Northern District of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentencings of Stephanie Lynn Fleming, 43, and Helen Elizabeth Storey, 39, both of Waldorf, Maryland, and both formerly of Tallahassee, Florida. Fleming was sentenced to a total of three years and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Storey was sentenced to a total of two years and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Both defendants were ordered to pay $219,000 in restitution to the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA).

Fleming’s and Storey’s sentences were the result of a 3-day federal bench trial resulting in guilty verdicts for most counts on April 6, 2021. Both defendants were found guilty of health care fraud conspiracy, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Fleming was also found guilty of making false statements in connection with health care matters.

“The sentences demonstrates that the United States Attorney’s Office is committed to aggressively and diligently prosecuting those who commit healthcare fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “The concerted and cooperative effort of our federal and state law enforcement partners were critical to bringing these defendants to justice. We will continue to work toward our common goals of protecting our community members and preserving the integrity of our federally-funded healthcare programs.”

Storey owned and operated North Florida Mental Health (NFMH), a Tallahassee-based counseling center, and employed Fleming as a licensed mental health counselor. Evidence presented in court proved that between April 15, 2016 and December 31, 2017, Storey and Fleming improperly obtained, or attempted to obtain, more than $250,000 from Florida Medicaid by submitting fraudulent claims through NFMH. 

“Convicted criminals Storey and Fleming fraudulently billed the Medicaid program, ignoring an exclusion from all federal health care programs while committing identity theft to boost their profits. They stole from this taxpayer-funded safety net program that is designed to provide health services to vulnerable patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar. “These convictions should send a warning to others tempted to loot from federal health care programs: our agents will investigate such bad actors and hold them accountable.”

Fleming, who provided psychotherapy, psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, and therapeutic behavioral services to patients of NFMH, agreed to a five-year debarment from participating in any state Medicaid program as a result of a 2016 felony conviction involving Medicaid fraud in the state of New Jersey. Evidence presented in court proved that Fleming falsely claimed on an application to become a Florida Medicaid provider that she had not been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to, a felony. Additional evidence demonstrated that Storey knew of Fleming’s conviction and debarment, and that Fleming was therefore ineligible to participate as a Florida Medicaid provider.   

At trial, evidence showed that Fleming caused to be submitted – and that Storey submitted – multiple fraudulent Medicare claims by means of aggravated identity theft. In doing so, some of the false Medicare claims reflected that another eligible and licensed NFMH therapist performed services that, in reality, were provided by Fleming during the period of time that she was under debarment from participation in any state Medicaid program. The court heard evidence of additional instances in which the names and personal identification information of NFMH patients, many of whom were children, were used to submit fictitious Medicare claims for services that were not performed at all.

Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case, which was jointly investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and the Florida Attorney General Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Michael J. McClure, 44, of DeFuniak Springs, and Jeffrey W. Boone, Jr., 32, of Shalimar, pled guilty this past week to federal charges related to the production and distribution of child pornography, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Though the two cases are similar in nature, the federal indictments were independently handed down by a grand jury in Pensacola earlier this year.

In McClure’s case, an undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation witnessed McClure distributing images of child pornography online to a group of like-minded individuals on the social media platform Kik Messenger. McClure was personally producing child pornography of a minor who was less than ten years old. During his guilty plea, McClure admitted to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise with others on Kik Messenger who were working together to victimize multiple minors across the country. McClure was engaged in such activity during 2020 to 2021.

“There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Acts of such depravity are horrific and will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted. Our law enforcement partners are to be commended for the swift, collaborative efforts, which resulted in the rescue of these children.”

In Boone’s case, another undercover agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation witnessed Boone distributing images of child pornography that he was creating in real time and distributing to others online. His victim was also less than ten years of age. Law enforcement was able to immediately identify Boone and execute a search warrant on his residence to stop the illegal activity. Boone was also using Kik Messenger to engage in such crimes during 2021.     

"These cases represent the FBI's relentless pursuit of those who seek to exploit the most innocent members of our community," said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. "Together with our law enforcement partners, we will never waver in our efforts to protect our children from harm."

Both McClure and Boone are scheduled to be sentenced in January 2022. McClure faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ up to life imprisonment, and Boone faces a mandatory minimum 15 years’ up to 30 years’ imprisonment.

These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg, Jennifer H. Callahan, and Amanda Gordon.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Dr. Moses de-Graft Johnson, 47, a dual citizen of the United States and Ghana, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, for committing health care fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The sentence, following the defendant’s guilty plea on December 18, 2020, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Court documents reflect, for almost four years, beginning in early 2016 until his arrest in February 2020, deGraft-Johnson performed hundreds of unnecessary, invasive surgical procedures of his patients in the Tallahassee area. deGraft-Johnson solicited his victims by establishing relationships with churches, nursing homes, a hospital, and an outreach organization. In addition to subjecting his patients to unnecessary surgical procedures, deGraft-Johnson victimized others by falsifying their medical records – reflecting surgical procedures that he did not perform. This conduct resulted in the creation of erroneous and misleading records that could cause future doctors to determine a mistaken course of medical treatment for many of his patients.

“This physician compromised the health and safety of his patients in favor of illegal profit,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “His acts not only violated the law, but the trust of his patients. With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, we remain vigilant to investigate and prosecute all who defraud our citizens for their own personal gain.”  

“It's disturbing that a physician would be so driven by greed and indifferent to the well-being of his patients that he would perform medically unnecessary, invasive procedures and steal medical identities to boost profits," said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. "With our law enforcement partners, we will hold accountable individuals who perpetrate such egregious fraud and violate their oaths as physicians and Medicare providers.”

In addition to the term of imprisonment, the sentence included the forfeiture of assets in the United States and overseas, including luxury vehicles; jewelry; and homes in Manhattan, Southampton, New York, Miami, and Houston; as well as an order of $28,423,846 in restitution.

"This case is a direct result of the commitment by the FBI and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who willingly defraud American citizens,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Instead of caring for his patients, this defendant targeted vulnerable members of our community, subjected them to unnecessary surgical procedures, and falsified documents so he could line his pockets with millions of taxpayer dollars. Fraud, like this, reduces the availability of critical resources and contributes to the rising cost of healthcare for all. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate these crimes and prosecute all those who defraud the American public for their own personal gain."

This conviction was the result of the collaborative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Internal Revenue Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Grogan prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Steven Michael Krpata, Jr., 43, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for production of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Krpata hid a camera in the women’s restroom of a North Central Florida restaurant and had been recording images from July 2018 through early August 2020. The camera was hidden in an air conditioning vent above the handicap stall. A search of Krpata’s computer revealed files of nude women and children using the restroom. At the time of his arrest, Krpata was serving probation in connection with his 2008 conviction for possession of child pornography.

“Today’s sentence acknowledges the deviant acts of a child predator and the associated harm,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, we remain vigilant to investigate and prosecute those who would seek to harm our most vulnerable.”

Krpata will be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions. 

“HSI hopes the sentence imposed on this admitted child predator brings a small measure of peace and recovery to his victims,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “HSI Gainesville will continue to focus on providing support to his victims.”

The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA –John Thomas Burnette, 44, of Tallahassee, Florida has been sentenced to 36 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons and ordered to pay a $1,250,000 fine and restitution in the amount of $20,000. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

In December 2018, a federal grand jury charged Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox and Paige Carter-Smith in a forty-four-count indictment. In May 2019, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding Burnette as a defendant. Maddox and Carter-Smith subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts of Honest Services Fraud by Bribery and one count of Conspiring to Interfere with the Lawful Function of the IRS. In October 2019, a grand jury returned a second superseding indictment against Burnette.

Burnette’s sentence was the result of a federal jury returning a guilty verdict on August 13, 2021, at the conclusion of a fifteen-day trial. The jury found Burnette guilty on one count of Extortion Under Color of Official Right, two counts of Honest Services Fraud by Bribery, one count of Use of Interstate Commerce Facilities to Promote Bribery, and one count of Making False Statements to a Federal Officer.

At trial, the government presented evidence that Burnette engaged in a multi-year scheme with Maddox and Carter-Smith to commit extortion, fraud, and bribery. During the scheme, Burnette and Maddox extorted bribe payments from FBI undercover agents (“UCs”) who were posing as real estate developers and entrepreneurs. Burnette instructed the UCs that to obtain preferential treatment, they must pay bribes to Maddox through Governance Services. Burnette, Maddox, Carter-Smith, and the UCs agreed that the UCs would pay Governance Services $10,000 per month in exchange for Maddox agreeing to perform official acts meant to benefit the UCs’ sham development company.

In 2017, FBI agents approached Burnette, identified themselves as FBI agents, and asked Burnette about his involvement in the bribe payments to Maddox. During the interview, Burnette repeatedly lied about his knowledge of the UCs’ payments to and involvement with Maddox. 

“The democratic system on which our country was founded relies on the consent and trust of the governed,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Our citizens deserve and expect that those in public office will act in the public’s interest, rather than their own and that of their confederates. With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, we will ensure that public officials who violate their oath by accepting bribes, as well as those corrupt individuals who pay them, are held accountable.”

“Our citizens are entitled to decisions based on the best interests of the public, not the best interests of corrupt public officials and bribe-paying business owners seeking to line their own pocketbooks,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division.  “Let there be no doubt - bribes are not good business in Tallahassee, nor anywhere else. The FBI remains fully committed to ensuring that anyone who violates the public’s trust is held accountable.”

Scott Maddox was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 1-year supervised release.  In addition, Maddox was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS of $76,763.00, and forfeiture of $70,000 jointly and severally with codefendant(s).

Paige Carter-Smith was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, followed by 1-year supervised release. In addition, Carter-Smith was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS of $115,619, and forfeiture of $70,000 jointly and severally with codefendant(s).

The conviction was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case against Maddox, Carter-Smith, and Burnette was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen M. Kunz, and Andrew J. Grogan of the Northern District of Florida, and Deputy Chief Peter M. Nothstein, and Trial Attorney Rosaleen T. O’Gara of the Department of Justice, Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

A Florida man was sentenced today to three years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $1,250,000 for engaging in a scheme to bribe former Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox and for making false statements to the FBI.

