Middle District of Florida

Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces that the United States has obtained a final civil judgment ordering the forfeiture of $8,417,261.38 in proceeds from bank fraud and money laundering offenses related to COVID Relief Fraud. 

According to court documents, it is alleged that in April 2020, Joshua Edwards, Joy Edwards, Evan Edwards, and Mary Jane Edwards defrauded the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) out of millions of dollars in coronavirus relief funds. Specifically, Joshua Edwards, on behalf of ASLAN International Ministry, Inc., submitted a false and fraudulent loan application seeking funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). Once the PPP loan was obtained, members of the Edwards family misused the funds by attempting to purchase a $3.7 million luxury home in the Four Seasons Private Residence community at Walt Disney World Resort. The remaining funds were transferred among multiple bank accounts held by the conspirators in an attempt to hide and conceal their whereabouts. Law enforcement was able to seize all of the fraudulently obtained funds before they were dissipated. A request will be made to the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Section to remit the forfeited funds back to the SBA.

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.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Jamel Muldrew (32, Houston, TX) with sex trafficking of a minor, interstate transportation of a person to engage in prostitution, and enticement of a person to travel interstate for prostitution. If convicted on all counts, Muldrew faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

According to the complaint, on or about April 9, 2021, law enforcement coordinated an operation in Tampa to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking, and to identify and arrest their traffickers. As part of this operation, an undercover officer arranged to engage in prostitution with a minor victim at a local hotel in exchange for $800. A male, later identified as Muldrew, then drove the minor victim to the hotel, dropped her off, and drove to nearby mall parking lot to wait. After being dropped off, the minor victim entered the hotel room where she was met by detectives.  Law enforcement officers arrested Muldrew at the mall parking lot and searched him, recovering multiple fictious identity documents for both himself and the minor victim.

Subsequent investigation revealed that, from February until April 2021, Muldrew had trafficked the minor victim across the country to engage in prostitution, including in Texas, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, and ultimately Florida, where he was arrested.

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

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Houston (Texas) Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.

Anyone who is or who knows a potential victim in this or any other case of sex trafficking or human trafficking, or who has any information regarding this or any other investigation, should contact Homeland Security Investigations toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2423 or by completing its online tip form found at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.

This case was brought as part of the Tampa Bay Human Trafficking Task Force of the Middle District of Florida, one of 13 such task forces in the country to receive grant funding from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Task Force is a collaboration of local, state, and federal law enforcement agents working together with organizations to detect, investigate, and prosecute human trafficking in the Tampa Bay area. This includes trafficking of minors, forced labor, transnational sex trafficking, and sex trafficking of adults by force, fraud, or coercion. More information about the Tampa Bay Human Trafficking Task Force can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/humantrafficking. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Simon Keith Angaran (50, Tampa) to five years and four months in federal prison for conspiracy to make and pass counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and for making counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. 

Angaran had pleaded guilty on January 28, 2021.

According to court documents, from at least December 2016 through February 2020, Angaran was the ringleader of a conspiracy that made and passed counterfeit currency at locations across Tampa Bay. Law enforcement first identified the conspiracy in June 2019 after a co-conspirator had passed a counterfeit bill at a thrift shop in Tampa. In total, the conspirators passed counterfeit bills more than 1,000 times for a total loss of $135,010.

In February 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Angaran’s residence and discovered that he was making and printing the counterfeit bills there. Angaran later admitted that he had taught his conspirators how to make and pass counterfeit bills.

On February 18, 2021, Judge Merryday sentenced Christina Shante Perez, one of Angaran’s co-conspirators, to three years’ imprisonment for making and passing counterfeit bills.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Tampa Police Department, and the Seminole Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Tiffany E. Fields.

Tampa, Florida – Jared Collins (27, Wesley Chapel) has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl to an individual, resulting in that individual’s death. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

According to the plea agreement, on December 16, 2019, Collins distributed narcotics to an individual in Wesley Chapel who injected the narcotics and then died. Family members found the individual and immediately called 911. The Pasco Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and located a hypodermic syringe and a plastic bag, both of which tested positive for fentanyl. Law enforcement also recovered a cellphone, which showed Collins had supplied the individual with the narcotics earlier that day. The Medical Examiner’s Office for Pasco and Pinellas County determined that the individual died from fentanyl toxicity.

The following day, December 17, 2019, Collins was arrested as he was attempting to distribute narcotics. Following his arrest, law enforcement officers found two syringes in his car, and two hypodermic syringes and a spoon with residue in his pocket, all of which tested positive for fentanyl. Law enforcement officers also executed a federal search warrant at Collins’s residence, recovering numerous items of drug paraphernalia, empty capsules containing traces of fentanyl, assorted spoons, straws, clear baggies, and approximately 20 syringes, all of which were found in Collins’ bedroom.

On March 26, 2020, after bonding out of state custody, Collins again distributed fentanyl.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Pasco and Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Offices. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes. This case is part of the Middle District of Florida’s anti-opioid strategy to combat opioid trafficking and abuse.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Henry Willian Carabeo Boned (29, Miami) to 18 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit credit card fraud. As part of his sentence, Carabeo Boned was ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offense.

Carabeo Boned had pleaded guilty in November 2020.

According to court documents, in early 2019, Carabeo Boned and his co-defendants, Duani Garcia and Raiquel Monteagudo Torres, visited Wal-Mart stores throughout Clay County and used credit and debit cards that had been re-encoded with stolen account numbers to purchase phone cards and gift cards. In February 2019, deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office detained Carabeo Boned and Torres at the self-checkout area of a Wal-Mart as they were in the process of attempting to complete a fraudulent transaction. The deputies also detained Garcia as he walked out of the store. During a search of the three individuals, deputies located 40 gift and credit cards that had been re-encoded with stolen credit card information. Further investigation by the United States Secret Service resulted in the seizure of computer media and tools used for skimming credit and debit card account numbers from gas pumps. A forensic examination of the computer media located an additional 253 stolen credit card account numbers.

On March 16, 2020, Duani Garcia was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison and was ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offense. Raiquel Monteagudo Torres is a fugitive from law enforcement.

This case was investigated by United States Secret Service (Jacksonville Field Office) and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti today sentenced Montonio Moore, aka “Trigga Slim” (40, Cape Coral), to 10 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. Moore was sentenced to an enhanced term of imprisonment because of his prior serious drug offense convictions. He had pleaded guilty on January 27, 2021.

According to court documents, Moore sold more than $5,000 in fentanyl to the Drug Enforcement Administration during two undercover transactions in June 2020.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Cape Coral Police Department, and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Terry George Zimmerman (73, Lady Lake) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for possessing materials depicting the sexual exploitation of children.  Zimmerman was also sentenced to a life term of supervision, ordered to register as a sex offender, and must pay $21,000 in restitution to identified child victims.

A federal jury had found Zimmerman guilty on November 19, 2020.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, officers from the Lady Lake Police Department executed a search warrant at Zimmerman’s residence and seized several of his computers and other electronic devices. During a subsequent forensic examination of the devices, agents from Homeland Security Investigations recovered from Zimmerman’s 2 computers and 12 USB drives nearly 2,400 images and over 300 videos depicting young children being sexually abused and tortured. 

Prior to this offense, in 1995, Zimmerman was convicted as a sex offender in federal court in New York for possessing child pornography.

