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FDLE arrests Gibsonton teen on child pornography possession

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today arrested 18-year-old Kyrston Jackson, of 12512 Kings Crossing Dr., Gibsonton, on 10 counts of possession of child pornography.

The investigation was launched after FDLE agents received a cyber tip about more than 150 videos being uploaded to a file hosting service on the Internet. The cyber tip revealed that the videos depicted child pornography. The videos were of children under the age of 12. After several subpoenas and search warrants, agents determined Jackson was the user of the account. He was arrested at his home.

Jackson was transported to the Hillsborough County Jail on a $75,000 bond. The Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute the case.

FDLE arrests former Okeechobee CI correctional officer

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement yesterday arrested Arthur William Wade Woodruff, 21, on charges of official misconduct and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery on a detainee. Woodruff was a correctional officer with Okeechobee Correctional Institution.

FDLE Agents began investigating Woodruff in December 2017 at the request of the Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General. The investigation shows that Woodruff was conspiring with inmates to commit aggravated battery or murder of another inmate. Agents believe Woodruff committed these actions because he feared being exposed by the targeted inmate for bringing in contraband. By failing to report the incidents and not making any attempt to stop the ongoing plot, Woodruff endangered the lives of the inmates and staff members at the prison.

Woodruff was arrested in Sebring, booked into the Highlands County Jail and will be transferred to Okeechobee County Jail. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 19th Judicial Circuit.

FDLE arrests Homestead man for child pornography

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, assisted by Homeland Security Investigations, Miami, arrested Thomas Edward Hernandez, 53, of 27421 SW 154 Avenue, Homestead, for six counts of possession of child pornography. Additional charges are pending.

FDLE’s investigation determined that Hernandez was advertising/sharing 45 files of child pornography images through the use of the internet. The images included the sexual exploitation of children under 10 years old.

Hernandez was arrested yesterday and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 11th Judicial Circuit.

FDLE Agents arrest Tampa man on 15 counts related to child pornography

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested 56-year-old Jon Scott Wildman, of 13907 Capitol Drive, Tampa, on 10 counts of possession of child pornography and 5 counts of transmission of child pornography.

FDLE Agents began investigating Wildman after receiving a tip in February 2017 that several images depicting child pornography were uploaded to an Internet-based website. Information showed a specific IP address uploaded the images under a pseudonym. An additional tip was received that revealed the same IP address associated with similar activity. Upon the execution of a search warrant, the investigation revealed the IP address was registered to Wildman.

Wildman was transported to the Hillsborough County Jail for booking on a $75,000 bond.

FDLE arrests former child protective investigator

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested former Department of Children and Families child protective investigator Jessica Cirino-Lan, 28, for three counts of falsifying records. The DCF Office of Inspector General referred the case to FDLE and assisted in the investigation.

The investigation determined that during April and May of 2016, Cirino-Lan intentionally and unlawfully falsified case reports she submitted in reference to three separate DCF child abuse/neglect investigations assigned to her in her capacity as a child protective investigator. Cirion-Lan did not conduct several home visits she indicated she completed in her reports, and forged the name of a caregiver on a written safety plan she submitted to a supervisor for one of the cases.

On May 10, 2016, Cirino-Lan abruptly resigned from DCF after being questioned about the discrepancies by her supervisor. After her resignation, Cirino-Lan’s cases were reassigned and all children were deemed safe.

Cirino-Lan was arrested today and booked into the Hendry County Jail. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit.

FDLE arrests local businessman in tax scheme for racketeering, grand theft

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Major Callahan, Jr., today on charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering and grand theft.

Callahan operated three Pointe 1 Tax Services offices within Highlands County. According to investigators, Callahan used these offices to defraud victims out of out of more than $50,000 in tax refunds. At least 24 victims were identified as having their refunds stolen, or attempted to be stolen, by Callahan through Pointe 1 between 2012 and 2015.

FDLE investigators, with help from the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service, believe Callahan, or his co-conspirators, filed federal tax returns with the victims’ information, then forging their signatures on refund checks in order to convert the funds to their own use. The investigation into the conspiracy is ongoing.

