Middle District of Florida

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Oscar Freemond Fowler III (48, St. Petersburg) to 12 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and for possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Fowler entered a guilty plea on January 4, 2024.

According to court records, in October 2023, officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Fowler’s residence. During their search, they located cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. On the floor next to Fowler’s bed, agents located a loaded 9mm pistol that contained an extended magazine and 29 rounds of ammunition. At the time, Fowler had multiple prior felony convictions including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

“This is another example of how the ongoing collaboration with our state and federal partners assisted us in removing a dangerous felon and reducing gun violence in our community,” said Anthony Holloway, St. Petersburg Chief of Police.

“This is a major victory for the St. Pete community,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “We’re proud to have contributed to putting this notorious and violent triggerpuller in federal prison for a long time.”

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jesus Rojas Vera (25, Fort Myers) to 18 years and 4 months in federal prison for distribution of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Vera was also ordered to register as a sex offender. He entered a guilty plea on October 6, 2023.

According to court documents, beginning in June 2021, and continuing through July 27, 2022, several social media applications provided CyberTips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to report that Vera was involved in the possession and distribution of child sex abuse material on various social media platforms.    

On November 8, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Vera’s residence and seized his cellphone and laptop. In addition, agents spoke with Vera who admitted that the cellphone belonged to him and no one else used it. Vera also admitted to using the various social media accounts, and he provided his email address. 

On December 2, 2022, the FBI obtained a search warrant for information associated with Vera’s cloud account and email address. There were 59 images and 75 videos depicting child sexual abuse material. Further, investigators located child sexual abuse material that Vera had sent within group messages using his social media account. On August 7, 2022, Vera participated in a chat on social media with other participants. He sent a video of a child being sexually abused to the participants in the group chat.    

The subsequent forensic examination of Vera’s cellphone and laptop revealed child sexual abuse material.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Lee County Sheriff’s Office that assisted with this investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of indictments charging Austin Engler (26, St. Augustine) and Teron Haywood, Sr. (46, Jacksonville) with destruction or delay of mail by a United States Postal Service (USPS) employee. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. 

According to the indictments, Engler and Haywood were employed by USPS as Rural Carrier Assistants assigned to routes in the St. Augustine and Jacksonville areas, respectively. In June 2023, Engler and Haywood knowingly and unlawfully destroyed or delayed mail which had been provided to them for delivery in their capacity as mail carriers.

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

These cases were investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. They will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a two-count indictment charging Imran Siddiqi (40, North Port) with attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor and committing a felony offense involving a minor as a registered sex offender. If convicted on all counts, Siddiqi faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, including a 10-year minimum mandatory sentence. 

According to court documents, between January 31 and March 6, 2024, Siddiqi engaged in a conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing online as a 13-year-old girl. During the conversation, Siddiqi repeatedly described his desire to have sex with the child, sending multiple explicit photographs of himself and other explicit images to the undercover officer. Siddiqi is a registered sex offender. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sex Offender Predator System, Siddiqi was convicted in 2016 of traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sexual offense.

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

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

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Terrance Maurice Washington (41, Ocala) with six counts of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine and fentanyl) with the intent to distribute it. If convicted on all counts, Washington faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Washington is currently detained in federal custody pending the resolution of this case.

According to the indictment, on five separate occasions—October 25, 2023, November 3, 2023, November 20, 2023, January 3, 2024, and January 25, 2024—Washington possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Additionally, on November 8, 2023, Washington possessed 40 grams or more of fentanyl, also with the intent to distribute it.

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

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Frank Thomas Diviak (23, Altoona) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a stolen firearm, and stealing a firearm from a federal firearms licensee (FFL). Diviak faces up to 35 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court records, Diviak has been convicted of three state felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement. On December 4, 2023, Diviak entered a Lake County pawn shop, took a revolver off a display, and put it in his pocket. He then fled from the store on his bicycle, but was quickly apprehended by law enforcement. As Diviak raised his hands to surrender to the officers, the stolen revolver fell out of his clothing. As a convicted felon, Diviak is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Eustis Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Rekisha Duckworth (43, Jacksonville) with embezzlement of an article contained in the U.S. Mail by a U.S. Postal Service employee. If convicted, Duckworth faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, on March 1, 2023, Duckworth, who was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service, stole from a mail item a retail store gift card and a bracelet. The mail item had come into her possession because it had been sent via U.S. Mail.

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

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Tyler Williams (29, Labelle) with deprivation of civil rights under color of law. Specifically, Williams is charged with unreasonable use of force and obstruction of justice. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison on the use of force charge, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the obstruction charge. Williams is a former deputy sheriff from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.

The indictment alleges that on or about July 4, 2023, Williams, while acting under color of law as a deputy sheriff with the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, willfully deprived the civil rights of a man by throwing him to the ground and injuring him. Williams then wrote a false justification for the use of force on the man in an incident report, obstructing justice.

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

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tampa Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick L. Darcey and Jesus M. Casas.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Joshua Grady Earrey (45, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute narcotics, one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, and one count of possessing firearms and ammunition while an unlawful user of controlled substances. Earrey faces a combined maximum penalty of 60 years in federal prison on these offenses, including a minimum mandatory sentence of at least 5 years for the drug distribution conspiracy. He has further agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition involved in these offenses.

According to the plea agreement, while employed as a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper and designated Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Earrey and a co-conspirator engaged in widespread and extensive corrupt activity from 2017 - 2023. These corrupt acts included the theft of money and illegal drugs that were seized as evidence during criminal investigations; providing the illegal drugs to others to distribute on his behalf; and extorting or accepting cash payments from drug dealers in exchange for protecting them from arrest by law enforcement.

Earrey and his co-conspirator stole more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana from evidence and covered up the theft by submitting falsified paperwork showing that the drugs had been destroyed. Earrey, who had an addiction to prescription opiates, also used his corrupt activities to obtain illegal drugs for his own use. On one occasion, he traded cases of ammunition that he had diverted from the Florida Highway Patrol to a convicted murderer in exchange for oxycodone. Despite knowing that his drug addiction made it illegal for him to have firearms and ammunition, Earrey continued to possess these items in violation of federal law. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service -- Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

The United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and United States Customs and Border Protection wish to thank the Florida Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their cooperation during this investigation.