On Aug. 13, John Thomas Burnette, 44, of Tallahassee, was convicted of extortion, honest services fraud, use of an interstate facility to promote bribery, and making false statements after a 15-day jury trial in the Northern District of Florida.

At trial, the government presented evidence that Burnette engaged in a multi-year scheme with Maddox and his associate, Paige Carter-Smith, to commit extortion, fraud, and bribery. During the scheme, Burnette and Maddox extorted bribe payments from FBI undercover agents (UCs) who were posing as real estate developers and entrepreneurs. Burnette instructed the UCs that to obtain preferential treatment, they must pay bribes to Maddox through Governance Services. Burnette, Maddox, Carter-Smith, and the UCs agreed that the UCs would pay Governance Services $10,000 per month in exchange for Maddox agreeing to perform official acts meant to benefit the UCs’ apparent development company.

In 2017, FBI agents approached Burnette, identified themselves as FBI agents, and asked Burnette about his involvement in the bribe payments to Maddox. During the interview, Burnette repeatedly lied about his knowledge of the UCs’ payments to and involvement with Maddox.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida made the announcement.

The FBI and IRS–Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Deputy Chief Peter M. Nothstein and Trial Attorney Rosaleen T. O’Gara of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen M. Kunz and Andrew J. Grogan of the Northern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Brian Brainard Wedgeworth (a/k/a “Dr. Brian Anderson,” a/k/a “Dr. Anthony Watkins,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Adams,” a/k/a “Dr. Edward Chen,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Chris,” a/k/a “Dr. Chris Williamson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Christopher Williamson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Edmonds,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Ammerson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Lamar Wilson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Wilson,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Mims,” a/k/a “Dr. Brian Lamar Sims”), 46, formerly of Tallahassee, Florida, and Center Point, Alabama, was arrested in Tennessee on charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.  Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the indictment after Wedgeworth made his initial appearance in federal court in Nashville, Tennessee.

The indictment alleges that, between October 2016, and March 2021, Wedgeworth devised a scheme to defraud money and property by means of material false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, and for the purpose of executing such scheme falsely represented that he was physician in online dating forums to meet women for the purpose of defrauding them. The indictment further alleges that Wedgeworth made promises to the women in order to induce them to send him money and buy him jewelry and watches. Wedgeworth is alleged to have fraudulently obtained more than $750,000 in funds and property as a result of his scheme.

Wedgeworth was ordered temporarily detained until a detention hearing and arraignment are held at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud and mail fraud counts, up to 10 years in prison for the money laundering counts, and a minimum mandatory sentence of 2 years in prison, consecutive to any other imprisonment that might be imposed, for the aggravated identity theft count. 

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the United State Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), and work is ongoing to ensure that all potential victims are identified.  If you believe that you were in contact with Brian Brainard Wedgeworth, or through one of his aliases, and would like to speak with an investigator, please contact the USPIS by email at [email protected]. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Ahmad T. Ismail, 70, of Bonifay, Florida, pled guilty on Wednesday to the subscription and transmission of multiple fraudulent federal income tax returns, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“The United States relies on the payment of taxes to defend our country and maintain its operations,” stated Acting United States Attorney Coody. “We remain committed to the investigation and prosecution of those who falsely misrepresent their income – whether by traditional evasion or the filing of fraudulent tax income returns.”

At his guilty plea, Ismail admitted in federal court that he filed false federal income returns for the years 2017 and 2018. Ismail agreed that he knowingly understated his gross income by thousands of dollars per year by failing to report all the cash payments he received from patients at his medical practice over the course of the two years in question. During the execution of a federal search warrant on his residence in 2020, law enforcement located $39,000 in cash in Ismail’s residence along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash receipts from his practice. The Internal Revenue Service estimates the overall tax loss perpetrated by Ismail to be over $100,000.

“We owe it to every American taxpayer to use all lawful means to identify and prosecute those who evade their taxes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne. “By his own admission, Ismail cheated the U.S. government out of tens of thousands of dollars, and there are consequences for individuals who intentionally conceal income and evade taxes which can include serving time in federal prison and paying back all of the taxes owed with costly penalties and interest.”

Ismail’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 20, 2022, at 9:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge T.K. Wetherell. Ismail faces up to 6 years imprisonment for the tax crimes as well as the payment of restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

“FDLE appreciates our federal criminal justice partnerships in keeping those in a position of trust accountable,” said Chris Williams, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent in Charge, Pensacola Region.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Florida. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States
Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Kaitlin Weiss.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Aquiles Alexander Delaosa, 37, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to 288 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and transferring obscene material to a person under 16.  The sentence, which was handed down following the defendant’s guilty plea in June, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who engage in such heinous conduct.”

For over eight years – between July 26, 2012, and January 27, 2021 – Delaosa knowingly and intentionally used, induced, and enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. During this time, he also received and distributed material containing child pornography. Delaosa also transferred, by means of interstate commerce, obscene matter to an individual who had not attained the age of 16 years.

“Protecting our innocent children is one of the most important missions we have,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. “Thanks to HSI special agents and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, this predator is being held accountable for his crimes. The Defendant’s 24-year prison sentence will be followed by supervised release for the rest of his life.” 

Delaosa’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions. Additionally, Delaosa was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine, a $35,000 assessment pursuant to the Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 (“AVAA”), and restitution to the victims. 

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michael Jarcord, 52, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 180 months federal prison for coercing or enticing a minor to engage in prostitution. The sentence was announced today by Jason Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Jarcord’s sentence was the result of a federal jury returning a guilty verdict on June 29, 2021, finding Jarcord guilty on the sole count of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in prostitution.

“This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Through concerted efforts like Operation Stolen Innocence we will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prey upon our children.”

“We are grateful to see justice prevail for the victim in this case,” said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. Jarcord’s sentencing is a testament to the judicial systems’ tireless efforts to hold accountable those who break the law and reiterate to the community that human trafficking will not be tolerated.”

“Another child predator is now behind bars thanks to the law enforcement partnership between HSI and the Tallahassee Police Department,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs.

Jarcord’s prison sentence will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions. 

The conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations as part of Operation Stolen Innocence, a multi-agency coordinated effort by the United States Marshals Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of the State Attorney, Second Judicial Circuit to combat human trafficking in the Tallahassee area. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – John E. Acker, 52, formerly of Santa Rosa Beach, has been charged with 37 counts of wire fraud and 7 counts of money laundering. The indictment was announced today by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, following Acker’s arrest Tuesday night in Lee County, Florida.

The indictment alleges that between 2013 and 2020, Acker solicited and induced numerous individuals and corporations to invest money with him by making various fraudulent misrepresentations, including that the investment was for a real estate or other business-related “deal” with high guaranteed returns. He allegedly told investors the “deal” was for a purchase and sale, or “flip,” of a property or business. Acker is charged with using those funds meant for investments to instead pay for his personal expenses or pay back prior investors whose funds had previously been misused. The indictment also alleges that Acker made other false statements to gain investors’ trust and influence them to invest, such as mischaracterizing or falsifying his relationship with attorneys, business owners, or other prominent members of the community and claiming he had independent wealth from a trust fund. He purportedly used his corporate entities, including Miracle Strip Holdings X LLC, Fujimo Development LLC, and Shipwreck Road LLC, to commit the alleged fraud. Acker is also charged with laundering the proceeds of his investment fraud scheme by making large payments and monetary transfers in excess of $10,000.

Aker’s trial date will be set upon his appearance in the United States District Court in Pensacola.

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Alicia Forbes and Ryan Love are prosecuting this case.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Nathaniel O. Cox, 30, was found guilty by a federal jury on Thursday of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a Kel-Tec SUB-2000 assault rifle during the commission of a crime of violence, announced Acting United States Attorney Jason R. Coody.  Cox was previously convicted of a similar crime in the Middle District of Georgia in 2015; for which he was sentenced to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, having been released in May 2020. 

Trial evidence revealed that on the evening of October 22, 2020, Cox entered the Publix supermarket located at 5998 Mobile Highway in Pensacola, Florida, where he confronted a store manager and another employee, warning that he was armed and there to rob the store. Cox then instructed them to take him to the money room. Once inside, Cox brandished his semi-automatic rifle and instructed the two employees, along with a third employee who was inside the room, to gather the money and place it in his backpack. The employees were then ordered to lay on top of each other and to count out loud or they would be shot. Cox then fled the supermarket with the stolen United States currency. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was the first to respond to and investigate the crime scene. Working in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, law enforcement officers were able to locate Cox at the international airport in Jacksonville, Florida, after he fled Pensacola, where he was taken into custody without incident. Law enforcement also recovered the assault rifle used to commit the robbery. 

“The investigation and prosecution of violence crime – in this case by an armed repeat offender – is central to our mission to protect the public,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “As a result of the collaboration and outstanding investigative work of our law enforcement partners at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, this violent, armed robber has been adjudicated guilty and will be sentenced for his criminal conduct.”

“A priority for ATF is reducing violent crime and protecting the public. Through collaborative efforts with our local law enforcement partner’s, we were able to capture this dangerous felon and prevent him from any further threats to our communities. This prosecution demonstrates that working jointly with our local partners makes the communities safer,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier. 

“We are pleased that our working relationship with our federal partners led to the arrest and conviction of Mr. Cox. This is another example of local law enforcement and federal agencies coming together to serve and protect our community,” said Escambia County Chief Deputy Tommi Lyter 

This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jennifer H. Callahan prosecuted the case. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

Cox’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 21, 2021, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Due to a prior federal violent crime conviction, Cox faces a mandatory minimum 25 years’ imprisonment on the charges. 

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Daniel Alan Baker, 34, of Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced to forty-four months in federal prison for two counts of transmitting a communication in interstate commerce containing a threat to kidnap or injure another person. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Baker’s sentence was the result of a federal jury returning a guilty verdict on May 6, 2021, finding Baker guilty of two counts of transmitting a communication in interstate commerce containing a threat to kidnap or injure another person.

