Southern District of Florida

MIAMI – A federal grand jury in Miami has charged Juan Perez Santis, 40, a Mexican national previously convicted of sexual battery on a minor, with unlawfully entering the United States after deportation. Perez Santis made his initial appearance in federal court today.

According to the indictment, Perez Santis was removed from the United States on three separate occasions: March 21, 2002; June 20, 2007; and October 2, 2007. Law enforcement discovered Perez Santis had reentered the country without authorization on or about January 2, 2022.

Court documents further show that in 2024, after his prior removals and alleged reentry, Perez Santis was convicted in the state of Florida for sexual battery on a minor under the age of 12 and three related charges. Perez Santis is currently serving a 10-year sentence in state prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Field Office Director Juan Agudelo of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) Prosecutions Unit Miami made the announcement. 

ICE-ERO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey Pence Tomanelli and Andrea Montes are prosecuting the case.  

An indictment is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20080.

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A Colorado man was sentenced today to 210 years in prison for sexually abusing numerous children at the orphanage he founded and directed in Haiti.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Karl Geilenfeld, 73, most recently of Littleton, founded St. Joseph’s Home for Boys — a home for orphaned, impoverished, and otherwise vulnerable children in Haiti — in 1985 and operated it for more than two decades. During this time, Geilenfeld repeatedly traveled from the United States to Haiti, where he sexually abused the boys entrusted to his care. He also physically and emotionally abused the children in the home, including through physical assault and other forms of punishment.

In February 2025, a federal jury convicted Geilenfeld of one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place between 2005 and 2010. Each of the six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct relates to a separate victim who was a child at the time of the offense.

At trial, these six victims testified about the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Geilenfeld and the devastating impact it had on them, as did other victims — now adults — who were not the subject of the charged offenses. Victims and witnesses also described the physical abuse Geilenfeld inflicted on his victims and the manipulation that he employed to keep his operation running and financially supported by others.

“The defendant’s sustained sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of some of the most vulnerable children in the world is intolerable,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution demonstrates the Department’s commitment to securing justice for children harmed by criminals who travel abroad from the United States to commit their crimes. We thank our partners for working with us to ensure that the defendant can never harm another child.”

“This sentencing marks the end of a case built on the courage of survivors and the dedication of investigators,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “For decades, Geilenfeld used his position of trust and access to exploit vulnerable children under the guise of humanitarian work. We are grateful to those victims who came forward to report their abuse. The FBI is committed to pursuing those who commit crimes against children no matter where they occur or how long ago they were committed.”

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and FBI investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Jessica L. Urban and Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Monk for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

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

MIAMI – Efrain Betancourt, Jr., 36, a dual citizen of Colombia and the United States, pleaded guilty on May 21 to operating a $66 million Ponzi scheme through his payday loan company, Sky Group USA, LLC (Sky Group).

According to the facts admitted at the change of plea hearing, Betancourt was the Chief Executive Officer and sole owner of Sky Group. Betancourt managed Sky Group and sold promissory notes to investors to raise funds. Betancourt and his co-conspirators claimed that Sky Group was in the business of funding small-dollar, short-term loans to consumer borrowers. To purportedly generate these short-term loans, Betancourt and his co-conspirators raised approximately $66 million from over 600 investors from January 2016 to March 2020.

Betancourt made materially false statements to investors regarding the use of their funds, including that investor funds would be used for the sole purpose of making consumer loans and associated business costs. In truth, Betancourt operated a Ponzi scheme, generating revenue primarily through new investor money and using the newly raised money to make scheduled payments to previous investors.  Sky Group only made about $12.2 million off consumer loans, and Betancourt and his co-conspirators used millions of dollars to pay undisclosed sales agent commissions. Betancourt misappropriated over $6.5 million for his own personal use, including a luxurious wedding at a chateau in France and other lavish group vacations with friends and family.

Betancourt’s sentencing hearing is set for August 14 before U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles. Betancourt faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami; and Russell C. Weigel, III, Commissioner, Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) made the announcement.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had a parallel proceeding against Betancourt, relating to the same investment fraud scheme alleged in the indictment. The SEC’s proceeding was resolved in July 2022.

FBI Miami, the FBI’s South Florida Fraud Task Force, and OFR investigated the case. SEC’s Miami Regional Office provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20399.

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MIAMI – A Colombian national was sentenced today in the Southern District of Florida for her role in kidnapping and assaulting two members of the U.S. military who were on temporary duty in Bogotá, Colombia.

Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran, 35, was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $24,115 in restitution. She is the third and final defendant to be sentenced and held accountable for this criminal conspiracy. She pleaded guilty in March 2025 to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person.

“Members of our military, whether serving here or abroad, can count on this Department of Justice’s respect, support, and protection,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Kidnappings and assaults against U.S. service members will not be tolerated. To those who would dare commit such reprehensible acts against America’s heroes, know this: We will identify you; we will find you; and we will prosecute you as aggressively as the law permits.”

“Uribe Chiran and her co-defendants mercilessly preyed on U.S. soldiers when they drugged their drinks, stole their valuables, and left them incapacitated on the street,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. military service members is deplorable and the Criminal Division will continue to prioritize protecting our service members through these prosecutions. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to bring justice to these victims.”

“The FBI’s commitment to investigate criminal acts against the U.S. military beyond our borders is clearly demonstrated by our persistent pursuit of justice for the two kidnapped soldiers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Our close cooperation with Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities was essential to this international investigation’s success. To all would be kidnappers the message is clear: target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world and we will hold you accountable for your actions.”

According to court documents, the two U.S. soldiers went to an entertainment district in Bogotá to watch a soccer game on the evening of March 5, 2020. They later went to a pub, where Uribe Chiran and one of her co-defendants approached the soldiers and, without their knowledge, put drugs in their drinks that rendered them incapacitated. Medical examinations later confirmed the presence of benzodiazepines in the two soldiers’ systems. The defendants then kidnapped the soldiers, took their valuables, including their credit and debit card information, and left them incapacitated on the street in separate locations. The defendants used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money.

Uribe Chiran was extradited in September 2024 from Colombia to the United States. Co-defendant Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa was extradited in April 2024 from Chile to the United States, pleaded guilty in December 2024, and was sentenced in March 2025 to 27 years and three months in prison. Co-defendant Jeffersson Arango Castellanos was extradited in May 2023 from Colombia to the United States, pleaded guilty in January 2024, and was sentenced in May 2024 to 48 years and nine months in prison.

The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States thanks Colombian law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20173.

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MIAMI – A federal indictment unsealed today charges former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Jackson Health Foundation with designing a scheme to embezzle from the nonprofit foundation by submitting false invoices and taking kickbacks.   

According to the indictment, Charmaine Gatlin, 52, formerly of Weston, Fla., served as the COO of the Jackson Health Foundation from 2014 through 2024.  The Foundation is the fundraising arm of Jackson Health System (Jackson), a nonprofit hospital and medical system that serves Miami-Dade County. In addition to philanthropic contributions, Jackson’s funding comes from sales taxes, federal government programs, and other sources. As COO, Gatlin received a base salary ranging from $185,000 to $290,000. She signed a conflict-of-interest form with the Foundation preventing her from making decisions that resulted in personal gain.

The indictment alleges that Gatlin submitted false invoices to the Foundation for at least $3.6 million in goods and services that: (a) funded kickbacks to Gatlin; (b) were never provided to the Foundation or Jackson; (c) were provided to Gatlin or her relatives instead of the Foundation or Jackson; or (d) were provided to an Atlanta-based civic organization (Civic Organization 1).

For example, as charged in the indictment, Gatlin approved approximately $2 million in invoices to a Georgia-based audiovisual company for services that were not provided to the Foundation. Instead, the vendor allegedly paid $1 million in kickbacks directly to Gatlin, some of which she used to pay her personal credit card bill. The indictment alleges that Gatlin coached the vendor, via email, on how to falsify invoices.

The indictment also alleges that Gatlin falsified invoices from a merchandise vendor who, at Gatlin’s request, bought her expensive designer gifts from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Apple. Gatlin also submitted a false invoice to the Foundation to cover the purchase of a new rose gold-colored golf cart that she had delivered to her Weston, Florida home in September 2023.

The indictment charges Gatlin with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, 26 counts of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering. Gatlin faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the conspiracy and substantive wire fraud counts. She faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each money laundering count.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne of the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.

FBI Miami investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Young is prosecuting this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao-sdfl. The case number is 25-cr-20220.

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MIAMI – Yesterday, Tramaine Liptrot, 43, a police officer with the City of Miami Police Department (MPD) who has been relieved of duty, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with fraudulent applications for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling over $200,000. Liptrot entered his guilty plea in Miami before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom.

According to the facts admitted at the change of plea hearing, Liptrot, along with being an MPD Police Officer, was the owner and President of Liptrots Tax Services L.L.C (Liptrots Tax). With the assistance of an associate, Liptrot fraudulently obtained two PPP loans in the name of Liptrots Tax.

