Middle District of Florida

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew has sentenced Yvens Philone (36, Sarasota) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing firearms as a convicted felon and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Philone had pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023.

According to court documents, between May 5 and 20, 2022, Philone sold 6 firearms, including one that Philone had described as a “Mac-10 machine gun,” to a confidential informant working with ATF and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Philone also sold the confidential informant nearly 60 grams of methamphetamine and 11 grams of fentanyl. Before possessing the firearms that he sold, Philone had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including robbery, burglary, and grand theft of a motor vehicle. As a previously convicted felon, Philone is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Santiago Gonzalez-Rodriguez (58, Louisville, KY) and Elier Sanchez-Suasteque (37, Lehigh Acres) with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute, and possession with the intent to distribute, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the individuals that the United States intends to forfeit any assets, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. 

According to the indictment, between September 23 and October 2, 2023, Gonzalez-Rodriguez and Sanchez-Suasteque conspired to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. On October 2, 2023, they knowingly possessed over 5 kilograms of cocaine in Tampa.

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

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman and Brooke Padgett. 

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Gabriela Inamagua to 12 months and one day in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and the Internal Revenue Service. The court also ordered Inamagua to pay restitution to two victim insurance companies and to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $8,953,629.24. Inamagua had pleaded guilty on October 4, 2023.

According to court documents, Inamagua owned and managed two “shell” construction companies which purported to supply construction services and labor for construction contractors and subcontractors. In order to comply with Florida law, Inamagua’s companies were required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage. Her companies had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be Inamagua’s employees at construction sites, and these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors. Inamagua or others then regularly received “payroll checks” from contractors that they cashed at various financial institutions to pay Inamagua’s purported “employees” and other related expenses.

During the time period charged, Inamagua falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that her companies had a very limited payroll and a very limited number of employees who worked on construction jobsites. Inamagau also caused the transmission of false and fraudulent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that her companies’ employees had full worker’s compensation coverage.

In reality, Inamagua’s companies received and cashed more than $34 million in checks from various construction contractors for these purported “employees.” These payroll figures far exceeded the very limited payroll figures that Inamagua had reported to her worker’s compensation insurance companies. As a result, these employees—who were, in reality, the employees of other entities—performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the insurance companies that dealt with Inamagua’s companies lost premiums they would have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover. The insurance companies sustained losses on the insurance premiums that were not paid.

As a result of these misrepresentations, Inamagua’s companies also disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and evaded laws that required the payment of state and federal payroll taxes on behalf of these workers. Inamagua’s companies did not collect or remit all required payroll taxes to the United States. In addition, the contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were also able to avoid responsibility for those taxes. The amount of those unpaid payroll taxes totaled more than $8.9 million.

“The construction industry as a whole suffers when fraudsters exploit the system by creating fictitious shell companies to illegally pay workers off the books in order to scam insurance companies and avoid employment taxes,” said IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Tara K. Reed. “Today's sentencing is a reminder that all businesses and employees are responsible for their fair share of taxes. IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners will continue building cases with these schemes and bringing those responsible to justice.”       

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. It is part of a lengthy investigation by those agencies into the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that the Middle District of Florida has prosecuted more than 1,500 individuals as part of Project Safe Childhood. In May 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative 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.

“From the beginning of Project Safe Childhood in 2006 through the present day, the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida has been a national leader in aggressively prosecuting those sexual predators who seek to use the internet to harm and exploit children,” said United States Attorney Handberg. “This year is a great example. In 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged over 100 defendants for child exploitation offenses, our third highest total ever. These cases have involved defendants who have victimized, and attempted to victimize, children by coercing them to produce child sexual abuse material, by enticing them to engage in sexual conduct, and by distributing, receiving, transporting, and possessing material containing images of children being sexually abused.”

United States Attorney Handberg continued, “I want to commend our law enforcement partners for their extraordinary work on these cases. Through their outstanding efforts, our law enforcement partners have rescued children, dismantled conspiracies that have victimized children, and built cases that have led to successful prosecutions of prolific and dangerous offenders. Their work on these federal prosecutions has served to protect children in the Middle District of Florida and across the United States.”

Some significant cases prosecuted in 2023 include:

In Fort Myers in April 2023, Jeffrey Holcombe (51, Naples) was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for producing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of a child. According to court documents, as part of a separate investigation, law enforcement stopped Holcombe in his vehicle in Naples and observed a cellphone on the passenger seat. The FBI searched the phone pursuant to a search warrant and found images and videos of a minor being sexually abused. Agents went to Holcombe’s home and discovered the minor from the images and videos on Holcombe’s phone residing there. Further investigation revealed that Holcombe had been sexually abusing the minor, and that he often photographed, or video recorded his sexual abuse of the minor at his home and at various hotels. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

In Jacksonville in September 2023, Paul Edward Lee, Jr. (44, Jacksonville) was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a 14-year-old child to produce and send him videos and images depicting the victim’s sexual abuse. According to evidence at trial, Lee, who had previously been convicted of crimes related to his sexual abuse of a minor and had already been designated as a sexual predator, sent sexually explicit messages to a 14-year-old child through a gaming application designed for use by children. An FBI agent took over control of the child’s account and communicated with Lee. Lee told the “child” in graphic terms how he wanted to have sex with the “child” and sent several explicit images and videos of himself to the “child.” Lee also solicited the “child” to produce and send him graphic images and videos of “herself.” When FBI agents executed a search warrant at Lee’s residence, Lee tried to damage his cellphone to destroy evidence of his criminal activity and was arrested. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

In Ocala in March 2023, Eddie Joe Oglesby (52, Fort McCoy) was sentenced to 80 years in federal prison for producing and receiving child sex abuse material. According to evidence presented at trial, Oglesby created an elaborate false identity which he used to impersonate a federal agent. He then used this false identity to coerce underaged girls to produce and send him child sex abuse images over the internet. Posing as the false agent, Oglesby threatened to have the victims arrested, imprisoned, institutionalized, or killed if they did not comply with his demands. When the FBI searched Oglesby’s residence, they found him with an underaged female runaway. Agents ultimately found 473 pages of electronic communications between Oglesby and one of his victims on his cellphone. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Weatherford (Texas) Police Department, and the Cobb County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Hannah J. Nowalk.

In Orlando in October 2023, Michael Remaley (22, Winter Garden) was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for the producing and receiving child sex abuse material. According to court documents, over the course of a two-week span, Remaley used a social media app to entice a 14-year-old girl to send him sexually explicit videos of herself. Remaley also shared child sex abuse material with another user, including a video of a female child between the ages of five and eight years old being sexually abused. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

In Tampa in May 2023, Brooke Sparks (38, St. Petersburg) was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for producing child sex abuse material. According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a tip from the Australian Federal Police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Sparks was sharing child sexual abuse material via Facebook. Pursuant to a search warrant at Sparks’s home, investigators discovered that Sparks had produced videos of child sexual abuse material of a nine-year-old child and shared them with an Australian man. Sparks also used multiple platforms to send and receive images and videos of child sexual abuse material. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with substantial assistance from St. Petersburg Police Department and the Australian Federal Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Claire Favorit.

“Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue those who prey on children” said Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Tampa Special Agent in Charge John Condon. “We are committed to identifying and arresting these egregious criminals, who produce and share horrible images of children being sexually exploited.”

In 2023, child exploitation cases prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida were investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Apopka Police Department, the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Fort Myers Police Department, the Glades County Sheriff’s Office, the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the North Port Police Department, the Ocala Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Palmetto Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Secret Service, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Sarasota Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and other state and local partners.

These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie Boyer, D. Rodney Brown, John Cannizzaro, Belkis Crockett, Amanda Daniels, Courtney Derry, Noah Dorman, Erin Favorit, John Gardella, William Hamilton, Stacie Harris, Abigail King, Shannon Laurie, Stephanie McNeff, David Mesrobian, Kirwinn Mike, Mark Morgan, Adam Nate, Hannah Nowalk, Courtney Richardson-Jones, Ross Roberts, Michael Sartoian, Ilyssa Spergel, Sarah Swartzberg, Laura Cofer Taylor, Megan Testerman, Karyna Valdez, Yolande Viacava, Ashley Washington, and Kara Wick and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons.

