Middle District of Florida

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Brian A. Blake (31, Orlando) to nine years and eight months in federal prison for access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm by convicted felon. As part of the sentence, the court also ordered Blake to pay restitution in the amount of $579,074 to victims of the offenses. The court further ordered that Blake forfeit proceeds and instrumentalities of the offenses, including $80,482 in cash located in Blake’s residence, an Aero Precision firearm, and a number of computers and cellphones used to perpetrate the fraud. Blake had pleaded guilty on October 18, 2022.

In March 2020, the “CARES Act,” was enacted to provide immediate assistance to individuals, families, and organizations affected by the COVID-19 emergency. This Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to offer Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act further expanded the ability of workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to obtain Unemployment Insurance (UI) and increased the amounts of UI benefits for applicants.

According to court documents, in 2020, Blake fraudulently obtained $491,074 in UI benefits by filing unemployment claims across 25 different states in the names of identity theft victims. In addition, in June and July 2020, Blake submitted 26 fraudulent applications for EIDL loans in the names of identity theft victims attempting to secure a total of $341,200, of which $88,000 was disbursed to Blake. The total amount of funds that Blake attempted to fraudulently obtain was $832,274.

In addition, on July 10, 2020, during the execution of a search warrant at Blake’s residence, officers from the Orlando Police Department found an assault-style Aero Precision firearm, Model SL15. As a previously convicted felon, Blake is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Deshon G. Walker (26, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as convicted felon. Walker faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

According to court documents, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with Walker as the front seat passenger. Officers located a loaded Glock pistol under Walker’s seat. DNA analysis later linked Walker to the pistol. Walker had previously been convicted of a felony and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Seth Estes Vanover (51, Diana, Texas) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity using an online social messaging application (app). Vanover faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, imprisonment, and a potential life term of supervised release. Vanover was arrested on October 12, 2022, at the Longview Police Department in Texas where he was employed as a sworn law enforcement officer. Vanover is currently detained pending his sentencing hearing.    

According to court documents, on July 25, 2022, an undercover FBI agent began an online operation designed to identify adults seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the agent posted a notice in a public chat room of an online social messaging app. That day, Vanover, using the name “jattleson,” contacted the agent using a private messaging feature of the app. Vanover confirmed that he was “into yung” and sent the agent several photos depicting child erotica as well as a photo of a nude adult male. Vanover and the undercover agent discussed the sexual experience of the purported 11-year-old “child,” and Vanover stated that he would “love to” meet them in Florida and would “love to be naked with” the “child.” Vanover and the agent engaged in more conversations on the app on August 8 and 10, 2022, and September 19, 2022, during which the two discussed meeting in Florida so that Vanover could engage in sexual activity with the “child.” Vanover confirmed with the agent that the “child” was “open to have sex,” discussed details of the sexual acts that Vanover intended to perform on the “child,” and directed the agent to “[t]alk to [the “child”] about the intended sexual activity.”

On October 12, 2022, FBI agents arrested Vanover at the Longview Police Department and Vanover resigned on that same day. Agents searched a patrol vehicle used by Vanover and recovered a cellphone that belonged to Vanover. A review of the phone revealed that it contained at least 230 videos and 130 photos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants, toddlers, and young children. This phone also contained sexually explicit online written communications that Vanover had with other app users, as well as child sexual abuse videos and photos that Vanover received during some of these conversations.    

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance and cooperation from the Longview Police Department. 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 May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Clayton Everett Colborn (31, Wesley Chapel) to life in federal prison for enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity, using minors to produce child sexual abuse images and videos, and possessing child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Colborn to forfeit a cellphone, which was used in the commission of the offense. Colborn had pleaded guilty in March 2023.

According to court documents, between 2018 and 2020, Colborn used a social networking application to find minors for the purpose of engaging in sex acts. Colborn, who was between the ages of 27 and 28 at the time of his offenses, created a fictitious profile named “Jason Rich” and indicated that he was 16 years old. The social networking application is designed to help people make friendships and has two distinct age groups based on a user’s profile: 1) ages 13 to 17 years old, and 2) 18 years and older. Using the fictitious profile, Colborn met the victims in group one–ages 13 to 17 years old. He told the victims he was 16 years old and enticed them into engaging in sexual intercourse with him at various locations throughout the Middle District of Florida, including in his car, his apartment, and victims’ residences. In one instance, the Ocoee Police Department caught Colborn in a public park in the middle of the night with a child victim. Colborn’s pants were unzipped at the time officers chased and apprehended him in the park. Law enforcement officers obtained DNA evidence, which showed that Colborn had engaged in sexual activity with the child victim.

To date, the FBI has identified and interviewed eight child victims who all resided within the Middle District of Florida. Colborn victimized each child victim in a similar manner.

During the investigation, the FBI obtained a federal search warrant for Colborn’s iCloud account and found approximately 30 videos and 81 images that Colborn had produced of himself sexually abusing young girls between the ages of 13 and 17 years old.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Tampa and Jacksonville Divisions), the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Ocoee Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa Spergel.

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

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Israel Perez-Santiago (41, Mexico) to 10 years in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States without authorization by federal immigration officials.  Perez-Santiago had previously been deported from the United States 11 times and convicted of the crime of illegal re-entry on 4 occasions.

Perez-Santiago also has multiple prior convictions for other crimes ranging from trespass to battery on a law enforcement officer. The federal prosecution commenced after immigration officials located Perez-Santiago in connection with a theft offense being investigated by local authorities in Fort Myers.

This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Verdell Terria Jones (58, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possession of a fictitious government document involving a counterfeit government check. Jones faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims that she defrauded. Her sentencing hearing is set for November 1, 2023.

Jones was arrested on April 11, 2017. After being released on pre-trial supervision, Jones fled the jurisdiction in August 2017 and a warrant was issued for her arrest. Jones remained a fugitive for more than five years until the FBI located and arrested her in April 2023.   

According to the plea agreement and court proceedings, Jones was involved with the Sovereign Citizen Movement and did not recognize the authority of the U.S. government. As part of a scheme to defraud, Jones obtained counterfeit checks made to look like genuine checks issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Superimposed on the counterfeit checks was language such as “an obligation of the United States,” “statutory legal tender obligation of the United States,” and an image of the Statue of Liberty that appeared to be identical to the image contained on genuine government financial documents issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In 2015, Jones contacted an individual in Jacksonville who was selling a car. Jones agreed to purchase the car by paying off the balance on the car loan. Jones sent the financial institution a counterfeit check for $25,000 that appeared to be drawn on the U.S. Department of Treasury in an attempt to defraud both the financial institution and the individual selling the car.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Frein and Michael Coolican.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced James Blanks (27, Fort Myers) to 12 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, to be served consecutively to a 4-year state prison sentence he is currently serving. The court also ordered Blanks to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Blanks had pleaded guilty on May 4, 2023.

According to court records, on the night of October 30, 2020, officers from the Fort Myers Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Blanks. Blanks initially stopped his vehicle on a grassy shoulder but as officers began to exit their vehicle, Blanks sped away from them. As Blanks continued fleeing from law enforcement, he rear-ended another vehicle and lost control of his own vehicle, ultimately crashing it into a concrete utility pole off the roadway. Officers arriving at the scene detained Blanks and located a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol protruding from under the driver’s seat of his vehicle.