 

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Shane McMillan (50, Texas) has been indicted for one count of assault with the intent to murder and one count of possession of contraband by a federal inmate. If convicted, McMillan faces up to 25 years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, McMillan is an inmate in the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. On July 9, 2023, he assaulted another inmate with the intent to commit murder. McMillan was also in possession of a sharp metal object, which is a prohibited item in prison.

An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Donghui Liao (32, China) with possession of 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices. If convicted, Liao faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, on October 17, 2023, Liao knowingly and with intent to defraud possessed 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices, including retail and credit card gift cards.

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

This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Olga Dedovets has pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a tax return. Dedovets faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Dedovets co-owned and helped to operate a roofing business based in the Middle District of Florida. In November 2018, Dedovets willfully made a false statement in her Individual Income Tax Return Form 1040 for tax year 2017, then signed it, and caused that return to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The false statement in that tax return related to income that she and the other owner of the roofing business had earned from that business in 2017. Dedovets failed to report to her tax preparer more than $1 million in income on that 2017 Form 1040, which was income derived from roofing work. Most of that income was concealed in bank accounts which Dedovets did not report to the tax preparer.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Marlon Leondre Lockhart (21, Winter Springs) with four counts of Hobbs Act robbery and four counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Lockhart faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 28 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Lockhart that the United States intends to forfeit the Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol and associated ammunition which are alleged to be used during the commission of the offenses.

According to the indictment, between November 24, 2023, and December 14, 2023, Lockhart stole property from four local businesses. It is alleged that Lockhart stole the property by taking it from the employees of the business against their will and by actual or threatened force, violence, and fear of injury to the employee’s person. Further, it is alleged that Lockhart brandished a firearm during each robbery.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Tijuanna J. Thomas (65, Daytona Beach) has pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. As part of her plea, Thomas has agreed to forfeit $88,440, the proceeds of her criminal conduct, and to make full restitution to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2024.

According to the plea agreement, R.S. received both VA and Social Security benefits, which were direct deposited into a checking account he shared with Thomas. R.S. died on May 6, 2016. Thomas did not report R.S.’s death to the VA or the SSA, which continued to deposit benefits for R.S. into the account, thinking he was still alive. Thomas took those benefits, to which she was not entitled, and spent them on her own personal expenses.

This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that James Michael O’Brien (48, North Port) has pleaded guilty to theft of a firearm from a firearms dealer. O’Brien faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He has also agreed to forfeit the stolen firearm. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on January 17, 2024, O’Brien entered a federal firearms dealer in Charlotte County, concealed a pistol that was on display, and left the store without paying for it. When confronted by ATF personnel later that night about the firearm theft, O’Brien had the stolen pistol on his person.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make out neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario (29, Cleveland, OH) to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for conspiring to traffic firearms, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and money laundering. A co-conspirator, Saleh Yusuf Saleh (24, Cleveland, OH), was sentenced on November 30, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to 5 years and 8 months’ imprisonment. Rodriguez Hilario and Saleh were arrested in Cleveland, Ohio on March 2, 2023, and Rodriguez Hilario was ordered detained. Rodriguez Hilario entered a guilty plea on November 13, 2023.

According to court records, since 2021, undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), posing as Mexican cartel members, were introduced to Rodriguez Hilario because he was a trafficker of firearms that could be smuggled to Mexico. During the investigation, Rodriguez Hilario and others discussed the purchase of AR-15s and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. One of the co-conspirators described that he sold AR-15s and AK-47s to El Salvadorans, and also had cocaine available for distribution. Rodriguez Hilario further offered fentanyl to one of the undercover agents to make pills.

Beginning in late-2021, members of the conspiracy sold or arranged the sale of at least 90 rifles and one Mac-10-type machine gun with a silencer to undercover agents in the Middle District of Florida and Cleveland. In November 2022, an undercover agent told Rodriguez Hilario that his associates in Mexico were “battling and losing” and needed to purchase more firearms. On March 2, 2023, Rodriguez Hilario arranged to deliver 40 AM-15 multi-caliber firearms to the undercover agents. Saleh, who acquired and assembled the parts to make the firearms, arrived at the meeting with Rodriguez Hilario and the agents. After an undercover agent inspected one of the boxes of firearms, both Rodriguez Hilario and Saleh were arrested.

     

Image 1: Firearms from the October 21, 2021 sale

 

Images 2-3: Firearms from March 10, 2022 sale

Images 3-4: Firearms from May 26, 2022 sale

“Combating firearms trafficking networks that arm the Mexican cartels is a top Department of Justice priority,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “The 13-year sentence imposed in this case reflects the severity of the crime — and years of difficult and dangerous work by ATF agents and their law enforcement partners. Because of their efforts, the Department kept scores of high-powered firearms out of the hands of the Mexican cartels and secured the conviction and lengthy sentences of the traffickers responsible.” 

“Firearms trafficking is not a victimless crime,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Those who seek to divert firearms to unlawful markets in Mexico are often arming dangerous drug cartels, who use these high-powered weapons to fuel their criminal activities. ATF will continue to work with our partners at CBP, OCDETF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring important cases like this and hold gun traffickers accountable.”

“This case highlights the joint commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force to prevent firearms from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We are dedicated to disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations and holding gun traffickers accountable for their actions.”

“Disrupting firearms trafficking schemes like this is a priority for us,” said ATF Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “It took a joint team more than two years to investigate this complex case and bring these suspects to justice.”

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Tampa and Columbus, Ohio and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Cleveland Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Great Lakes Air and Marine Branch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection also provided assistance. It was prosecuted by Dan Baeza.

Yuendry Rodriguez Hilario, 29, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison for conspiring to traffic firearms, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and money laundering. A co-conspirator, Saleh Yusuf Saleh, 24, also of Cleveland, was sentenced on Nov. 30, 2023, to five years and eight months in prison. Rodriguez Hilario and Saleh were arrested in Cleveland on March 2, 2023, and Rodriguez Hilario was ordered detained. Rodriguez Hilario entered a guilty plea on Nov. 13, 2023.

“Combating firearms trafficking networks that arm the Mexican cartels is a top Department of Justice priority,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “The 13-year sentence imposed in this case reflects the severity of the crime — and years of difficult and dangerous work by ATF agents and their law enforcement partners. Because of their efforts, the Department kept scores of high-powered firearms out of the hands of the Mexican cartels and secured the conviction and lengthy sentences of the traffickers responsible.” 

