Middle District of Florida

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Jeromy Washington (25, Jacksonville) to five years and ten months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Washington to forfeit the ammunition and firearm involved in the offense. Washington had pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022.

According to court documents, Washington was arrested at the scene of a drug transaction where he was getting paid to provide armed security during the sale of narcotics. Prior to the arrest, Washington had sold cocaine and fentanyl to undercover agents numerous times. Washington had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses and therefore 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 Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Carmel Linot (32, Titusville) with bank fraud, mail fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of false representation of a Social Security number (SSN). If convicted, Linot faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 4 years in federal prison on the two aggravated identity theft counts, up to 30 years’ imprisonment for the bank fraud, up to 20 years for the mail fraud, and up to 10 years in federal prison on the two counts of false representation of a SSN.

According to the indictment and public records, Linot fraudulently obtained the SSN of another individual. Using this SSN, a counterfeit State of Georgia driver license, and false employment documents, Linot opened a bank account under a false identity and obtained a credit card from Community First Credit Union. Linot is currently on federal supervised release in the Middle District of Florida for aggravated identity theft. He had previously been prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jacksonville Division.

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 Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Ocala, FL – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced D’Andra Miller (22, Ocala) to 32 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Miller had pleaded guilty on May 24, 2022.

According to court records, Miller was found with a firearm on two different occasions. DNA comparison analysis confirmed the presence of Miller’s DNA on both of the firearms.

Miller has one prior felony conviction for burglary of a conveyance. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.

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, FL – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Benjamin Townsel (23, Ocala) to 12 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Townsel had pleaded guilty on February 17, 2022.

According to court documents, on three different occasions, Townsel was found with a firearm after officers from the Ocala Police Department conducted traffic stops on vehicles in which Townsel was a passenger. DNA comparison analysis confirmed the presence of Townsel’s DNA on each of the firearms. The traffic stops occurred on August 7, 2020, December 3, 2020, and February 15, 2021, the latter two occurring after Townsel had been released on bond from jail on state charges. The firearm found during the first incident also had an obliterated serial number, in violation of federal law.

Townsel has four prior state felony convictions, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.

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, FL – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Tevaughn Johnson (29, Jacksonville) to eight years and four months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Johnson had pleaded guilty on May 16, 2022.

According to court records, in January 2019, Johnson was convicted of attempted robbery in New York. He was released from prison and placed on parole in February 2021. In approximately September 2021 Johnson left New York without the permission of his parole office. A warrant was subsequently issued for Johnson’s arrest for violating the terms of his supervision. Deputy United States Marshals located Johnson in Florida. When they attempted to arrest Johnson, he fled on foot and one of the deputy marshals suffered a significant hand injury during a struggle with Johnson. A firearm was located in the vehicle Johnson had been driving, and DNA comparison analysis confirmed the presence of Johnson’s DNA on the firearm.

Johnson has two prior state felony convictions for robbery and attempted robbery. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Michael P. Felicetta.

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 – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Daniel Joseph Tisone (35, Naples) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, bank fraud, illegal monetary transaction, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Tisone faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each wire fraud and bank fraud count, up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the illegal monetary transaction count, and up to 10 years in federal prison on the possession of ammunition charge.

According to the plea agreement, between March 2020 and April 2021, Tisone, a convicted felon, submitted false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Main Street Lending Program (MSLP), and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to the Small Business Administration, as well as PPP and MSLP approved lenders. The loan applications contained numerous false representations, including the criminal history, average monthly payroll, number of employees, and gross revenues of the applicant, Tisone.

 In support of the fraudulent EIDL, PPP, and MSLP applications, Tisone submitted false and fictitious payroll and tax documents, as well as a fake commercial lease. Further, Tisone fraudulently used the means of identification of individuals who purported to work for Tisone’s companies, including their names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers (SSN) to submit false and fraudulent payroll and payroll tax documents. Tisone also fraudulently used the means of identification of an individual, including the individual’s name, date of birth, driver license information, and SSN to submit a false and fraudulent EIDL application.

Tisone’s false and fraudulent representations caused the SBA, PPP, and MSLP lenders to approve and fund one MSLP, four EIDL, and five PPP loans, resulting in the deposit of approximately $2,617,447.17 into bank accounts controlled by Tisone. Tisone then unlawfully used the funds for unauthorized purposes and for his own personal enrichment, including the purchase of residences in Naples, Florida, stocks and investment securities, a 2019 Tiara 34LS boat, a 4.02 carat engagement ring, and ammunition.

Additionally, on March 20, 2022, while executing a search warrant at Tisone’s residence, FBI and SIGPR agents discovered rounds of assorted ammunition in Tisone’s master bedroom and garage. Specifically, more than 800 rounds of assorted .223/5.56 caliber ammunition and 9mm ammunition was found in his home. Tisone, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing ammunition.

As part of his guilty plea, Tisone agrees to forfeit his interest in a 2019 Tiara 34LS boat, two real properties located in Naples, a 4.02 carat solitaire engagement ring, approximately $65,645.69 seized from two bank accounts, and approximately $2,617,447.17, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted March 2020. It is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.

The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. Businesses must use PPP loan proceeds for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal to be forgiven if the business spends the proceeds on these expenses within a set time period and uses at least a certain percentage of the loan toward payroll expenses.

The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to small businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. EIDL proceeds can be used to cover a wide array of working capital and normal operating expenses, such as continuation of health care benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments. If an applicant also obtains a loan under the PPP, the EIDL funds cannot be used for the same purpose as the PPP funds. 

The MSLP was designed to provide support to small and medium-sized businesses and their employees across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was intended to help companies, that were in sound financial condition prior to the onset of the pandemic, maintain their operations and payroll until conditions normalized.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR), the IRS – Criminal Investigation, with the assistance from the Federal Reserve Board – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Trent Reichling and Suzanne Nebesky.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Mikah Nathaniel Strickland (27, Live Oak) has pleaded guilty to stealing cash deposits from the mail. Strickland faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to the plea agreement, from October 25, 2021, to March 2, 2022, Strickland worked as a city carrier for the Live Oak Post Office. He was assigned to the delivery route that picked up outgoing mail from the Verizon Wireless store located in Live Oak. During this time, the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General had received a complaint that Verizon Wireless cash vault deposits, which were picked up from the Live Oak store and scanned, were missing.  After investigating the complaint, agents discovered that Strickland was stealing the deposits, and that he had taken 19 Verizon Wireless deposits totaling more than $23,000. During an interview with agents, Strickland admitted to stealing all 19 of the Verizon Wireless deposits from the store in Live Oak.  

This case was investigated by United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike.

Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Jonathan Jermain Thomas (33, Ocala) to 38 years and 4 months years in federal prison. A federal jury had convicted Thomas on April 28, 2022, of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, and more than 1 kilogram of heroin. The jury also found Thomas guilty of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possessing with the intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.

