Jacksonville, Florida – Billy Micah Sermons (44, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), a federal agency. Sermons faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the federal government. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in May 2015, the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) began investigating the business practices of Excel Components, LLC, a business involving Sermons and others. Excel conducted business with the federal government by contracting with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). These contracts involved supplying various items to be used by members of the United States military throughout the Department of Defense. As a result of their investigation, in September 2015, DLA debarred Sermons from contracting with the federal government due to his involvement with Excel and another business contracting with DLA, East Coast Machine and Tool LLC. DLA debarred Sermons until August 19, 2018.

Also, in May 2015, Sermons, using the identity of another individual, (Person #1), submitted or caused to be submitted a registration for Franklin Southern Manufacturing LLC (FSM) in SAM.GOV, a U.S. government-wide, online portal operated by the GSA. Entities register in SAM.GOV in order to do business with the federal government, to include contracting. Sermons successfully registered FSM in SAM.GOV to do business with the federal government. Thereafter, during the timeframe of his debarment and knowing that he was ineligible for the award of contracts by any federal agency, Sermons used the identity of Person #1 and FSM to circumvent the terms of his debarment. He did this in order to continue bidding on and obtaining federal government contracts involving the DLA. As part of the contracting process, on multiple occasions during his debarment, Sermons falsely certified or caused to be falsely certified within SAM.GOV that none of the principals at FSM were debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or declared ineligible for the award of contracts by any federal agency.  

This case was investigated by the U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, with assistance from the Defense Logistics Agency. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Andrea Mitchell (54, Tampa) and Lester Best (53, Tampa) guilty of conspiring to commit wire fraud and 22 substantive counts of wire fraud. Mitchell was also found guilty of two counts of aggravated identity theft. Mitchell and Best each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each of the conspiracy and fraud counts. Mitchell faces an additional 2-year mandatory consecutive sentence on the aggravated identity theft counts. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Mitchell and Best were indicted in December 2022.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Mitchell served as a financial services manager at a higher education institution in the Middle District of Florida. Mitchell, Best, and their coconspirators used her position to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars from the institution. Mitchell stole the identities of current and former students at the higher education institution and then used their student identification numbers to access their student sponsorship accounts. Mitchell identified refunds in these accounts made by the higher education institution to a tuition management business and/or a college savings program on behalf of the students and, thereby, located entries reflecting illusory balances in the students’ sponsorship accounts. Mitchell used the illusory balances to create the appearance of funds to back fraudulent checks. She then caused the higher education institution to issue the checks in the names of multiple coconspirators who had been recruited by Best to negotiate the bogus checks. None of these coconspirators were students at the higher education institution. The coconspirators cashed or deposited the fraudulent checks at various financial institutions and then shared the proceeds. As a result, the higher education institution lost more than $835,000.

This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Gloria Wiley (72, Dansville, KY) has pleaded guilty to a charge of failure to refund federally insured student aid funds, commonly referred to as Stafford Loans and Pell Grants. Wiley faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. As part of her plea agreement, Wiley has agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution to affected students, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

According to the plea agreement, Wiley was the owner of Stenotype Institute of Jacksonville, Inc.—a Jacksonville-based stenography school that provided professional education to individuals pursuing stenography careers, including court reporting and medical transcription. Stenotype was authorized to receive federal student aid funds from the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of its students to cover tuition, fees, and living expense stipends. Excess funds drawn on behalf of students were required to be refunded to the U.S. Department of Education or to the student within 45 days. 

Beginning in June 2015, instead of refunding the excess refunds, Stenotype began tracking the amounts owed in a spreadsheet. Meanwhile, Wiley continued to draw funds from the school for her personal use. In total, Wiley and Stenotype held approximately $290,000 in refunds due to the U.S. Department of Education and to former students, and $9,000 due to the Department of Veterans Affairs, none of which have ever been paid. Stenotype ceased operations in March 2016, shortly after a program review by the U.S. Department of Education.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.

ST. LOUIS – The final of four defendants from St. Louis County, Missouri charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a cab driver in Hazelwood in 2022 pleaded guilty Tuesday.

Tywon Harris, 20, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of aiding and abetting in the commission of a murder.

Coron Dees, now 20, pleaded guilty in April 2023 to a robbery charge. Jeremiah Allen, 20, and Trishawn Jones, 19, pleaded guilty in August to the same robbery charge. Jones also pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting in the commission of a murder.

In their plea agreements, all four admitted involvement in the robbery of Dewight Price, 54. Harris instigated the robbery. Dees and Jones robbed Price at gunpoint, while Allen taunted and threatened Price during the robbery. Jones fired the fatal shot when he perceived Price to be a threat to their escape. Jones was 17 and the others were 18 at the time of the murder.

On April 24, 2022, after leaving a party in downtown St. Louis, the four teens stopped at a gas station in the 700 block of North Tucker Boulevard. Harris and Jones were each armed with semiautomatic handguns, but Harris gave his gun to Dees to carry in his cross-body bag on the walk to the gas station.

At 5:23 a.m., Harris called for a taxi ride home. The four planned to take the taxi to a fake address near Allen’s home, then run away without paying the fare. After learning that they would have to prepay for the ride, the teens began discussing plans to rob Price.

They redirected Price to Hazelwood Central High School, where they thought there would be no witnesses.  Allen denied being part of the planning but admitted he knew that a robbery was going to take place. All four teens knew Jones and Dees were armed.

When they arrived, Dees and Jones pulled out their firearms and demanded cash from Price. Price begged the teens not to shoot him. A laughing Allen, who was in the front seat, told Price not to move and said, “You got two 40s to your head,” referencing a popular firearm caliber. Price held up his hands and handed cash to Jones.  Price then grabbed a firearm he kept in his door. Allen warned the three others that Price had a gun.  Price began to get out of the cab, but Harris opened his door, knocking Price to the ground.

Jones saw Price’s firearm and fired once, hitting Price in the torso. None of the teens stopped to help Price. As they ran away, Price fired his own gun multiple times, but did not strike any of them.  

Although Harris claims Price fired the first shot, neither the inside or outside of the taxi nor any of the defendants was struck by gunfire. Any shot fired by Price would likely have struck his attackers or the vehicle.  Investigators believe Price did not begin firing until after he was mortally wounded, the plea agreements say.

The teens then ran along a wooded path to Allen’s neighborhood, tossing their jackets into a creek and putting on face masks.  