“It is a travesty when a previously convicted federal sex offender commits the same crime,” said HSI Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “But thanks to our HSI special agents, the Lady Lake Police Department, and the Ocala Police Department, he will now return to prison, making our local communities a safer place.”        

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Lady Lake Police Department, and the City of Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Tyrie K. Boyer.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Michael John Jordan (39, Jacksonville) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse images and videos and for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The court also ordered Jordan to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and forfeit 22 electronic devices, a shotgun, and ammunition. He must also to register as a sex offender. As part of his sentence, Jordan was ordered to pay $17,000 in restitution to several child victims.

Jordan had pleaded guilty on February 19, 2020.

According to court documents, the investigation began in September 2018 through CyberTip reports sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving the upload of illegal content received from several electronic service providers. Further investigation revealed that Jordan was the source of the uploads referenced in the CyberTip reports, and that he had used multiple different platforms to share material depicting the abuse of children. On February 20, 2019, agents from Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant at Jordan’s home and seized several dozen electronic devices. Forensic analysis of these devices revealed more than 1,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted the sexual assault of infants and toddlers. Jordan had used sophisticated encryption techniques to conceal his internet trafficking of child sexual abuse material, including layered security measures and elaborate password protection.

During the search of Jordan’s residence, agents recovered a loaded 12-gauge pistol-grip firearm. In 2014, Jordan was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

“This convicted felon obviously did not learn his lesson the first time,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “thanks to HSI special agents, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, he will be returning to prison for a second time, this time for possession of child pornography and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.

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

Tampa, FL – A federal jury has found Justin Case Lebarron (28, Pasco County) guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death, distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, and maintaining a drug premises. Due to a prior felony drug conviction, Lebarron faces a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 17, 2021.

Lebarron had been indicted on May 20, 2020.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Lebarron and others operated a drug house in New Port Richey where they sold fentanyl and methamphetamine. They also allowed addicts to use narcotics and sleep there. On the night of January 7, 2020, a fatal overdose occurred in the house. Lebarron ordered three people to carry the victim’s body outside and dump it in an empty lot as he fled the area. A few hours later, Lebarron resumed distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine and continued to do so until his arrest on March 5, 2020.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office as 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. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the return of an indictment charging Charles Mark Currie (64, Tampa) with distribution and possession of child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Currie faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. Currie was previously employed by the School District of Hillsborough County as a Head Custodian for West Shore Elementary School until he resigned in January of 2021.

According to the indictment, on September 5, 2020, Currie knowingly distributed over the internet visual depictions of children being sexually abused. On January 26, 2021, Currie also knowingly possessed multiple electronic devices, including a desktop computer, that contained visual depictions of children under the age of 12 being sexually abused.

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

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact Homeland Security Investigations through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2423 or by completing its online tip form.

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

Tampa, FL – Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann joins the Department of Justice and communities nationwide in observing the 40th observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, celebrating victims’ rights, protections, and services throughout the week. This year’s observance takes place April 18-24 and features the theme, “Support Victims. Build Trust. Engage Communities.”

“Every day, we bear witness to stirring acts of heroism on the part of compassionate and courageous advocates – and crime victims themselves,” said Attorney General Garland. “One of our responsibilities is to ensure that victims are informed, have a voice, and are supported in the healing process. To the exceptional men and women we honor today – thank you for your service to crime victims, for your commitment to the safety of your communities, and for working to make America a more just and more compassionate place.”

“We at the U.S. Attorney’s Office join our colleagues throughout the Department in recognizing throughout this week our fundamental mission – to prevent all members of our communities from being victimized by federal criminal conduct, and to respect and care for those who are harmed by federal crimes. We also honor all those, in the Middle District of Florida and beyond, who work to ensure the administration of justice for crime victims. Through their tireless efforts, expertise, advocacy, and care, these dedicated individuals, agencies, and organizations allow victims to enter the path of recovery and begin the restoration of their lives.”

Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first Victims’ Rights Week in 1981, putting crime victims' rights, needs and concerns in a prominent spot on the American agenda. He also established the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, which laid the groundwork for a national network of services and legal safeguards for crime victims.

The Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW).

“We come together each year during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to show that we are united in our commitment to making sure all crime victims feel heard, respected and remembered,” said Office of Justice Programs Acting Assistant Attorney General Maureen A. Henneberg. “We honor these outstanding public safety professionals and advocates who work so hard to support crime victims as they walk the path from trauma to healing.”

According to the Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1.2 million Americans age 12 and older were victims of violent crime, excluding simple assault, in 2019, down from 1.4 million in 2018. An estimated 12.8 million U.S. households experienced one or more property victimizations. OVC supports more than 7,000 local victim assistance programs and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory. Funds for these programs come from the Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of federal criminal fines, penalties and bond forfeitures.

“It is important for us as a country to set aside time during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to honor victims and to recognize those who advocate for resources and policies designed to meet the many serious challenges victims face,” said Office for Victims of Crime Acting Director Katherine Darke Schmitt. “Few people expect to be a victim, and no one deserves the pain and injustice that burden every crime survivor. We should take it upon ourselves this week, and every week, to show our unity with and compassion for those who have experienced the pain of victimization.”

During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local and tribal agencies traditionally host rallies, candlelight vigils and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services. This year, many communities are organizing virtual gatherings and online public awareness campaigns. For more information, please visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview. 

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced James Carnley (58, Brooksville) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for selling methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking offense. The court also ordered Carnley to forfeit three firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and $812, which had all been used by Carnley to facilitate his drug activities. 

Carnley had pleaded guilty on March 6, 2020.

According to evidence presented during the sentencing hearing, Carnley had been selling ounce and kilogram quantities of methamphetamine out of his mobile home in Pasco County for years. On two dates in July 2018, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) used a confidential informant to make quarter-ounce purchases of methamphetamine from Carnley. In August 2018, the PSO executed a search warrant at Carnley’s residence and seized approximately two ounces of methamphetamine, three firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and assorted paraphernalia used to package drugs for sale and consumption. At the time of Carnley’s arrest, he had been selling approximately a kilogram of methamphetamine per week.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.

This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Tampa, Florida – Marchaun Browning (24, Gibsonton) has pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing images depicting the sexual abuse of children. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, and up to 70 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, in June 2017, Browning created several Twitter accounts. On several different occasions, he posted child sex abuse images and tagged other Twitter accounts associated with public officials, media outlets, and public figures. Browning’s tweets also contained messages directed at the intended and tagged recipients.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Browning’s residence in Gibsonton and seized electronic devices that contained more than 160 images and one video depicting the sexual abuse of children, including some as young as toddlers.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

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

Tampa, Florida –A federal jury has found Larome D. Waiters (31, Bradenton) guilty of possession of fentanyl and heroin with the intent to distribute and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Waiters faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 21, 2021.

Waiters had been indicted on October 1, 2019.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in August 2019, officers arrested Waiters, based on an active arrest warrant, as he was coming out of an apartment wearing a fanny pack. Inside the fanny pack, Waiters had almost 17 grams of a fentanyl/heroin mixture packaged for sale. Inside the apartment, investigators found two guns. During an interview with law enforcement, after his arrest, Waiters told officers that he was planning to sell the fentanyl and that he owned the guns. As a previously convicted felon, Waiters is prohibited from possessing a firearm of ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bradenton Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Callan L. Albritton.

This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled “Hot Batch.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. 

