Middle District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
The Villages Health System LLC Agrees to $541.5M Settlement to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — The Villages Health System LLC (TVH), a healthcare provider group headquartered in The Villages, Florida, has agreed to a $541.5 million settlement to resolve self-disclosed allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes in order to increase payments that they received from the Medicare Advantage program.
“The Villages Health System LLC knowingly submitted false diagnosis codes to increase their payments from the Medicare Advantage program and increase their profits,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our Office will continue protecting the integrity of the Medicare program and hold those who seek to defraud federal health care programs accountable.”
“The Medicare Advantage program relies on accurate diagnoses to protect the federal fisc,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement reflects that we will hold accountable entities that inflate payments through invalid diagnoses; at the same time, we will continue to credit organizations that disclose wrongdoing, take appropriate remedial actions, and fully cooperate with the government’s investigation.”
“The accuracy of diagnosis information submitted to Medicare Advantage is vital to protecting taxpayer dollars,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This case underscores that entities will be held accountable when they submit unsupported information that inflates payments. The provider’s use of the OIG Self Disclosure Protocol and its cooperation were important factors in resolving this matter, and the protocol remains available for managed care entities and other providers that bill managed care entities that seek to disclose potential liability.”
Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays the MAOs a fixed monthly amount for each Medicare beneficiary enrolled in their plans. CMS adjusts these monthly payments to account for various “risk” factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs. The diagnoses must be supported by the medical record from a face-to-face visit between a patient and a provider, and for outpatient visits, must have required or affected patient care, treatment, or management at the visit. Providers generally submit diagnosis codes to MAOs that are, in turn, submitted to CMS to increase payments. At times, MAOs agree to pay provider groups like TVH a set percentage of what the MAO receives from CMS. Under such agreements, the provider groups receive more reimbursement for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less reimbursement for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs.
On Dec. 27, 2024, TVH made a submission pursuant to the HHS-OIG’s Health Care Fraud Self-Disclosure Protocol disclosing that it had submitted invalid diagnosis codes to multiple MAOs for certain beneficiaries enrolled in their plans and that these diagnosis codes increased the capitated payments made by CMS to the MAOs under the MA program.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from 2020 through 2024, TVH violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 2729-3733, by knowingly submitting false diagnosis codes to MAOs and causing MAOs to submit false diagnosis codes to the MA program resulting in inflated payments from CMS to MAOs. The diagnosis codes were invalid because they did not have adequate support in the patient’s medical record or were based on amendments to the medical record that were not initiated by the rendering provider and were not timely or were not approved by the rendering provider. TVH’s knowing submission of the unsupported and/or undocumented codes identified above caused CMS to make inflated payments to the MAOs, which inflated the MAOs’ payments to TVH.
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that TVH took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. TVH promptly took remedial actions and self-disclosed the invalid diagnoses to HHS-OIG. TVH also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation.
On July 3, 2025, TVH filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. In re Villages Health System, LLC, Case No. 6:25-bk-04156-LVV (Bankr. M.D. Fla.). The bankruptcy court approved the settlement announced today on Aug. 25.
TVH submitted the invalid diagnosis codes covered by the settlement announced today to three MAOs: Humana Inc., UnitedHealthcare (UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, United Healthcare of Florida Inc., Preferred Care Partners Inc., and Care Improvement Plus South Central Insurance Company, Inc.), and GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. and Florida Blue Medicare Inc.). Pursuant to their contracts with CMS, the MAOs are returning overpayments they received as a result of TVH’s conduct by deleting invalid codes and/or by entering into agreements with the Department of Justice and CMS to return the funds.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Edward Crooke and Martha Glover and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Emden for the Middle District of Florida.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Read the agreements with United here and Florida Blue here.
San Diego Man Sentenced to Eleven Months for Mailing a Threatening LetterRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – George Russell Isbell, Jr. (70, San Diego) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti to eleven months in federal prison for mailing a threatening communication. He pleaded guilty on June 24, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on or about September 18, 2025, Isbell mailed an angry, offensive, and threatening letter from San Diego, California to his victim, a media personality located in Tampa. In the letter, Isbell referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been murdered during a public engagement on a college campus. The letter went on to state:
“Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Tampa Field Office, the Tampa Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Additional
support was provided by the FBI San Diego Field Office, the San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
Naples Felon Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Miguel Lauzado Hernandez (37, Naples) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to 16 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine. Hernandez pleaded guilty on June 3, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 12, 2024, Hernandez sold approximately one pound of methamphetamine to a DEA confidential source in Naples. Hernandez and his co-defendant, Juan Carlos Rodriguez Perez, distributed approximately two pounds of methamphetamine to a DEA confidential source in Naples on February 19, 2025. Perez was previously sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in the offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Restaurant InvestorsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – George Joshua Floyd (45, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Floyd has agreed to forfeit $1,159,596.26, the proceeds of the scheme to defraud that he personally obtained. He also agreed to make full restitution to the victims of his offense conduct. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in April 2022, Floyd raised approximately $1.44 million from investors for a new restaurant he planned to open in Jacksonville, making various representations as to how the money would be used and how he would manage the restaurant. After the restaurant opened in November 2022 and generated significant cash flow, Floyd maintained control of the business’s bank account. He began embezzling funds by withdrawing large amounts of cash, wiring money to his personal account, using a business credit card for personal expenses, and causing the restaurant to enter into unauthorized merchant cash advance loans—the proceeds of which he transferred to himself or used to cover deficits that he had already created—which also led the restaurant to owe interest and fees. Further, in 2024, Floyd began soliciting individuals to invest money into a second restaurant concept to be opened in Clay County, raising approximately $570,000. Floyd stole those investors’ funds by using them to pay for personal expenses, trade in cryptocurrency, and repay losses he had caused at the first restaurant. The total fraud loss caused by Floyd through his scheme was approximately $1,397,500.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Clint J. Locke.
The Villages Health System LLC Agrees to $541.5M Settlement to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
The Villages Health System LLC (TVH), a healthcare provider group headquartered in The Villages, Florida, has agreed to a $541.5 million settlement to resolve self-disclosed allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes in order to increase payments that they received from the Medicare Advantage program.
“The Medicare Advantage program relies on accurate diagnoses to protect the federal fisc,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement reflects that we will hold accountable entities that inflate payments through invalid diagnoses; at the same time, we will continue to credit organizations that disclose wrongdoing, take appropriate remedial actions, and fully cooperate with the government’s investigation.”
“The Villages Health System LLC knowingly submitted false diagnosis codes to increase their payments from the Medicare Advantage program and increase their profits,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our Office will continue protecting the integrity of the Medicare program and hold those who seek to defraud federal health care programs accountable.”
“The accuracy of diagnosis information submitted to Medicare Advantage is vital to protecting taxpayer dollars,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This case underscores that entities will be held accountable when they submit unsupported information that inflates payments. The provider’s use of the OIG Self Disclosure Protocol and its cooperation were important factors in resolving this matter, and the protocol remains available for managed care entities and other providers that bill managed care entities that seek to disclose potential liability.”
Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays the MAOs a fixed monthly amount for each Medicare beneficiary enrolled in their plans. CMS adjusts these monthly payments to account for various “risk” factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs. The diagnoses must be supported by the medical record from a face-to-face visit between a patient and a provider, and for outpatient visits, must have required or affected patient care, treatment, or management at the visit. Providers generally submit diagnosis codes to MAOs that are, in turn, submitted to CMS to increase payments. At times, MAOs agree to pay provider groups like TVH a set percentage of what the MAO receives from CMS. Under such agreements, the provider groups receive more reimbursement for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less reimbursement for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs.