For more information about other child exploitation cases prosecuted by the Middle District of Florida, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Egbert Philip (58, New York) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States. He faces a minimum mandatory term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in April 2022 at the seaport in Colon, Panama, coconspirators loaded a container vessel with 15 kilograms of cocaine inside a refrigeration unit to avoid detection. On April 26, 2022, the vessel arrived in Port Everglades, Florida. Philip assisted with securing personnel at the port to offload the 15 kilograms of cocaine for further distribution, but law enforcement seized it.

The conspirators tried again in November 2022. This time, they hid 112 kilograms of cocaine on the container vessel. Philip was the intended recipient of the cocaine, and on December 7, 2022, he tried to receive the cocaine in Sarasota, Florida for further distribution throughout the state. However, he was arrested shortly after he loaded the cocaine into his car.

This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. The Sarasota Police Department also provided valuable assistance and coordination for this case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Pocols Lashawn Jackson (39, Jacksonville) to six years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Jackson had pleaded guilty on August 22, 2023.

According to court documents, on November 21, 2022, officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff conducted a traffic stop of Jackson’s vehicle due to Jackson not wearing a seatbelt. A vehicle search was conducted due to the smell of marijuana coming from the car. During the search, a loaded semi-automatic pistol was found under the driver’s seat. At the time, Jackson had nine prior felony convictions. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.  

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

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia Covington today sentenced Ashley Flournoy (Riverview) to two years in federal prison for to conspiracy to commit tax fraud and aiding or assisting in the preparation of false income tax return documents. The Court previously sentenced codefendants Jamica Nelms, Capriesha Cummings, and Camille Harper – all of St. Petersburg – to three years, two and half years, and one year in federal prison, respectively, for the same criminal charges.

According to court documents, from January 2017 through April 2019, Nelms, Cummings, Flournoy, and Harper were income tax return preparers at a business in St. Petersburg. The defendants conspired to defraud the United States by preparing false income tax returns for numerous clients for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to issue tax refunds in amounts in excess of what the clients were entitled to receive. In doing so, the defendants documented on Schedule C forms they prepared that clients owned fictitious businesses, which maximized the clients’ ability to claim the Earned Income Credit on their tax returns and thereby increase their tax refunds. The defendants also fraudulently reported that clients were entitled to claim credits for fuel taxes or educations expenses paid to make it appear that their clients were entitled to tax refunds.

The defendants collectively were ordered to pay $1,006,881 in restitution to the IRS and to never prepare tax returns for third parties again.

“As we approach the tax filing season, taxpayers are reminded to be vigilant when entrusting someone with preparing their tax returns. Dishonest return preparers not only defraud the IRS, but are also stealing from the American taxpayer,” said Tara K. Reed IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “Today's sentencing is a warning to those who might consider preparing false tax returns that there is a heavy price to pay for committing fraud. IRS-CI Special Agents are withholding no effort in cracking down on fraudulent return preparers and we will continue protecting taxpayer money.”

This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Pizzo and Jay Trezevant.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging William Rand Paige, Jr. (50, Fernandina Beach) with using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Paige faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison as well as a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Paige was arrested on December 18, 2023. On December 21, 2023, he was arraigned in federal court and ordered detained pending trial.

According to court documents, on November 29, 2023, an undercover FBI agent in Jacksonville was conducting an online undercover operation to identify individuals who were seeking to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as a person with access to an 11-year-old child, the undercover agent was online in a particular online social messaging app and was contacted by an individual with the username “ah..904,” subsequently identified as Paige. Between November 29 and December 11, 2023, in a series of online conversations on the app and emails, Paige discussed his desire to meet the “child” for sexual activity. Paige also sent the undercover agent several videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children.

On December 18, 2023, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Paige’s residence. On that same day, Paige was arrested.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Basil Samir Itani (47, Titusville) to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison for distributing and dispensing controlled substances. The court also ordered Itani to pay a $50,000 fine. Itani had pleaded guilty on September 27, 2023. 

According to court documents, Itani sold pharmaceutical controlled substances to a confidential source on nine different occasions between January 5 and May 24, 2023. The confidential source purchased the controlled substances from Itani for cash and without a prescription after hours at Itani’s pharmacy. The controlled substances Itani sold included over 3,500 units of oxycodone, over 1,300 units of methadone, nearly 400 units of alprazolam, 200 units of morphine, and a small quantity of methylphenidate—all for which he received thousands of dollars in cash. Itani distributed and dispensed these controlled substances in an unauthorized manner by acting outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Titusville Police Department and by the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office, which focuses on opioid-related fraud and abuse by medical and health care professionals who have contributed to the prescription opioid epidemic. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.        

The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with the City of Tampa, Florida, to resolve the department’s lawsuit alleging that Tampa discriminated against its male employees who sought parental leave by denying them the same level of parental leave it offered to its female employees.

The alleged discrimination resulted in a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion and sex, including pregnancy policies, and prohibits retaliation against employees for opposing discriminatory employment practices.

“Providing paid parental leave to employees is a significant benefit that many families rely on so that they can take care of their children,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement sends a clear message that in providing paid or unpaid parental leave, employers must guarantee that those benefits are provided without reliance on presumptions about which parent can be the primary caregiver. The Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to enforce federal civil rights laws and ensure that employers provide all employees leave benefits without discrimination.”

“Employers must grant parental leave benefits regardless of sex,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The resolution achieved in this case is a demonstration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s assurance to the community that employment discrimination based on a protected class, including sex, will not be tolerated.”

According to the complaint, the City of Tampa adopted a parental leave policy from February 2017 to December 2018 that in practice barred male employees from using up to 320 hours of parental leave available to female employees for the purpose of serving as “primary caregivers” of a new child. Instead, Tampa granted male employees only 80 hours of parental leave as “secondary caregivers,” even if they were actually the primary caregiver for the family’s new child. In the complaint, the Justice Department states that about 150 male employees were impacted by the parental leave policy and approved for secondary caregiver leave of up to 80 hours.

According to the complaint, at least 10 male employees formally requested primary caregiver leave and were denied the leave because of their sex, regardless of how much evidence they provided to Tampa to show that they were acting as the primary caregiver for the child, while others were discouraged from applying for primary caregiver leave by their supervisors or officials with the City’s Human Resources department. As the complaint states, men were consistently denied primary caregiver leave status, while Tampa regularly granted female caregivers the full 320 hours of primary caregiver leave. 

Under the proposed consent decree, which is subject to court approval, Tampa will credit up to 240 hours of additional leave time to each of the male employees who would have taken primary caregiver parental leave if it had been available to them under the policy. Tampa will also pay the impacted employees collectively $300,000 in compensation. The consent decree also requires Tampa to adopt new policies and procedures, including a new parental leave policy that does not discriminate based on sex, and to provide its employees training on these new policies.

The United States’ complaint is based on a charge of discrimination filed with the Miami District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) by one of Tampa’s employees impacted by the parental leave policy, Jeffrey Burger. The EEOC investigated and found reasonable cause to believe that Tampa violated Title VII. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred it to the Justice Department as an enforcement action.

“Parental leave policies should not reflect presumptions or stereotypes about gender roles,” said Director Tamra Schweiberger of the EEOC Tampa Field Office. “When it comes to providing leave for bonding with a new child or flexibility in returning to work from that leave, mothers and fathers should be treated equally.”

