Middle District of Florida

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Adrian Kiraly, a/k/a “Bighi,”Andrei Andrei, a/k/a “Tony,” Bogdan Ardei, Nelu Onica, Vergiu Corneliu Galbenu, a/k/a “Cornel,” Ovidiu Meczak, a/k/a “Ovi,” Nedal Al-Khomos, Ovidiu Gabriel Musteata, and Doru Maris with conspiracy to commit access device fraud.  If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of seven years and six months. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $112,780, the proceeds of the offense.

According to the indictment, between March 2019 and June 2020, the defendants stole debit/credit card information and funds from victims by placing skimmers on ATMs. After they removed the skimmers, the defendants downloaded the stolen account numbers and PIN numbers and re-encoded that data onto blank cards, thereby creating counterfeit or unauthorized debit or credit cards. The conspirators installed skimming devices and/or conducted these “cash out” operations in Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, and New York.   

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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hackenberry.

 

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Floyd C. Rivers (34, Tampa) to six years and five months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Rivers to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offense. 

Rivers had pleaded guilty on June 25, 2020.

According to court documents, on October 22, 2018, officers with the Tampa Police Department were looking for Rivers in West Tampa to take him into custody on outstanding warrants. When the officers located and approached Rivers, he fled, throwing a bag over a nearby fence as he ran. The officers eventually apprehended Rivers and recovered a loaded pistol from the discarded bag.

Rivers has multiple prior convictions for narcotics-related felonies and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. He has a previous conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

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.

Tampa, Florida – David Naylor (58, Spring Hill) has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Naylor engaged in a scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In order to deceive and steal from the VA, Naylor made false representations regarding his physical limitations in connection with his application for VA Disability Compensation. Based on these false representations, the VA found that Naylor was entitled to Disability Compensation and other related benefits. In total, Naylor received $549,426.23 in VA benefits to which he was not entitled. Naylor also received $181,135.50 in Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits.

This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.

Jacksonville, FL - Rodney Allen, 43, of Beaufort, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Jacksonville, Florida, to 24 months in prison. Allen previously pleaded guilty to one count of intimidating and interfering with the employees of an abortion clinic by making a bomb threat and one count of making false statements to a Special Agent with the FBI.

“The Department of Justice will prosecute anyone who threatens to blow up people and places to the fullest extent of the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “These kinds of ghastly criminal threats unlawfully and unjustly injure innocent people. Violence and threats of violence have no place in this country.”

“Threats of violence to healthcare facilities or their employees are serious matters,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the quick response and diligence by our local and federal law enforcement partners, this case was investigated thoroughly and brought to a successful conclusion.”

According to court documents, on Aug.  29, 2019, Allen called the clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and said that someone was coming to blow it up. Allen made several other calls to the clinic that day in an attempt to interfere with its ability to provide services. Employees recognized Allen’s voice and were concerned that he would do something desperate, so they enlisted the help of a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer to search the property. The FBI obtained toll records and subscriber information for the number used to make the bomb threat to the clinic and positively identified Allen as the caller. In a voluntary and surreptitiously recorded interview with the FBI, Allen falsely denied calling the clinic and stating that someone was coming to blow it up. 

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Columbia and Jacksonville Divisions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Washington of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Sanjay Patel and Anna Gotfryd of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

Rodney Allen, 43, of Beaufort, South Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Jacksonville, Florida, to 24 months in prison. Allen previously pleaded guilty to one count of intimidating and interfering with the employees of an abortion clinic by making a bomb threat and one count of making false statements to a Special Agent with the FBI.

“The Department of Justice will prosecute anyone who threatens to blow up people and places to the fullest extent of the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “These kinds of ghastly criminal threats unlawfully and unjustly injure innocent people. Violence and threats of violence have no place in this country.”

“Threats of violence to healthcare facilities or their employees are serious matters,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the quick response and diligence by our local and federal law enforcement partners, this case was investigated thoroughly and brought to a successful conclusion.”

According to court documents, on Aug.  29, 2019, Allen called the clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and said that someone was coming to blow it up. Allen made several other calls to the clinic that day in an attempt to interfere with its ability to provide services. Employees recognized Allen’s voice and were concerned that he would do something desperate, so they enlisted the help of a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer to search the property. The FBI obtained toll records and subscriber information for the number used to make the bomb threat to the clinic and positively identified Allen as the caller. In a voluntary and surreptitiously recorded interview with the FBI, Allen falsely denied calling the clinic and stating that someone was coming to blow it up. 

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Columbia and Jacksonville Divisions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Washington of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Sanjay Patel and Anna Gotfryd of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.

The Justice Department today announced that Target Recovery Towing Inc. (Target) has agreed to enter into a court-enforceable consent order to resolve allegations that it failed to obtain a legally required court order before auctioning off a car belonging to a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant who was deployed overseas. 

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Target on Aug. 18, 2020, alleging that the auction violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the proposed consent order, which is still subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Target must adopt new policies, pay the Marine $17,500, and pay a $2,500 civil penalty to the United States. 

The SCRA, which provides a wide variety of financial and housing protections to members of the military, prohibits towing companies from auctioning off servicemembers’ vehicles without a court order. The law places the burden on towing companies and other lienholders to determine whether the property in their possession belongs to a servicemember. The complaint alleges that several facts should have put Target on notice that the owner of this particular vehicle was a servicemember, including that the Marine's car had at least one military decal, military documents were in the car, her address of record was at a U.S. Marine Corps base, and she obtained her vehicle loan through Navy Federal Credit Union.

“This settlement should send a clear message that the Justice Department will not tolerate the illegal taking of servicemembers’ vehicles,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the department’s Civil Rights Division. “Servicemembers must be able to count on their country to protect their rights, and we are committed to doing just that.”

“I am pleased that we were able to reach a swift and effective resolution to this matter. The SCRA exists to protect the brave men and women of our Armed Forces serving overseas and minimize undue financial burdens associated with military deployments,” said Maria Chapa Lopez, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to aggressively hold accountable those businesses and institutions who are required to comply with the Act. Our brave servicemembers deserve nothing less.”

This lawsuit resulted from a referral to the Justice Department from the U.S. Marine Corps. Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/. The department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $474 million in monetary relief for over 120,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at www.servicemembers.gov.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Akbar Akram (44, Holiday) to serve a four-year term of federal probation for trafficking in protected water monitor lizards, in violation of the Lacey Act. The court also ordered Akbar to serve 90 days’ home detention and complete 288 hours of community service.

Akram had pleaded guilty on January 8, 2020.

According to the plea agreement, Akram admitted to illegally importing at least 20 live, water monitor lizards from the Philippines between January and December 2016, in violation of United States law and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Treaty. To avoid detection by United States customs authorities, the lizards were placed in socks, which were sealed closed with tape, and then concealed in the back panels of audio speakers or other electronic equipment. The equipment was then shipped via commercial carriers to Akram and his associate, who resided in Massachusetts. The customs declarations accompanying the shipments identified the content as audio speakers or similar electronics. Akram further admitted that he knew the monitor lizards he received had been imported into the United States in violation of CITES and the Endangered Species Act. Upon receiving the monitor lizards, he sold some of them to customers, including customers in Colorado, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.  

“Wildlife trafficking is harsh and cruel. Operation Sound of Silence revealed that baby lizards were illegally collected, inhumanely packaged, and internationally trafficked with many arriving into the United States injured, sick or dead,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service remains dedicated to working alongside federal and international law enforcement agencies to apprehend and bring to justice U.S. citizens who seek to profit from the exploitation of wildlife.”