Blanks was previously convicted on state charges of aggravated fleeing to elude law enforcement. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. He will begin serving his federal sentence upon release from state prison. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. 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.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Diane Durbon (58, Cape Coral) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Durbon’s daughter and co-defendant, Brittany Lukasik, was sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing a false tax return. The court also ordered Durbon and Lukasik to forfeit their Cape Coral residence, two vehicles, and approximately $542,760.23, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Durbon and Lukasik had pleaded guilty on March 7, 2023.

According to court documents, in 2016, Durbon and Lukasik, a registered nurse, were hired as caretakers for T.H., the 92-year-old victim. In October 2017, Durbon began unlawfully accessing T.H.’s investment accounts. To unlawfully gain access to the investment accounts, Durbon placed T.H. on the phone to answer various account security questions. Video surveillance cameras that Durbon had installed inside T.H.’s home captured Durbon putting a script that contained answers to these security questions in front of T.H. before and during each phone call.

After being given authorization to speak to an account representative on T.H.’s behalf, Durbon then moved funds from T.H.’s investment accounts into a Prime Money Market Account (PMMA) that also functioned as a checking account. After transferring the funds, checks were unlawfully issued to Lukasik, ranging in amounts from $1,000 to $9,600, which were deposited into bank accounts that Lukasik controlled and maintained. Between November 2017 and July 2019, approximately $231,659 in checks were issued to Lukasik from T.H.’s PMMA account.

Also, beginning in approximately November 2018, Durbon unlawfully gained access to T.H.’s annuity policy, similarly to how she had unlawfully gained access to T.H.’s investment accounts. In January 2019, Durbon faxed a fraudulent Annuity Withdrawal form which misrepresented that T.H. wanted to cash out T.H.’s annuity policy. This caused the annuity to issue a check to T.H. in the amount of $244,521.09. The check was deposited into one of T.H.’s checking accounts. After the check was deposited, approximately 92 checks, totaling $372,092.98, were issued to Lukasik from T.H.’s checking account between February 2019 and March 2020. The checks were deposited into bank accounts that Lukasik controlled and maintained. Moreover, Lukasik failed to report receipt of any of T.H.’s monies in her 2019 tax return.

In total, between January 2019 and March 2020, approximately $542,700 in fraudulently obtained funds were deposited into Lukasik’s accounts. After the funds were deposited, Lukasik and Durbon used the funds to pay off debt and make a variety of purchases including paying $26,354.05 for a vehicle, $17,735.17 to pay off a car loan, more than $29,000 to pay student loan debt, and more than $100,000 in credit card payments. Lukasik and Durbon also used the funds to purchase a duplex in Cape Coral, and more than $100,000 of the fraudulently obtained proceeds were used to buy electronics, furniture, and to remodel the duplex.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Lee County Sherriff’s Office, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Samuel Robert Bruner (47, North Fort Myers) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Bruner to forfeit the firearms and ammunition, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Bruner had pleaded guilty on May 30, 2023.

According to court documents, on December 1, 2021, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office found Bruner in possession of two revolvers, a shotgun, and assorted ammunition in a vehicle he was operating. At the time, Bruner had prior felony convictions and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Bruner has at least three prior felony convictions that qualify under federal law as either a “violent felony” or a “serious drug offense” subjecting him to enhanced punishment as an Armed Career Criminal.     

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

Orlando, FL - United States District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Robert J. Potocnack (49, St. Cloud) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Potocnack had pleaded guilty on May 10, 2023.

According to court documents, between September and November 2022, on three separate dates, Potocnack distributed methamphetamine to an undercover detective from the St. Cloud Police Department. During that same time frame he also sold a firearm in conjunction with methamphetamine to the undercover detective.

 This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Cloud Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.

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 Zachariah Ryan Luke (28, Bennettsville, South Carolina) today pleaded guilty to 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. Luke faces 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, in November 2021, Luke was serving a prison sentence in South Carolina for various offenses, including possession of methamphetamine. Using contraband cellphones, he communicated with an associate who assisted him with acquiring and selling illegal drugs, including methamphetamine. On November 24, 2021, from his South Carolina prison cell, Luke coordinated the delivery of approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine to a Florida-based drug dealer outside of a department store in South Carolina.  After receiving the drugs, the dealer returned to Florida. In St. Augustine, Florida, 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 found 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 car to hide in a nearby wooded area but was located and arrested by deputies. 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 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 Department of Public Safety, the North Augusta (South Carolina) Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican. 

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Rafick Gordon Gilpin (32, Oviedo) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The court also ordered Gilpin to forfeit a firearm and multiple rounds of ammunition. Gilpin had pleaded guilty on April 12, 2023.

According to court documents, the FBI used a confidential human source to identify Gilpin, also known as Diesel, and his coconspirators. From November 2021 to July 2022, the FBI obtained information about Gilpin and his coconspirators during multiple meetings and transactions for drugs and guns. As a part of this investigation, authorities seized cocaine, methamphetamine, and multiple handguns. Gilpin was arrested by special agents from the FBI and officers from the Orlando Police Department during a drug deal for one kilogram of cocaine. At the time of the incident, a loaded firearm was found in his vehicle.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, and the Apopka Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Gardella.

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 the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Stewart Walter Bachmann (55, Dade City) with one count of unlicensed possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). If convicted, Bachmann faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

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

The Pasco Sherriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a search warrant of Bachmann’s home and located several firearms that had been registered in the NFRTR. However, another firearm, an RAK15 AR-15 type rifle, was also located. This rifle had been modified to be able to house an automatic sear, making the firearm capable of being fired as a fully automatic weapon. ATF found no records for this weapon in the NFRTR, indicating Bachmann was unlawfully in possession of the device.

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

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

Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Patrick James Sperber (45, Apopka), a registered sex offender, to 10 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images and videos. Sperber had pleaded guilty on May 17, 2023.

In 1999, Sperber was convicted of lewd and lascivious assault on a child. As a result, he is registered and designated as a sexual offender.

According to court documents, on April 17, 2021, an Electronic Service Provider (ESP) submitted a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This NCMEC referral indicated that an individual with the username “P.J. Sperber” had uploaded several videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors while using a messenger application of the ESP. Further investigation traced the Internet Protocol (IP) address used to upload the videos to Sperber’s residence.

 On April 15, 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant for Sperber’s residence and seized his cellphone. A forensic review of Sperber’s cellphone revealed child sex abuse imagery and videos. Sperber admitted to viewing child sex abuse imagery and videos using a chat app account on his cellphone. Several of the child sex abuse videos found on Sperber’s cellphone depicted children under the age of 12 being sexually abused.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.

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

Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Devon Floyd (31, Bradenton) with one count of Hobbs Act robbery. If convicted, Floyd faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

According to the complaint, on August 10, 2023, Floyd robbed a business in Tampa. He asked the clerk for a free water, which she did not have, before walking behind the counter and lifting his jacket to show the clerk a firearm. Floyd then ordered the clerk to empty the register, took the cash, and fled the scene in a dark colored Mazda. The complaint further alleges that Floyd is suspected of committing additional robberies in the area and that those robberies are still being investigated.  