Baker was arrested by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on January 15, 2021, after he issued a “Call to Arms” for like-minded individuals to violently confront protestors that may gather at the Florida Capitol in the wake of the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. He specifically called for others to join him in encircling any protestors and confining them at the state Capitol complex using firearms. Baker posted two such threatening communications on January 12 and 14, 2021.

“The free exercise of speech is central to our democracy,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “However, the defendant’s threats of armed violence to inhibit expression of political views different than his own are both unlawful and dangerous. Today’s sentence acknowledges the defendant’s threats to incite violence and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would solicit others to join them in conducting criminal acts rather than engage in lawful debate.”

"This case proves that the FBI will not tolerate those who seek to wreak havoc in our communities," said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. "Violence designed to intimidate citizens and influence government is what the FBI's counterterrorism team was designed to combat, and our team remains laser focused on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals who cross the line from expressing beliefs to violating federal law by inciting violence or engaging in criminal activity. The communities of North Florida deserve nothing less than our full commitment to aggressively pursue these cases, and we will continue to work alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. We are especially grateful for the work of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Tallahassee Police Department in this case."

This case was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Kunz and Lazaro Fields prosecuted this case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Ruben Ivan Fuller, 44, of Port Saint Joe, Florida, has been sentenced to thirty years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to drug and firearm charges. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

Fuller’s criminal history includes eight prior felony convictions, six of which involved narcotics distribution. Given the nature of his prior convictions, Fuller qualified as an Armed Career Criminal and a Career Offender and was subject to increased Federal sentencing penalties.

“Those who repeatedly commit serious crimes are deserving of significant prison sentences,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Due to the collective efforts of the Tyndall Air Force Base Security Forces, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, this armed drug trafficker has been called to account for his continued criminal conduct, and the community is safer as a result.”

Court documents reflect that between November 2018, and February 2019, Fuller received kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from various sources, which he resold to lower-level drug dealers. On July 26, 2019, Tyndall Air Force Base Security Forces conducted a traffic stop during which Fuller was found in possession of marijuana, 48.72 grams of methamphetamine, a .380 pistol and ammunition, and $8640 cash. On August 16, 2019, investigators with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office observed Fuller walk inside of a residence for which a search warrant was to be executed. Fuller was carrying a brown paper bag at the time. A few minutes later, Fuller left the residence, still carrying the paper bag. Fuller was followed as he drove away from the residence and his vehicle stopped by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The brown paper bag was found to contain 482.6 grams of methamphetamine. A second bag containing an additional 27.4 grams of methamphetamine was also found in Fuller’s vehicle.

“This sentence demonstrates that drug traffickers looking to bring drugs and violence into our communities will be held accountable for their actions,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert. “This sentence also emphasizes the DEA Miami Field Division’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners in keeping our communities safe from drug related violence.”

As a result of his criminal conduct, Fuller pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

“ATF continues to work vigorously with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety and protection of the communities that we serve,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge, Craig W. Saier, “and to make sure the armed career criminals in possession of firearms are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The Bay County Sheriff's Office remains committed to valuable partnerships between law enforcement entities that strengthen our capabilities to protect and serve,” said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford. “Anyone attempting to bring drugs and violence onto our streets will face an effective, unified team safeguarding our communities.”

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Tyndall Air Force Base Security Forces, and the Parker Police Department, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Gainesville has convicted Jeremie Saintvil, 46, of Delray Beach, Florida, of bank fraud, making false statements to a federally insured financial institution, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements to a federal agency. The guilty verdict, returned late Friday, at the conclusion of an eight-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“The theft of vital taxpayer relief funds and victimization of our elderly is reprehensible,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “The deceptive and sophisticated acts of this defendant not only diverted emergency financial assistance from small businesses necessary for job retention, but also victimized our elderly citizens, many of whom due to advanced age or illness, were more vulnerable and unable to readily discern their identities had been stolen and used for illegal acts. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in acts of elder abuse and covid-related fraud.”

Evidence introduced at trial revealed that between February 2018 and June 2020, Saintvil submitted fraudulent applications seeking more than $1.5 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) loans offered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). As part of his scheme, Saintvil fraudulently obtained the identities of elderly individuals who were residents of senior living facilities, whom he then represented were principles in the fictitious businesses seeking the forgivable loans. The fraudulent applications, which were directed to nine different federally insured credit unions, banks, and the SBA, misrepresented the number of employees and payroll expenses of the alleged companies, and made numerous other inaccurate statements in support of the PPP and EIDL loan applications, including submitting falsified tax documents and bank account information.

"Any attempt to defraud the PPP loan program, which is designed to support struggling businesses during the COVID 19 pandemic, is in and of itself a deplorable act. But Saintvil's crimes are made worse by the fact that he used the identities of the elderly to carry out the scams,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne. “We work very closely with our federal agency partners to help seek justice for those impacted by these heinous crimes."

The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 29, 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The Small Business Administration (SBA) guarantees PPP loans which are funded by participating financial institutions. The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP then allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent the loan proceeds on qualifying expenses within a set time-period and used at least a certain percentage of the loan proceeds for payroll expenses.   

“In a time of national turmoil and uncertainty, this defendant flagrantly defrauded programs intended to assist Americans and their businesses,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Rachel L. Rojas.  “His total disregard for his fellow citizens during the pandemic – especially vulnerable elders – revealed his true colors as a fraudster. The FBI will continue to allocate resources to investigate COVID-19 and elder fraud, and work alongside our partners to hold accountable those who use illegal means and criminal behavior to take advantage of others.”

Saintvil’s sentencing hearing is scheduled on December 20, 2021, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before the Honorable United States District Judge Allen Winsor. Saintvil faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for the charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a federally insured institution, and a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for making a false statement to a federal agency. Saintvil also faces an additional 2-year mandatory minimum prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft charge, which must be served consecutively to the other sentences imposed.

“Greed has no place in SBA’s programs that are intended to provide assistance to the nation’s small businesses struggling with the pandemic challenges,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite.  “Our office will aggressively pursue evidence of wrongdoing and bring those responsible to justice.  I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Small Business Administration -Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and David Byron prosecuted the case.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. In particular, this past March the Department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history, charging more than 400 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep.  The Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.  Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice and National Nursing Home Initiatives at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Gregory Carroll Johnson, 40, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to twenty years in federal prison on charges of conspiracy to produce, distribute, possess, and receive child pornography. The sentence, which followed his guilty plea earlier this year, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

Court documents reflect, in July 2019, representatives of local, state, and federal law enforcement executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence in Tallahassee. The evidence showed that Johnson had been receiving child pornography from an individual in Atlanta.  While conducting the search, however, authorities found messages on Johnson’s phone that demonstrated Johnson and co-defendant Madison King had also conspired to produce child pornography.  The recovered evidence included short video clips and pictures that King had taken and transmitted to Johnson depicting the sexual abuse of a toddler. Florida investigators quickly obtained emergency legal process to locate King and contacted their Georgia counterparts. That same day, agents with Homeland Security Investigations, in concert with the Berrien County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, executed a search of King’s Nashville, Georgia residence, whereupon the child was rescued.

“There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them. Our law enforcement partners are to be commended for the swift, multi-state investigation, which resulted in the immediate rescue of this child, preventing further abuse.”

“During the course of this investigation, a child was saved from this predator thanks to HSI partnerships in our offices in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and here in Tallahassee,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs.

“There is no crime worse than the crimes against our children,” said Berrien County Sheriff Ray Paulk. “I would like to thank our investigators and our District Attorney’s Office for acting swiftly and efficiently in this case to ensure the safety of this child. I also want to thank all of the local, state, and federal law enforcement that worked together in making a case like this priority.”  “We couldn’t be more thankful for Acting U.S. Attorney Jason Coody and his staff for securing another conviction in this case, making the world a safer place for our children to live.” 

Johnson's prison sentence will be followed by ten years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.

This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Michelle Spaven prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Robert Sampson, 52, of Gulf Breeze, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to serve four months in jail for the charges of Video Voyeurism and Disorderly Conduct.  The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Evidence presented during the sentencing hearing revealed that Sampson, while an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), placed a hidden camera disguised to look like a cellular telephone charger power adapter, in a restroom at the Pensacola VA Joint Ambulatory Care Center.  On approximately 17 occasions between May 2020 to June 2020, Sampson captured video of eight VA employees on the hidden camera. When employees discovered the recording device and notified the VA Police, Sampson attempted to wrestle the employees for control of the device. Sampson later admitted that he had placed the device in the restroom to record individuals in the bathroom and would later watch the footage.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Police responded to the disturbance and initiated the investigation into the allegations before forwarding the case to the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General.

Following Sampson’s four-month jail sentence, he will serve a one-year term of supervised release with one of the conditions being a limitation of Sampson’s use of computers and the internet. In addition, Sampson was ordered to pay a total of $1200 in fines and restitution to his victims.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs Police and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General are to be commended for their investigation of this crime. The defendant’s actions were a direct affront to his co-workers’ expectation of privacy,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “The victims in this case provide incredible service to our retired and disabled military community and they should feel safe and comfortable in their work environment. Deviant acts of voyeurism such as this will be aggressively prosecuted, and the offender will be held accountable.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Kalayjian, of the U.S. Navy JAG Corps.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Gretchen Buselli (a/k/a “Gretchen Yarbrough”), 47, of Tallahassee, Florida, was arrested yesterday on a charge of Use of Interstate Commerce Facility in the Commission of Murder-for-Hire. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today after Buselli made her initial appearance in federal court in Tallahassee.

The complaint alleges that between on or about June 17, 2021, and on or about September 16, 2021, in the Northern District of Florida, Buselli did knowingly and intentionally use or cause another to use the mail or any facility of interstate commerce with the intent that a murder be committed in violation of the laws of the State of Florida, as consideration for the receipt of, or as consideration for a promise or agreement to pay anything of pecuniary value.

Buselli was ordered temporarily detained until a preliminary and detention hearing on September 22, 2021, at 1:30 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee.  If convicted, she faces up to ten years’ imprisonment.