Ocala, Florida – Howard D. Farley, Jr. (72, Weirsdale) has pleaded guilty to passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, and operating as a pilot without a legitimate airman’s certificate. Farley faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. As part of the agreement, Farley also agreed to forfeit a firearm and ammunition in his home, as well as an aircraft that was seized by the Department of Homeland Security.

According to the plea agreement, Farley admitted to using the identity of a deceased person to obtain a United States passport and an Airman’s Certificate (pilot’s license).  Farley admitted to operating as an airman using the fraudulently obtained certificate between January 4, 2016, until his arrest by federal authorities on November 28, 2020.

Other court documents established that Farley used the identity of a deceased infant for over 35 years to avoid apprehension in the District of Nebraska where, in 1985, he had been indicted with a narcotics conspiracy. Those charges were dismissed in 2014.

This case was investigated by the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, and with support from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta. 

Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the return of an indictment charging Kenneth Wayne Pea, Jr. (39) and Travis Ramone Williams (37), both of Leesburg, with possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  Pea is also charged with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  If convicted, Pea and Williams face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. 

According to the indictment and other court documents, Pea sold approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on March 31, 2021, at a business in Belleview, Florida.  Thereafter, on April 14, 2021, officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Williams.  After a high-speed chase, Williams and Pea fled from the car on foot and discarded three bags containing 2 pounds of methamphetamine along with scales, baggies, and several bags of cocaine and heroin.

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.

The case is part of the Middle District of Florida’s anti-opioid strategy to combat opioid trafficking and abuse. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.     

Jacksonville, Florida - Evan Andrew Bubbers (21, Bettendorf, IA) today pleaded guilty to distributing materials depicting the sexual abuse of children over the internet. Bubbers faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison. Bubbers was arrested on March 30, 2021, at Naval Air Station - Jacksonville. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. 

According to court documents, on March 17, 2021, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) contacted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in Jacksonville about an investigative tip, known as a “CyberTip,” that had been received by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC reported that a particular social media application (app) had filed a CyberTip indicating that videos depicting child sexual abuse had been uploaded over the internet and shared with other users on this app. A JSO investigation determined that the distribution of these videos was connected to Bubbers through the internet service for his barracks residence at Naval Air Station - Jacksonville. During an interview on March 30, 2021, Bubbers admitted to uploading and sharing material depicting the sexual abuse of children using the app, including the video from the Cybertip. This same video was also located during a search of Bubbers’s cell phone.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It is being 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.usdoj.gov/psc.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Kris Ralf Salvi (27, Tampa) to three years and four months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl. 

Salvi had pleaded guilty on January 21, 2021. In September 2020, Salvi and nine others were charged in this case. The remaining cases are pending.

According to court documents, between April 14 and May 27, 2020, Salvi purchased two ounces of fentanyl from one of his co-defendants across a series of four transactions.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.

This investigation is also the result of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found Ronnie Jerome Jones (39, Jacksonville) guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Due to his multiple prior felony convictions, Jones qualifies for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 19, 2021.

Jones had been indicted on March 11, 2020.

According to evidence and testimony presented at trial, Jones, a previously convicted felon sold a .45 caliber handgun to a pawn shop in Jacksonville. Jones has been convicted of numerous violent narcotics felony offenses and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. At the time of this offense, Jones had been out of prison for less than nine months.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus P. Zomorodian and Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.  

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Robert Dayon Dumas (26, Wesley Chapel) to 25 years in federal prison for robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. The Court also ordered Dumas to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the robberies, and to make restitution to the victims.

Dumas had been found guilty on January 25, 2021, following a bench trial.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, during a one-week span in February 2018, Dumas used a gun to rob five Wesley Chapel businesses, including a gas station, a hotel, and a cell phone store. During the robberies, Dumas held victims at gunpoint, including a woman and her two-year-old granddaughter. He also threatened to shoot victims if they did not do what he said, at one point firing his gun above a victim’s head and stating, “the next one goes in your head!” In total, the robbery spree netted just over $2,000.

This case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.

A Florida man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme that resulted in the submission of approximately $3.3 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for genetic testing.

Ivan Andre Scott, 36, of Kissimmee, was convicted by a federal jury on Jan. 8, 2021, of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, three counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to pay and receive unlawful health care kickbacks, and three counts of receiving unlawful kickbacks. According to court documents, Scott was the owner of Scott Global, a telemarketing call center located in Orlando. The evidence showed that Scott targeted Medicare beneficiaries with telemarketing phone calls falsely stating that Medicare covered expensive cancer screening genetic testing, or “CGx” tests. Each test cost as much as $6,000. After beneficiaries agreed to take the test, the evidence showed Scott paid unlawful bribes and kickbacks to telemedicine companies to obtain doctor’s orders authorizing the tests. 

The evidence at trial showed that the telemedicine doctors approved the expensive testing even though they were not treating the beneficiary for cancer or symptoms of cancer, and often without even speaking with the beneficiary. According to the evidence presented at trial, Scott then sold the genetic tests and doctor’s orders to laboratories in exchange for illegal kickbacks. To conceal the illegal kickbacks, Scott submitted invoices to the laboratories and other marketers making it appear as though he were being paid for hourly marketing services, rather than per referral. 

Between November 2018 and May 2019, labs submitted more than $3.3 million in claims to Medicare for genetic tests that Scott had referred to them, of which Medicare paid over $1.3 million. In that timeframe, Scott personally received approximately $194,000 for his role in the scheme.

“The defendant used telemarketing and telemedicine to defraud Medicare of more than a million dollars for unnecessary genetic screening tests,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  “The department will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who seek to use new technologies to plunder our government health care programs.”

“Fraudsters who steal from taxpayer-funded federal health care programs and engage in predatory telemarketing calls are a threat to our country’s health care system and its most vulnerable beneficiaries,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agents will continue to aggressively investigate health care fraud and hold criminals responsible for their actions.”

“The unscrupulous tactics used in this scheme to steal from taxpayers is what drives our investigators to combat healthcare fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson of the FBI’s Tampa Field Office. “The FBI’s mission to protect the American people includes protecting them from fraudsters who cheat our nation’s federally funded healthcare systems.”

The case was investigated by HHS-OIG and the FBI and was brought as part of Operation Double Helix, a federal law enforcement action led by the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, focused on fraudulent genetic cancer testing and the use of telemedicine that has resulted in charges against dozens of defendants associated with telemedicine companies and cancer genetic testing laboratories for their alleged participation in one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged.

Trial Attorneys Alejandro Salicrup and Jamie de Boer of the Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced Fredrick Bernard Lewis (32, Ft. Lauderdale) to 37 months in federal prison for using unauthorized access devices at theme parks in Orlando.

Lewis had pleaded guilty on January 6, 2021.

According to court documents, between March 2018 and June 2020, Lewis used stolen credit card numbers belonging to 36 different victims to purchase theme park and hotel packages from Universal Orlando Resort valued at approximately $62,300. Lewis called the Universal call center or visited the Universal website to make the fraudulent purchases, each time using a different stolen credit card number. Most of the reservations were made via phone and, to avoid detection, Lewis utilized more than 20 different telephone numbers when calling in to make the reservations. After making a fraudulent purchase, Lewis and his associates would either use the ticket and hotel packages and/or have Universal convert the packages to Universal gift cards. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Eddrick Wright (25, Auburndale), Kaylob Davis (23, Auburndale), and Amere Benjamin (22, Auburndale) each to 14 years in federal prison for brandishing firearms while they were robbing convenience stores in Lutz and New Port Richey. The court also ordered the defendants to forfeit the firearms and make restitution to the victims.