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

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 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 that Marquis Henry Mack (33, Sarasota) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Mack faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, on January 4, 2023, deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office responded to Mack’s residence to serve a narcotics-related arrest warrant that had been issued in Manatee County. Mack was standing in his driveway when the deputies approached him. When informed of the pending arrest warrant, Mack turned around and began to walk toward his garage, failing to obey all verbal commands to stop. The deputies grabbed ahold of Mack, and as Mack struggled to break free, the deputies pulled a loaded SCCY CPX-1 9mm caliber pistol from Mack’s front pocket. 

Mack, a previously convicted felon, had served 18 months in state prison after sustaining a conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 2021. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Samantha E. Beckman.

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 Katherine Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Johnathan Thuemler (32, Oregon) to six years and five months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Thuemler had pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023.

According to court documents, on February 9, 2023, Thuemler and another individual were stopped by deputies from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office for a traffic infraction. A deputy observed a loaded firearm concealed next to Thuemler, a convicted felon. Deputies also located 124 pressed pills which contained fentanyl inside the vehicle. Following the stop, deputies searched Thuemler’s hotel room and located more than 2,000 additional pressed pulls containing fentanyl. Thuemler and the other individual explained that they had traveled to Florida from Oregon to sell the pills.

Thuemler is a convicted felon for offenses related to the sale of heroin. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

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

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 that Pedro Hernandez Ortiz (38, Mexico) has pleaded guilty to attempted online enticement of a minor. Ortiz faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

According to court documents, in August 2022, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation for the purpose of identifying and apprehending individuals using the internet to exploit juveniles for sexual activity. As part of the operation, an FDLE agent created an undercover profile on the forum of a 14-year-old female named “Haley.” Ortiz soon messaged “Haley” and suggested that they meet to have sex. When “Haley” expressed concern about getting pregnant, Ortiz promised to use a condom. “Haley” eventually told Ortiz that she would sneak out of her house to meet him at a location in Lake County. When Ortiz arrived at the planned location, he was arrested and subsequently admitted to chatting with “Haley” and knowing that she was only 14 years old. He also confessed to traveling to meet “Haley” for the specific purpose of having sex with her.  

This case was investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Derry Wayne Lambert (52, Belleview) with false impersonation of a federal officer. If convicted, Lambert faces a maximum penalty of 3 years in federal prison. 

According to court documents, on July 31, 2023, a deputy from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office stopped Lambert who was driving his personally owned truck. The truck had no agency insignia, but was equipped with red and blue flashing lights, a Public Address (PA) system, and an audible siren. A firearm was later recovered from the vehicle’s center console. Lambert, who was wearing a hat with the phrase “Police U. S Marshal,” explained to the deputy that he was with the United States Marshals Service and was investigating gang activity in Marion Oaks. Lambert also presented a false United States Marshals Service badge. A record check showed that Lambert was not a federal law enforcement officer.

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 Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Timothy James Roberts (28, Hernando) has pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapon—a short-barreled shotgun—and two counts of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Roberts faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the possession of an unregistered NFA weapon count, and up to 15 years for each count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, Roberts twice was in possession of firearms in Citrus County. On August 7, 2022, law enforcement stopped Roberts in a stolen vehicle and found him in possession of a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Subsequently, on August 31, 2022, Roberts was again stopped by law enforcement for multiple traffic infractions. A search of his backpack revealed a pistol and a revolver.

Roberts has four prior felony convictions for grand theft in state court. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

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

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Nabil Dajani (57, Orlando) to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to bribe a public official, submit a false claim, commit theft of government property, and commit wire fraud; submission of a false claim; and enticement of another to travel for prostitution. Dajani pleaded guilty to these offenses on May 23, 2023.

According to court documents, Dajani conspired with an employee of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to submit fraudulent applications for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) and paid the SBA employee bribes and kickbacks in order to get the fraudulent EIDL loans approved. As a part of this scheme, Dajani submitted fraudulent loan applications for two ineligible businesses and recruited others, including former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, to also submit false applications for EIDL loans and to pay the SBA employee bribes and kickbacks.

Additionally, between September 2016 and October 2016, Dajani aided and abetted another individual in persuading, inducing, and enticing two adult victims to travel in interstate commerce, specifically between North Carolina and the Middle District of Florida, to engage in prostitution.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Daniels and Chauncey A. Bratt. 

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of a 17-count indictment charging Clemente Betancourt (27), Estevan Betancourt (18), Larry Lee Woodard, Jr. (28), Adonis Bonilla (28), Omar Mejia (28), Jesse Leahy (47), and Alexander Perez (29), all residents of Bradenton, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted on all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit any and all property, which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses.

According to the indictment, between March 2022 and May 2023, the above-named individuals were involved in a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Bradenton and throughout Manatee County. In addition to the conspiracy charges, the defendants are charged with narcotics transactions on specific dates.

At the time of the arrests, a search warrant was executed at Clemente and Estevan Betancourt’s house in Bradenton. As a result of that search, three firearms, approximately one pound of methamphetamine, 22 cellphones, cocaine, and marijuana were seized.

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 a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Central Florida Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) which includes the Bradenton Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the North Port Police Department, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Palmetto Police Department, the Sarasota Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also assisted with the investigation. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman, David Sullivan, and Suzanne Nebesky.

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Raju Gandhi (60, Lakeland) to 18 months in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of the Treasury, to commit wire fraud, and to submit false statements and reports to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The court also entered an order of forfeiture for more than $3.6 million, the estimated proceeds of this multi-pronged fraud conspiracy. Gandhi had pleaded guilty on September 23, 2021.

According to court documents, Gandhi owned and operated a money service and check cashing business in Polk County. Gandhi cashed large numbers of checks made payable to a number of shell construction companies which purported to supply construction services and labor for construction contractors and subcontractors. In order to comply with Florida law, these shell construction companies were required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage. These shell companies had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be their employees at construction sites, but these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors themselves. These shell construction companies regularly received “payroll checks” from the contractors that were cashed at various financial institutions to pay the purported “employees” of these shell construction companies.

During the time period charged, the owners of these shell construction companies falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that their companies had a very limited payroll and a limited number of employees who worked on construction jobsites. They also falsely and fraudulently sent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that their companies’ employees had full worker’s compensation coverage. In reality, these shell construction companies provided no real labor force at all but received and cashed more than $147 million at and through Gandhi’s check cashing business in Lakeland. Gandhi was aware of this scheme and hid his activity by falsely under-reporting to the Department of Treasury the fees that he had collected for cashing those contractor checks. These checks were made payable to the shell construction companies from various construction contractors who, in fact, actually supplied the labor force for the jobs. As a result, these employees, performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the worker’s compensation insurance companies lost the higher premiums they could have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover.

Due to these misrepresentations, the shell construction company owners disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and for paying the required state and federal payroll taxes on these workers’ wages. The contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were thus also able to avoid responsibility for paying those taxes as well.