Monitor lizard is the common name for lizards comprising the genus Varanus.  Monitor lizard species (there are approximately 70) are characterized by elongated necks, heavy bodies, long-forked tongues, strong claws, and long tails. Monitor lizards have a vast geographical range and are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Water monitor lizards are semi-aquatic monitor lizards endemic to South and Southeastern Asia. As their name suggests, they are water dependent and easily swim long distances. This ability has allowed them to inhabit many remote islands. Some species of water monitor lizard are common and abundant in the pet trade, while others are extremely rare and are found only on specific islands. In addition to suffering increasing habitat loss due to rainforest destruction, water monitor lizards are often illegally collected from the wild and killed for various uses. They are also targeted for their popularity in the international exotic pet trade. Exotic pet traders seek water monitor lizards due to their attractive patterns, unique colors, intelligence, and rarity. The yellow-headed water monitor (Varanus cumingi), the white-headed water monitor (Varanus nuchalis), and the marbled water monitor (Varanus marmoratus), are species of large monitor lizards endemic to the Philippines.

This case is part of Operation Sound of Silence, an ongoing effort by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, in coordination with the Department of Justice, to bring to justice those involved in the illegal taking and trafficking in protected species, including water monitor lizards. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Colin P. McDonell and and Environmental Crimes Section Trial Attorneys Gary N. Donner and Erica H. Pencak.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jimmy Ray Lightsey (40, Jacksonville) to 20 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute them, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A jury found Lightsey guilty on January 23, 2020.

According to testimony presented at trial, on June 24, 2018, officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested Lightsey for driving without a valid license. A 9mm pistol and a bag of marijuana were observed, in plain view, inside Lightsey’s car. A search of the vehicle revealed additional marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, and empty baggies used for packaging narcotics. The pistol was later determined to have been stolen from a home in Jacksonville approximately two weeks earlier. At the time of the incident, Lightsey had multiple prior felony convictions, including for the sale or delivery of cocaine and attempted armed robbery with a weapon. 

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Beatriz Gonzalez.

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Marcia M. Howard has sentenced Benjamin Hank Ratliff (37, Lake City) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The court also ordered Ratliff to forfeit a 2011 Lexus, which he had used to facilitate the offense. 

Ratliff had pleaded guilty on June 9, 2020.

According to court documents, between September 2017 and October 2018, Ratliff, along with his co-defendants, conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Lake City. Ratliff hid methamphetamine near stop signs or at different locations on side roads. His distributors and/or customers then retrieved the drugs and left money, in exchange, at the same location – sometimes hidden in a shoe or diaper. As part of their investigation, agents seized 429.823 grams of actual methamphetamine attributable to Ratliff. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Beatriz Gonzalez.
 

Orlando, Florida – A federal jury has found Tony Deshane Brown, a/k/a Antowayne Hill, a/k/a Antowayne Pollard (50, Orlando), guilty of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 16, 2020.   

Brown originally had been indicted on June 8, 2016. A superseding indictment was issued on March 11, 2020. 

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Brown fled from an Orlando duplex, with baggies of cocaine packaged for sale, as agents and officers were preparing to execute an unrelated search warrant next door. Brown encountered officers at the rear of his residence where he had hoped to hide the cocaine. There, officers discovered 18 baggies of cocaine in a prescription bag that Brown had been carrying. 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.         

 

Orlando, Florida –A federal jury has found Wilmer Eduardo Mejia-Palacios (36, Orlando) guilty of four counts of making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Mejia-Palacios faces up to five years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 16, 2020.

Mejia-Palacios had been indicted on February 12, 2020. A superseding indictment was returned on September 2, 2020.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Mejia-Palacios attempted to purchase firearms in Orlando on four separate occasions. In connection with those attempted purchases, Mejia-Palacios completed firearms transaction record: ATF 4473, claiming that he was a United States citizen. Those claims were false. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Firearm Purchase Program referred the case to agents at Homeland Security Investigations. 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Tampa, Florida – Dr. Richard Davidson (41, Boca Raton) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Davidson has also agreed to forfeit $2,472,087 to the United States, which represents the proceeds he obtained through the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in 2018, Davidson and his conspirators established a conglomerate of durable medical equipment (“DME”) supply companies. During the creation of the companies, they lied to Medicare to secure billing privileges. The scheme involved placing the companies in the names of straw owners. By concealing their true ownership, the conspirators secretly gained control of multiple companies, which Medicare prohibits. This enabled the conspirators to submit high volumes of illegal DME claims while attempting to evade law enforcement scrutiny. In one year, through the conglomerate, Davidson and his conspirators submitted more than $20 million in illegal DME claims, resulting in more than $10 million in payments from Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (“CHAMPVA”).

To attain such high volumes of claims, the conspirators used bribes and kickbacks. Specifically, Davidson and his conspirators illegally purchased thousands of signed doctors’ orders for DME braces from so-called “marketers.” The marketers, for their part, had generated the signed doctors’ orders under the guise of “telemedicine,” but no telemedicine had actually occurred. Instead, the “marketers” had bribed doctors to sign the DME brace orders that supported the illegal claims. Davidson and his conspirators paid millions to secure the illegal DME claims for submission to Medicare and CHAMPVA.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Fiore.

Orlando, Florida –A federal jury has found Michael David Harrison (52, Sparks, NV) guilty of transportation of child pornography. Harrison faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 3, 2020.

Harrison had been indicted on December 4, 2019. 

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Harrison transported multiple videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children from his home in Nevada to Florida. He then transported the videos on a cruise to the Bahamas. Agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection detected the videos on Harrison’s computer when he reentered the United States. Harrison was previously convicted, in 2009, of multiple sex offenses against victims under the age of 16.

This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being 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 – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Kurt Batucan Sheldon (29, Interlachen) with one count of production of child exploitation material and two counts of distribution of child exploitation material. If convicted, Sheldon faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, and up to 30 years, in federal prison for the production count and a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, on each distribution count. In a previous detention hearing, held on September 14, 2020, the court ordered Sheldon detained pending further proceedings.

According to the indictment, Sheldon produced child exploitation material on May 3, 2020, and distributed child exploitation material on May 24 and May 26, 2016. 

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. 

Any person who was, or knows of someone who may have been, a possible child victim is urged to contact HSI at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or online via http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form.

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Washington and Kelly Karase.

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 – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of a 16-count indictment charging Steven Chun (57, Sarasota) and Daniel Tondre (50, Tampa) with conspiring to pay and receiving kickbacks in connection with prescribing a fentanyl spray. Chun is also charged with five counts of soliciting and receiving kickbacks in the form of speaker fees; Tondre is charged with five counts of offering and paying the speaker fees to Chun when he worked as an Insys sales representative; and Chun and Tondre are both charged in five counts of identification fraud in connection with the speaker events. If convicted on all counts, Chun and Tondre each face a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, up to 5 years’ imprisonment on each identification fraud count, and up to 10 years in prison for each substantive kickback violation. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of the proceeds of the alleged kickbacks.  