On June 22, 2020, working with the associate, Liptrot caused the submission of a false and fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of Liptrots Tax, falsely claiming that Liptrots Tax had an average monthly payroll of $36,700 for four employees, and a fraudulent IRS Form 944 in support thereof, falsely claiming that Liptrots Tax paid its employees $440,397 during 2019. As a result of this fraudulent PPP application, Liptrots Tax obtained approximately $91,750 in PPP loan proceeds from an SBA approved PPP lender.

On March 3, 2021, again working with the associate, Liptrot caused the submission of a false and fraudulent second-draw PPP loan application on behalf of Liptrots Tax, falsely claiming that Liptrots Tax had an average monthly payroll of $43,369, and including as part of the application process, a fraudulent IRS Form 944, falsely claiming that Liptrots Tax paid $496,428 in wages and other compensation in 2020. As a result of this fraudulent second-draw PPP application, Liptrots Tax obtained approximately $108,422 in PPP loan proceeds from a different SBA approved PPP lender. 

Liptrot is scheduled for sentencing on August 6, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., where he faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Eastern Region, announced the guilty plea.

FBI Miami’s Area Corruption Task Force, which includes task force officers from the City of Miami Police Department’s Internal Affairs Section, and SBA-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.

In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred.  EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.

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. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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.

On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.

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

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20155.

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MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida hosted a public outreach event and interactive discussion, in partnership with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), focused on preventing crimes against senior citizens on May 15, 2025 at Century Village in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Participants included the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation, Broward State Attorney’s Office, the Wilton Manors Police Department, and AARP Florida.

The program discussed common schemes affecting senior citizens, investment fraud, lottery, and inheritance fraud, along with a local law enforcement panel with local fraud and abuse case examples.

This program is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Elder Justice Initiative. For more information about the Justice Department’s efforts to help American seniors please visit the Elder Justice Initiative webpage at justice.gov/elderjustice and for information regarding how the FBI can help the public, visit https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud.

To report an elder fraud scam, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit a tip at  https://www.ic3.gov/Home/EF, or contact your local field office. The National Elder Fraud Hotline is also available for reports at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

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MIAMI – Giuliano Orlando Costin Sandu, 32, a Romanian national illegally present in the U.S., has pleaded guilty to a concealment money laundering scheme operating out of South Florida.

In plea documents and statements made during a hearing in federal court in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Sandu admitted to laundering the illegal proceeds of a nationwide online auction fraud scheme that targeted U.S. citizens who were duped into believing they were purchasing expensive cars, boats, and tractors through online auction platforms. In fact, the ads and auctions were all part of an elaborate online scam that tricked victims into wiring money to one of several accounts opened by Sandu in South Florida. Sandu used several shell companies, false identities, and fake identity documents, including a counterfeit Czech passport, to open the accounts and conceal his identity.

Once the money was deposited into Sandu’s accounts, he would quickly withdraw large amounts of cash, often from multiple accounts in various branches on the same day, in order to prevent recoupment and conceal the nature, location, and ultimate control of the fraud proceeds. Sandu admitted to laundering over three quarters of a million dollars between late 2023 and early 2024.

Sandu was arrested at a local bank branch in April of this year as he attempted to open new bank accounts using a new fake identity with additional false identification documents.

Sandu’s sentencing hearing is set for August 15 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Securities Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI’s Miami and Salt Lake City, Utah, Field Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger is prosecuting it.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20262.

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MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, ATF Miami, and Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), in collaboration with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, secured federal convictions and prison sentences against 18 members of violent South Florida street gangs – including Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), the 3rd World gang, and several sects of the Bloods gang.

The joint operation involved charges of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine trafficking; carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and felon in possession of a firearm. It led to the recovery of 23 firearms, three kilograms of fentanyl, and seven kilograms of cocaine, as well as methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.

The defendants, former residents of South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties) were convicted and sentenced to prison terms as follows: 

Andre Allen, 37, was sentenced to 120 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (22-cr-20190);

David Brown,41, was sentenced to 151 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (22-cr-60177);

Tirell Caldwell,26, was sentenced to 57 months for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (22-cr-60220);

Johnnie Gibson,51, was sentenced to 175 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine (23-cr-60205); 

Brionne Griffin,35, was sentenced to 60 months for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, and methamphetamine (22-cr-60082);

Joseph Johnson, Jr.,46, was sentenced to 120 months for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60131);

Timothy Neil Lewis, Jr.,26, was sentenced to 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60083);

Makinson Moise,35, was sentenced to 248 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine base (23-cr-60004);

Arnicious Odom,48, was sentenced to 30 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine (23-cr-60205);

Wendy Previl,33, was sentenced to 120 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60089); 

Joshua Robinson,38, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (24-cr-60132);

Robert Roseme,28, was sentenced to 42 months for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60089); 

Nolan Setoute,43, was sentenced to 12 months for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon (22-cr-60124);

Terrance Stanley,40, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60120);

Dorshawn Tate,20, was sentenced to 8 months for possession with intent to distribute alprazolam (23-cr-60051);

British Wilkerson,42, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60125);

Byron Felecio Williams, Jr.,40, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-80136); and

Kevin Williams,31, was sentenced to 18 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (24-cr-60132).

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the ATF Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office announced the results of the operation.

This case was investigated by ATF Miami and Broward Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from DEA Miami, HSI Miami, and FBI Miami.

Southern District of Florida Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCormack prosecuted these cases.

Several of the defendants, are associated with Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), a South Florida Haitian street gang.

Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department designated two Haitian gangs (Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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 https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

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MIAMI – On May 15, 2025, Adam Jonathan Lowe, 43, of West Pittston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to over 6 years in federal prison by the Honorable David Leibowitz, stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, mail fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived proceeds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. Upon release from custody, Lowe must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense. 

        Previously, on May 13, 2025, co-defendant Murray Todd Petersen, 73, of Fair Oaks, California, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison by the Honorable James I. Cohn stemming from his conviction after a seven-day jury trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  Upon release from custody, Petersen must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense.

         On October 18, 2024, co-defendant Scott Schafer, 62, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was sentenced to five years probation stemming from his stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.

         As outlined in court documents and trial testimony, Adam Jonathan Lowe, as the president of The Diamond Desk and as the manager of PetersenLowe, LLC., was the supplier of fancy-colored diamonds sourced worldwide.  Murray Todd Petersen worked as a salesman for PetersenLowe, LLC., who induced investors to purchase Lowe’s fancy-colored diamonds using materially false and fraudulent representations concerning the safety and security of the investments, the value of the investments, the expected profits and rates of return, and the use of investors’ funds. After selling his victims expensive fancy-colored diamonds supplied with fraudulent overvalued appraisals from co-defendant Scott Schafer, he instructed his clients to hold onto their investments often for one to two years prior to looking to liquidate. When trying to cover his investors cash out demands at the overpriced appraisal prices, he used another false representation of a China investment program, where he would purportedly invest the victims’ money into the Chinese diamond market with a purported guaranteed five to eight percent monthly dividend return on investment. Unbeknownst to his victims, this new investment program was really a Ponzi scheme in disguise designed to pay off his first round of investor clients. When customers began to complain about missing promised returns and highly inaccurate overvalued appraisals, the scheme pivoted again to a theft model, where investors prepaid for diamonds that were never delivered by either Lowe or Petersen. Petersen took approximately $850,000 in sales commissions from his victims, which he used to pay off his high IRS tax liens and cover his business operating expenses.  In total, the scheme netted approximately $13 million and defrauded in excess of 100 victims.

         U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the conviction.  

         FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Anton and Latoya Brown prosecuted the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.

         You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

         Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov  or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60225.

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MIAMI – This week, a federal jury sitting in Fort Pierce, Florida found Michael Gordon Douglas, 48, of Escondido, California guilty of seven counts of Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (“CSAM”) and one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity.

Federal prosecutors proved the following during the five-day trial: In October 2023, South Florida law enforcement learned that Douglas was active in an online chat room focused on incest and other sexual taboo. Douglas communicated with someone he believed was the mother of an eight-year-old girl. During months of chats, Douglas bragged about his sexual experiences with children and posted dozens of sexually explicit photos and videos. He repeatedly instructed the mother on how to gradually sexualize her child so that she would be ready, willing, and able to have sex with him. At one point, Douglas tried to set up a Halloween sex party where he offered to take the child’s virginity “in front of a meth-fueled orgy.”

On the day of a planned meet-up with the child, Douglas spotted law enforcement and erratically drove away. Agents stopped the vehicle, and a female passenger jumped out screaming, “He’s got a grenade, he’s going to kill us!” Douglas then pulled the pin out of what looked like a real grenade and held a standoff with a SWAT team.  Douglas eventually put down the replica grenade and was arrested.

Inside Douglas’s car, law enforcement discovered sex toys, personal lubricant, extra-small lingerie, a small speculum, and a unicorn stuffed animal. During planning chats, Douglas said he would bring those very items to his encounter with the child. The trial evidence showed that Douglas purchased most of these items online the day before the meeting with rush delivery.

Sentencing is currently set for August 25 at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Douglas faces a minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office made the announcement. 

HSI Miami and HSI San Diego Field Divisions investigated the case. U.S. Attorneys Justin Chapman and Adam McMichael are prosecuting it. 