“Money Service Businesses are a critical component to the nation’s financial system particularly amongst the unbanked and underbanked population, MSB owners and operators have a responsibility to the community to provide fair and transparent services to their customers” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Dumas. “HSI, alongside our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and support the successful prosecution of those who operate outside of, or turn a blind eye to the law for their own personal enrichment.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services. It is part of a broader investigation by those agencies into the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

An indictment was unsealed yesterday in Tampa, Florida, charging a Polish national with computer fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and international money laundering in connection with the provision of “bulletproof” webhosting services that facilitated the operation of ransomware attacks and the subsequent laundering of the illicit proceeds.

According to court documents, Artur Karol Grabowski, 36, operated a webhosting company named LolekHosted. Through LolekHosted, Grabowski provided “bulletproof” webhosting services, which is secure webhosting designed to facilitate malicious and criminal activities, including ransomware, brute-force attacks, and phishing. Grabowski allegedly facilitated the criminal activities of LolekHosted clients by allowing clients to register accounts using false information, not maintaining Internet Protocol (IP) address logs of client servers, frequently changing the IP addresses of client servers, ignoring abuse complaints made by third parties against clients, and notifying clients of legal inquiries received from law enforcement. Grabowski registered the domain “LolekHosted.net” in 2014, and advertised that its services were “bulletproof,” provided “100% privacy hosting,” and allowed clients to host “everything except child porn.”

The NetWalker ransomware was one of the ransomware variants facilitated by LolekHosted. The NetWalker ransomware was deployed on approximately 400 victim company networks, including municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement and emergency services, school districts, colleges, and universities, which resulted in the payment of more than 5,000 bitcoin in ransoms (currently valued at approximately $146 million). LolekHosted clients used its services to execute approximately 50 NetWalker ransomware attacks on victims located all over the world, including in the Middle District of Florida. Specifically, clients used the servers of LolekHosted as intermediaries when gaining unauthorized access to victim networks, and to store hacking tools and data stolen from victims.

On Aug. 8, U.S. authorities seized LolekHosted.net, the domain name LolekHosted used for nearly a decade. Visitors to LolekHosted.net will now find a seizure banner that notifies them that the domain name has been seized by federal authorities. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued the seizure warrant.

If convicted on all counts, Grabowski faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison. The indictment also notifies Grabowski that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $21.5 million, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Grabowski remains a fugitive.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

The FBI Tampa Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit.

Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Suzanne Nebesky for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

Substantial assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Warsaw, Poland. Polish authorities also provided substantial assistance.

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

Tampa, FL –United States District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Joshua Hall (44, North Carolina) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for kidnapping in aid of racketeering activity and assault in aid of racketeering. Hall had pleaded guilty on October 21, 2022.

According to court documents, Hall was a member of the Unforgiven, a violent white supremacy organization that operates as an enterprise engaging in racketeering activity, and whose members and associates have committed acts and threats involving murder, kidnapping, robbery, distribution of controlled substances, and tampering with witnesses. Members often carry out acts of extreme violence to gain entry into the gang and are required to get tattoos, such as swastikas, iron crosses, and lightning bolts. The Unforgiven commit violence against perceived racial enemies as well as members of its own group who fail to abide by their constitution and bylaws. The gang often revokes membership of those who violate their code by using extreme violence to remove membership tattoos, or “patches,” which are usually in “kill zones” on members’ bodies.

Hall and co-defendants were directed by members of the Unforgiven council to violently assault a particular victim. Hall violently assaulted the victim in a vehicle, then took the victim’s jewelry, cellphone, and tattoo equipment. The victim tried to leave the vehicle, but the doors were locked. Hall and others then drove to a home in Pasco County where they ordered the victim into a back bedroom and beat the victim and forcibly tattooed over the victim’s neck, face, and chest, including the victim’s “patch” located on the back of his neck. The victim was bloodied and dazed from the assault.

“This is a huge win for public safety,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Today’s decision underscores our commitment to work with partners – in this case the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office – and combat violent crime wherever it exists.” ATF has been investigating the Unforgiven’s criminal acts since October 2015.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and David Sullivan.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Michael Jerome Virgil, Jr. (23, Orlando) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Virgil to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offenses. In addition to his prison term, Virgil was ordered to pay $686 in restitution to the armored truck employee who had to replace his firearm after authorities seized it as evidence in the pending investigation. Virgil had pleaded guilty on May 18, 2023.

According to court documents, on September 1, 2022, Virgil robbed an armored truck employee who was collecting money at a Bank of America branch in Seminole County. While one of the guards was loading the money into the back of the armored truck, Virgil brandished a loaded firearm and entered the truck. Virgil then stole two bags of currency totaling $312,167 and ran back to his vehicle. When the second guard attempted to stop Virgil at gunpoint, Virgil drove towards him causing the guard to discharge his weapon, which struck Virgil’s vehicle.

Multiple law enforcement agencies joined a high-speed pursuit of Virgil, including the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the Lake Mary Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. A SCSO helicopter was also deployed to track Virgil’s car. The chase ended in a parking garage in Orlando when officers cornered Virgil’s vehicle. Virgil was taken into custody and officers recovered the firearm and the stolen currency from the bank.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Jayson Omar Perez-Quinones (48, Orlando) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. The court also ordered Perez-Quinones to forfeit currency and real property which were traceable to proceeds of the offense. Perez-Quinones had pleaded guilty on April 20, 2023. Judge Dalton also sentenced Jovan Rivera Rodriguez (36, Kissimmee) today to 5 years’ imprisonment for his role in conspiring to distribute fentanyl with Perez-Quiones.

On June 13, 2023, Judge Dalton sentenced Karen AltaGracia Perez (44, Orlando), Perez-Quinones’s coconspirator in money laundering and drug distribution, to 5 years and 6 months in federal prison. A fourth alleged conspirator, Orlando Rosa-Rodriguez (60, Orlando), is currently in proceedings to determine his competency to stand trial.

According to court documents, in May 2021, Perez-Quinones provided $70,000 in drug proceeds to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) undercover agent for the purposes of money laundering and, in September 2021, Perez-Quinones provided $130,000 of drug proceeds to launder. From February 2022 through the present, the investigation has resulted in numerous seizures of counterfeit pills made with fentanyl (“fenta-pills”) and powdered fentanyl. Many of these pills were blue and are believed to have been pressed overseas before being shipped to the United States to resemble legitimately manufactured oxycodone (30 mg) pills with markings “M” and “30.” In April 2022, for example, Perez-Quinones and Rivera-Rodriguez arranged to receive a shipment of thousands of such pills. At their home in Orlando, Perez-Quinones and Perez packaged those pills into individual 200-pill bags (pictured below) for street delivery. Perez-Quinones and Perez then distributed those bags to mid-level distributors such as Rosa-Rodriguez for resale.  

In April 2022, after the conspirators successfully imported the shipment of thousands of pills, the DEA and other law enforcement partners seized similar packages containing powdered fentanyl and tens of thousands of “fenta-pills.” The package containing those, such as the package addressed to Wellington Woods, where Rivera-Rodriguez resided on September 15, 2022, contained “fenta-pills” similar in color and design as those seized in multiple traffic stops from individuals leaving Perez-Quinones’ and Perez’s shared residence. 

