Northern District of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michael A. Chmielewski, 38, of Tallahassee, a former State of Florida legislative staffer, was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison after being convicted on September 29, 2017, of attempted enticement of a minor.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In February 2017, undercover investigators conducted “Operation Cupid’s Arrow” to identify individuals seeking to engage in sexual activity with minors.  Chmielewski responded to a Craigslist advertisement in which an undercover officer posed as a 14-year-old girl named “Sara.”  Over two days, Chmielewski continued his conversation with “Sara” on the chat messaging application Kik, discussed sexual activity with “Sara,” and traveled to meet “Sara” in person to have sex.  Chmielewski was arrested after arriving at a store to meet “Sara.”

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “Together with our law enforcement partners, my office will prosecute to the fullest extent any child predators who lurk in the shadows of the internet seeking to destroy the lives of innocent young children.”

 

“When this man thought he was going to sexually assault a minor, law enforcement stopped him in his tracks,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.  “Working with our law enforcement partners in the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, HSI special agents have ensured this predator is held accountable for his crimes.”

 

The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Cocoa Police Department, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann.

 

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 – Cody Daniel Davis, 23, of Tallahassee, was arraigned Friday in the U.S. District Court in Tallahassee after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with receipt, possession, and access with intent to view child pornography.  The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The indictment alleges that, between May 2016 and June 2017, Davis received and possessed child pornography.  The trial is scheduled for February 12, 2018, at 8:15 a.m.

 

For the receipt charge, the minimum penalty is 5 years, and the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison.  For the possession charge, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison.

 

The case is being investigated by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann.

 

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 in a court of law.

 

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 – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and Godby High School will present a BLAST Program event on Tuesday to approximately 50 students.

 

Event: BLAST Program

Location: Godby High School

1717 West Tharpe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32303

Date: Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Time: 7:45 a.m. – noon EST
Press: Please RSVP to Amy Alexander at [email protected] if you plan to attend.

 

The BLAST Program offers students an opportunity to meet representatives of the criminal justice community and ask them questions, share their perceptions of law enforcement, and interact with law enforcement officers in a familiar setting.  Law enforcement officers also provide students with their perspective on responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the importance of remaining calm and following the officers’ directions in these situations.

 

The schedule will include the following discussion sessions, during which students will have a chance to participate in role play with law enforcement officers.  (Students with media permissions will be identified.)

 

• Criminal Justice Overview: Students will learn about each phase of a federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing.
  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.

 

• Domestic Violence: Students will participate in a scenario in which law enforcement officers respond to a domestic disturbance.  Discussion includes the challenges officers face, rights of witnesses and suspects, and benefits of providing information to law enforcement.
  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.

 

• Traffic Stop Simulation: Participants and officers alternate playing the roles of civilians and officers in a traffic stop.  Discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop.
  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.

 

• Use of Force: Facilitators and students will discuss when law enforcement officers may use force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation.
  This session is closed to the media and public.  Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.

 

Participating agencies include:

• United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida
• Leon County Sheriff’s Office
• Godby High School
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• FAMU Police Department
• Florida Highway Patrol

 

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 – Tangela Lawson-Brown, 41, of Midway, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to 60 months in federal prison after her conviction at trial in October 2017 for crimes arising from the filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The court imposed concurrent sentences of 36 months in prison on each of two counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government funds, and one count of possessing fifteen or more access devices.  Those sentences must be served consecutively to the 24-month sentence imposed upon Lawson-Brown for using the identities of other persons in her fraudulent scheme.  Lawson-Brown was also ordered to pay $141,790 in restitution to the IRS.

 

Between October 2011 and December 2012, Lawson-Brown worked as a nurse at a Tallahassee nursing home.  In January 2013, the Tallahassee Police Department seized a notebook containing the personally identifiable information (“PII”) of more than 150 people from Lawson-Brown’s vehicle. 

 

More than two hundred fraudulent income tax returns were filed for the 2011 and 2012 tax years as part of the scheme.  These returns sought a total of $1,018,121 in refunds and actually caused $141,790 to be disbursed.  Of the fraudulent returns filed, 105 were under names listed in the notebook, with 38 of the victims having been residents at the nursing home where the defendant worked.  Another 42 victims were residents at nursing homes in central Florida, where friends and relatives of Lawson-Brown worked.  Fraudulent returns were filed as quickly as six days after a patient checked in to the defendant’s nursing home.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “This case illustrates the lengths to which criminals will prey upon the vulnerability of elderly and disabled persons.  Relatives and other caregivers should be alert to unauthorized tax returns, bank accounts, credit cards, and financial transactions, and should immediately report identity theft crimes to law enforcement agencies.  My office will continue to aggressively prosecute identity theft crimes to deter those who may be tempted to participate in such activities, especially where it involves persons in positions of trust.”

 

“Tax season is almost here, and today’s sentencing of Tangela Lawson-Brown for filing false tax returns is a powerful reminder of what can happen when you decide to steal from honest taxpayers,” said Shawn Batsch, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Tampa Field Office.  “Through their partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies, IRS Criminal Investigation’s Special Agents will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who would attempt to defraud America’s tax system.”

 

“It is devastating when people in positions of trust victimize the people in their care.  I am proud of the collaboration demonstrated during this investigation as we worked diligently to protect and care for our most vulnerable citizens,” said Chief Michael DeLeo of the Tallahassee Police Department.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Tallahassee Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Simpson prosecuted the case.

 

The U.S. 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.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – After a six-day trial, Lee John Maher, 59, of Orlando, Florida, was convicted yesterday afternoon of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and with retaining and concealing federal funds, knowing that they were wrongly taken.  Co-defendant Larry Kenneth Long, 75, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, previously pled guilty to mail fraud conspiracy.  The verdict was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

Maher and Long were officers of Clean Fuel Lakeland, which operated a biodiesel facility in Lakeland, Florida, in 2009 and 2010.  When federal money became available for energy initiatives under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the men applied for a $2,480,000 grant from the United States Department of Energy through the Florida Governor’s Energy Office.  The Act was designed to encourage new energy investment by reimbursing grantees for monies invested in energy businesses.  The defendants fraudulently obtained funds under the grant by falsely claiming that Clean Fuel had spent $2,480,000 to buy and install a generator to run the biodiesel plant.  As proof that the generator had been purchased, the defendants submitted eight bogus bank checks to the Governor’s Energy Office, reflecting generator payments that had never actually been made.  Based upon their submissions, $2,232,000 in grant funds were disbursed to the Clean Fuel bank account in December 2010.  Immediately, the grant funds were disbursed through Maher’s other bank accounts, with Long receiving 1%, $22,320.  None of the grant funds were ever spent toward the purchase of a generator.  The defendants kept the fraud going until November 2012, through the submission of false progress reports.  The grant funds were ultimately recovered through federal asset seizure and forfeiture actions.

 

Maher’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 9, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee.  Maher faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on each count.  Long’s sentencing is scheduled for later this week.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the United States Secret Service, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Energy Office of Inspector General.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Simpson 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 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.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – William Charles Huff Jr., 32, a former active duty Navy sailor stationed in Pensacola, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty on October 6, 2017, to attempted enticement of a minor for sex.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In October 2016, Huff began text messaging a 13-year-old girl from central Florida.  Huff knew the child from a church they both attended.  When the child’s parents discovered the content of the text messages, they told her to stop communicating with Huff and contacted law enforcement officers.  The child’s parents gave permission for an undercover officer to assume her identity and take control of her cellular telephone.

 

In February 2017, Huff and the undercover officer, acting as the child, began communicating via text message and later through a shared e-mail account that Huff set up.  During this time, Huff told the undercover officer about his sexual desires for the child.  The undercover officer indicated that the child would be going to Destin, Florida, for spring break with a friend.  In March 2017, Huff drove from his residence at the Naval Air Station Pensacola to Destin and was arrested when he arrived at the designated meeting location.