On Dec. 27, 2024, TVH made a submission pursuant to the HHS-OIG’s Health Care Fraud Self-Disclosure Protocol disclosing that it had submitted invalid diagnosis codes to multiple MAOs for certain beneficiaries enrolled in their plans and that these diagnosis codes increased the capitated payments made by CMS to the MAOs under the MA program.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from 2020 through 2024, TVH violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 2729-3733, by knowingly submitting false diagnosis codes to MAOs and causing MAOs to submit false diagnosis codes to the MA program resulting in inflated payments from CMS to MAOs. The diagnosis codes were invalid because they did not have adequate support in the patient’s medical record or were based on amendments to the medical record that were not initiated by the rendering provider and were not timely or were not approved by the rendering provider. TVH’s knowing submission of the unsupported and/or undocumented codes identified above caused CMS to make inflated payments to the MAOs, which inflated the MAOs’ payments to TVH.
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that TVH took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. TVH promptly took remedial actions and self-disclosed the invalid diagnoses to HHS-OIG. TVH also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation.
On July 3, 2025, TVH filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. In re Villages Health System, LLC, Case No. 6:25-bk-04156-LVV (Bankr. M.D. Fla.). The bankruptcy court approved the settlement announced today on Aug. 25.
TVH submitted the invalid diagnosis codes covered by the settlement announced today to three MAOs: Humana Inc., UnitedHealthcare (UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, United Healthcare of Florida Inc., Preferred Care Partners Inc., and Care Improvement Plus South Central Insurance Company, Inc.), and GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. and Florida Blue Medicare Inc.). Pursuant to their contracts with CMS, the MAOs are returning overpayments they received as a result of TVH’s conduct by deleting invalid codes and/or by entering into agreements with the Department of Justice and CMS to return the funds.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Edward Crooke and Martha Glover and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Emden for the Middle District of Florida.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Read the agreements with United here and Florida Blue here.
Recidivist Violent Offender Sentenced to Prison for Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Paul Richard Lukas (51, Cape Coral) was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek to four years in federal prison for making interstate communications of threats to injure. Lukas pleaded guilty on May 20, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on January 30, 2026, approximately one month after Lukas was released from Florida state prison for violent offenses, Lukas made several threatening phone calls to kill multiple individuals located in Florida, Georgia, and Alaska. One of the victims reported the threat to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI then requested assistance from the Cape Coral Police Department (CCPD). Less than one hour after the FBI had received notification of the threats, CCPD made contact with Lukas at his home where they located several empty rifle cases.
In imposing the sentence, the court varied upward after considering Lukas’s lengthy criminal history consisting of approximately 40 prior adult convictions, many of which involved batteries, assaults, and threats against other individuals.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cape Coral Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Redavid.
Fraudster Who Impersonated DEA Agent Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Matthew John Sanguine (49, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to five years and five months in federal prison for bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and impersonating an officer of the United States. Sanguine pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $10,000, the proceeds of bank fraud conviction. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on May 2, 2022, Sanguine was stopped by the Orlando Police Department while driving a stolen vehicle. Officers found a Florida driver license bearing Sanguine’s photo but listing the identity of an Arizona resident (“J.R.”). The officers kept that fraudulent document as part of the evidence involved in that case.
While his case was progressing in state court in Orlando, Sanguine presented the State Attorney’s Office with a fraudulent letter that was purportedly authored by an agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The fake letter included claims that Sanguine was authorized to have the false driver license bearing the name “J.R.” because Sanguine was working as an informant for the DEA. The letter demanded that the State Attorney’s Office return the confiscated driver license because Sanguine needed this fake identity to avoid detection by drug cartels. The letter warned of a “grave risk” unless the license was returned to Sanguine “immediately” and all records of this license were removed from the court records.
The State Attorney’s Office suspected the letter was not authentic and referred the matter to the FBI. The FBI’s investigation revealed that Sanguine was using “J.R.’s” identity for at least a decade and had used it to perpetrate bank fraud for $10,000.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department and the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta and Dana E. Hill. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.
Armed Bank Robber Indicted in OrlandoRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Kelean Lerod Cobb (38, Orlando) has been charged by indictment with bank robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. If convicted of all counts, Cobb faces a minimum of 7 years, up to life, in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on February 27, 2026, Cobb robbed a bank in Altamonte Springs at gunpoint. Cobb entered the bank wearing a mask and dark colored clothing. He jumped over the teller counter and brandished a dark colored pistol at one of the bank tellers before pointing the firearm at another bank teller and directing her to open her drawer. Cobb then took approximately $277 and fled from the bank. A follow up investigation by law enforcement identified Cobb as the perpetrator.
In addition, Cobb possessed a firearm on August 12, 2026. Cobb is a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. His prior offenses include robbery with a firearm, aggravated fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and trafficking in stolen property.
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 Altamonte Springs Police Department, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Ohio Man Arrested for Threatening a U.S. CongressmanRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Alex Justin Miller (26, Columbus, OH) has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with interstate transmission of a threat to injure. If convicted, Miller faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the criminal complaint, on August 18, 2026, Miller sent a true threat to a U.S. Congressman via email. In the email, Miller threatened to murder the congressman and the congressman’s family.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones.
Criminal ComplaintMexican National with Prior Domestic Battery Conviction Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United States After Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville – Reberiano Santana-Ayala (35, Mexico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger to the statutory maximum of two years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously being deported. Santana-Ayala pleaded guilty in May 2026. After serving this federal prison sentence, Santana-Ayala will be deported and removed back to Mexico. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Santana-Ayala is a citizen of Mexico. In 2019, Santana-Ayala was charged and pleaded no contest to domestic violence charges, associated with two different women, in Putnam County. He was subsequently removed from the United States by immigration authorities and returned to Mexico. After he was removed, Santana-Ayala illegally reentered the United States. On September 2, 2023, Santana-Ayala was found voluntarily back in the United States during a traffic stop in Putnam County. During that encounter, Santana-Ayala provided a false name to law enforcement and has at least seven known aliases that he has used when in the United States.
Santana-Ayala was subsequently convicted in state court in connection with violating the terms of probation issued in connection with his prior domestic battery charges. Record checks confirmed that Santana-Ayala had never applied to U.S. immigration authorities for permission to lawfully reenter the United States after his removal.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Lasseter.
Mexican National Sentenced to 24 Months for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Juan Jesus Mendoza (60, Mexico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States. Mendoza pleaded guilty on May 19, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Mendoza is a citizen of Mexico and was previously deported from the United States in 2002 and 2015. Mendoza was also previously convicted of two felony offenses. In 1994, Mendoza was convicted of aggravated possession of marijuana in Texas and sentenced to 25 years in prison, for which he was then paroled in 2002.