This arrest resulted from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Mountin and Lazaro Fields.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation by a sworn affiant that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to due process, to include a fair trial, during which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Former Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox and his former business partner Paige Carter-Smith were sentenced today in the Northern District of Florida to five years and two years in prison, respectively, for their roles in a multi-year scheme to use Maddox’s power as a sitting City Commissioner to extract bribes from Tallahassee companies with business in front of the City Commission. Maddox and Carter-Smith were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $76,763 and $115,619, respectively, and ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $70,000.

In December 2018, a federal grand jury charged then-City Commissioner Maddox and Carter-Smith in a 44-count indictment for conspiring to operate a racketeering enterprise that engaged in acts of bank fraud, extortion, honest-services fraud, and bribery. That indictment also charged Maddox and Carter-Smith with bank fraud, making false statements to financial institutions, extortion, honest-services fraud, use of interstate facilities to facilitate bribery, making false statements to federal officers, conspiracy to interfere with the lawful function of the IRS, and filing false tax returns. In May 2019, a federal grand jury returned a 47-count superseding indictment adding a third defendant, John Thomas Burnette, and charging him with participating in the racketeering conspiracy and extortion, honest services mail fraud, the use of facilities in interstate commerce to facilitate bribery, and making false statements to federal officers.

Maddox and Carter-Smith each subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts of honest-services fraud and one count of conspiring to interfere with the lawful function of the IRS. According to court documents, while serving as a sitting, voting City Commissioner, Maddox received payments from Governance, a government consulting and lobbying company based in Tallahassee that he started in 1999 and sold to Carter-Smith in 2010. The payments were made to Governance by several companies in either monthly installments or lump sums, which companies sought favorable votes on City of Tallahassee issues. Specifically, the defendants pleaded guilty to Maddox’s acceptance and Carter-Smith’s facilitation of payments from a rideshare company in exchange for favorable treatment on issues it had before the City Commission, and payments from another company in exchange for his favorable treatment on issues that were anticipated before the Commission. The defendants also admitted to tax fraud that resulted in losses of more than $76,000 in total to the IRS.

In accordance with their plea agreements, both Maddox and Carter-Smith testified in the trial against Burnette, who was convicted on one count of extortion, two counts of honest services mail fraud, one count of the use of a facility in interstate commerce to facilitate bribery, and one count of making false statements, and who is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28.

“Today’s sentences are a result of our tireless efforts to pursue justice for those who put their trust in their elected representatives,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will never cease working to ensure that both public officials who fail the citizens of their community by accepting bribes, and those who pay bribes, are held accountable.”

“The democratic system on which our country was founded relies on the consent and trust of the governed,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida. “Our citizens deserve and expect that their elected representatives will honor their oath - acting in the public’s interest, rather than accepting bribes and payments out of fear or favor. Today’s sentences acknowledge betrayal of the public trust, the resulting erosion of confidence in our democratic process, and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would seek to illegally profit from public service. With our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to ensuring that anyone who violates the public’s trust is held accountable.”

“The individuals sentenced today abused Maddox's public office for their own private gain,” said Assistant Director Calvin A. Shivers of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Actions like this erode the trust that Americans place in our governmental institutions, and the FBI will not tolerate such contemptable disregard of public’s trust by elected officials who promise to serve them. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the government’s integrity by bringing corrupt officials and their cohorts, like Maddox and Carter-Smith, to justice, and we will never stop working to uncover others who think they are beyond the reach of the law.”

“Maddox and Carter-Smith brazenly filed fraudulent tax returns to cheat the government, perhaps because they thought their political ties made them above the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “Those Americans who file accurate, honest, and timely returns can be assured that the government will hold accountable those who don’t.”

The FBI Jacksonville Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Deputy Chief Peter M. Nothstein and Trial Attorney Rosaleen T. O’Gara of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen M. Kunz and Andrew J. Grogan of the Northern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – John Ernst Tennant, Jr., 71, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced Wednesday to 480 months in federal prison for production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Tennant’s sentence was the result of a federal jury returning a guilty verdict on June 3, 2021, finding Tennant guilty of production, receipt, and possession of child pornography.

“The Court’s sentence ensures that this defendant will never harm another child and should serve as a significant deterrent to others who would attempt to prey upon our most vulnerable,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Acts of such depravity, committed by a caregiver, are both horrific and incomprehensible. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who engage in such heinous conduct.”

The sentencing court described the crimes as “horrific,” and further stated “too many people are doing these things.” The evidence showed that Tennant sexually victimized toddlers left in his care at a daycare run by his wife in Gainesville, Florida. Tennant photographed the abuse of the children and maintained a large secret collection of child pornography. 

The Gainesville Police Department recognizes that child exploitation is the most heinous of crimes that could be committed. “These predators, such as John Tennant, Jr., seek out and perpetrate on the most vulnerable, our children,” said Gainesville Police Chief Tony Jones. “Our detectives, and specifically our ICAC unit, work tirelessly and endure a great deal to ensure that our children are safe from predators like these. We are pleased with today’s conclusion but understand that there are many more out there which we will continue to pursue.”      

“This case once again demonstrates the FBI's commitment to pursue those who seek to exploit innocent children,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will not waver in our efforts to identify these predators and seek justice for their victims.”

Tennant’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.

The case was investigated by the Gainesville Police Department, North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Andrew J. Femmer, 29, of Tampa, Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for depriving an inmate his right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment as well as for falsifying official reports, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida today.

The indictment alleges that on or about July 14, 2019, Femmer “did assault and strike” the inmate, which resulted in “bodily injury.”  It is further alleged that Femmer “covered up” his actions by falsely reporting that he only used “the minimum amount of force necessary” when carrying out his duties.

Femmer made his initial appearance on the indictment in Tampa today, and an arraignment is set for September 14, 2021, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment.

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

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Inspector General for the Florida Department of Corrections. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Kaitlin Weiss.   

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Stephen M. Alford, 62, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury on counts of wire fraud and the attempted prevention of seizure of an electronic device, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Alford was arrested on August 31, 2021 and made his initial appearance in federal court to face the charges.

The indictment alleges that, between March 16, and April 7, 2021, Alford engaged in a scheme to defraud a victim out of $25 million. As articulated in the indictment, Alford is alleged to have been involved in a scheme to obtain money based upon false promises or guarantees he made to the victim that Alford could deliver a Presidential Pardon for a family member of the victim.

Alford is currently being held in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.  Alford faces up to 25 years imprisonment on the charged crimes.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Lazaro P. Fields.   

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Michael J. McClure, 43, of DeFuniak Springs, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on criminal offenses related to his activity on Kik Messenger, a mobile device application, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. McClure will make his appearance in federal court in Pensacola on August 31, 2021, at 2:00 pm before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon.

The indictment alleges that McClure was part of an ongoing child exploitation enterprise to produce, distribute, receive, and possess child pornography. McClure is also charged with the production of child pornography as well as its distribution, receipt, and possession. 

McClure faces a mandatory minimum 20 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment if convicted.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jennifer H. Callahan.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Phillip Golightly, 39, of Quincy, Florida, was sentenced to 24-months in federal prison following his conviction for sexual abuse of a ward while on duty at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee. The sentence, following the defendant’s guilty plea on October 16, 2020, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Court documents reflect that while employed as a U.S. Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer, Golightly sexually assaulted female inmates who were then under his custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority at the Federal Correctional Institutions in Marianna and Tallahassee, Florida.

Golightly’s prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to sex offender conditions.

Assistant United States Attorney Lazaro P. Fields prosecuted the case, which resulted from an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – William Brett Brownell, 30, of Milton, Florida, was arraigned on charges of possession of contraband by a federal prisoner, introduction of contraband to a federal prison, and escape. The indictment was announced today by Jason R. Coody, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

The indictment alleges that between October 2019 and June 2020, Brownell obtained, possessed, and distributed to fellow prisoners at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola various prohibited items, including marijuana, alcohol, cell phones, and tobacco products. Brownell was in the midst of serving a 70-month sentence for marijuana trafficking and money laundering convictions. The indictment also alleges that around approximately the same time frame, Brownell escaped from custody by failing to remain within prison limits.

Brownell faces up to five years’ imprisonment on each count, and any sentence on the contraband charges must be consecutive to his current prison sentence. Trial for Brownell is scheduled for October 4, 2021, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Eglin Air Force Base 96th Test Wing Legal Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Forbes is prosecuting this case.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Frank Miller Freeman, III, 30, of Crestview, Florida, was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a machine gun, and possession of an unregistered firearm with no serial number. The sentence was announced today by Jason R. Coody, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

On November 10, 2020, Freeman was pulled over by Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies with a loaded Ruger pistol and a .300 blackout caliber M16-type machine gun with a loaded 60-round magazine attached. The machine gun was fully automatic and contained no serial number or manufacturer markings, and it was not registered as required by federal law. Freeman had previously been convicted of multiple drug felonies.

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Forbes prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – John Thomas, 51, of Pensacola pled guilty yesterday on wire fraud and money laundering charges related to selling fraudulent insurance policies to his clients in exchange for approximately $4.8 million in insurance premium payments. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea.

Court documents reflect that between September 2013 and February 2021, Thomas operated an insurance business known as Thomas Insurance, LLC. and defrauded customers through a type of insurance fraud known as premium diversion. Thomas executed this scheme by collecting insurance premiums from customers and keeping the funds for personal use instead of producing insurance policies. To conceal his acts, Thomas gave the customers fraudulent documents referencing insurance policies that did not exist. 

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Investigative & Forensic Services, Bureau of Insurance Fraud. Work is ongoing to ensure all alleged victims are identified. If you are a client of Thomas Insurance, LLC. and wish to speak to an investigating agent regarding your policy, please contact FBI Jacksonville at 904-248-7000 or email [email protected], and reference “Thomas Insurance.”  An FBI representative will respond with additional instructions.

