Middle District of Florida

Tampa, FL – Yan Daniel Inclan Hernandez (32, Orlando) has been charged by indictment with one count of making a false Statement to a financial institution and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted on all counts, Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison per count. The indictment also notifies the defendant that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $157,500, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the indictment, in September of 2021, Hernandez made a false statement on a mortgage loan application submitted to a financial institution claiming $12,350 in monthly income. This false statement influenced the financial institution’s decision to approve and fund a $411,350 mortgage loan which Hernandez used to purchase a property in Orlando.

Additionally, between May 2020 and August 2021, Hernandez engaged in a wire fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 pandemic Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for himself and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for his company from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Hernandez caused PPP and EIDL applications to be submitted that overstated gross monthly payroll, gross monthly income, gross annual revenues, and the number of employees. These material misstatements, and others, fraudulently induced the SBA and PPP lenders to fund the loans. 

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 Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Housing and Development – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General.  It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Tampa, Florida – Sean Christie (43, Sarasota) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to 25 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), distribution of CSAM, receipt of CSAM, and access with intent to view CSAM. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

A jury found Christie guilty on January 15, 2026.

According to court documents, Christie used Kik, a social media application, to solicit, receive and distribute CSAM depicting minors under 12 years of age. Christie also used Snapchat to meet minor girls, including a 12-year-old victim whom he used to produce CSAM.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.

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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found John Flowers Grissom (55, Jacksonville) guilty of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of an unregistered, short-barreled rifle without a serial number. Grissom faces a minimum of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Grissom was initially charged by criminal complaint on November 20, 2024.

According to evidence presented at trial, on September 30, 2024, three young men were playing basketball in Jacksonville when one of them discovered he had lost his keys. While retracing his steps, the young man encountered Grissom and asked whether Grissom had seen his keys. Later, as the young man circled the block in a vehicle, they observed Grissom hiding outside of his residence with a short-barreled rifle equipped with a red laser. As the young men drove by Grissom’s residence, Grissom pointed the short-barreled rifle at the young men. 

Fearing for their lives, the young men called the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) and provided officers with detailed physical descriptions of Grissom, his residence, and his firearm. JSO officers responded to the residence in an attempt to make contact with Grissom. Upon arriving at the residence, the officers observed Grissom’s window lit up from inside and observed his door quickly open and shut. The officers proceeded to bang on his door and window and announced their presence outside. For more than two hours, Grissom pretended not to be home. 

Ultimately, Grissom exited the home and was arrested. When interviewed, Grissom stated that he was on heavy medication and did “it” because he was scared due to recent robberies in his neighborhood. A lawful search of his residence was conducted, and officers located rifle ammunition in Grissom’s toilet, an upper receiver for an AR15-style rifle underneath the covers of his bed, and the lower receiver and stock for the rifle inside a hole in his box spring. A bolt carrier and ammunition magazine were found in the trash. The barrel of the rifle measured approximately 8.5 inches, subjecting it to regulation under the National Firearms Act (NFA). A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record revealed that the firearm was not registered to Grissom. The firearm had been privately made and did not bear a serial number as required under the NFA. As an eleven-time convicted felon, Grissom is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

The jury further found that Grissom had three or more convictions for robberies that were committed on different occasions, thus subjecting him to an enhanced penalty as an Armed Career Criminal.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Rick Lasseter.

Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Lawrence Brunn (63, Pennsylvania) guilty of cyber harassment. The defendant faces a maximum of five years in federal prison. His sentencing will be set at a later date. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Brunn began harassing J.C., the CEO of Tampa General Hospital, at least as far back as 2022. Brunn’s online harassment increased in frequency and intensity over the last two years. Brunn’s threats called for the execution of J.C. and frequently referred to J.C.’s beheading utilizing a guillotine. In one post from April 9, 2025, Brunn stated that J.C. “should have his head chopped off” and further stated that J.C. “should be scared…of we the people.” In addition to online postings, Brunn also sent mailings to J.C.’s private residence, as well as J.C.’s neighbors’ residences, and members of the Board of Trustees for Tampa General Hospital. 

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

Orlando, FL – A federal jury has found Anthony Joseph Brulewicz, a/k/a “Tony Montana” (54, Port Orange) guilty of four counts of distribution or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of use, carry or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Brulewicz was charged as an Armed Career Criminal and now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, up to 205 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 31, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Brulewicz was indicted on December 17, 2025

According to testimony or evidence presented at trial, Brulewicz sold a total of six firearms and approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant over five law enforcement-controlled purchases. The firearms included three pistols, two shotguns and a rifle, all sold from the defendant’s residence. During one of the drug trafficking offenses, the defendant used, carried or possessed a firearm in furtherance of that crime. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Port Orange Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Alexa McNeff.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Tampa, Florida – Rigoberto Rios Gallardo (33, Los Angeles, California) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Rios Gallardo pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.

According to court documents, Rios Gallardo initially met the 12-year-old victim on TikTok and began communicating with the victim on other internet-based applications including Telegram, Discord and Signal. On three dates in August and September 2024, Rios Gallardo used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual images. Between August 2024 and December 2024, Rios Gallardo knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced the victim to engage in sexual activity.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Port Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry. 

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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Fort Myers, Florida – Clarence Black, Jr. (50, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 20 years and 6 months years in federal prison for drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl while being on federal supervised release. Judge Chappell also sentenced Jarrek Fabrion Myrick (40, Fort Myers) to 15 years and 6 months in federal prison for drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Black pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025, and Myrick pleaded guilty on January 27, 2026. 

According to court documents, between January 25, 2025, and February 4, 2025, Black and Myrick traveled to California and shipped methamphetamine and fentanyl to the Tampa and Southwest Florida areas. The drug-laden parcels were intercepted. The total quantity of methamphetamine and fentanyl was approximately over 90 pounds. 

Black was on supervised release for a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine at the time he committed the offenses. Myrick had a prior conviction for second-degree murder.

