.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Selling Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Diante Jarrel Lewis (32, Fort Myers) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for twice distributing fentanyl and for distributing methamphetamine. Lewis had pleaded guilty on August 24, 2022.
According to court documents, Lewis was charged with distributing fentanyl on two separate dates in May of 2022. Court documents further show that he was charged with distributing over 50 grams of methamphetamine during that same period. Lewis qualified as a Career Offender under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines based on his criminal history.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Tampa Man Found Guilty of Armed Robbery of A Postal CarrierRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Omar Rochester Miller, Jr. (23, Tampa) guilty of armed robbery of a postal carrier, theft of postal keys, and brandishing a firearm during the robbery. Miller faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison for the armed robbery, 10 years for the theft of postal keys, and a minimum mandatory 7 years’ imprisonment for brandishing the firearm. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 3, 2023.
Miller, along with Christopher Diaz, a.k.a., Chico, were indicted on December 7, 2021. Diaz pleaded guilty on January 10, 2023, to armed robbery of a postal carrier and theft of postal keys. His sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2023. Edwin Betancourt Vega was also charged for his role in the robbery and pleaded guilty to armed robbery of a postal carrier and theft of postal keys. His sentencing is scheduled for February 3, 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Miller robbed a postal carrier at gunpoint while she was delivering mail to an apartment complex. Miller approached the postal carrier from behind, pointed a firearm at her, threatened to shoot her, and demanded her postal keys. After Miller successfully stole the postal keys, he pushed the carrier to the ground and ran to a waiting getaway car driven by Betancourt Vega. This robbery was organized through phone calls and text messages between Betancourt Vega and Diaz, to coordinate the robbery and sale of the postal keys in exchange for cash. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered the postal keys, as well as proceeds from the sale of the key from both Miller and Betancourt Vega, along with the firearm used in the robbery, which contained Miller’s DNA.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Stacie B. Harris.
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.
Colombian National Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Trafficking Narcotics on the High Seas and Endangering the Lives of U.S. Coast Guard MembersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced Eduardo Quinones-Rodriguez (57, Colombia) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 464 kilograms of cocaine and 217 kilograms of marijuana – approximately 1,500 pounds of narcotics. Quinones-Rodriguez had pleaded guilty on August 11, 2022.
According to court documents and information presented in court, in the middle of the night on February 21, 2022, Quinones-Rodriguez and his two co-conspirators were trafficking narcotics on the high seas in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 70 miles south of Panama. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Legare was patrolling in the vicinity and deployed its helicopter and 26-foot small boat to interdict the suspected drug traffickers. When the Legare’s small boat team approached Quinones-Rodriguez’s 30-foot boat, a high-speed pursuit commenced in rough waters, with both vessels traveling at speeds over 30 knots. Given the nighttime occurrence, the only lighting in the immediate area was the USCG vessel’s flashing law enforcement lights, yellow spotlights, and mast light. The defendants failed to heed the Coast Guard’s repeated verbal directives to halt. Warning shots were fired from both the USCG helicopter and its small boat; this did not deter the drug traffickers. For more than 20 minutes, the mariners continuously attempted to ram their vessel into the USCG small boat, seriously endangering the lives and safety of the five United States servicemembers on board.
After an hours-long pursuit, the USCG successfully interdicted the defendant’s vessel, which was laden with over $14 million of cocaine and marijuana.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
United States Attorney Commends Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for Combating Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the results of the United States Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts to fight violent crime through a partnership with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). In 2022, federal prosecutors and HCSO worked together to prosecute 69 individuals for federal crimes, including firearms and drug offenses. In total, these prosecutions removed 53 firearms from our streets. The prosecutions supported by HCSO include:
- United States vs. Keon Moore – Moore, a high-ranking member of the Money Power Respect gang, was sentenced to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon and for possessing controlled substances with an intent to distribute them. Prior to being apprehended, Moore stored guns and drugs for use by himself and others, sold guns and drugs, and threatened violence to collect drug debts. In one of Moore’s private Facebook communications, a person to whom Moore had provided drugs on consignment, but who failed to pay on time, begged Moore not to kill him via drive-by shooting over the $90 he owed Moore.
- United States vs. Jy’Quale Grable – A federal jury found Grable guilty of conspiracy, robbery, and first-degree premeditated murder. Grable, along with his co-conspirators, drove to the Valrico Station Apartments in Brandon to conduct a robbery. During the robbery, Grable shot one victim in the neck, severing his spinal cord and killing him instantly. Grable also shot another victim in the chest, perforating his heart and lung, leading to his death. Grable faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in federal prison.
- United States vs. Ma’at Malik Darius Lee – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Lee with carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of attempted wire fraud, and possessing a stolen firearm. The indictment alleges that from July 9 to October 27, 2021, Lee robbed three individuals at gunpoint and carjacked a fourth. When an HCSO deputy located Lee in the stolen vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop, Lee responded by firing at least eight rounds and fleeing the scene. If convicted, Lee faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
“Fighting violent crime is one of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s core goals,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “Fortunately, we are not alone in striving to eradicate violent crime. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, under the leadership of Sheriff Chronister, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with us and continues to play a key role in prosecuting violent criminals. We look forward to continuing to join with HCSO and our other law enforcement partners to make Hillsborough County safer for its citizens.”