 

The case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beech Grove, Indiana, Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. 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 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 – Three defendants were sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  On November 8, 2017, Sanford Eugene Johnson III, 31, of Pensacola, was sentenced to 151 months in prison.  Yesterday, William Brett Brownell, 26, of Milton, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, and his father, William Ezra Brownell, 60, of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced to 20 months in prison.  The sentences were announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

Between 2014 and 2017, Johnson and the Brownells, along with co-defendants Charles Zachariah Sindylek, Brandon Craig Remeyer, David DelGiacco, Andrew Paul Marcelonis, and Steven Ryan Michael Sholly, conspired to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.  During the same time period, Johnson, the Brownells, Sindylek, Remeyer, DelGiacco, and Marcelonis conspired to launder the proceeds of their drug conspiracy through cash deposits and withdrawals at financial institutions for the purpose of promoting and concealing the drug conspiracy.  More than $3.5 million in cash proceeds from the sale of marijuana was laundered during the time frame of the conspiracy.

 

The remaining defendants are awaiting sentencing on the following dates at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola:

• Remeyer: December 12, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. CST;
• Sindylek: December 19, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. CST;
• Marcelonis: December 19, 2017, at 2:30 p.m. CST;
• Sholly: January 16, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. CST; and
• DelGiacco: January 16, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. CST.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Pensacola Police Department, the Mobile Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gulf Breeze Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes 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.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Regis L. Walker, 31, of Pensacola, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison today, after pleading guilty on January 17, 2017, to mailing threatening communications.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In June 2016, Walker mailed a threatening letter on notebook paper to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, addressed to the sheriff.  In the letter, Walker claimed several people who had joined ISIS would simultaneously attack military bases, beaches, and schools at a nonspecific time and could not be stopped by law enforcement officers.  Walker made specific reference to the attack in Orlando, Florida, that killed approximately 50 people.  Walker wrote that the attackers planned on “not giving up,” and that they “plan on dying.”  He appeared to sign the note as “ISIS ALLAH.”

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg 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 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.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Mark Lewis Pullen, 45, of Ft. Lauderdale, pled guilty today to serving as an airman without an airman’s certificate.  The guilty plea was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In October 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration notified Homeland Security Investigations that an unregistered aircraft planned to land at the Pensacola airport.  The last registered owner of the aircraft was Pullen, but his airman’s certificate was revoked.  The plane landed at the airport, and Pullen, the pilot, notified law enforcement officers that he had been piloting the aircraft from Texas and was returning home.  The law enforcement officers asked to see Pullen’s airman and medical certificates, which he was required to carry with him while operating an aircraft.  In response, Pullen told the agents that he did not have his certificates.  Between July 2012 when his certificates were revoked and October 2015, Pullen’s aircraft was flown on approximately 46 separate dates.

 

Pullen faces a maximum of three years in prison and a maximum of a $250,000 fine.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “It is important that pilots follow the regulations in place to ensure that everyone is safe while flying in our skies.”

 

“This investigation demonstrates that ensuring the safety of the Nation’s air transportation system remains a high priority for both the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Department of Transportation (DOT),” said Marlies T. Gonzalez, DOT-OIG Regional Special Agent-in-Charge.  “Working with the Federal Aviation Administration and prosecutorial partners, we will continue our efforts to prevent and punish those who seek to compromise the safety of our National Airspace System.”

 

“The unique investigative authorities of HSI special agents enabled us to close this breach of aviation security,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.  “With this investigation, HSI, the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Aviation Administration have helped protect the integrity of our nation’s aviation systems.”

 

The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General, Department of Transportation and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers.

 

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.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Joshua Ray Fountain, 40, of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced today to serve a total term of 144 months in prison after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute over five grams of methamphetamine, and admitting to violating the terms of his federal supervised release by possessing the methamphetamine while on federal supervision. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Documents introduced at the time of the guilty plea reflect that Joshua Ray Fountain was serving a five-year term of federal supervised release following his 150-month term of incarceration in federal prison for the offense of possession with intent to distribute over fifty grams of methamphetamine. On May 2, 2017, while on federal supervised release for the previous federal drug violation, Walton County Sheriff’s Deputies and Drug Enforcement Administration officials found Fountain in possession of over 25 grams of methamphetamine.

The case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.

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 . For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

For more information, contact: Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
(850) 216-3854, [email protected]

 

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Christopher Jacob Rankins, 33, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced on Friday to serve 18 months in prison after pleading guilty on June 16, 2017, to twelve counts of aiding or assisting others in the preparation of false tax returns.  In addition, Rankins was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $356,172.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

Documents introduced at the time of the guilty plea reflect that, between January 1, 2011, and May 8, 2012, while working as a tax preparer at American Tax Service in Pensacola, Florida, Rankins aided, assisted, counseled, and advised others in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent and false tax returns.  The tax returns prepared by Rankins falsely represented the taxpayers’ business expenses and falsely claimed educational credits which resulted in taxpayers receiving approximately $356,172 in refunds and credits that the taxpayers were not entitled to receive.

 

The case resulted from the investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.

 

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 – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida will join the LEAD Coalition of Bay County and the following agencies to present a youth summit on Friday to approximately 220 high school and middle school students.

 

Participating agencies include:

• LEAD Coalition of Bay County
• U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida
• Florida Highway Patrol
• Bay County Sheriff’s Office
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
• Panama City Police Department
• U.S. Secret Service
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General

Participating schools include: (Students with media permissions will be identified.)

• Bay High School
• Rosenwald High School
• Rutherford High School
• Everitt Middle School
• Jinks Middle School
• AMIkids, Panama City Marine Institute
• C.C. Washington Academy

Event:              3rd Annual Bay County Youth Crime Prevention Summit
BLAST Program (for 100 high school students)
“Chasing the Dragon” film screening (for 120 middle school students)

Host: LEAD Coalition of Bay County

 

Location:

Gulf Coast State College

Student Union East, 2nd Floor

5230 West Highway 98

Panama City, FL 32401

 

Date: Friday, November 3, 2017

 

Time:             

9:30 a.m. CDT Opening Remarks.  Please note Central Time.

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. CDT Breakout Sessions

 

Press:             

 

To RSVP for the event, to coordinate interviews, and for BLAST Program-specific questions:

Amy Alexander

850-491-0367(cell)

[email protected]

 

For questions related to Chasing the Dragon:

Amanda Videll

FBI Public Affairs Specialist

904-349-7750 (cell)

[email protected]

 

For questions about the Bay County Youth Crime Prevention Summit or the LEAD Coalition:

Janice Lucas

850-913-3263

[email protected]

 

BLAST Program

The BLAST Program offers students an opportunity to meet representatives of the criminal justice community and ask them questions, share their perceptions of law enforcement, and interact with officers in a familiar setting.  Officers also provide students with their perspective on responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the importance of remaining calm and following the officers’ directions in these situations.

 

The schedule will include the following discussion sessions, during which students will have a chance to participate and role play with law enforcement officers.

 

• Criminal Justice Overview: Students will learn about each phase of a federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing.
  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.

• Domestic Violence: Students will participate in a scenario in which police respond to a domestic disturbance.  Discussion includes the challenges officers face, rights of witnesses and suspects, and benefits of providing information to the police.
  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.

• Traffic Stop Simulation: Participants and officers alternate playing the roles of civilians and officers in a traffic stop.  Discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop.
  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.
   
• Use of Force: Facilitators and students will discuss when law enforcement officers may use force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation.
  This session is closed to the media and public.  Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.

 

Chasing the Dragon

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) co-produced a 45-minute documentary titled Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict.  The film features several stark, first-hand accounts of the dangers of opiate addiction.  A free download of the film is available online, along with a teacher discussion guide.

 

Over the past year, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, and U.S. Attorney’s Office, have hosted screenings of the film to educate students on the dangers of opiate abuse and to discuss how the issue could impact their lives and future careers.