This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Ocala, Florida – Tyrone Pierson (29, Ocala) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Pierson pleaded guilty on January 2, 2026. Pierson’s co-defendant, Reshawn Graham, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2026, and is currently scheduled for sentencing on June 25, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, on October 7, 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer negotiated the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine with Graham. Later that day, Pierson met with the undercover officer and told the officer that the source of supply for the drugs had been delayed. The next day, Graham again reached out to the undercover officer and stated that Pierson now had the methamphetamine. Afterward, Graham and Pierson were arrested by law enforcement at a predetermined meeting location for the drug transaction. Pierson was wearing a bag that contained approximately 438 grams of methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Ocala, Florida – Fernando Munguia, Jr. (24, Leesburg) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to four years in federal prison for making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and causing a federal firearm licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. Munguia pleaded guilty on January 26, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. 

According to court records, between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Munguia illegally straw-purchased multiple firearms. For the purchases, Munguia indicated on the mandatory background paperwork that he was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms. Those statements, however, were false since Munguia had been paid to purchase the firearms on behalf of someone else. Nine of the firearms purchased by Munguia—along with other firearms— were subsequently intercepted by United States Customs and Border Protection on May 27, 2023, when another individual attempted to transport them from Eagle Pass, Texas across the border and into Mexico. Authorities intercepted Munguia’s firearms less than a month after he had purchased them. 

The firearms and ammunition seized at the U.S. border on May 27, 2023.

A subsequent records check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives showed that between January and November 2023, Munguia had purchased 44 firearms for a total of $23,334.25—an amount representing approximately two-thirds of his reported annual income. The records also showed that his purchases frequently involved multiple, identical firearms of the same model and caliber.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Custom and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Jacksonville, Florida – Trey Allan King (32, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. King pleaded guilty on January 31, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, during the summer of 2024, King was a member of a drug trafficking conspiracy that sold marijuana and methamphetamine at different trap house locations in Jacksonville. Between July 18 and August 14, 2024, a confidential source bought approximately 1,055 grams of methamphetamine from members of the drug trafficking organization. On August 7, 2024, King himself sold the confidential source approximately 238 grams of actual methamphetamine in exchange for $1,500. The investigation further revealed that King regularly sold and delivered drugs on behalf of the organization, including from a mobile camper.

This case was investigated by The Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Nassau County Sherriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lasry and Kelli A. Swaney.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Ocala, Florida – Ismael Osbaldo Pedro Tomas (24, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Pedro Tomas faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the plea agreement, between July 22 and August 11, 2025, Pedro Tomas communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old child. That individual, however, was an undercover detective with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. During the conversation, Pedro Tomas discussed the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the minor, discussed exchanging money for the sexual activity, and ultimately traveled to a predetermined meeting location in Marion County to meet the minor for that purpose. Pedro Tomas was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the meeting location.          

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. 

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

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Officium Global LLC and Loyal Source Government Services LLC have agreed to pay a total of over $3.6 million resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and Contract Disputes Act, respectively. 

According to the settlement agreement, Officium Global allegedly submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment related to service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-aside contracts that were awarded between May 2017 and June 2018. During that period, Officium Global was allegedly awarded seven set-aside contracts to which it was not entitled because its management and daily business operations were not controlled by a service-disabled veteran. As stated in the settlement agreement, Officium Global submitted, or caused to be submitted, false certifications and statements representing it met all requirements to be a service-disabled veteran-owned small business when it did not. Officium Global will pay over $1.8 million as part of the settlement.

Relatedly, Loyal Source Government Services allegedly violated the Contract Disputes Act by causing breaches of the seven contracts awarded to Officium Global, related to Officium Global’s representations that it met all requirements to be a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, when it did not. Loyal Source Government Services will pay over $1.8 million as part of the settlement. 

“Protecting the integrity of government contracts is a primary priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “This civil settlement demonstrates our commitment to protecting service-disabled veteran and small-business grant programs.”

“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by President Trump’s Small Business Administration, working with the Department of Justice and other federal law enforcement partners, to uncover misconduct in SBA’s contracting assistance programs and hold wrongdoers to account,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis. 

“This case demonstrates the VA OIG’s commitment to safeguarding programs designed to support legitimate service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Wentz with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Southeast Field Office. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue those who exploit VA programs and services.”

The settlement concludes a lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Relator Jeremy Lavin.  Mr. Lavin sued under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act permitting private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in the recovery. The Act also allows the United States to intervene and prosecute the action. The Relator will receive over $680,000.00 of the proceeds from the settlement with the Defendants.

This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor led the investigation. 

The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating government contracting fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG Hotline, at 1-800-488-8244.

The case is captioned United States ex rel. Lavin v. Loyal Source Government Services, LLC et al., Case No. 6:19-cv-958-ORL-41LRH. The settlement resolves the United States’ claims in that case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Orlando, Florida – James Bernard Grover (63, Deltona) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza to life in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. A federal jury found Grover guilty on February 27, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Grover was the founder and executive director of the Special Needs Advocacy Program, a nonprofit organization for the special needs community based in Sanford. Through his work, Grover met an autistic minor, provided the minor with counseling and therapy, and coerced and enticed the minor to engage in sexual activity.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sanford Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane S. Hu.

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.

Ocala, Florida – Michael Jason Brooks (37, Citra) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to one year and one day in federal prison for receiving a bribe as a public official and providing contraband to a federal inmate. Brooks pleaded guilty on November 12, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. 

According to court records, on June 12, 2024, Brooks was employed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, as a correctional officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. He knowingly and corruptly sought and agreed to receive and accept a bribe of $3,000 in return for smuggling 177.1 grams of loose tobacco into the federal prison for an inmate. Federal inmates are prohibited from obtaining and possessing tobacco in prison as it is contraband. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

Orlando, Florida – Terrence Denard Perkins (46, Sanford) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron to 25 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Perkins to forfeit hundreds of rounds of ammunition and more than a dozen firearms, including AR-style rifles, handguns, and a machinegun. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Perkins was found guilty by a federal jury on November 20, 2025.

According to court documents and testimony and evidence presented at trial, agents with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office’s City/County Investigative Bureau (CCIB) were conducting a narcotics investigation when they learned of a planned narcotics robbery at Perkins’ stash house in a residential Sanford neighborhood. The agents obtained and executed a search warrant that same day for the stash house, which was occupied by Perkins’s elderly stepfather. Inside the house, agents located an electronic money counter, revolvers, and a loaded AR-15 semiautomatic rifle concealed behind a sofa cushion.