According to the

indictment , Chun, a doctor, owned and operated a pain management medical practice in Sarasota where he prescribed a large volume of Schedule II opioids, including fentanyl. Tondre was employed as a sales representative for Insys Therapeutics, Inc., a company that manufactured and sold Subsys, an expensive form of liquid fentanyl designed to be applied under the tongue (sublingual spray), allowing it to rapidly enter the bloodstream. Insys sales representatives were compensated, in part, with sales commissions based upon paid prescriptions of Subsys written by practitioners in their sales territory. Tondre’s territory included Chun’s practice.

Insys actively marketed Subsys to pain management doctors, including Chun, to increase the number of Subsys prescriptions written by Chun. Through the Insys sales division and executives at the company’s headquarters, Insys used a sham speaker program to conceal and disguise kickbacks and bribes paid to high-prescribing doctors, like Chun, to induce them to prescribe Subsys. Insys sales representatives, like Tondre, arranged speaker programs that were often only attended by family and friends, or repeat attendees, and included falsified or forged signatures of attendees. Insys also bribed large Subsys-prescribers, like Chun, by hiring individuals, often close to the doctors, to work as an Insys liaison to facilitate the approval of insurance forms for Subsys, including those submitted for Medicare patients. Chun was paid more than $275,000 in illegal kickbacks and bribes from Insys in connection with the sham speaker programs.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and by the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office, which focuses on opioid-related fraud and abuse by medical and health care professionals who have contributed to the prescription opioid epidemic. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley C. Howard-Allen.

Yang Yang (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information through the federal government’s Automated Export System and to fraudulently export to China maritime raiding craft and engines in violation of United States (U.S.) law, and also to attempting to fraudulently export that equipment in violation of U.S. law. Yang faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Yang was employed by Shanghai Breeze Technology Co. Ltd., a company headquartered in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. At the direction of co-conspirators in China, she attempted to order from a U.S. manufacturer seven combat rubber raiding craft equipped with engines that can operate using gasoline, diesel fuel, or jet fuel. These vessels and multi-fuel engines are used by the U.S. military and can be operated after being launched from a submerged submarine or dropped into the ocean by an aircraft. No comparable engine is manufactured in China. When the U.S. manufacturer suggested that Yang purchase cheaper gasoline-fueled engines, she insisted that she wanted to purchase the military-model multi-fuel engines.

To induce the manufacturer to sell this equipment, Yang falsely represented that her customer was an entity called United Vision Limited in Hong Kong, rather than Shanghai Breeze Technology Co. in Shanghai. One of Yang’s Chinese co-workers had told her that American manufacturers would be more likely to sell to an entity in Hong Kong rather than one in mainland China. By misrepresenting what company was buying the equipment, and where it was located, Yang caused the entry of false information in the Department of Commerce’s Automated Export System in violation of federal law.

When interviewed by federal agents on Oct. 17, 2019, Yang admitted that she had only one client, Shanghai Breeze, and that based on her communications with a co-conspirator, she knew that the combat raiding craft were not intended for Hong Kong, but instead, mainland China.

On Aug. 13, 2020, Yang’s co-defendant, Zheng Yan, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information and to fraudulently export the raiding craft and engines in violation of U.S. law. The trial of their remaining co-defendants, Fan Yang and Ge Songtao, is scheduled to begin on Feb. 1, 2021.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce – Bureau of Industry and Security, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican and Heather Schmidt, Senior Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Section, U.S. Department of Justice.

Jacksonville, FL – Yang Yang (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information through the federal government’s Automated Export System and to fraudulently export to China maritime raiding craft and engines in violation of United States (U.S.) law, and also to attempting to fraudulently export that equipment in violation of U.S. law. Yang faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the

plea agreement , Yang was employed by Shanghai Breeze Technology Co. Ltd., a company headquartered in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. At the direction of co-conspirators in China, she attempted to order from a U.S. manufacturer seven combat rubber raiding craft equipped with engines that can operate using gasoline, diesel fuel, or jet fuel. These vessels and multi-fuel engines are used by the U.S. military and can be operated after being launched from a submerged submarine or dropped into the ocean by an aircraft. No comparable engine is manufactured in China. When the U.S. manufacturer suggested that Yang purchase cheaper gasoline-fueled engines, she insisted that she wanted to purchase the military-model multi-fuel engines.

To induce the manufacturer to sell this equipment, Yang falsely represented that her customer was an entity called United Vision Limited in Hong Kong, rather than Shanghai Breeze Technology Co. in Shanghai. One of Yang’s Chinese co-workers had told her that American manufacturers would be more likely to sell to an entity in Hong Kong rather than one in mainland China. By misrepresenting what company was buying the equipment, and where it was located, Yang caused the entry of false information in the Department of Commerce’s Automated Export System in violation of federal law.

When interviewed by federal agents on Oct. 17, 2019, Yang admitted that she had only one client, Shanghai Breeze, and that based on her communications with a co-conspirator, she knew that the combat raiding craft were not intended for Hong Kong, but instead, mainland China.

On Aug. 13, 2020, Yang’s co-defendant, Zheng Yan, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false export information and to fraudulently export the raiding craft and engines in violation of U.S. law. The trial of their remaining co-defendants, Fan Yang and Ge Songtao, is scheduled to begin on Feb. 1, 2021.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce – Bureau of Industry and Security, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican and Heather Schmidt, Senior Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Section, U.S. Department of Justice.           

Fort Myers, FL – A federal jury has found Edgar Vazquez (35, Fort Myers) guilty of possessing with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.  Vazquez faces a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 14, 2020.

Vazquez had been indicted on May 22, 2019.

According to evidence presented at trial, on September 18, 2018, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and special agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than one kilogram of cocaine, cash, and a loaded firearm from Vazquez’s residence and his vehicle. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Simon R. Eth and David P. Sullivan.

Ocala, FL – David Shaw (36, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Shaw had been indicted on May 20, 2020.

According to court documents, on December 5, 2019, a deputy from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop Shaw after he ran a stop sign on a stolen motorcycle. Shaw fled from the traffic stop before crashing the motorcycle and continuing to flee on foot. While giving chase, a deputy observed Shaw discard a loaded 9mm firearm and a backpack. The backpack contained more than 100 rounds of ammunition. 

Shaw has eight prior felony convictions, including burglary of a dwelling, introduction of contraband into a detention facility, trafficking in methamphetamine, and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. He is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie Boyer.

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury today found Vince Edward Lasane (48, Orlando) guilty of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and committing the offense while required to register as a sex offender under Florida law. Lasane faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 30, 2020.

Lasane was indicted on November 13, 2019.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in 2007, Lasane was convicted of attempted sexual battery on a child under the age of 12. As part of his sentence, the court designated Lasane a sexual predator and ordered him to register as a sex offender in the State of Florida for life.

In September 2019, Lasane met a 14 year-old girl on a social networking website. During the next five weeks, Lasane enticed and persuaded the girl to engage in sexual activity, communicating with her through text messages and phone calls. In late October, Lasane arranged to meet the girl at a restaurant in Orlando, which was within walking distance of the apartment where she had been staying. Lasane assured the girl that he would wear a condom so that she would not get pregnant. After attending his court-ordered sexual offender treatment meeting, Lasane traveled to the location to meet the child. When Lasane arrived, law enforcement officers arrested him. The officers found a condom and the cellphone Lasane had used to communicate with the child in his pocket. The 14 year-old girl was actually a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Virginia M. Covington has sentenced Craigory Reeves (29, Tampa) to 23 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing approximately 13 grams of eutylone with the intent to distribute it and possessing a loaded 9-millimeter handgun. Reeves, a career offender and leader of the Money Power Respect (MPR) gang, had pleaded guilty on June 16, 2020.

