Two Florida men, Jasen Harvey of Tampa and Christopher Johnson of Orlando, have been sentenced for their roles in a tax fraud scheme known as the “Note Program.” Harvey received a 48-month prison sentence, while Johnson was sentenced to 37 months, both for conspiring to defraud the United States. BetweenContinue Reading
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that 46-year-old Timothy Burch Morris of Boynton Beach has pleaded guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material over the internet. Morris faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release.Continue Reading
U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Alice Marie Pence, 68, of Port Charlotte, Florida, to 10 months in federal prison for threatening a United States district judge in the Northern District of Texas. Pence pleaded guilty on June 28, 2024, to the charge of influencing a federal officialContinue Reading
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced the unsealing of an indictment charging 19 Polk County residents with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud. If convicted, each individual could face a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The indictment also states the United States plansContinue Reading
On November 19, 2024, U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger sentenced Luis Enrique Rosado, 29, of Orlando, to 27 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the firearms seized during his arrest. Rosado pleaded guilty to theContinue Reading
Jacksonville deputies arrested 47-year-old William Baker on Sunday morning for arson after a house fire in the Brooklyn neighborhood near Riverside Avenue. Witnesses provided matching descriptions of a man seen near the vacant home as it burned. Officers spotted Baker walking away from the scene, covered in soot and ash.Continue Reading
Detectives have arrested 25-year-old Widnes Moricette of Naples on charges of second-degree murder following a fatal shooting on November 10, 2024. The incident began as a verbal dispute between Moricette and the 26-year-old victim inside Burlington at 12725 Tamiami Trail E. The conflict escalated outside in the parking lot, whereContinue Reading
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Michael Andrew Warden, 31, of Kissimmee, on 20 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The investigation started after FDLE received a cybertip about an online account sharing child sexual exploitation files. From the cybertip, the FDLE investigation identified Warden asContinue Reading
William Dennis Milstead, 64, of Port St. Lucie, was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) on November 13, 2024, for falsely impersonating a police officer and attempting to lease a residential property using fraudulent credentials. FDLE launched an investigation after a local real estate agency reported MilsteadContinue Reading
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) has started enforcing a new law prohibiting unauthorized public camping and sleeping. Following a month-long warning period that began October 1, enforcement officially commenced on November 1. Enforcement Statistics: Each individual was warned before enforcement actions were taken. JSO emphasized its commitment to enforcing theContinue Reading