Wright, Davis, and Benjamin each had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a robbery.

According to court documents, during the early morning of December 14, 2019, Wright, Davis, and Benjamin robbed two convenience stores, about an hour apart. In each case, they entered the store, pointed firearms at the clerks, ordered them to open the registers, and took cash. They also took products from the stores and personal property from the store employees. During the robberies, the defendants wore masks, including a Darth Vader mask.

Approximately two hours after the second robbery, Florida Highway Patrol pulled over a vehicle that Wright was driving and in which Davis and Benjamin were passengers. During a search of the vehicle, the FHP trooper found firearms, a Darth Vader mask, credit cards, and a driver license belonging to the convenience store employees.         

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

Tampa, FL – A federal jury has found Michael Davis (37, Jamaica, NY) guilty of conspiring and attempting to engage in the sex trafficking of a minor. He faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2021.

Davis had been indicted on August 13, 2019.

According to evidence presented at trial, in August 2017, Davis began using a social networking website to recruit young women to engage in commercial sex. In December 2017, Davis used the website to send a message to an individual whom he believed was a 17-year-old girl living in Denver, Colorado. Unbeknownst to Davis, however, he was communicating with an undercover agent who specialized in child sex trafficking investigations.

Over the course of several weeks, Davis conspired with another individual to attempt to recruit, entice, transport, and obtain the purported child to travel to the Tampa Bay area so that he could cause her to engage in commercial sex. In an effort to persuade the child, Davis talked about the lavish lifestyle she would have and sent photos of large amounts of cash and marijuana. Davis orchestrated the purchase of a one-way bus ticket for the child and promised to pick her up from the bus station. The day before the child was expected to arrive in Tampa, federal agents coordinated with local law enforcement officers to detain Davis, who admitted he had communicated with the child and purchased a bus ticket for her.

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau Investigation, with assistance from the Largo Police Department and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.

This case resulted from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to detect, investigate, and prosecute coercive human trafficking in the Tampa area. This includes trafficking of minors, forced labor, transnational sex trafficking, and sex trafficking of adults by force, fraud, or coercion. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Sean Patrick Farrelly (49, Palm Coast) to 30 years in federal prison for sex trafficking a minor. Farrelly was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. He has been in custody since his arrest on March 21, 2019. 

Farrelly had pleaded guilty on June 19, 2019.

According to court documents, between March 2018 and February 2019, Farrelly recruited, enticed, and solicited a 16-year-old child to engage in commercial sex acts, by texting the victim, sending her pictures of money, and providing her with alcohol or marijuana. Farrelly paid the child victim $30 to $40 each time that they engaged in sexual intercourse. During several recorded phone calls between Farrelly and the victim, Farrelly admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim and stated that he was worried the calls were being recorded and he was going to go to jail.

This case was investigated by Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was 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.

Tampa, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington today sentenced Elvis Harold Reyes (56, Brandon, Florida) to 20 years and 9 months in federal prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme where he posed as an immigration attorney and filed hundreds of fraudulent asylum applications. The Court deferred consideration of victim restitution to a later date.

Reyes had pleaded guilty on December 15, 2020.

According to court documents, Reyes, who owned and operated EHR Ministries Inc., portrayed himself as an immigration attorney. He is not and has never been a licensed attorney. Reyes targeted undocumented immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries who were seeking Florida driver licenses and work authorization. Reyes gave false, inaccurate, and incomplete legal and immigration advice to victims in order to induce them to retain his services and those of EHR Ministries.

Victims retained and paid Reyes to represent them in immigration-related matters before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and other agencies. Reyes filed fraudulent immigration applications in the victims’ names, seeking asylum relief and withholding-of-removal protections provided for under the United Nations Convention Against Torture. In doing so, Reyes falsified answers to questions in the asylum applications—fabricating stories about threats, persecution, and the applicants’ fear of returning to their native countries. Reyes did not inform the victims of the answers that he had provided on their behalf. He also did not inform the victims about the legal, administrative, and other immigration-related consequences that might follow from filing for asylum relief or for Convention Against Torture protection. 

Reyes filed more than 225 fraudulent applications, intending to cause victim loss of more than $1 million. His victims’ actual losses exceeded $411,000. Reyes spent the criminal proceeds on, among other things, travel, luxury shopping, spas, jewelry, beautification/anti-aging procedures, and an allowance for his girlfriend.

Reyes threatened aggrieved victims who confronted him by claiming that he could have them deported. And, when investigative reporting revealed Reyes’s scheme, he attempted to obstruct justice by having a friend wipe his computers.

“Posing as an immigration attorney, Reyes targeted hundreds of vulnerable people in the Tampa community with his immigration scam,” said USCIS Tampa District Director Michael Borgen. “USCIS is committed to finding and stopping those who want to cheat the immigration system, and preserving it for those who qualify for immigration benefits.”

“This criminal defrauded hundreds of victims who thought they were starting a path to legal citizenship,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special in Charge Michael Cochran. “Identity and benefit fraud are crimes that threaten the national security and public safety of the U.S. by creating vulnerabilities to our legal immigration system. Thanks to HSI special agents, and our partners with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, he will now be held accountable for his crimes.”

“It is appalling that Elvis Reyes was preying on vulnerable individuals living in fear within our county,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “I am proud of our detectives, who thoroughly investigated claims made by each victim, and our diligent efforts to reach undocumented members of our community through both English and Spanish PSAs, encouraging them to come forward if they were taken advantage of by Mr. Reyes. I am confident that these efforts ultimately helped lead to a conviction.”

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell today sentenced Irving Cepeda-Chico (39, Kissimmee) to 14 years in federal prison for 12 counts of distribution of controlled substances and 1 count of conspiracy to distribute such substances. Cepeda-Chico had pleaded guilty on November 20, 2020.

According to court documents, Cepeda-Chico was involved in obtaining and distributing heroin and fentanyl-laced heroin in Orlando and elsewhere in central and northern Florida. Audio and video recordings showed Cepeda-Chico selling thousands of dollars of fentanyl-laced heroin on multiple occasions. The audio recordings captured Cepeda-Chico discussing distribution plans, discussing the quality of his product with an international supplier, offloading bad fentanyl and heroin on another distributor, and arranging to pay his supplier through money orders.

During the sentencing hearing, the court found that on one occasion Cepeda-Chico had distributed fentanyl-laced heroin to an individual, M.D., causing M.D.’s fatal overdose in the overnight hours of July 19, 2019. As a result, the court adjusted Cepeda-Chico’s sentence upward to hold him accountable for M.D.’s death. 

This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sherriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Lakeland Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Central Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), and the Medical Examiner’s Office for Districts 9 and 25. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced John Armstrong (32, North Fort Myers) to 35 years in federal prison for two bank robberies, an attempted bank robbery, a Hobbs Act robbery, and three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. 

Armstrong had pleaded guilty on September 22, 2020. Armstrong’s co-defendants, Tanya Legg (45, North Fort Myers) and Daniel Zirk (24, Spring Hill), also previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced in December 2020 for their roles in this.

According to court documents, on June 14, 2019, Armstrong used a firearm to rob a 7-Eleven convenience store in North Fort Myers. During this robbery, Armstrong struck one of the store employees in the face with his firearm. On July 31, 2019, Armstrong used a firearm to rob a Bank OZK in Punta Gorda, stealing more than $151,000 from the bank’s vault.