“Our duty is to ensure the residents of Hillsborough County are safe and protected against anyone wishing to commit violent crimes,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “We have no tolerance for those who want to victimize our community. We are thankful for our partnership with the U.S Attorney’s Office; it’s relationships like these that make our county a strong, safe, and welcoming environment.”
The cases listed above were investigated by HCSO, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cal Albritton, Samantha Beckman, Charlie Connally, Michael Gordon, Maria Guzman, Michael Kenneth, Christopher Murray, Samantha Newman, Diego Novaes, James Preston, Michael Sinacore, Ilyssa Spergel, and David Sullivan.
The majority of these cases are a 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 Men Arrested in Marion County for Stealing MailRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a complaint and arrest of Jordan Jax (23, Newberry) and Tarod Goodman, Jr. (23, Gainesville) for theft of mail and possession of a stolen or reproduced postal key. If convicted, Jax and Goodman each face up to 5 years in federal prison for theft of mail and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of the postal key.
According to court documents, between October 2022 and January 24, 2023, Jax and Goodman used a postal key on multiple occasions to access U.S. Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes in Marion County and steal mail. Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspector conducted surveillance and caught the pair after they had loaded mail into Jax’s vehicle. Agents also recovered a postal key that had been used to open the collection boxes.
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 Marion County Sheriff’s Office and its Aviation Unit, as well as the United States Postal Inspection Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Download Criminal ComplaintTampa Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Fraudulently Using Federal GSA Smartpay Account NumbersRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Darius Lopez (27, Tampa) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $27,008.50, which represents the proceeds Lopez obtained from the fraud. Lopez had pleaded guilty on September 1, 2022.
According to court records, on April 13, 2021, Lopez purchased more than $27,0000 in landscaping equipment from a tractor dealer in Citrus County. During the transactions, Lopez used the unauthorized account numbers of four Department of Agriculture General Services Administration (GSA) Smartpay charge cards. The account numbers were fraudulently embossed on prepaid debit cards. GSA SmartPay provides services to more than 560 federal agencies, organizations, and Native American tribal governments and enables authorized government employees to make purchases on behalf of the federal government in support of their agency or organization’s mission.
This case was investigated by the U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the following agencies and financial institutions: U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General’s Southeast and Caribbean Regional Investigations Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Southeast Region, Amtrak - Office of Inspector General, Central Region, U.S. Secret Service Orlando Cyber Fraud Task Force, Citrus County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Bank, Synchrony Bank Special Investigations Team, and Morgan Stanley Corporate Security. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah Nowalk and Tyrie K. Boyer.
Riverview Man Pleads Guilty to Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jamaal Black (22, Riverview) today pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to one of the robberies. Black faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on each robbery count. The firearm offense carries a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on January 30, 2021, Black entered a gas station in Riverview, pulled out a pistol with an extended magazine, aimed it at the clerk, and demanded money. Black attempted to go behind the counter when the clerk refused to give Black the money. Black then engaged in an altercation with the clerk and shot the clerk in the arm during the struggle. The clerk fell to the ground. Black approached the clerk, aimed the firearm at the clerk, and repeated the demand for money. The clerk, bleeding profusely from his gunshot wound, complied, went to the cash register and gave Black the contents. Black escaped the gas station with $200.
Two months later, on March 14, 2021, Black committed another robbery using a minor female to arrange for a marijuana transaction. The girl went to a local drug dealer’s home under the guise of purchasing marijuana. Black approached the dealer when the dealer retrieved the marijuana for the sale. Black pressed a firearm to the drug dealer’s head and demanded the marijuana. The drug dealer threw the marijuana at Black and retreated into the home.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being 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.
Ocala Felon with Loaded Handgun Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Michael Tyrone Young (32, Ocala) to 33 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Young was also required to forfeit the firearm and ammunition seized from him by law enforcement. He had been found guilty following a trial on August 29, 2022.
According to evidence presented at trial, on the night of August 31, 2021, officers from the Ocala Police Department encountered Young in the hallway of a building at a local public housing complex. The officers were specifically patrolling the area due to recent shootings at the complex. The officers confronted Young after seeing him drop and retrieve what appeared to be a weapon. As they talked with him, the loaded firearm fell out of Young’s pants and onto the floor. Young admitted that he had the firearm because he had been “looking for a certain person” who was “fixin’ to get him.” A records check showed that Young had three state felony convictions for drug distribution. As a convicted felon, Young is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
The case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Missouri Man Arrested for Cyberstalking Multiple VictimsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Evan Stauffer (23, Missouri) with cyberstalking, making interstate threats, and making obscene and harassing phone calls. If convicted on all counts, Stauffer faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, for nearly two years, Stauffer engaged in a campaign of online and telephonic harassment and threats against multiple victims that reside in the Middle District of Florida. Specifically, Stauffer cyberstalked, harassed, and threatened several victims through repeated emails, phone calls, text messages, and social media messages from numerous phone numbers and social media accounts.
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 Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Kansas City (Missouri) Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.