In a backyard carport, agents located bags of cocaine along with a cocaine cutting, packaging, and distribution station. Next to the packaging station, on the hood of Perkins’s vehicle, was another loaded AR-15 and a MAC-10 handgun wrapped up in a t-shirt. Hidden inside one broken down car in the backyard, agents recovered more AR-15s, handguns, an AK-47 rifle, a machinegun, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Inside another broken down car, positioned just outside the elderly stepfather’s bedroom window, agents located Perkins’s cocaine inventory—18 sealed and stamped kilogram bricks of cocaine. 

Through their subsequent investigation, federal and state agents and investigators uncovered witnesses, financial records, DNA evidence, videos saved on Perkins’s stash house surveillance system, and Perkins’s own social media posts which showed that Perkins has been trafficking and distributing kilogram-quantities of cocaine in Sanford for years using cartel-linked suppliers. 

Bricks of cocaine, firearms, and cocaine trafficking paraphernalia seized from Perkins’s house

Perkins is a seven-time convicted felon, including convictions for conspiracy to traffic cocaine, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and aggravating fleeing and eluding.

“Central Florida residents are much safer with violent criminals like this individual behind bars,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Harrell. “This complex investigation is a direct result of the outstanding collaboration between the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office City County Investigative Bureau, the DEA and federal prosecutors.” 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office’s City County Investigative Bureau (CCIB), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Varadan and Michael P. Felicetta.

Tampa, Florida – Brandon Dutch Mendenhall (46, Brandon, FL) has been charged by indictment with one count of mail fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Mendenhall that the United States intends to forfeit a house, which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. 

According to the indictment, Mendenhall operated RAD Diversified REIT and other investment funds that solicited individuals to invest in real estate properties through these entities. Beginning in November 2021, Mendenhall applied for a home mortgage with Lender 1 for the purchase of his personal residence. During the mortgage application process, Mendenhall over-inflated his personal income and represented to the lender that the business operating accounts for some of his investment funds were his personal income because he was the owner of these businesses. This information was material to the lender’s decision regarding whether the lender would approve and fund the $1.2 million mortgage loan Mendenhall was seeking. As a result of the material misrepresentations made by Mendenhall, Mendenhall caused the mortgage closing documents to be sent by mail to a title company located in the Middle District of 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.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation – Bureau of Financial Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.

If you have invested money with RAD Diversified, please consider visiting forms.fbi.gov/RADDiversifiedVictim to complete a voluntary questionnaire hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Please direct questions regarding the questionnaire to RADDiversifiedVictim@fbi.gov. 

Ocala, Florida – Levelle Joseph Harris (40, Kissimmee) has been sentenced by Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II to 21 months in federal prison for wire fraud. As part of his sentence, Harris is required to forfeit $640,911.85 to the United States, which represents the total amount of proceeds obtained by Harris from his scheme. Harris pleaded guilty on July 30, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court records, Harris committed COVID relief fraud in 2020 by fraudulently obtaining $1,283,029.81 in COVID relief funds. He used some of the funds to purchase a residential property. Harris was prosecuted for that conduct and ultimately convicted of 14 counts of wire fraud. When the United States sought the forfeiture of the residential property Harris had purchased with the stolen COVID relief funds, Harris sold the property and gave the proceeds to the United States. The sale, however, was unlawful. Investigators determined that between February 2022 and January 2023, Harris had devised a separate scheme to avoid paying his criminal forfeiture in the COVID relief fraud case. As part of that scheme, Harris obtained a mortgage through false representations and then used the proceeds to purchase the residential property and pay his criminal forfeiture. Through Harris’s mortgage fraud scheme, he fraudulently obtained a total of $640,911.85.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Jacksonville, Florida – Kenyatta Dacres (45, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to unlawful distribution of controlled substances. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, Dacres was an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), commonly known as a nurse practitioner, licensed in Florida. Dacres prescribed an undercover agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration controlled substances on three separate occasions. Specifically, Dacres prescribed Lortab pills containing hydrocodone, in increasing dosages, despite the agent indicating that he was not in any pain. Dacres also prescribed Adderall pills containing amphetamine despite him denying any history or diagnoses that would support that and despite the agent’s indication that he’s recently been arrested for possession of methamphetamine. A medical doctor reviewed the materials related to the investigation and determined that Dacres’s prescriptions for Lortab and Adderall were issued without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.

Ocala, Florida – Jimmy Deon Lofton (46, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the plea agreement, on July 1, 2025, the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST) executed a search warrant on Lofton’s residence where agents located numerous controlled substances including approximately 173 grams of fentanyl, 31 grams of methamphetamine, 260 grams of MDMA, and over 1,000 grams of cocaine. Some of the substances were buried in an ammunition can in the backyard. Agents also obtained a search warrant for a home security DVR system Lofton had installed at the home. The DVR system revealed numerous videos of Lofton packaging and dealing controlled substances at the residence.         

This case was investigated by the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

Ocala, Florida – Karen Torres (50, St. Cloud) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to one year and one day in federal prison for receiving a bribe as a public official. As part of her sentence, Torres is required to forfeit $43,550 to the United States, which represents the proceeds of her criminal offense. She pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court records, Torres was a public official employed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, as a correctional officer. She worked at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County. Between May 2022 and March 3, 2025, Torres introduced contraband (marijuana, cigarettes, and K2) into FCC Coleman in exchange for $43,550 in bribes from inmates. 

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

Jacksonville, Florida – Terry Alonza Brown (54) and Doug Bradley (46), both of Lake City, have been sentenced by United States District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to federal prison terms for possessing kilogram amounts of pure methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. Brown was sentenced to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison and Bradley was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. Brown pleaded guilty on December 17, 2025, and Bradley pleaded guilty on November 12, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, on June 23, 2025, law enforcement officers conducting surveillance at Brown’s residence in Lake City observed Bradley enter the residence, exit a short time later with a bag, place the bag in a vehicle, then drive away. After Bradley was stopped for a traffic infraction, his vehicle was searched and officers found a vacuum-sealed plastic bag that contained a large amount of a white crystalline substance. The substance was later determined to be 100% pure methamphetamine weighing 1,340.2 grams.