In 2013, after being encountered by law enforcement again in the United States, Mendoza was convicted of illegal reentry in the Orlando division of the Middle District of Florida. He has never obtained permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States. On March 21, 2026, law enforcement in Putnam County encountered Mendoza during a traffic stop, identified him as an alien unlawfully present in the United States, and contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
Two Jacksonville Men Indicted for Obstructing a Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Leo Denard Robinson (39) and Brian Gregory Brightman (33), both of Jacksonville, have been charged by indictment with obstruction of the due administration of justice. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, between approximately August 10 and August 19, 2026, Brightman and Robinson aided and abetted each other in corruptly trying to influence, obstruct, and impede the due administration of justice in a pending case in the Middle District of Florida, specifically United States v. Brian Gregory Brightman, et al. (case no. 3:26-cr-170-MMH-LLL). The indictment alleges that Brightman and Robinson committed the offense by intimidating, pressuring, and implicitly threatening an individual they perceived to be a witness in an attempt to influence or prevent the witnesses’ testimony.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nassau County Sherriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lasry and Kelli Swaney.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Michael Antwohn Wilson (38, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervision, for producing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Wilson pleaded guilty in March 2026. The court ordered Wilson to forfeit a cellphone and two SD cards, which were used in the commission of the offenses. Wilson was also ordered to pay $58,500 in restitution to the victims and must register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on February 23 and April 27, 2023, Wilson produced CSAM videos involving a child. From an unknown date until June 2025, Wilson also possessed CSAM, which included children under 12 years old.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Augustine Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Defrauding a Senior of More Than $2 MillionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Eric James Stone (43, St. Augustine) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to six years and eight months in federal prison for committing wire fraud and money laundering. Stone was also ordered to pay $2,037,103 in restitution to his victim. He pleaded guilty on March 24, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Stone used his position as a financial advisor to befriend the victim, a 75-year-old woman, in order to solicit money from her. During the span of approximately three years, Stone convinced the victim to make over 600 transactions, sending him money that amounted to over $2 million. To convince the victim to send him money, Stone sent fraudulent emails from purported attorneys, banks, and other internet websites. Stone spent most of the victim’s money on foreign gambling websites.
“Our seniors are among our nation’s most vulnerable population and must be protected,” said U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “The defendant in this case used his position of trust to deliberately deceive and exploit the victim for his own personal gain. For that, he will be punished for his crimes.”
“Every dollar stolen is a story of hardship for the victim, and IRS-CI is dedicated to making sure those stories end with accountability,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Our agents’ expertise in tracing complex financial transactions is unmatched. IRS-CI Special Agents are the backbone of financial crime enforcement.”
“Stealing $2 million isn’t just a financial crime, it’s a betrayal of trust that has life-altering consequences for a victim long after the crime is committed,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “This sentence sends a clear message: fraudsters who think they can lie and steal will face the consequences of their actions. The FBI will work with our partners to ensure those who exploit others for financial gain are brought to justice. You can’t hide from accountability.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. Assistant United States Attorney Clint J. Locke is handling the forfeiture.
Ponte Vedra Beach Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraud Scheme Involving COVID-19 Personal Protective EquipmentRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – James Elliott Davis, II (37, Ponte Vedra Beach) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan Pratt to seven years and seven months in federal prison in connection to his guilty plea to bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of mail. As part of his sentence, the court ordered the forfeiture of the proceeds of the crimes, which cumulatively totaled $6,726,800. Further, the court ordered Davis to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, from March 2018 through 2022, Davis ran a purported medical supply company named Medisale Inc. By using false representations, Davis enticed individuals and business entities to invest large sums of money in Medisale and falsely represented to victim-investors that Medisale was making significant profits on the sale of COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE). Davis claimed to have contact with CEOs at various hospitals and that Medisale had contracts with hospitals to sell large volumes of N95 masks and other PPE. As part of convincing victim-investors to give him money, Davis showed fraudulent bank statements with large balances, claiming the money was from the sale of PPE.
In reality, Medisale had no such contracts and had no true revenue from the sale of PPE. Davis kited checks and conducted fraudulent ACH/wire transfers between multiple financial institutions to artificially inflate the apparent balances on his bank accounts. Utilizing victim-investor money, Davis paid off previous debts, paid other investors purported profits from the sale of PPE, and paid personal expenses.
“Exploiting the fears of individuals and businesses for profit during a national crisis is untenable,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Today’s court judgment sends a clear message that this type of fraudulent behavior will not be tolerated.”
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when communities needed real protection, Davis chose deception,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Schemes that prey on public emergencies are among the most serious frauds we investigate. IRS-CI and our partners will continue to pursue those who exploit emergencies for profit and hold them fully accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing holds Mr. Davis accountable for orchestrating a scheme that obtained millions of dollars by defrauding innocent investors and multiple financial institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge Quenton Sallows, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Miami Region. “The FDIC OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate financial crimes that harm investors and undermine the integrity of our Nation’s financial institutions.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Frein and Michael J. Coolican. The asset forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Clint Locke.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Transportation of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Douglas Cody Barron (56, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to five years in federal prison for transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Barron pleaded guilty on November 24, 2025. The court also ordered Barron to forfeit his cellphone, which was used to commit the charged conduct. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orlando Police Department investigated a cyber-tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The investigation revealed that Barron had used reverse image search applications online to find CSAM, and uploaded CSAM online to find more CSAM. Law enforcement found additional images containing CSAM on Barron’s phone.
This case was investigated by the Orlando Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones and Michael Sartoian. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
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.
OnlyFans Content Creator Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –Kylie Perez, a/k/a “Natalie Monroe,” has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to one year in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for filing a false tax return. Perez pleaded guilty on May 20, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Perez was a content creator who operated under the stage name “Natalie Monroe” on OnlyFans, a subscription-based social media platform. OnlyFans allows creators to share various types of content with subscribers, such as photos, videos, and live streams. Creators, like Perez, can monetize their content through subscription fees, pay-per-view content, and tips from subscribers. From 2019 through 2023, Perez earned more than $5.4 million from her social media accounts. Despite this fact, she engaged in a scheme to evade the assessment of taxes by filing a false tax return for calendar year 2019 and failing to pay at least $1.5 million in taxes owed for calendar years 2020 through 2023.
“Evading the payment of owed income tax is a violation of our federal tax laws,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue to prosecute those who purposely commit these crimes.”
“When someone chooses personal luxury over meeting their tax obligations, the consequences are inevitable,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “IRS CI Special Agents will continue to uncover the truth and safeguard the integrity of the tax system for all law-abiding taxpayers.”
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn E. Hoenemeyer.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
North Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Explosives and Firearms-Related OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Jesse William Korff (32, North Fort Myers) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 24 years in federal prison for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of unregistered silencers, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and attempted malicious use of an explosive while on federal supervised release. Korff pleaded guilty on January 14, 2026. The court also ordered Korff to forfeit the firearms, ammunition, silencers, and destructive device used to commit the offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on May 19, 2025, Korff was at a residence in Fort Myers when the Fort Myers Police Department was dispatched to a 911 hang-up call. Officers arrived and reported a hostage situation. Officers observed a male, later identified as Korff, in a scuffle with a female. The officers restrained Korff in handcuffs and seized a firearm and silencer that had come loose during the scuffle. Officers also located a pipe bomb coming out of Korff’s pocket.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Bomb Squad used a robot to remove the pipe bomb and take Korff into custody. Further evidence and testing of the device by LCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed that the device had attempted to be detonated. Another silencer, firearm, and ammunition were seized from Korff’s vehicle. Officers and agents also recovered other bomb-making materials inside Korff’s residence.
Korff is a convicted felon and prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. He was previously convicted of transfer and possession of a toxin for use as a weapon, smuggling toxins from the United States, and conspiracy to kill, maim, or injure a person in a foreign country.
This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Convicted Sexual Predator Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United States After Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Miguel Solis-Morales (43, Mexico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to two years and six months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after he was deported by immigration authorities in 2015. After serving this federal prison sentence, Solis will be deported and removed back to Mexico. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to federal and state court documents, Solis was convicted of sexual battery on September 10, 2009, in Jacksonville. He was then designated as a sexual predator under Florida law and sentenced to five years in Florida state prison. After serving his state prison sentence, in May 2015, Solis-Morales was removed from the United States by immigration authorities and returned to Mexico. On February 16, 2026, Solis-Morales was found to be voluntarily back in the United States in Jacksonville and was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol for a violation of state probation. Records checks confirmed that Solis-Morales had never applied to U.S. immigration authorities for permission to lawfully reenter the United States after his removal.
