FDLE agents of the Pensacola Cyber Squad and the Panama City Field Office today arrested Bradley Joseph Wiedenheft, 31, of 4934 Beach Drive, Panama City Beach, for four counts of possession of child pornography. [Read more…] about FDLE arrests Panama City Beach man for child pornography
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Nine Arrested for Illegally Baiting and Abusing Florida Black Bears
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission today announced the arrests of nine individuals after a year-long investigation into the illegal baiting, taking and molestation of Florida black bears by the use of dogs for commercial purposes. [Read more…] about Nine Arrested for Illegally Baiting and Abusing Florida Black Bears
FDLE Agents arrest two suspects in separate cases on child solicitation, pornography
Orlando Cyber Crime Task Force Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have arrested two suspects in separate and unrelated cases on charges related to child sex solicitation and child pornography.
On Tuesday, agents arrested Kieran Oscar Sosa, 28, of 15 Presidential Lane, Palm Coast, for traveling to engage in sexual conduct with a child and attempted lewd and lascivious behavior. Luis Antonio Rivera, 71, of 2715 Ranch House Court, Orlando, was arrested today on 15 counts of possession of child pornography in a separate and unrelated case.
In the Sosa investigation, an undercover agent posed as a 14-year-old female when Sosa initiated a conversation through an Internet website. Sosa asked the online persona if she were interested in a sexual encounter and told the juvenile he would come to her residence. He had planned to have sex while the juvenile’s mother was at work. When Sosa arrived at the agreed upon location, he was taken into police custody.
Sosa was taken to the Seminole County Jail on a $60,000 bond. The State Attorney’s Office, 18th Judicial Circuit, will prosecute.
Rivera was taken into custody after agents executed a search warrant at his home and conducted a forensic preview of a laptop. During the preview, agents found evidence of child pornography. The files had been downloaded from the Internet and showed images of children who appeared to be younger than 10 years old. The laptop was seized for further forensic analysis.
Rivera was taken to the Orange County Jail on a no-bond status. The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Four Arrested in Connection to 150 Stolen Guns, One Still Wanted
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today announced the arrest of four men relating to more than 150 stolen firearms. The guns were stolen from stores in and around the Central Florida area. Authorities arrested, Richard Jernigan, 30, Robert Tilmon, 31, Raymond Williams, 28, and Jermeil Williams, 28, in connection to the burglaries. These men were allegedly involved in numerous armed burglaries of firearms and other valuable items for several years. Authorities are still searching for Kentric Collier, 28, in connection to the case.
“The ATF and the FDLE did a tremendous job in stopping a dangerous gun burglary ring targeting firearms dealers. The charges against these individuals are alarming—stealing guns to sell on our streets. My Office of Statewide Prosecution will aggressively prosecute this case to ensure justice is done,” said Attorney General Bondi.
“ATF’s primary focus is protecting the public by reducing violent crime”, said Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCrary. “ATF continues to aggressively pursue violent offenders and will continue to protect and serve communities with our law enforcement partners.”
Beginning in late 2016 and into 2017, ATF began investigating burglaries of Federal Firearms Licensees stores in and around the Central Florida area. A review of intelligence aided in determining some of the burglaries had similar distinguishing characteristics, such as the use of sledgehammers and pry bars to gain entry. The men are believed to be involved in more than five burglaries of FFLs that resulted in the loss of more than 150 firearms.
The investigation found that the suspects allegedly sold many of the firearms in the Orlando area within days of the burglaries. According to ATF, law enforcement has recovered approximately 35 of the 156 stolen firearms, most seized from prohibited individuals involved in previous violent criminal acts. These suspects are also allegedly involved in numerous burglaries targeting cash, electronics, firearm stores, jewelry, safes, and other valuable items in Orange, Polk, and Seminole counties
All five suspects face separate charges in connection to burglaries, grand theft of a firearm, grand theft and racketeering. The Altamonte Springs Police Department, the Longwood Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department and the Winter Park Police Department assisted in this investigation.
The Attorney General Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute the case.
FDLE arrests couple for crimes in health care practice
FDLE agents today arrested Asok Roy, 74, and his wife, Manjula Roy, 72, at 9183 Old A1A, St. Augustine, Florida, after a comprehensive investigation spanning more than a year.
Asok Roy was arrested for five counts of solicitation to commit prostitution, two counts of writing a prescription for monetary benefit, two counts of falsely omitting information on a document or report, and one count of being principle to practicing a health care profession without a license. Manjula Roy was arrested for practicing a health care profession without a license.
The arrests were the result of evidence collected during multiple undercover operations, interviews and search warrants at both the Roys’ residence and the Medical Clinic of St. Augustine. Asok Roy was also served with an Emergency Suspension Order by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) which prevented him from practicing medicine in the state and he has since voluntarily relinquished his license.
The North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, DEA Diversion and FDOH partnered with FDLE on the investigation.