Later the same day, officers observed Brown leave the residence with a multi-colored bag, place the bag in a vehicle, then drive away. After Brown was stopped for a traffic infraction, his vehicle was searched and officers found the multi-colored bag in the backseat area. The bag contained two separate vacuum-sealed plastic bags, inside of which were additional bags containing a white crystalline substance. The substance was later determined to be 99% pure methamphetamine weighing 2,694 grams.

Subsequently, officers obtained a search warrant for Brown’s residence. During the search, officers seized two black bags containing packages of a white crystalline substance, $12,000 from a safe, and $1,000 from inside one of the bedrooms. The substance was later determined to be 99% pure methamphetamine weighing 1,786.8 grams.

Before committing these offenses, Brown and Bradley had previously been convicted of federal drug trafficking charges. In April 2013, Brown was convicted of five counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. In November 2008, Bradley was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

Jacksonville, Florida – Drew Geer (42, Lake Butler), Anthony Crosby (42, Keystone Heights), and Leroy Halbert (53, Lake Butler) have each been charged by indictment with three counts of possession of dogs for dog fighting ventures. In addition, Geer and Crosby were charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Geer and Crosby each face a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Halbert faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. 

Geer was arrested on May 20, 2026, and has been detained pending trial, which is currently scheduled for July 2026. Crosby and Halbert were arrested on May 29, 2026.   

According to the indictments, on December 10, 2025, Geer, Crosby, and Halbert each possessed at least three dogs that were used in dog fighting ventures. In addition, on that same date, Geer and Crosby each possessed firearms knowing that they were convicted felons. 

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 Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.

Orlando, Florida – Montrey Roseberry (20, Orlando) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza to life in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and production and possession of child sex abuse material. Roseberry was found guilty on February 19, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.      

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from at least July 14, 2023, through at least April 2024, Roseberry operated a scheme to extort, intimidate, and threaten children into producing child sex abuse material. Roseberry, while impersonating a woman, coerced young victims he identified on social media into producing images and videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Roseberry then used the images and videos to extort the victims into producing increasingly perverse content involving, sadomasochism, coprophilia, bestiality, and the sexual abuse of other children.

If the child victims did not comply, Roseberry threatened to disseminate prior images and videos they had sent him that were sexual in nature to the child victims’ family members, friends, and classmates. In some cases, Roseberry threatened the child victims with death. As part of the scheme, and to further frighten and extort the victims into complying with his demands, Roseberry sent the child victims photographs of their homes and names of their schools, friends, and family members.  As a result of this scheme, Roseberry obtained child sex abuse images of more than 50 victims. 

“Roseberry targeted young children, coerced them into producing abuse material, and threatened to destroy their lives if they resisted. This sentence sends a message that dangerous pedophiles will receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “We commend the hard work of the FBI agents for helping to bring this predator to justice.”

“The terror he inflicted is heart wrenching. Mr. Roseberry threatened and blackmailed his young victims into committing horrific acts. The FBI and its law enforcement partners are relentless in their mission to identify and bring these vile criminals to justice. We urge young people and their parents to be cautious, especially on social media and gaming platforms, because child predators typically use these platforms to find their victims,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin-Aronson and Noah P. Dorman.

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 – Walter James Marshall (32, Fort Myers) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Marshall pleaded guilty on February 11, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, on June 12, 2025, Marshall was stopped by the Fort Myers Police Department for driving on a suspended license. During a search of his vehicle, officers recovered a loaded SCCY pistol under the driver’s seat. DNA swabs taken from the pistol and from Marshall linked him to the firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Marshall is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

Jacksonville, Florida – Francesca Charles (28, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle goods and unlawfully ship firearms, unlawfully shipping firearms, and smuggling goods from the United States. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 18, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, in February 2025, officials in the Dominican Republic seized 18 rifles, 5 handguns, firearms magazines, more than 36,000 rounds of ammunition, and a silencer from inside a container that had been shipped from Miami, Florida. The shipping container was destined for Haiti. The firearms and ammunition were not listed on the shipping manifest, which instead listed household goods. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), as well as Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), learned that Charles, Jacques Pierre, and Jeff Pierre were the purchasers of at least 20 of the 23 firearms seized from the shipping container.

Throughout the investigation, agents learned that the defendants had purchased at least 46 firearms between May 2024 and February 2025, most of which were the same make and model as the firearms recovered in the Dominican Republic. Thirty-seven of those firearms were purchased between August 9, 2024, and February 10, 2025. Charles purchased at least 24 of the 46 firearms.

Agents also obtained records that Jacques Pierre had purchased two Barrett .50-caliber rifles, which are heavy-duty military-style weapons that are typically mounted to the tops of vehicles and used in furtherance of violence by gangs and cartels. One of the Barrett rifles was recovered from the aforementioned shipment in February 2025. The second Barrett rifle was recovered in November 2025 during a clash between Haitian police and an armed gang.

Travel and shipping records showed that the co-conspirators facilitated a shipment to Haiti shortly after purchasing a large number of firearms, then traveled to Haiti around the time the shipment was scheduled to arrive in Haiti. Travel records also showed that the defendants traveled to the Dominican Republic three days before the shipping container was intercepted. 

In related court proceedings, Jacques Pierre (age 32) and his brother, Jeff Pierre (age 34), both citizens of Haiti residing in Florida, have been charged with conspiracy to smuggle goods and unlawfully ship firearms, smuggling goods from the United States, and unlawfully shipping firearms. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the ATF and HSI with assistance from the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince and the United States Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

Jacksonville, Florida – Andy Robert Ardelean (35, Jacksonville) has been charged by indictment with using the internet to download and receive videos depicting young children being sexually abused. If convicted, Ardelean faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Ardelean was arrested on May 19, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. 

According to court documents, between December 2025 and March 2026, detectives from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office conducted an online investigation of individuals using the internet to receive and share child sex abuse material. This investigation revealed that a computer using an internet protocol (IP) address in Jacksonville was hosting child sexual abuse videos that were available for sharing over the internet. The detectives connected to this computer on several occasions and were able to download numerous videos depicting young children being sexually abused. Further investigation revealed that the IP address resolved to a residence where Ardelean lived.