Police arrived to find Price dead. That afternoon, the investigation led them to Allen’s house. Allen, Jones, and Harris hid Harris’s .22-caliber Glock 44 handgun and clothing they wore during the shooting above the drop ceiling in Allen’s basement. Police surrounded the house and members of Allen’s family voluntarily left. Police then entered the residence and called for Allen, Harris and Jones to surrender.  Allen and Jones left the basement and surrendered.  Harris attempted to hide. Police found Harris during a sweep of the basement and then found the gun and clothing. They later found Jones’ .40-caliber Ruger handgun, which he had hidden in a neighbor’s back yard wrapped in a pair of Dee’s jeans.   

Dees and Allen are scheduled to be sentenced in April, Jones is set to be sentenced in May and Harris’ sentencing is scheduled for July. The robbery charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,00 fine or both. The aiding and abetting murder charge carries a potential penalty of up to life in prison and the same fine.

The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel is prosecuting the case.

Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of six indictments charging Cesar Antonio Geronimo-Morales (34, Guatemala), Calixto Gomez-Lopez (42, Guatemala), Fermin Diaz (37, El Salvador), Lenar Donaldo Martinez-Garay (32, Honduras), Lesman Yohan Lopez-Gamez (33, Honduras), and Juan Jose Resendiz-Gonzalez (47, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, each faces up to two years in federal prison. According to court documents, all six individuals have been previously deported from the United States and were found present in Duval County. None have received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security for the United States to apply for readmission to the United States.An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has affirmed the convictions for two Belleair Beach scientists, Mahmoud Aldissi (a/k/a Matt) and his wife Anastassia Bogomolova (a/k/a Anastasia), for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and falsification of records. The Court’s opinion describes how Aldissi and Bogomolova lied about their facilities, equipment, and employees, fabricated price quotes, and forged endorsements from respected scientists to obtain $10.5 million in small-business research funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other government agencies. When government officials began investigating, the defendants submitted falsified business records for their companies, Fractal Systems, Inc. and Smart Polymers Research Corp., to cover up the fraud.

The Eleventh Circuit explained that had Congress established the programs that Aldissi and Bogomolova defrauded in order to provide qualified small businesses with research-and-development support to turn research into actual commercial products and services. In a highly competitive process, researchers submit detailed proposals outlining their research, a panel of experts selects winners, and the winning proposals become contracts between the researchers and the government for the research.

On appeal, the defendants had admitted that their proposals were faked and that, “under the terms of the bid contracts, they were not eligible for any of the contracts or grants for which they applied.” They nonetheless claimed that their convictions should be overturned because they had performed research and published the results in scientific journals. However, after hearing oral argument, the Court of Appeals rejected all of their arguments, stating, “These are not job programs for unemployed scientists and do not fund research merely for the sake of research.” Because the defendants’ “lies, forgeries, and fabricated price quotes” related to key ingredients for commercialization, their frauds deprived the government of what it actually was paying for and of the money that should have been awarded to other researchers.

The Court also affirmed the defendants’ sentences, which were based in part on the $24.5 million that they sought from their fraudulent proposals. Aldissi is serving 15 years in prison, and Bogomolova is serving 13 years in prison. And both have been ordered to repay as restitution the $10.5 million that they obtained from the government.

“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service investigation into these fraud crimes uncovered and documented clear evidence of egregious violations of the law, leading to the conviction of these defendants,” said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office. “That these convictions were upheld on appeal is a testament to the compelling results of the thorough and detailed investigation pursued by DCIS and our partners.”

“We concur and appreciate today's affirmation of sentence from the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals,” said the Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit, Frank Robey. “Regardless of the extraordinary plots that people create to attempt to corrupt the system and satisfy their own greed, we will root them out and sooner or later unravel their criminal schemes. Along with the DOJ and our other law enforcement partners, we will continue to tirelessly work shoulder-to-shoulder to protect the integrity of the DOD contracting system,” Robey said.  

“In affirming the district court, the Eleventh Circuit has recognized that defendants thwarted the important purpose behind the SBIR and STTR programs, to promote the progress of science by increasing opportunities for small businesses to commercialize cutting-edge scientific research,” said Allison Lerner, Inspector General for the National Science Foundation. “This decision is an important step in protecting the integrity of this program. The NSF Office of Inspector General is committed to vigorously pursuing oversight of these taxpayer funds and I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners for their strong support in this effort.”

The appeal was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Roberta J. Bodnar, and the underlying criminal case—including an 18-day trial—was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo. It was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, the Major Procurement Fraud Unit of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division, the National Science Foundation’s Office of the Inspector General, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Energy’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General.

Orlando, FL – Two Florida men were sentenced today for their involvement in the “Note Program,” a tax fraud scheme. Jasen Harvey, of Tampa, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and Christopher Johnson, of Orlando, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States.According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2018, Johnson and Harvey conspired to promote a scheme in which Harvey and others prepared tax returns for clients that claimed that large, nonexistent income tax withholdings had been paid to the IRS on behalf of clients and sought large refunds based on those purported withholdings. The conspirators charged clients fees and required the clients to pay a share of the fraudulently obtained refunds to them.Overall, the defendants claimed over $3 million in fraudulent refunds on their clients’ returns, of which the IRS paid about $1.5 million.In addition to the terms of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. for the Middle District of Florida ordered Johnson to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $864,117.42 in restitution to the United States. Judge Dalton Jr. ordered Harvey to serve three years of supervised release and pay $785,858.42 in restitution.Co-defendant Arthur Grimes is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13, 2025.Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind, Jeffrey McLellan and Caroline Pearson of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Avinash Singh (42, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. Singh faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count. Singh has also agreed to an order of forfeiture in the amount of $57 million, as well to the forfeiture of two personal residences, which were purchased with the proceeds of the wire fraud scheme and involved in the money laundering offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Singh operated a company by the name of Highrise Advantage, LLC. From February 2013 to September 2020, Singh solicited and received more than $57 million from over 1,100 victims that was to be invested in retail foreign currency contracts (“forex”) through Highrise. To induce his victims to invest, Singh claimed that he had a proven track record of success as a forex trader, that he was going to use the funds for investments in forex, and that he would “guarantee” that his victims would not lose any funds for any trading losses. None of these representations were true.

Rather than invest his victims’ funds in forex trading as he had promised, Singh used funds from one investor to pay amounts owed to another investor. Singh did not invest the funds that he promised to invest. Instead, Singh misappropriated at least $45 million in the form of payments to other investors and millions of dollars in personal expenses.

This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the St. Cloud IRS Federal Financial Crimes Task Force, and the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda S. Daniels. The asset recovery is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Johnny Fior (48, Cape Coral) to 46 months in federal prison for wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1,404,169.74, which were the proceeds of the wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction offenses. Fior had pleaded guilty on January 18, 2023.