Thomas’ sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 29, 2021, at 2:00 pm, at the United States District Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable District Judge T.K. Wetherell. Thomas faces a maximum term of 20 years’ imprisonment for wire fraud, a maximum term of 10 years’ imprisonment for money laundering, and a maximum term of 20 years’ imprisonment for money laundering to conceal proceeds of specified unlawful activity.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Constantino Charrez, 27, of Quincy, Florida was sentenced to 192 months federal prison for coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. The sentenced was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Charrez’s sentence was the result of a federal jury returning a guilty verdict on May 13, 2021, finding Charrez’s guilty on the sole count of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.

“This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Through concerted efforts like Operation Stolen Innocence we will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prey upon our children.”

“We are grateful to see justice prevail for the victim in this case,” said Chief Lawrence Revell. Charrez’s sentencing is a testament to the judicial systems’ tireless efforts to hold accountable those who break the law and reiterate to the community that human trafficking will not be tolerated."

"Operation Stolen Innocence continues to result in making our communities safer and serves as a premier example of the excellent work being done by HSI and law enforcement partners like the Tallahassee Police Department,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs.

Charrez’s prison sentence will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.

This conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations as part of Operation Stolen Innocence, a multi-agency coordinated effort by the United States Marshal Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit to combat human trafficking in the Tallahassee area. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Isaleb Anofils, 32, of Vero Beach, Florida, and Donyell Garland, 32, of Tallahassee, Florida, were each sentenced on Friday and last month, respectively, to 48 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The sentences, following the defendants’ guilty pleas last October, were announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“As our citizens become more reliant on web-based banking, it is paramount that our financial institutions are not defrauded and their customers’ personal identifiable information is secure,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “The volume of fraudulent ATM transactions and the sophistication employed here demonstrate the significant threat posed by this type of activity. Given the cooperative efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, these criminals were arrested within weeks of the commencement of their crime spree, thereby safeguarding the personal identifying information and assets of countless other victims.”

Court documents reflect, that between January 1, 2018, and April 9, 2018, Anofils and Garland conspired to defraud multiple federally insured financial institutions. The defendants used a combination of a cell phone spoofing app and various Internet websites to obtain personally identifiable information of victims. Anofils and Garland then used that information to conduct 285 fraudulent ATM transactions at Tallahassee-area financial institutions. In total, Anofils and Garland stole or attempted to steal over $151,000 from 47 different banking customers.

“The collaborative and efficient effort between our agencies has again resulted in the arrest and conviction of those preying on innocent and hardworking citizens,” said Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil.

“This successful investigation and resulting prosecution stand as a testament to the high level of competence and excellence in law enforcement displayed by the men and women who serve at all levels of federal, state and local law enforcement in the North Florida district,” said Resident Agent in Charge Seth Reister, Tallahassee Resident U.S. Secret Service. “As criminals and their enterprises have evolved both in sophistication and technical proficiency, the district’s investigative agencies have met the challenge through agility and dedication to continued innovations in both deterrent and proactive technological solutions to cyber and other emerging technology crime trends.”

Both defendants’ 48-month prison sentences will be followed by 5 years supervised release. Both defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the victims. 

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA –– Howard Louis Anderson, Jr., 40, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to twenty years in federal prison following his conviction for production of child pornography. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

Anderson entered a guilty plea on March 1, 2021. Court documents reflect that in 2019, Anderson placed a hidden camera in the bathroom of his residence. On numerous occasions, he created lascivious video recordings of a minor child using the bathroom. In August 2019, a search warrant was executed at Anderson’s residence and the videos and several hidden cameras were recovered. The victim was identified after investigators reviewed the recordings.

“The abuse committed by this child predator has come to an end as a result of the vigilant efforts of our law enforcement partners,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Moreover, the sentence imposed acknowledges the heinous conduct and should serve as a significant deterrent to those that would attempt to prey upon our most vunerable.”

Anderson’s prison sentence will be followed by lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.

“This sentence sends a strong message to those who engage in criminal activity and abuse the trust of innocent children," said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. "I am proud of the diligent work of our agents and our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate sexual perpetrators and bring them to justice."

The case was investigated by the Gainesville Police Department, North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA –– Edgar Antwarn Moultrie, 46, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to fifteen years in federal prison following his conviction for receipt of child pornography. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

Moultrie entered a guilty plea on March 1, 2021. Court documents reflect that Moultrie was under investigation for using an Internet social networking site to engage in sexually explicit communications with a 13-year-old. Further investigation determined that Moultrie had received numerous sexually explicit images and videos of the child within a three-month period. 

“Crimes against children are among the most heinous types of offenses and deserving of the most significant sentences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who would use social media to solicit and obtain sexually explicit material from a child are identified and held accountable for their actions.”

Moultrie’s prison sentence will be followed by lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.

"This case reinforces the message that the victimization of children will not be tolerated by law enforcement," said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division.  "Having a dedicated task force with our law enforcement partners to address these issues gives us more resources to identify, investigate and arrest online predators. The FBI will continue to work hand in hand with our partners to pursue these criminals to protect our children."

The case was investigated by the Gainesville Police Department, North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Shuntae Kirksey, 26, of Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced yesterday to 210 months in federal prison after pleading guilty on April 18, 2021, to one count of production of child pornography. Destin Banks, 32, of Tallahassee, Florida was sentenced yesterday to 130 months in federal prison after pleading guilty on May 6, 2021, to one count of coercing or enticing a minor to engage in prostitution. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentencing. 

“These sentences further affirm our commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Through concerted efforts like Operation Stolen Innocence, we will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prey upon our children.”

“Operation Stolen Innocence continues to increase the safety and security of our local communities and highlights the strong law enforcement partnership between HSI and the Tallahassee Police Department,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs.

“We are pleased to see two more offenders, who posed a significant threat to this community, taken off of our streets,” said Chief Lawrence Revell. “Operation Stolen Innocence has produced a continuous flow of arrests on those individuals that prey on our children. Additionally, these arrests speak volumes of the dedication and diligent work of our investigators and every agency we have worked with along the way in this fight to dismantle sexual exploitation in Tallahassee. This is a fight that we will never give up on.”

Kirksey and Banks’ prison sentence will be followed by 10 years supervised release and they both will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.

Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven prosecuted this case which was the result of a collaborative investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations as part of Operation Stolen Innocence, a multi-agency coordinated effort by the United States Marshals Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of State Attorney, Second Judicial Circuit, to combat human trafficking in the Tallahassee area.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced today the sentences of defendants who were indicted in multiple cases and convicted for their participation in an opioid, methamphetamine, and cocaine distribution ring previously active in Okaloosa County. The prosecutions were the result of a large-scale multi-agency investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office over the past two years.

In the summer of 2019, federal agents seized over 16.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 7 kilograms of fentanyl/heroin mixtures, over 2 kilograms of opioid pills, over a kilogram of cocaine, and almost 2 kilograms of marijuana from locations in the Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Sandestin areas. Over $180,000 in drug proceeds, eight vehicles, five firearms, and over 1300 rounds of ammunition were seized and forfeited to the government.

As a result of the investigation, the following defendants were convicted and have been sentenced to the following prison terms in federal court:

• Henry Clay White IV, 43, of Fort Walton Beach—120 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and four counts possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon;
• Jonah R. Jack-Fuller, 40, of Fort Walton Beach—66 months for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon;
• Gesnan Mejia-Urbina, 32, of Fort Walton Beach—30 months for illegal reentry by a removed alien and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and removed alien;
• Joshua K. Bailey, 40, of Miramar Beach—300 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon as an armed career criminal;
• Stephannie N. Macnew, 31, of Fort Walton Beach—120 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Alexander X. Evans, 34, of Fort Walton Beach—75 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Thomas A. Mitchell, 37, of Mary Esther—28 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Stephen S. Wilson, 31, of Fort Walton Beach—120 months for two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Barry D. Harrelson, 37, of Navarre—360 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon as an armed career criminal;
• Milton C. Pruitt, 60, of Fort Walton Beach—36 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Nicholas D. Latson, 36, of Mary Esther—69 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and violation of federal supervised release;
• Ira D. Alston, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia—awaiting sentencing on September 1, 2021, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to use a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking;
• Tommy Lee Lovett, III, 37, of Milton—awaiting sentencing on September 16, 2021, for three counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and violation of federal supervised release; and
• Andre Pierre Frank, 32, of Navarre—awaiting sentencing on November 29, 2021, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

“This multi-year investigation and the resulting sentences demonstrate our law enforcement partners’ tireless efforts and commitment to public safety,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “As a result of our partners’ collective efforts, a dangerous trafficking organization has been dismantled and its members have been held to account for their distribution of deadly substances.”

“This investigation is an outstanding example of what we can accomplish through our law enforcement partnerships,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert.  “These sentences should serve as a deterrent to those who engage in criminal activities that put our communities at risk and reaffirms the Drug Enforcement Administration’s commitment to keeping our communities safe from these violent criminals.”

“This complex investigation exemplifies how leveraging law enforcement partnerships and expertise can thwart violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier. “Together we are removing criminal organizations from our communities who commit firearms crimes and other dangerous acts that pose a threat to public safety.”

These cases resulted from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Fort Walton Beach Police Department, Crestview Police Department, Gulf Breeze Police Department, and Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes prosecuted these cases.

These prosecutions are all part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced today the sentences and upcoming sentence of defendants who were indicted in multiple cases and convicted for their participation in a methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana ring previously active in Crestview. The prosecutions were the result of a large-scale multi-agency investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office during a two-year investigation.

From the summer of 2018 through the fall of 2019, law enforcement seized over 12 kilograms of marijuana, 9 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 3 kilograms of cocaine, 680 grams of crack cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of heroin, 10 firearms, $71,094.00 in U.S. Currency, and $15,845 in drug proceeds, from multiple locations in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, and Cottondale.