On May 19, 2026, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Ardelean’s residence and seized a laptop computer from his bedroom. A forensic review of the laptop showed that on April 23, 2026, the computer was used to download and receive at least one video depicting a young child being sexually abused.   

This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

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.

Tampa, Florida – Desmin Terrell Belvin, Jr. (21, Palmetto) has been charged by indictment with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. 

According to the indictment, on March 21, 2026, Belvin falsely represented to a federally licensed firearms dealer on an ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual transferee or buyer of a Glock handgun, when in fact he knew he was buying the handgun on behalf of someone else.

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. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.

Orlando, Florida – Abdalla Hatim Elhakiem (30, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to 27 months in federal prison for stalking and interstate transmission of a threat to injure. Elhakiem pleaded guilty on February 13, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, Elhakiem previously attended the Biochemistry Ph.D. program at the University of Utah. After slashing the tire of a car owned by the victim, a fellow student in the program, Elhakiem was suspended from the University of Utah and returned to Orlando. In November 2024, in violation of a Utah protective order, Elhakiem began sending threatening and harassing emails to the victim from email accounts created using foreign email services based in Switzerland and Germany. Elhakiem sent the victim threats that he would sexually assault and kill her. He used a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and other methods to hide his identity as the source of the threats. On August 6, 2025, Elhakiem sent a threat to kill the victim using a Gmail account that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents were able to tie directly to Elhakiem. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Salt Lake City Police Department and the University of Utah Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan.

Tampa, FL — Oglethorpe Inc. (Oglethorpe), an operator of psychiatric hospitals headquartered in Tampa, Florida, along with its founder and principal owner, Robert Cohen, CEO John Picciano, and Chief Operating Office James O’Shea, have agreed to pay $32 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly failing to return overpayments received from the Medicare program for the admission of beneficiaries to three of Oglethorpe’s Ohio facilities.

The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2021 through the present, Oglethorpe and its executives knowingly failed to return to Medicare overpayments that Oglethorpe’s own consultants had identified. The overpayments related to beneficiaries who had been admitted to two hospitals (Ridgeview Behavioral Hospital and Georgetown Behavioral Hospital) and a substance abuse clinic (The Woods at Parkside), even though they did not qualify for inpatient psychiatric care.

“My office is determined to protect the public fisc and our fragile public health programs,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to pursue companies and individuals who defy Medicare’s regulations for personal gain.” 

“Healthcare fraud has negative impacts for taxpayers and patients alike,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement reflects the Department’s commitment to protecting taxpayer money and ensuring that Medicare payments are consistent with the coverage and payment rules for those services.”

In 2021, Oglethorpe entered a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) following an earlier False Claims Act settlement with the Department of Justice. As a result of violating that Corporate Integrity Agreement, the defendants agreed to enter into a voluntary exclusion agreement with HHS-OIG under which they will be excluded from Medicare, Medicaid, and all federal health care programs for a period of 10 years beginning in July 2026.

“By enforcing the Corporate Integrity Agreement and securing a voluntary exclusion agreement the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Chief Counsel Susan Edwards of HHS-OIG. “When entities fail to meet their obligations — especially after entering agreements designed to ensure compliance — we will take decisive action. This outcome underscores that accountability is essential to safeguarding both patients and taxpayer resources.”

The civil settlement concludes a lawsuit filed by four former Oglethorpe employees: Whitney Treloar, a registered nurse, Darren Caruso, former Chief Fiscal Officer, Jeanette Skinner, former Regional Director of Operations, and Joel Snook, the former Director of Financial Operations. The suit was filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and to receive a share of the recovery. The relators’ share of this resolution has not yet been determined. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Whitney Treloar, et al. v. Oglethorpe, Inc., et. al., No. 22-cv-00238 (M.D. Fla.).

This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Keefe for the Middle District of Florida and Senior Trial Counsel Justin Draycott of the Justice Department’s Civil Fraud Section handled the matter.

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

Orlando, Florida – Paul Alexander Askew (46, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to influence major international sports competitions by doping. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, beginning on or about July 10, 2023, and continuing through to on or about January 31, 2024, Askew conspired with a professional track and field athlete and at least one other person to provide the athlete with testosterone, a banned substance, to improve the athlete’s performances at major international track and field competitions. The doping was ongoing during the athlete’s competitions in the 2023 Ed Murphey Classic, in Memphis, Tennessee; the 2023 Xiamen Diamond League, in China; and the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, in Eugene, Oregon. Although the doping conspiracy was revealed before the athlete could compete in other competitions, Askew and the athlete also intended to use illegal testosterone injections to improve the athlete’s performance at the 2024 American Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, the 2024 United States Olympics Trials, and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

This case was investigated by the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan.

Ocala, Florida – Ballardo Andres Polanco (32, Seffner) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Polanco faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the attempted enticement offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for the attempted transfer of obscene material offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the plea agreement, between December 29, 2025, and February 10, 2026, Polanco messaged an individual whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl. That individual was actually an undercover special agent from Homeland Security Investigations. During the conversation, Polanco graphically described the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the minor. Polanco also sent explicit images of himself during this conversation. Ultimately, Polanco encouraged the minor to skip school to engage in sexual activity with him. On February 10, 2026, Polanco traveled from Tampa to Marion County to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. Polanco was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the meeting location.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. 

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

Tampa, Florida – Esai Pastrana Cruz (30, Puerto Rico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington to five years and three months in federal prison for conspiring to and making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer (“FFL”). Pastrana Cruz pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. 

According to court documents, Pastrana Cruz purchased approximately 90 firearms from various FFLs within the Middle District of Florida and falsely represented to the FFLs that he was the actual purchaser and recipient of the firearms. At least 21 of the firearms were seized by various law enforcement agencies and traced to purchases that Pastrana Cruz had made. Among the recovered firearms, two had been associated with shootings, including a drive-by shooting where two individuals had been struck by gunfire. 