 

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.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Donald Santoriello, 60, of Pensacola, was sentenced today to 224 months in prison.  He received 200 months as the result of his guilty plea on August 10, 2017, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and 24 months consecutive for violating his federal supervised release.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In March 2017, Santoriello was under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for being convicted of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  The Probation Office received information that Santoriello was in possession of a firearm, and subsequently law enforcement agents found a firearm in his residence.  Santoriello previously had been convicted of crimes dating back to 1987, including first degree robbery, grand theft auto, aggravated assault, and second degree murder.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. 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 – Richard D. Waterson II, 47, a registered sex offender living in Crestview, was sentenced yesterday to 480 months in prison after pleading guilty on January 26, 2017, to attempted enticement of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and for committing a felony involving a minor, while a registered sex offender.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In May and June 2016, Waterson and an undercover officer conversed online regarding sexual contact with the undercover officer’s fictitious 13-year-old daughter “Amber.”  Waterson was arrested when he approached the hotel where he had agreed to engage in sexual activity with “Amber.”  After his arrest, multiple computers were seized from Waterson.  A forensic examination located more than 600 child pornography images and videos, downloaded from the internet, on his electronic devices.

 

The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Crestview Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “Especially today, on Halloween, as many of us enjoy trick-or-treating with our children, it is comforting to know that diligent prosecutors and law enforcement professionals are working tirelessly year round to pursue these child predators and keep our communities safe places to live.  This 40-year prison sentence sends a strong message to those who seek to exploit innocent children.”

 

“This child predator will spend the next four decades behind bars,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.  “HSI special agents undoubtedly stopped this criminal from victimizing more children.”

 

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 D. Towner, 58, of Los Angeles, California, was arraigned today in the U.S. District Court in Tallahassee after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with sixteen counts of wire fraud.  The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The indictment alleges that Towner was president of Foundation Consultants Corporation (FCC) and the Towner Corporation, companies that provided marketing support for The Dream Foundation.  The Dream Foundation is a nonprofit corporation established to create and market the Florida Live the Dream specialty license plate.  Florida law permits companies handling marketing for specialty license plates to receive up to 25% of the total funds received from the sale of the plates.

 

The indictment further alleges that, between July 2010 and November 2015, Towner arranged to issue payments to FCC and the Towner Corporation in excess of the 25% permitted by Florida law.  In total, Towner allegedly made or caused to be made transfers of more than $250,000 over the permitted amount to FCC and the Towner Corporation from the funds received through sale of the Florida Live the Dream specialty license plate.  Towner also allegedly falsified annual reports detailing the amount of money distributed to the charities supported by the Dream Foundation.

 

The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison.  The trial is scheduled for December 11, 2017, at 8:15 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Department of Financial Services – Division of Investigative and Forensics Services Office of Fiscal Integrity and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Gary Milligan 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, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Yesterday, Michael Shawn Garrett, 45, of Panama City Beach, Florida, a colonel in the Florida Air National Guard, was convicted of attempted enticement of a minor for sex.  The trial lasted two days and was held in the U.S. District Court in Panama City.  The verdict was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In May 2017, undercover investigators conducted an operation to identify individuals seeking to engage in sexual activity with minors. Garrett responded to a Craigslist advertisement in which an undercover officer posed as a 14-year-old boy.  During ninety minutes of conversation with the undercover officer, Garrett discussed the sex acts he wished to perform with the boy.  Through his email communications, Garrett repeatedly requested the physical address of the boy, offering to pick up the boy to engage in the sexual encounter.  Garrett was arrested after arriving at the designated meeting place.

 

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 11, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Panama City, Florida.  Garrett faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.

 

The case was investigated by the Panama City Beach Police Department, the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann.

 

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 – Anthony J. Fountain, 23, of Pensacola, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty on July 20 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of distributing methamphetamine.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In May 2017, an undercover agent purchased approximately 57.3 grams of methamphetamine from Fountain for $1,800.  Several days later, the agent purchased a firearm from Fountain, a previously convicted felon, for $150.  The next day, the agent purchased approximately 70.3 grams of methamphetamine from Fountain for $2,350.  Upon completion of the last methamphetamine transaction, law enforcement officers approached Fountain, who fled and began to throw potential evidence into Pensacola Bay.  The discarded evidence was retrieved, and Fountain was arrrested.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Customs and Border Protection; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pensacola Police Department; and the State Attorney’s Office for the First Judicial Circuit.  Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg 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 – Jeremy Langston Alford, 34, of Niceville, was sentenced yesterday to serve 135 months in prison after pleading guilty on July 31, 2017, to unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing stolen firearms, and theft of firearms from the premises of a federal firearms licensed dealer.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

On February 24, 2017, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputies discovered that Jim’s Guns and Supplies, a federal firearms licensed dealer in Niceville, had been burglarized and a number of firearms, ammunition, and other items had been stolen.  Evidence recovered from the crime scene led officials to a shed belonging to Alford’s relative.  Officials recovered 39 firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition from inside the shed and the residence.  Further investigative efforts led to the recovery of more than 60 firearms, as well as numerous rounds of ammunition, and multiple pieces of tactical equipment, including a gas mask that were all stolen from Jim’s Guns and Supplies.  On February 26, 2017, Alford was arrested and admitted to burglarizing Jim’s Guns and Supplies and stealing firearms, ammunition, and other items.

 

This case resulted from investigations by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Ryan Love.

 

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 – Danny Ray Murphy, 37, of Milton, was sentenced today to 40 years in prison, after being convicted on June 14 of conspiracy, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography involving a minor under age 12.  As part of his sentence, Murphy will be required to register as a sex offender.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

During the trial, the jury reviewed three months of online communications between Murphy and a co-conspirator, including images and a video of the co-conspirator sexually assaulting a three-year old child.  These communications along with forensic evidence from Murphy’s cellular telephone, revealed he was attempting to gain personal access to the three-year-old for the same purpose.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “Children’s lives are easily influenced by their early experiences, and they trust adults to keep them safe.  As such, it is especially horrific that this long-lasting harm was inflicted upon a vulnerable child.  My office and our law enforcement partners are committed to pursuing these child predators to protect our communities and to rescue defenseless children.”

 

HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero said: “HSI special agents will continue to investigate these crimes and ensure the criminals are brought to justice for preying on our kids.”

 

The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, the State Attorney’s Office for the 1st Judicial Circuit, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

 

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 – After a three-day trial, Tangela Lawson-Brown, 41, of Midway, Florida, was convicted yesterday of wire fraud, theft of government funds, possession of unauthorized access devices, and aggravated identity theft.  The verdict was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

Between October 2011 and December 2012, Lawson-Brown worked as a nurse at a Tallahassee nursing home.  In January 2013, the Tallahassee Police Department seized items from Lawson-Brown’s vehicle after the arrest of her husband.  These items included a notebook containing the personally identifiable information (“PII”) of more than 150 people, including 26 patients at the nursing home where Lawson-Brown was previously employed.

 

Subsequent investigation by the Internal Revenue Service revealed that fraudulent 2011 income tax returns were filed using the PII of 105 persons listed in the notebook, including 24 of the nursing home patients.  Over one million dollars in fraudulent claims were filed as part of the scheme.  While the IRS detected many of the fraudulent returns, refunds totaling approximately $141,790 were disbursed.

 

During the trial, the government presented evidence that tax fraud proceeds were deposited into multiple bank accounts controlled by Lawson-Brown and that the fraud proceeds were used to pay Lawson-Brown’s mortgage, car repairs, and other personal expenses.  Many of the identity theft victims were elderly patients in Lawson-Brown’s care.  In several instances, fraudulent returns were filed within days of the patients arriving at the nursing home.

 

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 4, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee.  Lawson-Brown faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud counts, a maximum of 10 years in prison for each of the theft of government funds and possession of unauthorized access devices counts, and a consecutive 2 year sentence for aggravated identity theft.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “This case illustrates the vulnerability of elderly and disabled persons.  Relatives and other caregivers should be alert to unauthorized tax returns, bank accounts, credit cards, and financial transactions, and should immediately report identity theft crimes to law enforcement agencies.”

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Tallahassee Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Michael T. Simpson prosecuted the case.