The Roys were booked into the St. Johns County Jail and the case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, Seventh Judicial Circuit.
FDLE investigation leads to four arrests in scheme to sell property with sinkhole damage
An investigation led by the Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center, Brooksville Office, of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has led to the arrest of four suspects on a charge of organized scheme to defraud relating to the sale of a home with sinkhole property damage.
Those arrested are: Clarence Surrena and Mary Surrena of 230 E. Panama Rd., Winter Springs; Karen Sherwin of 5230 Miller Bayou Dr., Port Richey; and Shawn Poole of 17529 Monteverde Dr., Spring Hill.
During the investigation, agents found that Clarence and Mary Surrena sold their home at 18735 Bonnie Drive, Spring Hill, in Pasco County, to a couple for $275,000. Prior to the closing, the Surrenas completed a Seller’s Disclosure Form on which they denied any sinkhole damage to their property. The Surrenas did acknowledge filing a sinkhole claim; however, they did not reveal the claim was paid. Although the Surrenas received $155,000 in October 2013 to fix the sinkhole, the money was not used for that purpose.
Both Karen Sherwin, the Surrenas’ realtor, and Shawn Poole, the buyers’ agent, were aware of the insurance claim and the incomplete Seller’s Disclosure Form. The buyers only became aware of the sinkhole after moving into their home when a representative of a home insurance company called to say the home could not be insured. The buyers believed they were insured at closing.
Clarence and Mary Surrena were both taken to the Seminole County Jail on $15,000 bond each; Karen Sherwin and Shawn Poole were both taken to the Pasco County Jail on $5,000 bond each.
The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, 6th Judicial Circuit.
FDLE arrests two for criminal activities at Sweetwater Police Department
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Miami-Dade Police Department today arrested current Sweetwater Police Department Sergeant Reny Armando Garcia, 46, of Palmetto Bay, FL, and former Sweetwater Detective William Garcia, 42, currently incarcerated at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pennington, VA., each on one count of organized scheme to defraud, one count of racketeering, and one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering.
FDLE, in collaboration with the Miami-Dade Police Department and the FBI, interviewed numerous victims and witnesses during the course of the investigation and found that the allegations and supporting evidence revealed an ongoing pattern of criminal activity by members of the Sweetwater Police Department that spanned several years and affected dozens of victims.
The investigation revealed that members of the department engaged in a protracted pattern of racketeering activity that included battery, theft, fraud, burglary, and other violent crimes against civilians, often specifically targeting foreign-born victims with limited knowledge of the English language and the U.S. legal system, in order to exploit these victims’ vulnerabilities, as well as conceal the officers’ unlawful activities from outside authorities.
The arrests are part of a larger investigation based on decades of corruption, cultivated from the top down, at the Sweetwater Police Department and City. The investigation has not revealed criminal wrongdoing of the current Sweetwater police administration, and its chief has fully cooperated.
Reny Armando Garcia was arrested today and booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Facility. William Garcia will be transported to Miami to face these charges. The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution in Miami.
Nine Arrested for Illegal Harvesting of Alligators and Eggs
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission today announced nine arrests for illegally harvesting alligators and eggs. Authorities have uncovered more than 10,000 illegally harvested American alligator eggs.
“This massive criminal operation dealing in American alligators and their eggs undermines legitimate farmers operating legally,” said Attorney General Bondi. “I want to thank the FWC for their superb investigative work and look forward to my Office of Statewide Prosecution prosecuting those involved in this reckless illegal operation.”
The arrests follow a comprehensive investigation into the unlawful commercialization of alligators through alligator farms. As part of the investigation, FWC established an undercover alligator farming business, Sunshine Alligator Farm, in Arcadia. The investigation revealed that substantial numbers of illegally taken wild alligators and eggs were being removed from the wild and laundered through certain alligator farms. Some of the defendants took undercover officers on alligator hunts and illegally caught and sold alligators.
Authorities arrested the following defendants in connection to this case:
- Robert Albritton, 36, Arcadia;
- Robert Beasley; 38, Arcadia;
- Christopher Briscall, 22, Fort Denaud;
- Jacob Bustin-Pitts, 23, Fort Denaud;
- Matthew Evors, 24, Fort Denaud;
- David Nellis, 73, Punta Gorda;
- Wayne Nichols, 42, Arcadia;
- Carl Wayne Pickle Jr., 47, Arcadia; and
- Isaiah Romano, 22, Fort Denaud.
All nine of the defendants face charges for the illegal killing, possessing or capturing of alligators or eggs. The defendants face a range of additional serious charges including racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, scheme to defraud, conspiracy to deal in stolen property and the intentional killing or wounding of any species of special concern.
The investigation is still ongoing and additional arrests are expected.