According to court documents, Fior committed the fraud by engaging in two different fraud schemes. With the first scheme, Fior convinced two individuals, by false and fraudulent pretenses, to serve as private investors/lenders for short-term balloon loans that were secured by mortgages on real properties in Lee County. To accomplish the scheme and give the investors the impression that their funded loans were secured by real property, Fior fraudulently filed fictitious mortgage deeds, promissory notes, and mortgage satisfactions. Additionally, Fior provided the investors interest-only payments to further delay repayment of the loans and requested loan repayment extensions to further prolong the scheme. Fior diverted the investors’ funds for his own personal use and none of the funds were used for their intended purpose.

In the second scheme, Fior, in his role as a real estate closing agent, diverted funds intended to be used to pay off property sellers’ existing mortgages to himself during real estate closings. In furtherance of the scheme, Fior created and caused the creation of real estate settlement statements that falsely represented a seller’s mortgage was repaid during the real estate closing process. Additionally, Fior created fake and fictitious bank statements, lender correspondence, wire transfer records, cashier’s checks, deposit records, and shipment records that fraudulently represented a seller’s mortgage had been paid or that the mortgage pay-off funds were submitted. As a result of the second scheme, two separate title insurance companies suffered a total loss of approximately $977,330.23.  

This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trent Reichling.

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Henry Troy Wade (45, Ocala) with six counts of wire fraud related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. In addition, the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture for at least $524,400, which represents the proceeds of the conduct charged in the indictment.

According to the indictment, between May 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, Wade applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) loans and grants under the CARES Act on behalf of multiple businesses he claimed to own. None of Wade’s purported businesses, however, were in operation during the requisite time period and were ineligible for an EIDL loan or grant. As part of Wade’s scheme, he electronically submitted applications for the EIDL loans and grants over the internet, made false representations on his applications, and received EIDL loans and grants from the Small Business Association (“SBA”) through wire transfers over the internet into his bank accounts.

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

This case is being prosecuted as part the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act relief programs. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of the EIDL program. EIDL is an SBA program that provides low-interest funding to small businesses, renters, and homeowners affected by declared disasters. The Department of Justice remains vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

INDIANAPOLIS- Alexander Clark, 28, of Franklin, Indiana, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to making a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of a machinegun.

According to court documents, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began to investigate Alexander Clark based on occasions in which he sold privately made firearms. Over a one-month period, Clark was observed selling five Glock style pistols that were made with use of a 3-D printer for the frames, a 3-D printed AR-15 rifle lower receiver, and two machinegun conversion devices.

Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell in almost all cases.

On August 22., 2022, ATF agents searched Clark’s home and located multiple firearms, machineguns, silencers, firearm accessories, and a 3-D printer with other electronic devices in aid of 3-D printing.

In total, Clark possessed seven machineguns, 27 machinegun conversion devices and seven silencers, none of which were legally registered.

“Machinegun conversion devices are an urgent public safety challenge—an ordinary pistol equipped with a conversion device and an extended magazine can fire 31 rounds in just two seconds,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Criminals like this defendant exploit modern technology to illegally manufacture deadly weapons and illegally arm others, including felons and juveniles. The serious federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that our office is committed to making our communities safer by getting these devices off our streets and holding illegal gun traffickers accountable.”

“Machine gun conversion devices, which convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons, are one of the most serious challenges facing ATF and our law enforcement partners at the moment,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “These conversion devices increase the lethality of a firearm, while also reducing the ability of the person firing the weapon to control where they shoot. This combination is deadly and random and represents a clear threat to our community. We will work with our partners to remove these devices, and those who are manufacturing and selling them, from our streets.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Chief Judge Pratt also ordered that Clark be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.

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Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Jermica Jerri Dominick Brooks (37, Orlando) a/k/a “Jermica Jerri Dominick Sykes” to six years and nine months in federal prison for two separate wire fraud schemes and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Brooks to forfeit more than $25,000, which is traceable to benefits she had received as a result of the offenses. 

Brooks had pleaded guilty on November 12, 2020.

According to court documents, following Hurricane Irma in 2017, Brooks used stolen identities to file five applications for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Brooks had obtained the personally identifiable information of certain victims during the course of her employment at a local plumbing business, where she worked as an office manager in or about 2016.  Brooks obtained other stolen identities by purchasing the information through illicit channels. At sentencing, a victim informed the Court that she was unable to obtain FEMA assistance following Hurricane Irma because Brooks had already filed a fraudulent application in her name.

In a separate scheme, from January through May 2018, Brooks applied for and obtained 10 apartment leases in the names of identity theft victims. She used unauthorized or nonexistent financial account information to make it appear that her application and initial rent payments were legitimate, and feigned personal emergencies to secure occupancy in the leased apartments before those electronic payments were returned or rejected. Those leases resulted in a series of evictions in the names of Brooks’s victims. According to victims’ statements provided to the Court at sentencing, Brooks’s repeated use of their identities resulted in significant hardships surrounding their efforts to secure credit, housing, and car loans.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General, the Orlando Police Department, the Casselberry Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Matthew Reid Davisson (36, Jacksonville) to four years and five months in federal prison for possessing destructive devices which were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Davisson pleaded guilty on February 18, 2025.According to court documents, Davisson was arrested on unrelated state charges on October 26, 2023. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives subsequently received information that Davisson had large amounts of chemicals and possible grenades at his residence in Jacksonville. After obtaining a search warrant for the home, law enforcement recovered two improvised explosive bombs, one improvised explosive grenade, items constituting combinations of parts from which three improvised explosive grenades could be readily assembled, quantities of homemade high explosives and detonators, large volumes of explosive precursor chemicals, and homemade explosive manufacturing equipment. None of the destructive devices were registered to Davisson in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.One of Davisson’s family members also surrendered to law enforcement one of Davisson’s firearms, which was later determined to be an unregistered machinegun with an unregistered homemade silencer attached to the barrel.This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Rachel Lasry.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.

Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has sentenced Avinash Singh (42, St. Cloud) to 24 years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. The court also ordered Singh to forfeit the $57 million in proceeds he obtained from his offenses, as well as real property that he purchased with those proceeds. Singh entered a guilty plea on May 6, 2024.

According to court documents, Singh operated an Orlando-based company by the name of Highrise Advantage, LLC (Highrise). From February 2013 to September 2020, Singh received more than $57 million from over 1,100 victims who believed that they were making investments in retail foreign currency contracts (forex) through Highrise. To induce his victims to invest, Singh claimed that he had a proven track record of success as a forex trader, that he was going to use the funds for investments in forex, and that he would “guarantee” that his victims would not lose any funds for any trading losses. None of these representations were true.

Rather than invest his victims’ funds in forex trading as he had promised, Singh used funds from one investor to pay amounts owed to another investor. Singh misappropriated at least $45 million of the victims’ “investments” in the form of payments to other investors and also spent millions of dollars in personal expenses, including the purchase of real estate, retail purchases, phone bills, events, dining, and reserving music studio space to record music with his band.