 

The U.S. 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 – Rocky E. Griffith, 63, of Destin, Florida, was sentenced today to 12 months and 1 day in prison and ordered to pay $78,804 in restitution to the IRS.  In May 2017, he pled guilty to failure to file tax returns.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

Griffith worked as a certified public accountant for nearly 20 years.  After retiring from accounting, he ran charter boat and commercial rental businesses in the Destin area.  Following the BP oil spill in 2010, despite earning income from oil spill claims and rental properties, Griffith failed to file tax returns for the years 2010, 2011, and 2012.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. 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.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michael A. Chmielewski, 38, of Tallahassee, a former State of Florida legislative staffer, was convicted of attempted enticement of a minor this afternoon in the U.S. District Court in Tallahassee after a three-day trial.  The verdict was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In February 2017, undercover investigators conducted “Operation Cupid’s Arrow” to identify individuals seeking to engage in sexual activity with minors.  Chmielewski responded to a Craigslist advertisement in which an undercover officer posed as a 14-year-old girl named “Sara.”  Over two days, Chmielewski continued his conversation with “Sara” on the chat messaging application Kik, discussed sexual activity with “Sara,” and traveled to meet “Sara” in person to have sex.  Chmielewski was arrested after arriving at a store to meet “Sara.”

 

Chmielewski faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.  The sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 5, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee.

 

The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Cocoa Police Department, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann.

 

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 – This afternoon, after a four-day trial, Willie L. Walker, 58, of Lynn Haven, Florida, was convicted in the U.S. District Court of depriving an inmate of his constitutional rights.  The verdict was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In March 2015, Walker, while acting as a correctional officer at the Gulf Correctional Institution, assaulted an inmate, resulting in bodily injury.  The government presented evidence that, during his career as a correctional officer, Walker had assaulted at least four inmates.  In this case, the testimony demonstrated that Walker sprayed the inmate with a chemical agent and then struck him repeatedly, resulting in a fractured nose and head wound, which required several staples.  In an attempt to establish that he had acted in self-defense, Walker planted a homemade weapon or “shank.”

 

Walker faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

 

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 14, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Panama City.

 

The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Corrections – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aine Ahmed.

 

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 – Michael J. Baxter, 49, of Grand Ridge, Florida, was arraigned today in the U.S. District Court in Panama City after a federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging him with falsifying records and depriving an inmate of his constitutional rights.  The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The indictment alleges that, in July 2015, Baxter, while acting as a state correctional officer at the Apalachee Correctional Institution, assaulted an inmate, resulting in bodily injury.  The indictment further alleges that, in July 2015, Baxter knowingly falsified an incident report to obstruct the investigation.

 

The trial is scheduled for December 4, 2017, at 8:15 a.m.

 

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 in a court of law.

 

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Corrections – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

 

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 – A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment, unsealed today, charging 15 defendants with several federal drug trafficking offenses.  The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The defendants are:

• Johnny Allen, 26, Panama City Beach, Florida;
• Elijah Segers-Meier, 26, Panama City Beach;
• Alexis Salas, 20, Columbus, Georgia;
• Decorey Walker, 26, Columbus, Georgia;
• Kyle Pate, 33, Panama City Beach, Florida;
• Christopher Pipkins, 28, Columbus, Georgia;
• Kimberly Fuller, 46, Panama City Beach, Florida;
• David Snyder III, 23, Panama City; Florida;
• Ashley Coatley, 36, Panama City Beach, Florida;
• Anthony Servillo, 25, Panama City Beach; Florida;
• Michael Soifert, 24, Panama City Beach, Florida;
• Angela Adams, 26, Columbus, Georgia;
• Mardarrius Collier, 20,Columbus, Georgia;
• John Elliott, 26, Panama City, Florida; and
• Franschwa Riggins, 29, Panama City, Florida.

The charges are:

 

Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance: All defendants were charged with conspiracy.  Allen, Segers-Meier, Salas, Collier, and Adams were attributed an amount of 100 grams or more of heroin.  Riggins was attributed an amount of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.  Allen, Segers-Meier, Salas, and Pate were attributed an amount of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

 

Distribution of a Controlled Substance: Segers-Meier was charged with distributing heroin and methamphetamine.  Allen was charged with distributing heroin and fentanyl.

 

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking: Segers-Meier was charged with possessing a pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

 

Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance: Adams, Collier, and Allen were charged and attributed with 100 grams or more of heroin.  Allen and Salas were charged with possessing heroin with the intent to distribute it.

 

Allen, Segers-Meier, Walker, Fuller, Snyder, Coatley, Servillo, Soifert, and Elliott’s trial is scheduled for December 4, 2017, at 8:15 a.m., at the United States courthouse in Panama City.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Panama City Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the 14th District Medical Examiner’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Aine Ahmed 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, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Melissa Moniz, 44, of Marianna, having pled guilty in May 2017 to wire fraud, was sentenced late Friday afternoon to six months in federal prison to be followed by six months of home confinement.  Additionally, she was ordered to pay $41,813.77 in restitution to Gynecology and Obstetrics Associates in Tallahassee.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In December 2012, Moniz applied for employment with the Jackson County Hospital (JCH) in Marianna, Florida.  Relying on Moniz’s résumé, which contained false claims of extensive medical management experience, JCH hired Moniz as Director of Physician Practices.  As part of her duties at JCH, Moniz urged JCH to use her company, “Billing and Collection Services” (BCS), as a collections agency, and claimed that she had used BCS for collections previously and knew the owner of BCS personally.  Based upon Moniz’s recommendation, JCH signed a collections contract with BCS.  Moniz failed to disclose the fact that BCS was actually her own company and that the person signing the contract on behalf of BCS was actually her sister.  As a result of these misrepresentations and material omissions, Moniz fraudulently obtained $26,775.01 from JCH.

 

In August 2014, Gynecology and Obstetrics Associates, Inc., (GOA), in Tallahassee, Florida, hired a firm to conduct an audit of all financial activities at the practice.  The audit and subsequent investigation revealed that, between March 2007 and April 2013, GOA’s office manager, who was Moniz’s sister, embezzled approximately $1.5 million from GOA through a scheme involving fraudulent invoices, fictitious vendors, and payments funneled to the office manager’s personal accounts.

 

The investigation later disclosed that the GOA office manager used GOA monies to pay Moniz and BCS to conduct collections services for GOA.  The collections services for which Moniz was paid were never performed.  The office manager issued 39 checks from GOA to “BCBS,” making the checks appear as if they were issued to Blue Cross Blue Shield.  However, the checks were actually provided to Moniz who endorsed and deposited them into her BCS bank account.  The checks totaled $116,813.77.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephen M. Kunz 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 – Clifford B. Gandy Jr., 26, of Pensacola, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison after an October 2016 jury conviction of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In May 2016, an officer walking on patrol observed Gandy inside a running vehicle in a public parking lot with three bags containing a white powder on Gandy’s lap.  Another officer confirmed this observation.  As the officers approached, Gandy attempted to reverse the vehicle to escape capture.  The officers drew their weapons and prevented Gandy from leaving.  While one officer removed Gandy from the vehicle, a digital scale and cocaine bags fell onto the ground.  A vehicle search revealed $800 in cash and a loaded semi-automatic pistol in the closed center console along with a bag of marijuana.  The firearm was stolen, and Gandy is a multi-convicted felon.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Pensacola Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg 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 – As designated by Presidential proclamation, September 17 through 23 is National Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week.  In observance, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is urging Northern Floridians to be aware of the rising public health crisis of opioid abuse.

 

United States Attorney Christopher P. Canova said: “Good people are suffering as a result of this crisis.  Compounding the problem is that drug dealers are adding other substances, such as fentanyl and carfentanyl, to the heroin sold, making the mixture so strong that very small doses are fatal.  We must educate the community of this danger, while bringing to justice those who peddle this poison.  The heroin and opioid epidemic requires a coordinated response from law enforcement agencies, treatment centers, and the public.”

 

Attorney General Sessions has mentioned that, in 2015, a record 52,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses.  For Americans under the age of 50, drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death.  Based on preliminary data, approximately 64,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses last year.  In 2015, opioids were responsible for most of the fatal overdoses in this country, killing more than 33,000 Americans – quadruple the number from 20 years ago.  Last year, 1.3 million hospital visits in the United States were related to these drugs.

