4A Enterprise-Recorder www.greenepublishing.com aw Enforcement & Rcgional Crime Friday, December 18, 2009 Mortgage Fraud Surge Investigation Three Injured Nets More Than 100 Individuals cont from Page 1A Throughout Middle District Of Florida United States Attorney A. Brian Albritton an- nounced the results of a nine-month-long Mortgage Fraud Surge investigation that has resulted in charges against more than 100 defendants and in- volves allegations concerning more than $400 mil- lion in loans procured by fraud and more than 700 properties. U.S. Attorney Albritton is holding events throughout the district this week to highlight the announcement. There are currently mortgage fraud-related charges pending against approximately 500 defen- dants in federal mortgage fraud cases around the nation. The cases concern both mortgage schemes designed to defraud mortgage lenders and "foreclo- sure rescue schemes" which prey on distressed homeowners. "This initiative sends a clear message that mort- gage fraud will not be tolerated. We must protect the integrity of the real estate market in our communi- ties, which is a major contributor to the health of our economy, here and throughout the country," said U.S. Attorney Albritton. Florida's Mortgage Fraud Surge was launched in late January 2009 in response to the epidemic of mortgage fraud throughout the state, which began during Florida's real estate boom earlier this decade. To address this wide scale problem, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in both its Tampa and Jacksonville Divisions, began a nine-month intensive effort to identify, in- vestigate, and prosecute mortgage fraud in all of its forms. To accomplish the Surge, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida devoted significant additional personnel and re- sources to investigating and prosecuting mortgage fraud cases. All of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Ft. Myers, Orlando, and Jacksonville offices re- sponsible for criminal matters handled mortgage fraud investigations, and in the District's largest of- fice, Tampa, over half of the Criminal Division As- sistant U.S. Attorneys were assigned mortgage fraud matters. In addition, FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven E. Ibison of the Tampa Division and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Casey of the Jack- sonville Division established mortgage fraud task forces in their respective jurisdictions. A number of state and federal law enforcement agencies joined these mortgage fraud task forces, and the agents, in- vestigators, and other law enforcement personnel from these participating agencies conducted an in- tensive and wide-ranging investigation into hun- dreds of mortgage fraud leads during this Surge phase. Along with the FBI, the agencies that joined in the Surge and who participated in the mortgage fraud task forces are: the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspec- tor General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Depart- ment of Financial Services/Division of Insurance Fraud, Florida Office of Financial Regulation, Flori- da Department of Business and Professional Regu- lation, Lee County Sheriff's Office (Ft. Myers Division only), Collier County Sheriff's Office (Ft. Myers Division only) and Brevard County Sheriff's Office (Orlando Division only). The U.S. Attorney's Office charged mortgage fraud defendants throughout the Middle District of Florida. The number of defendants charged by of- fice breaks down as follows: Ft. Myers-32; Tampa-30; Orlando-19; and Jacksonville-24. Of these defen- dants, 7 are related to cases under seal and not in the public record at this juncture. An indictment or complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty The surge investigation completed on October 31, 2009, and announced today is the first phase of a continuing effort to investigate and prosecute not only mortgage fraud professionals and other indi- viduals who have engaged in multiple fraudulent mortgage transactions, but also larger organiza- tions and even financial institutions. Eustis Woman Sentenced To More Than 24 Years For Offering Children For Sex U.S. Attorney A. Bri- an Albritton announced that U.S. District Judge Patricia C. Fawcett sen- tenced Rhonda Jennette Bays (age 39, of Eustis) to 24 years and four months in federal prison for pro- ducing child pornogra- phy and conspiring with another to travel in inter- state commerce to have sex with a minor. Bays had pleaded guilty on Au- gust 19, 2009. According to court documents, in May 2009, Bays and her boyfriend, Tanner Stickney, concoct- ed a plan for Stickney to travel from Washington, ?"I D.C. to the Orlando area in order to have sex with a child whom Bays knew and had access to. During the course of the plan, Bays offered Stickney two different children for sex. Agents with the Fed- eral Bureau of Investiga- tion (FBI) discovered the plan, and, on May 15, 2009, agents arrested Stickney as he landed at the Orlando Internation- al Airport. Bays was ar- rested at her home later that night. During the course of the investigation, FBI agents further discov- ered that Bays and Stick- ney had arranged a previous trip in June 2008. During this previ- ous trip, Stickney flew down to the Orlando area, where Bays and Stickney made a video of )R TNUR E INC. SOFA & LoVE S4i~l Saing at $59995 1501 NW Capital Circle Tallahassee, FL IiT (850) 576-6044 Stickney sexually abus- ing a young child. Agents found this video at Stick- ney's home in Washing- ton, D.C. This case was inves- tigated by the Federal Bu- reau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu. This case was brought as part of Pro- ject Safe Childhood, a na- tionwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Jus- tice to combat the grow- ing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Divi- sion's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals fed- eral, state, and local re- sources to better locate, apprehend, and prose- cute individuals who ex- ploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projec- tsafechildhood.gov. shoulder of NE Oak Hill Road. Damage to the truck was estimated at $15,000. Felkins and his passengers, Zachery T. Meier- bachtol, 27, of Valdosta, Ga., and Jessica Ann McLeod, 28, of Valdosta, Ga., all suffered minor in- jures in the wreck. FHP was assisted at the crash scene by Madison County EMS and the Madison County Sheriff's Of- fice. FHP Trooper Brian Lundy was the crash inves- tigator. Meth Lab cont from Page 1A manufacture methamphetamine. Shawn Hart was arrested and charged with ag- gravated battery with a motor vehicle, manufactur- ing methamphetamine and unlawful possession of listed chemicals. The investigation is continuing. Madison County... _ 12/11 Andre Leon Barker - Driving while license suspended Rodrigo Vega - Hold for Miami Dade Kenneth Henry Forton VOP Alfred Monta Davis - Driving while license suspended (second of- fense) 12/12 Adencioz Santizo Vazquez No drivers' license; attaching a tag not assigned John Patrick Flint - DUI Gilbert Paul Hart II - Driving while license revoked 12/13 Fannie Mae Fead - Battery Major Jamar Cobb - DUI Emanuel Landle Ratliff Aggravated as- sault; domestic battery PERSONAL INJURY & WRONGFUL DEATH Jon D. Caminez Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney CAMINEZ & HARDEE, P.A. (850) 997-8181 1307 S. JEFFERSON STREET MONTICELLO, FLORIDA 32344 The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask the lawyer to send you free written information about their qualifications and experience.