On January 20, 2023, law enforcement executed numerous search and arrest warrants in the Orlando area, seizing from Perez-Quinones and Perez an additional estimated 13,000 “M/30” fentanyl pills, approximately $30,000 in currency, and a handgun. Based on a consent search of the home where River-Rodriguez was residing, the DEA recovered blue pills expected to contain fentanyl packaged for distribution, a black SCCY CPX-2 9mm handgun, 24 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, two loaded 9mm magazines, and $2,333 in cash (pictured below).

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Anthony Jermaine Robinson (31, Covington, Georgia) to 42 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Judge Howard also sentenced co-defendant, Kiana Fina Alphonse (29, Covington, Georgia), to 36 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, false representation of a Social Security number, and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Robinson and Alphonse to pay $9,463.32 in restitution to the victims they defrauded. Robinson had pleaded guilty on February 8, 2023, and Alphonse pleaded guilty on April 26, 2023.

According to court documents and public records, in 2019, deputies from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) stopped a car driven by Robinson for a cracked windshield. Based on a probable cause search of the car, the CCSO located counterfeit Social Security cards and driver licenses in the identity of genuine individuals, genuine credit cards in the name of individuals and multiple phones. CCSO conducted a forensic examination of Robinson’s cellphone which determined that it contained text messages between Robinson and Alphonse depicting outlined instructions on how to fraudulently set up business accounts at banks using fraudulent documents for non-existent businesses, identification documents, and Social Security numbers.

Further investigation revealed that in 2019, Robinson and Alphonse obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of multiple victims. The pair then obtained counterfeit driver licenses, purportedly from the states of Washington and Delaware, in the identity of the victims. The counterfeit driver licenses contained the PII of the victims, but a photo of Alphonse. Using the PII, including the Social Security numbers of the victims, the counterfeit driver licenses, and documents created for fictitious businesses, Alphonse visited multiple banks and set up fraudulent business bank accounts in the name of various victims. These bank accounts were then utilized as part of a scheme to defraud multiple victims involving the online purchase of nonexistent cars. Once the bank accounts received funds from victims, Robinson, Alphonse, and co-conspirators withdrew the funds for their own personal use.

Robinson appeared in federal court on November 3, 2022, pursuant to a writ bringing him to Jacksonville from Georgia State Prison where he is serving a prison sentence for violating parole on a fraud related crime. Robinson is also wanted on violation of probation warrants from South Carolina and Columbia County, Florida on two unrelated financial crime cases.

This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Frantz Brignol guilty of tax evasion. Brignol faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 9, 2023, before Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell. Brignol was indicted on November 22, 2022.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Brignol amassed more than $600,000 in tax liabilities with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Between 2014 and 2020, he evaded his tax payments 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.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Javier Alejandro Lopez Rivera (36, Orlando) to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Judge Mendoza also sentenced co-defendant, Pedro Manuel Tapia Matos (30, Ocala), to five years and three months for conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lopez Rivera had pleaded guilty on November 8, 2022, and Tapia Matos pleaded guilty on May 4, 2023.

According to court documents, Lopez Rivera and Tapia Matos were the subjects of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) led investigation for the purchase of fentanyl. From March 24, 2022, through April 6, 2022, the DEA used a confidential source (CS) to conduct undercover buys of ounce quantities of fentanyl from Lopez Rivera and Tapia Matos. Over the course of multiple ensuing transactions, the CS, purchased 60.4 grams of fentanyl. On one such occasion, however, the CS purchased a firearm from Lopez Rivera, in conjunction with fentanyl.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry B. Livanos.

Tampa, FL - U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Hector Caballero (70, Venezuela) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for trafficking cocaine on the high seas. A federal jury had found Caballero guilty on May 11, 2023.         

According to testimony presented at trial, Caballero was the captain of a maritime drug trafficking venture that attempted to smuggle 708 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Central America for eventual importation into the United States. On November 6, 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) interdicted Caballero’s vessel in the Caribbean Sea about 100 nautical miles north of La Guajira, Colombia. Before being interdicted, the vessel’s crew tried to outrun law enforcement on the high seas, but a USCG helicopter disabled Caballero’s vessel by firing rounds into the vessel’s two outboard engines. 

 The USCG boarding team found Caballero and three others onboard. A search of the vessel revealed 708 kilograms of cocaine, valued at about $21 million, hidden under the fuel barrels and tarp. A photo of the cocaine is below:

Caballero had previously been convicted in Spain for trafficking nearly 2,000 kilograms of cocaine via fishing vessel in April of 2017.

This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Panama Express Strike Force, a standing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force comprised of agents and analysts from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo and Special Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Krebs.

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Randell Love (48, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Love faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the fentanyl charge, and minimum mandatory term of 5 years, up to life, imprisonment consecutive to any other term of imprisonment for the firearm offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, on October 5, 2021, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a car driven by Love, a 14-time convicted felon, as it bore the license plate of a different vehicle and because Love’s driver license was suspended. After stopping the vehicle, Love hid a loaded 9mm handgun with his male passenger, and approximately 26 grams of fentanyl with his female passenger. Deputies subsequently recovered the drugs and the firearm and located a drug ledger in Love’s possession. Further investigation revealed that Love had received approximately five ounces of fentanyl at a time from his suppliers and sold the drugs to approximately 25 customers per day.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

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

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Shaborn Washington (29, Palmetto) to eight years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The court also ordered Washington to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Washington had been found guilty following a bench trial on February 23, 2023.

According to court records, shortly after 2:00 A.M. on January 16, 2021, a deputy from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a car near the Miromar Outlets in Estero. When the car stopped, the deputy approached and observed Washington, who was the backseat passenger, trying to shove something underneath his seat. During a later search of the vehicle, deputies found a black bag underneath the backseat concealing a loaded handgun. Subsequent DNA analysis revealed that Washington’s DNA profile matched DNA extracted from the firearm. As a convicted felon who had only recently been released from prison for selling cocaine, Washington is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.   

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. 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 – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Gregory Austin Eward (25, Live Oak) to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess and transfer unregistered firearm silencers. Eward had pleaded guilty on February 27, 2023.

According to the plea agreement, Eward and his father and co-defendant, Dustin Eward, operated Eward Research Inc., a company that marketed and sold firearm silencers (also known as suppressors) over the internet. In lightly coded language, their website, ewardresearch.com, advertised the sale of combinations of parts designed and intended for use in assembling firearm silencers – never using the term “silencer,” but referring to individual components as “toobz,” threaded “end caps,” “spacers,” and “spools.” Sales could be completed with either cash or cryptocurrency. The website included photographs of the items for sale, which were identifiable as components of firearms silencers.

In January and again in February 2022, an undercover ATF Special Agent ordered three silencers from the Ewards, paying for them with cryptocurrency.  Surveillance video from a post office showed Gregory Eward mailing one of the parcels containing silencers that the agent eventually received.

The devices were examined by an ATF Firearms Enforcement Officer and firearms expert who concluded that the devices were consistent in design and construction with firearms silencers and he recognized the devices to be firearms silencers. These silencers were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by federal law.

At the time of his arrest, on May 9, 2022, Gregory Eward had a Glock-type handgun on the back seat of the car. The pistol had no serial number and was loaded. Agents also located three rifle bump-stocks in the car’s open trunk. These devices also had no serial numbers.