Trial Attorneys Jeffrey Morrison and Christine Dinan of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yohance A. Pettis for the Middle District of Florida handled this case.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit is part of a joint effort to enhance collaboration between the Department and the EEOC in the vigorous enforcement of Title VII. More information about the EEOC’s jurisdiction is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov. Additional information regarding caregiver discrimination is available in the EEOC technical assistance document found at EEOC Releases Information about Employment Discrimination Against Caregivers | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The enforcement of Title VII and other federal employment discrimination laws is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and its work is available on its websites at  www.justice.gov/crt and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.  

tampa_complaint_file_stamped.pdf tampa_consent_decree_file_stamped.pdf

 

Note: View the complaint here. View the consent decree here.

Tampa, FL – The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with the City of Tampa, Florida, to resolve the department’s lawsuit alleging that Tampa discriminated against its male employees who sought parental leave by denying them the same level of parental leave it offered to its female employees.

The alleged discrimination resulted in a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion and sex, including pregnancy policies, and prohibits retaliation against employees for opposing discriminatory employment practices.

“Providing paid parental leave to employees is a significant benefit that many families rely on so that they can take care of their children,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This agreement sends a clear message that in providing paid or unpaid parental leave, employers must guarantee that those benefits are provided without reliance on presumptions about which parent can be the primary caregiver. The Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to enforce federal civil rights laws and ensure that employers provide all employees leave benefits without discrimination.”

“Employers must grant parental leave benefits regardless of sex,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The resolution achieved in this case is a demonstration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s assurance to the community that employment discrimination based on a protected class, including sex, will not be tolerated.”

According to the complaint, the City of Tampa adopted a parental leave policy from February 2017 to December 2018 that in practice barred male employees from using up to 320 hours of parental leave available to female employees for the purpose of serving as “primary caregivers” of a new child. Instead, Tampa granted male employees only 80 hours of parental leave as “secondary caregivers,” even if they were actually the primary caregiver for the family’s new child. In the complaint, the Justice Department states that about 150 male employees were impacted by the parental leave policy and approved for secondary caregiver leave of up to 80 hours.

According to the complaint, at least 10 male employees formally requested primary caregiver leave and were denied the leave because of their sex, regardless of how much evidence they provided to Tampa to show that they were acting as the primary caregiver for the child, while others were discouraged from applying for primary caregiver leave by their supervisors or officials with the City’s Human Resources department. As the complaint states, men were consistently denied primary caregiver leave status, while Tampa regularly granted female caregivers the full 320 hours of primary caregiver leave. 

Under the proposed consent decree, which is subject to court approval, Tampa will credit up to 240 hours of additional leave time to each of the male employees who would have taken primary caregiver parental leave if it had been available to them under the policy. Tampa will also pay the impacted employees collectively $300,000 in compensation. The consent decree also requires Tampa to adopt new policies and procedures, including a new parental leave policy that does not discriminate based on sex, and to provide its employees training on these new policies.

The United States’ complaint is based on a charge of discrimination filed with the Miami District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) by one of Tampa’s employees impacted by the parental leave policy, Jeffrey Burger. The EEOC investigated and found reasonable cause to believe that Tampa violated Title VII. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred it to the Justice Department as an enforcement action.

“Parental leave policies should not reflect presumptions or stereotypes about gender roles,” said Director Tamra Schweiberger of the EEOC Tampa Field Office. “When it comes to providing leave for bonding with a new child or flexibility in returning to work from that leave, mothers and fathers should be treated equally.”

Trial Attorneys Jeffrey Morrison and Christine Dinan of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yohance A. Pettis for the Middle District of Florida handled this case.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit is part of a joint effort to enhance collaboration between the Department and the EEOC in the vigorous enforcement of Title VII. More information about the EEOC’s jurisdiction is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov. Additional information regarding caregiver discrimination is available in the EEOC technical assistance document found at EEOC Releases Information about Employment Discrimination Against Caregivers | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The enforcement of Title VII and other federal employment discrimination laws is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and its work is available on its websites at  www.justice.gov/crt and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.  

###

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Dwayne Eric Thompson (39, Jacksonville) to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Thompson was found guilty by a jury of this charge on July 11, 2023.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Thompson was arrested by Jacksonville Sherriff’s Officers and his car was searched. A loaded pistol was found in the center console. During the stop, Thompson and other passengers all denied knowledge and ownership of the firearm. DNA evidence presented at trial showed that Thompson’s DNA was present on the firearm and the loaded magazine.         

Thompson is a multiple convicted felon, and at the time he possessed the firearm, he was on federal supervised release due to him previously possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.  

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

   

Jacksonville, Florida –United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced D’Trevious Sharron Epps (26, Jacksonville) to five years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Epps pleaded guilty on August 22, 2023.

According to court documents, Epps sold narcotics to different confidential informants both in Duval and Nassau Counties during September and October of 2022. On October 13, 2022, Epps was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol while he was on his way to sell methamphetamine. He possessed at least 148 grams of methamphetamine, 19 grams of fentanyl, and 24 grams of cocaine, and three firearms. As part of his guilty plea, Epps agreed to forfeit the firearms seized by law enforcement.    

 The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.  

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

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Seth Estes Vanover (52, Diana, TX) to 12 years and 11 months in federal prison for attempting to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity using an online social messaging app. Vanover was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and forfeit four iPhone devices. He had pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023.

According to court documents and evidence discussed in open court, on July 25, 2022, an undercover FBI agent began an online operation designed to identify individuals seeking to meet with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as a person with access to an 11-year-old child, the undercover (UC) agent posted a notice on the app and was then contacted by a user named “jattleson,” later identified as Vanover. Vanover confirmed that he was “into yung” and sent the UC agent several photos depicting child erotica and a nude adult male. Vanover and the UC agent discussed the sexual experience of the purported “child.” Vanover stated that he would “love to” meet them in Florida and would “love to be naked with” the “child.” Vanover and the UC agent engaged in more online conversations in August and September 2022, during which the two discussed, among other things, meeting in Florida so that Vanover could molest the “child.” Vanover described in graphic detail the sexual acts that he (Vanover) intended to perform on the “child,” and he directed the UC agent to talk to and prepare the “child” for the intended sexual activity.

On October 12, 2022, FBI agents arrested Vanover at the Longview Police Department in Longview, Texas, and Vanover, a police lieutenant, resigned on that same day. Agents searched the patrol car used by Vanover and recovered a cellphone that belonged to Vanover. A search of Vanover’s phone revealed that it contained, among other things, at least 234 videos and 133 photos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants, toddlers, and other young children. This phone also contained sexually explicit online communications that Vanover had with other app users, as well as child sexual abuse videos and photos that Vanover had solicited and received during some of these conversations.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance and cooperation of the Longview (Texas) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit

www.justice.gov/psc.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Grant Elmore Davis, Jr. (71, Mansfield, Ohio) today pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery, discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Davis faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the court documents, on October 31, 2023, Davis entered a Truist Bank in Fort Myers and discharged a handgun while making verbal commands to the teller to give him money from the cash register. After obtaining money from the teller, Davis fled the bank. He was apprehended by authorities the following day. In November 2001, Davis was convicted of armed bank robbery and using and carrying a short-barreled shotgun in relation to a crime of violence. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

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

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Baruch Roche II (33, Tampa) with one count of attempted possession of a firearm in a federal facility. If convicted, Roche faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Roche that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that were used to facilitate the offense.

According to the indictment and criminal complaint, on November 3, 2023, Roche attempted to enter MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa in his vehicle. U.S. Air Force security personnel stopped him at the gate and asked for identification. Roche refused to provide it. Roche instead identified himself as “Captain America” and demanded entry, stating that he had a meeting with a General of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to provide top secret information. Roche became argumentative and threatened to come back every day to look for the officers denying him entry. Due to his suspicious behavior, Roche was detained and security personnel searched his vehicle. An AR-15 rifle was located in the trunk, as well as five magazines loaded with 125 rounds of ammunition.

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 U.S. Air Force Security Forces, the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.

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

 

Download Criminal Complaint

 

 

Download Indictment

 

Jacksonville, Florida - U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Zachariah Ryan Luke (28, Bennettsville, South Carolina) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. During the same hearing, Judge Howard sentenced Luke’s co-defendant, Evin Rae Davenport (32, Greenwood, South Carolina), to 12 years in federal prison for the same offense. Luke and Davenport had pleaded guilty on August 16 and September 13, 2023, respectively.