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Ocala, Florida – Christopher Shaun Jonas (34, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Jonas faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the plea agreement and court records, on July 23, 2024, Jonas contacted a profile on an internet application designed for prostitution. This profile, however, was operated by an undercover detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). The undercover account identified themself as a 13-year-old girl. Jonas described in graphic detail the sexual acts in which he wanted to engage in with the minor and subsequently arranged to meet the minor for sexual activity at a location in Marion County. When Jonas arrived at the meeting location, he was taken into custody by law enforcement. 

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 – Jason Shane Ejmali (51, Silver Springs) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Ejmali pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, between July 24 and 26, 2025, Ejmali messaged an individual whom he believed was willing to provide their 13 to 14-year-old foster child to engage in sexual activity. That individual was actually an undercover special agent from Homeland Security Investigations. Ejmali discussed the type of sexual activity he wanted to have with the minor and agreed to meet for that purpose at a location in Marion County. When Ejmali arrived at that location, law enforcement placed him under arrest.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. 

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 – Meade Lewis (32, Temple Terrace) has been charged by indictment with five counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Lewis that the United States intends to forfeit at least $7,096,458, which is alleged to represent proceeds obtained from the offenses. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the indictment, Lewis was the founder, chief executive officer, and majority shareholder of mIQroTech, Inc., a purported technology company in the oil and gas industry. Lewis is alleged to have fraudulently raised more than $7 million from investors by making false and misleading statements about mIQroTech, Inc.’s financials, customers, and product. He also used some of the investors’ funds for his personal enrichment. 

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 Ross Roberts. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Blain Goff.

Orlando, Florida – A civil forfeiture complaint has been filed against 7 real properties and 11 vehicles allegedly purchased by Christopher Delgado with proceeds of a wire fraud scheme for which he was charged in February 2026, making them subject to civil forfeiture. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the civil forfeiture complaint, Delgado was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Goliath Ventures (“Goliath”), formerly known as Gen-Z Venture Firm. From January 2023 through January 2026, Delgado operated Goliath as a “Ponzi scheme,” which is a form of investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors. Delgado’s scheme involved soliciting victims to invest substantial sums of money under false and fraudulent promises of monthly returns generated through cryptocurrency “liquidity pools.” Victims were induced to give money to Goliath through personal referrals, professional marketing materials, luxury events, charitable sponsorships, and some monthly payments of purported returns, all of which were designed to establish Goliath’s bona fides with investors. Based on these false and fraudulent representations, Goliath obtained at least $400 million from more than 1,000 victim investors. 

Although Goliath represented that it would place the victim investors’ funds in cryptocurrency liquidity pools, in reality, the funds were primarily used to pay purported returns to earlier investors, to return principal to investors who requested it, and for Goliath’s extravagant business gatherings, holiday parties, and luxury travel accommodations. Delgado used approximately $17 million in victim investors’ funds to buy five homes and office space. He also spent more than $2.5 million in victim investors’ funds to purchase, lease, or pay off loans on 11 vehicles (the “Defendant Assets”). Most of these purchases or loan satisfactions constituted monetary transactions knowingly conducted by Delgado with more than $10,000 in proceeds of wire fraud, making those Defendant Assets subject to forfeiture as property involved in money laundering. In addition, Delgado used victim investors’ funds to make mortgage payments on a home he had purchased in 2021. 

The chart below includes the Defendant Assets as well as their purchase price and acquisition date. 

Since February 2026, the United States has been seizing assets traceable to the fraud scheme perpetrated by Delgado and others through Goliath Ventures, Inc. The Defendant Assets are a particular subset of forfeitable assets that are expensive to maintain and either depreciating in value, secured by liens and/or subject to property taxes that are continuing to accrue significant interest and may be in default. In order to maximize the recovery of fraud proceeds, the United States has determined that these assets must be forfeited as expeditiously as possible. One of the primary goals of the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Program is recovering assets that may be used to compensate victims when authorized under federal law. See The Attorney General’s Guidelines on the Asset Forfeiture Program (July 2018), at 1, https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-mlars/file/1123146/dl?inline=. The civil forfeiture statutes relied upon in this case provide such authority. 

The United States’ criminal investigation of the fraud scheme is ongoing. Investigators are also working to locate and seize additional property— held by Christopher Delgado or others—traceable to proceeds of Goliath fraud. If you have information related to execution of the fraud scheme or the identification or location of assets traceable to the fraud, please contact Goliathvictims@ci.irs.gov.

This civil forfeiture case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anita Cream and Blain Goff.

Ocala, Florida – Jonathan Travis Pruitt (46, Ocala) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to six years and three months in federal prison for bank fraud. Pruitt pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. 

According to court documents, Pruitt and his associates stole checks written by local businesses from their outgoing mailboxes. Pruitt then created fake businesses with nearly identical names as the intended recipients of the stolen checks. Afterward, he opened bank accounts for the newly created businesses and deposited the stolen checks. Pruitt then extracted the funds from these accounts by making large ATM withdrawals. Ultimately, Pruitt was responsible for fraudulently depositing 36 stolen checks with a total face value of more than $860,000. When he was arrested by federal agents, a search of his phone revealed scans of some of the stolen checks as well as the photo-editing software Pruitt had used to alter them. 

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Ocala Police Department, and the Belleview Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

Tampa, FL – Mohamed Jaber (33, Tampa), Irving Bruzon (28, Tampa), Christian Andujar (28, Tampa), Kyle Miller (34, Orlando), and Julissa Collazo (29, Tampa) have each pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. Andujar also pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and one count of financial institution fraud. Bruzon also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and one count of financial institution fraud. Jaber pleaded guilty to an additional count of financial institution fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not yet been set. A sixth individual, Xavier Garnder, has been charged and has entered a plea of not guilty. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court records and hearings, these individuals were members of a street gang called Alexander Park, or AP. The gang, or enterprise, operated in part by selling and distributing marijuana and by robbing other drug dealers of their marijuana and money. The gang also carried out acts of violence in furtherance of these activities and to maintain the credibility of the gang and strengthen the position of members within the gang. The gang also obtained high end vehicles by making misrepresentations about their employment and incomes. Some of the vehicles were used during their crimes.