On May 10, 2022, FBI and ATF Special Agents executed a search warrant at the Ewards’s home. They located approximately 105 firearms, over 12,000 rounds of ammunition, and 35 assembled firearms silencers. There was also a sufficient quantity of parts (including metallic tubes, baffles, and threaded endcaps), which were designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating more than 300 additional firearm silencers.

Gregory Eward’s co-defendant, Dustin Eward, is scheduled for trial in October 2023. He has been charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute unregistered silencers, possession of unregistered silencers, transfer of unregistered silencers, and threatening to assault and murder a federal law enforcement officer. 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, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office, the Live Oak Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike, Michael J. Coolican, and Cherie Krigsman.

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.

A federal court today ordered the distributor of “Smoke Away” products to pay $7,146,046 in consumer redress and a $500,000 civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act of 2018 and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act in connection with the marketing and sale of Smoke Away products as a quick, effective, and easy way to quit smoking.

According to the complaint, Michael J. Connors and several of his companies, ProTouch Marketing LLC, doing business as Smart Day Supplements, Woodford Hills LLC, Oakhill Research LLC, Evergreen Marketing LLC, Sterling Health LLC, and Clara Vista Media LLC made misleading and unsubstantiated advertising claims on websites and social media platforms about the effectiveness of Smoke Away tablets, pellets, and homeopathic sprays. According to the complaint, the defendants claimed that Smoke Away products eliminate nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms and enable consumers to quit smoking quickly, easily, and permanently. The complaint alleged these advertising claims were misleading and unlawful because they were not supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence.

The complaint also alleged that this was not the first time the Federal Trade Commission challenged defendant Connors’ advertising of Smoke Away products. In 2005, the Commission entered into a settlement agreement with Connors and one of his then-existing companies to settle allegations concerning the advertising of Smoke Away products. The complaint alleged that Connors nevertheless continued to violate the FTC Act with unsubstantiated health claims about Smoke Away products.

“The Justice Department will vigorously enforce laws intended to stop deceptive advertisers — and, in particular, recidivists — from preying on consumers battling addiction,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “The department is committed to taking action to ensure consumers have the information they need to make decisions about their health and wellness.”

“Congress gave us strong tools to fight fraud targeting people suffering from addiction, and that is exactly what we are doing with this record-setting monetary judgment and industry ban,” said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Those struggling with alcohol, tobacco, or drugs deserve help and support, not phony promises, and we will continue to hold accountable those who prey on addiction sufferers.” 

In addition to the monetary judgment and civil penalty, the stipulated order entered by the court today prohibits defendants from engaging in the advertising, marketing, promoting, offering for sale, selling, or distribution of any substance use disorder treatment product or service, including any smoking cessation product or service. The order also prohibits defendants from making unsubstantiated claims in the future and clarifies the amount of substantiation needed for future health claims. Lastly, the order imposes two decades of recordkeeping and reporting obligations to ensure defendants’ future compliance with the FTC Act and the Opioid Addiction Recovery Fraud Prevention Act.

This matter is being handled by Trial Attorney Mary M. Englehart of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacy R. Harwell for the Middle District of Florida. Rafael Reyneri and Shira Modell represent the FTC.

For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at www.FTC.gov.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg  announces that Brian Roy Lozito (53, Orange Park) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Lozito faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. Lozito was arraigned on the indictment on January 11, 2021, and initially released on bond. The court revoked his bond on November 18, 2022, and subsequently ordered him detained. A sentencing date has not yet been set.    

According to court documents, Lozito owned and managed American Investigative Services (AIS). AIS purported to offer consumers mortgage auditing services in exchange for a fee. Lozito and his conspirators solicited customers nationwide through mailings and telephone calls. In these solicitations, Lozito and AIS employees, under the direction of Lozito, made false and fraudulent representations to consumers, including that AIS would perform “forensic audits” of mortgage documents to uncover evidence of deficiencies in the mortgage documents. Lozito claimed AIS would obtain quitclaim deeds and other remedies, so the mortgage holders would be relieved of their mortgage debt and own their properties free and clear. If AIS could not help the consumer, Lozito promised to refund their money. In reality, AIS did not perform the services paid for by consumers and did not refund money to consumers. Funds collected from consumers went to bank accounts controlled by Lozito. Lozito used the funds to keep AIS operating and for personal expenses. 

This case was investigated by United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office and the State of Florida Office of Attorney General – Consumer Protection Division, with valuable assistance from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It is being  prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney the Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.

Fort Myers, Florida - United States Attorney Roger Handberg announces today that the Christian & Missionary Alliance Foundation, Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $250,000 to resolve allegations that the Christian & Missionary Alliance Foundation, Inc. violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by failing to maintain records required by the CSA.

The United States alleges that on July 14, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) initiated an inspection of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Foundation, Inc.’s facility, located at 15051 Shell Point Boulevard, and determined that Christian & Missionary Alliance Foundation, Inc. committed 176 violations of the CSA, including failing to take a new inventory of all controlled substances on hand at least once every two years, failing to maintain records of the number of units acquired from other persons, and failing to notify the DEA of a theft or loss within one business day of the discovery.

Missionary Alliance Foundation, Inc. relinquished its DEA registration on February 4, 2022.

“Scrupulous recordkeeping is essential to maintaining the CSA’s closed system of distribution and preventing dangerous drugs from falling into the wrong hands,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “We expect all DEA registrants, no matter their size, to be especially meticulous in their recordkeeping because the CSA and the welfare of the public demand it.”

“DEA Registrants are obligated to comply with the regulations set forth in the Controlled Substances Act, ensuring accurate inventorying, tracking and recordkeeping, as the failure to do so can lead to the diversion of controlled substances, which jeopardizes the safety and health of our communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA remains committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to hold registrants accountable and ensure these regulations are followed.”

This settlement results from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Miami Field Division. Assistant United States Attorney Chad Spraker pursued this civil settlement on behalf of the United States.

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Tevin OBrian Oliver (30, Homestead) and Jameal Kaia Phillip (31, Trinidad and Tobago) each to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to smuggle goods from the United States. The defendants also agreed to forfeit various firearms, ammunition, and related items, which facilitated the offenses. Oliver and Phillip pleaded guilty on April 11, 2023.

According to their plea agreements and factual bases, Oliver and Phillip were part of a ring that unlawfully exported firearms, firearms components (including upper/lower receivers and gun parts kits), and related items from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago between 2019 and 2022. Oliver and Phillip are both nationals of Trinidad. The firearms, which included pistols and long rifles and related equipment, were concealed within boxing/fight equipment, speakers, and other household items to avoid detection by law enforcement and customs authorities. Conspirators also acquired firearms from different sellers through straw purchases, falsely representing the identities of the actual purchasers and recipients of the firearms, as well as their ultimate destination.

On or about April 7, 2021, Oliver shipped a package concealing and containing various firearms and related equipment, including a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol, a SAR Arms SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, and a Ruger Security-9 9mm pistol, from Miami, Florida to Trinidad and Tobago. Authorities in Trinidad seized those firearms and other related items that had been concealed in the shipment at Piarco International Airport on or about April 22, 2021.