“This case epitomizes selfish greed at an astonishing level,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Mr. Singh tried to use the proceeds of his Ponzi scheme to live like a pop star while popping the dreams of his victim investors. This sentencing shows that we will go to great lengths to ensure those who try to illegally place themselves above others are held accountable.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General, the St. Cloud IRS Federal Financial Crimes Task Force, and the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda S. Daniels. Asset recovery was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.

Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the charging of six defendants with violations of federal firearms laws as listed below: Name, Age, City of ResidenceChargesMaximum PenaltiesNumber of Firearms InvolvedAngel Velazquez Delgado34, DelandFirearms TraffickingStraw Purchasing40 years10+Jesus Hernandez32, DelandConspiracyFirearms TraffickingStraw PurchasingMaking False Statement on Firearm Transaction Record60 years10+Edgar Jimenez30, DelandStraw Purchasing25 years5Jesus Paulino27, DelandStraw Purchasing25 years4Jonathan Borja23, DelandStraw Purchasing25 years2Jesus Andres28, DelandMaking a False Statement on Firearm Transaction Record10 years2According to charging documents and other records filed in court, in May 2023, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating a firearms trafficking organization operating in the Middle District of Florida. The organization was comprised of at least six individuals and led by Angel Velazquez Delgado. These individuals purchased high-caliber firearms in the United States for resale to Mexican drug cartels. These cartels were and are criminal organizations engaged in the trafficking of controlled substances into the United States.The firearms trafficked by the defendants included high-caliber, armor-piercing and anti-material weapons. For example, approximately 11 of the firearms trafficked by this organization were Barrett .50 caliber rifles, which can expel a very accurate, heavy, and fast-moving projectile that defeats all individually worn body armor, can penetrate and disable vehicles, aircraft, boats, and can also defeat some types of protection provided by armored vehicles. The organization also trafficked approximately 16 FN M249S rifles, which are sold in the United States as a semi-automatic weapon but are easily converted into a machinegun.(photographs located in cellphone communications amongst defendants)It is alleged that the firearms were purchased at the request of the cartels and transported to the cartels soon after purchase. None of the defendants possess a license to sell firearms. The defendants were paid in cash, illegal narcotics, or the profits of illegal narcotics sales, to purchase each of the firearms. All firearms were purchased in Florida or Georgia and transported to Mexico.Using the eTrace Firearm Recovery Notification Program, Mexican authorities were able to confirm the presence of at least one of the trafficked firearms in Mexico. On March 22, 2023, Mexican State Police and Mexican Military Personnel were involved in a shooting with suspected cartel members in Michoacan, Mexico. Two individuals were killed during the exchange of gunfire. After the shooting, a Barrett .50 caliber rifle purchased by Jesus Hernandez on November 8, 2022, was recovered.At some point during its operation, the trafficking organization began removing the serial numbers from the firearms to avoid tracing by law enforcement.An indictment or information is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until proven guilty.         “The investigation and prosecution of violent crime continues to be one of the top priorities of my District,” said U.S. Attorney Handberg. “These defendants are alleged to have trafficked high-caliber, military-grade weapons into the hands of dangerous Mexican cartel members. Our law enforcement partners worked efficiently and effectively to hold the defendants accountable for their crimes and to stop them from continuing to jeopardize public safety.”This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Volusia Bureau of Investigations and the Deland Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lyons and Noah Dorman.

Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Matthew Eric Baumgardner (50, Jacksonville) to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for using the internet to access and view child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The court also ordered Baumgardner to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and pay $10,000 in restitution to a child victim. Baumgardner is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2017 of possessing photographs depicting the sexual performance by a child, traveling to meet a minor for unlawful activity, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.Baumgardner was on state sex probation when he was committed this federal offense and was arrested on July 28, 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 10, 2025.   According to court documents, law enforcement received a notification from a company that owns a social messaging application (the “App”) that files containing CSAM were uploaded using the App between May 6 and June 5, 2024. Subsequent investigation revealed that these files were uploaded from a residence in Jacksonville, using an account that was associated with Baumgardner.In April 2025, a warrant was issued for Baumgardner’s arrest based upon his violation of his sex offender probation. On that same day, a detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office contacted Baumgardner and seized his cellphone. Baumgardner admitted that the email address and phone number associated with the internet uploads of CSAM were his and that he had used the App in the past. Baumgardner also admitted using the internet to access and view photos of children being sexually abused, stating that none of the child victims were personally known by him.Subsequent forensic examination of Baumgardner’s cellphone revealed that it contained 67 photos depicting CSAM, including sadistic sexual abuse and bondage involving young children. This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. 

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle today sentenced Robert L. Birchum (55, Tampa) to three years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing and retaining classified documents relating to the national defense of the United States. The court also ordered Birchum to pay a fine of $25,000.

Birchum pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing and retaining classified documents relating to the national defense of the United States on February. 21, 2023. According to the plea agreement, Birchum previously served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. During his 29-year career, Birchum served in various positions in intelligence, including those requiring him to work with classified intelligence information for the Joint Special Operations Command, the Special Operations Command, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. While on active duty, Birchum entered into several agreements with the United States regarding the protection and proper handling of classified information.

In 2017, however, law enforcement officers discovered that Birchum knowingly removed more than 300 classified files or documents, including more than 30 items marked Top Secret, from authorized locations. Birchum kept these classified materials in his home, his overseas officer’s quarters, and a storage pod in his driveway. None of these locations were authorized for storage of classified national defense information. In particular, the criminal information charges that Birchum possessed two documents on a thumb drive found in his home that contained information relating to the National Security Agency’s capabilities and methods of collection and targets’ vulnerabilities. Both of these documents were classified as Top Secret/SCI, and their unauthorized release could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security of the United States.

“The unauthorized removal of highly sensitive documents by the defendant in this case posed great risk to our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “We are grateful for our law enforcement partners who work diligently to keep our nation safe every day.”

“A goal of the FBI’s Counterintelligence program is to protect the secrets of the US Intelligence community. This sentencing illustrates the bureau’s commitment and perseverance in pursuing those individuals who knowingly jeopardize our nation’s security,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge David Walker.

The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cherie L. Krigsman of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Evan N. Turgeon of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.

