Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Lon Murray Watkins, 55, of 657 New Prospect Road in Chipley, Florida for 10 counts of possession of child pornography one count of distribution of child pornography.
FDLE agents, along with the assistance of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence today, and the investigation determined that Watkins had downloaded multiple child pornography images. In addition, agents seized electronic communication devices such as computers and tablets.
Watkins was booked into the Washington County Jail. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 14th Judicial Circuit.
Please visit the Secure Florida website to review tips for keeping your children safe online at: http://secureflorida.org/staying_safe/best_practices_for_parents/.
FDLE
30 Senior Managers Graduate from Executive Leadership Seminar
The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute announces the graduation today of 30 criminal justice executives from Class Five of the Executive Leadership Seminar. The graduates serve in leadership roles and represent criminal justice agencies from across the state.
Seminar participants met for three weeks at FDLE Headquarters in Tallahassee, Fla. with a focus on quality in leadership and the ability to create and lead change. The Executive Leadership Seminar is an educational opportunity for upper level managers within Florida criminal justice organizations and seeks to provide a continuing education forum for the development and refinement of leadership skills for Florida’s criminal justice executives.
Topics include communicating through a crisis, critical thinking, leading people, managing organizations, overcoming adversity, emotional intelligence and servant leadership.
The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, established within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and affiliated with the State University System, was established in 1990 by the Florida Legislature to address the need for an innovative and multi-faceted approach to the education and training of criminal justice professionals.
With the graduation of Class Five, a total of 100 individuals representing agencies throughout the criminal justice community have completed this program.
FDLE arrests Santa Rosa County man for child pornography
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Aaron William Timm, 31, of 5310 Overbrook Drive in Milton, Florida, for 28 counts of Possession of Child Pornography.
FDLE agents executed a search warrant at the residence on July 26, 2017, and the investigation determined that Timm had uploaded multiple child pornography images. The Search Warrant stemmed from two cyber tips received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding multiple child pornography images which were uploaded to Timm’s e-mail account.
Timm was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail. Additional charges are pending a full forensic review of the items seized at the residence. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 1st Judicial Circuit.
Please visit the Secure Florida website to review tips for keeping your children safe online,
FDLE arrests Broward County man for scheme to defraud and grand theft over $100,000
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Colin L. Ansby, 25, of 225 NW 79th Terr., Margate, for one count each of scheme to defraud over $50,000, grand theft over $100,000, and grand theft between $20,000 and $100,000.
Ansby was the recipient of the proceeds of an elaborate scheme to defraud victims in Florida and Pennsylvania. The scheme, known as a business email compromise, used compromised email accounts to convince the victims to wire transfer money which they believed was for legitimate business purposes.
A victim in Lee County, Florida, believed that she was communicating via email with her real estate attorney, and wire transferred over $100,000 for a real estate purchase. A victim in Pennsylvania believed that she received an email from a superior directing her to wire transfer over $20,000 for the purchase of clothing.
Ansby was booked into the Broward County Jail. He will be prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, Ft. Myers, Florida.
FDLE arrests Miami man for child pornography
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today arrested Ignacio Calvo, 89, of 2451 Brickell Ave., Miami for computer pornography and transmitting child pornography.
FDLE special agents, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, executed a search warrant at Calvo’s home and seized a laptop belonging to him. Preliminary forensic examinations recovered at least 10 images of suspected child pornography, some involving children as young as 2 to 3 years old.
Calvo was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 11th Judicial Circuit.
Click here to visit the Secure Florida website to review tips for keeping your children safe online.
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.
FDLE arrests 6 main suspects in Operation Spa LLC
Suspects ran prostitution ring out of massage parlors
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested 6 suspects for prostitution and money laundering. The investigation shows these main suspects ran a prostitution ring out of 13 Asian Massage Parlors located from Naples to Tallahassee.
Agents began their investigation at the request of Collier County Sheriff’s Office and Sarasota Police Department after they suspected prostitution at massage parlors in their jurisdictions. The investigation shows females of Chinese descent were offering sex acts in exchange for additional money after providing massages.
“We are focused on conducting interviews to determine whether human trafficking is part of this criminal enterprise,” said FDLE Ft. Myers Special Agent in Charge Shane Pollard. “The arrests are just the beginning of this investigation.”
“Thanks to this complex and multi-agency investigation the criminal activity that these individuals were perpetrating is over,” said Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk. “Should the investigation determine that the women associated with this enterprise are the victims of human trafficking we will work closely with our local social service community partners to ensure that they are provided with the resources they need to recover and move forward.”
“We’re thankful to our partners at the FDLE and other area law enforcement agencies for partnering with us to stop these types of massage parlors from being in our communities,” said Chief Bernadette DiPino, Sarasota Police Department. “The human trafficking that is happening as a result of these establishments is modern day slavery. But this is just the beginning. We’re going to continue to partner with the FDLE and local law enforcement agencies to make sure these types of businesses are closed and the men and women who are being abused get the help that they need,” said Chief DiPino.
The massage parlors are owned by Robert Neil Jones, 67, of Naples, Florida with co-owners or managers running each location. Arrests were made on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning.