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-80219.

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Note: This press release was corrected to reflect the proper announcing officials.  

MIAMI – On May 15, 2025, Adam Jonathan Lowe, 43, of West Pittston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to over 6 years in federal prison by the Honorable David Leibowitz, stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, mail fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived proceeds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957.  Upon release from custody, Lowe must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense.

Previously, on May 13, 2025, co-defendant Murray Todd Petersen, 73, of Fair Oaks, California, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison by the Honorable James I. Cohn stemming from his conviction after a seven-day jury trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  Upon release from custody, Petersen must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense.

On October 18, 2024, co-defendant Scott Schafer, 62, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was sentenced to five years probation stemming from his stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.

         As outlined in court documents and trial testimony, Adam Jonathan Lowe, as the president of The Diamond Desk and as the manager of PetersenLowe, LLC., was the supplier of fancy-colored diamonds sourced worldwide.  Murray Todd Petersen worked as a salesman for PetersenLowe, LLC., who induced investors to purchase Lowe’s fancy-colored diamonds using materially false and fraudulent representations concerning the safety and security of the investments, the value of the investments, the expected profits and rates of return, and the use of investors’ funds. After selling his victims expensive fancy-colored diamonds supplied with fraudulent overvalued appraisals from co-defendant Scott Schafer, Petersen instructed his clients to hold onto their investments often for one to two years prior to looking to liquidate. When trying to cover his investors cash out demands at the overpriced appraisal prices, Petersen and Lowe used another false representation of a China investment program, where they would purportedly invest the victims’ money into the Chinese diamond market with a purported guaranteed five to eight percent monthly dividend return on investment. Unbeknownst to their victims, this new investment program was really a Ponzi scheme in disguise designed to pay off his first round of investor clients. When customers began to complain about missing promised returns and highly inaccurate overvalued appraisals, the scheme pivoted again to a theft model, where investors prepaid for diamonds that were never delivered by either Lowe or Petersen. Petersen took approximately $850,000 in sales commissions from his victims, which he used to pay off his high IRS tax liens and cover his business operating expenses.  In total, the scheme netted approximately $13 million and defrauded in excess of 100 victims.

         U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.   

         FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Anton and Latoya Brown prosecuted the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.

         You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

         Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov  or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60225.

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MIAMI –The last of three defendants made his initial appearance in Miami federal court yesterday to face an indictment charging the men with conspiracy to commit wire fraud while scheming to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

PPP loans were intended to provide economic relief to small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the allegations in the indictment, between May 2020 and March 2021, Guillermo Lopez Carrazana, Christian Mendoza, and Max Alberto Mera Ulloa, all residents of Miami-Dade County, conspired to submit over 165 false and fraudulent PPP loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which administered the emergency relief program under the CARES Act. The PPP was designed to help businesses maintain payroll and cover essential expenses during the pandemic. It is alleged that the defendants received $6.5 million in COVID relief money through the fraud.  

It is alleged that Carrazana, Mendoza (a tax preparer) and Ulloa owned and operated various businesses, including G LUX LLC, Global Tax & Accounting Group Corp, CM Logistics Systems LLC and Max Mera Corporation. Along with others, the defendants allegedly submitted fraudulent loan applications that misrepresented payroll and employee information to obtain large sums of money under false pretenses.

The indictment further alleges that the defendants engaged in a kickback scheme, offering and receiving payments in exchange for referring additional individuals to participate in the fraudulent loan applications. It is also alleged that the defendants and the other fraudsters did not use the proceeds of the PPP loans for their intended purpose, instead they used the funds to enrich themselves.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office made the announcement.

FBI Miami and IRS-CI, Miami Field Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz is prosecuting the case.

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

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-20178.

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MIAMI – A former financier previously disciplined by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission pled guilty today in the Southern District of Florida to defrauding his elderly family member out of approximately $8.4 million.

According to court documents, Brett Thomas Graham, 61, began assisting his family member after she became a widow in approximately 2017. In approximately November 2018, Graham assisted her with retaining a financial advisor headquartered in New York, New York. In approximately February 2019, the family member sold a townhouse in New York, New York, for approximately $9 million. In approximately September 2019, Graham began transferring money from her accounts into his own checking account.  Graham spent the money on himself.  In approximately December 2020, Graham assumed the role of the family member’s power of attorney, by which he was obligated to act in her best interest.  Graham used the opportunity to continue his scheme to defraud.

In one instance, in December 2020, Graham asked the financial advisor for an additional $250,000, writing that the money was needed for the family member’s “higher medical & care expenses.” After receiving the money, Graham spent it on himself. In another instance, in November 2022, Graham asked that the financial advisor make an additional $400,000 available, writing that the funds were necessary for “[a]mazing [investment] opps…” After receiving the money, Graham spent over $300,000 on his credit card, art, travel, and rent.

Law enforcement was able to seize approximately $2 million worth of jewelry and art purchased with fraud proceeds.

Graham’s sentencing is scheduled to take place before Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks on September 16.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli S. Rubin is prosecuting the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Demirci for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20103.

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MIAMI – Miami-Dade Transit Track and Guideway Supervisor Dale Robinson, his wife Marcia Robinson, and Jessie Bledsoe, a contractor doing work for Miami-Dade Transit, pled guilty in related cases to Federal charges.  Dale Robinson pled guilty to soliciting a bribe from Bledsoe in connection with the issuance of Metrorail repair and maintenance contracts. Marcia Robinson pled guilty to misprision of a felony for helping her husband cover up the bribery. Jessie Bledsoe pled guilty to paying a bribe to Dale Robinson in connection with his contracts with Miami-Dade Transit.  Dale Robinson and Marcia Robinson entered their guilty pleas before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ellen F. D’Angelo and they were accepted by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore, while Bledsoe entered his guilty plea in Miami last week before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom.

According to the facts admitted at the change of plea hearings, Dale Robinson was the acting General Superintendent and lead Rail Structure and Track Supervisor in the Track and Guideway unit of Miami-Dade Transit. His responsibilities included making recommendations about contractors to be chosen to do Metrorail track maintenance and repair work for the transit unit and overseeing the work done by those contractors, including Bledsoe.  Bledsoe was the co-owner and operator of JB Railroad Contracting, Inc. (JB Railroad), a North Dakota-based company that did railroad track and rail replacement, repair, and maintenance work throughout the United States, including on the Metrorail system.   

In or around January 2021, while JB Railroad was working on a previously obtained contract for the removal and replacement of Metrorail track fasteners and was in the process of seeking an additional contract to do welding work on the Metrorail system for Miami-Dade Transit, Dale Robinson requested a large bribe from Bledsoe. Bledsoe agreed to pay Robinson that bribe, which was intended to influence Robinson’s selection of the contractor for the upcoming welding project. Bledsoe also agreed to concealing the payment by making it to a company specified by Dale Robinson.

After this, in late January 2021, Dale Robinson directed his wife, Marcia Robinson, who lived in Maryland, to create a company named Tailored Railroads & Consulting LLC and to open a company checking account on which she would serve as the sole signatory.  Marcia Robinson did this, filing the company paperwork in the State of Maryland.  Dale Robinson then provided the information about Tailored Railroads to Bledsoe so that Bledsoe could disguise the payments intended for Dale Robinson’s personal benefit by making them via checks from JB Railroad to Tailored Railroads.

After the bribe had been solicited by Dale Robinson, and after Tailored Railroads was created and the checking account opened by Marcia Robinson, during the period of February 2021 through February 2022, Dale Robinson directed Marcia Robinson to send a total of four invoices from Tailored Railroads to JB Railroad.  When Marcia Robinson sent each of these invoices, she knew that Tailored Railroads had not provided goods or services of any type to JB Railroad.

Bledsoe then caused JB Railroad to issue checks to Tailored Railroads to pay these invoices, even though Tailored Railroads provided no goods or services to JB Railroad, because these actually were the payments of the bribe solicited by Dale Robinson.  A total of four checks were issued from JB Railroad to Tailored Railroads during the period of February 2021 through March 2022 to pay these four invoices.  These four checks totaled approximately $75,956, the amount that Bledsoe ultimately provided to Tailored Railroads for the personal benefit of Dale Robinson in response to Dale Robinson’s bribe solicitation.

While not knowing all the details of her husband’s illegal bribery agreement with Bledsoe, when the four checks were issued to Tailored Railroads, Marcia Robinson knew that the funds were being paid by Bledsoe for Dale Robinson’s personal benefit in connection with Dale Robinson’s recommendation of JB Railroad for work to be performed for Miami-Dade Transit. Despite this, she did not inform authorities of her husband’s crime, and her actions all helped to conceal his criminal activity.  In addition, beyond issuing these four invoices and receiving the four payments from JB Railroad, Tailored Railroads engaged in no other activity of any type, and it eventually was administratively dissolved by the State of Maryland.

Dale Robinson and Marcia Robinson are scheduled for sentencing on July 10, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore in Miami.  Dale Robinson faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and Marcia Robinson faces a possible maximum sentence of up to three years in prison.