On September 25, 2019, Armstrong and Zirk attempted to commit an armed robbery of a PNC Bank in Davenport. Zirk carjacked two vehicles earlier that morning, holding the victims at gunpoint. Armstrong and Zirk later used one of the carjacked vehicles as a getaway car following the attempted PNC Bank robbery. The robbery failed after the bank’s alarm went off. The following day, Armstrong, Zirk, and Legg robbed a BB&T Bank in Altamonte Springs, during which Armstrong and Zirk threatened to kill the bank employees and used firearms to force the employees to open the bank’s vault. They then stole approximately $22,000 in cash from the vault. Legg helped plan and purchase supplies for the BB&T Bank robbery and the attempted PNC Bank robbery. She also served as the getaway driver for these two robberies. 

On December 9, 2020, Legg was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment for her role in this case. Zirk was sentenced on December 16, 2020, to 22 years and 4 months in prison for his role in the case.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Altamonte Springs Police Department, the Fort Myers Police Department, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Punta Gorda Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chauncey A. Bratt and Amanda Daniels.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Edgar John Dawson, Jr. (47, Cocoa) to 50 years in federal prison for five counts of using a minor child to produce sexual abuse videos and two counts of distributing child sex abuse images over the internet. Dawson was also ordered to register as a sex offender and to forfeit his phone. He has been in custody since his arrest on May 7, 2020.

Dawson had pleaded guilty to the distribution counts on November 17, 2020.  He was subsequently found guilty of the production offenses on December 8, 2020, following a bench trial.

According to court documents, on five different occasions in March 2020 and May 2020, Dawson produced videos of himself using an 11-year-old child to engage in sexually explicit conduct. He then distributed these videos to others in internet chat rooms where persons with a sexual interest in children are known to gather.  Dawson also shared images depicting the sexual abuse of numerous young children through an online messaging application in order to obtain similar images in return.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Orlando and Jacksonville), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington D.C.), and the Cocoa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

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.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Francis Medina (42, Lehigh Acres) to six years and five months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing cocaine and methamphetamine.

Medina had pleaded guilty on August 5, 2020.

According to court documents, in November 2019, Medina sold cocaine and methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. When authorities later searched Medina’s home, they discovered a variety of drugs and a loaded gun in his bedroom.     

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Davron Igles (33, Tampa) to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Igles to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offense.

Igles had pleaded guilty on October 28, 2019.

According to court documents and testimony presented at the sentencing hearing, in May 2019, during an argument at a convenience store in Ybor City, Igles pulled up his shirt revealing a pistol. When law enforcement officers tried to arrest Igles, he attempted to flee and resisted their efforts to detain him and to remove the gun from his waistband. Officers eventually took him into custody and recovered the firearm.

Igles had previously been convicted of 13 felonies, including a conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. As a result, federal law prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

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 Callan Albritton.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

Ocala, FL – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the return of an indictment charging Wayne Grant, Jr. (27, Orlando) with receipt of a bribe by a public official. If convicted, Grant faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

According to court documents, Grant worked as a correctional officer at Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. In December 2020, Grant agreed to smuggle methamphetamine into the prison for an inmate in exchange for money. Once federal authorities were notified, Grant unwittingly began contacting an undercover agent in order to complete the transaction.  

Federal agents mailed approximately 70 grams of fake methamphetamine and $2000 in money orders to a post office where Grant had requested the drugs be sent. Grant was observed retrieving the package from the post office and later deposited the money orders into his bank account. Subsequently, during his assigned shift on February 4, 2021, Grant smuggled the contraband into FCC Coleman and provided it to an inmate.

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

This case was investigated by the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Kwameaine Rashad Brown (28, Fort Myers) to 6 years and 11 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Brown to forfeit the firearm and 87 rounds of ammunition involved in the offense.   

Brown had pleaded guilty on December 21, 2020.

According to court documents, on the night of December 31, 2019, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) observed Brown on city surveillance cameras openly carrying a firearm and placing it in the trunk of a vehicle. Brown later entered the vehicle, which was subsequently stopped by FMPD officers patrolling the area. The firearm Brown had been holding was identified as a Springfield Armory Saint 5.56 mm AR-15 pistol, which was equipped with a high-capacity drum-style magazine and loaded with more than 80 rounds of ammunition.  At the time, Brown was a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Julio Lugo (44) and Rosenide Venant (37), both of Davenport, with conspiracy and making false statements to a financial institution. Lugo has also been charged with an illegal monetary transaction relating to the illegal use of coronavirus relief funds to pay off a note on a luxury car purchased during the conspiracy. If convicted, Lugo faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in federal prison; Venant faces up to 35 years’ imprisonment.

According to the complaint, beginning in or about March 2020, Lugo and Venant conspired to defraud the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) out of millions of dollars in coronavirus relief funds. Lugo and Venant used their home IP-address to submit at least 70 false and fraudulent loan applications seeking funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program. The fraudulent loan applications requested more than $5.8 million, including for shell companies established by Lugo, Venant, and their relatives. The conspirators also secured coronavirus relief funds for a defunct tax-preparation company that Lugo had previously used to perpetrate a tax fraud in or around 2015. Once the emergency loans were secured, the conspirators misused the PPP and EIDL funds by paying off a luxury vehicle, spending more than $62,000 at casinos, and for other personal purposes. Additionally, the conspirators withdrew at least $320,000 in cash. Lugo publicized the misuse of the SBA funds in a Facebook video featuring a hotel room littered with $100 bills and at least $5,000 in merchandise from Louis Vuitton.

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. In response to COVID-19, small business owners, including agricultural businesses, and nonprofit organizations in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories were also authorized to apply for loans and grants through the COVID-19 EIDL program.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen A. Fiore and Suzanne Nebesky.

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Robert H. Hendricks (64, Ponte Vedra) to six years and six months in federal prison for wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered a money judgment of $2,682,924.34, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. In addition, the court ordered Hendricks to pay $3,879.881.34 in restitution.

Hendricks had pleaded guilty on September 28, 2020.

According to court documents, Hendricks was a licensed real estate broker in the Middle District of Florida. Hendricks told two of his victims, a husband and wife who were his longtime friends, that he had been successful with commercial property development and needed money for another commercial property deal in central Florida. In October 2014, the husband paid Hendricks $300,000 as an investment in two commercial property ventures. Hendricks never used the funds for an investment. Instead, he used the funds for his personal benefit.

On March 21, 2016, Hendricks received a wire of $200,000 from another victim, who was also a friend. Hendricks told that victim that Wawa, a chain of convenience stores and gas stations, was establishing locations in Jacksonville and offered the victim a deal for four to five stores. The victim believed that three of the five locations were completed based, in part, on a contract Hendricks provided referencing a Wawa at the St. Johns Town Center (SJTC), as well as other representations Hendricks made. However, the store at the SJTC had already been built at the time of the investment. Hendricks was not involved in that or any other project involving Wawa locations at the SJTC. 

On April 18, 2016, Hendricks received a wire of $490,000 from a lender for a property he obtained from a longtime friend through misrepresentations. The victim had agreed to temporarily transfer the property to Hendricks to enable him to pay for cleanup and obtain special insurance, but Hendricks did not need to pay for any cleanup and no special insurance was required. Instead, once the property was in Hendricks’ name, he mortgaged the property for his benefit and failed to repay that loan. The lender then foreclosed the property and took title after an auction.