According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, Thomas supplied large amounts of drugs to a “trap house” in Summerfield, Florida. Once the drugs were delivered to the house, Thomas’s conspirators worked together to prepare, mix, and distribute the various substances to users and smaller-scale suppliers who made daily purchases from the residence. The conspiracy included Thomas as the lead supplier, enforcers who carried firearms to protect the drug assets, and others who helped package and distribute the substances from the house.

On September 9, 2020, Thomas was stopped by law enforcement on I-75 in Gainesville. After smelling the odor of marijuana, a search of the vehicle yielded nearly a kilogram of fentanyl hidden within the vehicle’s side paneling. The fentanyl had been packaged for distribution, and Thomas was heading to Detroit, Michigan to meet with a buyer. His passenger, who was charged in the indictment, pleaded guilty prior to trial.

In addition to Thomas, eight conspirators previously pleaded guilty and have been sentenced for their roles in this case: 

Name

(Age, Residence)

Date of Plea

Date of Sentencing

Sentence Imposed

Samuel Glover

(32, Summerfield)

4/19/22

8/26/22

35 years

Roddrick Anthony

(29, Ocala)

11/10/21

7/20/22

15 years

Jelyssa Washington

(30, Summerfield)

11/22/21

5/20/22

15 years

Crystal Lovejoy

(43, Ocala)

11/10/21

5/20/22

10 years, 10 months

Brent McCray

(30, Wildwood)

9/21/20

5/25/22

10 years

Aaron Bostick

(41, Ocala)

4/20/21

7/20/22

5 years, 3 months

Elaina Buchanan

(31, Ocala)

10/25/21

5/20/22

3 years, 5 months

Danny Lee Campbell

(33, Belleview)

3/25/22

6/24/22

2 years, 3 months

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.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gainesville Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Tyrie K. Boyer. 

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Nathanael Santiago (29, Ocala) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon. A federal jury had found Santiago guilty on May 11, 2022.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office encountered Santiago in the driver’s seat of an idling vehicle in Marion Oaks. The deputies approached Santiago and saw a marijuana “blunt” in the ashtray, which Santiago admitted to smoking. When Santiago stepped out of the vehicle, the deputies discovered a loaded 9mm pistol that had been hidden beneath his right leg. Santiago has previously been convicted of three felony offenses. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

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.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Hannah Nowalk.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jonathan Michael Rouffe (49, Boca Raton) to four years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The court also ordered Rouffe to forfeit assets from several bank accounts, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense.  As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $3,127,290, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct, and a restitution order in the amount of $10,725,607.15. Rouffe had pleaded guilty on June 30, 2020.

According to court documents, in 2018, Rouffe and his conspirators established a conglomerate of durable medical equipment (“DME”) supply companies. During the creation of the companies, they lied to Medicare to secure billing privileges, including placing the companies in the names of straw owners. By concealing their true ownership, the conspirators gained control of more companies, which Medicare generally prohibits, enabling them to submit high volumes of illegal DME claims. Through the conglomerate, during the course of one year, Rouffe and his conspirators submitted more than $20 million in illegal DME claims, resulting in over $10 million in payments from Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (“CHAMPVA”).

To attain such high volumes of claims, Rouffe and his conspirators used illegal bribes and kickbacks. Specifically, they illegally purchased thousands of DME claims from so-called “marketers.” On invoices, the parties disguised the illegal kickback transactions as marketing services and the conspirators claimed that the DME prescriptions had been generated through “telemedicine.” No telemedicine had actually occurred. Instead, doctors were bribed in exchange for DME approvals.  Rouffe and his conspirators paid millions to secure the illegal DME claims for submission to Medicare and CHAMPVA.

“Today’s sentencing shows that individuals who commit Medicare fraud will be held accountable for their crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Our agency, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to bring those who steal from federal health care programs to justice.”

“Healthcare fraud investigations require lots of patience and skill to follow the money,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “The FBI has a world class team of special agents, analysts, and forensic accountants determined to protect our nation’s federally funded healthcare systems and bring these heartless, greedy fraudsters to justice.”

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.

Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Aleia Deborah Green (20, Brooksville) for possessing stolen mail. Green was sentenced to the maximum term of probation—five years—and ordered to make full restitution in the amount of $956.53 to the 23 victims of her offense. Green had pleaded guilty on June 1, 2022.

According to court records, Green worked as a contract mail carrier for the United States Postal Service (USPS). She delivered mail for the Crystal River Post Office. On October 19, 2021, after receiving complaints about missing mail from Green’s route, federal agents conducted surveillance at a neighborhood cluster box. The agents placed a piece of mail containing money in the outgoing mail slot of the cluster box. Green subsequently retrieved that mail, opened it, and stole the money. When confronted by the agents, Green admitted to the theft. She also confessed to opening approximately 100 other pieces of mail along her route since August 2021.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Dale Meyer Elliott (41, Kissimmee) with three counts of receipt of child sex abuse material and one count of possession of child sex abuse material.  If convicted, Elliott faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison for each possession count and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession count. The indictment also notifies Elliott that the United States intends to forfeit his cellphone, which is alleged to have been used to commit the charged offenses.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones.

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 – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Marvin Harris, Jr., aka “Mesh” (24, Fort Myers), and Latrel Jackson, aka “Kobe” (25, Plainfield, Illinois), with conspiracy to commit interstate murder for hire and interstate murder for hire. If convicted, each faces a mandatory term of life imprisonment. 

According to the indictment, Harris paid Jackson to travel to from the State of Illinois to the State of Florida to commit a murder. In accordance with the plan, Jackson traveled to Florida on October 28, 2019, and murdered an individual in Fort Myers on November 2, 2019.

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

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Myers Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Aby Raul Rivera Torres (33, Galveston, Texas) to life in federal prison for production, distribution, and possession of child sex abuse material. The court also ordered Torres to forfeit the electronic devices he had used in the commission of the offense. Restitution for the victims will be determined at a later date. Torres was found guilty on May 23, 2022, following a bench trial.

According to court documents, Torres was a member of an online social media group dedicated to discussing incestual child sexual abuse and sharing child sex abuse material with group members. Between July 20 and August 2, 2021, Torres distributed to the group 12 images of child sex abuse material that he had produced of 8-year-old Minor Victim 1, who had been in his care and custody.

On November 13, 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Torres’s residence in Spring Hill, Florida and seized his cellphone. When the law enforcement officers arrived at the residence, Torres was home alone with three minor children, including Minor Victim 1. Minor Victim 1 later disclosed to law enforcement officers that Torres had sexually assaulted Minor Victim 1 that same day. The FBI also obtained a search warrant for Torres’ cellphone. A forensic analysis of the cellphone revealed Torres was in possession of approximately 667 images of child sex abuse material, including images depicting young girls, as young as four years old, being sexually abused.