Jessie Bledsoe is scheduled for sentencing on August 1, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami.  Bledsoe faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami, and Inspector General Felix Jimenez of the Miami-Dade County Office of Inspector General (MDC-OIG) announced the guilty pleas.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is prosecuting both cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling the forfeiture matters on both cases.    

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20168.

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MIAMI – On May 8, 2025, documented gang member Daniel Thorr Gatlin, 40, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, sitting in West Palm Beach.

On Jan. 3, 2024, outside of a convenience store in Stuart, Fla., Martin County Sheriff Deputies intercepted and arrested Gatlin after Gatlin attempted to sell one pound of methamphetamine to an individual Gatlin thought was a legitimate buyer. During the investigation, law enforcement confirmed that Gatlin offered to sell a variety of drugs while living at a sober home in Broward County. According to the investigation, Gatlin traveled to Martin County for the sole purpose of distributing controlled substances. Gatlin is a member of the Sureños, also known as Sur 13, a transnational criminal street gang affiliated with the Mexican Mafia. In a recorded conversation, Gatlin referenced his gang affiliation and credited his gang connections as the reason why he was trusted to receive more than three pounds of methamphetamine to distribute in South Florida.

On Feb. 19, 2025, Gatlin, a career offender, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI, Miami Field Division, and Martin County Sheriff, John Budensiek, made the announcement. 

HSI Fort Pierce and Martin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.

Assistant United States Attorney Breezye Telfair prosecuted this case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-14023.

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Note: See the factual proffer here.

MIAMI – On May 8, 2025, Henry Abdo, 48, of Lebanon, was sentenced to 168 months in prison and ordered to pay a $300,000 fine and $375,479 in restitution by United States District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas.

Abdo pled guilty in federal court to orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that solicited over $6 million from investors under false pretenses. According to court records, Abdo’s company, Titanium Capital LLC, purported to operate a foreign exchange platform that guaranteed fixed returns for investors. In reality, Titanium Capital had no such platform, and Abdo used investor funds to pay off earlier investors and finance his personal lifestyle.

Beginning in July 2014, Abdo falsely claimed that Titanium Capital was a “zero-risk” investment fund that generated profits from fees on foreign currency transactions. Abdo further deceived investors by claiming Titanium Capital was part of a multibillion-dollar holding company, had developed proprietary software, and was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. None of these claims were true.

Court documents indicate that Abdo solicited investments through in-person meetings, emails, video conferences, and phone calls. Abdo directed potential investors to websites and promotional materials that falsely depicted Titanium Capital as a legitimate enterprise. In truth, Titanium operated as a classic Ponzi scheme, using funds from new investors to pay earlier investors while diverting large sums of money for Abdo’s personal use, including international travel and other expenses.

In addition to fraudulent investment claims, court records reveal that Abdo attempted to bolster his credibility by falsely associating himself with various charitable and educational organizations. Abdo also falsely claimed that Titanium Capital’s profits were donated to assist the blind and handicapped.

After soliciting millions from over 200 investors, Abdo’s scheme unraveled. Many victims were financially devastated. Several victims reported losing retirement accounts and personal savings that they had relied on for basic living expenses, such as food and medication.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. 

FBI Miami’s Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Bailyn and Justin Chapman in West Palm Beach, Florida, prosecuted it.  

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-80209.

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MIAMI – Jorge Ibarra, 31, of Palm Beach County, Florida, was sentenced today in federal court for engaging in a prolonged and threatening cyberstalking campaign against two individuals over the course of nearly three years. U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced Ibarra to 24 months in prison after he pled guilty earlier this year to two counts of cyberstalking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2261A(2)(A).

According to court documents, beginning on or about January 31, 2022, and continuing through November 11, 2024, Ibarra used electronic communication services and systems of interstate commerce to engage in a targeted course of conduct intended to harass and intimidate Victim 1. His actions placed the victim in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury.

In a separate but overlapping pattern of conduct, from approximately March 4, 2023, through October 30, 2024, Ibarra similarly targeted Victim 2 using electronic communications across state lines to instill fear of death and serious bodily injury. The communications were persistent, threatening, and calculated to terrorize both victims.

Ibarra was indicted in December 2024 and pled guilty to both counts on February 19, 2025, during a hearing before Judge Middlebrooks in West Palm Beach. There was no written plea agreement.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

The FBI Miami’s Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto prosecuted it.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80156.

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MIAMI – A Colombian citizen has been charged with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine in Miami.

According to the complaint affidavit, officers of the South Florida Crimes Strike Force observed Giovanni Cardona Parra, 44, driving a black BMW erratically before parking in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant. When officers approached Parra and asked him for identification, Parra allegedly showed them a New York State learners permit that stated it was “not for federal purposes.” Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents later determined that Parra was residing illegally in the United States. A canine alerted to the presence of a controlled substance in the vehicle. It is further alleged, that during a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers discovered over 30 kilograms of cocaine in the trunk. HSI agents arrested Parra on federal drug trafficking charges and placed an immigration detainer on him.

Parra made his initial appearance on May 6. A bond hearing is set for May 12 at 10:00 a.m. in Miami. If convicted, Parra faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI, Miami Field Division, made the announcement. 

HSI Miami and the South Florida Financial Crimes Strike Force are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Fugate is prosecuting the case.

This matter is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-mj-02945.

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MIAMI – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

The Southern District of Florida is prosecuting the following cases as part of this operation:

Benjamin Tokoma Sanders, 23, of Oakland, Fla., was charged with possession and production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on April 24. FBI Miami and the Broward Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Case No. 25-cr-60092.

Tre’ Anthony Roberts, 25, of Miami, Fla., was charged with child sexual exploitation on Feb. 27. FBI Miami, FBI Jacksonville and the Tallahassee Police Department are investigating the case. Case No. 25-cr-60042.

Katriel Victor Marmol, 57, of Davie, Fla., was charged with enticement of a minor on April 30. FBI Miami and the Davie Police Department are investigating the case. Case No. 25-mj-06969.

Dariel Manresa, 34, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., was charged with possession and distribution of CSAM on April 24. FBI Miami and the Pembroke Pines Police Department are investigating the case. Case No. 25-cr-60090.

William Neal, 44, of Tampa, Fla., was charged with possession of CSAM on April 30. FBI Miami and FBI Tampa are investigating the case. Case No. 25-mj-02902.

Brian Jones, 38, of Evanston, Illinois, was charged with distribution of CSAM on April 15. FBI Miami and FBI Chicago are investigating the case. Case No. 25-mj-02747.

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, this effort and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

Other online resources:

Violent Crimes Against Children

How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

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

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

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MIAMI – A Miami man pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a scheme in which he fraudulently obtained multiple home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) from various lenders by repeatedly using the same property as collateral.

In June and July 2023, Alfred Lenoris Davis, 51, of Miami, Florida, engaged in a multi-lender fraud scheme by submitting false and misleading information to financial institutions in connection with HELOC applications. Davis submitted fraudulent tax returns and falsely represented that his property was free of other liens, even though he had already obtained and/or applied for other HELOCs secured by the same property. By concealing these overlapping obligations, Davis induced multiple lenders to extend approximately $1,257,500 in lines of credit under false pretenses. Davis used the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds for personal expenses and other purposes. Davis was charged with three counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Davis pleaded guilty on May 5.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled on July 24 in Miami. Davis faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Bailyn is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Klco is handling asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20456.

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MIAMI – Two serial illegal border crossers from Honduras have been charged by South Florida federal grand jurors with Illegal Reentry After Removal, in violation of 8 U.S.C. 1326.  

According to the indictment in case number 25-cr-20192, this is at least the fifth time Marvin Wilton Max Ayala (Max Ayala), an alien from Honduras, has unlawfully entered the United States. He was encountered in South Florida on April 1, after having entered the country illegally, without inspection, admission, or parole by an immigration officer. It was not Max Ayala’s first brush with immigration: The Honduran national was previously removed from the United States on November 21, 2012, April 6, 2015, May 4, 2020, and August 5, 2021.  

According to the indictment in case number 25-cr-20186, this is at least the fourth time Brayan Josue Matute-Lobo (Matute-Lobo), also an alien from Honduras, has unlawfully entered the United States. He was encountered in South Florida on March 8, after having entered the country illegally, without inspection, admission, or parole by an immigration officer. It was not Matute-Lobo’s first brush with immigration: This Honduran national was previously removed from the United States on February 12, 2016, April 21, 2016, and December 22, 2016. 

Both defendants will be held at the Federal Detention (FDC) Miami pending resolution of their criminal cases. 

U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne of the Southern District of Florida and acting Field Office Director Juan Agudelo of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) Prosecutions Unit Miami announced the charges. 

ICE-ERO investigated the cases. Special Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Roca Shaw is prosecuting them

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-20186.