As a result of the investigation, the following defendants were convicted and have been sentenced to the following in federal court:

• Johnnie Hill Callahan III, 38, of Crestview— 20 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon;
• Arthur John Collins III, 39, of Crestview—10 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution, and possession with intent to distribute of controlled substances;
• Cavese Marcus Will Charles Barnes, 38, of Crestview—10 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances;
• Rusty Zakee Moorer, 41, of Crestview—5 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Daniel Glenn Capps, 40, of Crestview—40 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Stephanie Anne Martin, 29, of Crestview—30 months imprisonment conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Derrick Lavert Lewis, 39, of Crestview—30 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances;
• Dewayne Anthony Marion, 33, of Crestview— 5 years’ supervised release conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Ghazwan Famil Brown, 38, of Crestview—5 years’ probation for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances; and
• Kenneth N.  Harrison, 40, of Crestview—awaiting sentencing on November 29, 2021, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

“This multi-year investigation and the resulting sentences demonstrate our law enforcement partners’ tireless efforts and commitment to public safety,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “As a result of our partners’ collective efforts, a dangerous trafficking organization has been dismantled and its members have been held to account for their distribution of deadly substances. I want to commend both the former Okaloosa County Sheriff Larry Ashley and the current Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden for their leadership and exceptional efforts to partner local, state, and federal agencies together to remove drug traffickers from our streets.”

“This investigation is an outstanding example of what we can accomplish through our law enforcement partnerships,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert.  “These sentences should serve as a deterrent to those who engage in criminal activities that put our communities at risk and reaffirms the Drug Enforcement Administration’s commitment to keeping our communities safe from these violent criminals.”

“This complex investigation exemplifies how leveraging law enforcement partnerships and expertise can thwart violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier.  “Together we are removing criminal organizations from our communities who commit firearms crimes and other dangerous acts that pose a threat to public safety.”

These cases resulted from a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Crestview Police Department, and Gulf Breeze Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love prosecuted these cases.

These prosecutions are all part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Tallahassee has convicted John Thomas Burnette, 44, of Tallahassee, Florida of one count of Extortion Under Color of Official Right, two counts of Honest Services Fraud by Bribery, one count of Use of Interstate Commerce Facilities to Promote Bribery, and one count of Making False Statements to a Federal Officer. The guilty verdict was returned August 13, 2021, at the conclusion of a fifteen-day trial.

Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, Jason R. Coody, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Rachel Rojas of the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office made the announcement.

In December 2018, a federal grand jury charged Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox and Paige Carter-Smith in a forty-four count indictment. In May 2019, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding Burnette as a defendant. Maddox and Carter-Smith subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts of Honest Services Fraud by Bribery and one count of Conspiring to Interfere with the Lawful Function of the IRS. In October 2019, a grand jury returned a second superseding indictment against Burnette.

At trial, the government presented evidence that Burnette engaged in a multi-year scheme with Maddox and Carter-Smith to commit extortion, fraud, and bribery. During the scheme, Burnette and Maddox extorted bribe payments from FBI undercover agents (“UCs”) who were posing as real estate developers and entrepreneurs. Burnette instructed the UCs that to obtain preferential treatment, they must pay bribes to Maddox through Governance Services. Burnette, Maddox, Carter-Smith, and the UCs agreed that the UCs would pay Governance Services $10,000 per month in exchange for Maddox agreeing to perform official acts meant to benefit the UCs’ sham development company.

In 2017, FBI agents approached Burnette, identified themselves as FBI agents, and asked Burnette about his involvement in the bribe payments to Maddox. During the interview, Burnette repeatedly lied about his knowledge of the UCs’ payments to and involvement with Maddox. 

"Today's verdict affirms a multi-year investigation of public corruption in the City of Tallahassee," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody.  "Our citizens deserve and expect that those in public office will act in the public's interest, rather than their own and that of their confederates. Those who violate their oath and betray the public's trust will be the subject of this office and our law enforcement partners' unwavering efforts, which will continue beyond this verdict."

“Our citizens are entitled to decisions based on the best interests of the public, not the best interests of corrupt public officials and bribe-paying business owners seeking to line their own pocketbooks,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division.  “Let there be no doubt - bribes are not good business in Tallahassee, nor anywhere else.  The FBI remains fully committed to ensuring that anyone who violates the public’s trust is held accountable.”

Burnette’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 28, 2021, at 1:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before the Honorable United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. Burnette faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for Counts Two, Five, and Six (the Extortion and Honest Services Fraud offenses) and 5 years for Counts Eight and Nine (the Use of Interstate Facilities to Promote Bribery and Making False Statements to a Federal Officer offenses).

Scott Maddox and Paige Carter-Smith’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 9, 2021, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before the Honorable United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. Both Maddox and Smith face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for the Honest Services Wire Fraud and Honest Services Mail Fraud offenses and 5 years in prison for the Conspiracy to Defraud the United States offense.

The conviction was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case against Maddox and Carter-Smith was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen M. Kunz, and Andrew J. Grogan of the Northern District of Florida, and Deputy Chief Peter M. Nothstein, and Trial Attorney Rosaleen T. O’Gara of the Department of Justice, Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA –Kathleen M. Jasper, 42, and Jeremy M. Jasper, 40, both of Estero, Florida, pled guilty today to racketeering (RICO) conspiracy and conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets.  Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty pleas.

Court documents reflect since January 2016, the Jaspers, who are both certified Florida teachers, stole content and conspired with others to steal content from the Florida Teacher Certification Exams (FTCE) and the Florida Educational Leadership Exam (FELE) and included the stolen content in the test preparation materials and services that were sold through their business, NavaEd, LLC (“NavaEd”) for personal profit. 

NavaEd, LLC, was a company that offered tutoring and training to prepare prospective Florida educators to successfully take and pass the FTCE and the FELE. Passage of these exams are required for certification in the state of Florida. NavaEd offered training publications for sale worldwide directly through its website and through third-party e-commerce websites such as Amazon and Shopify.  Both Kathleen and Jeremy Jasper took the FTCE and FELE multiple times – after having already passed the exams – in order see and memorize, or harvest, as many different exam questions as possible. The Jaspers also directed NavaEd employees and independent contractors to take the FTCE and FELE for the purpose of harvesting exam questions and answers.

The Jaspers and NavaEd customers shared the stolen FTCE and FELE test content with each other through email, phone, video conferencing, and messaging applications. The Jaspers republished the stolen FTCE and FELE test content – verbatim and almost verbatim – into NavaEd publications that were written to prepare future Florida teachers and school administrators for the certification exams. These publications and other NavaEd FTCE and FELE preparation materials were disseminated and used during NavaEd training seminars and tutoring sessions.

Both defendants face a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for RICO conspiracy. Further, both defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets.

The Jaspers’ sentencing hearings are scheduled for November 15, 2021, at 9:00 AM at the United States District Court in Tallahassee before the Honorable District Judge Allen Winsor.

This case was jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the United States Department of Education – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Education, with assistance by Pearson VUE, the company with whom the Florida Department of Education contracted to administer, and provide test security for, the FTCE and FELE.  Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Gainesville has convicted Justin Lewis, 38, of Ocala, Florida of six counts of wire fraud. The guilty verdict, returned Tuesday, at the conclusion of a five-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Evidence introduced at trial revealed that between September 2015, and February 2018, Lewis engaged in a scheme to defraud a wireless carrier by obtaining unlimited cellular data lines through fraudulent means and reselling them to the public for a 1500% mark-up. During most of this time-period, unlimited plans were not widely available to the public. When his actions were discovered, Lewis made false representations to the carrier, created new companies in other people’s names, and submitted altered documentation to conceal his activities. Finally, he used a technique to manipulate the carrier’s customer website portal to obtain unlimited data for free through accounts he had opened in other people’s names.

“Notwithstanding the size of the corporation, fraud schemes harm companies and their customers,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “The deceptive, persistent, and sophisticated acts employed by this defendant demonstrate the danger posed to both corporations and their consumers. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in acts of corporate fraud.”

“This case is an example of the FBI’s relentless effort to protect American companies and their customers,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division.  “When individuals defraud corporations, it is ultimately us – the corporation’s customers – who pay the price. The FBI remains committed to pursuing investigations into corporate fraud in an effort to protect consumers from bearing the costs associated with criminal activity.”

Lewis’ sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 26, 2021, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before the Honorable United States District Judge Allen Winsor.  Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offenses.

This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Gary Milligan and David Byron prosecuted the case. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jose Roberto Garcia Arroyo, 45, of Haines City, Florida, has been sentenced to serve more than eleven years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine.  The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

In May 2020, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received information that Garcia Arroyo, the maintenance supervisor at two local apartment complexes in Gainesville, was receiving shipments of cocaine from Puerto Rico through the United States Postal Service.  FBI agents teamed up with agents from the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Office and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. After researching parcel history associated with the two complexes, agents were able to determine that between August 2019 and June 2020, 110 parcels had been shipped from Puerto Rico, most weighing approximately 6 pounds.  One of these historical parcels was interdicted by USPIS at a postal facility and found to contain 2 kilograms of cocaine.  Agents were also able to determine that a shipment of parcels was in transit to the apartment complexes. 

“This investigation demonstrates the effectiveness and collaborative efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners, to identify and intercept shipments of illegal substances via the United States Mail,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “The sentence imposed should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would use the United States Postal Service to conduct illegal activities.”

A joint surveillance operation was conducted in Gainesville on June 11, 2020.  During this operation, agents learned that Garcia Arroyo obtained 6 parcels from the postal carrier which had been shipped from Puerto Rico to addresses within the apartment complexes.  Shortly thereafter, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) deputy conducted a traffic stop on Garcia Arroyo’s vehicle and a subsequent search of the truck revealed 6 priority mail parcels in the truck’s bed.  These parcels were each found to contain 2 kilograms of cocaine.  A search warrant was executed at Garcia Arroyo’s maintenance office and priority mailboxes and a drug ledger were located and seized. On June 12, 2020, USPIS interdicted another priority mail parcel that had been shipped from Puerto Rico to the apartment complexes in Gainesville.  This parcel was also found to contain 2 kilograms of cocaine.

“We appreciate and applaud the outstanding work by the investigative and legal teams,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Pierce, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Southern Area Field office. “As this sentence clearly shows, any individual or organization who chooses to use the U.S. Mail to further illicit narcotics trafficking activity will be aggressively investigated and held accountable for their illegal conduct.”