At the time of his federal arrest, Torres had been released on bond by the State of Texas, where he was pending trial for aggravated sexual abuse of a child, making a terroristic threat against a family member, and multiple charges of possession of child pornography. In the fall of 2020, Torres relocated to Tampa after being released from state custody for aggravated sexual abuse of a child, where he is alleged to have committed the same offense against another minor child who had been in his care and custody.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Tampa and Oklahoma City Divisions), with assistance from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.

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.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Tulio Ivan Figueroa-Carrion (34, Tampa) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Figueroa-Carrion faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Figueroa-Carrion that the United States intends to forfeit the cellphone used to commit the alleged offense.

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

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

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.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Francisco Javier Aguilar Canales, a/k/a Javier Francisco Aguilar Canales (31, Hull, Georgia), with aggravated identity theft and use of a fraudulently obtained United States passport. If convicted, Aguilar Canales faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. 

According to the indictment, Aguilar Canales used someone else’s name and birthdate to obtain a United States passport. Thereafter, he used that passport, even though he knew that it had been fraudulently obtained.

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

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Timothy Paul Jones (59, Orlando) with two counts of bank robbery. If convicted, Jones faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Jones that the United States intends to forfeit $80,000, which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. 

According to the indictment, on June 2, 2022, Jones took $30,000 from a bank in Orlando in the presence of a bank employee by force and intimidation and forced an employee to accompany him during that robbery. Seven days later, Jones took $50,000 from a bank in Kissimmee in the presence of a bank employee by force and intimidation and again forced a bank employee to accompany him during that robbery.   

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

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Kissimmee Police Department and Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Gabriel Almenas Carrasquillo (34, Orlando) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Almenas Carrasquillo faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Almenas Carrasquillo that the United States intends to forfeit the cellphone used to commit the alleged offense.

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

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

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.

Tampa, FL – Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge David Walker of the FBI Tampa Field Office announced that a federal jury in Tampa, Florida, returned a guilty verdict against Jordan Patrick Leahy, 29, for a racially-motivated attack against a Black man who was traveling down a public roadway with his family. 

At trial the government introduced evidence that on Aug. 8, 2021, Leahy came upon the victim, J.T., who was driving his daughter and girlfriend home from a family get together, and began threatening J.T., calling him racial slurs, and used his car in an attempt to force J.T. and his family off the road. Leahy’s pursuit of J.T. and his family lasted nearly a mile and half before Leahy sideswiped J.T. as J.T. attempted to evade the attack. Leahy fled the scene of the accident, but stopped at the next red light. J.T. pulled behind Leahy at the light, and Leahy got out of his car, stormed at J.T., and tried to assault him, again yelling racial slurs. When officers from the Pinellas County Sherriff’s Office arrived on the scene, Leahy made numerous statements evidencing his bias motive, including telling the officers that Black people need to be kept “in their areas.”

 “Across America, families must be able to freely travel our public streets without fear of being attacked because of race,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “This verdict should send a strong message that the Department of Justice remains firmly committed to prosecuting, to the fullest extent of the law, those who would use violence to enforce heinous racist beliefs.”

“No one should be targeted, threatened, intimidated or assaulted because of their race,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “The defendant in this case acted upon his bigoted beliefs and put an entire family and others’ safety at risk. We and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners will not tolerate such behaviors in our community.”

“Hate crimes are not just an attack on an individual, they are an attack on entire communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Walker. “We want to assure the public the FBI will work diligently investigating crimes driven by hate and intolerance. We encourage anyone who believes their civil rights have been violated to report it to the FBI.”

Leahy faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Leahy was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals pending sentencing.   

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlton Gammons for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys David Reese and Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II today sentenced Ignacio Felix-Salinas (52, Tijuana, Mexico) to 46 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously-deported alien. Felix-Salinas had pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022.

According to court documents, Felix-Salinas is a citizen of Mexico and not a citizen of the United States. He was previously deported to Mexico in 2004 and 2009. Prior to his first deportation, Felix-Salinas was convicted in federal court of racketeering in connection with the trafficking of more than 12,500 kilograms of marijuana and also has two prior felony convictions in California for carrying a loaded firearm in public and, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

Ocala, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II today sentenced Jorge Cesar Ferretiz-Hernandez (42, San Luis) to 46 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously-deported alien. Ferretiz-Hernandez had pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022.

According to court documents, Ferretiz-Hernandez is a citizen of Mexico and not a citizen of the United States. He was previously deported to Mexico in 2011 and 2018. Prior to his first deportation, he was convicted in federal court of conspiring to distribute approximately eight pounds of methamphetamine. In 2017, he was convicted of providing false information to a law enforcement officer to conceal his immigration status.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Devontae D. Hunter (25, Tampa) to four years and nine months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. 

According to court documents, Hunter brandished a Glock pistol with an extended magazine in a video “story” that he uploaded to his Instagram account on September 11, 2021. Two days later, during a traffic stop, Hunter fled from law enforcement officers on foot and dropped the same Glock pistol he had displayed in the Instagram video. The pistol was configured with an extended magazine and loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition. Hunter had previously been convicted of several felony offenses, including possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, robbery, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.      

This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Callan Albritton.

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 Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Omar Olmedo Paredes (55, Cocal Payan, Colombia) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Olmedo Paredes had pleaded guilty on March 31, 2022.

According to court documents, on June 17, 2015, and March 5, 2016, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) interdicted vessels in international waters. Each vessel was carrying over 500 kilograms of cocaine, and the USCG seized over 1,100 kilograms of cocaine from the two vessels. Crewmembers on both vessels stated that Olmedo Paredes was one of the individuals in charge of dispatching the vessels from a small inlet in Cocal Payan, Colombia. Olmedo Paredes hired mariners, put crewmembers in contact with other coconspirators in Colombia, had mariners stay at his house awaiting the launch of the vessels, provided engines for the vessels, gave orders, and resolved issues that arose. Olmedo Paredes and another individual brought the bales of cocaine to the launch site and counted them or instructed mariners to count them. Before dispatching the drug-laden vessels, Olmedo Paredes provided a captain with instructions and coordinates and dispatched surveillance vessels. The conspirators intended the cocaine to be distributed in the United States.

A federal grand jury indicted Olmedo Paredes in 2018, and he was arrested in Colombia in 2019. In 2021, Olmedo Paredes was extradited to the United States for prosecution in this case.

This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Sinacore.