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MIAMI – Raisha Kelly, 44, of Loxahatchee, FL was sentenced to sixty months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $443,895 in restitution by United States District Court Judge Federico A. Moreno. The sentence follows Kelly’s conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

Kelly recruited and conspired with multiple individuals to submit Payment Protection Program (PPP) loan applications that falsely and fraudulently misrepresented that the applicants had sole proprietorship businesses, and the amount of annual revenue received by these purported sole proprietorship businesses. In support of these applications on behalf of each individual, Kelly submitted falsified tax returns. Kelly orchestrated this scheme in return for a 25 percent kickback from the loan applicants. Kelly concealed her involvement in the scheme by creating a series of “dummy” email accounts for herself and each of the applicants—all to entirely disguise her own involvement in the false and fraudulent application. Kelly also applied for her own PPP loans in which she also falsely and fraudulently mispresented the amount of income her own business received. At trial, it was proven that the defendant made approximately $106,649 as a result of orchestrating this conspiracy involving thirteen individuals.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Jonathan Ulrich, Special Agent in Charge, USPS Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Eastern Region; and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region, made the announcement.

USPS-OIG, SBA-OIG, and DOL-OIG investigated the case.

Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Bernstein, Eduardo Gardea Jr., and Gabrielle Charest-Turken prosecuted it.

In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred.  EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.

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. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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.

On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20079.

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A resident of Lima, Peru, accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme, was extradited to the United States and made her initial appearance in Miami federal court, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

Carla Magaly Alcedo Mendoza (Alcedo), 43, of Lima, Peru, will face federal charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. Alcedo was arrested on March 27, 2023, by Peruvian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request.

According to the indictment, the defendant managed and operated Peruvian call centers from January 2013 through December 2018. The defendant and her co-conspirators in Peru allegedly used Internet-based telephone calls to contact Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. These call centers falsely told victims they worked on behalf of universities, Hispanic help centers, and government entities and that the victims had been selected to receive financial assistance for English language programs. Many consumers expressed interest in receiving the products. In later calls, Alcedo and her co-conspirators falsely claimed the victims were required to pay storage and other fees related to the materials. When victims refused to pay, Alcedo and her co-conspirators pressured and extorted these victims, including by claiming they would be taken to court or even arrested if they failed to make payments.

“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Republic of Peru, including the Peruvian National Police, for assisting in extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States. The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

"The reach of American justice is boundless in pursuing fraudsters who target the elderly and other vulnerable groups,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. "Transnational criminals who use scams, fear, and intimidation to steal from victims will be held accountable.”

“Today marks the fourteenth arrest and tenth extradition in this investigation, which was made possible by the outstanding collaboration between federal and international partners. We have proven that when we work together, no criminal is beyond our reach,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division.

Alcedo is charged in an 18-count federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Alcedo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges are prosecuting the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Peruvian National Police, and the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition.

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

More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

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

MIAMI – A Miami federal district judge adjudicated a Bahamian national guilty on alien smuggling charges.  

According to court documents and statements made in court hearings, on Dec. 19, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers aboard a CBP aircraft observed Shakerio Michael Jones, 31, traveling from the direction of The Bahamas toward the United States, and notified CBP officers on the water.

Once the boat crossed into United States waters, off the coast of Miami-Dade County, Fla., the CBP officers onboard a CBP Air and Maritime Operations vessel approached the go-fast boat and ordered the driver to stop. The CBP officers brought all the individuals from the boat onboard the USCG Cutter Bernard C. Webber and confirmed that the 13 individuals did not have permission to enter the United States. The CBP officers determined that the individuals were nationals of the United Kingdom, Haiti, Honduras, Ireland, India and The Bahamas, and that Jones had been previously removed from the United States.

The CBP officers brought Jones to shore to face charges. The rest of the aliens were returned to The Bahamas.

On April 24, Jones entered a guilty plea before magistrate judge Edwin G. Torres, who issued a report recommending that the plea be accepted. On April 30, U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra adopted the report and recommendations and adjudicated the defendant guilty.

Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18 at 10:00 a.m. in Miami. He faces up to 20 years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from CBP and USCG, 7th Coast Guard District. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-10027.

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MIAMI – On April 30, Denzil Olajuwon Stewart, 30, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, for selling 276.7 grams of pure methamphetamine. 

On Dec. 28, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Stewart drive away from his Vero Beach home in a white Porsche SUV, arrive at another residence about 30 minutes away, and sell what they later discovered was 276.7 grams of pure methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was packaged in a plastic shopping bag, which bore Stewart’s fingerprints.

A jury found Stewart guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual, and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers made the announcement. 

DEA Port Saint Lucie and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Hudock and Michael Porter prosecuted it.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-14058.

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MIAMI – A district judge in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. has sentenced an MS-13 gang member and leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization (DTO) to 210 months in federal prison for running a fentanyl distribution ring, some of which he did from inside a state prison.

Mario Clifford Rivera (a/k/a “Chuky”), 32, is a member of MS-13, a designated foreign terrorist organization. From at least 2022, Rivera used the U.S. Postal Service to distribute fentanyl smuggled into the United States from Mexico. The fentanyl’s travel path: over the wall from Mexico to California, then to Florida by mail for distribution by Rivera and the DTO dealers he controlled.  

In early 2023, while free on bond waiting to report to state prison to serve three years for felon in possession of a firearm, throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle, and aggravated assault crimes, Rivera offered to sell two kilograms of fentanyl to a buyer in Florida, some of which was purchased. Once inside state prison, Rivera continued managing and supervising his DTO. He used prison phones and a contraband cell phone to communicate with his dealers on the outside. Rivera directed them on how to sell fentanyl and what prices to charge, all while making sure that he received his share of the drug proceeds.

Rivera was responsible in this case for distributing over three kilograms of fentanyl. He pled guilty to drug trafficking charges and will begin serving his federal sentence once he completes his state sentence.   

“Rivera’s 17-year federal prison sentence should serve as a warning to MS-13 and other terrorist gangs who seek to flood our communities with deadly poisons like fentanyl: Whether you operate on the streets or behind prison walls, we will identify your leaders and members, dismantle your networks, and hold you accountable using the full force of American law,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida.   

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rinku Tribuiani for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted this case.

FBI Miami; U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division; DEA Miami Field Division; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Division, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated it. 

“The safety of South Florida communities is our top priority,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “Shutting down drug trafficking networks like Rivera's is a key step towards achieving this priority. Our long-standing partnerships with USPIS Miami, DEA Miami, HSI Miami and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office were crucial to this successful investigation. Let this case serve as a warning to MS-13 and other gangs who terrorize communities with violence and sow misery through drug trafficking: these activities will not be tolerated.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to ensuring the U.S. Mail is not used as a tool to distribute dangerous drugs, like fentanyl, to our communities, said Miami Division acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges. “The sentence handed down should serve as a reminder that we remain steadfast with our law enforcement partners to bring those who engage in drug trafficking through the mail to justice.”

“We and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue and arrest those who flood our communities with illicit, dangerous, and highly-addictive drugs,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “It is our top priority to protect our citizens and get these gang members off our streets.”

“Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners have a clear message: those who traffic deadly narcotics and endanger our communities through gang violence will face the full force of justice,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of HSI Miami Field Division. “HSI remains relentless in dismantling transnational criminal organizations like MS-13 and stopping the flow of fentanyl that continues to devastate families across our nation.”

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

It is also part of an OCDETF operation. 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 https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-80140.

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MIAMI – Freddy Urribarri, 42, and Mairilin Munoz 39, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with their submission of false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Both defendants are Venezuelan nationals who were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allowed them to remain in the United States temporarily after they had entered the country. They were living in Dania Beach, Fl. at the time of their arrests.   

According to allegations in the Indictment and statements made in open court, the defendants conspired with each other to commit fraud by submitting false PPP loan applications for Covid-19 era relief money meant to help struggling small business owners financially survive the pandemic. The defendants submitted two sole proprietorship loan applications with false and fraudulent supporting tax documents. Urribarri and Munoz also caused the submission of a false and fraudulent PPP loan application for FU&MM General Services, a company they controlled as president and vice president. The application inflated FU&MM’s income and number of employees. The lender accepted the false representations and approved a loan of about $438,000.

Once they received the loan proceeds, the defendants engaged in a scheme to conceal the nature of the funds. Munoz also engaged in financial transactions over $10,000 using proceeds of the fraud. Urribarri and Munoz also submitted false and fraudulent tax documents in support of a PPP loan forgiveness application.  

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Division, announced the charges.  

HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein is prosecuting it.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  

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. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20151.

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MIAMI – Two Ukrainian women with no United States citizenship have been charged with unlawfully voting in the General Election for United States President during early voting in Palm Beach, Fla., on Oct. 31, 2024.

Svitlana Demydenko (Svitlana), 53, and her daughter, Yelyzaveta Demydenko (Yelyzaveta), 22, made their initial appearances in West Palm Beach federal court today.

According to the criminal complaint affidavit, Svitlana and Yelyzaveta entered the United States in April 2021 on nonimmigrant visas. In August 2024, while living in Florida, Svitlana and Yelyzaveta registered to vote in federal elections using a system that requires certification of United States citizenship, which neither of them had.

On Oct. 31, 2024, and still without United States citizenship, Svitlana and Yelyzaveta voted from Palm Beach in the federal 2024 General Election, which included election of a United States President.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Division; and Commissioner Mark Glass of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) made the announcement.