Beginning in January 2020 and continuing through July of 2021, Andujar and Garnder, who has pleaded not guilty, conspired to kill a rival gang member. In April 2023, Andujar, Bruzon, Garnder, and an unknown fourth co-conspirator conspired to kill an individual who had angered them. The victim was shot 17 times while sleeping in his car and died of his injuries. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Shelby Township Police Department (Michigan). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Newman and Brooke Padgett. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Tampa, Florida – Demontrae Fagan (36, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 33 years and 9 months in federal prison for sex trafficking. Fagan pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.      

According to court documents, through means of force, threats of force and coercion, Fagan sex trafficked three victims in 2022. Fagan created advertisements on escort websites and scheduled dates for commercial sexual activity for Victim 1. Fagan used Victim 1 to encourage Victim 2 and Victim 3 to cooperate and used Victim 1 to manage their advertisements and dates for commercial sexual activity. Fagan received the money made by the victims for their sex acts. Fagan physically abused the victims and provided them with drugs which affected their mental state. The victims knew Fagan to regularly carry firearms which contributed to their fear of him and compliance with commercial sexual activity.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.

Tampa, Florida – Ahli Fields (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Fields faces a minimum penalty of seven years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the plea agreement, on June 9, 2020, Fields and a co-conspirator drove together to a grocery store in Ormond Beach to commit an armed robbery. Prior to the robbery, Fields provided the co-conspirator with a revolver. He dropped the co-conspirator off near the store and waited nearby for the co-conspirator to return. Fields’s co-conspirator entered the store, brandished the revolver to two employees, and demanded cash from a safe before leaving with several thousand dollars. The co-conspirator returned to Fields’s vehicle before they drove away together. Fields received a portion of the proceeds for his involvement. 

Agents subsequently obtained cellphone records and location data that showed Fields and the co-conspirator traveling from Jacksonville together on the day of the robbery. They were also in communication during the timeframe of the robbery, which placed them in the area during the robbery. 

Fields’s co-defendant, Nathaniel Cox, has been charged for his alleged role in this case. Cox has also been charged with additional armed robberies and attempted robberies of commercial business locations throughout the Middle District of Florida. His case is pending trial. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Ormond Beach Police Department, the Titusville Police Department, the Palmetto Police Department, and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. 

Tampa, Florida – Lee Hughes (46, Pinellas Park) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 20 years in federal prison for attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, and receipt and possession of child sex abuse material.  Hughes pleaded guilty on January 30, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.      

According to court documents, Hughes communicated with an undercover officer online for months with the understanding the undercover officer had a 9-year-old daughter. Hughes expressed his specific explicit desire to sexually abuse the purported girl. During those conversations, he also sent explicit photos and videos of himself, which he requested be shown to the purported child. On May 1, 2025, Hughes arrived at a predetermined location to engage in sexual activity with the child. He was apprehended by the FBI on scene.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and Courtney Derry.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

Jacksonville, FL – A Jacksonville businessman was sentenced today to 22 months in prison for evading millions of dollars in federal income taxes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Phillip Mak, a sales representative, earned more than $10 million during the years 2008 through 2020. Mak owed more than $3.7 million in federal taxes on that income but did not pay them when required to do so. The IRS sent notices to Mak reminding him of his obligation to pay taxes and eventually filed a Notice of Federal Tax Lien against his property. Nevertheless, by the end of 2021, Mak still had not paid any federal income tax for the last 13 years.

In fact, Mak took steps to move his assets out of the reach of the IRS. Between 2019 and 2021, Mak transferred $1 million to his domestic partner instead of paying taxes to the IRS. He also transferred ownership of his personal residence to a trust created and controlled by his domestic partner. Finally, he created a corporate entity and deposited his personal income into the corporate entity’s bank account.

“Tax evasion isn’t financial strategy—it’s a deliberate choice with predictable consequences,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Evading your true tax obligation is not a harmless oversight—it’s a serious violation of federal law. IRS Special Agents will follow the money and present the facts in court.”

Mak pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. In addition to the prison sentence, Mak was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $3,751,485 in restitution to the United States.

U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Gregory W. Kehoe and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cannizzaro of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd and Michael Jones of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Jacksonville, Florida –A federal jury has found Frederick Karl Hildenbrand (56, Cocoa) guilty of nine counts of producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and two counts of possessing CSAM. Hildenbrand faces a minimum of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for each production count, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each possession count. The maximum penalty for the possession counts was enhanced due to the jury’s finding that the material depicted young children. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to evidence presented at trial, Hildenbrand was residing in Ohio from at least 2004 through 2014. He and his wife later relocated to northeast Florida. While in Ohio, Hildenbrand produced a number of tapes and electronic files depicting himself sexually abusing children, including toddlers and infants. He brought these materials with him to Florida, and in 2018, rented a storage unit in which he placed a safe containing the CSAM.

In May 2024, after the storage unit company had changed ownership, Hildenbrand’s payments were no longer processed, and the storage unit was auctioned. The purchaser of the contents retrieved the safe from the storage unit and, after opening it, discovered multiple pairs of soiled children’s undergarments labeled with names and individually packaged in plastic baggies. Also, inside the safe were the tapes and electronic devices. The purchaser turned the materials over to the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, and child exploitation material was discovered on the electronic media.

In July 2024, Hildenbrand realized that his unit had been auctioned and contacted the storage company to try and have his items returned. During multiple recorded phone calls, Hildenbrand expressed that he especially wanted the items returned from his safe. Unknown to Hildenbrand, he was communicating with an undercover detective from the Clay County Sheriff's Office. On August 5, 2024, Hildenbrand drove three hours from Cocoa to Clay County intending to get the safe back. Instead, he was arrested. 

On the same day, detectives searched Hildenbrand’s residence and recovered electronic devices which also contained CSAM. Searches of these devices revealed that Hildenbrand had continued to film himself sexually abusing children through at least June 2024.

In total, Hildenbrand possessed at least 10,000 depictions of children being sexually abused. One of his computers contained two versions of a “poem” written by Hildenbrand about his insatiable lust for children, in which he described himself as “an Elite ranked pedophile” for over 30 years.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Cocoa Police Department, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Children and Families. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.