 

During this week and beyond, Americans can learn more about the disease of addiction, join with community members to support evidence-based prevention and treatment programs, and stand with those who are suffering or recovering from a substance use disorder to let them know they are not alone.

 

Education:

 

Opioid Overdose and Reversal Training: In July, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) co-sponsored trainings in Pensacola for 85 law enforcement officers, first responders, health care professionals, and military personnel in opioid overdose treatment and reversal options, including the use of the drug Naloxone/Narcan.  If administered quickly enough, Naloxone can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and restart a victim’s breathing.  Many agencies within the Northern District of Florida have already equipped their first responders with the opioid reversal drug.

 

Film Screenings and Panel Discussions: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) co-produced a 45-minute documentary titled Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict.  The film features several stark, first-hand accounts of the dangers of opiate addiction.  A free download of the film is available online, along with a teacher discussion guide.

 

Over the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and DEA, to host screenings of the film to educate students on the dangers of opiate abuse and to discuss how the issue could impact their lives and future careers.

 

On November 3, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and LEAD Coalition will co-host the Bay County Youth Crime Prevention Summit at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City.  The Chasing the Dragon film screening will be a part of this program.

 

Enforcement

 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes heroin and other drug-related offenses.  This is a recent example.

Six People Sentenced in Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

In 2017 and 2016, six residents of the Gainesville/Ocala area were sentenced for conspiring to distribute heroin and other drug-related charges.  Several of the defendants were responsible for more than one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of heroin in the conspiracy.

 

What You Can Do:

• Talk to your family, friends, colleagues, and community about the dangers of heroin and opioid abuse.  It can happen to anyone.
• Contact law enforcement officers if you suspect drug-related activity in your neighborhood.
• If you have prescription opioids in your home, ensure they are safely locked away.  For information about properly disposing of unused medicines, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

For More Information: 2017 Presidential proclamation

Department of Justice, Heroin and Opioid Awareness
Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict
Attorney General Sessions Announces Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection 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.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Bailegh Noelle Coleman, 20, of Starke, Florida, was arraigned today in the U.S. District Court in Gainesville after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging her and co-defendant Rajheem Kwamaine Roddey, 23, with conspiracy, sex trafficking of a minor, and benefiting financially from sex trafficking of a minor.  The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The indictment alleges that, between April and June 2017, Roddey and Coleman recruited and transported a person under age 18 for commercial sexual activity.  The indictment further alleges that they benefited financially from the sex trafficking.  Coleman is in custody, and Roddey has not been arrested yet.  Coleman’s trial is scheduled for November 28, 2017, at 8:30 a.m.

 

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Gainesville Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams.

 

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 in a court of law.

 

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 – United States Attorney Christopher P. Canova is urging North Florida residents and businesses to be aware of and report suspected fraudulent activity related to hurricane relief operations and federal funding for victims of Hurricane Irma.

 

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud from a person or an organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of flood victims, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at (866) 720-5721. You can also fax information to (225) 334-4707 or e-mail it to [email protected]. The telephone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

“We do not tolerate fraud,” said United States Attorney Christopher P. Canova. “Individuals, families, and businesses have suffered, and will continue to suffer, tremendous losses. Emergency funds are needed to help them get back on their feet. Dozens of agencies, investigators, and prosecutors are ready to respond to credible allegations of fraud and abuse. If you are aware of fraud, we urge you to call the National Disaster Fraud Hotline.”

 

In anticipation of unprecedented fraud in connection with federal disaster relief following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, a Joint Command Center was established in Baton Rouge, LA, to coordinate reports of fraud. The Command Center, now known as the National Center for Disaster Fraud, has since expanded its mission to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 20 federal agencies participate in the center, allowing it to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information. To date, the National Center for Disaster Fraud has received and screened more than 70,000 complaints involving 40 different disasters, resulting in 50,000 referrals to law enforcement agencies. In connection with Hurricane Katrina alone, there were 1,370 federal disaster fraud prosecutions involving 1,463 defendants in 49 different federal districts.

 

Members of the public are reminded to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before giving contributions or personal identifying information to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of hurricane victims. Solicitations can originate from e-mails, websites, door-to-door collections, mailings and telephone calls, and similar methods. Please also be sure to undertake necessary inquiries before giving contributions to anyone soliciting contributions on behalf of disaster victims.

 

Please report any suspicions of fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (toll free at (866) 720-5721, (225) 334-4707 fax, or [email protected]). Fraud may also be reported directly to the United States Attorney’s Office in Tallahassee by contacting Assistant US Attorney Michael Harwin at (850) 942-8430 or [email protected].

 

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 – Kenneth James Hill, 69, of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty on June 15, 2017, to attempted enticement of a minor for sex and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In September 2016, Hill responded to an online Craigslist advertisement in which an undercover detective posed as a mother, “Ashley,” of a 14-year-old daughter, “Nikki.” Hill asked sexual questions about “Nikki” and acknowledged her age. He also communicated with “Nikki” online via the undercover detective, described sexual acts he intended to perform on “Nikki,” and arranged to travel two hours to meet “Nikki” in person for the purpose of having sex. Several days later, Hill arrived at the hotel where he believed “Nikki” was staying and was arrested.

 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Panama City Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann.

 

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 – Richard Michael Colbert, 56, of Pensacola Beach, was sentenced today to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $3.7 million in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, false statement to a federally insured financial institution, nine counts of money laundering, and two counts of theft, embezzlement or misapplication by a person connected with a financial institution. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In 2007, Colbert, while working as a title attorney, signed and submitted a false HUD-1 to the now defunct GulfSouth Private Bank in order for one of his business partners, a former builder, Lawrence Wright, to obtain a million dollar loan from GulfSouth. As a result of Colbert and Wright’s fraudulent conduct, GulfSouth ultimately sustained in excess of $636,000 in losses.

 

In 2010, Colbert again while working as a title attorney, facilitated a bank and mail fraud conspiracy by handling a number of closings that defrauded Bank of America, Beach Community Bank, and the now defunct Premier Community Bank. Bank of America, Beach Community Bank, and Premier Community Bank sustained losses totaling in excess of $2.3 million from the conspiracy.

 

Additionally, beginning in December 2010, while acting as an escrow agent for Beach Community Bank, Colbert embezzled and misapplied in excess of $400,000 that was being held at Beach Community Bank. Thereafter, between December 2010, and March 2011, Colbert conducted a series of financial transactions laundering the funds he had embezzled. In September 2011, Beach Community Bank personnel contacted Colbert to determine where the money was located. Unbeknownst to Beach Community Bank, Colbert then obtained money from a third party to replace the funds he had embezzled. However, a short time after placing the third party’s money into the Beach Community Bank account, Colbert embezzled in excess of $237,000 from the same account.

 

In addition to defrauding the financial institutions and embezzling from Beach Community Bank, the government’s evidence also showed that in August 2011, Colbert stole approximately $36,000 from four homeowners/condominium associations that he had been entrusted to oversee.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “This bank fraud case is a reminder that my office will vigorously prosecute financial representatives who abuse positions of trust for their own gain. This defendant held a responsibility to conduct ethical transactions, and I commend the hard work of the investigators and prosecutors who enforce our federal laws and ensure that justice is served.”

 

“The role of IRS Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in embezzlement and fraud cases due to the complex financial transactions that take our expertise and skill to unravel,” said Mary Hammond, Special Agent in Charge, Tampa Field Office. “Today's sentencing of Mr. Colbert is a strong reminder that those who defraud others to enrich themselves will be held accountable.”

 

The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers.

 

The U.S. 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.

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Michael Ray Alford, 50, of Youngstown, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison after a jury convicted him on June 20, 2017, of receipt and possession of child pornography. Alford had been previously convicted in the Northern District of Florida of a child pornography offense in 2002. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In 2014, a Montana retailer reported to law enforcement officers that someone had called their store and stated an intent to commit sexual acts on a minor. Through records, officers discovered the call was made from Alford’s Bay County residence. During a forensic review of computers discovered at the residence, officers located images and online search terms of child pornography. In addition, child pornography was discovered in Alford’s e-mail account.