On February 13, 2017, Hendricks received a wire of $388,962.17 from a victim for another purported commercial property venture. Hendricks falsely claimed he had an interest in an LLC that owned a Home Depot and the victim could invest in it. However, the money went to an LLC Hendricks had created solely to further his scheme, and Hendricks did not own any interest in the unrelated LLC that actually owned the Home Depot.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

Fort Myers, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Leslie Spencer (48, Port Charlotte) with attempted possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, Spencer faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. 

According to the complaint, Spencer worked as a correctional officer at the Charlotte Correctional Institution’s offsite work camp located in Fort Myers. In March 2021, Spencer agreed to smuggle three ounces of methamphetamine, three ounces of MDMA, a small amount of synthetic marijuana, and two cellphones into the prison and provide it to an inmate in exchange for a payment of $400.

On March 31, 2021, shortly before his shift was to begin, Spencer met with an undercover employee of the FBI in the parking lot of a retail store located on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard in Fort Myers. There, the undercover employee provided Spencer with sham drugs, two cellphones, and $400 in cash. Upon leaving the store, Spencer was arrested.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.

Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced Joaquin Nabi Olsson (46, Stockholm, Sweden) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for using the internet and social media to entice and persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity. Olsson was also ordered to serve a 5-year term of supervised release and was ordered to register as a sex offender. He was arrested on July 20, 2019, and has been detained since his arrest.

Olsson had pleaded guilty on July 14, 2020. 

According to court documents, Olsson, who was an actor in Sweden, met the child victim online in mid-2018, when she was 14 or 15 years old. For months, Olsson engaged in frequent communications with the victim through various online platforms. During those conversations, he learned about the challenges in the victim’s home life and assumed the role of a rescuer to help her through those challenges.

Eventually, Olsson revealed his sexual interest in the child victim, and engaged her romantically through their online communications, calling her his “wife” and expressing his intention to move to Florida to marry her. In March 2019, Olsson traveled from Sweden to the United States to visit the child for two weeks.  During that that visit, Olsson and the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct together. Two months later, in May 2019, Olsson returned to the United States again to visit the victim and to have sex with her. He was arrested in July 2019, after being found together with the victim at a hotel in Brevard County.

“This child predator thought he could use international borders to abuse children and avoid law enforcement detection,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “Thanks to HSI special agents and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, he will now understand how seriously we take this crime in the United States.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Palm Bay Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Justin Aaron Redding (37, Callahan) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Redding to forfeit more than $31,000, two handguns, and ammunition which are traceable to proceeds of the offense.         

Redding had pleaded guilty on October 22, 2020.

According to court documents, pursuant to an investigation regarding Redding, law enforcement officers located Redding walking outside a hotel on the Southside area of Jacksonville. At the time, Redding had several outstanding felony warrants. Following a foot pursuit of Redding, on his person and in his car, officers located two handguns with ammunition, more than $31,000, 205 grams of methamphetamine, 45 grams of cocaine, 4 grams of heroin, and 17 grams of marijuana.

Prior to these events, Redding had been convicted of various felony drug offenses. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. At the time of this offense, Redding had been out of prison for approximately one year.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Beatriz Gonzalez and Special Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus P. Zomorodian.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce Federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the Fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of Federal, State, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

Orlando, Florida – Jarvis Wayne Madison (62, New Albany, IN) has pleaded guilty to one count of interstate stalking resulting in death of R.M. Madison faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date is scheduled for June 14, 2021.

Madison had been indicted on January 12, 2017. 

According to court documents, Madison and R.M. were married but estranged. On November 15, 2016, in Indiana, Madison held R.M. against her will, threatened to kill her, and shot at her with a firearm. R.M. was able to escape from Madison and, with the help of a relative, relocate to Ormond Beach, Florida. From November 15, 2016, to November 27, 2016, Madison left multiple voicemails on and sent multiple text messages to the cellphone of R.M.’s relative, attempting to get R.M. to speak to him.

During at least a portion of that period, Madison stayed with Belenda Sandy at her West Virginia residence, eventually leaving there and driving to Florida with a firearm and binoculars, intending to harass R.M. In Florida, Madison disguised himself and used the binoculars to conduct surveillance on R.M. After watching her leave her relative’s residence in Ormond Beach alone to go for a jog, Madison made contact with R.M. on November 27, 2016. Madison and R.M. then left the area in his SUV. A short time thereafter Madison pointed a firearm at R.M. and shot her three times, killing her. Madison then left Florida with the R.M.’s body in his SUV and traveled back to Sandy’s residence in West Virginia. After spending the night there, Madison bought a shovel and a tarp and drove to Tennessee, where he buried R.M.’s body in a shallow grave.

Following R.M.’s disappearance on November 27, 2016, authorities began an investigation that resulted in Madison’s arrest on December 2, 2016, in Kentucky.  During a subsequent search of Madison’s SUV, law enforcement recovered the firearm used in the homicide, as well as the binoculars he used to stalk R.M. Law enforcement also observed blood stains on the front passenger seat of the SUV. When interviewed, Madison admitted he shot R.M. and later directed authorities where to find her body.

Sandy (60, Buckhannon, West Virginia) previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for obstruction of justice related to this case. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Jacksonville, Knoxville, and Louisville Field Offices), with assistance from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, the Indiana State Police, and the Clarksville (Indiana) Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn P. Napier and Daniel P. Jancha.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, or know someone who is, remember that you are not alone. For assistance and resources in your area, call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit the Office on Violence Against Women at https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence. Assistance is also available from local law enforcement.

Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Wayne Joseph Cavins (62, Deltona) with four counts of producing child exploitation materials. If convicted, he faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15, and up to 30 years, in federal prison on each count. Cavins was arrested at his home on March 30, 2021, and has been ordered detained pending trial. 

According to the indictment, between January 8 and January 21, 2021, Cavins enticed and used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of having the minor produce images depicting the sexual abuse of the minor.

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

This case was investigated by St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

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

Ocala, FL – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr., has sentenced Jose Merced Sanchez De La Torre (43, Ocala) to 46 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien and unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien. Sanchez De La Torre had pleaded guilty on September 24, 2020.

According to court documents, on August 31, 2020, the FBI received a tip that a residence in Ocala contained illegal aliens and firearms. U.S. Customs and Border Protection researched the address and determined that one of the residents, Sanchez De La Torre, was an illegal alien from Mexico. Sanchez De La Torre previously had been deported from the United States, in 2015, following federal convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm (an aggravated felony) and seven counts of structuring financial transactions.

On September 8, 2020, law enforcement officers executed an arrest warrant at the residence. During a search of the premises, a large amount of ammunition and three firearms were located, including an AK-47 rifle. As both an illegal alien and a convicted felon, Sanchez De La Torre is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie Boyer.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes. For more information on Project Guardian visit www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

Jacksonville, Florida – Gregorio Jose Fuentes-Zelaya (27, Orlando) and Dennis Alexander Barahona (38, Chelsea, MA) have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. Fuentes-Zelaya has pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and two counts of tax fraud. Barahona has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax fraud. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and each tax fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. The United States also will seek forfeiture of $1,367,625, the approximate amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the wire fraud offenses, as well as funds seized from two bank accounts utilized during the scheme, with balances totaling $230,764. Fuentes-Zelaya and Barahona also owe a total of approximately $5,766,286 in restitution for the tax fraud offenses.