This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
Nine Members of Drug Trafficking Organization SentencedRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced the last of nine co-defendants for charges related to an Orlando Drug Trafficking Organization. Each of the defendants previously pleaded guilty. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. See details below:
Name
(Age, Residence)
Charges
Sentencing Date
Sentence Imposed
Jonnathon Enrique Perez-Colon
(38, Davenport)
Drug trafficking conspiracy; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; conspiracy to commit money laundering5/27/202625 yearsShaquille Omy Carino-Maysonet
(27, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking4/14/2026 20 yearsAlberto Gabriel Velez-Concepcion
(31, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking7/8/2026 17 years and 7 monthsOmar Echebalier Lugo-Villalobos
(31, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking5/6/2026 16 years and 3 monthsJose Miguel Quinones-Echevarria
(35, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking4/14/2026 15 yearsYamauris Gabriel Sanchez
(29, Orlando)
Drug trafficking conspiracy; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; conspiracy to commit money laundering6/3/2026 12 years and 3 months Neizliann Rivera-Rivera (27, Orlando)Conspiracy to commit money laundering5/27/2026 8 yearsYailyn Nicaury Galva-Zapata (24, Azalea Park)Maintaining a drug-involved premises8/19/20265 yearsJanitza Marie Rojas-Ramos
(38, Davenport)
Conspiracy to commit money laundering6/3/2026 Time served and 3 years of supervised releaseAccording to court documents, these individuals were part of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) known as the “6’s,” that operated in the City of Orlando. The DTO was led by Jonnathan Enrique Perez-Colon, a/k/a “Chuy,” and used three residential properties to weigh and package dealer packs of cocaine and fentanyl in small baggies, which were later delivered to lower-level drug dealers located in various distribution areas. Specifically, members of this DTO would “cut” and pre-package these narcotics in “packs.” These “packs” contained several dozens of small baggies containing cocaine, fentanyl, or a mix of fentanyl and cocaine called “hot shots” that provided drug users with a half-stimulant (“up”) and a half-depressant (“down”) effect. Each narcotic was packaged in a specific-colored small baggie. Once ready for delivery, some members of the DTO—who were also responsible for the DTO’s operations at the residential properties—would deliver these packs to the DTO’s street-level dealers to be sold to customers at the distribution areas.
Throughout their investigation in 2022 and 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Orlando Police Department (OPD) identified the residential properties and the distribution areas where the 6s sold their narcotics. Investigators also identified the leader of the DTO as Jonnathan Perez-Colon, who also stored and packaged narcotics at a residence maintained by Neizliann Rivera-Rivera. Other DTO members who operated and resided at the stash houses were identified as Omar Lugo-Villalobos (a/k/a “Musol”), Yamauris Sanchez, Jose Quinones-Echevarria (a/k/a “Flako”), Yailyn Galva-Zapata and Shaquille Carino Maysonet (a/k/a “Shaq”). Law enforcement also identified the DTO members who operated the distribution locations where the narcotics were sold to customers, including Quinones-Echevarria and Alberto Velez-Concepcion (a/k/a “Gordo”). The investigation also revealed that Perez Colon resided in Davenport with Janitza Marie Rojas-Ramos, who laundered proceeds of the DTO for Perez-Colon through several different financial institutions.
On January 6, 2023, the DEA and OPD executed multiple simultaneous search warrants at the residential stash houses and distribution points. Agents seized over 1,200 individual baggies containing cocaine and/or fentanyl. They also recovered a larger amount of cocaine and fentanyl being used to resupply the dealers, which the DTO attempted to flush down the toilet as agents made forcible entry into one of the stash houses:
Above: 368 grams of fentanyl being packaged at one of the stash houses
Above: 366 grams of fentanyl and cocaine and 215 grams of methamphetamine,
which Sanchez attempted to flush when DEA and OPD executed the warrant
In total, agents seized more than 2,000 grams of cocaine, over 800 grams of fentanyl, and at least 215 grams of methamphetamine. Additionally, agents recovered a “kilo press” used to press kilogram bricks of narcotics, two Glock pistols, two Smith & Wesson handguns, two rifles, and $15,720 in drug proceeds, all of which were ordered forfeited by the court.
In addition to the narcotics investigation, agents from the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation investigated the financial transactions related to the DTO and determined that Perez Colon, Sanchez, Rojas Ramos, and Rivera-Rivera each knowingly and willfully agreed to launder drug proceeds. The IRS identified more than $225,000 in laundered funds, and over $50,000 in wire transfers to individuals in the Dominican Republic used to pay for drugs.
“Members of this drug trafficking organization distributed dangerous drugs such as fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine throughout the City of Orlando,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “The diligent pursuit and hard work by our local and federal law enforcement partners have brought these illegal activities to an end, and the defendants to justice.”
“This drug trafficking organization operated with complete impunity, distributing dangerous substances in Central Florida,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, DEA Tampa Field Division. “The amount of fentanyl we seized could potentially contain 800,000 deadly doses. Orlando communities will be safer with these criminals off the streets.”
“Drug traffickers may move product, but they always leave a financial trail—one that our IRS-CI Special Agents are uniquely trained to uncover,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “This case showcases how powerful it is when IRS-CI’s investigative efforts join forces with federal, state, and local partners.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Orlando Police Department; and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office, Financial Crimes Task Force, which is comprised of the St. Cloud Police Department, the Kissimmee Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Casselberry Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta, Dana E. Hill, Michael Sartoian, and Noah P. Dorman. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko is handling the forfeiture.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Honduran National Sentenced to Two Years for Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Yelson Zachary Matamoros Quinonez (32, Honduras) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Matamoros Quinonez pleaded guilty on May 11, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in 2019, Matamoros Quinonez, a citizen of Honduras, was arrested and later convicted of aggravated battery. After serving his sentence, he was deported from the United States to Honduras in 2021. In 2026, he was found voluntarily back in the United States. Matamoros Quinonez had not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Abigail King.
Two Men Indicted for Distributing Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Benjamin Omar Pearson, IV (31, Wildwood) and Cordell Brown (39, Belleview) have been charged by federal indictment with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Pearson is charged with five counts, and Brown is charged with seven counts. Each faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison on each of the counts due to each having two or more qualifying prior convictions for serious drug felony offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment and court records, over the course of five meetings between December 2025 and June 2026, Brown and Pearson, aiding and abetting each other, distributed approximately 9 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover source working with law enforcement. Additionally, Brown is charged with distribution of methamphetamine in two other transactions from September 16, 2025, and January 7, 2026.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Ocala Mental Health Counselor Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Michelle Forsythe (62, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of wire fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and a minimum sentence of two years for the aggravated identity theft offense. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Forsythe is a licensed mental health counselor. Between January 2016 and December 2022, Forsythe used the names and insurance policy information of 22 individuals without their knowledge or consent to overbill two health insurance companies. Forsythe falsely claimed that she had provided counseling services to these individuals when she had not. As a result of the false billing, the health insurance companies electronically transferred payments to Forsythe for her services.
In one instance, Forsythe used the name and health insurance information for an individual whom she had never seen as a patient to fraudulently bill for her counseling services. Forsythe has agreed to make full restitution of $483,321.44 to the victims of the offense.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Hannah Nowalk Watson. Assistant United States Attorney Julie A. Simonsen is handling the forfeiture.
North Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing and Manufacturing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Frederick Kutchinsky (54, North Fort Myers) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to five years and three months in federal prison possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Kutchinsky pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026. The court also ordered Kutchinsky to forfeit the firearms and ammunition possessed during the offense. U.S Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to Kutchinsky’s home in North Fort Myers because he had an active felony arrest warrant. After serving the arrest warrant and obtaining a search warrant for Kutchinsky’s residence, deputies located more than 50 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. They also located a work bench with firearm parts and tools for modifying firearms. Kutchinsky is a convicted felon, and therefore, prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Morgan and Patrick Darcey.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Marion County Man Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Pattreon Stokes (35, Summerfield) has been charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Stokes faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison due to having two or more qualifying prior convictions for serious drug felony offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on July 14, 2026, Stokes possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The offense occurred while Stokes was on federal supervised release from a prior 2018 possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine conviction.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Marion County Man Indicted for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Corbit Sterling Earvin (47, Ocala) has been charged by indictment with six counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Earvin faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison on each count. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment and court records, between April and May 2026, Earvin sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer on six occasions. In total, Earvin distributed approximately 1,290 grams (or 2.8 pounds) of methamphetamine.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Jacksonville Woman Charged with Fraudulently Seeking over $130 Million in Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Candia V. Williams, a/k/a “Wisdom Shield El,” has been charged by indictment with one count of conspiring to submit false claims and three counts of submitting false claims to the United States government. If convicted on all counts, Williams faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Williams caused at least four fraudulent tax returns to be submitted to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) seeking, in total, over $130 million in tax refunds. To substantiate the false claims for refunds, various false documents were submitted, including fictious IRS Form 1099-As and W-4s. In one instance, a refund check was issued but the IRS levied bank accounts to recover the proceeds of the fraud.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
IndictmentBrims Gang Member and Felon Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm While a Fugitive from JusticeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Lonnie Washington (25, Gainesville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Washington pleaded guilty on April 28, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in May 2022, Washington was a fugitive for a felony he had committed in Gainesville one month earlier when he used his vehicle to strike a police car occupied by an officer and then fled on foot. Investigators learned that Washington, who was a known member of the Fruit Town Brims gang, was hiding at the home of gang leader Micheal Hankerson in Poinciana. The FBI learned that Washington, while on the run from law enforcement, had posted a statement on social media, “I’m finna go on a killing run,” which demonstrated that he knew he was wanted and that he should be considered armed and dangerous.
On May 10, 2022, a United States Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force team, working in collaboration with the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), went to Hankerson’s residence to apprehend Washington. After Washington refused calls to come out of the home and voluntarily surrender, the USMS team entered the home. While performing a protective sweep of the residence, officers observed a semi-automatic firearm in Hankerson’s bedroom. They found Washington in an adjacent bedroom and arrested him.
FDLE investigators searched the house and recovered a CZ Scorpion Evo 3 semi-automatic firearm with a loaded 50-round drum magazine in Hankerson’s bedroom found. The search team found additional firearms in the home and an additional magazine, loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition, in Hankerson’s bedroom.
The FBI obtained a search warrant for a cellphone Washington possessed at the time of his arrest. While reviewing the contents of the cellphone, the FBI found a video, recorded one week before his arrest, showing Washington inside Hankerson’s residence holding the CZ Scorpion Evo 3 firearm with the magazine that was later found in Hankerson’s bedroom.
Washington, who had previously been convicted of felony offenses including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
Hankerson, also a previously convicted felon, was federally charged and found guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 2022. He was sentenced to six years in federal prison and ordered him to forfeit the firearms and ammunition found in his home.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Cuban National Pleads Guilty for His Role in an International Alien Smuggling and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Cuban national pleaded guilty today to alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering.
According to court documents, Yuniel Lima-Santos, 31, of Tampa, Florida, conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization (ASO) which encouraged or induced thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the United States through the southern border and used fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and visa waivers. The defendants advertised their smuggling services and bogus visa services across multiple social media platforms to solicit Cuban nationals and other aliens to attempt to illegally enter the United States and fraudulently obtain lawful status in the United States.
The ASO advertised services included assisting Cubans with false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States on a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA, and it filed hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses and fabricated documents. Cuban nationals are not eligible for the ESTA program, and the defendants falsely represented that the applicants had not been in Cuba since 2011. The defendants knew that Cubans are not eligible for the ESTA program, and that the applicants were actually in Cuba at the time the ESTA applications were submitted.
Lima-Santos furthered the conspiracy by helping move aliens from their country of origin, including Cuba, into the United States, including by purchasing international and domestic flights to transport aliens into and throughout the United States. Lima-Santos, along with co-defendant Frandy Aragon Diaz, smuggled five aliens into the United States and admitted to aiding Aragon Diaz with bringing Cuban women illegally into the United States, where they worked in strip clubs to pay off their smuggling debt. In furtherance of the conspiracy’s money laundering crimes, Lima-Santos filed articles of incorporation in Florida for a shell company that had no employees, payroll, or reported income, but were used to move money obtained from alien smuggling and conceal the true source and nature of the ill-gotten funds.
Aliens were charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for their smuggling services, and co-conspirators sometimes even chartered private planes to move groups of aliens. Lima-Santos and co-defendants conspired to regularly move funds to companies and other places outside of the United States, such as by purchasing international flights for aliens to travel into the United States. Between 2021 and 2024, Lima-Santos transmitted internationally over $600,000 from the United States to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.
Yuniel Lima-Santos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, five counts of alien smuggling for financial gain, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of conspiracy to conceal money laundering instruments.
Lima-Santos faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
As part of the conspiracy, 12 individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles. Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 31; Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 31; Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 30; Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 29; Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 31; and Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 32, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, pleaded guilty on May 7 and was sentenced in July to 30 months in prison. Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 28, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 41, are awaiting trial scheduled to begin on Sept. 21.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Director Joseph Edlow of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made the announcement.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and CBP U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 477 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 431 U.S. convictions; and more than 370 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)’s Fraud Detection and National Security led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. Authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Cuban National Pleads Guilty for His Role in an International Alien Smuggling and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — A Cuban national pleaded guilty today to alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering.
According to court documents, Yuniel Lima-Santos, 31, of Tampa, Florida, conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization (ASO) which encouraged or induced thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the United States through the southern border and used fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and visa waivers. The defendants advertised their smuggling services and bogus visa services across multiple social media platforms to solicit Cuban nationals and other aliens to attempt to illegally enter the United States and fraudulently obtain lawful status in the United States. The ASO advertised services included assisting Cubans with false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States on a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA and filed hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses and fabricated documents. Cuban nationals are not eligible for the ESTA program, and to obtain ESTAs the defendants made false representations that the applicants had not been in Cuba since 2011. The defendants knew that Cubans are not eligible for the ESTA program, and that the applicants were actually in Cuba at the time the ESTA applications were submitted.
The defendant, Yuniel Lima-Santos, furthered the conspiracy by assisting in the logistics of moving aliens from their country of origin, including Cuba, into the United States, such as purchasing international and domestic flights for aliens to transport them towards, into, and throughout the United States. Lima-Santos, along with co-defendant Frandy Aragon Diaz, smuggled five aliens into the United States and admitted to aiding Aragon Diaz with bringing Cuban women illegally into the United States, whereupon they would work in strip clubs to pay off their smuggling debt. In furtherance of the conspiracy’s money laundering crimes, Lima-Santos filed articles of incorporation in Florida for a shell company that had no employees, payroll, or reported income, but were used to move money obtained from alien smuggling and conceal the true source and nature of the ill-gotten funds.
As part of the conspiracy, aliens were charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for their smuggling services, and co-conspirators sometimes even chartered private planes to move groups of aliens. Lima-Santos and co-defendants conspired with each other to regularly move funds to companies operating outside of the United States and to other places outside the United States, such as by purchasing international flights for aliens to travel into the United States. Between 2021 and 2024, Lima-Santos transmitted internationally over $600,000 from the United States to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.