Robert Neil Jones, 67, 13415 Kent Street, Naples, Fla., arrested 6/9/17 in Kauai, Hawaii and booked into the Kauai County Jail.
- Conduct of or Participation in an Enterprise Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity -1stDegree Felony
- Use or Investment of Proceeds from Pattern of Racketeering Activity – 1st Degree Felony
- Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering – 1st Degree Felony
- Money Laundering – 3rd Degree Felony
Xuan Lang, 47, 833 Meadowland, Drive, Naples, Fla., arrested 6/7/17 in Naples and booked into the Lee County Jail.
- Conduct of or Participation in an Enterprise Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity -1stDegree Felony
- Use or Investment of Proceeds from Pattern of Racketeering Activity – 1st Degree Felony
- Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering – 1st Degree Felony
- Money Laundering – 3rd Degree Felony
Jun Lang, 40, 1300 Jeronimo Drive, Naples, Fla., arrested 6/7/17 in Lee County and booked into the Lee County Jail.
- Conduct of or Participation in an Enterprise Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity -1stDegree Felony
- Use or Investment of Proceeds from Pattern of Racketeering Activity – 1st Degree Felony
- Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering – 1st Degree Felony
- Money Laundering – 3rd Degree Felony
Jing Zhang, 32, 1300 Jeronimo Drive, Naples, Fla., arrested 6/7/17 in Naples and booked into the Lee County Jail.
- Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering – 1st Degree Felony
Lianying Ma, 61, 13415 Kent Street, Naples, Fla., arrested 6/7/17 in Tallahassee and booked into the Leon County Jail.
- Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering – 1st Degree Felony
Ziyi Lang, 44, 8635 Ibis Cove Court, Naples, Fla., arrested 6/7/17 in Naples and booked into the Lee County Jail.
- Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering – 1st Degree Felony
Collier, Manatee, Sarasota and Leon County Sheriff’s Offices, Sarasota and Cape Coral Police Departments, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Department of Health assisted in the investigation.
An additional 10 were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering as a result of the case.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact FDLE’s Ft. Myers Regional Operations Center at (239) 278-7170.
The case will be prosecuted by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.
FDLE recognizes National Missing Children's Day
Winner of this year’s National “Bring Our Missing Children Home”
poster contest. The contest among fifth-grade students included
entries from 34 states and the Aviano U.S. Air Force Base in Italy.
FDLE recognizes National Missing Children’s Day on Thursday, May 25, 2017.
“As we head into the summer months, I urge parents and caregivers to remind children about staying safe,” said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen. “I encourage you to take advantage of the online safety tools and resources available. When a child does go missing, the timely awareness of concerned citizens is often vital to law enforcement in recovering that child quickly and safely. Please sign up to be notified when there is an AMBER or Missing Child Alert in Florida.”
During 2016, Florida law enforcement agencies received 33,366 reports of missing children and FDLE’s Missing Persons and Offender Registration unit provided direct assistance in the recovery of 57 missing children last year.
Citizens can sign up to receive free AMBER and Missing Child Alerts by following FDLE on Facebook or Twitter or signing up to receive email or text message at www.missingchildrenalert.com. The KidSmartz and NetSmartz sites are interactive, educational programs that provide age-appropriate resources to help teach children how to be safer on and offline. The programs are designed for children ages K-5 and 5-17, parents and guardians, educators, and law enforcement.
President Ronald Reagan proclaimed May 25 as National Missing Children’s Day in 1983 and the nation observes this day each year to mark the anniversary of the disappearance of Etan Patz from a New York City street on his way to school in 1979.
To view safety tips on how to keep your children safe, click here. To learn more about Florida’s AMBER Plan, visit www.missingchildrenalert.com.
FDLE arrests Casselberry man for possession of child pornography
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested 45-year-old Daniel Canup, of 4404 Fox Hollow Cir, Casselberry, FL, on 10 counts of possession of child pornography.
FDLE Agents served a search warrant at Canup’s residence on May 18, 2017 as part of an investigation into digital computer files depicting child pornography being downloaded. A computer under Canup’s control was found to be actively downloading child pornography while the agents were present. Further investigation revealed as many as 10 images and videos of child pornography, with many of the victims younger than 12 years old.
Canup was transported to the Seminole County Jail for booking. The Office of the State Attorney, 18th Circuit, will prosecute.
FDLE Agents arrest former attorney on embezzlement charges
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested David Land Whigham Tuesday on charges of grand theft and organized scheme to defraud. He faces 22 felony counts.
An investigation launched in April 2016 found that Whigham, a one-time licensed attorney who was disbarred in May 2016, had deprived his clients of at least $1.5 million through intent and false pretenses.
Beginning in July 2011 and continuing through April 2016, Whigham embezzled funds from 11 victims. The victims included charities, disabled adults and disabled children. Whigham was entrusted by his clients to act in their best interest and for their benefit; however, the investigation revealed he deceived his clients and utilized their money for his own personal benefit
Whigham was transported to the Hillsborough County Jail on a $3 million bond. The State Attorney’s Office, 13th Circuit, will prosecute the case.