FWC uncovers major alligator violations in long-term covert investigation
On Wednesday, May 24, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers arrested nine suspects for violations of Florida’s laws pertaining to possession of American alligator, alligator egg harvesting, interstate transport of alligator eggs and hatchlings, falsifying official records, dealing in stolen property, conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering and other wildlife violations. These serious charges include first-, second- and third-degree felonies.
These charges are the result of a multiyear undercover operation initiated in 2015 by the FWC Division of Law Enforcement’s Investigations Section. FWC undercover officers managed to become part of the alligator farming community to gain information and evidence about poachers who were breaking the law in regard to the FWC’s public and private lands alligator egg harvesting program and alligator farming.
During the course of the investigation, FWC undercover officers documented numerous criminal violations, resulting in the arrest of nine individuals for 44 felony violations.
Investigators documented over 10,000 illegally harvested eggs during the course of the undercover operation.
“Many of these suspects were part of a criminal conspiracy,” said Maj. Grant Burton, head of the FWC’s Investigations Section. “Their crimes pose serious environmental and economic consequences. These suspects not only damage Florida’s valuable natural resources, they also harm law-abiding business owners by operating black markets that undermine the legal process.”
Wildlife conservation laws are in place to protect and manage Florida’s precious natural resources for legitimate use by the public. When people break those laws, they jeopardize the ability of the state to manage those resources for the future. If left unchecked, this valuable natural resource could have been severely damaged.
There are aspects of this investigation that are still ongoing, and the FWC expects more arrests to be forthcoming.
The public can help by reporting suspected violations to the FWC. To make a report, call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or text [email protected].
The suspects and their charges are as follows:
Robert Kelly Albritton (DOB 01/21/1981) of Arcadia
- One felony count of Racketeering.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
- One felony count of Scheme to Defraud.
- Fourteen felony counts of Unlawful Possession of Alligator Eggs/Alligators.
Robert Thomas Beasley (DOB 02/05/1979) of Arcadia
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
- Six felony counts of Unlawful Possession of Alligator Eggs/Alligators.
David Wentworth Nellis (DOB 10/10/1943) of Punta Gorda
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
- One felony count of Uttering a Forged Instrument.
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligator Eggs.
Carl Wayne Pickle Jr. (DOB 12/22/1969) of Arcadia
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering.
- Four felony counts of Unlawful Possession of Alligator Eggs/Alligators.
Wayne Andrew Nichols (DOB 07/15/1975) of Arcadia
- Three felony counts of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Unlawful Killing of White Ibis.
- One first-degree misdemeanor count of Attempting to Take White Ibis.
Christopher Lee Briscall (DOB 01/28/1995) of Fort Denaud
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property.
Matthew Edward Evors (DOB 10/20/1992) of Cape Coral
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property.
Isaiah Joseph Romano (DOB 12/17/1994) of Fort Denaud
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property.
Jacob Oliver Bustin-Pitts (DOB 11/11/1993) of Fort Denaud
- One felony count of Unlawful Possession of Alligators.
- One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property.
Two Seminole County Women Arrested for Medicaid Fraud
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office today announced the arrests of two Seminole County women for allegedly defrauding the Medicaid program out of more than $4 million. Maria Navarro, 44, owner of Angels Creative Children Therapy, and office manager Judith Benech, 37, allegedly billed Medicaid for behavioral therapy services for disabled children that the defendants never provided.
“Fraudulent billing is one of the most common forms of Medicaid fraud, and we will not allow unscrupulous individuals to defraud the Medicaid program,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Using disabled children to fraudulently bill Medicaid is despicable, but thanks to the collaborative efforts of my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and our local and federal partners, this scheme has been stopped and those responsible will be held accountable.”
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit began investigating Benech and Navarro after receiving information from the parent of a child Medicaid recipient, who noticed an unusually high amount of Medicaid billing on their explanation of benefits. According to the investigation, the defendants billed eight hours a day for services supposedly provided to a school that is not open long enough for such billing. A review of billing records revealed that Angels Creative Children Therapy allegedly inflated the Medicaid invoices to reflect eight hours of one-to-one therapy per child every day when the children rarely, if ever, received such therapy. Not only did Angels Creative Children Therapy allegedly fail to provide vital therapy to the children, but also significantly over billed for the services not provided, drawing millions from Medicaid resources.
Benech and Navarro each face one count of Medicaid provider fraud and one count of organized scheme to defraud, both first-degree felonies. If convicted, Benech and Navarro face up to 30 years in prison and more than $59,000 in fines and restitution. The State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit will prosecute the case. Attorney General Bondi’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
The Florida Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes providers that intentionally defraud the state’s Medicaid program through fraudulent billing practices. Medicaid fraud essentially steals from Florida’s taxpayers. From Jan. 2011 to the present, Attorney General Bondi’s MFCU has obtained more than $500 million in settlements and judgments. Additionally, the MFCU investigates allegations of patient abuse, neglect, and exploitation in facilities receiving payments under the Medicaid program.