“Dismantling this illicit weapons trafficking network makes a significant impact toward lowering crime and gun violence in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “These sentences demonstrate the commitment of HSI, alongside our federal and Caribbean nation partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, to be steadfast in investigating and shutting down illegal firearms smuggling from the U.S.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), including HSI’s Attaché (Caribbean), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security (Transnational Organized Crime Unit) and Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Special Investigations Unit), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Risha Asokan and Cherie Krigsman.

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

Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Michael C. Shirley (40, Austin, Texas) guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and four counts of honest services fraud. Shirley faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 31, 2023. Shirley was indicted on August 10, 2022.

According to the evidence presented at trial, in 2016 Shirley served as the campaign manager for former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg. In 2017, on his first day in public office, Greenberg caused the tax collector’s office to enter into a lucrative consulting contract with Shirley’s newly formed company, Praetorian Integrated Services LLC, which provided Shirley with $12,500 each month for the performance of “consulting services.” In fact, Shirley did little to no work for the tax collector’s office under the contract each month. Additionally, Shirley began submitting grossly inflated invoices to the tax collector’s office for printing services.

Trial evidence further demonstrated that on September 25, 2017, Shirley, through middleman Joseph Ellicott, gave Greenberg a $6,000 cash kickback and bribe. He paid this kickback and bribe in exchange for Greenberg’s award of the contract and so that Shirley could continue receiving monthly payments for his “consulting.” As a result of the kickback and bribe, Shirley was allowed to continue billing his monthly fee to the Seminole County Tax Collector’s office until September 2019. In total, Shirley defrauded Seminole County taxpayers out of more than $634,000.  

In 2022, Ellicott was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for his role in the bribery and kickback payment.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda S. Daniels and Chauncey A. Bratt.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Austin Harper (26, Lake City) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Harper faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, on September 15, 2021, an undercover detective and confidential informant (CI) met with a drug dealer in Lake City, Florida to purchase crystal methamphetamine. That dealer, a defendant in a related case, traveled with the pair to meet with Harper, who supplied them with more than 85 grams of methamphetamine. Two weeks later, on September 29, the detective and CI again traveled with the dealer to meet with Harper. This time, Harper supplied them with more than 165 grams of methamphetamine. Laboratory testing would later show that the drugs that Harper had supplied was pure methamphetamine.  Further investigation established that Harper was a regular supplier of methamphetamine in the Lake City region. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Drug Task Force, the North Star Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican. 

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Mateus Fernandes Evangelista Da Silva (23, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for attempting to patronize or solicit a minor for the purpose of engaging in a commercial sex act. Da Silva will be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. The court also ordered Da Silva to forfeit a cellular phone, which was used in the offense. Da Silva had pleaded guilty on April 26, 2023.

According to court documents, on October 6, 2021, Da Silva responded to an online sexual advertisement on a website that was initiated as part of an undercover operation by law enforcement to target individuals using the internet for purposes of engaging in commercial sex acts with children. Da Silva indicated to the undercover officer that he wanted to have sex with the minors that were depicted in the advertisement, referring to them as “babies.”

“Human trafficking and the exploitation of children are exceptionally horrific offenses,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “HSI and our law enforcement partners with the St. Petersburg Police Department will continue to aggressively pursue those who target children and attempt to utilize the internet to engage in these acts.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abigail K. King and former Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Scott Andrew Hollington (58, St. Augustine) guilty of 14 counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, and 5 counts of obstructing justice. Hollington faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each of the drug trafficking offenses, and up to 10 years for the obstruction charges. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Hollington was charged in a superseding indictment on March 23, 2023.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) first learned of Hollington after receiving a tip from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office that Hollington was exchanging narcotic prescriptions for sexual favors. Following additional evidence of Hollington’s illegal prescribing practices, the DEA deployed five undercover agents to Hollington’s addiction clinic, from February 2022 to July 2022, with the purpose of obtaining prescriptions without a legitimate medical need. Through their investigation, the agents managed to secure a total of 17 prescriptions of schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances, including amphetamines (Adderall), benzodiazepines (Valium and Xanax), and buprenorphine (Suboxone), during the five visits.

Throughout the trial, the evidence showed that Hollington asked the agents about their drug preferences, offered prescriptions without proper medical justification, and admitted that he did not care about urine drug screening results. Physical examinations, vital checks, and proper documentation were omitted during most medical encounters with the undercover agents. Further evidence revealed that Hollington altered medical notes in each of the undercover agents’ medical files following his indictment, leading to the obstruction convictions.

Testimony during the trial included statements from three female victims who revealed that Hollington exchanged, coerced, or solicited sexual favors for prescriptions. One victim described him as a “monster” who took advantage of her vulnerability while seeking help for addiction. A fourth victim recounted Hollington asking if she needed a “sugar daddy” and engaging in conversation of a sexual nature instead of discussing her medical history and need for medication. 

This case was jointly investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Ormond Beach Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and State Attorney’s Office, 7th Judicial Circuit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kirwinn Mike and Ashley Washington. The forfeiture of assets is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran. 

Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Deconna Burke (34, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving COVID Relief Fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program. Burke faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United States government. No sentencing date has been set.   

According to court documents, in April 2021, Burke submitted a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application to a lender authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. The PPP loan application falsely claimed that Burke operated his own babysitting business with a gross income of $98,000. Throughout the loan application, Burke made multiple false statements regarding his purported payroll and operating expenses. In support of his PPP loan application, Burke submitted a false IRS Form 1040 “Profit or Loss From Business” that contained false statements about operating expenses, gross income, and wage expenditures for his purported business. In reliance on the false statements in his PPP loan application and supporting documentation, Burke received a PPP loan in the amount of $20,415. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds into his bank account, Burke began making withdrawals and spending it on personal expenses, including paying off a loan for a motorcycle. In November 2021, Burke filed a PPP Loan Forgiveness Application, falsely stating that he spent the $20,415 on payroll. In reliance on his false statements the SBA forgave the entire loan amount.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville 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 Mai Tran.

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. 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 Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Passion Lajodia Jackson (30, Ocala) with one count of wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. If convicted, Jackson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Her case is set for trial before Senior United States District Judge Gregory A. Presnell in October 2023.

According to the indictment, between April 2 and April 6, 2021, Jackson devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA). During this time, she applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan under the CARES Act. It is alleged that Jackson made false representations and provided false documentation to obtain the loan. The United States is seeking an order of forfeiture for at least $20,132, which represents the unlawful proceeds of the offense charged in the indictment. 

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

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

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. 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 Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg, along with Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter for the IRS - Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge David Walker for the FBI - Tampa Division, announces that Vitalii Chychasov (37, Ukraine) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and trafficking in unauthorized access devices relating to his administration of SSNDOB Marketplace, a series of websites that operated for years and were used to sell personal information, including the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers belonging to individuals in the United States. The SSNDOB Marketplace has listed the personal information for millions of individuals in the United States, generating more than $19 million in sales revenue. On June 7, 2022, seizure orders were executed against the domain names of the SSNDOB Marketplace, effectively ceasing the website’s operation.