As a result of the combined investigative efforts of these law enforcement agencies, Garcia Arroyo was held accountable at sentencing for trafficking 234 kilograms of cocaine. Authorities were able to seize 16 kilograms of cocaine over the course of the investigation.

This sentencing resulted from the collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service Office, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Elsey prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – On Thursday afternoon, David E. Merry, 60, of Pensacola, was sentenced to eleven years in prison on federal charges related to his receipt of child pornography. The sentence, which followed his guilty plea, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Court documents reflect, in February 2019, officers with the Pensacola Police Department received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a particular online account with Google maintained child pornography. Homeland Security Investigations and the Pensacola Police Department were able to geo-locate the criminal activity of Merry to Pensacola.  The Pensacola Police Department, through a records check, confirmed that Merry was a suspect in two prior child exploitation investigations in 2016 and 2017. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Merry’s Google account, identifying the child pornography he maintained in the cloud. Law enforcement then obtained and executed a search warrant at Merry’s residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple electronic devices. A forensic review of the seized items revealed thousands of images of child pornography. Merry was arrested and released on bond conditions. While on release, probation officers suspected that Merry continued his illicit activity, and federal agents were able to seize his newly obtained cellular telephone and search it pursuant to a warrant. Additional images of child pornography were located, and Merry was taken into custody without bond. He has been in custody awaiting sentencing since that time. 

During the sentencing hearing, United States District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers considered a prior offense in which Merry was identified as having sexually exploited a minor female.    

“The abuse committed by this child predator has come to an end as a result of the vigilant efforts of our law enforcement partners,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who engage in such heinous conduct will be held accountable for their actions.”

“Merry will now face accountability for his continued delight in the disgusting images of children being exploited,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Sibley, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Northern Florida. “Every time one of these images is shared or viewed it revictimizes an innocent person.”

“This sentence is an example of the great partnership between Pensacola Police and the U.S. Department of Justice,” said Pensacola Police Chief Eric Randall. This team is determined to hold those fully accountable who seek to do harm to our children.”

Following his 11-year term of imprisonment, Merry will be supervised by the United States Probation Office for the rest of his life.

The case was investigated by United States Homeland Security Investigations, the Pensacola Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Meredith L. Steer.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA –Taree Lamott Armstrong, 30, of Haines City, Florida, has been sentenced to twelve years in federal prison after pleading guilty to multiple drug-trafficking offenses. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

According to court documents, on March 25, 2020, Armstrong was stopped by a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol for having a license plate attached to the wrong vehicle. During the traffic stop, the trooper found approximately $1520 and two bags of marijuana in Armstrong’s pockets. A search of Armstrong’s vehicle revealed cocaine, crack cocaine, hydrocodone, 43.6 grams of methamphetamine, and 2.25 pounds of marijuana. Armstrong was arrested on state charges and released on bond.

On July 2, 2020, Armstrong was a passenger in a traffic crash which occurred in Tallahassee. During the accident investigation, officers of the Tallahassee Police Department discovered that Armstrong attempted to hide two black bags which contained marijuana, crack cocaine, and drug paraphernalia associated with the sale of controlled substances. Officers also discovered approximately $1453 in Armstrong’s pockets. Armstrong was arrested on state charges and was again released on bond.

On August 4, 2020, Armstrong was federally indicted for the previous drug-related charges. Armstrong was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Florida Highway Patrol, on August 6, 2020, to address the federal charges. Upon his arrest, agents seized methamphetamine, marijuana, synthetic marijuana, approximately $1160 in cash, and two digital scales from his vehicle.

Armstrong’s prior criminal history includes nine felony convictions, several of which involve narcotics distribution and violence against law enforcement officers. Given the nature of his prior felony convictions, Armstrong qualified as a Career Offender and was subject to increased Federal sentencing penalties.

“Those who repeatedly commit serious crimes are deserving of significant prison sentences,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “This career criminal has demonstrated his unwillingness to abide by the law, committing repeated drug crimes – while on bond for identical violations. Given the outstanding work of our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, he will no longer be distributing drugs in our community.”

“As always, the Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to working with our law enforcement partners as these relationships are vital to protecting our communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert. “The strong partnership with the Florida Highway Patrol and Tallahassee Police Department allowed us to quickly coordinate efforts that led directly to another career criminal being taken off our streets.”

This sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Here in Tallahassee, the Sheriff’s ALLinLEON initiative has focused on enforcement, but also engaged community volunteers to regularly take at-risk youth to places of worship, activated Neighborhood Crime Watch programs, and conducted other activities to target neighborhoods that are perennial hotspots for violence. The effort also aims to help connect individuals who are reentering the community from incarceration with education, job skills and substance abuse treatment.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Mark D. Schneider, 60, formerly of Niceville, Florida, pled guilty yesterday to multiple federal tax crimes, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Schneider, who lived in Niceville during the commission of his offenses, was recently arrested by the United States Marshals Service after becoming a fugitive when he failed to appear on the day of his trial in Pensacola in January 2021.

At his guilty plea, Schneider admitted in federal court that, while living in Niceville and then in Huntsville, Alabama, he evaded paying his federal income taxes between 2007 and 2016.  Schneider agreed that the taxes he evaded payment on totaled over $200,000.  During the plea, he also confirmed that he attempted to obstruct the Internal Revenue Service investigation into his criminal behavior by mailing false and fictitious documents, fraudulently trying to claim tax refunds, and interfering with federal grand jury subpoenas. When Schneider failed to appear for his federal jury trial in Pensacola in January, a warrant was issued for his arrest. The United States Marshals Service found Schneider working at a hotel outside Cleveland, Ohio, and took him into custody. At his guilty plea, Schneider also admitted to failing to appear to court as directed by Court Order.

“The United States relies on the payment of taxes to defend our country and maintain its operations,” stated Acting United States Attorney Coody. “We will investigate and prosecute those who falsely misrepresent their income – whether by traditional evasion or the filing of fraudulent documents. Notwithstanding, falsification and flight, this defendant has been held to account as a result of the collective efforts of IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service.”

“The defendant has demonstrated a flagrant pattern of evasion as indicated by his own admission to a years-long scheme to evade his tax obligations and further by his failed attempt to evade answering to the related charges by becoming a fugitive,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Payne of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Thanks to our partnership with the U.S. Marshals, Mr. Schneider will now be held accountable for all of his attempts to elude justice.” 

Schneider’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 15, 2021, at 10:30 am, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Schneider faces up to 30 years imprisonment on the tax related crimes. He faces up to 10 years, consecutively, for failing to appear in court as ordered.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Kaitlin Weiss.   

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Tallahassee has convicted Daniel Gutierrez, 37, of San Luis, Arizona of possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute. The guilty verdict, returned yesterday, at the conclusion of a three-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Evidence introduced at trial revealed that on September 19, 2020, Gutierrez was driving a tractor trailer loaded with vehicles on I-10 in Madison County, Florida. A Trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol noted the license plate on the trailer was obscured and initiated a traffic stop. While conducting the traffic stop, a canine was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics.

During a search of the vehicle, Troopers recovered a clear bag with approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine, and a separate bag containing approximately 10 grams of what appeared to be oxycodone pills. Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and revealed that the pills thought to be oxycodone contained fentanyl.  

“The Florida Highway Patrol works tirelessly to keep us safe and serve a critical role in our efforts to remove addictive and deadly controlled substances from our communities,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Along with our partners at the DEA, they are to be commended for their efforts.”  

Gutierrez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 12, 2021, at 11:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before the Honorable United States District Judge Allen Winsor. Gutierrez faces a sentence of ten years to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and five years of supervised release.

“The Florida Highway Patrol works tirelessly to ensure the safety and security for those travelling on Florida’s roadways,” said Colonel Gene Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “I am extremely proud of our troopers who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. Our commitment to partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are unwavering.”

“The guilty verdict demonstrates the outstanding work that is done through the successful partnership between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Highway Patrol,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert. “DEA remains committed to our relationships with our law enforcement partners for the safety of our communities.”

This conviction was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Kaitlin Weiss and Lazaro Fields prosecuted the case. 

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Tallahassee has convicted Brian Joins, 51, and Joshua Webb, 38, both of Panama City, Florida for the offenses of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Webb was also convicted for the offense of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The guilty verdict returned today, at the conclusion of a four-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Evidence introduced during the trial revealed that guns and drugs were seized by law enforcement during the execution of two search warrants from two different residences in Panama City, Florida. More specifically, during the execution of the first search warrant on August 7, 2020, law enforcement seized approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine and a .25 caliber Beretta firearm from a Panama City residence and a vehicle parked outside. Both Joins and Webb were found near the methamphetamine, which had been divided into equal amounts of roughly one kilogram. Joins and Webb were arrested, and Webb was subsequently released on a state court bond. During the execution of the second search warrant on August 28, 2020, law enforcement seized a Hi-Point 9mm firearm from a different Panama City residence, occupied by Webb, and approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine from his vehicle which was parked outside.

Joins and Webb are scheduled to be sentenced before Chief District Court Judge Mark Walker on October 8, 2021, at 10:00 am and 11:00 am respectively, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida. Both defendants face not less than ten years imprisonment to life and not less than five years on supervised release for the conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute convictions. Webb also faces not more than ten years imprisonment and not more than three years on supervised release for his conviction of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Aine Ahmed prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Chester Herbert, 41, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

Court documents reflect, on December 9, 2018, officers of the Tallahassee Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance and found Herbert loading belongings into a friend’s vehicle. Officers determined that Herbert had multiple outstanding warrants and arrested him. Witnesses advised that Herbert had placed a firearm into his friend’s vehicle prior to the officers’ arrival. The friend allowed officers to retrieve the firearm, which had previously been reported stolen. Herbert subsequently admitted his possession of the firearm, as well as a box of ammunition.

Herbert’s prior criminal history includes eleven felony convictions in both Georgia and Florida, several of which involve narcotics distribution and violence against law enforcement officers. Given the nature of his prior felony convictions, Herbert qualified as an Armed Career Criminal and was subject to increased Federal sentencing penalties.