HSI Miami Field Division and FDLE Office of Executive Investigations, Election Crime Unit investigated this case, with assistance from the Florida Department of State, Office of Election Crimes and Security; the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections; the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service; and the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Assistant U.S. Attorney John McMillan is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-mj-8216.

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MIAMI – Lazaro Verdecia Hernandez, 37, of Miami, was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for leading a scheme that involved obtaining fraudulent loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and laundering the proceeds. 

Verdecia and co-conspirator Heidi Cid submitted over 63 fraudulent PPP loan applications. In the loan paperwork, they made the applicants appear eligible for pandemic relief by falsifying the number of company employees and forging documents. As a result of the fake submissions, lenders disbursed over $14.5 million to bank accounts controlled by individuals who then withdraw the money and gave Verdecia, Cid, and another co-coconspirator, Yadier Rodriguez Arteaga, their cut.

During earlier proceedings, Arteaga and Cid were adjudicated guilty and sentenced to federal prison terms: Arteaga to almost six years and Cid to 26 months.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros for the U. S. Secret Service (USSS); Special Agent in Charge Edwin S. Bonano for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General (FHFA OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region, made the announcement.

USSS Miami and FHFA OIG investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Eli Rubin prosecuted the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Klco is handling asset forfeiture.

The following cases were previously charged in relation to the fraud scheme:

• U.S. v. Roberto Lopez, Kenia Carrillo, Lester Hedman Safont, Oreste Ruiz Linares, Honolio Navarro Caballero, Barbara Alvarez, Javier Pico, Alfredo Contrera, and Erisbel Gonzalez Gomez, Case No. 22-cr-20368; 

• U.S. v. Nancy Bahos Serna, Case No. 23-cr-20310;

• U.S. v. Jorge Trueba Lopez, Case No. 21-cr-20382;

• U.S. v. Nancy Saavedra Torres, Case No. 21-cr-20225;

• U.S. v. Giraldo Caraballo, Case No. 21-cr-20264;

• U.S. v. Felix Martinez and Yailin Perez, Case No. 21-cr-20276;

• U.S. v. Yoliesse Sarmiento Carrion, Case No. 22-cr-20530;

• U.S. v. Osiel Rodriguez Furgel, Case No. 21-cr-20251; and

• U.S. v. Leonardo Gonzalez Lopez, Case No. 23-cr-20113.

Each of these defendants pled guilty, except for Javier Pico and Erisbel Gonzalez Gomez who are fugitives.

Approximately 22 people were charged and convicted in the conspiracy.

In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred.  EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.

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. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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.

On Sep. 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.

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

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-20421.

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MIAMI – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in the Southern District of Florida to 13 months’ imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for his role in an insider trading scheme that netted over $1.6 million in profits. He was also ordered to pay over $200,000 in restitution and over $1.6 million in forfeiture.

According to court documents, from November 2018 to April 2023, Stephen George, 54, of Parkland, was a member of the Finance Department and held roles including controller and vice president at a consumer-packaged goods company headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida (Company A). The company was the maker of a fitness drink whose securities were publicly traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market. At Company A, George received material non-public information (MNPI) regarding the company’s financial performance.

On his final day at Company A on April 7, 2023, George created a consolidated income statement showing its financial performance for the first quarter of 2023, which George knew contained MNPI. The income statement showed that the company’s first quarter results had greatly exceeded expectations. George then emailed the document to himself using two personal email accounts.

On April 10, 2023, the first trading day after his last day of employment, and continuing through May 8, 2023, George purchased Company A securities based on MNPI – specifically, 20,000 shares of common stock and 300 call option contracts. On May 9, 2023, after the market close, Company A publicly reported better-than-expected earnings and sales for the first quarter of 2023, including an all-time quarterly record in revenue. After the public announcement, its stock price increased significantly. During the next trading day, George sold all 20,000 shares of common stock and 300 call option contracts, resulting in over $1.6 million in personal profits.

In February 2025, George pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Elizabeth Young for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Matthew F. Sullivan and Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-60011.

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The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued an injunction today against Miami tax return preparer Nia Daniel, which bars her from preparing tax returns for others, having any ownership stake in any tax preparation business, or assisting or training others in tax return preparation through at least Jan. 27, 2028. The court also ordered Daniel to disgorge $446,000 in ill-gotten gains she received from her return preparation business. Daniel agreed to both the injunction and ordered disgorgement.

The complaint alleged that Daniel understated customers’ tax liability and claimed inflated refunds largely by:

• Falsifying or overstating business expenses claimed on a Schedule C;
• Claiming the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for clients who did not qualify for it;
• Falsely claiming other credits, such as the American Opportunity Credit and Residential Energy Credit; and
• Falsifying income and filing status to increase the Earned Income Tax Credit.

According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $500,000 in 2023 alone from returns prepared by Daniel.

The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways safeguard personal information.

In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

MIAMI – A man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug trafficking. The defendant had previously pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in February.

On Aug. 21, 2024, Jardon Kianu Jackson, 34, of Kissimmee, Fla., sold 442.2 grams of methamphetamine in Sebastian, Fla. Then, on Oct. 22, 2024, Jackson sold 53.02 grams of fentanyl in Fellsmere, Fla.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, Sheriff Paul Blackman of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), Sheriff Eric Flowers of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO) and Sheriff Noel E. Stephen of Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks.

The DEA Miami Field Division, HCSO, IRCSO and Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted the case.

According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning our nation.  Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate.  Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl.  In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida.

For more information visit:  https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-14066.

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Defendant Defrauded the United States of More than $20M in Taxes While Amassing a Large Collection of Luxury Goods Including 27 Ferraris 

MIAMI – A Florida man was sentenced today to 50 months in prison for not paying taxes withheld from his employees’ wages and filing a false tax return.

The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Matthew Brown, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, owned and operated multiple businesses in and around Martin County, Florida. One of these businesses was a payroll services company known as Elite Payroll. Elite Payroll provided payroll services to small businesses in and around St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties. Elite Payroll was hired by its clients to collect and pay over the Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes withheld from clients’ employees’ wages and to pay over those funds to the IRS each quarter. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, including because they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.

Between 2014 and 2022, Brown did not pay over $20,000,000 in taxes withheld from the wages of employees of clients of Elite Payroll and from other businesses he controlled and instead enriched himself. To effectuate his scheme, Brown charged his clients the full amount of their tax liabilities but then filed false employment tax returns with the IRS that substantially underreported their liabilities, and pocketing the difference. For example, for one quarter in 2021, a client owed approximately $219,000 in taxes. Elite Payroll collected that amount from the client but filed a false tax return with the IRS claiming that the client only owed approximately $32,000, which Elite paid. Brown then kept the remaining approximately $190,000.

Instead of paying over the funds, Brown purchased commercial and residential real estate, including his multimillion-dollar home, a Valhalla 55 Sport Yacht, a Falcon 50 Aircraft, and a large collection of cars including Porsches, Rolls Royces, and 27 Ferraris.

In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon for the Southern District of Florida ordered Brown to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $22,401,585 in restitution, and a $200,000 fine to the United States.

U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Bryne of the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Porter for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-14045.

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A Florida man was sentenced today to 50 months in prison for not paying taxes withheld from his employees’ wages and filing a false tax return.

The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Matthew Brown, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, owned and operated multiple businesses in and around Martin County, Florida. One of these businesses was a payroll services company known as Elite Payroll. Elite Payroll provided payroll services to small businesses in and around St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties. Elite Payroll was hired by its clients to collect and pay over the Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes withheld from clients’ employees’ wages and to pay over those funds to the IRS each quarter. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, including because they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.

Between 2014 and 2022, Brown did not pay over $20,000,000 in taxes withheld from the wages of employees of clients of Elite Payroll and from other businesses he controlled and instead enriched himself. To effectuate his scheme, Brown charged his clients the full amount of their tax liabilities but then filed false employment tax returns with the IRS that substantially underreported their liabilities, and pocketing the difference. For example, for one quarter in 2021, a client owed approximately $219,000 in taxes. Elite Payroll collected that amount from the client but filed a false tax return with the IRS claiming that the client only owed approximately $32,000, which Elite paid. Brown then kept the remaining approximately $190,000.

Instead of paying over the funds, Brown purchased commercial and residential real estate, including his multimillion-dollar home, a Valhalla 55 Sport Yacht, a Falcon 50 Aircraft, and a large collection of cars including Porsches, Rolls Royces, and 27 Ferraris.

In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon for the Southern District of Florida ordered Brown to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $22,401,585 in restitution, and a $200,000 fine to the United States.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Bryne of the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Porter for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

MIAMI – The owner of Theophin Consulting LLC has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining Covid-19 relief loan proceeds under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) program.

Rudy Theophin, 41, of Miramar, Fla., was the president and sole owner of Theophin Consulting LLC. In June 2020, Theophin submitted an online PPP loan application for $123,675 through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide relief for the economic effect caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The loan application and supporting documentation falsely stated the number of employees and the average monthly payroll for Theophin Consulting. Once approved, Theophin transferred a portion of the funds to another person, another portion to an investment account in his name, and he used the remaining funds toward the purchase of a condominium. Theophin ran for mayor of Miramar in 2023.