Orlando, FL - A Florida woman was sentenced to one year and one day in prison today for helping to execute a nationwide tax fraud scheme and attempting to prevent the IRS from recovering a fraudulent refund she received after filing a false tax return.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Rebecca Cyphers, 65, of Winter Springs, Florida, participated in a nationwide tax fraud scheme from at least September 2014 to May 2016. As part of the scheme, promoters recruited clients by convincing them that their mortgages and other debts entitled them to tax refunds. Other members of the scheme prepared tax returns on behalf of clients for submission to the IRS, falsely reporting that banks and other financial institutions had withheld large amounts of income tax that entitled the clients to refunds. In reality, the financial institutions had not paid any income to, or withheld any taxes from, the clients. Cyphers admitted to her role in the scheme, which included inviting potential clients to at least one recruiting seminar. She also encouraged the prospective clients to participate in the scheme, even though Cyphers knew it was illegal.

Cyphers personally benefitted from the scheme by filing an amended 2013 income tax return that falsely claimed her mortgage holder had withheld more than $560,000 in taxes. As a result, the IRS issued Cyphers a refund of approximately $240,000 that she was not entitled to receive. Cyphers obstructed the IRS’s efforts to recover these ill-gotten profits by making large cash withdrawals from a bank account containing the refund amount, transferring much of the remaining amount into a trust, and sending frivolous correspondence to the IRS.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza ordered Cyphers to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $ $232,185.20 in restitution to the United States.

In March, the main promoter of the fraud scheme, Iran Backstrom, was sentenced to more than 8 years in prison, and Backstrom’s second-in-command, Mehef Bey, was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Another individual, Aaron Aqueron, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for recruiting clients to the scheme and providing information to another co-conspirator for use in the preparation of false tax returns. A fourth individual, Yomarie Febres, was also sentenced to 51 months in prison for preparing false tax returns for scheme participants. Several other individuals in Florida and around the country have received prison sentences for their involvement in the scheme.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Isaiah Boyd III of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Hector Fabio Garcia Vengohechea (59, Cartagena, Colombia) to 30 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Garcia Vengohechea had pleaded guilty on January 19, 2022.

According to court documents, on August 24, 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma interdicted the oil freighter “Fat Crow” in international waters south of Kingston, Jamaica. There were nine crewmembers on the vessel and 1,504 kilograms of cocaine concealed within. The vessel, registered in the Togolese Republic, was destined for a point off the coast of Honduras.

Garcia Vengohechea, who had a prior federal conviction for drug trafficking prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida, recruited the crewmembers of the “Fat Crow” and helped plan the venture. He also negotiated payments to the crewmembers and met with the crew prior to departure. After his arrest in Cartagena on October 10, 2019, on a provisional arrest warrant in this case, Garcia Vengohechea admitted to FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service agents that he was in charge of providing guidance to the “Fat Crow” crewmembers as well as supplies for the venture.

This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Chris Boone (25, St. Petersburg) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The Court also ordered Boone to forfeit a Hi-Point (model 4995) .45 ACP caliber rifle and ammunition, which are traceable to the offense. Boone had pleaded guilty on April 12, 2022.

According to court documents, in January 2020, Boone agreed to participate in the robbery of a house where narcotics were being sold. On January 2, 2020, Boone went to a house in St. Petersburg with his co-conspirators to conduct the robbery. Boone’s role was to engage in a drug deal and act as a decoy. When Boone arrived at the home, he went to one of the bedrooms to purchase narcotics. His co-conspirators then entered the home and began firing shots. Boone, a convicted felon, armed himself with a rifle while in the bedroom, and fired the weapon multiple times inside the house before fleeing. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene, searched the premises, and found a Hi-Point (model 4995) .45 ACP caliber rifle on the living room sofa. Forensic testing revealed Boone’s DNA on the rifle. During an interview with law enforcement, Boone admitted that he was a felon and that he had fired the rifle multiple times after his co-conspirators entered the residence and opened fire.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pinellas Park Police Department, and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.

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 today sentenced Jason Lloyd Sweat (41, Palatka) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for receiving visual depictions of a minor forced to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The court also ordered Sweat to serve a 15-year term of supervised release, to register as a sex offender, and to forfeit the cellphone he had used in the commission of the offense. Sweat had pleaded guilty on March 8, 2022, and has been detained since his arrest on January 14, 2022.

According to court documents, in September 2021, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information documenting the upload of nine files of child sexual abuse material over the internet. Further investigation led agents to an online account used by Sweat for which HSI obtained a federal search warrant. Upon a search of the account, agents found the reported files as well as multiple additional files depicting child sexual abuse.

Agents interviewed Sweat at the Putnam County jail, where he was serving a term of incarceration for nonpayment of child support. Sweat acknowledged that he viewed child sexual abuse files and claimed to do so as a “dope-infested curiosity.” Sweat said he downloaded the files from an online chatroom and had viewed them three to four times. The files showed the abuse of young children, including infants and toddlers.

At sentencing, the United States introduced evidence of Sweat engaged in sexual conduct with adults while discussing the sexual abuse of children. Sweat also viewed child sexual abuse material while engaged in sexual acts with adults.

“The vigilant efforts of technology providers and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children assisted in the identification and prosecution of this predator.  The uploading of child sexual abuse material continues the abuse of the innocent victims,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to our outstanding law enforcement partnership with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, this predator will now pay for his deviant actions.” 

This case was investigated by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Keo Ibua Mike (29, Ocala) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Mike faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, on or about November 7, 2019, law enforcement officers arrested Mike on outstanding warrants at an Ocala house that smelled strongly of marijuana. Investigators obtained a search warrant and recovered methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and MDMA from the home. They also located three loaded firearms in the attic, including an AR-15 “ghost” pistol (with no manufacturer markings) and an AK-47 rifle. Photos from Mike’s social media account showed him holding the AR-15 pistol hours before the arrest. DNA testing by the FBI later conclusively linked him to other two firearms. Mike’s prior felony convictions include aggravated assault with a firearm (2009) and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon (2014). As a convicted felon, Mike is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

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.

This case was investigated by the City of Ocala Police Department, the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team (UDEST), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Woodrow Milton Butler (39, Mount Dora) on an indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, Butler has nine prior state felony convictions, including armed burglary of a dwelling (2002), sale of cocaine (2008), and fleeing and eluding law enforcement (2012). On March 21, 2019, Butler possessed a Glock pistol. As a convicted felon, Butler is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.

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

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

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Justin Heath Griffin (34, Ocklawaha) on an indictment charging him with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Griffin faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, Griffin has eight prior state felony convictions, including possession of a firearm by a violent offender (2006) and armed robbery (2007). On March 3, 2022, Griffin possessed a firearm and assorted ammunition. As a convicted felon, Griffin is prohibited from possession either firearms or ammunition under federal law.