“Firearms trafficking is not a victimless crime,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Those who seek to divert firearms to unlawful markets in Mexico are often arming dangerous drug cartels, who use these high-powered weapons to fuel their criminal activities. ATF will continue to work with our partners at CBP, OCDETF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring important cases like this and hold gun traffickers accountable.”

“This case highlights the joint commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force to prevent firearms from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We are dedicated to disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations and holding gun traffickers accountable for their actions.”

According to court records, since 2021, undercover agents from the ATF, posing as Mexican cartel members, were introduced to Rodriguez Hilario because he was a trafficker of firearms that could be smuggled to Mexico. During the investigation, Rodriguez Hilario and others discussed the purchase of AR-15s and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. One of the co-conspirators described that he sold AR-15s and AK-47s to El Salvadorans, and also had cocaine available for distribution. Rodriguez Hilario further offered fentanyl to one of the undercover agents to make pills.

Beginning in late-2021, members of the conspiracy sold or arranged the sale of at least 90 rifles and one Mac-10-type machine gun with a silencer to undercover agents in the Middle District of Florida and Cleveland. In November 2022, an undercover agent told Rodriguez Hilario that his associates in Mexico were “battling and losing” and needed to purchase more firearms. On March 2, 2023, Rodriguez Hilario arranged to deliver 40 AM-15 multi-caliber firearms to the undercover agents. Saleh, who acquired and assembled the parts to make the firearms, arrived at the meeting with Rodriguez Hilario and the agents. After an undercover agent inspected one of the boxes of firearms, both Rodriguez Hilario and Saleh were arrested.

Firearms from the Oct. 21, 2021, sale. Firearms from March 10, 2022, sale. Firearms from May 26, 2022, sale.

The ATF Tampa and Columbus Field Divisions investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Baeza for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Cleveland Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and Great Lakes Air and Marine Branch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection also provided assistance.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Neal Brij Sidhwaney (43, Fernandina Beach) to 14 months in federal prison for transmitting an interstate threat to kill. Sidhwaney entered a guilty plea on December 15, 2023.

According to court documents, on July 31, 2023, Sidhwaney placed a telephone call from Florida to the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, D.C., and left an expletive-laden, threatening voicemail message. On the voicemail message Sidhwaney identified himself by name and repeatedly threatened to kill a specific United States Supreme Court Justice.    

This case was investigated by the Supreme Court of the United States Police – Protective Intelligence Unit with assistance from the United States Capitol Police –Threat Assessment Section. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joe Wheeler, III.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Rodney Jones (28, Orlando) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  The sentence consists of 14 years and 10 months for the carjacking offense, followed by a consecutive 7-year sentence for the firearm offense. Jones entered a guilty plea on September 5, 2023.

According to court documents, on September 28, 2021, Jones and two others committed a carjacking in the parking garage at a hotel/casino in Tampa. Jones and the others jumped out of a stolen sedan, pointed guns at the victim, and stole his wallet and jewelry. They demanded that the victim identify his car. One of the men then used the victim’s car keys to drive off in the victim’s car, and the others followed in the original stolen sedan. Two days later, an officer from the Orlando Police Department arrested Jones after they found him in the stolen sedan. They recovered a firearm with Jones’s DNA on it near the vehicle.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Seminole Police Department, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. This case is part of the Middle District of Florida’s Safe Trails Task Force. The Safe Trails Task Force is a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the Seminole Police Department, and other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement that works to combat the growth of crime in Indian Country. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced Raul Carbajal (34, Plant City) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Carbajal entered a guilty plea on November 21, 2023.

According to court documents, Carbajal, who was previously convicted in federal court for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, organized narcotics deals in the Plant City area, including three separate sales of approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine. Carbajal also admitted that he sold other narcotics, including cocaine.

Two of Carbajal’s co-conspirators were previously sentenced to federal prison. Uriel Rosales Carvajal was sentenced to 7 years and 3 months, and Ricardo Heras received 3 years’ imprisonment. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Plant City Police Department as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a jury has found Damien Suhr (41, Kissimmee) guilty of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Suhr faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 26, 2024. Suhr was indicted on June 28, 2023.

According to evidence presented at trial, on May 27, 2023, the FBI was involved in an operation with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. As part of this operation, a profile was created by the FBI on a dating application (app). “Jack” and Suhr began exchanging messages on the dating app, then quickly switched to exchanging text messages in which “Jack” made clear to Suhr that he was 14 years old. For two weeks, Suhr spoke to “Jack” about engaging in sex with him. Suhr explained in detail the sexual acts he wanted to perform on and with “Jack.” Additionally, he directed “Jack” to delete his text messages with Suhr to avoid detection by his mother or law enforcement. Suhr chose a location at a gas station that was convenient for him to meet “Jack” and sent messages to “Jack,” requesting that he wear a specific type of underwear to the meeting. 

On June 9, 2023, Suhr went to the gas station to meet with “Jack.” Suhr was met and arrested by law enforcement officers. Evidence presented at trial showed that Suhr had previously exchanged messages with other online users about his desire to have sexual encounters with minors as young as 12 years old. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin-Aronson and Dana Hill.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Rohan Conrad Campbell (50, Jamaica) to four years and six months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Campbell to forfeit $4,207, which represents the proceeds of his offenses, and pay restitution of $80,208.08 to the victims he defrauded. Campbell entered a guilty plea on December 13, 2023.

According to the plea agreement and public records, on August 5, 2017, Campbell entered a cellphone store in Clay County and used a fraudulently established account and a counterfeit Washington state driver license, both in the name of a victim, and obtained multiple cellphones. On August 15, 2017, Campbell visited another cellphone store in Clay County to collect cellphones he had fraudulently ordered using another victim’s identity. A store employee recognized Campbell and called the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Upon arriving and making contact with Campbell, Campbell provided a deputy with a counterfeit Washington state driver license in the identity of a third victim. As a deputy was talking with him, Campbell attempted to flee but was apprehended. Further investigation by the CCSO and the U.S. Secret Service determined that Campbell had set up numerous fraudulent accounts using counterfeit identification documents in the identity of 10 different victims. He obtained thousands of dollars of cellphones from multiple stores in Florida.  