 

The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Hamilton (Montana) Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “Protecting our children from exploitation is a top priority of my office and the Department of Justice. Every day, our hardworking prosecutors and law enforcement professionals seek to protect our innocent victims, keep our communities safe, and bring child predators to justice.”

 

“This case is an example of the great work that can be done when local and federal law enforcement agencies work together,” said Tampa HSI Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero, “This child predator will be now be held accountable for his crimes.”

 

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.

The National Center for Disaster Fraud reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions.

Tips should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to [email protected] (link sends e-mail), and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.

The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 30 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the National Center for Disaster Fraud, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.

The public should remember to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by the tornadoes. Solicitations can originate from social media, e-mails, websites, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, telephone calls, and other similar methods.

Before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, including:

• Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages, because they may contain computer viruses.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as members of charitable organizations or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
• Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.
• Rather than follow a purported link to a website, verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status.
• Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Do not be pressured into making contributions; reputable charities do not use such tactics.
• Be aware of whom you are dealing with when providing your personal and financial information. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
• Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
• Legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services. Most legitimate charities’ websites end in .org rather than .com.

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Larry Burstein, 69, of Alachua, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison after pleading guilty in November 2016, to involvement in a drug conspiracy arising from his operation of a multi-million dollar internet pharmacy. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

Co-conspirator Edward Leonforte, 56, of Gainesville, pled guilty in September 2016 to conspiracy, distribution of the controlled substance codeine, and money laundering. Leonforte is scheduled to be sentenced September 25, 2017, at 3:30 p.m.

 

Leonforte and Burstein operated multiple internet pharmacy websites from various locations in the Alachua, Florida area. Between 2007 and 2014, Burstein’s websites sold more than $7 million in prescription drugs without requiring customers to provide a prescription. Through his website, Burstein made nationwide sales of more than 148,000 pills containing codeine, a Schedule II opiate. On several occasions in 2012 and 2013, an undercover DEA agent was able to order and receive codeine pills from Burstein’s websites without providing a prescription.

 

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Gainesville Police Department, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, the Alachua Police Department, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jason S. Beaton is prosecuting the case.

 

The U.S. 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 – Ona M. Colasante, 60, a physician who formerly practiced in Gainesville, was sentenced Friday afternoon to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay a $1,134,000 fine and more than $1 million in restitution after being convicted on May 2, 2016, of 162 counts of health care fraud. As part of the sentence, the Court ordered that more than $1 million be forfeited to the government. Colasante was also ordered to perform 1,200 hours community service while serving a term of 3 years of supervised release. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Colasante owned and operated medical businesses known as the Hawthorne Medical Center in Hawthorne, Florida, between 1998 and March 2009, and the Colasante Clinic in Gainesville, Florida, between January 2010 and January 2013. Through these businesses, Colasante defrauded Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida through a series of false billing schemes. During the five-week trial, the government presented evidence that Colasante, and employees acting at her direction, ordered non-FDA approved drugs at a drastically reduced price, administered them to unsuspecting patients, and then fraudulently billed insurance companies for the cost of FDA-approved drugs. The evidence showed that Colasante also billed insurance companies for medically unnecessary tests and submitted false diagnosis codes in support of her fraudulent claims for reimbursement.

In addition, Colasante billed insurance companies for counseling, treatment, and training that was never performed. Her businesses repeatedly submitted fraudulent billings for smoking-cessation treatment purportedly administered to patients who were non-smokers.

United States Attorney Canova praised the work of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Florida Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the United States Food and Drug Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose joint investigation led to the convictions in this case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tiffany H. Eggers and J. Ryan Love.

“Health care programs and patients depend on ethical practices by medical providers,” said United States Attorney Canova. “I commend the diligent investigators and prosecutors who uphold our federal laws and bring to justice those who abuse their positions of trust.” 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. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

For more information, contact: Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
(850) 216-3854, [email protected]

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Ralph Herman Fox Jr., 60, of Graceville, Florida, was arraigned today in the U.S. District Court in Panama City after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with production and possession of child pornography. The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The indictment alleges that, between June 2015, and September 2016, Fox enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce a visual depiction. The indictment further alleges that, in September 2016, Fox possessed child pornography. The defendant is in custody. The trial is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at 8:15 a.m.

 

The case is being investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann.

 

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 in a court of law.

 

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 – Teona N. Rodgers, 28, of Tampa, was sentenced today, after being convicted after a jury trial on May 3 of theft of government funds, possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, use of unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, and false claims. Rodgers was sentenced to 75 months in prison and ordered to pay $151,577 in restitution. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

While on a track and field scholarship at Florida State University, Rodgers participated in a scheme to file fraudulent income tax returns during the 2011 and 2012 tax years by using other people’s personal information. The scheme was discovered in November 2013, when two notebooks and 12 debit cards in other people’s names were discovered in the Tallahassee apartment Rodgers had recently vacated.

The notebooks contained handwritten names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, tax refund amounts, account numbers, and other personal data of more than 150 individuals. The notebooks also included notations such as “rejected” and “filed,” and detailed instructions on how to file a return reporting $47,196 of interest income. This amount was used on multiple tax returns in this scheme (including Rodgers’s own 2011 and 2012 returns). Investigators determined that the returns had been filed from IP addresses linked to Rodgers and that the false returns had funded the debit cards. Rodgers used these debit cards to make purchases. In total, the information contained in the notebooks was used to file 64 fraudulent tax returns, seeking $465,948 in refunds.

This case resulted from an investigation by the Emerald Coast Financial Crimes Task Force, comprised of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the United States Secret Service and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Gary Milligan prosecuted the case.

The U.S. 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.

For more information, contact: Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
(850) 216-3854, [email protected]

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – The last of six defendants was sentenced this week for conspiring to distribute heroin and other drug-related charges. The sentences were announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The defendants are:

• Joe Lee McQuay, 39, Ocala, 240 months in prison (180 months for the heroin conspiracy to be served consecutively to a 60-month sentence for a prior narcotics trafficking offense);

• Ivan Jermaine Wims, 41, Gainesville, 144 months in prison;

• Jordan Christopher Wims (Ivan’s son), 22, Gainesville, 36 months in prison;

• Albert Devon Kitchen, 35, Gainesville, 240 months in prison;

• Ticco Earl Wright, 33, Gainesville, 120 months in prison; and

• Danielle Nicole Duncan, 36, Gainesville, 24 months in prison;

The DEA began this drug trafficking investigation in June 2013. The investigation revealed that McQuay supplied heroin to distributor Ivan Wims. After Ivan Wims was arrested on an unrelated case in April 2014, he continued to coordinate his drug activities from custody, directing his son Jordan Wims and Albert Kitchen how to obtain, process, and distribute heroin to the customers. Duncan and Wright were two of these customers. The undercover agent purchased heroin from Jordan Wims, Kitchen, Duncan, and Wright on multiple occasions.

 

In the fall of 2016, Ivan and Jordan Wims, Kitchen, Wright, and Duncan pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin and distribution of heroin. Ivan Wims and Jordan Wims and Kitchen were responsible for more than one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of heroin in the conspiracy, and Wright and Duncan were responsible for quantities of 100 grams or more of heroin. Additionally, Wright pled guilty to possessing a firearm while trafficking in heroin. In January 2017, McQuay pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin.

 

These cases resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gainesville Alachua County Drug Task Force, comprised of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Gainesville Police Department, and the University of Florida Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. McMahon prosecuted the cases.

 

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 – A federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging eight defendants with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, four of whom were charged with being involved with 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. Additionally, seven of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The defendants are:

 

• Charles Zachariah Sindylek, 31, Pensacola, Florida;

• Brandon Craig Remeyer, 34, Mission Viejo, California;

• Sanford Eugene Johnson III, 31, Pensacola, Florida;

• William Brett Brownell, 26, Milton, Florida;

• William Ezra Brownell (Brett’s father), 60, Mobile, Alabama;

• David Delgiacco, 55, Lake Forest, California;

• Andrew Paul Marcelonis, 31, Pensacola, Florida; and

• Steven Ryan Michael Sholly, 30, Pensacola, Florida.