A sentencing hearing is set on July 15 in Fort Lauderdale before U.S. District Court Judge Rodney Smith. Theophin faces up to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

IRS-CI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Killoran is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Delgado is handling asset forfeiture. 

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-60233.

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MIAMI – On April 18, 2025, Marcel Pierre Denis, 58, pled guilty to a two-count information charging him with April 2022 and October 2022 attempts to smuggle firearms from Miami to Haiti.

In connection with the plea, Denis admitted that, in April 2022, law enforcement conducted an inspection of outbound cargo at a shipping warehouse in Miami-Dade County and discovered an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, a rifle magazine, and rifle ammunition in a cargo box manifested for shipment to Haiti. Denis was listed as the shipper on a shipping invoice for the box. Employees of the shipping carrier otherwise identified and recognized Denis as a frequent customer who had previously submitted cargo for shipment to Haiti. In a May 2022 interview, Denis acknowledged that he had attempted to ship the firearm and ammunition for Haiti and that he had not obtained any export permit or license for the shipment.

In October 2022, law enforcement again conducted an inspection of outbound cargo at a shipping warehouse in Miami-Dade County. During this inspection, law enforcement encountered a cargo box manifested for shipment to Haiti that contained, among other items, a semiautomatic pistol that had been wrapped in duct tape and then concealed inside of a coffee container. Denis was again listed as the shipper on the shipping invoice for the box. Employees of the shipping carrier again identified Denis as the individual who had dropped off the cargo for shipment and filled out the shipping forms. Law enforcement conducted a trace and obtained purchase records for the pistol, which reflected that Denis had purchased the pistol from a retailer in the Southern District of Florida.

In a November 2022 interview, Denis acknowledged his interactions with law enforcement after the April 2022 shipment, acknowledged his purchase of the pistol concealed among the October 2022 shipment, and stated that he intended to ship the firearms to an associate in Haiti for protection of a retail business.

In connection with the plea, Denis admitted that he was aware of his need for an export license or permit to ship firearms or ammunition to Haiti, and that he was otherwise licensed to practice law and serving as an administrative hearing officer in the State of New York at the time of each shipment.

U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez is presiding over the case. Denis faces a maximum term of ten years’ imprisonment as to each count. The sentencing hearing has been set for July 7, 2025. Judge Martinez will sentence Denis after a review of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Division, announced the guilty plea. 

HSI investigated the case. Customs and Border Protection provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling M. Paulson is prosecuting the case.

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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr- 20139.

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MIAMI – Adam Brosius, 60 of Delray Beach, pleaded guilty in connection with his role in a nationwide scheme to unlawfully distribute misbranded and adulterated HIV drugs to unsuspecting patients.

According to court documents, Brosius was a part owner of Safe Chain Solutions LLC (“Safe Chain”), a wholesale distributor of pharmaceuticals based in Cambridge, Maryland, that purported to sell legitimate prescription drugs to pharmacies throughout the country, including expensive HIV medication. 

In connection with his guilty plea, Brosius admitted that he and his co-conspirators illegally acquired HIV drugs that had been diverted from the regulated pharmaceutical distribution chain by various means.  One common method of prescription drug diversion involved buying bottles of supposed prescription HIV medication from individuals on the street, repackaging and relabeling the bottles, and then reselling the drugs to Safe Chain at steeply discounted prices with falsified documentation concealing the drugs’ true origin.  Brosius and his co-conspirators were notified of the false documentation accompanying these drugs but continued purchasing the steeply discounted HIV drugs and reselling them to pharmacy customers, which dispensed the diverted drugs to unsuspecting patients.  According to court documents, at times patients received bottles labeled as their prescription medication but which contained a different drug entirely, with one patient passing out and remaining unconscious for 24 hours after taking an anti-psychotic drug thinking it was his prescribed HIV medication.

Sentencing is set for August 29, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale before United States District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas.  Brosius pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison. 

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Miami Regional Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case. 

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20255.

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MIAMI – Ramon Manriquez Castillo, 68, a dual U.S. and Mexican citizen; Edgar Rodriguez Ruano, 29, a Mexican citizen; Fernando Javier Escobar Tito, 48, an Ecuadorian citizen; and Anderson Jair Gamboa Nieto, 30, a Colombian citizen, made their initial appearances today in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. on drug trafficking charges after the Republic of Guinea-Bissau surrendered them to the United States on April 16.

A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges the defendants with conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine through Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Guinea-Bissau using a U.S.-registered airplane, with a U.S. citizen onboard, from about November 2023 to September 2024. It also charges them with distributing cocaine in these countries using an airplane with a U.S. citizen onboard. 

In September 2024, law enforcement authorities arrested the defendants in Guinea-Bissau and seized 2.6 metric tons of cocaine. Due to the strong and ongoing collaboration between the Government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the Judicial Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI WFO, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Embassy to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Guinea-Bissau surrendered the four alleged drug cartel affiliates to U.S. authorities on April 16. The defendants made their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hunt in the Southern District of Florida.

If convicted, they face between 10 years and life in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter for DEA Miami Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. 

DEA Miami and FBI Washington Field Office are investigating this case. The U.S. Marshals Service assisted with the surrender. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ustynoski is prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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 https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.

This matter is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

An indictment is merely an allegation, and defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60048.

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MIAMI – A former South Florida doctor has been found guilty of charges of illegally distributing opioids at his pain management clinic.

A federal jury sitting in Miami, Florida found Daniel Alberto Carpman, 72, of Miami, guilty of the unlawful dispensing and distribution of oxycodone at his pain management clinic, Daniel Carpman MD Medical Center. Carpman was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute opioids and four counts of illegally distributing opioids. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. United States District Court Judge Melissa Damian scheduled defendant’s sentencing for June 22, 2025.  Carpman was remanded to custody following the jury verdict.

The evidence at trial established that Carpman illegally issued prescriptions for over two million doses of maximum strength, immediate release oxycodone to patients who later resold the medication to drug distributors.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Miami Regional Office, made the announcement.

Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Clark and Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole S. Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20175

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MIAMI – A federal district judge in Miami sentenced a Bahamian national to 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to alien smuggling in January.

On Nov. 8, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers interdicted an alien smuggling vessel approximately six miles off the coast of Miami, Florida. The CBP vessel intercepted Keith Kevin Russell, 46, while he was transporting 18 individuals on his boat from The Bahamas to the United States. Russell initially refused to stop, only stopping when CBP officers shot warning flares near the vessel. The CBP officers brought the individuals from Russell’s boat onboard the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Richard Etheridge and confirmed that all the individuals were aliens who did not have authorization to enter the United States. The aliens on the vessel were from China, Haiti, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. The Coast Guard officers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents also determined that Patrick Angelo Percentie, 45, was a Bahamian alien that had been previously removed from the United States after a conviction for an aggravated felony.

USCG officers brought Russell and Percentie to shore to face charges. The rest of the aliens were returned to the Bahamas. Percentie also pled guilty and received a 16-month prison sentence.

U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence.

HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from CBP and USCG, 7th Coast Guard District. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20514.

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MIAMI – A South Florida federal district judge this week sentenced a 30-year-old Jacksonville, Florida man to 405 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for producing and transporting visual depictions involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

David Wayne Currin Jr. pleaded guilty to the crimes on Jan. 23.

On Oct. 30, 2024, Currin arrived at the Miami Seaport from The Bahamas aboard a cruise ship. During a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) inspection, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and HSI Jacksonville special agents discovered 260 images and 26 videos of CSAM on Currin’s smartphone, including a sexually explicit video of a minor victim and material depicting the abuse of an infant or toddler. Between March 2024 and Oct. 30, 2024, Currin used his smartphone to record sexually explicit conduct involving a minor.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, announced the sentence.

HSI Miami and HSI Jacksonville investigated the case with assistance from CBP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilana Malkin prosecuted the case.

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

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20494.

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Defendant Did Not Pay Over $10M in Taxes

MIAMI – A Florida man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,381,265.76 in restitution to the United States for willfully failing to pay over employment taxes and willfully failing to file individual income tax returns.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Paul Walczak controlled a network of interconnected health care companies operating under various names, including Palm Health Partners. Through another of his entities, Palm Health Partners Employment Services (PHPES), Walczak employed over 600 people and paid over $24 million annually in payroll. As such, Walczak was required to withhold Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from his employees’ paychecks and to pay those monies over to the IRS each quarter, and to pay the companies’ portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes.

For more than a decade, Walczak was not compliant with his tax obligations and instead used the withheld taxes to enrich himself. In 2011, Walczak did not pay two quarters of withheld taxes to the IRS. In 2012, the IRS began collection efforts, including by sending him notices about his unpaid taxes, and by meeting with Walczak to help bring him into compliance. When that effort was unsuccessful, the IRS assessed the outstanding taxes against him personally. After that was imposed, Walczak paid the assessments in October 2014. Walczak’s compliance did not last long, however. By the end of the following year, Walczak was again withholding taxes from his employees’ paychecks and keeping the money.