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

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

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Isaac Enriquez Oyando (34, Mexico), Romeo Santos Hernandez (36, Mexico), John Macias Agua (34, Ecuador), Jaime Velez Arcentales (40, Ecuador) and Eddy Anchundia Velez (32, Ecuador) guilty of conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Each faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. The sentencing hearings have been scheduled for November 18, 2022. The defendants had been indicted on January 21, 2021. A sixth defendant was severed due to a COVID-19 exposure during the trial.

According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants were part of a seven-person crew smuggling 760 kilograms of cocaine from South America to Mexico. On January 14, 2021, aerial surveillance spotted a suspicious vessel in international waters more than 200 miles south of Huatulco, Mexico. A law enforcement detachment from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Steadfast interdicted the vessel and found seven men onboard – including the five convicted at trial – in the process of trying to throw bales of cocaine overboard.

During the trial, the defendants from Mexico claimed that they were tricked into going on a drug trip and the defendants from Ecuador claimed they were adrift at sea and were rescued shortly before the USCG showed up. At trial, the jury heard evidence that investigators learned of a plan that one of the seven co-conspirators would plead guilty and then provide false information to law enforcement exonerating the others. Bran-Lopez was that person, and testified for the defense that he had tricked his co-defendants into thinking they were going on a fishing trip because his family had been kidnapped. However, the timeline of events in Bran-Lopez’s testimony did not match evidence obtained from searches of cellphones and GPS data showing that he and his coconspirators were at sea days before he claimed the kidnapping happened.

This case was investigated by the Panama Express Strike Force, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) comprised of agents and analysts from the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Sherman Michael Puckett (34, Clearwater) to 25 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 10 grams or more of fentanyl analogues, 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, and heroin; and obstructing of justice. Puckett had pleaded guilty on March 14, 2022.

According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, from at least July 23, 2018, through September 17, 2019, Puckett conspired with others to distribute over 255 grams of fentanyl, over 37 grams of fentanyl analogues, over 28 grams of cocaine, and over 17 grams of methamphetamine, among other drugs. During this time, Puckett mixed heroin and fentanyl together in his own “recipe,” which he told unwitting customers was heroin alone. As a result of not knowing the contents of what they were ingesting, Puckett’s customers sometimes accidentally overdosed. Puckett was responsible for an unknown number of non-fatal overdoses, which he regarded as an acceptable cost of his business model. The users who survived became addicted to fentanyl and thus loyal customers. As Puckett put it to one witness, “if they [his customers] can survive the high, I will always have a paycheck.”

Puckett maintained a rotating series of hotel rooms and short-stay rentals for the purpose of storing his drugs and selling them to others. In order to evade law enforcement, Puckett moved every few days or weeks. Puckett also trafficked women, whom he paid and kept loyal with drugs. One woman (S.C.) whom Puckett had supplied with drugs died of an overdose in one of Puckett’s hotel rooms. In an attempt to hide the evidence and escape responsibility, Puckett obstructed justice by stripping her body naked, wrapping it in plastic, and dumping it at the base of the Howard Frankland Bridge – on the St. Petersburg side, where it was found the next morning by a local fisherman.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Petersburg Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Gestring and Samantha E. Beckman.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Derek Owens (34, St. Petersburg) to nine years and three months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The court also ordered Owens to forfeit a Smith & Wesson, M&P 40C semi-automatic pistol, 16 rounds of ammunition, and $1,073 in cash, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Owens had pleaded guilty on January 23, 2019.

According to court documents, on August 14, 2018, law enforcement officers on routine patrol in St. Petersburg noticed a red Independent Taxi, without a public vehicle certificate displayed, commit a traffic violation. The officers initiated a traffic stop on the taxi. As the taxi slowed down, the rear passenger (Owens) began trying to exit the car. After failing to open the door from the inside, Owens reached his hand out of the window and opened the door from the outside. As Owens exited the moving car, the officers observed a black firearm and firearm holster on Owen’s person as he attempted to flee. The officers observed Owens discard the firearm as he ran towards an alley. The officers then gave chase to Owens on foot, eventually apprehending him approximately one block away from the initial traffic stop. After Owens was secured, an officer returned to the scene where Owens had discarded his firearm.

During a search of Owen’s person, an officer recovered $1,073, a plastic bag containing 82 grams of cocaine, a plastic bag containing 20 grams of cocaine, a plastic bag containing 8 grams of marijuana, and 2 cellphones. The officers also recovered the firearm and holster. Further investigation revealed that the firearm had previously been reported stolen.

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

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 today sentenced Romeo Lenell Battle (25, Lehigh Acres) to four years and nine months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.  The court also ordered Battle to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offense.  Battle had pleaded guilty on April 13, 2022.

According to court documents, on April 22, 2021, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Lehigh Acres in response to a 911 call for service relating to a domestic dispute involving a firearm.  Battle, a previously convicted felon and state probationer, was in the residence when deputies arrived.  When deputies searched the residence, they found a loaded Glock handgun hidden under a bed.  DNA analysis later revealed that Battle’s DNA profile matched DNA extracted from the firearm.  As a convicted felon, Battle is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  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 Nicole Sprague (38, Cape Coral), to two years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud. As part of her sentence, the court also ordered restitution to the identified victims in the amount of $297,900, and entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $250,000, representing the proceeds of the fraud. Sprague had pleaded guilty on May 24, 2022.

According to court documents, Sprague participated in a tech support scam that operated from approximately January 2018 through April 2019, which defrauded numerous elderly victims. The conspirators, some of whom were located overseas, falsely represented themselves to be online computer tech support personnel to obtain money from elderly victims who believed that they were paying for necessary computer repairs or installing computer security software.  After the victim agreed to make payment to the telemarketer for purported tech support, access to the victim’s computer occurred while the victim believed that a legitimate service had been received. While conspirators were remotely connected to each victim’s computer, the conspirators were able to access each victim’s personal information, including access to the victim’s financial accounts. 

Subsequently, the conspirators contacted each victim to offer purported refunds to the victims for the purchase of the original service. The telemarketers instructed each victim to allow remote access to the computer and then instructed the victim to log into their online banking platform to allow for a direct deposit of the refund. Upon having access to the victim’s computer, the telemarketer falsely represented that a deposit had been made into the victim’s account and would purport to accidentally deposit large amounts of money into the victim’s account.  Conspirators then instructed the victims to return the false overpayment in the form of cash or cashier’s checks via U.S. mail and other parcel delivery services to Sprague. 

During her participation in the scheme, Sprague opened various bank accounts in which she was the sole signor on each account. She also opened several post office boxes at authorized depositories in Cape Coral. Sprague routinely deposited the victims’ funds into her bank accounts before she disbursed and transferred the proceeds to other members of the conspiracy. Sprague often initiated international wire transfers, that had been funded with victims’ funds, to her co-conspirators. She retained a portion of the fraud proceeds to use for her own personal benefit. Sprague received at least $250,000 in proceeds from the fraud.