Campbell was arrested on May 31, 2018. After being released on pre-trial supervision, he fled the jurisdiction in August 2019 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Campbell remained a fugitive for more than three years until law enforcement in Florida arrested him in early 2023. 

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Michael Brady Scoma (51, Clermont) has been charged by information with three counts of failure to pay taxes. If convicted, Scoma faces up to three years in federal prison.

According to court records, Scoma is a former personal injury lawyer. Between 2013 and 2019, he reported his income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Based on his reported income, Scoma owed the IRS $702,341.76 in tax liabilities. After the IRS unsuccessfully attempted to collect the outstanding amount from him multiple times, Scoma agreed to refinance his home and use the proceeds to pay his tax liabilities. Once Scoma completed the refinancing, however, he used the resulting $800,000 for personal expenses, including gambling, instead of paying his tax liabilities.

An information is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the IRS – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced E’Chavion Semaj Flewellen (24, Cocoa) to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for distribution of 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. Flewellen entered a guilty plea on January 4, 2024. 

According to court documents, from June through August 2023, Flewellen distributed fentanyl six times – with one transaction involving cocaine – to a confidential source working for the Drug Enforcement Administration. From these controlled buys, Flewellen was responsible for distributing 27.96 grams of cocaine and 187.24 grams of fentanyl mixtures to the DEA confidential source.

Following Flewellen’s arrest, a search warrant was executed on his residence, during which agents located an additional 14.6 grams of fentanyl, over 50 grams of cocaine, and 263 grams of pure methamphetamine. Additionally, agents located a loaded Shadow Systems 9mm handgun, a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun, and an unloaded FEG 9mm handgun, as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition. As part of the plea agreement, Flewellen has agreed to abandon all rights to the handguns and associated ammunition that were seized from his residence.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Melbourne Police Department, the West Melbourne Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg the announces the return of an indictment charging Tyler Jacob (24, Winter Haven) with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identify theft, witness tampering, destruction of evidence, and possession of ammunition. If convicted, Jacob faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 2, up to 20 years, in federal prison.

According to the criminal complaint and indictment, Jacob used check writing software to create fraudulent or fictitious checks and then submitted those checks at various financial institutions with forged signatures. The funds obtained from the deposited checks were then quickly withdrawn, defrauding the financial institution or business prior to the financial institution or business being able to identify the deposited checks as fraudulent.

Jacob utilized dozens of willing participants to accomplish his scheme. Specifically, these co-conspirators provided him with bank account information in their own names, deposited checks themselves, and withdrew those funds on Jacob’s behalf. Between 2021 and 2023, more than 100 victims and over 15 financial institutions throughout the Middle District of Florida were defrauded. 

On January 23, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Jacob’s residence. During the search, Jacob barricaded himself inside the residence, and began to use a shredding machine to destroy evidence. Investigators eventually found shredded papers on both floors of the residence and a shredding machine that was jammed. Jacob also threw documents inside his washing machine. Investigators located a checkbook and financial documents in the names of other individuals, printers, a scanner, and approximately 25 rounds of .556 rifle ammunition. As a convicted felon, Jacob was prohibited from possessing ammunition.

After his arrest, Jacob made phone calls to an individual and attempted to have that individual dispose of evidence and lie to law enforcement.

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

This case was investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Peterson Fils-Aime (37, Orange Park) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing over 5 kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Fils-Aime entered a guilty plea on December 12, 2023. 

According to court records, Fils-Aime was the subject of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation in 2022. DEA agents had received information that on June 3, 2022, Fils-Aime would be transporting large amounts of cocaine in Jacksonville in the St. Johns Bluff area. Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on Fils-Aime’s car. An FHP canine unit alerted to the presence of drugs inside Fils-Aime’s car and troopers recovered approximately seven kilograms of cocaine from inside the car. DEA agents interviewed Fils-Aime who admitted that he was on his way to deliver the cocaine.  

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Jacksonville Beach Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Samuel Arthur Thompson (53, St. Augustine) to 220 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for producing, receiving, and possessing child sex abuse material (CSAM), producing CSAM while required to register as a sex offender, violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), sending unauthorized damaging commands to a protected computer, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Thompson to forfeit computers and a firearm that were used in the offenses. Thompson was convicted by a federal jury on November 17, 2023.

According to court documents and information presented at trial and sentencing, Thompson was convicted of sodomizing of a 14-year-old male child in Alabama in 1998 and was therefore a convicted felon and required to register as a sex offender, including reporting his international travel. Thompson was also prohibited from possessing firearms as a convicted felon.

Thompson was hired as a contractor by the Jacksonville Jaguars around 2013 to consult on the design and installation of the Jaguars’ new video board network, referred to as a Jumbotron, and later to operate the Jumbotron on gamedays.  Thompson’s contract with the Jaguars required him to report his conviction, but he did not. In January 2018, the Jaguars determined not to renew Thompson’s contract after learning of his conviction and status as a registered sex offender.

Before the expiration of Thompson’s contract in March 2018, Thompson installed remote access software on a spare server in the Jaguars’ server room.  Thompson then remotely accessed computers that controlled the Jumbotron during three 2018 season NFL games, causing the video boards to repeatedly malfunction.

After conducting an investigation, the Jaguars determined that the outages were being caused by a malicious actor sending commands via the spare server. On December 16, 2018, the Jaguars set up a “honeypot” by putting the server on its own network and removing its access to the other computers that controlled the jumbotron. During the next NFL game, the spare server was again remotely accessed and attempted to be used to send commands to computers controlling the Jumbotron. The Jaguars were able to capture the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the intruder – which the Federal Bureau of Investigation traced to Thompson’s residence.

In July 2019, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at Thompson’s home and seized a number of his computers. They also seized a firearm from Thompson’s nightstand, which he was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon.

Log files from Thompson’s iPhone, iPad, and two laptops showed that each of those devices had been used to remotely access the spare server. Additionally, the FBI found thousands of images and hundreds of videos on Thompson’s personal devices depicting CSAM, including images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children, bondage and torture of children, and bestiality. The CSAM also included a video and series of photos that Thompson had produced in June 2019. Thompson’s voice could be heard speaking to the children at the beginning of the video, which was taken in Thompson’s living room. A review of Thompson’s iPad further revealed that he had been searching the dark web for CSAM at the time the FBI knocked on his door with the search warrant. 