According to court documents, in November 2021, Luke was serving a prison sentence in South Carolina for various drug and firearm offenses. Using contraband cellphones, Luke communicated with Davenport who assisted him in acquiring and selling illegal drugs on the street. Receiving direction from Luke, Davenport delivered drugs three times to a Florida-based drug dealer, including approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine that she had supplied to him outside of a retail store in South Carolina.

Once Davenport delivered the kilogram of methamphetamine, the dealer returned to Florida. In St. Augustine, a deputy observed a traffic offense and signaled the dealer to pull over. The dealer initially appeared to be looking for a place to stop, but instead accelerated and raced down the streets of a residential neighborhood.  A police helicopter tracked the speeding car, and the pilot observed an object being thrown from the car and directed another deputy to that specific location.  Following the directions of the pilot, the deputy located a backpack on the side of the road.  Inside, the deputy found approximately 985.6 grams of crystal methamphetamine that laboratory testing would later show was 100% pure.

After attempting to dispose of the drugs, the dealer continued to drive, but eventually reached a dead end. He then abandoned the vehicle to hide in a nearby wooded area but was located and arrested. After that arrest, corrections officers in South Carolina seized multiple cellphones from Luke, which he was prohibited from possessing in prison. Investigators searched those phones and recovered text communications with both Davenport and the Florida-based dealer, concerning when, where, and from whom drugs were to be supplied and delivered.

This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Aiken County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office, the Aiken (South Carolina) Department of Public Safety, the North Augusta (South Carolina) Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican. 

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Louisaint Jolteus, Michael Jean Poix, Monika Shauntel Jenkins, Alain Jean-Louis (34, Hollywood), Louis Noel Michel, and Jeff Jordan Propht-Francisque to federal prison terms for their roles in a RICO conspiracy that involved cyber intrusions and millions of dollars of tax fraud. Andi Jacques, Dickenson Elan, and Vladimyr Cherelus will be sentenced next year for their involvement in the conspiracy. See chart below for details.

Name

(Age, Residence)

Status

Offense

Sentence

Louisaint Jolteus

37, West Palm Beach

Pleaded guilty on July 6, 2022

RICO Conspiracy

9 years and 2 months in prison and $2,928,841.00 in restitution

Michael Jean Poix

(33, West Palm Beach)

Pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023

RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft

10 years and 10 months in prison and $130,771.00 in restitution

Monika Shauntel Jenkins

(34, Hollywood)

Pleaded guilty on September 18, 2023

RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft

87 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and $3,384,913.00 in restitution

Alain Jean-Louis

(32, Miami)

Pleaded guilty on August 31, 2023

RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft

102 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and $2,554,907.00 in restitution

Louis Noel Michel

(29, Hollywood)

Pleaded guilty on July 25, 2023

RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft

7 years, 3 months in prison and $1,941,533.00 in restitution

Jeff Jordan Propht-Francisque

(29, Pompano Beach)

Pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023

RICO Conspiracy

4 years in prison and $2,574,235.00 in restitution

Andi Jacques

(42, Greenacres)

Pleaded guilty on August 23, 2023

RICO Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft

Sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 10, 2024

Dickenson Elan

(39, Clearwater)

Found guilty on November 6, 2023

RICO Conspiracy

Sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 7, 2024

Vladimyr Cherelus

(34, Lauderdale Lakes)

Pleaded guilty on September 18, 2023

RICO Conspiracy

Sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 10, 2024

   

According to court documents, from 2015 through 2019, these individuals and numerous other conspirators—including a now-deceased conspirator who is referenced in the indictment as RICH4EVER4430—banded together to engage in a sophisticated cybercrime and tax fraud scheme. 

RICH4EVER4430, Jean-Louis, Jenkins, Michel, Propht-Francisque, and Cherelus used the dark web to purchase server credentials for the computer servers of Certified Public Accounting (CPA) and tax preparation firms across the country. They used those server credentials to remotely and covertly commit computer intrusions and exfiltrate the tax returns of thousands of taxpayers who were clients of those CPA and tax preparation firms.

Jacques, Elan, Jean-Poix, and Jolteus were involved with creating and operating fraudulent tax businesses to file false tax returns in the names of thousands of victims. They also registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) preparer tax identification numbers using the names and information of identity theft victims, to make it appear that those victims were the individuals who were filing false returns in bulk.

RICH4EVER4430, Jean-Louis, Jenkins, Michel, Propht-Francisque, Cherelus, and other conspirators then partnered with Jacques, Elan, Poix, Jolteus, and others to form an enterprise through which they filed thousands of false tax returns in the names of more than 9,000 identity theft victims. 

The conspirators directed the resulting tax refunds to debit cards and bank accounts that they controlled. Also, to make the businesses appear more legitimate, members of the enterprise opened bank accounts in the names of these fraudulent tax businesses to receive fake “tax preparer fees.”

As the RICO conspiracy evolved, members of the enterprise “hijacked” the IRS-issued identification numbers of CPA and tax preparation firms and used those identification numbers to file scores of additional false tax returns. Members of the enterprise filed false self-prepared tax returns using stolen identities as well.

Altogether, the enterprise claimed more than $45 million in false tax refunds over the course of approximately four years. The actual loss to the IRS and the United States was estimated to be more than $7 million.

“The recent sentencings of these co-conspirators, highlights the unwavering dedication of IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners in combating cybercrime. Our determination remains resolute in pursuing individuals who exploit technology as a means to commit unlawful activities,” said Tara K. Reed IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “These sentences serve as a stark warning to potential wrongdoers that there is nowhere to hide, and IRS-CI will work tirelessly to bring you and your misdeeds to light.”

“This was a milestone investigation for the FBI because of the RICO cybercrime conspiracy,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “It underscores the evolution of the cyber threat and how criminals are learning cyber tradecraft in an attempt to advance their criminal enterprises. However, this case also demonstrates how the FBI and our law enforcement partners are evolving our approach to investigations and prosecutions to continue to successfully disrupt cyber gangs.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation in Orlando, with assistance from the FBI in Miami and IRS-CI in Minnesota. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John M. Gardella and William S. Hamilton.  

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced Jennifer Lee Branham (42, Orlando) to 6 years in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Branham had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2023.

According to court documents, in early 2022, Branham sold controlled substances to a confidential source in Orange County. Based on those drug sales, on February 23, 2022, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Branham’s residence. Inside her bedroom, detectives located over 200 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, small baggies, various other controlled substances, and a loaded 9mm Springfield semi-automatic handgun.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.

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

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Nestor Hugo Gomez-Garcia (38, Colombia), a/k/a “Simon,” “Guava,” and “Guavita,” has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Gomez-Garcia was the leader of a transnational criminal organization that dispatched self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vessels from Colombia into the Pacific Ocean destined for Sinaloa Cartel members in Oaxaca, Mexico. Members of his organization served various roles and responsibilities, such as overseeing security at the SPSS construction sites, building the fiberglass hulls for these vessels, recruiting crewmembers, and organizing the logistics of the smuggling trips. Gomez-Garcia contracted the construction of the SPSS vessels, paid the workers directly or through intermediaries, and invested in the cocaine shipments.

In July and August 2015, and March 2016, the United States interdicted three SPSS vessels in international waters that had departed from Colombia while en route to Mexico. The first SPSS carried approximately 6,900 kilograms of cocaine, the August 2015 SPSS carried approximately 6,845 kilograms of cocaine, and the March 2016 SPSS contained approximately 5,824 kilograms of cocaine.