According to information presented during Reeves’s sentencing hearing, MPR was formed in approximately 2007 within the Indian River (FL) Correctional Facility. MPR has since become one of the dominant and most violent gangs in the Tampa area. Reeves was one of the gang’s original seven leaders.

According to the plea agreement, on September 5, 2019, Reeves conducted a meeting of MPR members. After he left the meeting, law enforcement officers stopped the car he was riding in for a traffic infraction. Officers then smelled marijuana inside, removed Reeves from the car, and searched his pockets with his consent. Inside Reeves’s pockets, officers found approximately 13 grams of eutylone (a controlled substance that is similar to MDMA or “Ecstasy”) and three 9-millimeter bullets. Inside the car, officers found Reeves’s bag, which contained a loaded 9-millimeter pistol and additional 9-millimeter bullets, most of which matched the caliber and brand of the ammunition that had been found in Reeves’s pocket.

Reeves admitted that he had intended to distribute the eutylone and that he possessed the pistol and ammunition to protect himself, his drugs, and his money while engaging in criminal activity, including narcotics trafficking.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is part of an ongoing effort to dismantle the MPR gang that has so far resulted in charges against four defendants. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.

This case was 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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Tampa, FL – U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that four school districts in the Middle District of Florida (MDFL) have received a total of $1,316,375 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Nationally, the COPS Office SVPP awarded nearly $50 million in school safety funding. SVPP provides up to 75% funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.

MDFL recipients include the School Board of Orange County ($499,321); Seminole County Public Schools ($168,000); the Hernando County School Board ($499,054); and the School District of DeSoto County ($150,000).

“Guaranteeing a safe and secure environment in which to learn – free from violence – is critically important for our students,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “These funds will assist our partners in creating and enhancing systems and procedures to reduce threats and violence in our schools.”

“With the new school year underway, the safety of our nation’s students remains paramount,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Although this school year may look different at the start, now is the ideal time to make preparations to enhance school safety for when all of our children are back in the classroom.”   

The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs. The four awards announced today can be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.  The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2020AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf.

In addition to the school safety grants announced today, the COPS Office School Safety Working Group, which is composed of representatives from eight national law enforcement organizations, has identified 10 essential actions that can be taken by schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies to help prevent critical incidents involving the loss of life or injuries in our nation's schools and to respond rapidly and effectively when incidents do occur. The Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety are applicable to school shootings as well as to other areas of school safety, including natural disasters and traumatic events such as student suicide. Adopting policies and practices based on the recommendations in this publication can help make school communities safer and save lives.

The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide.  Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 134,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. 

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

The Justice Department today reached an agreement with ASAP Towing & Storage Company (“ASAP”) in Jacksonville, Florida, to resolve allegations that ASAP violated a federal law, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”), by auctioning off or otherwise disposing of cars owned by protected servicemembers without first obtaining court orders. 

Under the agreement, ASAP must pay up to $99,500 to compensate servicemembers whose cars were unlawfully auctioned off while they were in military service. ASAP must also pay a $20,000 civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury. The agreement, which is subject to court approval, resolves a suit filed today by the department in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

“This case began with a member of the U.S. Navy who returned home from an overseas deployment in service to his country, only to find that a towing company had auctioned off his sole means of transportation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department must protect his rights just as he is protecting ours. We appreciate that the company has worked cooperatively with us to reach a settlement that will compensate all of the servicemembers whose vehicles were taken from them.”

“I am pleased that we were able to protect our servicemembers who are serving overseas by reaching a settlement with the ASAP Towing & Storage Company,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida. “When servicemembers are deployed, and in harm’s way, fighting for our country, they should be able to find their personal vehicles where they left them when they return home.”

The department launched its investigation after becoming aware of a complaint by a U.S. Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade, alleging that ASAP had towed and auctioned his 2005 PT Cruiser without obtaining the court order required by the SCRA, while he was deployed aboard a naval submarine. The department’s complaint alleges that the Lieutenant’s vehicle had a military installation parking decal and contained “welcome aboard” documents for the naval submarine.

The department’s investigation revealed that between 2013 and 2020, ASAP auctioned multiple other vehicles registered to SCRA-protected servicemembers without obtaining the required court orders. The settlement requires ASAP to adopt new procedures to investigate the military status of any registered owner prior to auctioning a vehicle. ASAP will also be required to obtain a court order or a valid SCRA waiver prior to auctioning a vehicle owned by a protected servicemember.

The department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $474 million in monetary relief for over 120,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil/.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Elaine M. Levidow (60, Fort Myers) with 10 counts of wire fraud and one count of Federal Student Assistance fraud. If convicted, Levidow faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 5 years in federal prison for the financial aid fraud count. 

According to the indictment, Levidow owned and operated the Training Domain, an educational institution in Fort Myers that held itself out as offering business software application courses to improve the employability skills of individuals. Training Domain qualified to receive U.S. Department of Education Title IV Federal Student Assistance (FSA) on behalf of students. During the approximate time period of July 2017 through April 2019, Levidow solicited students to enroll in her school and assisted them in applying for financial aid in the form of Pell Grants and Direct Student Loans. Rather than using the loan and grant proceeds to hold classes at the Training Domain and for other educational expenses, Levidow kept the FSA funds and split them with students. The amount of the fraud was approximately $109,323. The indictment also alleges that Levidow created false and fraudulent high school diplomas and GEDs for students that she provided to an auditor even though she knew that the students had either not attended the underlying high school, had not graduated, or had not received a GED.

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 U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.

Ocala, FL – U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the arrest of Jose Merced Sanchez De La Torre (age 43) on a federal criminal complaint alleging illegal re-entry into the United States by an alien with a prior aggravated felony conviction. If convicted of the offense, Sanchez De La Torre faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

According to court documents, on August 31, 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a tip that a residence in Ocala contained illegal aliens and firearms. The FBI requested the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP researched the address and determined that one of the residents, Sanchez De La Torre, was an illegal alien from Mexico who had previously been deported from the United States in 2015, following federal convictions for an aggravated felony—unlawful possession of a firearm—and seven counts of structuring financial transactions. On September 8, 2020, Border Patrol agents executed an arrest warrant at Sanchez De La Torre’s Ocala residence and took him into custody.    

This case was investigated by the FBI, CBP, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie Boyer.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Kurt Batucan Sheldon (29, Interlachen) has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with production and possession of child exploitation material.  Sheldon faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to 50 years, in federal prison. Sheldon has been detained pending a hearing scheduled for September 10, 2020.     

According to the complaint, parents of a minor child made a report to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office about sexually explicit messages being sent by an adult to their daughter on Snapchat and Whisper. The adult referred to himself as “K t.” “K t” was his screen name on Snapchat, but his Snapchat username was “tacticfallout.” “K t” originally began communicating with the child on Whisper and represented himself as a male, between the ages of 25-29. The child told him that she was 15 years old. “K t” told the child that his name was “Kurt” and that he lived in Putnam. The child told “Kurt” she lived with her parents and was in school. Their conversation later moved to Snapchat and “K t” requested child exploitation material—images and videos—from the child and directed the child on how to take the images and how to pose.  Approximately 50 images and/or videos were sent to “K t” at his direction. 