Chychasov faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison, and as part of his plea agreement, he has agreed to forfeit the internet domains BLACKJOB.BIZ, SSNDOB.CLUB, SSNDOB.VIP, and SSNDOB.WS, which were used to commit the offenses and were part of the series of domains that comprised the “Marketplace.” Chychasov also agreed to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $5 million, the proceeds of the access device fraud.

Chychasov was arrested in March 2022 while attempting to enter Hungary; and was extradited to the United States in July 2022. A second SSNDOB Marketplace administrator, Sergey Pugach, was arrested in May 2022.

According to court records, the SSNDOB administrators created advertisements on dark web criminal forums for the Marketplace’s services, provided customer support functions, and regularly monitored the activities of the sites, including monitoring when purchasers deposited money into their accounts. The administrators also employed various techniques to protect their anonymity and to thwart detection of their activities, including strategically maintaining servers in various countries, and requiring buyers to use digital payment methods.

Stolen Social Security numbers can be used to commit a variety of frauds, including United States tax fraud, unemployment insurance fraud, loan fraud, credit card fraud, and the like. Investigators determined that a single buyer from the site used stolen personal identifying information that he purchased to steal and launder nearly $10 million.

The U.S. investigation was led by the IRS - Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit and the FBI – Tampa Division, with assistance from the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. Substantial assistance was also provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices responsible for Latvia and Cyprus, the Latvian Police, and the Cypriot authorities.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones and the asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Deion R. Brown (27, Clearwater) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court also ordered Brown to forfeit the firearm used in the offense. Brown had pleaded guilty on August 30, 2022.

According to court documents, on July 18, 2021, officers from the Clearwater Police Department (CPD) responded to reports of gunfire at the intersection of South Prospect Avenue and Turner Street in Clearwater. Multiple eyewitnesses had reported seeing a young man arguing with two other men before opening fire into the air. The shooter was seen standing near a black SUV, which was being driven by a young woman. After firing five rounds, the shooter chased the other two men on foot, then the shooter and the female driver then left the scene in the black SUV.

The next day, a CPD officer located the black SUV in Clearwater and observed the vehicle pull into an apartment complex located about one block from the scene of the shooting. A man and a woman got out of the vehicle and went inside the building. A few minutes later, the man and woman returned to the SUV, and were arrested by CPD. The man was identified as Brown.

During an interview with CPD detectives, the woman who had been with Brown admitted that she had been driving with Brown in the SUV the day prior, when the shooting had occurred. She also permitted CPD to search her SUV, where they discovered Brown’s wallet in the driver’s side door panel, as well as a Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. model EC9s pistol on the driver’s floorboard, partially underneath the seat. The firearm’s magazine did not contain any live rounds.

During an interview with law enforcement, Brown admitted that he had possessed the gun and that he had fired it. Brown also acknowledged that, as a convicted felon, he knew that he could not possess firearms.

This case was investigated by the Clearwater Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.

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 Iona K Coates (67, Orange Park) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Coates faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims in the case. 

According to court documents, in 2020, Coates met two individuals online through a dating website. She subsequently provided both individuals with her bank account information and began receiving money into her account. Coates then facilitated the movement of the money from her account to unknown individuals. In December 2020, the United States Secret Service (USSS) met with Coates and explained she was acting as a “money mule” in an online romance scheme. As part of the scheme, criminals acting as fake suitors on dating websites developed relationships and convinced victims to send money to Coates’s bank account. Coates, in turn, sent the money to criminals.

The USSS met with Coates and advised her to cease participation in the scheme, as the criminals were using her bank account to facilitate stealing money from the victims. After the meeting and advice for her to stop, Coates continued to facilitate the criminal activity. Between December 2020 through September 2021, she received $229,376.26 into her bank accounts from victims targeted in the online romance scheme.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Jacksonville, FL – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Dylan Milton Jarvis (31, Orange Park) to one year and four months in federal prison for unlawful possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act firearm (sawed-off shotgun). Jarvis was found guilty after a bench trial on April 25, 2023.

According to court documents, at approximately 5:30 pm on January 11, 2022, deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to calls of shots fired near Blanding Boulevard, a heavily traveled road in Orange Park. Eyewitnesses in the area described an individual, later identified as Jarvis, carrying a shotgun and firing multiple rounds. Upon making contact with Jarvis in a parking lot, the deputies determined that Jarvis had fired three to four shells from a Harrington & Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, then discarded the firearm. The deputies located the shotgun in the immediate vicinity of the parking lot, along with multiple spent shotgun shells. During an interview with CCSO, Jarvis admitted to illegally modifying the shotgun. Further investigation by the CCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined that Jarvis previously sawed off the barrel and the stock of the 12-gauge shotgun. A record check confirmed that this sawed-off shotgun was not registered to Jarvis in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law. 

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

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 Christopher Leo Daragjati has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of theft of government property, over $1,000. Daragjati faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, a mandatory minimum penalty of 2 years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count, up to 10 years in prison on the charge of theft of government property, over $1,000 and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. Daragjati appeared in federal court on March 28, 2023, and the court subsequently ordered him detained. He is set for sentencing on October 26, 2023.  

According to court documents, Daragjati obtained the personal identifiable information (PII) to include the Social Security number of multiple victims. In July 2022, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into an unknown individual, later identified as Daragjati, using stolen identities to commit fraud. Daragjati opened up commercial lines of credit with Sunbelt Rentals using the PII of victims. After renting thousands of dollars of equipment from Sunbelt Rentals, he pawned or stole the equipment. Daragjati’s actions caused a felony arrest warrant to be issued for an innocent victim. The Florida Highway Patrol – Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence, with assistance from other members of law enforcement, determined that Daragjati fraudulently obtained 26 genuine Florida driver licenses and identification cards.

Homeland Security Investigations also determined that Daragjati, using two fraudulently obtained Florida identification cards, applied for three Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in the identity of two victims. Unsuspecting lenders approved the three loan applications and Daragjati received approximately $150,000 in PPP loan proceeds.

The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation determined that Daragjati submitted eight fraudulent federal tax returns using the stolen identities of six victims. The IRS approved one such tax refund and Daragjati received a refund of more than $3,000 in the identity of the victim.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office with valuable assistance provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol – Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. AUSA Mai Tran is handling the asset forfeiture.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Manuel Alfredo Dickerson Copland (29, Fort Myers) guilty of possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of MDMA, possession of oxycodone, and attempted possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Copland faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Copland had been charged in a superseding indictment on January 25, 2023.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Copland was stopped in his vehicle on December 30, 2021, by members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Narcotics Team. Detectives found nearly 1,500 fentanyl pills, MDMA, oxycodone, and three firearms in Copland’s truck. Forensic evidence linked Copland to the drugs and firearms in the vehicle. During the subsequent investigation, information was obtained that revealed Copland was associated with mail packages that were believed to contain drugs that were being shipped to him in the Fort Myers area. As a result, the investigation identified a package containing approximately four pounds of methamphetamine that had been sent through the mail from California. The package was seized by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The intercepted package containing methamphetamine was linked to Copland through further investigation.  

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark R. Morgan and Patrick L. Darcey.

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.