From 2016 through 2019, Walczak withheld $7,432,223.80 of taxes from his employees’ paychecks, but did not pay those taxes over to the IRS. While Walczak was withholding taxes from the pay of his employees under the pretext of paying these funds to the IRS, he used over $1 million from his businesses’ bank accounts to purchase a yacht, transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal bank accounts, and used the business accounts for personal purchases at retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Cartier, and Saks. During this same time, he also did not pay $3,480,111 of his business’s portion of his employees’ Social Security and Medicare taxes.

By 2019, the IRS had assessed millions of dollars in civil penalties against Walczak. Beginning with the 2018 tax year, Walczak also stopped filing personal income tax returns despite that he was still receiving income including a $360,000 salary from PHPES and $450,000 in transfers from his business bank accounts.

Moreover, in 2019, Walczak created a new business, NextEra. Walczak used a family member as the 99% nominal owner of NextEra, but Walczak had ultimate control of the finances and operations of NextEra. Through NextEra, Walczak transferred in 2020 just under $200,000 to a bank account titled in a family member’s name, over $250,000 to a bank account in his wife’s name, and over $800,000 in payments directly to third parties for Walczak’s personal expenses, including clothing stores, department stores, and fishing retailers.

In total, Walczak caused a tax loss to the IRS of $10,912,334.80

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

IRS-CI investigated the case.

Assistant United States Attorney Andres E. Chinchilla for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan, Andrew Ascencio, and Ashley Stein of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-80024.

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MIAMI – A 21-year-old Miami man who used social media messaging to threaten to “kill everyone” attending a high school junior prom in New Jersey pled guilty this week to transmitting threats through interstate communications, a felony offense.

During his change of plea hearing, Onil Compres Rodriguez admitted that on April 30, 2024, he sent a series of direct messages to social media accounts, including accounts belonging to schools in New Jersey. He wrote: 

• “I will kill everyone,”

• “they should never have hurt me,”

• “See you on May 2 at the junior prom . . . I will be charged for the damage they did to me,”

• “They don’t know who they messed with,” and

• “Wear your bulletproof vests there will be a lot of blood hahaha.”

Compres Rodriguez sent two photographs with the messages: one of an invitation to a New Jersey high school prom on May 2, 2024, the other of three firearms and ammunition.

The threats were reported to law enforcement, whose investigation led them to Compres Rodriguez in Miami. On May 2, 2024 (the date of the New Jersey prom) they learned that Compres Rodriguez had just booked a flight at Miami International Airport headed for Newark, New Jersey. When the flight landed in Newark, law enforcement was there, waiting for him. They arrested Compres Rodriguez, who never made it to prom. 

Senior U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno will sentence Compres Rodriguez in Miami on June 25. He faces up to five years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami announced the guilty plea.

FBI Miami investigated the case, with collaboration from FBI Newark, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Clifton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting it.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20490.

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MIAMI – Clifford Frederic Lind, 40, pleaded guilty in federal court this week to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor and attempting to entice a minor. Lind, who used the online alias “it is what it is,” admitted to engaging in sexually explicit communications with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl.

In connection with his guilty plea, Lind admitted that between May 29 and June 4, 2024, he communicated with a person he believed was an underage girl, via a social media application and text messages. During the exchanges, Lind sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself and requested sexual images in return. Lind also discussed plans to meet the supposed 13-year-old in person to engage in sexual activity, including details about picking her up and where they would stay. The communications, which took place while Lind was in the Southern District of Florida, involved the use of a smartphone and the internet, with the illicit materials traveling through interstate commerce.

Sentencing is set for July 9, at 10:00 a.m., in Key West before United States District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles. Lind faces up to life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.

FBI Miami, Key West Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Maultasch is prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture.

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

Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-10008.

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MIAMI – Today, a federal district judge in Miami sentenced a 25-year-old woman who was in the country unlawfully to seven-and-a-half years in prison for her role in a for-profit scheme to illegally smuggle 18 Cubans by boat from the island, across the Florida straits, and into the United States. Sixteen people died during the trip.

Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves pleaded guilty to alien smuggling conspiracy and related charges on January 21, 2025.

The Facts: Dominguez-Nieves is a Cuban national who entered the United States illegally in October 2022. A month later, she and a boyfriend arranged to illegally smuggle 18 Cubans by boat from the island, through the Florida straits, and into the United States at Florida’s coast. They would charge admission for the trip. In the weeks leading up to it, for example, Dominguez-Nieves collected over $11,500 from South Florida family members of the to-be-smuggled Cuban aliens.

On November 16, 2024, the smugglers’ fishing boat left Playa Jaimanitas, Cuba toward South Florida with about 18 aliens onboard. It sank approximately 30 miles into the trip, killing 16 identified people, many of whom were children. Three of their bodies washed up in Monroe County, Florida. Cause of death: drowning. According to two survivors, the boat was too small for 18 people, did not carry lifejackets, and its captain did not seem to know what he was doing.       

U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom imposed a sentence higher than that   recommended by the advisory federal sentencing guidelines due to the severity of the offense. 

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Margelot of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Field Office announced the sentence.

CGIS Southeast Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West, the U.S. Border Patrol, the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting this case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-CR-20223.

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MIAMI – A federal district judge in Miami sentenced a Cuban national to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after he previously pleaded guilty to alien smuggling in January.

On Sept. 29, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers on a CBP air and maritime operations vessel, intercepted Rafael Rodriguez Hernandez, 35, while he was transporting 27 people on his boat from the Bahamas to the United States. The CBP officers brought the individuals from Hernandez’s boat onboard the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Richard Etheridge where USCG Officers confirmed that all the individuals, except Hernandez, were aliens who did not have authorization to enter the United States. The CBP officers also determined that five of the aliens were Ecuadorian nationals who had been previously removed from the United States.

USCG officers brought Hernandez and the five Ecuadorians to shore to face charges. The rest of the aliens were returned to the Bahamas.

U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, announced Hernandez’s sentence.

HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from CBP and USCG, 7th Coast Guard District. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20458.

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MIAMI – Leslie Roberts, 62, of Miami, was charged in a federal court for participating in a conspiracy to sell forged art using fake and fraudulent invoices and authentications. Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, 37, of Sunny Isles, was also charged for his participation in the wire fraud conspiracy.

According to allegations in the indictment, Roberts sold art from Miami Fine Art Gallery located in Coconut Grove. Roberts fraudulently represented the art as original pieces created by renowned artist Andy Warhol.  Further, Roberts falsely claimed to victims that he acquired the artwork directly from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and provided fake and fraudulent invoices to the victim.  Rodriguez Melendez falsely represented that he was an employee of a New York-based auction company in order to fraudulently authenticate the artwork in to conceal that the artwork was fake.

The Indictment also alleges that Roberts engaged in money laundering, transferring wire fraud proceeds from his Miami Fine Art Gallery bank account to a personal bank account. According to the Indictment, Roberts made transactions in the amounts of $150,000, $40,000 and $50,000.

On April 9, 2025, Roberts and Melendez were arrested by law enforcement and made an initial appearance in federal court (Case No. 25-cr-20142).  Roberts and Melendez were subsequently released on bond. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for April 21.

If convicted of the wire fraud conspiracy, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison.  If convicted of money laundering, Roberts faces up to 10 years in federal prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Art Crime Team and FBI West Palm Beach investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman and Joshua Paster are prosecuting it.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture. 

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

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20142.

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MIAMI – Two Cuban nationals have been adjudicated guilty on alien smuggling charges by a federal district judge in Miami.  

According to court documents and statements made in court hearings, on Oct. 24, 2024, Yordany Capote-Leon, 31 and Yuniel Cabrera Piloto 44, departed from the United States to Bahamian waters on a cuddy cabin style boat. While in Bahamian waters, Capote-Leon and Piloto loaded 18 individuals onto the boat and proceeded back toward the United States. The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Manowar observed the suspicious activity and followed the boat back to the United States. 

Once the boat crossed back into United States waters, off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers onboard a CBP Air and Marine Operations (AMO) vessel approached the go-fast boat and ordered the drivers to stop. Capote-Leon and Piloto ignored the orders and kept going. The boat finally stopped after warning shots were deployed.  All the individuals encountered aboard the boat were transferred to the USCG Cutter Manowar.  Once aboard the cutter, law enforcement determined that the 18 individuals onboard, besides Capote-Leon and Piloto, were Ecuadorian nationals who did not have authorization to enter the United States. Law enforcement also determined that three of the illegal aliens encountered, Jorge Fabian Albarrasin Cabrera, Marcelo Patricio Pesantez-Merchan and Juan Carlos Villa Arpi, had been previously removed from the United States.

Capote-Leon, Piloto, Cabrera, Merchan and Arpi were transferred ashore to face charges. All defendants have pleaded guilty. The rest of the aliens were repatriated to the Bahamas. 

On March 4, U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore sentenced Capote-Leon to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

On March 6, Piloto entered a guilty plea before magistrate judge Ellen F. D’Angelo, who issued a report recommending that the plea be accepted. On April 4, U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore adopted the report and recommendations and adjudicated defendant guilty.

Piloto is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8 at 2:00 p.m. in Miami. He faces up to 10 years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from CBP and USCG, 7th Coast Guard District. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-10027.

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