Further investigation by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations identified Sheldon’s residence as the source of the IP address used by the Snapchat account “tacticfallout,” and the Gmail account associated with this Snapchat account. 

On September 4, 2020, HSI agents and deputies and detectives with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Sheldon’s residence. Sheldon admitted there was child sexual abuse material on the computer. He also admitted to asking girls he met on online applications, whom he knew to be underage, to send him nude photographs, including a 15 year-old female.

Any person who was, or knows of someone who may have been, a possible child victim is urged to contact HSI at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or online tip form - http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form.

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington and Kelly Karase.

It is another 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 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.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Christina Lynn Catalano (38, Holiday) with disaster assistance fraud regarding Hurricane Irma. The indictment also charges Catalano and her husband, Joseph Samuel Catalano (54), with making false statements to federal agents to conceal such fraud. If convicted, Christina Catalano faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, plus payment of restitution to the United States. Joseph Catalano faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, between September 15 and November 20, 2017, Christina Catalano falsified records concerning the alleged destruction to a non-existent travel trailer, which she claimed as her primary residence in Citrus County. The records accompanied an application for assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individuals and Households Program for Hurricane Irma.

The indictment further alleges that on January 31, 2020, Christina and Joseph Catalano made false statements to federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security to conceal the fraudulent claims.

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

This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Disaster Fraud Task Force, which was announced in September 2017. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.

Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll-free at (866) 720-5721 or complete the online complaint form by visiting www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Thomas Lester Hazouri, Jr. (40, Jacksonville Beach) has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with distributing child pornography. Hazouri faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a potential life term of supervised release. Hazouri has been detained pending a hearing scheduled for September 11, 2020.

According to the

complaint , MediaLab, the company that hosts the Kik online messaging application (“app”), notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that one of its users, identified by user name “mybfsgaynotme,” had uploaded suspected child sexual abuse videos on March 26, 2020, using an account whose subscriber information included the email address “[email protected].” Further investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office revealed the internet protocol address used to distribute these videos on Kik resolved to the residence of Thomas Lester Hazouri, Jr. in Jacksonville Beach. JSO determined that Hazouri was a second grade teacher assigned to Mayport Elementary School in Jacksonville. 

A search warrant was issued for the Kik account for user “mybfsgaynotme,” and this account contained 19 images and 45 videos that depicted child sexual abuse. On August 6, 2020, JSO detectives and other personnel executed a search warrant at Hazouri’s residence and seized an Apple iPhone XR, as well as two laptop computers. Forensic examination of the iPhone revealed that it contained 123 images and three videos depicting child sexual abuse, including depictions of very young children. The email address “[email protected]” originally reported to NCMEC in March 2020 was the email address used for the Gmail, Tinder, and Uber accounts on this iPhone. JSO detectives observed a tattoo on Hazouri’s wrist that matched the tattoo shown in a photo of a male masturbating that was recovered from the Kik account for user “mybfsgaynotme.” JSO also confirmed that a particular rug pictured in a photo recovered in this same Kik account matched an actual rug in Hazouri’s classroom at Mayport Elementary School. On August 19, 2020, JSO officers arrested Hazouri in Jacksonville.

On August 27, 2020, JSO and the FBI confirmed that on March 26, 2020, the Kik user of the “mybfsgaynotme” account distributed at least four videos depicting child sex abuse to several other Kik users.            

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Duval County School Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact the FBI Jacksonville office at 904.248.7000.

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. 

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Tampa, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Samuel Friedman (45, Land O’ Lakes) to four years in federal prison for health care fraud. The court also ordered Friedman to forfeit his interests in real property as well as a bank account containing nearly $475,000, which were traceable to proceeds of the offense. Restitution was ordered in the amount of $3.42 million.

Friedman had pleaded guilty on June 16, 2020.

According to court documents, Friedman owned and operated a telemarketing operation known as SKF Enterprises, LLC (SKF). SKF targeted the Medicare-aged population to generate orders for durable medical equipment (DME) and cancer genetic (CGx) testing. SKF’s call center employees were trained to follow a script of triage questions designed to upsell DME and CGx testing to Medicare beneficiaries. SKF then packaged this information into the format of a prescription for doctors’ approval under the guise of “telemedicine,” but no proper telemedicine occurred. Rather, doctors’ signatures were secured in exchange for bribes and kickbacks.

During the scheme, Friedman bribed numerous doctors, through fraudulent “telemedicine” companies, to sign and to approve thousands of DME and CGx-testing orders, regardless of medical necessity. Once signed by doctors, Friedman sold the prescriptions to client-conspirators for submission to Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The conspirators attempted to conceal their illegal kickback relationships using sham boilerplate marketing agreements. For these illegal sales, conspirators paid SKF more than $3.4 million.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Fiore.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Edgar Johan Diaz-Colon (34, Zephyrhills) to 150 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children. Diaz-Colon had pleaded guilty on April 22, 2020. 

According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in 2018 and 2019, Diaz-Colon sexually abused three young children. Two of the victims (who were then six and seven years old) lived near Diaz-Colon, and he lured them to the studio where he was staying. There, on multiple occasions, he repeatedly raped the children and forced them to perform sex acts on him. Diaz-Colon video-recorded some of those incidents. He also hit at least one of the children with a belt and taped her mouth shut when she cried for help. Diaz-Colon threatened to kill the child if she told her parents about his abuse.

The third victim was three years old when Diaz-Colon had abused her. In at least one instance, he video-recorded himself molesting the child.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sanford Police Department, and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. 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.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, announces several recent arrests in “Operation Pocket Dial” – a joint investigation targeting heroin and fentanyl distribution networks in Tampa and Kissimmee.

Three indictments were unsealed this week charging a total of 11 members of drug trafficking organizations with offenses related to the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. (See chart for details).

In December 2019, two additional defendants, Eric Manuel Robles Rivera (45/Orlando) and Eddie Quinones Santiago (38, Kissimmee), were charged as part of this investigation. Robles Rivera previously pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute it and, in July 2020, he was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison. Quinones Santiago is scheduled for trial in October 2020.

According to the indictments just unsealed, between January 1, 2016, and continuing through August 27, 2020, the defendants conspired to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Middle District of Florida. The defendants distributed heroin and fentanyl on multiple occasions, and the use of the heroin and fentanyl resulted in death and serious bodily injury.

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 investigation is the result of a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office. It will be 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 illegal drug supply.