Yuniel Lima-Santos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, five counts of alien smuggling for financial gain, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of conspiracy to conceal money laundering instruments.
Lima-Santos faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Twelve individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in the conspiracy. Defendants Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 31; Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 31; Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 30; Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 29; Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 31; and Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 32, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Defendant Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, pleaded guilty on May 7 and was sentenced on July 29 to 30 months in prison. Defendants Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 28, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 41, are awaiting trial scheduled to begin on September 21.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Director Joseph Edlow of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made the announcement.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and CBP U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 477 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 431 U.S. convictions; and more than 370 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)’s Fraud Detection and National Security led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. Authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
Ruskin Man Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Michael Paul Linnan (76, Ruskin) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to seven years and three months in federal prison for transportation, distribution, receipt, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The court also ordered Linnan to forfeit a cellphone, which was used in the commission of the offenses. Linnan pleaded guilty on April 21, 2026.U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Linnan used an encrypted messaging platform to distribute more than 100 images and videos of CSAM, including images and videos of young children. Linnan received images and videos of CSAM using the same platform. He also stored hundreds of videos on his phone and transported the images into his online photo storage account.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Muriel Moore.
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.
Orlando Business Owner Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing an Arsenal of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Maxwell David Horvath (37, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Horvath to forfeit 38 firearms, including silencers, short-barreled rifles, machineguns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Horvath pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, following a federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in January 2019, Horvath opened a business in Palm Bay selling a controlled substance and possessed firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. In June 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into Horvath. The investigation revealed that Horvath’s business, Overseas Organix, Inc., was marketing and selling products containing 7-OH, which is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in Florida. Horvath was involved in two undercover law enforcement purchases occurring at Overseas Organix, Inc.
During a search of Overseas Organix, Inc. on December 3, 2025, law enforcement located 38 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition which included handguns, rifles, shotguns, silencers, machine guns, automatic firearms, and short-barreled rifles. As a previously convicted felon Horvath is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. Officers also seized more than 91,000 pounds of kratom (a precursor to 7-OH), kilogram quantities of 7-OH powder, and thousands of pressed 7- OH pills ready for sale.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Port Charlotte Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Enticing a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – James Gregory Ford (34, Port Charlotte) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 15 years in federal prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Ford was also sentenced to a 30-year term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty on May 6, 2026.U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in October 2025, law enforcement began investigating Ford after a minor’s parent had reported observing conversations with Ford and seeing nude photographs and videos that had been sent on a social media platform on the minor’s cellphone.
On October 28, 2025, law enforcement interviewed Ford concerning his sexual communications with the minor using a social media application. Ford admitted to engaging in conversations and exchanging inappropriate messages and images with the minor, that he had initiated communications with the minor, and acknowledged receiving and sending explicit photographs. Ford also admitted to requesting inappropriate images from the minor, including images of the minor’s intimate body parts and suggestions of sexual acts.
A forensic examination of Ford’s cellphone revealed that the social media account belonging to Ford had been used to communicate with the minor, and images and videos of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct were located.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, and with assistance from law enforcement in Texas. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Lakeland Drug Dealer Sentenced to 25 years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Curtis Charles Tinsley (47, Lakeland) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to 25 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and MDMA in and around Lakeland. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, from an unknown date and continuing through June 2025, Tinsley was part of a conspiracy and drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Polk County. Between April and June 2025, members of the conspiracy distributed approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of fentanyl, and one kilogram of MDMA on a monthly basis. Tinsley typically sold or purchased methamphetamine by the ounce or pound – sometimes multiple pounds per transaction. He also regularly purchased and sold large quantities of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erik W. Daab and David J. Pardo.
Jacksonville Beach Dentist Indicted for Evading Personal Income Taxes, Failing to Pay Employment Taxes, and Attempting to Obstruct IRS InvestigationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jon Christopher Williams with four counts of attempting to evade and defeat individual income taxes, eleven counts of failing to withhold and pay employment taxes, and one count of endeavoring to obstruct and impede the administration of the internal revenue laws. Each tax evasion and employment tax offense carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. The obstruction offense carries a maximum penalty of 3 years in prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Williams is a dentist with a practice in Jacksonville Beach. He filed a personal income tax return and paid the associated taxes to the IRS every year from 2002 through 2012. He submitted requests to the IRS for extensions of time to file his tax returns for 2013 and 2014, but never filed any returns for those years or for any year thereafter.
The indictment alleges that from 2020 through 2023, Williams failed to report gross income from his business totaling approximately $3,371,657 and that he failed to pay approximately $1,079,136 in taxes due on that income. It is further alleged that Williams filed employment tax returns and paid the associated taxes to the IRS for the years 2008 through 2013, but that he has not filed such a return or paid any employment taxes since 2013. For the period encompassing the second quarter of 2020 through the fourth quarter of 2022, Williams failed to report and pay over to the IRS employment taxes totaling approximately $133,360.
The obstruction charge alleges that Williams became aware that he was being criminally investigated by the IRS when he was served with a summons on October 21, 2021. Wiliams subsequently, over the period of November 2021 through May 2024, sent multiple emails and letters to the investigating agent and others—including the agent’s supervisor, a Florida Member of Congress, Florida’s two U.S. Senators, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the Commissioner of the IRS, and an IRS District Director—in an attempt to stop the investigation. Among these communications were statements that the agent’s actions were causing him “harm, injury and loss,” demands that the agent “cease and desist” all activities against him, and statements that the agent could be held personally liable for her actions. Williams sent invoices demanding payment of $525,000 by the agent, the IRS, the Department of the Treasury, and the Attorney General but said that they could “avoid paying the invoices by the immediate termination of [the agent] from her current position of employment, along with her prevention from working at any other agency of the US government.” He also stated that, to settle the matter, “A simple note from you, or your superiors, stating that I, and anyone associated with me, are no longer under investigation and that no further action will be taken against me, my coworkers, or my loved ones, as there is no evidence of any criminal intent to commit a crime, will suffice.”
An indictment is only an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Homeland Security Task Force Announces the Indictment and Arrests of Four CJNG Members for Narco-terrorism, Drug Trafficking, and Firearms Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging:
Name
Offenses
Maximum Penalties
Edgar Alejandro Lopez Velasco
(44, Mexico)
Conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism
Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism
Drug importation conspiracy
Firearms trafficking conspiracies
Life ImprisonmentNoe Diaz Jimenez
(33, Mexico)
Conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism
Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism
Drug importation conspiracy
Firearms trafficking conspiracies
Life ImprisonmentLeobardo Gaxiola Lopez, a/k/a “Bado” (63, Mexico)Drug importation conspiracy
Firearms trafficking conspiracies
Life ImprisonmentJose Miguel Alvarado Morales
(23, Mexico)
Conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism
Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism
Drug importation conspiracy
Firearms trafficking conspiracies
Life ImprisonmentAccording to the indictment, Edgar Alejandro Lopez Velasco, Noe Diaz Jimenez, Leobardo Gaxiola Lopez, and Jose Miguel Alvarado Morales are all affiliated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a foreign terrorist organization and one of the most powerful and violent drug cartels in Mexico. Lopez Velasco was a representative of a high-level CJNG member; Diaz Jimenez was a fentanyl trafficker with a fentanyl lab in Mexico; Gaxiola Lopez was a broker of narcotics and weapons deals; and Alvarado Morales was a representative of another high-level CJNG member. In February 2026, Lopez Velasco and Diaz Jimenez negotiated the sale of machineguns and destructive devices from the Czech Republic to Mexico to commit acts of violence against rival cartels, civilians, police forces, and military personnel in Mexico. These weapons included different kinds of European machineguns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, mortar launchers, and accompanying ammunition and ordnance. In exchange for the weapons, the defendants paid in the form of fentanyl and methamphetamine imported into the United States for distribution. All four were arrested in the Czech Republic in June 2026. On June 12, 2026, Mexican authorities dismantled Diaz Jimenez’s synthetic opioid lab in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico.