 

The indictment alleges that, between January 2014 and June 2017, the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana. It specifically alleges Sindylek, Remeyer, Johnson, and William Brett Brownell were responsible for involving 100 kilograms or more of marijuana in the conspiracy. The indictment also alleges that during the same time period, Sindylek, Remeyer, Johnson, both Brownells, Delgiacco, and Marcelonis conspired to launder money by transferring cash proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy through financial institutions. The trial is scheduled for August 28, 2017 at 9:00 AM at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Pensacola Police Department, the Mobile Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gulf Breeze Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes 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, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The last of twenty defendants have been sentenced for their involvement in a large-scale, methamphetamine trafficking organization operating primarily within Taylor County. During the fall of 2014, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force began investigating the distribution of methamphetamine—commonly referred to as “ice”—within Taylor County and the surrounding area. The defendants were charged in a series of indictments returned over the course of 2016. In total, twenty defendants were convicted and sentenced to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute varying amounts of methamphetamine. The investigation also involved numerous undercover controlled purchases by law enforcement made during the trafficking conspiracy. The convictions and sentences were announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The defendants are:

 

• Joshua Oneal Faulk, 26, Zephyrhills, Florida, 240 months in prison;

• Robby Lynn Wilson, 36, Perry, Florida, 180 months in prison;

• Camelia Faulk, 49, Zephyrhills, Florida, 144 months in prison (84 months from the Northern District consecutive to 60 months from the Middle District of Florida);

• Fairley Trey Pitts, 31, Perry, Florida, 108 months in prison;

• Cody Aaron Jacobs, 26, Perry, Florida, 108 months in prison;

• Darrius Demond Beasley, 26, Perry, Florida, 101 months in prison;

• Kendall Lamar Smith, 29, Perry, Florida, 66 months in prison;

• Micah Todd Archer, 34, Perry, Florida, 60 months in prison;

• George Kevin Cook, 40, Perry, Florida, 60 months in prison;

• Craig Michael Hathcock, 47, Tallahassee, Florida, 60 months in prison;

• Bryan Joseph Bowden, 29, Perry, Florida, 48 months in prison;

• Dewey Randall Bright, Jr., 39, Perry, Florida, 48 months in prison;

• Nicholas Wayne Pharr, 35, Perry, Florida, 48 months in prison;

• Corey James Rucker, 22, Perry, Florida, 48 months in prison consecutive to 27 months in state prison;

• Christopher Ryan Sessions, 35, Perry, Florida, 48 months in prison;

• James Oglesby Stephens, 53, Perry, Florida, 39 months in prison;

• Lindsay Anne Overstreet, 33, Perry, Florida, 24 months in prison;

• Shanna Nicole Leigh Pittman, 23, Perry, Florida, 24 months in prison;

• Michael Jared Borklund, 30, Perry, Florida, 12 months and 1 day in prison; and

• Calista Bryce Hedricks, 36, Perry, Florida, 1 day in prison.

 

This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, Florida Highway Patrol, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, High Springs Police Department, and with the assistance of the State Attorney’s Offices in Taylor, Lafayette, and Alachua counties. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann prosecuted the cases.

 

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 – Nicholas G. Peacock, 33, of Salisbury, North Carolina, pled guilty yesterday in the U.S. District Court in Pensacola to enticement of a minor and interstate travel for illicit sexual activity. The guilty plea was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In April 2016, S.S. reported that her twelve-year-old granddaughter was missing and that she believed the child had met someone online and left with him. When law enforcement visited S.S.’s residence, the child had returned home. The child said she traveled to North Carolina for the weekend with a white male named “Nick,” who was later identified as Peacock.

 

S.S. later told officers that she found information on a laptop that she had allowed her granddaughter to use that led S.S. to believe the child had been sexually active with Peacock. In interviews with investigators, the victim disclosed that she had been sexually active with Peacock over the weekend while they were in North Carolina, that she had met Peacock online via Skype, and that Peacock had transported her to North Carolina and then back to Florida after Peacock had found a missing person report.

 

In addition to telephone and hotel records, investigators reviewed thousands of Skype chats on the laptop from the time period of December 2015 through April 2016, which revealed many sexually explicit conversations, images, and videos exchanged between the victim and Peacock.

 

For the enticement charge, Peacock faces a maximum of life and a minimum of 10 years in prison. For the sex traveling charge, Peacock faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 11, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.

 

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and other members of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

 

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 – Thomas E. Matassa, 24, of Gulf Breeze, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release as a sex offender for receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In February 2016, a detective interviewed Matassa, who admitted to downloading child pornography online. A forensic examination of Matassa’s laptop revealed approximately 200 images of child pornography and more than 30,000 chat messages with underage males to exchange videos and images of child sexual acts. Matassa pled guilty on April 10, 2017.

 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said: “Protecting our children from exploitation is a top priority of my office and the Department of Justice. I commend the hard work of our prosecutors and law enforcement professionals who protect our communities and bring child predators to justice.”

 

“The FBI is committed to protecting children, who are among the most vulnerable in our society,” said Charles P. Spencer, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “We appreciate the efforts of our many law enforcement partners in this case, and remain committed to working tirelessly with them to identify these predators, and find justice for their victims.”

 

“HSI special agents, with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, have ensured this predator will not continue to re-victimize children,” said Ivan J. Arvelo, acting special agent in charge of HSI Tampa.

 

“Matassa is a dangerous predator who was aggressively targeting young boys online in an attempt to establish relationships with them,” said FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Jack Massey. “I thank our FDLE agents and law enforcement partners for their dedication and hard work to take this suspect off the street.”

 

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 – Anthony J. Atkins, 51, of Eufaula, Alabama, was sentenced yesterday to 63 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $2.4 million in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, four counts of false statements to a federally insured financial institution, bank fraud, and mail fraud affecting a financial institution. Atkins was convicted by a jury on March 10, 2017. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In 2007, an individual went to Anthony J. Atkins, the president of GulfSouth Private Bank, and notified Atkins that the individual’s company, which had been loaned $3.4 million, was no longer able to make payments on the mortgage loans issued by GulfSouth Private Bank that had been secured by three condominiums. To conceal that the $3.4 million in loans were going into default, Atkins devised a scheme to conceal the bad debt.

 

As a part of the scheme, Atkins and Samuel D. Cobb, who was a vice president at GulfSouth, solicited Bruce A. Houle, Mark W. Shoemaker, Michael Bradley Bowen, and William Blake Cody to take out new loans with the bank to purchase the three condominiums. To persuade Houle, Shoemaker, Bowen, and Cody to engage in the scheme, Atkins and Cobb told these individuals that the loans would be non-recourse, meaning that, if the men defaulted, GulfSouth would have no recourse against them.

 

Thereafter, Atkins and Cobb caused new mortgage loans and additional lines of credit to be issued for approximately $3.8 million to the men they had solicited. According to the terms of the fraudulent loans issued during the scheme, the men Atkins and Cobb solicited were not required to make any payments on the loans until the loans came due months down the road. These new loans were then used to pay off the old loans that were going into default. Issuing these new loans and new lines of credit created the appearance that the debt was “performing,” which allowed Atkins to avoid having to report the loans associated with the condominiums as bad debt. Further, as a part of the scheme, Atkins and Cobb caused fraudulent security agreements to be prepared that falsely represented that Houle, Shoemaker, Bowen, and Cody were obligated to repay their respective new mortgage loans and lines of credit.

 

In September 2009, GulfSouth received $7,500,000 in Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”) funds from the United States Treasury. Thereafter, Atkins and Cobb allowed the condominiums that were collateral for the mortgage loans to be sold in short sales, resulting in a loss to GulfSouth. Further, Atkins allowed the deficiencies and the lines of credit to be charged off of GulfSouth’s books and records.

 

This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG).

 

“This bank fraud case is a reminder that my office will vigorously prosecute those who do not conduct ethical transactions, especially financial representatives who abuse their positions of trust,” said U.S. Attorney Canova. “I commend the hard work of the investigators and prosecutors who enforce our federal laws and ensure that justice is served.”