 

Name

(Age, Residence)

Charges

Maximum Penalties

William Franqui,

a/k/a “Gordo”

(35, Tampa)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting is serious bodily injury

Distribution of heroin (two counts)

Mandatory minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison                                                    

Mandatory minimum 20 years, up to life, in federal prison

20 years in federal prison (per count)

Marie Rodriguez

(39, Tampa)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Distribution of heroin (two counts)

Mandatory minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison                                                     

20 years in federal prison (per count)

Kevin Darnell Diaz Tirado

(27, Clearwater)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Distribution of heroin (two counts)

Mandatory minimum 10 years, up to life, in federal prison                                                           

20 years in federal prison (per count)

Edgardo Colon Rosado

(28, Tampa)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Distribution of heroin (two counts)

Mandatory minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison                                                     

20 years in federal prison (per count)

Jose Miriel Morales Sanchez

(29, Tampa)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Mandatory minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison

 

Orlando Muniz Escalera

(26, Tampa)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Distribution of heroin

Mandatory minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison                                                           

20 years in federal prison (per count)

Leslie Pagan

(39, Tampa)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death

Distribution of heroin and fentanyl (eight counts)

Mandatory minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison                                                                   

Mandatory minimum of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison

20 years in federal prison (per count)

Jackylin Bonifacio

(36, Tampa)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death

Mandatory minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison                                                                

Mandatory minimum of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison

Steven Echevarria, a/k/a “Unca”

(34, Tampa)

Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute,  one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl

Distribution of fentanyl

Mandatory minimum of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison                                                            

30 years in federal prison

Nathaniel Quiles, a/k/a “Chuleta”

(35, Kissimmee)

Conspiracy to distribute  one hundred grams or more of heroin

Distribution of heroin

Mandatory minimum of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison

20 years in federal prison

Kiara Marie Rivera Serrano

(29, Kissimmee)

Conspiracy to distribute  one hundred grams or more of heroin

Distribution of heroin

Mandatory minimum of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison

20 years in federal prison

 

Ocala, Florida – Christopher Maurice McCallum, Jr. (28, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. In a related case, McCallum also admitted to violations of his federal supervision for possessing the same firearm. He could receive an additional two years in federal prison for these violations. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on May 25, 2020, City of Ocala police officers responded to a shooting in a local neighborhood. The officers observed McCallum attempting to flee the area in a vehicle. McCallum was apprehended after a short pursuit after he abandoned the vehicle and tried to run on foot. Officers recovered a stolen AR-15 rifle, loaded with ammunition, from the driver’s side floorboard of the vehicle. McCallum, a multi-convicted felon, was on supervision for a federal weapons offense. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.     

On June 7, 2020, officers again arrested McCallum on several outstanding federal warrants relating to this conduct. At the time of his arrest, McCallum had barricaded himself inside an apartment. A subsequent search of the apartment revealed two more loaded firearms—a stolen handgun and another AR-15 rifle—along with illegal drugs and paraphernalia. 

This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces today that Home Health Care of Florida, LLC has agreed to pay $300,000 to resolve allegations that it engaged in a kickback scheme related to the referral of Medicare patients for home health services.

The settlement announced today resolves allegations that between August 1, 2013, and March 31, 2017, Home Health Care of Florida illegally paid its medical director in order to induce him to refer Medicare patients to Home Health Care of Florida for services that were billed to the United States. The medical director entered into a related settlement agreement in December of 2018. The United States alleged that these financial arrangements violated the physician self-referral law, commonly known as the “Stark Law,” and the Anti-Kickback Statute, giving rise to liability under the False Claims Act. 

“Kickback arrangements have no place in federal healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to target improper payment schemes and advocate for the proper care of our senior citizens.”

The case was handled by the Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Investigative assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.  Trial Attorney Breanna Peterson and Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Bloor coordinated the investigation. 

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

The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the arrest and unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Casey David Crowther (35, Fort Myers) with making a false statement to a lending institution. If convicted, Crowther faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.

According to the

complaint , Crowther sought and received more than $2 million in a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan through an application to an insured financial institution on behalf of his company, Target Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc. Crowther submitted a loan application that included false and misleading statements concerning what the PPP funds would be used for, specifically that the PPP funds would only be used for business-related purposes, to retain workers, and maintain payroll or make mortgage payments, lease payments, and utilities payments.

The complaint further alleges that within days of receiving the PPP funds, Crowther used a portion of the funds to purchase a 2020 40-foot catamaran boat for approximately $689,417, which he registered in his name.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.

The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if the business spends the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and use at least a certain percentage of the loan toward payroll expenses.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.

Orlando, Florida – A federal jury today found Raymond Lee Kelly (52, Cocoa, FL) guilty of possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. Because of his extensive criminal record, which includes drug trafficking convictions, resisting arrest with violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, Kelly is qualified as an Armed Career Criminal and faces a 15-year mandatory minimum prison sentence. Kelly was also on supervised release from a federal prison sentence when he committed the offense for which he was found guilty. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 17, 2020.   

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Kelly, a convicted felon, fled from a traffic stop in Cocoa Beach, Florida. First, he crashed his vehicle shortly after fleeing. He then he fled on foot toward the beach, leaving behind cannabis, a digital scale, a Ruger semi-automatic handgun and 16 rounds of ammunition.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cocoa Beach Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Patrice Jackson (37, Bradenton) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Jackson, one of four members of a fraudulent opiate prescription drug conspiracy, pleaded guilty on October 23, 2019.

According to court documents, between August 2015 and August 2016, Jackson and her co-conspirators agreed to dispense and distribute prescription opiates through a forged-prescription scheme. Lucretia Mullan and another staff member at a local pain management clinic, forged prescriptions and sold them to Jackson, who then took them to nearby HP pharmacy in Pinellas Park. For a fee, the pharmacy technician at HP, Jessica Evans, assisted the HP pharmacist, Hong Truong, in dispensing the prescription opiates to Jackson. Jackson then sold the opiates to others, mostly in the Sarasota area. In all, the conspirators were responsible for obtaining at least 54 fraudulent prescriptions or 8,500 opiate tablets.

Co-conspirators Lucretia Mullan and Jessica Evans were previously sentenced to 20 months’ and 25 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Hong Truong’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 23, 2020.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit. The Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit was created by the Department of Justice to help combat the devastating opioid crisis. The Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit focuses specifically on opioid-related health care fraud, using data to identify and prosecute individuals contributing to the prescription opioid epidemic. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Kelley Howard-Allen.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Charlie Lee Wright, Jr. (52, Summerfield) to 17 years and 7 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A federal jury had found Wright guilty in December 2019. Because of Wright’s extensive criminal record, he qualified as an Armed Career Criminal and was subject to a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. In addition, five firearms—three rifles and two handguns—were also administratively forfeited.

According to court records, on January 16, 2019, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Wright’s home pursuant to an investigation into missing jewelry. During the search, detectives located numerous firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition inside the home and in a car registered in Wright’s name. Wright subsequently admitted to federal investigators that he had handled at least two of the recovered firearms.

According to evidence presented during the trial, Wright has 28 prior felony convictions in Florida. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Daniel McMahon, 32, was sentenced today in federal court in the Western District of Virginia to 41 months of imprisonment for threatening an African-American Charlottesville City Council candidate because of his race and because he was running for office, and for cyberstalking a separate victim through Facebook messenger, the Justice Department announced today.  Following his term of incarceration, McMahon will be placed on three years of supervised release, during which time he will be prohibited from using internet-capable devices without prior court approval.

“Americans have the right to run for office in this country without facing racially-bigoted threats of violence,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Furthermore, no American should have to live with hateful threats of sexual violence for opposing white nationalism. The Justice Department will continue vigorously to prosecute anyone who attempts to infringe on these civil rights and thereby undermine our democracy.”

“The hallmark of our Nation’s democracy is the right to peacefully protest and engage in an effective exchange of ideas via the political process,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida. “When either of these rights are infringed, and individuals are targeted, intimidated, or threatened because of their race/ethnicity or beliefs, the cornerstone of our system is put at risk. Today’s sentence demonstrates our intent to work together to preserve our Nation’s founding principles and ensure that all citizens are protected under the law.”

“This defendant weaponized social media to threaten and intimidate his perceived political enemies and propagate a violent white-supremacist ideology,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen of the Western District of Virginia. “Because his online activity crossed the boundary between protected First Amendment expression and unlawful threats and harassment, he will spend considerable time in federal prison.” 