 Subsequent interviews of three male children known to Thompson in 2019 revealed that Thompson had molested two of the children, exposed himself to them, exposed the children to CSAM, spoke to the children about sex and masturbation, and had encouraged the children to play a “game” wherein the children were required to take off their clothes and run around. It was while the children were playing the “game” that Thompson produced CSAM. The children were 7, 8, and 10 years old at the time.

Thompson traveled to The Bahamas on a work trip from July 6 - 14, 2019. On July 15, 2019, Thompson registered as a sex offender and failed to report this travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). That same day, Thompson also received CSAM via the dark web. 

On July 27, 2019, Thompson fled to the Philippines – once again failing to report his travel. Thompson’s passport was revoked, and he was deported from the Philippines on January 31, 2020, and was arrested by the FBI upon arrival in the United States and later ordered detained pending trial.

Further investigation by the FBI revealed that Thompson had sexually exploited two additional children, including one child that Thompson encountered as he was fleeing from prosecution in July 2019.

“This case exemplifies the unrelenting tenacity of investigators who pursue justice for innocent victims of crime,” said FBI Jacksonville’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Coult Markovsky. “Samuel Thompson repeatedly abused and exploited innocent children, inflicting immeasurable hurt on his victims. He also abused and exploited his employer by installing malicious software to manipulate their systems, which could have caused significantly more damage if not detected. Let this sentence serve as a pledge to all victims of crime that the FBI and our partners will doggedly pursue those who prey on them.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor, Brenna Falzetta, and Adam Duso. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Mai Tran and Jennifer Harrington.

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

Tampa, Florida–United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg the announces the indictment of Timothy Crawford (52, Georgia) for interstate domestic violence, discharge of a firearm during and in the commission of a crime of violence, and interstate stalking. If convicted, Crawford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.

According to the criminal complaint and indictment, in the early morning hours of December 7, 2023, Crawford left Atlanta, Georgia and began driving towards the home of his ex-girlfriend (M.B.) in Odessa, Florida. At approximately 8:00 p.m. that evening, Crawford broke into M.B.’s residence armed with a pistol and stun-gun and waited for her to return home. When M.B. arrived, Crawford punched, kicked and electrically stunned M.B. numerous times, while telling her that he was going to kill her and her children. M.B. defended herself with a dumbbell, and ultimately escaped the residence. Before departing, Crawford shot and killed M.B.’s dog, an eight-pound Maltese.

A neighbor who heard M.B.’s screams called 911, and responding Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies immediately took Crawford into custody. Inside of the house, deputies discovered an H&K USP .40-caliber pistol on the dining room table, and observed blood all over the house, including in the garage, laundry room, bedroom, and front entry area. M.B. sustained severe injuries from the attack, including extensive bruising to her body, neck, and face, stun-gun burns, a fractured left orbital bone, nose, ring finger/hand, and a laceration to her head requiring stiches.

Crawford admitted to breaking into the victim’s house, using a taser on her, punching her in the face, and killing her dog. Search warrants executed on Crawford’s phone revealed that prior to the attack, Crawford searched on his phone, “do you get the death penalty if you kill a woman.”

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

This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jason Charles Nicholas (54, Ramona, California) to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material over the internet using a stolen online identity. Nicholas was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and pay $81,500 in restitution to child victims. Nicholas was arrested in San Diego County, California on September 21, 2023, and detained. He was subsequently transported to Jacksonville for prosecution.  

According to court documents, on August 3, 2023, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in the Jacksonville area, posing as the parent of a minor “child,” was investigating individuals on a particular social media application (app) who were attempting to sexually exploit children. The UC began a private conversation on the app with user “cldad,” who was later identified as Nicholas. Nicholas was using an online identity stolen from a resident of northeast Florida, and Nicholas indicated his desire to meet the UC at a residence in Florida to have sex with the “child.” However, Nicholas abruptly changed this plan and began threatening to expose the UC’s purported criminal conduct unless the UC streamed live video of the “child” to Nicholas. The UC refused. Nicholas later apologized for making these threats, and online conversations between him and the UC continued for several weeks. Nicholas told the UC about his longtime practice of brushing up against and taking surreptitious photos of young girls and women in public places (Nicholas referred to these as “creep shots”), and that he had purportedly sexually abused a young child after overdosing the child with medication. Nicholas also sent the UC several photos of young women that he had digitally altered and sexualized to make them appear pornographic.  

During an online conversation on August 17, 2023, Nicholas sent the UC six videos and two photos that depicted young children being sexually abused. Further investigation by the FBI led to the identification of Nicholas. On September 21, 2023, FBI agents, with assistance from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Nicholas as he was driving to his workplace.  

When interviewed, Nicholas admitted that he had sent the videos and photos depicting the sexual abuse of minors to the UC using the app and by email, that his sexual attraction to children was “complicated,” and that he had been downloading child sexual abuse materials “for a long time.” A search of Nicholas’s cellphone revealed that it contained at least 2,500 explicit videos, many of which depicted the sexual abuse of young children, infants, and toddlers.    

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and San Diego. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Darryl James London (46, Orlando) with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, London faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies London that the United States intends to forfeit the seized firearm, ammunition, and any assets which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

According to the indictment, between 2001 and 2022, London was convicted of seven felony offenses. Despite knowing this fact, London possessed a Charter Arms revolver and ammunition on November 14, 2023. As a convicted felon, London is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with valuable assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Rene Bravo (57, Kissimmee) with attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Bravo faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Bravo that the United States intends to forfeit assets which were used in commission or are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

According to court documents, in July 2023, Bravo began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) whom Bravo believed to be a 13-year-old girl. Throughout the next several months, Bravo began expressing a sexual interest in the “child” over an escalating series of graphic messages. In February 2024, Bravo made plans to meet with the “child” and take her back to his home for sex. On February 29, 2024, Bravo arrived at the arranged meeting spot and was arrested.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

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

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Cody Ray Syfrett (30, North Fort Myers) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for distribution and possession of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Syfrett was also sentenced to a 15-year term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. Syfrett entered a guilty plea on October 17, 2023.

According to court documents, between September 28 and October 4, 2021, Syfrett was chatting with an undercover agent on a social media application. Syfrett sent videos of minors engaged in sexual acts to the undercover agent. In addition, a social media app provided a cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reporting that Syfrett had uploaded videos and images depicting child sexual abuse material between September 27 and October 10, 2021. 