 

“Today, a federal court sentenced to prison a bank president along with the bank’s vice president, who were investigated and arrested by SIGTARP,” said Special Inspector General Christy Goldsmith Romero (SIGTARP). “Taxpayers lost $7.5 million in TARP dollars invested in Gulfsouth Private Bank – a bank that failed after being led by the top two officers committing bank fraud. Bank president Tony Atkins brought in friends and family as co-conspirators in this conspiracy to make troubled loans appear current. Each of those co-conspirators have been convicted. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida for unwavering dedication, including Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Eggers who was committed to seeking justice.”

 

“The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General is committed to its partnerships with others in the law enforcement community as we address bank fraud cases throughout the country. The American people need to be assured that we are working to ensure integrity in the financial services industries and that those involved in criminal activities that undermine that integrity will be held accountable.” said Jason Moran, Special Agent in Charge, FDIC-OIG.

 

Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers prosecuted the case.

 

The U.S. 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.

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Michael Shawn Garrett, 44, of Panama City Beach, was arraigned yesterday in the U.S. District Court in Panama City after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a minor for sex. The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

The indictment alleges that, in May 2017, Garrett attempted to entice a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. The trial is scheduled for August 21, 2017, at 8:15 a.m.

 

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann.

 

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 in a court of law.

 

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 – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, together with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, and Eastside High School, will present a BLAST Program event on Wednesday to approximately 50 students.

 

Event: BLAST Program

Host: United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida

Location:

Eastside High School

1201 SE 43rd Street

Gainesville, FL 32641

Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Time: 8:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EDT

Press: Please RSVP to Amy Alexander at [email protected] if you plan to attend.

 

United States Attorney Christopher P. Canova said: “The BLAST initiative was created by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to provide a forum to exchange information about officer risks and citizen viewpoints. Sharing these perspectives encourages safe interactions between citizens and officers to improve our community.”

 

Sheriff Sadie Darnell said: “Working with the youth of our community is a great way to build trust between law enforcement and our young people so that everyone better understands issues facing each of us.”

 

The BLAST Program offers students an opportunity to meet representatives of the criminal justice community and ask them questions, share their perceptions of law enforcement, and interact with officers in a familiar setting. Officers also provide students with their perspective on responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the importance of remaining calm and following the officers’ directions in these situations.

 

The schedule will include the following discussion sessions, during which students will have a chance to participate in role play with law enforcement officers.

 

• Criminal Justice Overview: Students will learn about each phase of a federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing.

  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.

• Domestic Violence: Students will participate in a scenario in which police respond to a domestic disturbance. Discussion includes the challenges officers face, rights of witnesses and suspects, and benefits of providing information to the police.

  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.

• Traffic Stop Simulation: Participants and officers alternate playing the roles of civilians and officers in a traffic stop. Discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop.
  This session is open to the media and public, and videography and photography is permitted.

• Use of Force: Facilitators and students will discuss when law enforcement officers may use force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation.

  This session is closed to the media and public. Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.

 

Participating agencies include:

• United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida

• Alachua County Sheriff’s Office

• Gainesville Police Department

• Eastside High School

• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

• Drug Enforcement Administration

• Federal Bureau of Investigation

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Florida Highway Patrol

• FAMU Police Department

 

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.

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Mark Joshua Mitchell, 39, of Destin, pled guilty today to seven counts of interstate transportation of stolen property. The guilty plea was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

On various dates in 2015 and 2016, victims contacted the Walton County Sheriff’s Office to report that their residence had been burglarized and that jewelry and other items had been stolen during the burglaries. The victims reported six different burglaries in Santa Rosa Beach, Panama City Beach, and Destin. The stolen items included multi-carat diamond engagement rings, a three-piece platinum wedding ring set, other jewelry, cash, and Mexican gold coins. Mitchell then shipped diamonds taken from the rings or the entire stolen item to Missouri and Louisiana.

 

On each of the seven counts, Mitchell faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 18, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.

 

The investigation in this case was led by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) provided assistance. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Eggers.

 

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.

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Michael Ray Alford, 50, of Youngstown, Florida, was convicted yesterday afternoon in the U.S. District Court in Panama City of receipt and possession of child pornography after a two-day trial. Alford had been previously convicted in the Northern District of Florida of a child pornography offense in 2002. The verdict was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In 2014, a Montana retailer reported to law enforcement officers that someone had called their store and stated an intent to commit sexual acts on a minor. Through records, officers discovered the call was made from Alford’s Bay County residence. During a forensic review of computers discovered at the residence, officers located images and online search terms of child pornography. In addition, child pornography was discovered in Alford’s e-mail account.

 

For the receipt charge, Alford faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. For the possession charge, Alford faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 31, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Panama City.

 

The case is being investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Hamilton (Montana) Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. 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 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 – Christopher Jacob Rankins, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, has pled guilty to twelve counts of aiding or assisting others in the preparation of false tax returns. The guilty plea was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

Documents introduced at the time of the guilty plea reflect that, between January 1, 2011, and May 8, 2012, while working as a tax preparer at American Tax Service in Pensacola, Florida, Rankins aided, assisted, counseled, and advised others in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent and false tax returns. The tax returns prepared by Rankins falsely represented the taxpayers’ business expenses and falsely claimed educational credits which resulted in tax payers receiving approximately $356,172 in refunds and credits that the taxpayers were not entitled to receive.

 

The charges were the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.

 

As to each of the twelve counts, Rankins faces a maximum of three years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 19, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.

 

United States Attorney Canova said: “Fraudulent tax returns steal from the millions of honest taxpayers who fulfilled their tax obligations accurately and on time. My office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners, such as the Internal Revenue Service, to ensure that tax dollars are used for their intended purpose.”

 

“We owe it to honest, hardworking taxpayers to investigate and assist in prosecuting unscrupulous return preparers who steal from the American citizens through the filing of false tax returns,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Mary Hammond.

 

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 Allen Braun, 54, of Forest Lake, Minnesota, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison and $126,300 in restitution for conspiracy (to commit theft of honest services and wire fraud) and bribery of a public official. Co-conspirator United States Air Force Master Sergeant Cody Boone Covert, 43, of Fort Walton Beach, was sentenced to 23 months in prison on February 23, 2017, for conspiracy and bribery of a public official. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

 

In January 2014, MSgt. Covert, 901st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Hurlburt Field, was tasked by the Air Force with procuring specialized equipment in support of C-130 Special Operations Aircraft. Braun, who owned the company Trans Global Storage Solutions, conspired with Covert to obtain a contract from the United States Air Force. Prior to the solicitation of the contract, Braun agreed to provide Covert 45% of the profit from the contract proceeds, if Covert ensured that Trans Global won the contract. Covert submitted a request to purchase the specialized equipment. Because Covert was the requester of the equipment, he was chosen to evaluate each proposal for technical acceptance. Subsequently, Covert recommended the Trans Global proposal be accepted. After Trans Global was fraudulently awarded the $126,300 contract from the United States Air Force via Covert’s inside influence, Covert and Braun split the proceeds. Covert pled guilty on October 28, 2016, and Braun pled guilty on January 12, 2017.

 

U.S. Attorney Canova said, “The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our other federal, state, and local government partners, is committed to upholding the law by exposing corruption and pursuing justice for those lawbreakers who abuse their authority and positions of trust. I commend the work of the investigating and prosecuting team on this case. Public service carries a high ethical standard, and no one is above the law.”

 

Special Agent-in-Charge Wendell W. Palmer, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI)-Procurement Fraud Detachment 5, Southeast Field Office, stated, “This was a great outcome for the investigation and prosecution of those who would do damage to the integrity of the U.S. Air Force acquisition process. Dedicated and thorough work on the part of investigators and prosecutors alike have once again protected the warfighting capability of the world’s greatest air and space fighting force. The teamwork exhibited by investigators and prosecutors, and the sentence, sends a strong message that fraud against our government will not be tolerated.”

 

“Corruption in the government procurement process damages the public trust and ultimately degrades the warfighting mission of the Department of Defense,” commented Special Agent-in-Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. “DCIS, with our investigative partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, continues to pursue and bring to justice those contractors who defraud military programs, especially when it jeopardizes the safety of our brave men and women in uniform.”

 

The case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Ustynoski.

 

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.