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

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

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

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

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

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Rocco Joseph Frakes (50, Middleburg) has pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing unregistered silencers and an unregistered short-barrel rifle. Frakes faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.According to the plea agreement, on July 25, 2024, federal agents executed a search warrant at Frakes’s home and located a .22 caliber rifle with a threaded barrel, three silencers, a rifle with a 7 ½ inch long barrel, and a .45 caliber machinegun in Frakes’s bedroom. Contrary to federal law, none of these devices were registered to Frakes in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record—a database maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Frakes is retired from the United States Navy, where his primary duty was as a weapons instructor for Atlantic Fleet squadrons.This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell yesterday sentenced Hector Luis Santiago-Jorge (48, Kissimmee) to the maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a federal license. The court also ordered that Santiago-Jorge forfeit 10 AR-15 type firearms and 168 rounds of ammunition that were seized from his residence by federal law enforcement officers. 

Santiago-Jorge had pleaded guilty on March 5, 2018.

According to court documents, between November 2016 and October 2017, Santiago-Jorge manufactured more than 200 firearms, most of which were AR-15 type weapons. He then sold many of these firearms to purchasers in Puerto Rico. The firearms manufactured by Santiago-Jorge, none of which had a serial number, are commonly known as “ghost guns” because they are difficult for law enforcement to trace.

“This criminal thought he could circumvent the laws in place that make our communities safer from weapons trafficking,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “But thanks to the hard work of HSI and our partners, this sentencing should put criminals on notice that we will fully investigate anyone threatening the safety of our citizens.”

“It is ATF’s primary responsibility to aggressively interdict unlicensed manufacturers and the firearms they illegally peddle,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary. “As subject matter experts, we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep illegal firearms out of our communities.”

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Robert L. Birchum (55, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing and retaining classified documents relating to the national defense of the United States. Birchum faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Birchum has also agreed to surrender certain computer equipment that contained classified information and facilitated the unlawful retention of national defense information.

According to the plea agreement, Birchum, who retired in 2018 as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, had served in various positions in intelligence, including those requiring him to work with classified intelligence information for the Joint Special Operations Command, the Special Operations Command, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. While he was on active duty, Birchum entered into several agreements with the United States regarding the protection and proper handling of classified information. In 2017, however, law enforcement officers discovered that Birchum had removed more than 300 classified files or documents, including more than 30 items marked Top Secret, from authorized locations to his home, his overseas officer’s quarters, and a storage pod in his driveway. None of these locations were authorized for storage of classified national defense information, and Birchum knew as much. For example, Birchum possessed two documents on a thumb drive found in his home that contained information relating to the National Security Agency’s capabilities and methods of collection, and targets’ vulnerabilities. Both documents were classified as Top Secret/SCI, and their unauthorized release could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security of the United States.

This case was investigated by the United States Air Force—Office of Special Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cherie L. Krigsman and Trial Attorney Evan N. Turgeon of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

 





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Tampa, FL – U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez today announced that the Middle District of Florida received $998,000 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and its component, the Office for Victims of Crime, to provide safe, stable housing and appropriate services to victims of human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is a barbaric criminal enterprise that subjects its victims to unspeakable cruelty and deprives them of the most basic of human needs, none more essential than a safe place to live,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Throughout this Administration, the Department of Justice has fought aggressively to bring human traffickers to justice and to deliver critical aid to trafficking survivors. These new resources, announced today, expand on our efforts to offer those who have suffered the shelter and support they need to begin a new and better life.”

“Our Office is committed to aggressively pursuing and prosecuting those who commit these heinous crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “We are equally determined to the rescue, recovery, and assistance of those who have been traumatized by these unspeakable experiences. The awards announced today will provide our partners with much needed resources that will place trafficking victims on the road to restoration and hope.  

The grant, awarded to the United Way of Pasco County, Inc. and Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. will provide 6 to 24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for trafficking victims, including rental, utilities or related expenses, such as security deposits and relocation costs. The grant will also provide funding for support needed to help victims locate permanent housing, secure employment, as well as occupational training and counseling. The above grant recipients are among 73 organizations receiving more than $35 million in OVC grants to support housing services for human trafficking survivors.

“Human traffickers dangle the threat of homelessness over those they have entrapped, playing a ruthless game of psychological manipulation that victims are never in a position to win,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will empower survivors on their path to independence and a life of self-sufficiency and hope.”

Human trafficking offenses are among the most difficult crimes to identify, and the scope of human trafficking victimization may be much greater than the limited data reflect. A new report issued by the National Institute of Justice, another component of the Office of Justice Programs, found that the number of human trafficking cases captured in police reports may represent only a fraction of all such cases. Expanding housing and other services to trafficking victims remains a top Justice Department priority.

The Office for Victims of Crime, for example, hosted listening sessions and roundtable discussions with stakeholders in the field in 2018 and launched the Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center. From July 2018 through June 2019, 118 OVC human trafficking grantees reported serving 8,375 total clients including confirmed trafficking victims and individuals showing strong indicators of trafficking victimization.

For a complete list of individual award amounts and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/htvictimsfactheet.pdf

The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Brian Carroll (46, Tennessee) has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Carroll was the Executive Vice President of Southeastern University, a university based in Lakeland, Florida. His responsibilities as Executive Vice President of Southeastern University included being the chief operating officer of the university, with responsibility for strategy, financial operations, and legal affairs.

Carroll was involved in a scheme to enrich himself and to defraud the university of funds in 2016. The scheme involved Carroll’s creation of a New Mexico corporation, which he secretly controlled, and the establishment of a bank account in the name of that corporation. He also created an email address for the company, which he used to further the scheme.

Around mid-2016, the leadership of Southeastern University was interested in rebranding the university and its web image. Carroll worked on the project and secretly “engaged” his New Mexico corporation to perform that project work. Over a six-month period, Carroll’s corporation generated a contract to do the work and a number of invoices for payment by Southeastern University for work purportedly performed. The total payment to the New Mexico corporation, for which Carroll sought and received payment from the university, was in excess of $180,000. Carroll kept his involvement with the New Mexico corporation a secret from any members of Southeastern University. In reality, Carroll’s New Mexico corporation did none of the work on this project. Instead, it had engaged a New York-based corporation to do the work on the project at the reduced cost of approximately $30,000.

During the course of the fraud scheme, Carroll, in his position at Southeastern University, approved a number of payments from university funds to his New Mexico corporation for its purported work on the project. Only after Southeastern University had spent over $180,000 on the project did it discover the involvement of Carroll in the New Mexico corporation and the real cost of the project. The Board of Directors suspended Carroll immediately and ultimately terminated his employment at the university soon thereafter in early 2017.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Lakeland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

 Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved by the Middle District of Florida’s efforts to combat fraud related to COVID-19. Those efforts have included complementary actions by the United States Attorney’s Office’s (USAO-MDFL) Criminal, Asset Recovery, Appellate, and Civil Divisions, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.



“The Middle District of Florida United States Attorney’s Office continues to pursue, investigate, prosecute, and recover money from those who were engaged in major or sophisticated fraud schemes designed to steal benefits intended for Americans coping with the myriad impacts of the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg.