After the victims conducted cash withdrawals or purchased cashier’s checks as form of repayment to the purported technology support company and mailed the money to Sprague, the victims discovered that the refund and purported overpayment were false. During the remote access, the telemarketer often transferred monies from the victim’s savings account or line of credit to the victim’s checking account to give the fraudulent appearance that the victim’s checking account was credited for the refund and purported overpayment.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud target at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice.  Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Ma’at Malik Darius Lee (20, Tampa) with armed carjacking, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and possession of a stolen firearm and ammunition. If convicted on all counts, Lee faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, including a minimum mandatory term of nine years in prison. Lee will make his initial appearance at 10:00 a.m. on September 6, 2022, before United States Magistrate Judge Christopher Tuite.

According to court documents, on July 9, 2021, Lee robbed two individuals at gunpoint in the parking lot of the victims’ apartment complex. In the weeks that followed, Lee attempted to use the victims’ identities and credit cards. On October 27, 2021, Lee robbed a third victim at gunpoint as the victim was returning home. An hour later, while brandishing a firearm in each hand, Lee carjacked a fourth victim of a 2007 Jeep Cherokee outside of a Dave and Buster’s in Tampa. A few days later, a deputy from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office located Lee in the stolen Jeep and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Lee responded by opening fire at the deputy at least eight times prior to the deputy exiting his cruiser, striking the deputy’s vehicle repeatedly. The deputy was not hit and returned fire from inside his vehicle. Lee fled the scene and was later arrested.   

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

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

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 Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Thomas Coelho (53, St. Petersburg) to 10 years in federal prison for wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1.8 million, the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme. Coelho had pleaded guilty on March 24, 2022.

According to court documents, Coelho recruited investors for a business opportunity that purportedly involved Coelho using investor funds to purchase event tickets and then resell those tickets to third parties at a profit. Coelho, who held himself out to be a lawyer and a Wharton School of Business graduate, used his association with persons and entities in the entertainment industry to give the appearance of the means and ability to acquire tickets to certain high-profile events (which could then be resold). Instead of using investors’ money to further the purported business, however, Coelho primarily used the funds for personal expenses, entertainment, and cash withdrawals. Coelho created fraudulent documents, including wire transfer receipts, to convince his victims the funds were properly invested and to continue to induce new victim investments. During the course of the scheme, Coelho defrauded three victims out of a total of more than $1.8 million.

At the time of his arrest, Coelho, formerly known as Thomas Jurewitz, had been arrested more than 15 times for fraud-related incidents. He had three outstanding arrest warrants, dating back 20 years, under his prior name. He also faced several civil judgments, largely from failed business ventures.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones.

Tampa, FL – A Florida corporation was sentenced in federal court in the Middle District of Florida after pleading guilty to a charge of willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule. The criminal charge related to an explosion at a coal-fired power plant in 2017 that caused the death of five workers.

Tampa Electric Company (TECO) operates several facilities in Florida, including Big Bend, a coal-fired power plant outside Tampa. At the time of the offense, the facility consisted of four large coal-fired furnaces. Underneath the furnaces were water-filled “slag tanks” designed to catch and cool a molten “slag” by-product that drips down from the furnace. On June 29, 2017, hardened slag had accumulated at the top and the bottom of one of the slag tanks and could not be removed. Rather than shutting down the furnace, TECO called in a contractor to perform high-pressure water blasting to try and clear the slag with the unit on-line. The work proceeded even though the procedure for this work could not be located. Five people were killed when one of the slag accumulations came loose, spraying the area with molten slag.

Judge Charlene Honeywell sentenced TECO to a $500,000 fine and three years of probation, along with the requirement that TECO comply with a safety compliance plan. Federal law makes it a class B misdemeanor to willfully fail to follow an OSHA safety standard, where the failure causes the death of at least one employee. The class B misdemeanor is the only federal criminal charge covering such workplace safety violations. The maximum punishment for a corporation such as TECO that violates this provision is a $500,000 fine.

“TECO’s willful violation had catastrophic consequences, including five workers dead and several more injured, underlining the importance of workplace safety standards,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The department takes this conduct very seriously, and accordingly pursued the maximum remedy available under the law.” 

“Tragically, five individuals lost their lives on June 29, 2017, following the explosion at the TECO facility. Our hearts go out to the victims’ families as well as other TECO employees and contractors impacted by this catastrophic event,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Our office is proud to have partnered with DOJ’s Environmental Crimes Section, the FBI, and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General to shine a light on this willful violation of OSHA safety standards in order to deter such conduct and ensure that workers are protected in the future.”

In a plea agreement with the government, TECO admitted to willfully failing to hold a pre-job briefing with the workers performing the work. Such briefing should have included information about the hazards associated with the job, the work procedures involved, any special precautions, energy source controls, and personal protective equipment requirements. Instead, the work proceeded without such a briefing and in contravention of the procedures governing the work to be performed, which could not be located. As a result, certain critical safety-related steps were not taken, and five individuals lost their lives when an explosion caused a violent release of molten slag throughout the work area. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle DesVaux Bedke for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

A Florida corporation was sentenced in federal court in the Middle District of Florida after pleading guilty to a charge of willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule. The criminal charge related to an explosion at a coal-fired power plant in 2017 that caused the death of five workers.

Tampa Electric Company (TECO) operates several facilities in Florida, including Big Bend, a coal-fired power plant outside Tampa. At the time of the offense, the facility consisted of four large coal-fired furnaces. Underneath the furnaces were water-filled “slag tanks” designed to catch and cool a molten “slag” by-product that drips down from the furnace. On June 29, 2017, hardened slag had accumulated at the top and the bottom of one of the slag tanks and could not be removed. Rather than shutting down the furnace, TECO called in a contractor to perform high-pressure water blasting to try and clear the slag with the unit on-line. The work proceeded even though the procedure for this work could not be located. Five people were killed when one of the slag accumulations came loose, spraying the area with molten slag.

Judge Charlene Honeywell sentenced TECO to a $500,000 fine and three years of probation, along with the requirement that TECO comply with a safety compliance plan. Federal law makes it a class B misdemeanor to willfully fail to follow an OSHA safety standard, where the failure causes the death of at least one employee. The class B misdemeanor is the only federal criminal charge covering such workplace safety violations. The maximum punishment for a corporation such as TECO that violates this provision is a $500,000 fine.

“TECO’s willful violation had catastrophic consequences, including five workers dead and several more injured, underlining the importance of workplace safety standards,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The department takes this conduct very seriously, and accordingly pursued the maximum remedy available under the law.” 

“Tragically, five individuals lost their lives on June 29, 2017, following the explosion at the TECO facility. Our hearts go out to the victims’ families as well as other TECO employees and contractors impacted by this catastrophic event,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Our office is proud to have partnered with DOJ’s Environmental Crimes Section, the FBI, and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General to shine a light on this willful violation of OSHA safety standards in order to deter such conduct and ensure that workers are protected in the future.”