The indictment notifies the defendants that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture for the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
Lopez Velasco and Alvarado Morales were extradited to the Middle District of Florida, had their initial appearances yesterday, and were detained.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Czech authorities, Mexico’s Secretaria de Seguridad y Proteccion Ciudadana, and Mexico’s Secretaria de Marina. INTERPOL and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the apprehension and Friday’s extradition of Lopez Velasco and Alvarado Morales. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
IndictmentHomeland Security Task Force Announces Twenty-Five-Year Sentence for Colombian Drug KingpinRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Jose Ramiro Cardenas-Iguaran, a/k/a “Titi,” “Senor,” “Jefe” (47, Colombia) has been sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell to 25 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. He pleaded guilty on November 25, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Cardenas-Iguaran began his career about 15 to 20 years before his 2021 arrest by robbing drug traffickers. Over time, he began to assist other traffickers with maritime smuggling logistics before becoming the boss of his own organization. In August 2017, the United States Coast Guard interdicted the Togolese-flagged M/V FAT CROW in international waters with nine people and 1,500 kilograms of cocaine onboard. Cardenas-Iguaran admitted to his involvement in the planning and logistics of the smuggling operation aboard the M/V FAT CROW. Cardenas-Iguaran also admitted to smuggling cocaine for other traffickers as well placing up to 650 kilograms of his own cocaine on drug shipments. He further claimed responsibility for a seizure of cocaine in the Dominican Republic as well as a separate load of cocaine intended for Puerto Rico.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Colombian National Police’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate (DIRAN). The Department of Justice’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá and Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing Cardenas-Iguaran’s extradition. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Thirteen Jacksonville Gang Members and Associates Indicted for Racketeering and Drug Trafficking Conspiracy, Murder-For-Hire, and Retaliation Against a WitnessRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging 13 individuals—all alleged members and associates of the Slime gang—with crimes including racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and retaliating against a witness. Slime was primarily active in the Northside and Oceanway neighborhoods of the greater Jacksonville area.
If convicted, the penalties range from 20 years up to life in federal prison. Some of the defendants face the death penalty for murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and/or use of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime resulting in death.
The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit certain assets, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, the Slime organization has existed under various names, including Pearl World, BB4L (Block Burners for Life), K4T (Killers for Telly), and finally, Slime World. At all times relevant to the indictment, Slime was led by Brian Gregory Brightman and generated income through drug trafficking. Slime used violence and intimidation to establish the group’s dominance in the greater Jacksonville area, to protect its territory, to encroach on rivals’ territory and trap houses, and to maintain its drug trafficking operation. The violence and intimidation included assaults, shootings, attempted murders, and murder.
The indictment alleges that, from approximately 2019 and continuing until August 5, 2026, the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances including marijuana, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine, and maintained multiple trap houses to distribute the same, often arming themselves with firearms to protect their controlled substances and territory.
Additionally, the indictment alleges that in August 2021, Brightman, Raymond Cash, and Devin McFadden solicited the murder of a rival gang member. On October 13, 2022, Brightman solicited a Slime member and a Slime associate to murder a different rival gang member. Between November 30, 2022, and continuing through December 1, 2022, Brightman transported approximately 70 pounds of marijuana from California to Florida. On December 19, 2022, Brightman directed an individual to go to one of the trap houses under the ruse that he would be facilitating a drug deal. When the individual arrived at the home with others, Cash and Gary Harris robbed them of marijuana at gunpoint.
On January 29, 2024, it is alleged that Brightman and another Slime member assaulted a lower-level drug dealer and user to enforce a debt owed to Slime. On a different occasion, Blake Baker entered the home of a drug dealer and Slime associate, threatened her with a firearm, and assaulted her domestic partner to enforce a drug debt owed to Slime. On December 11, 2024, Devonne Rivers and Terrance Williams shot and attempted to kill another individual, in part, to intimidate any rival groups and gangs on behalf of Slime. Further, Andre Drinks solicited a physical attack on an individual that Drinks perceived to be proving evidence against Slime, causing injury to that individual.
Members of Slime are also charged in several substantive counts with committing violence to intimidate rivals and get revenge against opposing groups. It is alleged that beginning on an unknown date no later than on November 27, 2023, and continuing through December 2023, Brightman and Jacob Goodman conspired to commit, and did commit, the murder-for-hire of D.S.S. on November 29, 2023. It is further alleged that Brightman, Rivers, and Tarvares Watson Jr. conspired to commit and did commit the murder of A.B. and T.W. on or about April 7, 2024.
In addition to the individuals named above, Roderick Leon, Rashawn Rankin, and Da’Veon Smith have also been charged in the indictment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office, the Nassau County Sherriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area are investigating the case with valuable assistance from the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Florida National Guard Counter Drug Program, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Neptune Beach Police Department, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, and the Green Cove Springs Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lasry and Kelli A. Swaney for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Middle District of Florida Agencies Receive $3.5 Million to Improve SafetyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL ―The Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component under the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, awarded almost $290 million to support state, local, and tribal governments in criminal justice activities to keep American communities safe. More than $3.5 million of this amount has been awarded to law enforcement agencies throughout the Middle District of Florida.
The awards, provided through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, represent the nation’s leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories. For more than 20 years, the JAG program has provided critical funding to support law enforcement’s ability to protect the communities they serve, supporting critical needs such as personnel, equipment and supplies, technology, training, information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings, and other operational priorities. JAG funding also supports a wide range of programs that strengthen crime prevention efforts and enhance the effectiveness of prosecutors, courts, corrections agencies, and services for crime victims and witnesses.
“Our local, state, and tribal law enforcement partners stand on the front lines every day to combat crime and keep our citizens safe,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “These awards will assist them as they carry out their mission to improve public safety throughout our district.”
In addition to foundational uses of JAG funds, specific areas of emphasis were included to the JAG funding opportunities highlighting and encouraging state and local jurisdictions to join federal law enforcement in addressing the most pressing public safety challenges. For Fiscal Year 2025, these areas of emphasis included combatting violent crime, immigration enforcement, safe communities, and safe houses of worship.
BJA awarded more than $199 million in state JAG funding across 56 awards and more than $90 million in local JAG funding across 895 awards.
Examples of initiatives supported by these grants include:
- Providing specialized training to strengthen the prevention, detection, and response to human trafficking and to enhance proactive crime‑reduction efforts through improved officer readiness and increased patrol capacity.
- Enhancing local crime‑fighting efforts by integrating innovative technology, training, and equipment, and using comprehensive crime‑data analysis to guide decision‑making, measure performance, and strengthen strategies addressing violent crime and other public safety issues.
- Strengthening enforcement efforts by supporting investigations related to gang activity and narcotics through targeted operations carried out by specialized units.
- Improving officer safety and readiness by replacing outdated ballistic helmets with modern protective equipment used during high‑risk incidents, tactical operations, active threat responses, warrant service, civil disturbances, and other dangerous calls for service.
All recipients for both state and local JAG awards can be found here.
About the Office of Justice Programs
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation's capacity to prevent and reduce crime; promote fair and impartial administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its program offices – the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office for Victims of Crime, and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking or SMART Office – can be found at ojp.gov.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Enticing Minors to Engage in Sexual Activity, and Receiving, Possessing and Accessing Child Sexual Abuse Images and VideosRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Michael Lawrence Milewski (32, Fort Myers) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to 30 years in federal prison for enticing minors to engage in sexual activity, receiving and possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, and transferring obscene matter to a minor. Milewski was also sentenced to a term of life of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Milewski had entered a plea of guilty on April 30, 2026.