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 – Esequiel Maldonado (47, Texas) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, Maldonado worked with his three co-conspirators to distribute cocaine. From Texas, Maldonado authorized sales of kilogram-quantities of cocaine, served as a broker, and set cocaine prices. A co-conspirator then distributed the cocaine in the Middle District of Florida and arranged for drug proceeds to be paid back to Maldonado.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Orlando, Florida – Alex Robert Cookshott (56, Palm Bay) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Cookshott pleaded guilty on December 17, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, throughout January 2025, Cookshott sold a confidential source methamphetamine in Palm Bay. The first transaction was for approximately two ounces of methamphetamine, and the second was for approximately six ounces of methamphetamine. Surrounding these deals, Cookshott obtained the methamphetamine from his source of supply to then sell to the confidential source. In total, Cookshott was responsible for distributing more than 220 grams of pure methamphetamine. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

Orlando, Florida – Jose Manuel Gonzalez Roman (31, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza to seven years in federal prison for distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. Gonzalez Roman pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, between January and April 2024, Gonzalez Roman sold a confidential source increasingly large quantities of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl from various locations in Orlando. The first transaction was for 30 pills, the second was for 100 pills, and the third transaction was for 700 pills. In total, Gonzalez Roman was responsible for distributing nearly 500 grams of fentanyl. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

Orlando, Florida – Victor Raul Cordero Arocho (39, Melbourne) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to 15 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Cordero Arocho pleaded guilty on January 29, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, between August and September 2025, Cordero Arocho sold a confidential source approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine and 2 ounces of fentanyl from his residence in Melbourne. Law enforcement then executed a search warrant on the residence in October 2025 resulting in the recovery of over 12 ounces of cocaine, approximately 2.5 ounces of fentanyl, and drug processing materials. Law enforcement also located a loaded handgun and a loaded rifle inside the residence.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

Tampa, Florida – Nidia Roxana Maradiaga-Flores (28), an illegal alien from Honduras, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to two years and two months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. Maradiaga-Flores was found guilty on January 14, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.      

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. Maradiaga-Flores was an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. On March 23, 2022, Maradiaga-Flores applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Maradiaga-Flores falsely identified herself as a United States citizen and used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system.        

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler III and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes. 

Tampa, FL - The Justice Department today announced that Rental Marketing Solutions, LLC (RMS), a property management company based in St. Petersburg, Florida, will pay $60,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by obtaining an unlawful eviction judgment against an active duty Navy sailor. This is the largest amount the Department has ever obtained for a single servicemember in a case involving the filing of a false military service affidavit.

“Protecting the civil rights of our servicemembers is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to aggressively enforce the SCRA to protect the servicemembers who fight to protect us here at home. These servicemembers, along with their families, sacrifice to serve our country and deserve to be treated with dignity. No servicemember should ever be denied housing or have their record tarnished based on a false affidavit.”

“It is unacceptable and illegal for a landlord or property management company to file a false affidavit stating that an active duty servicemember is not in military service,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This SCRA violation had significant consequences, as potential landlords refused to rent to a sailor once they learned of the eviction on his record. He became homeless and his wife was forced to move back in with her parents in another state. The Justice Department will continue to fight to protect the rights of military families.”

The Department alleges that RMS named the sailor as a defendant in an eviction action for a property he had not lived in for several years, filed a false affidavit stating he was not on active duty, and obtained an eviction judgment against him in a Florida county court while he was assigned to the USS Nimitz at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. Because the eviction judgment showed up on his background reports, a dozen or more landlords refused to rent to him and his wife. For four months, he had to live separately from his wife and rotate among temporary accommodations, including sleeping on the berthed Naval ship, which had no heat.

The SCRA requires a plaintiff in a case where a defendant does not make an appearance to file an affidavit stating whether the defendant is in military service, with necessary supporting facts. This allows the court to appoint an attorney to represent the servicemember and to postpone the proceedings if a defense cannot be presented without the servicemember’s presence. Because RMS filed a false affidavit stating that the sailor was not in military service, he did not receive the benefit of those protections.

Under the settlement, RMS will pay $60,000 in compensation to the sailor and for ten years of credit monitoring for him. RMS will also be required to pay a $6,000 civil penalty and maintain SCRA policies and procedures to avoid committing future violations.

The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained $489 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

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

TAMPA, FL — The Justice Department today announced that Rental Marketing Solutions, LLC (RMS), a property management company based in St. Petersburg, Florida, will pay $60,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by obtaining an unlawful eviction judgment against an active duty Navy sailor. This is the largest amount the Department has ever obtained for a single servicemember in a case involving the filing of a false military service affidavit. 

“Protecting the civil rights of our servicemembers is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to aggressively enforce the SCRA to protect the servicemembers who fight to protect us here at home. These servicemembers, along with their families, sacrifice to serve our country and deserve to be treated with dignity. No servicemember should ever be denied housing or have their record tarnished based on a false affidavit.”

“It is unacceptable and illegal for a landlord or property management company to file a false affidavit stating that an active duty servicemember is not in military service,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This SCRA violation had significant consequences, as potential landlords refused to rent to a sailor once they learned of the eviction on his record. He became homeless and his wife was forced to move back in with her parents in another state. The Justice Department will continue to fight to protect the rights of military families.”

The Department alleges that RMS named the sailor as a defendant in an eviction action for a property he had not lived in for several years, filed a false affidavit stating he was not on active duty, and obtained an eviction judgment against him in a Florida county court while he was assigned to the USS Nimitz at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. Because the eviction judgment showed up on his background reports, a dozen or more landlords refused to rent to him and his wife. For four months, he had to live separately from his wife and rotate among temporary accommodations, including sleeping on the berthed Naval ship, which had no heat.

The SCRA requires a plaintiff in a case where a defendant does not make an appearance to file an affidavit stating whether the defendant is in military service, with necessary supporting facts. This allows the court to appoint an attorney to represent the servicemember and to postpone the proceedings if a defense cannot be presented without the servicemember’s presence. Because RMS filed a false affidavit stating that the sailor was not in military service, he did not receive the benefit of those protections.

Under the settlement, RMS will pay $60,000 in compensation to the sailor and for ten years of credit monitoring for him. RMS will also be required to pay a $6,000 civil penalty and maintain SCRA policies and procedures to avoid committing future violations.

The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained $489 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil. Do not reply to this message.  If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.