In a plea agreement with the government, TECO admitted to willfully failing to hold a pre-job briefing with the workers performing the work. Such briefing should have included information about the hazards associated with the job, the work procedures involved, any special precautions, energy source controls, and personal protective equipment requirements. Instead, the work proceeded without such a briefing and in contravention of the procedures governing the work to be performed, which could not be located. As a result, certain critical safety-related steps were not taken, and five individuals lost their lives when an explosion caused a violent release of molten slag throughout the work area. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle DesVaux Bedke for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Marvin “MJ” Mitchell (36, St. Petersburg) to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine. Mitchell had pleaded guilty on April 14, 2022.

According to court documents and evidence presented at his sentencing hearing, between April and June 2019, Mitchell operated several rooms at the Express Inn motel in Clearwater. Mitchell then directed his conspirators to sell fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine out of those motel rooms. The sale of these dangerous narcotics led to dozens of drug overdoses in the Express Inn motel, and the surrounding area. On June 17, 2019, law enforcement executed search warrants at the Express Inn and seized fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, used syringes, cash, and a drug ledger.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Pinellas Park Police Department, with assistance from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pasco and Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.

Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a superseding indictment charging Samuel Robert Bruner (46, North Fort Myers) with possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Bruner faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison.

According to the superseding indictment, Bruner had previously been convicted of 13 felony offenses when he possessed firearms and ammunition in Fort Myers on December 1, 2021. The indictment further states that Bruner is eligible for an enhanced penalty as an Armed Career Criminal because he has three previous convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offense, committed on occasions different from one another.

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make 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 Edrica Leann Watson (40, Lehigh Acres) to 15 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for making a false statement to a financial institution. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $392,563.00, the proceeds of the offense of conviction.  Watson was also ordered to pay $434,227.50 in restitution to the two financial institutions that she had defrauded. Watson had pleaded guilty on March 22, 2022.

According to court documents and information presented during her sentencing hearing, Watson was the owner and purported operator of Unity Home Care Services, LLC (UHC), an entity for which she made materially false representations on loan applications under the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) to financial institutions. While UHC was formed by Watson in September 2020, it was not an operating business prior to or at the time of her application in April 2021. Watson initially obtained two loans, each in the amount of $20,832.00, and then submitted an additional loan application in the amount of $392,563.00 on behalf of UHC, for a total of $434,227.50 in PPP loans. UHC’s number of employees, wages, and income were misrepresented on the loan application in order to receive the loan amount requested. Fraudulent tax documents and an income statement were also submitted to the financial institution with the loan application to further support the loan amount of $392,563.00.

On May 17, 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.  Run out of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil or criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, 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 https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jesus M. Casas. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Timothy Ivory (44, Ocala) to seven years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ivory had pleaded guilty on February 9, 2022.

According to court records, on January 31, 2021, Ivory was stopped for speeding and fled from police after he exited his vehicle. After he was apprehended, a search of the vehicle revealed a loaded 9mm handgun with a high-capacity magazine under the driver’s seat. Various small amounts of drugs were also in the vehicle and on Ivory’s person. DNA analysis confirmed the presence of Ivory’s DNA on the firearm.

On May 10, 2021, while on bond for the initial offense, Ivory was stopped by law enforcement after running a red light. Again, he fled on foot and was apprehended. A search of the vehicle revealed another loaded 9mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine next to the driver’s seat as well as small amounts of various drugs. DNA analysis confirmed the presence of Ivory’s DNA on the firearm.

Ivory, a multi-convicted felon and sex offender, is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Andre Maurice Lewis (37, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor.  Lewis faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to the plea agreement, in January 2021, Lewis initiated a Snapchat conversation with the 12-year-old daughter of an acquaintance. Lewis did not reveal his true identity to the child and claimed to be 20 years old. Even though the child told Lewis how old she was, Lewis expressed an interest in meeting with her for sex.  The child rebuffed Lewis’s sexual advances, telling him that he was making her uncomfortable and that she was “just a little girl.” Lewis continued to press the child and threatened to tell the child’s parent about their Snapchat conversation unless the child did as Lewis said. Lewis provided evidence that he knew the child’s parent, to underscore his ability to carry out his threats. Later in the evening, out of fear, the child livestreamed a sexually explicit video of herself at Lewis’s behest.

This case was investigated by the Orlando Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced David Torres-Velez (48, Davenport) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Torres-Velez had pleaded guilty on April 20, 2022. 

According to court documents, Torres-Velez was involved in multiple kilogram-level cocaine transactions over the course of 2020 and 2021. On February 4, 2020, law enforcement stopped an individual in his vehicle leaving a retail store in Tampa who was found to be carrying two kilograms of cocaine. Minutes later, law enforcement stopped Torres-Velez as he left the same store. When Torres-Velez’s car was stopped and searched, Torres-Velez was found to be carrying $2,480 in a black satchel and another $53,400 in cash in a hidden compartment in his car.

In a separate investigation, DEA identified Torres-Velez as a source of cocaine that was being sent through the U.S. Mail. On August 17, 2020, Torres-Velez arranged to have a package sent from Puerto Rico to an address in Orlando where he attempted to recover that shipment. Law enforcement identified, seized, and searched the package and found it to contain two kilograms of cocaine. On January 20, 2021, the DEA learned that Torres-Velez was carrying another kilogram of cocaine. Those drugs were seized during a traffic stop.  

This case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Rey Daniel Facio-Garcia (27, Mexico) today pleaded guilty to two indictments— one charging him with possession of a firearm affecting commerce by an illegal alien and another charging him with illegal re-entry into the United States after a previous deportation. Facio-Garcia faces a combined penalty of up to 12 years in federal prison on the offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to court documents, on September 4, 2021, officers from the Leesburg Police Department responded to a residence for a weapons complaint, where they encountered Facio-Garcia sitting in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle surrounded by empty beer cans. Facio-Garcia fled from the officers but was quickly apprehended. The officers located Facio-Garcia’s .45 caliber handgun in the vehicle under the driver’s seat and a .45 caliber shell casing inside the kitchen of the residence. Other persons inside the residence reported that Facio-Garcia had brandished the firearm and fired a shot in the kitchen. Records checks revealed that Facio-Garcia was a Mexican citizen who previously has been deported from the United States in 2014 and 2015. He never had received permission to lawfully return to the United States.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Leesburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

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 Dawson Ladale Crews (24, Lawtey) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce sexually explicit depictions. The court also ordered Crews to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Crews had pleaded guilty on March 8, 2022, and has been detained since his arrest on June 7, 2021.   