This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs substantially assisted in the extradition of the defendants to the United States. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Tampa, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Eliezer De Leon-Lopez (38, Guatemala), a/k/a “Wiro Loco” and “Daniel Martinez,” pleaded guilty today to conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Leon-Lopez was part of an organization that received cocaine in Guatemala that had been smuggled on maritime vessels from South America. The organization then brought the cocaine to shore, transported it to the northern border of Guatemala, and smuggled it into Mexico for subsequent importation into the United States. In 2017, Leon-Lopez retired from active smuggling by relinquishing his routes and South American contacts but continued to financially benefit from the smuggling operations.

On November 11, 2018, the El Salvadoran navy interdicted a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) in international waters. There were five men – four Colombian nationals and one Guatemalan national – onboard. The SPSS was transporting approximately 6,380 kilograms of cocaine. Intercepted communications obtained in the United States revealed that Leon-Lopez was in communication with a coconspirator about the status of the SPSS and the crewmembers, and then received photos of the seized cocaine and an article on social media about the interdiction.

This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Roy Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Manuel Tato to four years and nine months in federal prison for willfully failing to pay employment taxes. The court also ordered Tato to pay a $250,000 fine and $93,690.66 in restitution. Tato had pleaded guilty on April 27, 2023.

According to court documents, Tato owned and operated multiple restaurants in the Orlando area from at least 2010 to 2017, including Spice Modern Steakhouse. Tato was also the owner and operator of an entity called Core Food Group, an affiliated company for Tato’s restaurants that was responsible for processing payroll for the employees of Tato’s restaurants. Tato employed approximately 645 restaurant workers between 2010 and 2017 and had a duty to collect and pay over employment taxes on behalf of those employees. Employment taxes include federal income tax, Medicare, and Social Security.

While Tato withheld employment taxes from his employees’ paychecks and informed his employees that he was doing so on their paystubs, he never actually paid those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. During the charged time frame, July 2016 to March 2017, Tato failed to pay the Internal Revenue Service $93,690.66. Throughout the entire time Core Food Group existed, Tato failed to pay over $2 million in taxes that he had withheld from his employees and owed in relation to their employment. Tato used a complex corporate structure, different Federal Employer Identification Numbers, and numerous bank accounts to attempt to disguise his criminal activity.

During this time, Tato maintained a lavish lifestyle, sending his children to private school, and living in a million-dollar mansion with a private tennis court.

Additionally, in 2020, and after being informed that he was under investigation for failing to pay employment taxes, Tato and his family purchased a beach house.

“Restaurant owners who neglect their responsibility to file or pay employment taxes are placing themselves in a heated situation by betraying the trust bestowed upon them by their employees and the American public.” said Tara K. Reed, IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “Today’s sentencing cooks up a fresh reminder to those who prioritize a luxurious lifestyle over fulfilling their obligations towards hardworking employees and the nation's tax requirements will not escape justice.”

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana Hill and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Tyran Terrell Harris (23, Leesburg) on an indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Harris faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal grand jury had indicted Harris on December 12, 2023.

According to court documents, Harris has multiple prior state felony convictions including grand theft, tampering with a witness, and grand theft auto. On September 25, 2023, officers from the Leesburg Police Department observed Harris walking around an apartment complex with a loaded firearm. Knowing Harris was a convicted felon, the officers arrested him and took possession of the firearm. A record check showed that the firearm had been reported stolen approximately two weeks earlier. Harris subsequently admitted that he knew he could not possess the firearm as a convicted felon.

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leesburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Neal Brij Sidhwaney (43, Fernandina Beach) has pleaded guilty to transmitting an interstate threat to kill. Sidhwaney faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

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

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

Two Florida men were sentenced today for their roles in a multi-state scheme to defraud insurance companies by using rural hospitals to bill for urine drug testing that was not reimbursable and not medically necessary.

Jorge Perez, 63, of Miami, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison. Ricardo Perez, 60, also of Miami, was sentenced to six years and three months in prison.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jorge Perez, an owner and manager of hospitals and the owner of a billing company, and Ricardo Perez, the manager of a billing company, conspired with each other and other individuals to unlawfully bill for laboratory testing services, primarily urine drug tests, that were medically unnecessary and that were fraudulently billed through rural hospitals in Florida and Missouri rather than the independent laboratories where much of the testing took place. Jorge Perez and Ricardo Perez targeted and obtained control over financially distressed rural hospitals, and then used them for billing in order to take advantage of private insurance contracts that provided higher reimbursement rates for these hospitals than for out-of-network laboratories. The claims were submitted to falsely appear that the hospitals themselves did the laboratory testing when, in most cases, it was done by testing laboratories controlled by others, including a co-conspirator.

The evidence further showed that much of the testing was for vulnerable addiction treatment patients and patients of pain clinics, with samples often obtained through kickbacks paid to recruiters and substance abuse treatment facilities. The tests billed by Jorge Perez and Ricardo Perez were often not medically necessary — testing was performed at a frequency that far exceeded what would be needed for patient care, including performing repeated screening and definitive testing before results from prior tests could have been reviewed or used by the ordering providers.

The rural hospitals involved in this case were Campbellton-Graceville Hospital (CGH), a 25-bed rural hospital located in Graceville, Florida, that declared bankruptcy in 2017; Regional General Hospital Williston (RGH), a 40-bed facility located in Williston, Florida, that has closed; and Putnam County Memorial Hospital (Putnam), a 15-bed rural hospital located in Unionville, Missouri, that has struggled since Jorge Perez and Ricardo Perez’s misuse of it as a vehicle for laboratory billing.

On June 27, 2022, a federal jury in the Middle District of Florida convicted Jorge Perez and Ricardo Perez of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, five counts of health care fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida, Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Conrad J. Quarles of the Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Southeast Region, and Special Agent in Charge Basil Demczak of Amtrak Office of Inspector General's (Amtrak OIG) Central Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Jacksonville Field Office, OPM-OIG, DOL-OIG, and Amtrak OIG investigated the case.

Senior Litigation Counsel Jim Hayes and Trial Attorney Gary Winters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tysen Duva for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Deep Alpesh Kumar Patel (21, Sarasota) today pleaded guilty to transmitting an interstate threat to injure. Patel faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on October 21, 2023, Patel left a threatening voicemail at a Jewish organization in New York City in which he identified himself by name, screamed numerous expletives, “If I had a chance, I would kill every single one of you Israelis. Every single one of you! Cause mass genocide of every single Israeli.” Patel also admitted that he had called a synagogue in Temple Terrace, Florida the same day, and had left another expletive-laden voicemail threatening to close it down.

Patel agreed to a special finding that he intentionally selected Jewish and/or Israeli individuals as the objects of his threat based on their actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, or ethnicity.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.

Download Plea Agreement

Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Amit Patel (31, Ponte Vedra Beach) has waived indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to wire fraud and engaging in an illegal monetary transaction. Patel faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Patel operated a fraud scheme through which he embezzled approximately $22,221,454 from his employer, a business headquartered in Jacksonville (“Business A”). Specifically, Patel used his role as the administrator for Business A’s virtual credit card (VCC) program to make hundreds of purchases and transactions with no legitimate business purpose. Then, to hide and continue to operate the scheme, rather than accurately report his VCC transactions, Patel created accounting files that contained numerous false and fraudulent entries and emailed them to Business A’s accounting department. Patel used a variety of methods to hide his illicit transactions by omitting them from the files, while still having the total dollar amount of VCC expenditures match the balances paid by Business A for the VCC program line of credit. For example, to hide his fraudulent VCC transactions, Patel identified legitimate reoccurring VCC transactions, such as catering, airfare, and hotel charges, and then duplicated those transactions; he inflated the amounts of legitimate reoccurring VCC transactions; he entered completely fictitious transactions that might sound plausible, but that never actually occurred; and he moved legitimate VCC charges from upcoming months into the month of the accounting file that was immediately due to the accounting department.

Patel began making fraudulent transactions in September 2019 and continued until he was fired by Business A in February 2023. He used the proceeds of this scheme, in whole or part, to place bets with online gambling websites, to purchase a condominium in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, to pay for personal travel for himself and friends (including chartering private jets and booking luxury hotels and private rental residences), to acquire a new Tesla Model 3 sedan and Nissan pickup truck, to pay a criminal defense law firm, and to purchase cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens, electronics, sports memorabilia, a country club membership, spa treatments, concert and sporting event tickets, home furnishings, and luxury wrist watches.