In December 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant for Syfrett’s social media account, which revealed videos and images depicting minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On January 27, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Syfrett’s residence and seized his cellphone. A subsequent forensic analysis of Syfrett’s cellphone revealed 20 images and 25 videos of child sexual abuse material. During an interview with agents, Syfrett confirmed that he utilized the social media app and confirmed his phone number and username for the app. Syfrett admitted to his conversation with the undercover agent and that he shared child sexual abuse material. Syfrett said that the youngest child depicted in the child sexual abuse material that he distributed was nine years old.        

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Lee County Sheriff’s Office that assisted with this investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Nicole Harding (38, Clermont) on an indictment charging her with one count of wire fraud. If convicted, Harding faces up to 20 years in federal prison. 

According to court records, between March 28 and April 14, 2021, Harding devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting a false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application. PPP loans were one of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Harding, however, provided false representations in her PPP application to secure the loan. The loan proceeds ($19,965) were later electronically transferred into her bank account.

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

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.  

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced James Eugene Smith (44, Wimauma) to eight years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The court also ordered Smith to forfeit the firearm and ammunition. Smith entered a guilty plea on December 18, 2023.

According to court documents, in the early morning hours of January 14, 2023, Smith was driving west on Bloomingdale Avenue in Brandon, Florida. Smith believed that a driver in a black sedan was brake checking (applying brakes and causing the following vehicle to slow down) him, while a separate driver prevented Smith from passing. Smith eventually passed both cars using the bi-directional center lane before brake checking the black sedan in return. The driver of the black sedan eventually drove around Smith. Smith and the driver of the black sedan then exchanged gunfire.

Smith, in an alleged attempt to see the tag of the black sedan, made a U-turn. After making the U-turn, Smith spotted a gray sedan that he thought was the black sedan. Smith opened fire, endangering the lives of the two victims – the driver and a passenger in the front seat. The gray sedan then turned into a gas station. Smith followed the vehicle into the gas station, again firing at it. Neither victim was shot. At the time of the incident, Smith had multiple prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon Smith is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.  

This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Priscilla Sumner (70, Lake Mary) has pleaded guilty to theft of government money. Sumner faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. As part of her plea, she has agreed to forfeit $149,084.45, the proceeds of her criminal conduct. Sumner is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2024.

According to the plea agreement, Sumner was the fiduciary for a disabled family member’s Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. In February 2015, Sumner failed to notify the VA of a change in the beneficiary’s living situation that would have reduced the benefits amount. She used the excess funds, which were no longer needed to care for the disabled veteran, to pay her own personal expenses and falsified VA accounting forms to cover up her misuse of the funds.

This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Suzanne Huyler and Matthew Del Mastro.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Rodrigo Hernandez-Valerio (58, Leesburg) has pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court records, Hernandez owns and operates a concrete company in Lake County. Between at least August 2002 and April 2021, approximately 87% of Hernandez’s employees were hired with false or fictitious identification information and documents. At least 57 of the 65 people employed by Hernandez during this time—including members of his own family—were not lawfully present in the United States and were ineligible to work. Despite being ineligible to work, Hernandez paid his three brothers a combined $2.5 million in their positions at his company. Hernandez admitted that he knew his family members were in the United States unlawfully when he hired them and knew the documents his brothers had provided for employment were “bad.” Hernandez’s actions in employing his brothers shielded them from detection by law enforcement within the United States.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John C. Antoon II has sentenced Kingsley Wilson (35, Kissimmee) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license, making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL), and causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. His co-defendant, Viviana Rodriguez (41, Kissimmee), has been sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license, making a materially false statement to an FFL, and causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. Both Wilson and Rodriguez entered guilty pleas in late 2023.

According to evidence presented in court, between January 2022 and July 2023, Wilson purchased 92 firearms from multiple gun dealers in the Middle District of Florida. Rodriguez, Wilson’s girlfriend, purchased an additional 48 firearms during that same period.

While purchasing the firearms, Wilson and Rodriguez each falsely certified on ATF Form 4473s (Firearm Transaction Records) that he or she was the “actual transferee/buyer” of the firearms. In actuality, Wilson and Rodriguez were purchasing these firearms for others in exchange for monetary payments. Wilson’s cellphone revealed numerous conversations between Wilson and others, including Rodriguez, about the illegal purchases and transfer of these firearms.

To date, 24 of the firearms purchased by Wilson and Rodriguez have been recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes involving drug trafficking, illegal firearm possession by felons, shootings, and homicides. Of the 24 recovered firearms, 12 were found in The Bahamas and another 12 in Canada. This firearms trafficking prosecution was made possible, in part, by firearms tracing conducted in cooperation with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Ontario Provincial Police, and ATF’s International Affairs Division.

“Gun traffickers are the purveyors of violent crime,” said ATF Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Our investigators immediately stopped the illegal flow of crime guns to neighboring countries and then worked with partners to bring two conniving suspects to justice.”

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Royal Bahamas Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.     

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Kavon Jackasal (35, St. Petersburg) to 40 years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and a concurrent 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A jury found Jackasal guilty on December 11, 2023.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jackasal sold fentanyl and other drugs to users in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. On May 25, 2021, Jackasal sold fentanyl to a woman who overdosed and died. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to the victim’s residence and investigated the death. They located a small amount of fentanyl in the victim’s bedroom. They reviewed the victim’s message history and determined that Jackasal was likely the person who had delivered the fentanyl to the victim. A detective texted Jackasal from the victim’s phone and asked for the “same from yesterday.” After responding to the message and agreeing to another delivery, Jackasal arrived at the residence. Detectives arrested Jackasal and found a plastic bag containing fentanyl in his car.

Jackasal has previously been convicted of selling controlled substances and sentenced to prison. He was arrested for possession with intent to sell or deliver fentanyl on March 31, 2021, but was released on bond the next day. While that case was pending trial in state court, Jackasal continued to sell fentanyl, ultimately resulting in the overdose death of the victim.

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Samantha Newman.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Christopher Lee Smith (42, St. Augustine) has pleaded guilty to using a child to produce a video of Smith as he sexually abused the child. Smith faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 25, up to 50 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Smith was arrested on September 2, 2021, and has been detained since that time. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Smith is a registered child sex offender, having been convicted of traveling to meet a child to commit a sex offense on January 10, 2012.