“The FBI applauds the sentencing in this case and remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the civil rights of all Americans,” said Special Agent in Charge David W. Archey of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “We also commend the courage of the victims who come forward to report these threats. We are grateful for our partners with the Department of Justice, the FBI Tampa Division and the U.S. Attorney's Offices in Virginia and Florida for their support during this investigation.”

On April 30, 2020, the defendant pled guilty to one count of racially-motivated threats to interfere with an election, and one count of cyberstalking. At the plea hearing, the defendant admitted that he uses the online pseudonyms “Jack Corbin,” “Pale Horse,” “Restore Silent Sam,” and “Dakota Stone,” to promote white supremacy and white nationalist ideology, and to express support for racially-motivated violence. The defendant admitted that in January 2019, upon learning that D.G., an African-American resident of Charlottesville, Virginia, planned to announce his candidacy for city council, the defendant used his Jack Corbin account on the social media platform Gab to threaten violence against D.G. because of D.G.’s race and because D.G. was running for office. The defendant admitted that his posts used racial slurs and invoked long-standing racial stereotypes, and that he intended for D.G. to understand his posts as threats to his safety. 

In addition, the defendant admitted to using his “Restore Silent Sam” Facebook account to cyberstalk a person identified in court documents as Victim 2. In connection with this charge, the defendant admitted that he used Facebook to send Victim 2 numerous intimidating and threatening messages that placed Victim 2 in reasonable fear of harm to Victim 2’s minor child. The defendant acknowledged that Victim 2 has been active in countering white nationalist rallies in her community. The defendant admitted that, because of Victim 2’s activism, he began an online campaign to intimidate her and to extort information from her about her fellow activists. This included sending Victim 2 numerous messages over the course of twelve days in which he threatened to sexually assault Victim 2’s minor daughter, who has autism. The defendant admitted that, at around the same time that he sent these messages, he also used the internet to conduct searches relating to sexual contact with girls who have autism. The defendant admitted that his messages reasonably caused Victim 2 serious emotional distress and fear for Victim 2’s child’s safety.

This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen of the Western District of Virginia; Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia; Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George of the Middle District of Florida; and Trial Attorney Risa Berkower of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Joshua Noah Sams (20, Orange Park) with interference of interstate commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a robbery. If convicted, Sams faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the robbery offense and a 7-year minimum mandatory penalty, up to life imprisonment, for the firearm offense. The indictment also notifies Sams that the United States intends to forfeit the alleged proceeds of the robbery.

According to the indictment, on November 12, 2019, Sams robbed a 76 Gas station at gunpoint, obtaining cash from the employee on duty. Sams is currently in federal custody in the Northern District of Florida on unrelated robbery and firearm charges.

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

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

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Charles Cornelius Smith (35, Jacksonville) and Zipporan Carmel Peters (31, Jacksonville) with two counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and one count of false representation of a Social Security number. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for the conspiracy to commit bank fraud, up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the false representation of a Social Security number, and a 2-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment on each aggravated identity theft count. Smith and Peters made their initial appearance in federal court today, and were detained until their arraignment hearing on September 1, 2020.    

According to the indictment, Smith obtained the personal identification information of a victim, including the name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Using this information, Smith provided Peters with a counterfeit South Carolina driver license using the identity information of the victim, but with Peters’s photo on it. Smith then drove Peters to different branches of the Navy Federal Credit Union where Peters subsequently made various fraudulent transactions, using the victim’s identity.  

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 United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange Park Police Department, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Ocala, Florida – Miller Wilson, Jr. (50, Sparr), his daughter, Myoshi Wilson (26, Citra), and Erica Wilson (43, Ocala) have each pleaded guilty for their roles a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care benefits.

Miller Wilson, Jr. pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and solicitation and receipt of a health care kickback. He faces a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy charge, and up to 10 years in federal prison for the kickback offense. On March 5, 2020, Erica Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She faces a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment. Myoshi Wilson had pleaded guilty on February 18, 2020, to making false statements to law enforcement. She faces a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment. All three defendants will be sentenced on October 6, 2020.

According to court documents, Miller Wilson, Jr. was an employee at the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) Clinic located in The Villages, Florida. As part of his employment, he provided transportation arrangements for veterans needing medical treatment. From 2014 through 2016, Miller Wilson, Jr. obtained cash kickbacks from the transportation vendors in exchange for awarding them health care contracts from the VA. Thereafter, from 2016-2017, Miller Wilson, Jr.  conspired with Erica and Myoshi Wilson to open and manage two different transportation companies to conduct similar schemes. Miller Wilson, Jr. used his official position at the VA to funnel health care contracts to the companies that he had formed with Erica and Myoshi Wilson. During a 17-month period, the two companies billed the federal government $305,673. Myoshi Wilson admitted to making false statements to a federal agent in 2019, to conceal the conspiracy.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.

Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Leon Williams (30, Tampa) to 17 years and 6 months in prison and Reginald Jones, Jr. (25, Tampa) to 15 years and 8 months in prison for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, and for discharging a firearm during and in relation to that conspiracy. A federal jury had found Williams and Jones guilty on November 15, 2019.

According to evidence presented during the two-week trial, Williams and Jones are members of the Bird Gang, a violent street-level drug trafficking organization that has operated in Tampa Park for years, and is responsible for multiple homicides and shootings. The Bird Gang principally sold drugs at two locations, the Tampa Park housing complex and a nearby boarding house known as the “Blue House,” which the Bird Gang had essentially taken over. On May 29, 2018, in the middle of the afternoon, Williams and Jones acted as enforcers for the gang by shooting at people whom they believed had been communicating with law enforcement in an effort to stop the gang from selling drugs at the Blue House. Bullets fired by Williams, Jones, and their associates seriously injured one person, struck a car, and broke windows at a company located two blocks away, where almost 400 people were present at the time of the shooting.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is part of an ongoing effort to dismantle the Bird Gang, so far resulting in charges against 30 defendants. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.

This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation and was 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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that the United States has settled allegations that Islands Mechanical Contractor, Inc. (IMC) improperly submitted claims for standby or delay costs associated with construction contracts at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.

IMC is a defense contractor that provides construction services at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. IMC agreed to construct a facility at Guantanamo Bay, but delays occurred. IMC submitted requests for equitable adjustment for additional stand-by and delay costs, but the United States alleges that IMC’s claims for equipment and labor costs were inflated and based on misrepresented, incomplete, and insufficient data. The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) determined that the claimed equipment was not needed for the relevant project, the actual age of the equipment did not match the claimed equipment age, and that the equipment was diverted to other projects instead of being placed on stand-by. Similarly, the DCAA found that the workers claimed to be on stand-by were reallocated to other projects, and the payroll records supporting their standby status were falsified.

“Protecting the integrity of services provided to our armed forces is a high priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “We will work vigorously to ensure that defense contractors fulfill their contractual obligations and do not inflate claims for payments so that our military can accomplish its mission.”

NCIS Special Agent in Charge Thomas Cannizzo of the NCIS Southeast Field Office said, “Fraud is not a victimless crime, and puts our Sailors and Marines at greater risk. The American taxpayers are also victims as the blatant and wrongful misuse of American taxpayer dollars not only erodes the public trust but also diminishes the Department of Navy’s ability to obtain the best technology, services, and equipment for our brave military members.” 

