From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Duglas Hernandez Valladares (38, Honduras) has pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Valladares faces a penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement,…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri ST. LOUIS – A former professional basketball player has been arrested in Missouri after an indictment accused him of fraudulently obtaining pandemic relief funds. Lorenzo Gordon, 40, of Chesterfield, Missouri, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis January 17 on three counts of wire…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland Baltimore – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging brothers Dwayne and Wayne Henry, age 32 and 34, respectively, both of Landover Hills, Maryland, for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, in connection with a lottery scheme where victims believe that they have won a…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County, Missouri man who last year admitted financially exploiting two elderly women admitted on Thursday that he was committing disability fraud while doing so. Gino Rives, 36, of Edmundson, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to five…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California FRESNO, Calif. — Kenneth Laitman aka John Rodman, 79, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to passport fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in 1984, Laitman left his job as a stockbroker in New York and moved to California where he assumed…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Fall River man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Boston for misuse of a Social Security number. Arias Mejia, 43, was indicted for misuse of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft, and making a false statement in an application for…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a two-count superseding indictment charging Phil Henry Taylor (66, Homosassa) with forcibly assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and receipt of stolen government property. If convicted, Taylor faces up to 20…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Belchertown man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.    Kenneth Pontz, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release.  Restitution and…