According to court documents, on June 28, 2021, Smith engaged in online conversation using a social media application (app) with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as the parent of a minor child. Smith advised the undercover agent that he (Smith) wanted to have sex with the “child” and discussed in detail the sexual acts that he wished to perform on the child. On August 30, 2021, Smith and the undercover agent engaged in another online conversation on the app during which Smith advised he had previously sexually abused a particular child, and he (Smith) sent a video to the undercover agent that depicted this child being sexually abused by an adult male. Through further investigation, FBI agents were able to identify both Smith and the child.

On September 2, 2021, FBI agents arrested Smith and seized his cellphone. A search of the phone revealed that Smith had been engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with this same child for several months. On July 31, 2021, Smith drove to meet the child at a retail store in St. Johns County and took the child back to his residence. While at the residence, Smith used the child to produce a video showing Smith sexually abusing the child. Later, Smith sent several clips of this sexual abuse video to the child by text message.    

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

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

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Willie F. Murray, Jr. (55, West Park, FL) with six counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Murray faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count followed by a consecutive two years of imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count. The indictment also notifies Murray that the United States intends to forfeit $5,671,611.74 in U.S. currency, $1,578,925.56 from a bank account, and seven real properties located in Punta Gorda, Fort Lauderdale, Belle Glade, Hollywood, and South Bay, Florida, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

According to the indictment, Murray was the registered agent and manager of Lab Tess, LLC, a Florida company that purportedly provided its customers COVID-19 testing services. In fact, Lab Tess provided no such services. Murray used Lab Tess to submit fraudulent claims for reimbursement to the Health Resources and Services Administration for COVID-19 testing services supposedly provided to uninsured individuals. To complete the illegal scheme, Murray used personal identifying information of individuals incarcerated by the Florida Department of Corrections, individuals falsely reported as having been tested at homeless shelters and electrical substations, and deceased individuals. Murray submitted more than 126,000 fraudulent claims and received reimbursement in the approximate amount of $5.6 million, which he used, in part, to purchase real properties in South Florida.

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

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Suzanne Nebesky.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Steven Lee Carty (55, Live Oak) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for possession of child sex abuse images after previously being convicted of possessing, receiving, and distributing child sex abuse images. The court also ordered Carty to pay $19,000 in restitution to the victims of his offense. Carty entered a guilty plea on October 19, 2023.

According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating Carty in relation to a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that had been provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The CyberTip indicated that child exploitation material had been uploaded to an account with an electronic service provider.  Law enforcement reviewed the material and determined it contained child sex abuse material (CSAM). Account information was provided for the user, which was connected to Carty. Internet Protocol (IP) history for the account that had uploaded the material was traced to Carty. FDLE obtained a state search warrant for that account, and it was determined to contain the file of CSAM from the CyberTip, along with additional files containing CSAM.

HSI learned that there were additional CyberTips connected to Carty, which HSI obtained and reviewed. Those CyberTips indicated that accounts associated with Carty had uploaded CSAM, including within a chat conversation with another user for one of the Cybertips. 

During their investigation, law enforcement learned that Carty was listed as an offender on FDLE’s Sexual Offenders and Predators registry because of federal convictions for receiving, distributing, and possessing CSAM in 2005.

On August 24, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed at Carty’s residence by HSI and FDLE, with assistance from the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office. During an interview with law enforcement, Carty admitted to viewing, obtaining, and sharing CSAM. He also admitted to being obsessed with CSAM and possessing hundreds of files of CSAM on his cellphone. A preliminary examination of Carty’s cellphone during the execution of the search warrant revealed at least one file containing CSAM.

“Computers and mobile devices provide an instant, all-access pass for predators to distribute life-long records of the darkest moments of a child’s short life,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “The Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force partnership is 1,000 percent committed to be a light in the dark world that chooses to victimize children rather than nurture them.” 

This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

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

Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Raymond Montanez (42, Land O’ Lakes) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Each count carries a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

According to court documents, beginning at unknown time and continuing through May 11, 2023, Montanez conspired with others to distribute cocaine and possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Montanez imported the cocaine through the mail and sold it from points within the Middle District of Florida.

On March 17, 2023, Montanez sold 209 grams of a substance to an undercover officer. On April 13, 2023, Montanez sold approximately 200 grams of a substance to an undercover officer. Eleven days later, agents observed Montanez travel to Jupiter, Florida, where he met with a co-conspirator and retrieved a package containing approximately one kilogram of cocaine. After confirming Montanez was the sole occupant of the vehicle, a traffic stop was conducted, and the cocaine was seized. A lab analysis by the Drug Enforcement Administration later confirmed that the seized substance was cocaine weighing 999.1 grams.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

Orlando, FL – The Justice Department announced today a Memorandum of Agreement (Agreement) with Florida’s Volusia County School (VCS) District, which extends the term of a 2021 settlement agreement between the United States and the district by an additional two years to allow its revised policies and practices for students with disabilities to be fully implemented. The settlement agreement addressed the district’s discriminatory policies and practices that discipline students with disabilities for their disability-related behavior and deny them equal access to VCS’s educational program. In addition to the two-year extension, the Agreement requires the district to take additional critical steps to increase its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.

“Students have the right to go to school and be treated with dignity without fear of being punished for their disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to vigorously enforce the ADA’s protections for students with disabilities, and this Agreement ensures that the robust changes being implemented by the district can be monitored appropriately.”

“We are encouraged the Volusia County School District has taken initial steps to change its policies and practices, providing critical training to staff and law enforcement and adopting strict accountability measures so that students with disabilities will have equal access to educational programs,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “My office will continue to work with the district to ensure its compliance with the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section (DRS) investigated the case.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the DRS is available at www.ada.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Information about the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and a complaint form for the unit can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights.

Individuals with information related to the department’s investigation and the district’s compliance with the settlement agreement are encouraged to report such information by email at vcs.compliance@usdoj.gov.