As part of his plea agreement, Patel has agreed to forfeit $22,221,454.40, the proceeds of the wire fraud, as well as a condominium in Ponte Vedra Beach, a 2021 Telsa Model 3 sedan, and a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch that he purchased or funded with the proceeds. He also agreed to pay full restitution to his former employer.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brenna Falzetta and Michael J. Coolican. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.

Download Plea Agreement

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Lennen Pacheco Colon (25, Orlando) to 6 years and 11 months in federal prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl, to be served consecutive to a 200-month sentence Colon has received in the Southern District of Florida for armed kidnapping and carjacking. Colon had pleaded guilty to the MDFL offenses on April 11, 2023.

According to court documents, in January 2023, Colon advised a confidential informant (CI) that he had a supply source who wanted to sell $25,000 worth of fentanyl pills. The CI informed Colon that the CI wanted a sample of the pills before agreeing to a large order. Colon agreed to sell the CI 1,000 fentanyl pills for $4,5000.

On or about January 18, 2023, Colon met the CI at a location in Hillsborough County. Colon met the CI at the CI’s vehicle and exchanged a bag of pills for $4,500. The bag contained 992 pills that a Drug Enforcement Administration lab later confirmed to be fentanyl.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.

Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Terrell Robinson (37, Orlando) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. The court also ordered Robinson to forfeit a firearm, ammunition, and cash which were used in the offense and were proceeds of the offense. Robinson had pleaded guilty on August 14, 2023. 

According to court documents, law enforcement officers observed Robinson’s vehicle as he engaged in a hand-to-hand drug transaction at a gas station. When they activated their lights and sirens, Robinson fled and escaped onto Route 408. While Robinson drove on Route 408, unmarked law enforcement vehicles continued to follow him and, when Robinson stopped at another gas station, they arrested Robinson. At the time of his arrest, Robinson possessed a firearm, ammunition, drug distribution materials, cash, baggies, scales, and various controlled substances such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine (pictured below):

Robinson has been convicted 19 times in state court, including convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on March 11, 2008, delivery of cocaine on August 13, 2008, and delivery of cocaine on January 25, 2010. Therefore, he qualified as an Armed Career Criminal and a Career Offender under federal sentencing rules.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Dana E. Hill.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Brett Baldwin (43, Mount Dora) him with possession of child sex abuse material.  If convicted, Baldwin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. 

 According to court documents, law enforcement seized Baldwin’s cellphone during an investigation involving a missing person in Lake County. While forensically examining the cellphone, investigators discovered numerous images of child sex abuse material. Some of the juveniles depicted in the images and videos were under the age of 12.

A complaint 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 Homeland Security Investigations, the Mount Dora Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be 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.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Kahlil Yanier Amilivia Rodriguez (25, Ocala) with using the internet and his cellphone to attempt to entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Rodriguez faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison.

According to court records, on October 5, 2023, Rodriguez had an online conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 13-year-old girl. Rodriguez graphically described to the fictional child the sexual acts he wanted to perform with her. Rodriguez was subsequently arrested when he arrived at a pre-determined location to meet with the minor to engage in the sex acts. When investigators seized Rodriguez’s cellphone and tablet, they discovered that he also was attempting to entice another minor into sexual activity. That minor, however, was a separate law enforcement officer posing as a 14-year-old girl.

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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be 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.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Frank Anthony Acanda (26, Jacksonville) with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, eight counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit theft of mail, and theft of mail. If convicted, Acanda faces up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, up to 5 years for the theft of mail and conspiracy to commit theft of mail counts, and payment of restitution to the victims he and his co-defendant, Jonathan Benavide Hidalgo, defrauded.

According to the indictment, Acanda, his co-defendant, Hidalgo, and others drove around areas of Fleming Island, Jacksonville, and St. Augustine and stole large volumes of mail from residential and business mailboxes over several months. After opening the mail and stealing checks and money orders, Acanda, Hidalgo, and others acting on their behalf, deposited the items into bank accounts controlled by them and then used ATMs to immediately withdraw cash. In some instances, the co-defendants altered the stolen checks by increasing the amount of the stolen checks to maximize the amount of money they could withdraw from ATMs.  

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 Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Jacksonville Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Eddie Lee Parks, III (24, Orlando) to four years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Parks had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2023.  

According to the court records, in Lake County on April 10, 2023, law enforcement officers discovered Parks in possession of a loaded handgun during a domestic altercation. Parks had previously been convicted of three felonies, including two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (2019) and possession of a controlled substance (2019). As a convicted felon, Parks is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

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

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

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Frantz Brignol to two years in federal prison for tax evasion. In addition to the prison sentence, Brignol was ordered to pay the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $896,588.89 for his outstanding tax liabilities. A federal jury had found Brignol guilty in August 2023.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Brignol amassed more than $600,000 in tax liabilities to the IRS between 2014 and 2020. He evaded tax payments on his income by hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in his mother’s bank accounts (for which he had signatory authority), trading funds overseas in his mother’s name, and making materially false statements to the IRS on financial disclosure forms.

“Dr. Brignol lied to the IRS about his assets and exploited his elderly mother as a nominee, all to evade paying his fair share of federal income tax,” said Tara K. Reed IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “You cannot brush off your tax obligations. Today’s sentencing reinforces the principle that everyone, regardless of status, will pay the price if they choose to violate the law.”

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah Nowalk and William S. Hamilton.

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Passion Lajodia Jackson (31, Ocala) to two years in federal prison for wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As part of the judgment, Jackson was ordered to forfeit $20,132, which represents the proceeds obtained from the offense. Jackson had pleaded guilty on September 11, 2023.

According to court records, on April 2, 2021, Jackson electronically submitted a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application to the Small Business Administration for an incorporated business. Her application included false statements. She also provided a fictitious Internal Revenue Service document in support of her application. Based on the fraudulent information, Jackson unlawfully received a PPP loan in the amount of $20,132 on April 6, 2021. The loan was electronically wired into her bank account. Within 30 days of receiving the loan, Jackson had withdrawn the funds in cash.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Ocala Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Evan Graves (40, Alva) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a $1.35 million COVID relief fraud scheme. Graves faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. As part of his guilty plea, Graves has agreed to forfeit approximately $1,355,600 and six properties in Fort Myers that he had purchased or funded using proceeds of his fraud.  

According to the plea agreement and other court documents, between June 20 and July 23, 2020, Graves electronically submitted 10 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of his various Fort Myers-based companies. In each EIDL application, Graves falsely represented his companies’ number of employees, gross revenues, and lost rental income due to the COVID-19 disaster to qualify for large loan amounts and advance funding. In total, Graves’s fraudulent representations caused the SBA to approve his 10 loans and deposit approximately $1.35 million into bank accounts controlled by Graves. Following disbursement of the EIDL funding, Graves unlawfully used the money to, among other things, pay off personal credit card debt, fund personal investment accounts, satisfy mortgages, and purchase real estate. 

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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

Download Plea Agreement

Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Donald Robert Smith (29, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to three separate Hobbs Act robberies, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to one of the robberies, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to another of the robberies. Smith faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the robbery offenses: a minimum mandatory sentence of 7 years, up to life, for brandishing the firearm; and a minimum of 10 years, up to life, for discharging the firearm. The latter two penalties are to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. Smith has also agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition traceable to the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, on August 1, 2022, Smith robbed a Tampa business utilizing a firearm and pointing it at business employees. Two days later, Smith robbed another Tampa business by pointing a firearm at the cashier and demanding money. During the investigation into the first two robberies, a search warrant for Smith’s vehicle was obtained and executed. Inside the vehicle, ATF agents located a Taurus 9mm handgun. This firearm was then linked by a shell casing to another robbery on August 1, 2022. In this robbery, Smith approached an individual as he was turning in his work truck for the night. Smith approached the victim and demanded his wallet. As Smith walked away, he discharged the firearm.