According to court documents, in July 2020, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) received information that a purported “16-year-old” male offered a 12-year-old minor victim (MV1) money in exchange for naked pictures and sexual acts. CCSO responded and interviewed MV1 and the reporting party. CCSO learned that MV1 met the male, later determined to be Crews, on a social media application. Crews falsely told MV1 that he was 16 years old and requested nude pictures of MV1, which MV1 sent. Crews later requested additional photographs and threatened to post the pictures MV1 had already sent if MV1 did not comply and send more. Crews offered MV1 $40 to digitally penetrate her vagina and $100 for oral sex.

CCSO and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) interviewed Crews at the Bradford County Jail, where he was detained on a separate charge of unlawful use of a communication device and transmission of harmful material to a minor. During the interview, Crews acknowledged having communicated with MV1 and said he is “more into underage girls than [girls his] own age.” He admitted being sexually attracted to 14–16-year-old girls and acknowledged that he offered MV1 money for nude images of herself. Crews admitted telling MV1 he was 15-16 years old and said he does so to keep underage girls talking.

Agents searched Crews’s phones, which revealed sexually explicit images of MV1 along with sexually explicit videos and images of a 16-year-old minor victim (MV2), who Crews had solicited over the same social media app. Crews used alias names to communicate with MV2 and other underage girls to threaten them and coerce them to send him sexually explicit photos.

“With the popularity of today’s social media applications, savvy and dangerous online predators are often able to entice impressionable children into a false sense of security,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “This sentence is an unwavering example of how HSI and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office are committed to stop these deviant child molesters and hold them accountable.”         

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.

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.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Rafael Antonio Bracero-Navas (50, Kissimmee) to 40 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child. The court also ordered Bracero-Navas to forfeit the cellphone that he had used to commit the offense. A jury had found Bracero-Navas guilty of seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child on March 4, 2022. 

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Bracero-Navas used a cellphone to take explicit photos of the minor’s pubic area. He did so covertly from outside a bathroom door, taking pictures through the crack under the door, as the minor was stepping out of the shower. Although Bracero-Navas had deleted the full-sized images from his phone, thumbnail images remained and were later discovered by law enforcement. 

In addition to surreptitiously taking those pictures, Bracero-Navas had on multiple occasions engaged in other sexually abusive behaviors toward the minor, including repeatedly forcibly kissing the minor against her will and touching the minor’s genitals without the minor’s consent.

“As heartbreaking as it is to work these kinds of investigations, it’s rewarding to see the lengthy prison sentences handed down to these sexual predators,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “The FBI is committed to the work of exposing these abusers and ensuring they are brought to justice.”  

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily C. L. Chang and Amanda S. Daniels.

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

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Francisco Gonzalez Benitez (37, Orange, California) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances (including kilogram quantities of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana, and methamphetamine), distribution of methamphetamine, and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Gonzalez Benitez had pleaded guilty on April 15, 2021.

According to court documents, between at least 2016 and February 2019, Gonzalez Benitez—a/k/a “Paco,” “Antonio Jose Estremera Feliciano,” and “Luis Angel Beauchamp-Justiniano”—operated multi-state conspiracies to distribute controlled substances and launder the proceeds of the enterprise. He and his co-conspirators shipped drugs from Southern California to Jacksonville and other locations hidden in U.S. Mail parcels and vehicles being transported on car haulers.  Investigators ultimately identified more than 100 parcels that had been shipped to Jacksonville as part of the conspiracy. The proceeds from this drug business were funneled through various bank accounts in a manner designed to both distribute funds among co-conspirators and conceal the nature and source of those funds.  A financial investigator analyzed the conspirators’ banking activity and estimated that individuals and entities in the Jacksonville-portion of the operation made approximately $416,144 in cash deposits and other transfers into the accounts of individuals and entities in the California-portion of the business.

When confronted by FBI Special Agents about these activities, Gonzalez admitted his role in shipping drugs from California to Jacksonville, but also confirmed that he was a source of supply of controlled substances in Little Rock, Arkansas. In addition, he disclosed that, beginning in 2014, he had worked in Jacksonville as a confidential informant with DEA Special Agent Nathan Koen, but throughout 2016 and 2017, Gonzalez Benitez made several cash payments to that federal agent. Gonzalez Benitez continued to pay Koen after Koen was promoted and transferred to Little Rock. The periodic payments, as large as $9,000 per transaction, were made for what Gonzalez Benitez called “top cover protection” for his drug operation. This protection included Koen advising Gonzalez Benitez when not to use the mail to ship controlled substances, when to change his phone number, and when he and his potential customers were under investigation by law enforcement.

Koen was subsequently prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. On August 18, 2021, Koen pleaded guilty to receiving a bribe as a public official. He was sentenced on May 11, 2022, to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison.

On July 16, 2019, Gonzalez Benitez’s brother and co-conspirator, Jose Manuel Gonzalez (25, Jacksonville) pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances (including cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine) and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. On May 23, 2022, he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Armando Amaya-Lopez (36, Vera Cruz, Mexico) to two years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft. Amaya-Lopez had pleaded guilty on April 27, 2022.

According to court documents, on August 6, 2013, Amaya-Lopez went to a tax collector’s office in Tampa and applied for and obtained a Florida identification card in the name of a person with the initials C.M. When he applied for the identification card, he claimed to be a U.S. citizen and he provided as proof of citizenship a birth certificate from Puerto Rico and a Social Security card, each in the name of C.M. The birth certificate and Social Security card set forth true identifiers for C.M., including his name, date of birth, and Social Security Number (SSN).

On September 27, 2013, Amaya-Lopez went to a tax collector’s office in Ft. Myers and applied for a driver license, again identifying himself as C.M. He passed the driving examination and was issued a driver license in the name of C.M. On July 25, 2018, he went to a tax collector’s office in Jacksonville and obtained a replacement driver license in the name of C.M.

Each time that Amaya-Lopez obtained a Florida identification card or driver license, he signed a digital application affirming under penalty of perjury that his name was C.M., that he was a citizen of the United States, and that the other identifiers that he had provided, such as his date of birth and SSN, were in fact his. When he did so, he knew that the identifiers belonged to another person and that he was not lawfully authorized to possess or use the identifiers.

On December 5, 2021, Amaya-Lopez was arrested by officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, at which time he identified himself as C.M. and provided the driver license he had obtained in that name. However, a fingerprint check revealed his true identity and returned records reflecting that he was a Mexican citizen who was illegally present in the United States. During an interview with law enforcement, Amaya-Lopez admitted his true name and citizenship and said that he had paid $1,000 to an unknown person to obtain false U.S. citizen documents.

“Identity theft robs unsuspecting victims of their personal information and financial security,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “HSI, alongside our partners at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, will diligently seek out those hiding under stolen identities and bring them to justice.”     

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.