 

The Justice Department announced today a Memorandum of Agreement (Agreement) with Florida’s Volusia County School (VCS) District, which extends the term of a 2021 settlement agreement between the United States and the district by an additional two years to allow its revised policies and practices for students with disabilities to be fully implemented. The settlement agreement addressed the district’s discriminatory policies and practices that discipline students with disabilities for their disability-related behavior and deny them equal access to VCS’s educational program. In addition to the two-year extension, the Agreement requires the district to take additional critical steps to increase its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.

“Students have the right to go to school and be treated with dignity without fear of being punished for their disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to vigorously enforce the ADA’s protections for students with disabilities, and this Agreement ensures that the robust changes being implemented by the district can be monitored appropriately.”

“We are encouraged the Volusia County School District has taken initial steps to change its policies and practices, providing critical training to staff and law enforcement and adopting strict accountability measures so that students with disabilities will have equal access to educational programs,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “My office will continue to work with the district to ensure its compliance with the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section (DRS) investigated the case.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the work of the DRS is available at www.ada.gov. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Information about the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and a complaint form for the unit can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights.

Individuals with information related to the department’s investigation and the district’s compliance with the settlement agreement are encouraged to report such information by email at vcs.compliance@usdoj.gov.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jonathan Garduno (33, Fort Myers) to 14 years in federal prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garduno pleaded guilty on September 14, 2023.

According to court documents, on December 10, 2021, Garduno distributed approximately 109 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for a cash payment.  The transaction occurred at Garduno’s residence. 

On or about January 11, 2022, Garduno arranged for the shipment of a package containing methamphetamine to a residence in Lee County. Investigators with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were able to locate the package within the mail stream, discovering it contained methamphetamine. Subsequent testing of the substance by a DEA forensic chemist determined that it was approximately 1,695.2 grams of actual methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Omar Solari (35, Fort Lauderdale) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud in a $36.2 million scheme in which pharmacy owners paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketers and telemedicine providers to secure orders for medically unnecessary prescriptions that were billed to Medicare. Solari faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Solari and his co-conspirators owned and operated pharmacies that participated in the Medicare program. From approximately September 2018 through November 2021, Solari and his co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to telemarketing companies in exchange for recruiting Medicare beneficiaries to accept prescriptions for various medications – mainly topical creams – which the beneficiaries usually did not want or need. Solari also owned and operated a telemarketing company, through which he received kickbacks from the pharmacies in exchange for beneficiary leads he provided. 

Solari and his co-conspirators also paid kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies that employed or contracted with physicians who signed the prescriptions. The physicians had no physician-patient relationship with the beneficiaries and typically signed the prescriptions after a cursory telephone conversation with the beneficiary or with no contact at all. After obtaining Medicare beneficiary information and the signed prescriptions, Solari and his co-conspirators submitted claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary medications, sometimes through multiple pharmacies they owned and controlled in a practice known as “recycling,” and were reimbursed more than $36.2 million by Medicare Part D.

Solari has agreed to forfeit $6,341,240.58, which constitute the proceeds he obtained as a result of the conspiracy. He further agreed to forfeit four pieces of real property, two jet skis, and numerous watches and pieces of jewelry as substitute assets.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian and Trial Attorney Gary Winters of the Department of Justice – Criminal Division, Fraud Section. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.

Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Lewis James Scott (35, Tampa) with one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted of the narcotics charge, Scott faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of the first firearm charge, he faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. This charge also carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years in prison, to run consecutive to any other sentence. The second firearm charge for possessing the firearm as a convicted felon carries up to 15 years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, Scott has previously been convicted of a felony for tampering with physical evidence. The indictment charges that on September 4, 2023, Scott possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. It also alleges that on September 4, 2023, Scott possessed a Smith and Wesson Model M&P Bodyguard .380 and three rounds of ammunition and possessed this firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

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

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

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

Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Alexander Alli (39, Riverview) guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. Alli faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2024.  Alli was indicted on January 18, 2023.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Alli submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Alli falsely represented that he had a business suffering injury due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the EIDL funds would be used only for business-related purposes. Alli’s business, however, had ceased operations prior to the start of the pandemic and was no longer operational at the time his EIDL application was submitted. Alli’s false and fraudulent representations caused the SBA to approve and fund a total of $82,500 in EIDL funds, which he spent on non-business-related purposes.

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.

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

A Florida man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for failing to pay over taxes that he withheld from his employees’ paychecks.

According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Timothy Meade, of Fort Myers, Florida, operated a prison phone call service under several business names. From 2011 through 2021, he withheld taxes from his employees’ paychecks but did not pay over to the IRS the full amount of the taxes he withheld. He also did not pay the business’ portion of his employees’ Social Security and Medicare taxes. The IRS attempted to collect the taxes, but Meade changed the call service’s names and bank accounts to thwart the IRS’ collection efforts.

In total, Meade caused a tax loss of $971,130 to the IRS.

In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Sheri Polster Chappell for the Middle District of Florida ordered Meade to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $971,130 in restitution to the United States.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Lani Rosado-Espinal of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan and Curtis Weidler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yolande Viacava for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Stewart Walter Bachmann (55, Dade City) has pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm not identified by a serial number. Each charge carries up to 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing is set for June 4, 2024.

According to court records, on August 5, 2023, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office received a telephone call from Bachman who told the dispatcher that he was being held hostage and was going to be “put under” by people who were able to walk through the “5th dimension.” As the call progressed, Bachmann also stated there was “going to be something like 9/11,” and there was currently an invisible person in the backseat of his vehicle. Pasco Sheriff’s deputies made contact with Bachmann near the Tampa Premium Outlet Mall. When deputies began speaking with Bachmann, he told them that the CIA was planning a politically motivated mass shooting at the mall. When deputies asked Bachmann if he was going to be the one committing the shooting, he indicated he didn’t know or hadn’t been told that yet.

The Pasco Sherriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a search warrant of Bachmann’s home. During the search, several firearms that are required to be registered in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record were located. However, another firearm (RAK15), AR-15 type rifle was also found. This rifle had been modified to house an automatic sear, converting the weapon to fully automatic. ATF found no records for this weapon in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, indicating Bachmann was unlawfully in possession of the device. The weapon also had not been marked with a new serial number after it had been converted to fire fully automatically.

During the same search of Bachmann’s home, law enforcement also found a machine gun conversion device, which is a device designed to convert a semiautomatic firearm to a fully automatic firearm. This conversion device also was not registered in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record and did not have a serial number.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James Muench.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.