On the criminal enforcement front, the USAO-MDFL and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combined resources in March 2020 to form the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since its inception, the Task Force has prosecuted 67 defendants for fraud schemes designed to exploit federal programs including the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”), Unemployment Insurance (“UI”), the Main Street Lending Program (“MSLP”), the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (“ERAP”), as well as government Healthcare programs such as Medicare (“HCF”). Collectively, these defendants sought to defraud the United States of over $78 million. Forty-seven of those defendants have been found guilty, while prosecution remains pending against 20 defendants. (See chart below for criminal case details.)

For example, in April 2023, former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officer Deconna Burke was charged with wire fraud relating to an alleged scheme to obtain a PPP loan for a nonexistent babysitting business.

And in June 2023, Timothy and Lisa Jolloff were charged in a scheme relating to EIDL and PPP applications submitted by Timothy Jolloff between April and May 2020. Timothy Jolloff’s false and fraudulent representations caused the SBA and a PPP lender to approve and fund 11 EIDLs and 6 PPP loans, totaling approximately $2.14 million. Timothy Jolloff and his wife, Lisa Jolloff, allegedly used the funds to purchase three pontoon boats, real estate in Indiana, home furnishings, outdoor kitchens for their homes, a 2020 Polaris UTV, as well as jewelry, and two dogs. The couple also fraudulently used more than $600,000 in EIDL funds to purchase a furniture business in Indiana and a landscaping business in Sarasota, which had no connection to the businesses for which the couple had obtained COVID relief funds.



As a result of the USAO-MDFL’s Appellate Division’s advocacy, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the convictions and sentence of Casey David Crowther, who had been found guilty in Ft. Myers of bank fraud, making a false statement to a lending institution, and two counts of money laundering in connection with his PPP loan scheme. Crowther had obtained a $2.1 million PPP loan by stating that he intended to use the money for payroll, rent, and utilities for his company, Target Roofing and Sheet Metal, but, according to the evidence at trial, he instead had his bank deposit the money into a secret account separate from his company’s main operating account. He quickly used the account for personal use, spending nearly $700,000 on a 40-foot pleasure boat and $55,000 on a horse. When Crowther’s bank warned him that he was likely to be audited, he attempted to conceal his fraud by falsely “hiring” family members and dozens of fictitious employees to inflate his company’s apparent payroll.

The U.S. Attorney General has 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. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Through the PPP, the federal government authorized over $600 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The EIDL program provides economic relief to small businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. The MSLP provided support to small and medium-sized businesses and their employees across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. UI programs provided unemployment benefits to eligible workers who became unemployed through no fault of their own.

The criminal cases charged by the Middle District of Florida COVID-19 Fraud Task Force have been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, the Department of Labor—Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Small Business Administration, the Small Business Administration—Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board—Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Winter Park Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys throughout the Middle District of Florida.    

The Department of Justice needs the public’s assistance in remaining vigilant and reporting suspected fraudulent activity. To report suspected fraud, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (“NCDF”) at (866) 720-5721 or file an online complaint at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Complaints filed will be reviewed at the NCDF and referred to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies for investigation.









United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida

COVID Fraud Criminal Cases









Charged Cases









Defendant(s) (Age)





Charge(s)

Max. Imprisonment





Type of Fraud*





Intended Loss

Amount









Tampa Division









Alexander Alli





Wire fraud conspiracy

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





EIDL





$80k









Ellyn Pinkney





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





EIDL





$40k









Kieanna Garrett





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





EIDL





$40k









Nicole Bramble-King





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





PPP





$40k









Mehdi Tazi





Conspiracy

Maximum Prison Term: 5 years

Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Aggravated identity theft

Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive





UI





$1.5M









Modupe Ogundele





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





PPP





$20k









Jalissa McDuffy





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





PPP





$41k









Devontaie Deravil





Aggravated identity theft

Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive

Access device fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years





UI





$480k









These COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Rachel Jones, Tiffany Fields, Greg Pizzo, Candace Rich, and Jennifer Peresie









Orlando Division









Evan Edwards

Joshua Edwards





Conspiracy to commit bank fraud (E. Edwards)

Maximum Prison Term: 30 years

 

Bank fraud (J. Edwards)

Maximum Prison Term: 30 years

Visa fraud (J. Edwards)

Maximum Prison Term: 10 years

False statements (J. Edwards)

Maximum Prison Term: 30 years





PPP





$8M









Emmet Bowens





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Illegal monetary transactions

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years





PPP





$740k









Latresia Wilson





False Statements

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





HCF





$2.6M









These COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division are being handled by AUSAs Kara Wick and Amanda Daniels









Jacksonville Division









Deconna Burke





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





PPP





$20k









Christopher Daragjati





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Theft of government funds

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years

Aggravated identity theft

Maximum: Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive





UI





$150k









These COVID Fraud cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSA Kevin Frein









Fort Myers Division









Venera Price





Mail fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





ERAP





$82k









Ismaelle Manuel





Bank Fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years

Wire Fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





PPP





$280k









Denis Casseus





Bank Fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years

Wire Fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





PPP





$298k









Timothy Jolloff





Wire Fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Money laundering

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Illegal monetary transactions

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years





PPP/EIDL





$2.1M









Lisa Jolloff





Money laundering

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Illegal monetary transactions

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years





PPP/EIDL





$2.1M









These COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division are being handled by AUSA Yolande Viacava and Trent Reichling









Ocala Division









Henry Wade





Wire Fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





EIDL





$500k









This COVID Fraud case from the Ocala Division is being handled by AUSA Hannah Nowalk









Adjudicated Cases









Tampa Division









Joseph Abdo





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Illegal monetary transactions

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years





PPP





$500k









Alexander Leszczynski





Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Bank fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years

Illegal monetary transactions

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years





PPP





$200k









Keaujay Hornsby





Racketeering conspiracy

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Aggravated identity theft

Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive

Access device fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years





UI





$3M









Kareem Spann





Racketeering conspiracy

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Aggravated identity theft

Maximum Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive

Access device fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years





UI





$3M









Marqus Willard Johnson





Bank fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years

Money laundering

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





PPP





$500k









Charles Cunningham





Bank fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 30 years





PPP





$800k









These COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division are being handled by AUSAs Rachel Jones, Diego Novaes, Tiffany Fields, Jennifer Peresie, and Greg Pizzo, and DOJ Trial Attorney John Scanlon









Orlando Division









Brian Blake





Possession of device-making equipment

Maximum Prison Term: 15 Years

Access device fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 10 Years

Aggravated identity theft

Maximum: Prison Term: Two Years Consecutive





PPP/UI





$832k









This COVID Fraud case from the Orlando Division is being handled by AUSAs Chauncey Bratt