Fuentes-Zelaya is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10, 2021. A sentencing date for Barahona has not yet been scheduled.

According to court documents, Fuentes-Zelaya and Barahona established shell companies that purported to be involved in the construction industry. They obtained workers’ compensation insurance policies in the name of the shell companies to cover a minimal payroll for a few purported employees. They then “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance to work crews who had obtained subcontracts with construction contractors on projects in various Florida counties. Fuentes-Zelaya and Barahona sent the contractors a certificate as “proof” that the work crews had workers’ compensation insurance, as required by Florida law. By sending the certificate, the defendants falsely represented that the work crews worked for their companies. Over the course of the scheme, the Fuentes-Zelaya and Barahona “rented” the certificates to hundreds of work crews.

The contractors issued payroll checks for the workers’ wages to the shell companies and the conspirators cashed these checks, then distributed the cash to the work crews after deducting their fee, which was typically about 6% of the payroll. During the period of the scheme, the conspirators cashed payroll checks totaling approximately $22,793,748, with their fees totaling approximately $1,367,625. Neither the shell companies nor the contractors reported to government authorities the wages that were paid to the workers, nor did they pay either the employees’ or the employers’ portion of payroll taxes – including Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Income tax. According to the IRS, the estimated amount of payroll taxes due on wages totaling $22,793,748 is $5,766,286.

The scheme also facilitated the avoidance of the higher cost of obtaining adequate workers’ compensation insurance for the hundreds of workers on the work crews to whom Fuentes-Zelaya and Barahona “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance. Had workers’ compensation insurance policies been purchased for a payroll totaling $22,793,748, the policy premiums would have totaled about $3,600,000. The policies that Fuentes-Zelaya and Barahona purchased, and then “rented” out, were for estimated payrolls of $80,800 to $100,800. The insurance company issued those policies for premiums ranging from $15,206 to $31,268.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Tampa, Florida – Terrance Lee Hester, Jr. (20, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to damaging or destroying by fire a building used in interstate commerce. Hester faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, around midnight on May 31, 2020, a protest near a shopping plaza located at 2301 East Fowler Avenue in Tampa devolved into civil unrest, looting, and destruction of property. During this disturbance, the Champs Sports store located in the shopping plaza was set on fire. The building became fully engulfed in fire, resulting in major damage to the building and the loss of property. The estimated loss to the building, the Champs Sports store, and other businesses in the plaza is approximately $1.25 million.

Video footage obtained by investigators revealed that Hester had participated in the civil disturbance and tossed a flaming piece of cloth into the Champs Sports store through a broken window. Fire investigators determined that the fire originated inside the Champs Sports store, and Hester’s act caused or contributed to the cause of the fire.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, and Tampa Fire Rescue. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.

Jacksonville, Florida – Ji Lin Qiu (44) and Gui Zhen Yang (37), both of Palm Coast, have pleaded guilty to offenses related to their employment of undocumented aliens at their restaurants. Qiu has pleaded guilty to harboring undocumented aliens for commercial advantage and private financial gain and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Yang has pleaded guilty to establishing a commercial enterprise for the purpose of evading United States Immigration laws and she faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. As part of his plea agreement, Qiu agreed to forfeit a residence in Palm Coast, a 2013 Toyota Sienna van, a 2019 Honda Odyssey van, and a 2020 Honda Odyssey van. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

Qiu and Yang had been indicted on September 14, 2020.

According to court documents, Qiu and Yang, a married couple, owned and operated the Red Bowl restaurant on Bartram Park Boulevard in Jacksonville, the Red Bowl Poké & Hibachi restaurant on Crosshill Boulevard in Jacksonville, and the Fancy Sushi & Grill restaurant on East Highway 100 in Palm Coast. At the restaurants, they employed aliens who were unlawfully present in the United States and who were not legally authorized to work in the United States. Contrary to federal law, they did not require the workers to provide documents to establish that they could legally work in the United States.

Qiu and Yang also owned or rented three residences, each of which was near one of the restaurants. At the residences, they provided rent-free housing to the undocumented workers. They also provided the workers with transportation between the houses and the restaurants. Qiu and Yang paid the workers in cash, did not withhold taxes and other payments from the workers’ wages, and did not pay the employer’s portion of these taxes to government authorities. They also did not report the workers to state revenue authorities as required under Florida law to ensure the collection of the proper amount of unemployment compensation tax.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Frederick Charles Trueblood, Jr. (47, North Fort Myers) to 14 years in federal prison for attempting to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and for possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Trueblood was also sentenced to a 10-year concurrent prison term for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor. In addition, he was ordered to serve a life term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.

Trueblood had pleaded guilty on October 30, 2020.

According to court documents, FBI agents began an undercover investigation to identify individuals who approach children in online chat rooms to lure them into sexual activity. Between May 13 and 14, 2019, Trueblood sent an unsolicited chat message to an individual whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl but was actually an undercover agent. During the chat, Trueblood asked the “child” to send him graphic nude images exposing herself to him. Trueblood also sent multiple explicit pictures of himself to the “child.”

On August 23, 2019, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Trueblood’s home and seized his computers. During an interview with agents, Trueblood admitted that he had used the chat site “just for sexual fun.” He admitted that quickly after meeting kids on the chat site that he would have sexually explicit conversations with them and that he had sent pictures of his penis to many children on the chat site, and that another chat site had actually banned him for sending such pictures to kids. A subsequent forensic examination of Trueblood’s computers revealed numerous images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children that he had been collecting since May 2018.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

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

Tampa, Florida – Jack R. Dove, III (41, Lakeland) has pleaded guilty to receiving and possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 29, 2021.

Dove had been indicted on January 29, 2019.

According to court documents, Dove used the cryptocurrency bitcoin to pay for a membership to a Darknet marketplace called “Welcome To Video,” which contained the largest collection of child sexual exploitation materials by volume on the Darknet. In March 2018, the Korean National Police in South Korea seized the server that was used to operate the “Welcome To Video” website, which contained over 250,000 child sexual exploitation videos. The website exclusively advertised child sexual exploitation videos available for purchase and download by members of the website using bitcoin. An analysis of the server revealed that Dove had created multiple accounts. In January and February 2017, Dove used one of his accounts to purchase “points” from the website. Dove then used those “points” to download and received approximately 8,700 megabytes of child sex abuse material. In August 2018, Dove used another account to pay for “VIP” membership to the website granting him unlimited downloads from the website over a six-month period. During his VIP membership status, Dove downloaded and received approximately 38 videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including young children.

On November 30, 2018, federal agents executed a search warrant at Dove’s Lakeland home and seized several electronic devices. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed that Dove had in fact received the child sex abuse videos that he had previously purchased from the “Welcome To Video” website and was in possession of additional child sex abuse material depicting young children, including infants and toddlers, who had been bound and subjected to sadistic and violent acts during the production of the videos.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The international investigation was led by IRS-Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom, and the Korean National Police of the Republic of Korea. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa M. Thelwell and Ilyssa Spergel, with assistance from Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found Sanjay Lama (32, Jacksonville) guilty of using the internet to attempt to entice a 12-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Lama was arrested on September 25, 2019, in Jacksonville and has been detained since that date. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 19, 2021. Lama is a citizen of Nepal who, at the time of this offense, was legally residing in Jacksonville and working as an information technology specialist for a local company.