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

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Rohan Conrad Campbell (49, Jamaica) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and a consecutive minimum mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft offense. Campbell has also agreed to forfeit $4,207, which represents the proceeds of his offenses. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.         

According to the plea agreement and public records, on August 5, 2017, Campbell entered a Five Star Cellular store in Clay County. Using a fraudulently established account and a counterfeit state of Washington driver license, both in the name of a victim, Campbell obtained multiple cellphones. On August 15, 2017, Campbell returned to a Sprint store in Clay County to collect cellphones he had fraudulently ordered using another victim’s identity. A store employee recognized Campbell and called the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Upon arriving and making contact with Campbell, Campbell provided a deputy with a counterfeit Washington driver license in the identity of a third victim. As a deputy was talking with him, Campbell ran, but was tackled. Campbell then got up and fled, but was later apprehended by the CCSO after a pursuit. Follow up investigation by the CCSO and the United States Secret Service determined that Campbell set up numerous fraudulent accounts, using counterfeit identification documents in the identity of various victims and obtained thousands of dollars’ worth of cell phones at multiple stores in Florida.  

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

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton today sentenced Coury Robert Badnell (38, Oakland, FL) to 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Dalton previously sentenced Anthony Roberto Hutchinson (26, Orlando), Deandre Devante Levy (26, Orlando), and Jordan Brian Burgos (26, Orlando) to terms of imprisonment of 24 months, 15 months, and 8 months respectively for their participation in the same conspiracy. Each had previously pleaded guilty.

According to court documents, the individuals engaged in a SIM-swapping scheme through which they stole more than $509,475 in cryptocurrency proceeds from unsuspecting victims. “SIM swapping” is a fraud scheme where an individual’s wireless service is taken over by a perpetrator, who has the end goal of gaining access to that individual’s email accounts and financial accounts. The objective for this conspiracy and fraud scheme was to target individuals who maintained cryptocurrency.

During the course of the conspiracy, Badnell was employed as a manager at the office of a major wireless communications provider in the Orlando. He used his insider access at this business to bypass the provider’s security protocols. This allowed the conspirators the ability to swap the SIM cards of cellphones that they controlled with the SIM cards assigned to victims’ cellphones. As a result, the conspirators were then able to access and drain the victims’ cryptocurrency accounts.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chauncey A. Bratt and Ranganath Manthripragada.

Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Cristian Burgos (25, Kissimmee) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Burgos to forfeit a Glock firearm, an Anderson Manufacturing firearm and associated ammunition, which are traceable to the offense. Burgos had pleaded guilty on August 22, 2023.

According to court documents, on January 29, 2023, officers from the Orlando Police Department located a vehicle that had been carjacked. They conducted a stop of the vehicle and the driver, Burgos, began to flee on foot. Officers apprehended Burgos after a short chase. They recovered a Glock firearm, an Anderson Manufacturing rifle, and ammunition from inside the vehicle. Laboratory testing of the rifle identified it as having been used to commit two shootings in Orlando in October 2022.

At the time of this offense, Burgos had previously been convicted in state court in Florida of four counts of robbery with a firearm. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. 

Burgos is facing six counts of attempted murder and two counts of shooting into a building in state court in Florida related to the two shootings that occurred in October 2022.

This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Orlando Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

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

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Carlos Alejandro Coneo-Contreras (51, Colombia) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Coneo-Contreras had pleaded guilty on September 25, 2023.   

According to court documents, Coneo-Contreras was a logistical coordinator for a Colombian drug trafficking organization based in Cartagena, Colombia. In July 2017, Coneo-Contreras acquired a sailing vessel in Cartagena, which was to set sail with cocaine to San Andrés Island, Colombia, an island approximately 100 miles east of Nicaragua. Once the cocaine-laden vessel reached San Andrés Island, the cocaine was to be transported to Central America and then smuggled into the United States. In addition to obtaining the vessel, Coneo-Contreras purchased food, fuel, and navigation equipment for the mariners to use while on their journey to San Andrés Island. The Colombian Navy interdicted the sailing vessel, which had 164 kilograms of cocaine on board.

In June 2018, Coneo-Contreras again acquired a sailing vessel in Cartagena to transport cocaine to San Andrés Island. The Colombian Navy interdicted that vessel, this time with 452 kilograms of cocaine on board. Again, the ultimate destination for the cocaine was the United States.

This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. The Colombian Navy and Colombian National Police also provided valuable assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Kavon Jackasal (34, St. Petersburg) guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it. Jackasal faces a minimum mandatory 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 19, 2024. Jackasal had been indicted on June 28, 2022.

According to evidence presented at trial, a series of text messages showed that Jackasal had sold fentanyl to the victim multiple times between July and October 2020, when the victim resided in Pinellas County. In October 2020, the victim informed Jackasal that she had violated her probation and would be going to jail. She was released from jail on May 9, 2021, and moved to a residence in Tampa. Beginning on May 25, 2021, the victim began texting several people looking for drugs. In one of the texts to another individual, the victim requested fentanyl. After her attempts to get fentanyl from other sources were unsuccessful, she texted Jackasal. The victim told Jackasal she was out of jail and sent him an address. She sent him a text (“$$”) and indicated that she had cash, but she did not specify that she wanted fentanyl. Based on their previous text history, however, it was apparent that Jackasal knew she wanted fentanyl.

The text messages exchanged between Jackasal and the victim indicated that Jackasal had delivered a substance to the victim shortly after 1:00 a.m. on May 26, 2021. The victim’s cellphone call log and testimony from a roommate showed that the victim was talking on the phone at 10:00 a.m. that morning. Her roommates left the residence to run errands, and when they returned, they found her dead in her bedroom at approximately 1:25 p.m. The evidence showed that she died of an overdose caused by the use of fentanyl.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded and investigated the death. Investigators reviewed the victim’s message history and were able to determine, by process of elimination, that someone identified in her contacts as “Neq York” was likely the person that had delivered the fentanyl to her. Her text history with Jackasal showed that she referred to him as “New York.” Investigators lured the seller back to the residence by texting Neq York and asking for the “same from yesterday.” After responding and agreeing to another delivery, Jackasal arrived at the residence and was arrested. Inside his vehicle, investigators found a plastic bag containing fentanyl inside a cigarette box. DNA evidence was consistent with Jackasal’s touch DNA being present on the cigarette box.

Laboratory analysis confirmed that the substance in the cigarette box was fentanyl. A small amount of fentanyl was also found in a small baggie inside the victim’s bedroom. Despite differences in the color and compounds between the mixtures containing fentanyl from the cigarette box and from the victim’s bedroom, and differences in the packaging, the evidence from the victim’s cellphone made it clear that Jackasal was the only person who had agreed to bring her fentanyl the night before her overdose, and she did not attempt to acquire more fentanyl after the delivery from Jackasal.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Danielle Jane Liles (41, Summerfield) has pleaded guilty to eight counts of wire fraud. For each count, she faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Liles will also be ordered to forfeit $616,793.43, which represents the proceeds of her offenses. Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

According to court records, between January 11, 2016, and April 10, 2023, Liles devised a scheme to defraud Silver River Mentoring and Instruction (SRMI), an alternative school for middle and high school students. During this time, Liles handled the payroll at SRMI. Liles had 137 unauthorized paychecks issued in her name by logging false information into SRMI’s accounting software. She then received the paychecks through Automated Clearinghouse Services (ACH) wire transfers directly into her bank account. During a financial review with the school’s executive staff in April 2023, Liles admitted that she had been “paying [herself] extra money” and had become addicted to stealing the payroll funds.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Edward James Bess III (29, Fort Myers) to 33 years and 4 months in federal prison for carjacking causing serious bodily injury, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and carjacking. The court also ordered Bess to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he used and illegally possessed. Bess pleaded guilty to the offenses on July 6, 2023.