Callahan turned himself into the Highlands County Jail. This case will be prosecuted by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

FDLE arrests Town Councilman for delivery of controlled substances

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today arrested Donald Edward Boyd, 77, of 201 Spruce Avenue, for three counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, two counts of delivery of a controlled substance and one count of battery. Boyd is a town councilman in Lake Placid.

An investigation conducted by FDLE agents and the city of Lake Placid Police Department revealed that Boyd was providing a variety of prescription pills, including hydrocodone, Zenzedi and Alprazolam to an individual on multiple occasions over the past several years.

Boyd was booked into the Highlands County Jail. He will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 10th Judicial Circuit.

Madison PD, FDLE apprehend 3 for armed burglary

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Investigators with Madison Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement yesterday apprehended three suspects after a home invasion robbery left another suspect dead. Keosha Lewis, 20, and Selena Murray, 18, are charged with armed burglary. Charges of felony murder and armed burglary are pending against Jeremiah Davis, 21.

Yesterday morning four suspects entered a home on Mandina Avenue occupied by a male and female victim. The suspects tied-up the woman and beat the man. Suspect Davis was armed with a gun and threatened the victims. The male victim was able to retrieve his firearm and shoot the suspects, killing one and injuring another.

Suspects Lewis and Murray were not injured, fled the home and were arrested a few hours later. A bystander drove suspect Jamescya Pringle, 19, to Madison County Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced deceased on arrival. Davis, who was shot in the leg, was later located and transported to the hospital.

Lewis and Murray were booked into the Madison County Jail. Davis remains hospitalized and is expected to make a full recovery. The male victim is recovering from his injuries, while the female victim was not injured.

Madison PD, FDLE investigate shooting death

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Investigators with Madison Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are investigating the death of a woman, who was found shot in a vehicle that was parked and left abandoned at the Madison County Memorial Hospital this morning.

Shortly after investigators located a man with a gunshot wound. He is being treated at the hospital for a non-life-threatening injury. The incidents appear to be related.

Police continue to search for two others they believe were involved in the incident. The investigation continues. We will provide additional information as it becomes available.

FDLE arrests former Veterans Foundation director for grand theft

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested 57-year-old Antonio Colmenares and 60-year-old Antonio Sabatier, both of Miami, on first-degree grand theft related to more than $300,000 worth of donated items to the Florida Veterans Foundation (FVF).
The FVF is a nonprofit that offers support to the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA).
Colmenares, of 4345 SW 10th St., was a volunteer as the Miami Director for the FVF; Sabatier, of 4247 SW 10th St., is a close friend of Colmenares. He did not have an appointed position with the FVF.
In March 2015, FDLE received a complaint from the state Department of Veterans’ Affairs alleging a theft of disaster blankets and ready-to-eat emergency meals. The items had been provided to FVF by a Tampa-area nonprofit agency to be used for an event to help homeless veterans in Miami. Colmenares had organized the event. During the investigation, agents found that in February 2015 Colmenares and Sabatier arranged for the sale of more than 27,000 blankets and 9,700 meals instead of using the items for their intended purpose. The proceeds from the sale of the items totaled $46,800 and did not benefit FVF but were deposited into an account of Nike Management, a company owned by Sabatier.
The investigation uncovered that other donated items, such as sleeping bags, cots and back packs, were also sold for profit. Colmenares and Sabatier sold most of the items to Worldwide Tactical, a Miami company, on three different occasions: April 2014, February 2015 and May 2015 for a total of $79,394.41. Worldwide Tactical had no knowledge the items were being sold illegally.
“These donated items should have gone to help feed and warm veterans struggling to get back on their feet—instead they were sold to fatten the pockets of those charged with preying on the good intentions of others,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I want to thank FDLE for their tireless efforts investigating this case and working with my Office of Statewide Prosecution. I also want to commend the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs for immediately contacting law enforcement about the alleged theft so an investigation could be opened.”
FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said: “These items were donated with the express purpose to help our veterans who unselfishly serve our country. To take advantage of any opportunity that would benefit them is indefensible.”
The Inspector General’s Office of the FDVA assisted with this investigation. Both Colmenares and Sabatier were booked in the Miami-Dade Jail on a $20,000 bond each.