Jacksonville Division









Desmond Williams





Wire fraud conspiracy

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Wire fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years





PPP





$40k









Kenneth Landers





Wire Fraud

Maximum Prison Term: 20 Years

Money Laundering

Maximum Prison Term: 30 Years





PPP





$1.4M









These COVID Fraud cases from the Jacksonville Division are being handled by AUSA Kevin Frein and Michael Coolican









Sentenced Cases









Tampa Division









Louis Thornton, III





Wire Fraud

Sentence Imposed: 42 months in federal prison





EIDL/PPP





$815k









Kary Stevenson

Corey Quinn





Conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft

Sentence Imposed: 5 years, 10 months in federal prison (Stevenson)

Sentence Imposed:7 years in federal prison (Quinn)





UI





$1M









Bridgitte Keim





Bank fraud

Sentence Imposed: 2 years in federal prison





PPP





$588k









Wayne Ganaway





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud

Sentence Imposed: 4 years in federal prison





EIDL





$300k









Eriaius Bentley





Racketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud

Sentence Imposed: One year in federal prison





UI





$3M









Rolanda Wingfield





Access device fraud, Aggravated identity theft

Sentenced Imposed: 3 years in federal prison





UI





$135k









Tywon Spann





Racketeering conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud

Sentence Imposed: 6 years and 9 months in federal prison





UI





$3M









Randy Jones





Wire fraud, aggravated identity theft

Sentence Imposed: 5 years and 1 month in federal prison





EIDL/UI





$250k









Julio Lugo





Conspiracy to commit money laundering

Sentence Imposed: 7 years and 6 months in federal prison





EIDL/PPP





$4.4M









Keith Nicoletta





Conspiracy to commit money laundering

Sentence Imposed: 24 months in federal prison





PPP





$1.9M









Rosenide Venant





Conspiracy to commit money laundering

Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison





EIDL/PPP





$413k









Melinda Hernandez





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud

Wire fraud and aggravated identity theft

Sentence imposed: Three years and six months in federal prison





UI





$1.5M









Bri’antina Mills





Wire fraud and theft of government funds

Sentence imposed: 15 months in federal prison



 



$10K









Jorge Gutierrez Echeverria





Wire fraud

Sentence imposed: Two years and six months in federal prison





EIDL





$150k









Omar Esquivel Bello





Wire fraud

Sentence imposed: 15 months in federal prison





EIDL





$242k









Steve Moodie





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft

Sentence imposed: 5 years and 10 months in federal prison





UI





$1.5M









Richard Simpkins





Conspiracy to commit money laundering

Sentence imposed: 5 years and 10 months in federal prison





PPP





$1.9M









These COVID Fraud cases from the Tampa Division were handled by AUSAs Rachel Jones, Greg Pizzo, Tiffany Fields, Diego Novaes, Jennifer Peresie, and SAUSA Chris Poor









Orlando Division









Daniel Johnson





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, unlawful transfer of firearm

Sentence Imposed: 7 years, 6 months in federal prison





UI





$2.3M









Jacquavius Smith





Possession of short-barreled rifle; felon in possession of firearm; and aggravated identity theft

Sentence Imposed: 7 years, 1 month in federal prison





PPP





$10k









Johnson Eustache





Wire fraud

Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison





EIDL/PPP





$2.2M









Joseph Harrison





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud

Sentence Imposed: 12 months in federal prison





UI





$2.1M









Tomas Ziupsnys





Conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; aggravated identity theft

Sentence Imposed: 5 years in federal prison





PPP





$2M









Holly Urban





Conspiracy to commit bank fraud

Sentence Imposed: 30 months in federal prison





PPP





$1.5M









Joel Greenberg





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and other offenses while on pretrial release

Sentence Imposed: 11 years in federal prison





EIDL





$430k









Don Cisternino

           





Wire fraud, illegal monetary transactions, and aggravated identity theft

Sentence Imposed: 8 years and 6 months in federal prison





PPP





$7.2M









Keith Ingersoll          





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft

Sentence imposed: 9 years, 1 month in federal prison.  





EIDL





$66k









Jaheim Davis





Access device fraud and aggravated identity theft

Sentence imposed: 3 years, 6 months in federal prison.  





UI





$219k









Teresa McIntyre





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and other offenses

Sentence Imposed: 5 years’ probation





EIDL





$730k









These COVID Fraud cases from the Orlando Division were handled by AUSAs John Gardella, Amanda Daniels, Chauncey Bratt, Emily Chang, Shannon Laurie, and Jennifer Harrington, and U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg









Jacksonville Division









Jacob Byrd





Wire fraud

Sentence Imposed: probation





PPP





$10k









This COVID Fraud case from the Jacksonville Division was handled by AUSA Kevin Frein









Fort Myers Division









Casey Crowther





Bank fraud, false statement to a financial institution, illegal monetary transaction

Sentence Imposed: 3 years, 1 month in federal prison





PPP





$2.7M









Anthony Bruey

Amber Bruey





Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, illegal monetary transactions

Sentence Imposed:

Anthony Bruey: 4 years, 3 months in federal prison

Amber Bruey: 4 years in federal prison





PPP/EIDL





$881k









Edrica Leann Watson





False statement to a lending institution

Sentence Imposed: 15 months in federal prison





PPP





$392k









Daniel Joseph Tisone





Wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person

Sentence Imposed: 7 years in federal prison





PPP/EIDL/MSLP





$10.7M









Liliana Gonzalez





Wire fraud

Sentence Imposed:  5 years of probation with 18 months of home confinement





PPP





$169k









Al Clint LaRoche





Bank fraud

Sentence Imposed: Two years in federal prison





PPP





$1M









These COVID Fraud cases from the Fort Myers Division were handled by AUSAs Trent Reichling, Michael Leeman, and Jesus M. Casas









Ocala Division









Lavelle Harris





Wire Fraud

Sentence Imposed: Two years and three months in federal prison





PPP





$1.2M









This COVID Fraud case from the Ocala Division was handled by AUSA Hannah Nowalk









Types of Fraud*

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Unemployment Insurance (UI)

Main Street Lending Program (MSLP)

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)

Health Care Fraud (HCF)

Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Robert Edward Smith (59, Fort McCoy) has pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons—a machinegun and silencers. Smith faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, special agents searched Smith’s Marion County residence on February 15, 2024, pursuant to a federal search warrant. Inside Smith’s bedroom, agents located a Sten machinegun and two silencers. None of the items were registered to Smith in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Crockett.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has sentenced Marcelo Manuel Maysonet (23, Orlando) to 30 months in federal prison for the possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons, specifically, a machinegun and 15 machinegun conversion devices. The court also ordered Maysonet to forfeit a Delton INC, DTI-15, 5.56 caliver AR style pistol with an installed machinegun conversion device and 15 additional machinegun conversion devices, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Maysonet entered a guilty plea on July 25, 2024.According to court documents, law enforcement officers from theOrange County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Maysonet’s residence, where they discovered 15 machinegun conversion devices and a 5.56 caliber AR-style pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed. A machinegun conversion device is an illegal conversion device that converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon. Under the National Firearms Act, a machinegun conversion device is classified as a machinegun. None of these items were registered to Maysonet in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Matthew Reid Davisson (35, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possessing destructive devices which were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Davisson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.According to court documents, Davisson was arrested on unrelated state charges on October 26, 2023. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives subsequently received information that Davisson had large amounts of chemicals and possible grenades at his residence in Jacksonville. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement recovered two improvised explosive bombs, one improvised explosive grenade, items constituting combinations of parts from which three improvised explosive grenades could be readily assembled, quantities of homemade high explosives and detonators, large volumes of explosive precursor chemicals, and homemade explosive manufacturing equipment. None of the destructive devices were registered to Davisson in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law. One of Davisson’s family members also surrendered one of Davisson’s firearms to law enforcement which was later determined to be an unregistered machinegun with an unregistered homemade silencer attached to the barrel.This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Rachel Lasry.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that David O. Isagba today pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of conspiring to defraud the United States with respect to tax claims. Isagba faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A federal grand jury had indicted Isagba and his wife, Joyce Isagba, on May 27, 2020. Her portion of the case is set for trial in May 2022 before Senior U.S. District Judge John Antoon II.  

According to the plea agreement and other court documents, between 2009 and 2019, David Isagba submitted 227 fraudulent claims to the IRS falsely claiming to be entitled to more than $2.9 billion in tax refunds on behalf of nonexistent trusts. David Isagba subsequently received a total of $5,815,723.65 from the IRS as a result of this fraudulent scheme. He used the money to purchase a home and multiple luxury vehicles.

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

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

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Steven Zoernack (55, Sarasota) to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud. He was also ordered to forfeit $2,890,518.54 in ill-gotten gains and to make restitution to victims in the amount of $3,435,194.56. Zoernack pleaded guilty on March 31, 2017.

 

According to court documents, Zoernack owned and operated an investment advisory firm, EquityStar Capital Management LLC (“EquityStar”), through which he formed and managed multiple hedge funds, including the Petroleum Black Energy Fund, the Global Partners Fund, and the Momentum Growth Fund. Beginning in August 2012, Zoernack and his co-conspirators marketed these funds to accredited investors across the United States and Canada from offices in Sarasota and New Port Beach, California. They ultimately raised more than $6 million through their solicitations. 

 

In marketing the funds, Zoernack failed to disclose numerous material facts about his background and the funds he was managing. Specifically, he failed to disclose that he had been convicted on federal wire fraud charges in 2007; had previously filed for bankruptcy; had a history of tax liens and adverse money judgments; and still owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to past fraud victims. In fact, Zoernack actively sought to conceal his past by misappropriating fund assets to pay an online reputation manager to manipulate Internet search engine results about him to prevent potential investors from learning of his past. He also routinely lied about his educational background and expertise as an investment manager, and his experience in the financial industry. Similarly, Zoernack lied about the educational backgrounds and professional experience of his employees, as well as the size of the firm’s staff. He repeatedly impersonated former EquityStar employees and corresponded with investors online using fictitious names and phony email accounts. In addition, he lied to potential investors about his portfolio’s ratings, profits, market returns, and losses.

 

After obtaining investor contributions, Zoernack began misappropriating fund assets for his personal use. Specifically, he made monthly withdrawals of unauthorized “salaries” and “bonuses” in amounts ranging from $12,000 to $25,000 and used these and other fund assets to pay for personal and non-business related expenses, none of which were disclosed to investors. In total, through a combination of trading losses and the misappropriation of fund assets, Zoernack lost millions of dollars of investors’ money. 

 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, alongside a parallel civil enforcement action brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Gerard. 

Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Lucas Shirley II (28, Jacksonville) to five years and five months in federal prison for transferring unregistered short-barreled rifles. Shirley pleaded guilty on August 17, 2023.

According to court documents, on January 4, 2023, an undercover (UC) agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and a confidential informant (CI) went to Shirley’s home in Jacksonville posing as leaders of a motorcycle gang. Shirley sold the CI three privately manufactured rifles (to include a machinegun, a short-barreled rifle, and a combination machinegun short-barreled rifle) and a firearm silencer. None of the firearms were registered in the National Firearms Registrations and Transfer Record, as required by law. Inside the home, the UC saw various tools and machines suitable for manufacturing firearm components and accessories.

In the weeks that followed, the CI, UC, and Shirley spoke on the phone and exchanged text messages about firearms Shirley was manufacturing. Shirley told the CI he had armor-piercing ammunition and the firearms he was building were like the ones that U.S. Navy SEALs carry in battle. Through text messages, Shirley also sent the UC photographs of short-barreled rifles and firearm silencers.

On January 24, 2023, the UC went to Shirley’s home and bought four short-barreled rifles equipped with firearm silencers. Shirley confirmed that two of the rifles were machineguns. These silencers and rifles were again not registered in the National Firearms Registrations and Transfer Record. Shirley also gave the UC three privately manufactured derringer-style pistols with the understanding the UC would pay for them at a later date.

On February 2, 2023, the UC and other agents arrested Shirley and executed a federal search warrant. During the search, they found a privately manufactured pistol, a privately manufactured rifle equipped with a silencer, over 200 rounds of ammunition, approximately 12 machinegun conversion devices, a template for manufacturing machinegun conversion devices, two bags containing methamphetamine and marijuana, a pipe suitable for smoking methamphetamine, and various firearm accessories and parts, including components that had been created using 3D printers. They also found tools, raw materials, and equipment, including a 3D printer, which can be used to manufacture firearms, silencers, and machinegun conversion devices. Shirley has never been licensed to manufacture or sell firearms.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.

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

Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Marcelo Manuel Maysonet (24, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons, more specifically, a machinegun and 15 machinegun conversion devices. Maysonet faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, law enforcement officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant at Maysonet’s residence, where they discovered 15 machinegun conversion devices and a 5.56 caliber AR-style pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed. A machinegun conversion device is an illegal conversion device that converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon. Under the National Firearms Act, a machinegun conversion device is classified as a machinegun. None of these items were registered to Maysonet in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.

As part of the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to forfeit the firearm containing the machinegun conversion device and the 15 additional machine gun conversion devices.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

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