According to court documents, from December 2024, through February 2025, Milewski used a social media application to persuade, induce, and entice minors to engage in sexual activity for which Milewski could have been charged with a criminal offense of sexual performance by a child or production of child pornography.
In June 2025, law enforcement launched an investigation into Milewski, after a minor disclosed that she had been communicating with an adult online who had requested images and videos of her engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Milewski’s social media account records revealed messages that were sexual in nature and that Milewski had engaged in with several minors, and images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct that Milewski requested and received from the minors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and with assistance from the Cape Coral Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
73-Year-Old Cape Coral Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening to Kill ICE OfficersRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Joseph Rocco Giancola (73, Cape Coral) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek to six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for making interstate communications of threats to injure. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Giancola pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026.
According to court records, on August 6, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) identified true threats to injure ICE agents posted on the social media platform BlueSky by user @caindelonbsky.social. Additional investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents identified the user as Joseph Rocco Giancola who posted numerous threats between May and July 2025, including “Just shoot ice to kill”, “Get your guns and kill the ice nazis”, “They come near me and I shoot to kill”, “Band together in neighborhoods, arm the band, and kill these gestapo fucks. A few massacres and they will stop coming”; “Shoot the ICE Nazis down like the rabid dogs they are”; “Let there be blood – MAGA blood and lots of it… We should be shooting down ICE Proud Boys like the rabid dogs they are”; and “I’ll shoot to kill”, among others.
HSI subsequently executed a federal court authorized search warrant on Giancola at his Cape Coral residence on October 30, 2025, where they encountered him in his bedroom with an unlocked computer displaying the @caindelonbsky.social BlueSky account on the screen.
At the sentencing hearing, the Court held Giancola accountable for making more than two true threats against official victims on account of the victim’s employment status.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Cape Coral Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Redavid.
Orlando Men Sentenced for Attempting to Coerce and Entice a Minor to Engage in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Richard Kowalczyk (46, Windermere) and Eric Patrick (31, Windermere) have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Kowalczyk was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison and Patrick was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Patrick pleaded guilty in February 2026 and Kowalczyk pleaded guilty in April 2026. Both are also required to register as sex offenders. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Kowalczyk and Patrick, who are married, engaged in a sexually graphic conversation online that discussed their interests in minors. In July 2020, Kowalczyk and Patrick attempted to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and share sexually explicit images with them. Kowalczyk also possessed child sexual abuse images and videos, including minors under the age of 12, on his cellphone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
Homeland Security Task Force Arrests Members of Dade City Fentanyl Trafficking Organization on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging five individuals with federal drug offenses including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl.
Name
Age, Residence
Charges
Aaron McKinney38, Dade CityDrug trafficking conspiracy
Distribution of fentanyl (4 counts)
Distribution of cocaine and fentanyl
Derrick Harrison53, Dade CityDrug trafficking conspiracy
Distribution of fentanyl
Derrick Harrison II35, ZephyrhillsDrug trafficking conspiracy
Distribution of fentanyl
Derrick Gentles41, Dade CityDrug trafficking conspiracyMichael Taylor34, Dade CityDrug trafficking conspiracy
Distribution of cocaine and fentanyl
If convicted, McKinney faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Harrison and Harrison II each face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Gentles and Taylor face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
According to the indictment and other court records, McKinney sold fentanyl and other controlled substances in Dade City. The others assisted McKinney with his drug trafficking business. Through this drug trafficking organization, McKinney trafficked more than 400 grams of fentanyl, along with cocaine.
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, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Zephyrhills Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Federal Jury Finds Columbia County Man Guilty of Knowingly Providing a False Statement to a Federally Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found Bryan Steven Etheridge (40, Columbia County) guilty of providing a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Etheridge faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 16, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to evidence presented at trial, on May 10, 2025, Etheridge attempted to purchase a .40 caliber pistol from a firearms dealer in Columbia County. When completing a Firearms Transaction Record (ATF Form 4473), Etheridge knowingly provided a false statement by denying that he was subject to a court order restraining him from stalking, harassing, or threatening an intimate partner or child of an intimate partner. In fact, in 2024, Etheridge’s wife and mother of their six children sought a domestic violence injunction against him and the court imposed an injunction through early 2026.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rick Lasseter and David Mesrobian.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Venezuelan National Pleads Guilty to Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Yoandris Jose Ruiz Bello (32, Venezuela) has pleaded guilty to attempted production of child sexual abuse material and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Ruiz Bello faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the attempted production offense; and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for the attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, on August 21, 2024, Ruiz Bello engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. During the conversation, Ruiz Bello asked the minor to create a sexually explicit video of herself and send it to him. Ruiz Bello also sent an explicit photograph of male genitalia to the minor. In actuality, Ruiz Bello was communicating with an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Three Arrested for Conspiracy to Commit Mail FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Yongbo Li, 36, Huashan Lu, 62, and Yuxiang Zhao, 60, pursuant to a criminal complaint for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
According to the criminal complaint, Li, Lu, Zhao, and others engaged in an organized fraud scheme that targeted victims through telephone calls, emails, and Internet pop-up messages, falsely claiming the victims’ personal information and financial accounts were compromised and that immediate action was needed to resolve the fabricated issue. The immediate action was almost always the mailing of cashier’s checks, money orders, or cash to P.O. boxes in and around the Orlando area. According to the criminal complaint, twenty-eight victims, most of them elderly, have been identified.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal document supporting an arrest warrant that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Sumter County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Obscene Animated Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Corey Wilkerson (30, Lake Panasoffkee) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to three years in federal prison for possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the court records, between October 20, 2023, and July 10, 2024, Wilkerson possessed thousands of obscene animated images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images also depicted the sexual abuse of prepubescent and infant females.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson and Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Polk County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Bradly Dwayne Wimberly (32, Bradley) has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber for attempted production of child sexual abuse material. Wimberly entered a guilty plea on May 4, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between February 15, 2024, and July 10, 2025, Wimberly communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-to-14-year-old girl. He repeatedly asked the minor to produce sexually explicit images and videos of herself and send them to him. In actuality, Wimberly was communicating with an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Billy Boortz (43, Duval Couty, Texas) to five years in federal prison for possession of five grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the court records, on July 18, 2025, Boortz was a federal inmate in the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County, Florida. On that date, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) corrections officers ordered Boortz to submit to a search. Instead of complying, Boortz attempted to assault the officers by throwing punches towards their heads and upper bodies. Eventually, the officers were able to gain control over Boortz, and discovered over nine grams of methamphetamine hidden in Boortz’s sock. Boortz told law enforcement that he would have made approximately $20,000 if he had been able to sell the methamphetamine inside FCC Coleman.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson and Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Chinese National Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud as Part of Gold ScamRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Jiaan Cao (33, China) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Cao entered a guilty plea on January 27, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, beginning in at least October 2024 and continuing through December 12, 2024, Cao conspired with others to commit wire fraud by gaining access to a victim’s computer, fraudulently posing as a representative of a victim’s financial institution, and informing the victim their account had been subjected to fraudulent criminal activity. A member of the conspiracy then directed the victim to withdraw money from their account and purchase gold. Afterward, the victim was instructed to provide this gold to a “federal agent” for safekeeping. In actuality, the “federal agent” was another member of the conspiracy. Conspiracy members often exchanged electronic communications with each other, including the location details of the victims, for this purpose. On December 12, 2024, Cao was arrested at a victim’s residence in Marion County when he arrived to pick up gold that had been purchased in this manner.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.