According to evidence and testimony introduced during the five-day trial, on September 25, 2019, an undercover FBI agent who was posing online as a pregnant 12-year-old girl, was contacted by Lama, who was using the screen name “Awesome_Jack.”  Lama and the undercover agent engaged in online conversation using a social media app known both for its anonymity as well as for being a way to meet others online for sex. Throughout that day, Lama sent 160 text messages in which he expressed his desire to meet the 12-year-old “child” to engage in sexual activity. Lama provided graphic descriptions of the sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child.”  Later that afternoon, Lama left his workplace in downtown Jacksonville and rode his motorcycle to a prearranged location at a shopping center in south Jacksonville to meet the “child.” His plan was to take her to her nearby residence for sex. When he arrived at the meeting location, Lama was approached by FBI agents as he was texting with the “child” on his cellphone and was arrested.              

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement, through a consent decree, with the City of Orlando resolving allegations that the city violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it discriminated and retaliated against Dawn Sumter, a female Assistant Fire Chief with the Orlando Fire Department (“Fire Department”).

Title VII is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin and retaliation for engaging in activities protected by Title VII, such as complaining about discrimination. The complaint and consent decree, filed in a federal district court in Orlando, resolve allegations that Assistant Chief Sumter was sexually harassed by the former fire chief and then retaliated against by Fire Department leadership for complaining about the discrimination and harassment that she faced.

“Sexual harassment in the workplace is intolerable under any circumstance and is particularly pernicious where the victim is a public servant engaged in protecting fellow members of the community,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The type of sexual harassment and retaliation allegedly suffered by the assistant fire chief in this case prevents women who work in jobs historically dominated by men from protecting and serving the public on an equal basis. This consent decree reflects the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to ensuring that all workers are entitled to a workplace free from sexual harassment and that no person should fear retaliation for seeking help when harassed.”

“Protecting the civil rights of our citizens, including public sector employees, remains a paramount priority for the Middle District of Florida,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Karin Hoppmann for the Middle District of Florida. “Sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace will not be tolerated and the type of discrimination suffered by Assistant Chief Sumter can only be prevented when employers unequivocally promote a workplace free from discrimination.”

The United States’ complaint, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleges that Assistant Chief Sumter’s immediate supervisor, the former fire chief, regularly subjected her to sexual harassment in the workplace. After Ms. Sumter filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaining about discrimination, the Fire Department began to retaliate against her, according to the complaint filed today. Fire Department leadership, including the former chief and deputy chiefs, took several harassing, retaliatory actions designed to derail Ms. Sumter’s career and prohibit her from advancement within the Fire Department because of her discrimination complaint.

Under the terms of the consent decree, the City of Orlando will develop and submit to the United States for approval its discrimination and retaliation policies, complaint investigation procedures, and trainings that will be used at the Fire Department.  The consent decree further requires the city to provide training for all Fire Department employees on these policies and provides for future annual training on these subjects. The city will also pay Ms. Sumter $251,500 in compensatory damages and $182,640 in attorney’s fees to her private counsel.

The EEOC received a charge of sex discrimination and an amended charge of retaliation filed by Ms. Sumter. The EEOC investigated the matter and found reasonable cause to believe that the Fire Department discriminated against and retaliated against its employee. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the matter to the Justice Department.

Today’s agreement is part of the Civil Rights Division’s Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Initiative announced in February 2018. The Initiative is aimed at eradicating sexual harassment in state and local government workplaces. It focuses on litigation, outreach, and development of effective remedial measures to address and prevent future sex discrimination and harassment.

The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section brought this case in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The case was brought by Employment Litigation Section Attorneys Brian McEntire and Ejaz Baluch Jr. and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yohance Pettis of the Middle District of Florida.

The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Employment Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division.  Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the jurisdiction of the Employment Litigation Section is available on its websites at www.justice.gov/crt/ and https://www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Jason Brian Goff (45, Starke) to 20 years in federal prison for the attempted use of children to produce sexually explicit videos. Goff was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Goff was arrested on September 13, 2019, and has been detained since that date.

Goff had pleaded guilty on September 25, 2020.

According to court documents, in August 2019, two 14-year-old Clay High School students reported seeing what they believed was a camera lens, concealed within a locked gym locker, in the Clay High School girls’ locker room. When school administrators opened the locker, they discovered a cellphone taped to the inside wall of the locker with the lens pointed out of a pre-fabricated hole.

A forensic analysis of the phone revealed a 30-minute video which had been filmed from a window looking into the locker room where female students were captured and recorded changing clothes. At the end of the video, the phone had been panned down to show the identification badge of Clay High School Custodian Jason Goff.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested Goff on September 13, 2019. Goff later admitted that he had tried filming girls in the locker room at least three times, from different vantage points.

Forensic analyses of other electronic devices belonging to Goff revealed additional images from the girls’ high school locker room, and a collection of child exploitation materials, to include a video and images of adults sexually abusing children of various ages, including images of infants. 

“It is beyond reprehensible that this predator used his position of trust as a school employee to sexually exploit children,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to HSI special agents and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, he will be held accountable for his crimes.”

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, with the full cooperation of the Clay County School Board and Clay High Administrators. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.

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

Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Leslie Pagan (40, Tampa) guilty of conspiracy to distribute over one kilogram of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and eight counts of distribution of heroin or fentanyl. Pagan faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison.

Pagan had been indicted on August 27, 2020, along with Jackylin Bonifacio and Steven Echevarria. A superseding indictment was filed on November 5, 2020. Prior to trial, Bonifacio pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and Echevarria pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute over one kilogram of heroin.

According to testimony presented at trial, from January 1, 2016, through September 1, 2020, Pagan, Echevarria, Bonifacio and others conspired to distribute heroin. Bonifacio distributed heroin she had received from Pagan and Echevarria to heroin users in Hillsborough County. Echevarria initially controlled the supply he obtained from another co-conspirator, but when Echevarria was incarcerated in 2017, Pagan took over that role and distributed the heroin to Bonifacio. On December 19, 2019, Bonifacio distributed a substance to the victim. Bonifacio thought the substance was heroin, but it was actually fentanyl. When the victim used the fentanyl shortly after receiving it from Bonifacio, the victim collapsed and died.  

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office investigated the overdose death and identified Bonifacio as the person who had distributed the fentanyl to the victim. On December 20, 2019, Bonifacio was arrested and found in possession of 25 baggies of fentanyl, packaged for distribution.

The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined that the victim died from ingestion of substances, including heroin and fentanyl. Baggies recovered from Bonifacio and residue from a syringe found near the victim at the time of the overdose were analyzed and identified to contain fentanyl. Lab analysis also determined that the fentanyl mixtures were all very similar and, based on the circumstances of the death and the toxicology from the autopsy, the victim’s use of the fentanyl caused the victim’s death.  

A joint investigation led by the FBI identified Pagan as Bonifacio’s supplier. During a series of covert operations, Pagan distributed fentanyl and heroin to a confidential informant and received payments from that informant. Pagan was arrested on September 1, 2020, and investigators recovered 97 grams of fentanyl and over $105,000 in currency from her residence.

Bonifacio testified during the trial and identified Pagan as her supplier and the co-conspirator that provided the fentanyl that the victim had used, resulting in her death.

This investigation is the result of a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.

This investigation is the result of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.