"Those who repeatedly commit serious crimes are deserving of significant prison sentences," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. "Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners and honest, law-abiding citizens, this armed felon has been called to account for his continued criminal conduct."

"Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is not only illegal, but it compromises the safety of our communities," said ATF Special Agent in Charge, Craig W. Saier. "This sentencing is another example that working jointly with our partners and citizens makes our communities safer."

This sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department, with assistance from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Kaitlin Weiss prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Here in Tallahassee, the Sheriff’s ALLinLEON initiative has focused on enforcement, and also engaged community volunteers to regularly take at-risk youth to places of worship, activated Neighborhood Crime Watch programs, and conducted other activities to target neighborhoods that are perennial hotspots for violence. The effort also aims to help connect individuals who are reentering the community from incarceration with education, job skills and substance abuse treatment.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Eric Matthew Lipman, 59, of Tallahassee, Florida, was arrested this morning after a federal grand jury in Tallahassee returned an indictment charging him with conspiracy to produce, distribute, possess, and receive child pornography. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Beginning February 8, 2021, through February 11, 2021, the indictment alleges that Lipman conspired to distribute, receive, and possess material containing child pornography. The indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy, Lipman, along with others, was a participant in Mega.NZ chat groups that distributed, received, possessed, and discussed child pornography images and videos. It is further alleged that the participants posted child pornography images and videos within Mega.NZ chat groups for the benefit of other like-minded participants. The indictment alleges that Mega.NZ was an Internet cloud storage and file hosting service based in New Zealand. Lipman is also charged with receiving, distributing, and possessing material containing child pornography. The pornographic material allegedly found in Lipman’s possession involved a prepubescent minor, as well as a minor under the age of 12.

Lipman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy, receiving material containing child pornography, and distributing material containing child pornography, with a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of material containing child pornography, followed by a term of 5 years to life of supervised release on all counts following his prison sentence.

This case resulted from an investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.

A jury trial for Lipman is scheduled for August 23, 2021, at 8:15am. He will be tried before the Honorable United States Chief District Judge Mark Walker at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – On Friday afternoon, a federal judge in Tallahassee sentenced Madison King, 23, of Nashville, Georgia, to 25 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to produce, distribute, possess, and receive child pornography. The sentence, which followed her guilty plea last year, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. 

Court documents reflect, in July 2019, representatives of local, state, and federal law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Tallahassee residence of King’s co-defendant, Gregory Johnson.  While conducting the search, authorities found messages on Johnson’s phone that demonstrated Johnson and King had conspired to produce child pornography.  The recovered evidence included short video clips and pictures that King had taken and transmitted to Johnson depicting the sexual abuse of a toddler. Florida investigators quickly obtained emergency legal process to locate King and contacted their Georgia counterparts. That same day, agents with Homeland Security Investigations, in concert with the Berrien County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, executed a search of King’s Nashville, Georgia residence, whereupon the child was rescued.

King’s co-defendant, Johnson, has also pleaded guilty to the federal charges. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2021, before Chief United States District Judge Mark Walker.

“There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Acts of such depravity, committed by a caregiver, are both horrific and incomprehensible. Our law enforcement partners are to be commended for the swift, multi-state investigation, which resulted in the immediate rescue of this child, preventing further abuse.”

“During the course of this investigation, a child was saved from this predator thanks to HSI partnerships in our offices in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and here in Tallahassee,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs.

“There is no crime worse than the crimes against our children,” said Berrien County Sheriff Ray Paulk. “I would like to thank our investigators and our District Attorney’s Office for acting swiftly and efficiently in this case to ensure the safety of this child. I also want to thank all of the local, state, and federal law enforcement that worked together in making a case like this priority.” 

This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Michelle Spaven prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Late Thursday afternoon, a federal judge in Pensacola sentenced Tony M. Streeter, 47, of Fort Walton Beach, to 30 years in prison on multiple drug charges, firearms offenses, and a conspiracy to commit an arson related offense. The sentence, which followed a jury trial in federal court in March of this year, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

According to testimony presented at trial, in August 2019, law enforcement conducted an undercover methamphetamine purchase from Streeter at his Fort Walton Beach residence. Thereafter, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Streeter’s residence. Among items obtained from his residence, law enforcement seized Streeter’s 2012 Mercedes SUV and placed it in a secured impound lot at the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office for further processing. Within approximately 72 hours of the vehicle being secured in the impound lot, it was set ablaze. Further evidence revealed that Streeter conspired with his sister, Betty Joe Streeter, and his nephew, William Sims, to break into the law enforcement impound lot under the cover of darkness and attempt to locate and remove a hidden firearm and drugs from Streeter’s SUV. After recovering a hidden stash of methamphetamine from Streeter’s SUV, Streeter then instructed Sims to set the vehicle ablaze in hopes of destroying any remaining evidence. Despite their efforts, a loaded firearm was later located in the burned vehicle when searched by law enforcement. Betty Joe Streeter and Sims entered guilty pleas related to this case and have been previously sentenced to prison.

“This sentence acknowledges the defendant’s designation as a Career Offender and an Armed Career Criminal under federal law, as well as the danger associated with his acts of arson,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Moreover, the sentence should serve as a deterrent to those who would seek to enlist others in efforts to conceal their criminal conduct.”

“When we collaborate with our law enforcement partners, we effectively interrupt the cycle of violence,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier. “ATF will not tolerate felons in possession of firearms nor the use of arson, a violent crime, to conceal their criminal activities.”

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see that Tony Streeter’s long criminal legacy is now at a halt for decades thanks to the dedicated efforts and teamwork of our local, state, and federal partners,” said Sheriff Eric Aden. Streeter is no longer a threat to public safety, and I want to applaud all those whose unwavering commitment to our community helped put this dangerous individual behind bars where he belongs.”

This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Meredith Steer prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Brian G. Kolfage, of Miramar Beach, Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for an additional crime related to the filing of his 2019 income taxes, announced Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida today. Kolfage, who faces a separate federal indictment out of the Southern District of New York for fraud and money laundering related offenses, now faces two distinct counts of filing a false tax return and one count of wire fraud related to the electronic filing of his tax return in Northern Florida.

The original indictment alleged that between January 2019 and July 2020, Kolfage engaged in a scheme to defraud the government in relation to his 2019 federal income tax returns. The charges alleged that Kolfage received hundreds of thousands of dollars from multiple organizations during 2019, including We Build the Wall, Inc., which were deposited into his personal bank account. Kolfage is alleged to have failed to report this income to the Internal Revenue Service.

The recently filed superseding indictment in the Northern District of Florida alleges a new count of Kolfage filing a false amended tax return in December 2020, a few months after the Southern District of New York indictment became public. 

Kolfage will be arraigned on this superseding indictment on July 21, 2021, at 11:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

The charges contained in the superseding indictment are only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Lazaro P. Fields.   

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Keith A. Penn, 41, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and firearm charges. Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence.

“This case is another example of the success that can be achieved through collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement agencies,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody.  “As a result of the excellent relationship between the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, this armed drug trafficker has been held accountable for his criminal conduct, and the community is safer as a result.”

In July 2020, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office made two controlled purchases of cocaine from Penn, leading to a search warrant for his apartment. During the execution of the warrant on August 11, 2020, LCSO recovered six firearms, over fifty grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia associated with the sale of narcotics such as scales and baggies, and approximately $5925 in cash. Penn was arrested on state charges and was placed on pretrial release. LCSO conducted another controlled purchase of cocaine from Penn on October 13, 2020 and obtained a second search warrant for his apartment. During the execution of the second warrant on October 30, 2020, LCSO found various calibers of firearm ammunition, a small amount of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia (scales and baggies). LCSO also found approximately six grams of cocaine individually packaged into 25 baggies in Penn’s car, and over $900 in his pants pocket.

Penn pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense, and two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Penn qualified for enhanced penalties as an Armed Career Criminal because of prior convictions for armed robbery with a deadly weapon and two counts of sale of cocaine. The Court also ordered 6 years of supervised release following Penn’s prison term.

“ATF takes possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon serious,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig W. Saier, “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat these crimes that endanger our communities.”

This sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.

This case falls within the purview of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to combat violent crime in the community. Here in Tallahassee, the Sheriff’s ALLinLEON initiative has focused on enforcement, but also engaged community volunteers to regularly take at-risk youth to places of worship, activated Neighborhood Crime Watch programs, and conducted other activities to target neighborhoods that are perennial hotspots for violence. The effort also aims to help connect individuals who are reentering the community from incarceration with education, job skills and substance abuse treatment.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Willie Murphy, Jr., 39, of Tampa, Florida, has been sentenced to serve 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and a synthetic cathinone as a result of his previously entered guilty plea. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

On June 5, 2020, Florida Highway Patrol troopers conducted a traffic stop on Murphy’s vehicle as it travelled northbound on Interstate 75 through Alachua County. During a search of the vehicle, troopers located more than 55 grams of cocaine base (crack), and over 1,100 pills later determined to be Eutylone Hydrochloride (a synthetic cathinone), and a small amount of marijuana. During questioning, Murphy admitted that he had a couple ounces of crack and about 1000 “molly” pills in the vehicle, which he intended to sell.

Murphy’s prior criminal history includes more than 15 felony convictions, several which involve narcotics distribution and violence against law enforcement officers. As a result, he has been previously incarcerated in the Florida Department of Corrections on five separate occasions. 

“Those who repeatedly commit serious crimes are deserving of significant prison sentences,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “Thanks to the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners at the Florida Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration, this recidivist drug trafficker has been called to account for his continued criminal conduct.”

“The robust partnerships established between our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies allow us to work together to prevent crime and stop drug trafficking,” said Lieutenant Colonel Troy Thompson, Deputy Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “We are proud of our partnerships and the incredible efforts our Florida Highway Patrol troopers perform every day to build a stronger, safer Florida”.

“This conviction highlights the importance of the relationship between the federal and state law enforcement agencies,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge La Verne Hibbert. “As a result of the collaboration with our law enforcement partners, this repeat offender will now be behind bars, and rendering our community safer.”   

This sentencing resulted from the collaborative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Elsey prosecuted the case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.