This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Contract Audit Agency, and Assistant United States Attorney Shea Gibbons.

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Orlando, Florida – Max Chambers (21, Sarasota), a former University of Central Florida student, today pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on January 28, 2019, the University of Central Florida (UCF) Police Department received an anonymous crime line tip claiming that Chambers was in possession of three drop-in auto-sears (DIAS) – a device used to cause a semi-automatic firearm to fire fully automatic – on university grounds. After making contact with Chambers, law enforcement located a completed DIAS in his dorm room. A second DIAS and an AR-15 style rifle that Chambers had converted to fire fully automatic were found in Chambers’s vehicle, which was parked on UCF property. During interviews with law enforcement, Chambers admitted to making the DIAS, and altering the AR-15 with the goal of making it fire fully automatic.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the University of Central Florida Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Daniels.

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced a Mexican citizen, J. Refugio Medina-Zamarripa (40, Mascotte), to two years in federal prison for passport fraud and aggravated identity theft. Medina-Zamarripa had pleaded guilty on January 13, 2020.

According to court records, Medina-Zamarripa had been living in the United States under a false identity for 15 years. During that time, he fraudulently acquired several state-issued identification cards and a United States passport. When Medina-Zamarripa attempted to renew the passport in 2017, U.S. Department of State investigators discovered that he was using the identity of an American citizen living in Texas, who had been the victim of identity theft.

Following his federal prison sentence, Medina-Zamarripa will be deported back to Mexico.

This case was investigated by U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with support from the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp today sentenced Antonio Chandler (40, Sanford) to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Chandler had pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on June 4, 2020. His co-conspirators, Dondi Kentrail Freeney and Telvin Williams, pleaded guilty in June 2019. They were sentenced to seven years and six months and five years in federal prison, respectively. A fourth conspirator, Benjamin Robinson, was found guilty after a jury trial on August 9, 2019. He was sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison.  

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial and during court hearings, in January 2016, Chandler and his co-conspirators arranged for multiple shipments of cocaine to be sent through the United States Postal Service (USPS) from California. During the investigation, the FBI and USPS seized three of the packages, each containing two kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tubs of protein powder. Law enforcement was also identified four additional shipments that the conspirators had successfully shipped through the mail. In 2016, during the month of January Robinson and his co-conspirators were responsible for shipping 14 kilograms of cocaine through the mail, estimated to be worth a total $490,000.     

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Lake County Sherriff’s Office, and the Volusia Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Thomas Hill (41, Hillsborough County) to 19 years in federal prison for enticement of minor and production of child pornography. Hill had pleaded guilty on January 7, 2020.

According to court documents, starting in November 2018, Hill began communicating online with a 17-year-old girl in Georgia. At Hill’s direction, the girl produced pornographic images of herself and transmitted them to Hill in Tampa via Skype messenger. In online chats, Hill also instructed the victim to use various objects to penetrate herself, to refer to herself as his slave, and to address him as “master.” Hill and the victim made plans for Hill to take the victim from her home in Georgia so she could live with him and told the victim that he would physically and sexually abuse her and their future offspring.

In early December 2018, Hill drove to Georgia, picked up the victim without her parents’ knowledge or consent, and brought her back to Tampa to live with him. Once in Tampa, Hill forced the victim to engage in non-consensual sex acts. Hill also made the victim perform unpaid menial labor at his house and restricted her ability to leave the residence or communicate with outsiders. After living with Hill for several weeks, the victim fled Hill’s home and was discovered by local law enforcement running down the street, crying for help.

“The facts of this case are beyond disturbing. Mr. Hill forced his young victim to commit horrific and unspeakable acts,” said Michael F. McPherson, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Tampa Division. “These investigations are tough to work and I am proud of the dedicated special agents who do the job to protect our children from sexual predators.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.

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 – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Alton Jackson (26, Labelle) to six years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court sentenced Jackson to a term of imprisonment above his federal sentencing guidelines range, citing his numerous encounters with law enforcement dating back to age 14 and his recidivism risk.

Jackson had pleaded guilty on May 8, 2020.

According to court documents, in January 2019, Jackson sold an AR-15 style rifle to an undercover ATF agent at a motel in Fort Myers. Following a months-long search, Jackson was arrested in North Carolina by the United States Marshals Service and transported to the Middle District of Florida.

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

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, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit in the Middle District of Florida alleging that Target Recovery Towing Inc. and Target Recovery & Transport Inc. (together “Target”) violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), by failing to obtain a court order before auctioning off a car belonging to a U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant who was deployed overseas.  

The SCRA, which provides a wide variety of financial and housing protections to members of the military, prohibits towing companies from auctioning off servicemembers’ vehicles without a court order. 

The law places the burden on towing companies and other lienholders to determine whether the property in their possession belongs to a servicemember. The complaint alleges that several facts should have put Target on notice that the owner of the vehicle was a servicemember, including that the Marine Corps Sergeant’s car had at least one military decal, military documents were in the car, her address of record was at a U.S. Marine Corps Base, and she obtained her vehicle loan through Navy Federal Credit Union.

“Imagine returning home after honorably serving your country only to find that your sole means of transportation and its contents are gone and lost to you forever as a result of a towing company’s callous disregard of the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the rights of the men and women in our Armed Forces, and putting a stop to these unlawful business practices.”

“The law is clear and unequivocal,” said Maria Chapa Lopez, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. “We owe it to all military servicemembers to vigorously protect their rights while they are deployed protecting our rights and our freedom.”

In addition to seeking damages for the servicemember, including the value of the auctioned vehicle and its contents, the Justice Department is seeking to enjoin Target from illegally auctioning off servicemembers’ vehicles in the future in violation of the SCRA. The lawsuit also seeks civil penalties against the defendants.

This lawsuit resulted from a referral to the Justice Department from the United States Marine Corps. Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/. The department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $474 million in monetary relief for over 120,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at www.servicemembers.gov.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Darryl Cleon Forbes (27, Jamaica) to five year and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The court also ordered Forbes to forfeit $2.4 million, and pay $1,122,957 in restitution. 

Forbes had pleaded guilty on November 18, 2019. 

According to court documents, from early 2015 until December 2017, Forbes and others operated a fraudulent sweepstakes scheme in Jamaica, the Middle District of Florida, and elsewhere. Forbes and his co-conspirators, posing as government officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Department of Treasury, falsely informed victims in the United States that they had won a prize in a sweepstakes and had to send money via wire transfers or other methods to pay various fees and taxes necessary to retrieve their prize. Forbes and his co-conspirators often targeted victims who were elderly and more susceptible to fraud. After Forbes and his co-conspirators had successfully induced a victim to send money, they telephoned the victim again, repeatedly, to “reload” him or her, making further false and fraudulent misrepresentations in an effort to induce the victim to send more money. The conspirators would often tell the victims that they had to send additional fees and taxes to ensure the safe delivery of the prize. This practice would continue as long as the victim continued to send money. No victim of the conspiracy ever received a promised prize. Forbes and his co-conspirators kept all of the funds for their own personal benefit.

Forbes and his co-conspirators also recruited residents in the United States to open bank accounts to deposit and transfer the fraudulently obtained funds. To facilitate the scheme, Forbes and his co-conspirators obtained personal identifying information of victims and then transferred, or directed others to transfer, victim funds to co-conspirators in Jamaica and elsewhere for the purpose of making ATM withdrawals.

 This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Taylor and Ashley Washington.