According to court documents, on the night of November 24, 2021, Bess approached Victim 1 in the parking lot of a business located on Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers while Victim 1 was standing near his pickup truck. Bess confronted Victim 1 and demanded Victim 1’s keys while brandishing a Cobra model CA380, .380 firearm. As Victim 1 moved towards the front driver door area of his vehicle to retrieve a firearm for protection, a struggle ensued, and Bess shot Victim 1 in his lower abdomen area. After being shot, Victim 1 ran to the other side of the vehicle and Bess entered Victim 1’s truck. Very shortly after, Bess exited the truck and chased Victim 1 while holding and pointing Victim 1’s firearm, a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson. Bess then shot Victim 1 in the leg using Victim 1’s firearm and retrieved Victim 1’s car keys. Bess entered the pickup truck again and fled the area.

The next day, Bess abandoned Victim 1’s truck along I-75 in Sumter County. That evening, around 6:30 p.m., Bess approached Victim 2 as he was unloading luggage from his SUV in a hotel parking lot in Wildwood. Bess approached Victim 2, brandishing a black firearm, and demanded that Victim 2 hand over his wallet, phone, and car keys. Bess entered Victim 2’s SUV and fled the area. Deputies from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) immediately responded to the area. Moments later, SCSO deputies located Bess driving Victim 2’s vehicle near County Road 229. As deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Bess sped off and a high-speed chase ensued. The stolen vehicle eventually came to a stop, after it crashed through a fence and drove into a wooded area. Bess exited the vehicle and eventually surrendered to SCSO deputies.

The next day, a Cobra .380 firearm was found at the entrance of a residence near the area of the high-speed chase. The firearm did not have a magazine in its magazine well. A SCSO Crime Scene Specialist later located a .380 magazine under the front driver seat of Victim 2’s stolen vehicle. DNA evidence later linked Bess to the .380 firearm. Additionally, ballistic testing revealed a .380 casing recovered from the Fort Myers carjacking incident and shooting matched a test-fired cartridge casing from the Cobra .380 recovered in Sumter County. Additionally, DNA swabs taken from inside of Victim 1’s stolen truck, as well as items left in the truck, were also linked to Bess’s DNA.   

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.

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

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Florida attorney has been convicted at trial for participating in a scheme to illegally obtain funding from a federal COVID-19 small business relief program.

Shaquandra Woods, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla., was convicted after a four-day trial in U.S. District Court on a charge of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The conviction subjects Woods to a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Congress provided more than $6 billion in funding for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act as a lifeline in the midst of a generational catastrophe for struggling small businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This year alone, our office has prosecuted defendants responsible for more than $11 million in CARES Act fraud, and with our law enforcement partners we continue to identify and hold accountable those who illegally enrich themselves through these programs.”

As authorized by the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) provided Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Woods, an attorney licensed to practice law in Florida and Georgia, completed at least nine applications for EIDL funding for herself and others, fabricating and submitting false documents to support the applications.

As a result of the fraudulent applications, Woods attempted to secure nearly $800,000 in COVID-19 funding for herself and others in the conspiracy and was successful in obtaining more than $300,000 for herself.

U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker will schedule sentencing for Woods upon completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.

“Fraud in and against the CARES Act amounts to theft from American taxpayers,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and prosecute those who take advantage of these programs designed to help struggling Americans.”

“Conspiring to fraudulently obtain federal pandemic relief funds that are meant to provide assistance to nation’s small businesses is unacceptable,” said SBA-OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent-in-Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and prosecuted for the United States by Senior Litigation Counsel Jennifer G. Solari and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan C. Grover.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger today sentenced Anna Parsons (38, Poinciana) to 15 years in federal prison for fentanyl distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Parsons had pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023.  

According to court documents, at approximately 1:00 a.m. on March 15, 2022, Parsons arrived at a homeless encampment to meet with an individual (C.J.). Parsons distributed fentanyl to C.J. and another individual living at the site, J.A. C.J. became unresponsive after using the fentanyl. Parsons attempted to get Narcan but did not call 911 until approximately 10:30 a.m. when C.J. stopped breathing. The Medical Examiner’s Office (District 9) later concluded that C.J. had died from fentanyl toxicity. When Parsons and J.A called 911, they initially lied to police and the Drug Enforcement Administration about the circumstances of C.J.’s death. The DEA searched Parson’s apartment and phone to find that she had been distributing fentanyl and that she possessed 158 grams of fentanyl, worth approximately $15,800 at the prices she was charging, at her apartment. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Omar Arriojas (57, Cape Coral) to 18 months in federal prison for attempting to smuggle goods from the United States and making a false statement during a firearms acquisition. Arriojas had pleaded guilty on June 28, 2023.

According to court records, in January 2023, Arriojas attempted to ship a package from the United States to Venezuela, which was searched by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents prior to exportation. Inside the package, agents found a large used air conditioner within which several items were concealed, including three handguns, handgun magazines, and more than 50 rounds of ammunition. By law, such items require a special license prior to exportation, which Arriojas had never obtained.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and United States Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

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

Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jason Laquwan Callum (43, Jamestown, SC) and Rodney Leandro (49, Jacksonville, FL) have pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine. Callum faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Leandro faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. A superseding indictment was filed on September 27, 2023. Leandro and Callum will be sentenced on March 28, 2024. 

According to court documents, in March 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned about a kilogram-level cocaine dealer (CD) operating in Orange Park, Florida. On April 10, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the CD’s residence and located various narcotics, including cocaine, empty plastic heat-sealed kilogram bags with cocaine residue, and $34,530 in cash. The CD later confessed and identified Leandro and Callum as his sources of supply and agreed to set up a drug transaction.

On February 4, 2020, Callum and Leandro agreed to send a kilogram of cocaine to the CD via a courier from South Carolina to the Jacksonville area for $33,000. Once the courier arrived, Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputies intercepted the courier’s vehicle and, during this interaction, the courier admitted to having cocaine in the front seat. Further, the courier explained that she began transporting drugs for Callum in 2019, and stated that she delivered drugs to various states, including South Carolina, New York, Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina. The courier admitted to making at least 10 trips that involved cocaine—each delivery had at least one kilogram or more of cocaine. The courier has also pleaded guilty to cocaine distribution in the Middle District of Florida.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Jacksonville Tactical Diversion Squad and Task Force Two; DEA Charleston, South Carolina; the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Charleston County Aviation Authority Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Marcel Morris (33, Port Richey) with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted, Morris faces a maximum penalty of l5 years in federal prison. Darrence White (27, New Port Richey) has been charged with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. If convicted, White faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison for the fentanyl offense, and up to life imprisonment for the methamphetamine offense. The indictment also notifies Morris and White that the United States intends to forfeit ammunition, as well as assets, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

According to the indictment, on March 11, 2023, Morris, a previously convicted felon, possessed ammunition, including 3 rounds of Winchester 9 mm ammunition, 3 rounds of GECO 9 mm ammunition, and 9 rounds of Federal Cartridge 9 mm ammunition. White allegedly possessed with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.

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

           

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew has sentenced Jasmine Weber (28, Tampa) to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. Weber had pleaded guilty on January 20, 2023.

According to the plea agreement, between December 2020 and April 2021, Weber was aware that a group of individuals had conspired with each other to commit armed robberies throughout Pasco, Polk, Lee, and Hillsborough Counties. Weber knew that members of this conspiracy carried out their crimes by pretending to be law enforcement officers. Members of this conspiracy provided Weber with identifying information on their potential victims. Using her employment as a claims adjuster and knowing the co-conspirators’ goal, Weber researched those individuals on her Lexus Nexus account and located their home addresses. Members of this conspiracy then committed robberies at those residences, some of which resulted in victims being beaten, pistol whipped, and shot. Additionally, Weber purchased equipment for co-conspirators to use in the commission of these robberies, including Sheriff’s vests, law enforcement patches, and light bars.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Bartow Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, the Dade City Police Department, the Cape Coral Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.