"SEFFNER BANDIT" SENTENCED FOR MULTIPLE ARMED ROBBERIES

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew sentenced Andre King (33, Tampa) today to 32 years in federal prison for brandishing and using a firearm in connection with two armed robberies. King was also sentenced to a four year term of supervised release following his incarceration and ordered to pay restitution to several of his victims. King pled guilty to these crimes on April 27, 2012.

According to testimony and evidence, on July 10, 2010, King entered the Mobil gas station and convenience store located at 2510 Highway 60 East in Valrico, and pointed a firearm at the store manager. King stole approximately $600 from the store cash drawers, but was not able to force the clerk to open the store safe before he fled. On September 25, 2011, King entered another Mobil gas station and Prime Time Food Store located at 3185 Dover Road in Dover. He pointed a firearm at the clerk and stole approximately $2,500 from the store's cash drawers. Prior to his arrest, King, whom law enforcement authorities had dubbed the "Seffner Bandit", had been connected to several similar armed robberies in Hillsborough County between January 2010 and October 2011.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay Hoffer.

It is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice's "Project Safe Neighborhoods" program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy led by ATF. United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill, along with Virginia O'Brien, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Triggerman Found Guilty in Murder-for-Hire

TAMPA—On Friday, August 3, 2012, a federal jury found Luis Angel Lopez (24, Hillsborough County) guilty of conspiring and using the mail or a facility of interstate commerce with the intent to commit murder and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence that caused a death. He faces a penalty of life in federal prison. Lopez was indicted in May 2011, along with Cristie Fay Bottorff and Jerry Alan Bottorff. Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced on October 18, 2012.

Thomas Lee Sehorne was murdered on June 7, 2007, in Lithia, Florida. At the time of the murder, Cristie Bottorff was married to Sehorne and involved in an affair with Jerry Bottorff. The evidence presented at trial revealed that the murder was procured by Cristie and Jerry Bottorff and accomplished with the assistance of Michael Garcia, who served as a middle-man or broker to Lopez. Lopez, the triggerman, was to be paid $60,000 for the murder. Sehorne was killed for $1 million dollars in life insurance proceeds that he held for his wife and two minor children.

Cristie Bottorff and Jerry Bottorff both pled guilty to all charges on July 9, 2012, and testified against Lopez during the trial, along with Garcia. Both Cristie and Jerry Bottorff are scheduled to be sentenced on October 22, 2012. Michael Garcia remains in jail on unrelated drug charges.

The case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terry Furr and Tom Palermo, with investigative assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Downing.

Tampa Man Convicted for Role in Two Armed Bank Robberies

TAMPA—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that a federal jury found Francisco Feliciano (41, Tampa) guilty yesterday of two counts of armed bank robbery, two counts of using or carrying a firearm during the commission of those crimes, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Feliciano faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 12, 2012 before United States District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Feliciano conspired to rob two federally insured banks in April 2011. On April 1, 2011, he and another individual, Steven Trubey, attempted to rob the First Bank located at 21708 State Road 54 in Lutz. Feliciano entered the bank armed with a Glock 9mm pistol. Ultimately, he was unable to rob the bank of any money because all the bank employees were able to hide from him. On April 11, 2011, Feliciano, aided by Trubey and another person, Christopher Quinn, robbed the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union located at 12542 Curley Road in San Antonio, Florida. Feliciano was armed with a pistol and Quinn with a hoax bomb. The men stole more than $10,000 from the tellers. They exited the bank and fled the scene in a van driven by Trubey.

Steven Trubey and Christopher Quinn previously pled guilty for their roles in this case. Quinn was sentenced to 14 years and eight months in federal prison. Trubey’s sentencing hearing will take place in federal court on June 27, 2012.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office’s Detention Investigations Unit, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay Hoffer.

Skinhead Convicted of Murder of Two Homeless Men in Tampa

TAMPA, FL—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that a federal jury today found James Robertson (32) guilty of two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. Robertson faces a mandatory penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Robertson was indicted on May 22, 2008.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Robertson was a member of “Tampa Blood and Honour,” a hate group whose members espoused the belief that white persons of Aryan descent were the superior race. Tampa Blood and Honour members considered the homeless to be an inferior class, regardless of race. “Bum rolling” was a term used by Tampa Blood and Honour members to describe the activity of targeting and committing acts of violence against homeless persons.

Specifically, in the early morning hours of September 13, 1998, Robertson and three other members of Tampa Blood and Honour, Kenneth Hoover, Charles Marovskis, and Cory Hulse, murdered two homeless men, Alfred Williams and Richard Arseneau. Mr. Williams was murdered in downtown Tampa, under the Crosstown Expressway, in the vicinity of Meridian Street. Robertson and the other Tampa Blood and Honour members severely beat Mr. Williams with, among other things, a tire-iron. According to the medical examiner, the cause of Mr. Williams’ death was blunt force trauma to the head.

Mr. Arseneau was murdered in Tampa near the intersection of Interstate 275 and Fletcher Avenue. The murder occurred in a wooded lot located east of 320 East Fletcher Avenue. Robertson, along with the same three other Tampa Blood and Honour members who participated in the murder of Mr. Williams, also beat Mr. Arseneau to death. As a result of the beating, Mr. Arseneau sustained massive head injuries, at least some of which were caused by a hatchet. According to the medical examiner, the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

Co-defendants, Hoover, Marovskis, and Hulse previously pleaded guilty to both counts of murder in aid of racketeering and are awaiting sentencing.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with the assistance of the Tampa Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel Moore Lee and First Assistant United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III.

Three Charged in Murder-for-Hire

TAMPA, FL—United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Cristie Fay Bottorff a/k/a "Cristie Fay Sehorne" (32, Brandon), Jerry Alan Bottorff (40, Brandon), and Luis Angel Lopez a/k/a "Proof" (23, Riverview), with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. The commission of the offenses resulted in the death of Thomas Lee Sehorne. If convicted on all counts, Cristie Fay Bottorff, Jerry Alan Bottorff, and Luis Angel Lopez each face a penalty of life imprisonment or death. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit $1,000,000, plus interest, in life insurance proceeds paid or payable to Cristie Fay Bottorff, which are alleged to be proceeds traceable to the offenses.

According to the indictment, Cristie Bottorff, Jerry Bottorff, and Luis Lopez used the mail and facilities of interstate commerce, with the intent that Thomas Lee Sehorne would be murdered as consideration for the payment of U.S. currency and other things of value, and that they conspired to do so, resulting in the death of Thomas Lee Sehorne.

An indictment 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.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey S. Downing.

Kingpin of Auto Theft and Cloning Ring Sentenced

TAMPA, FL—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Pablo Barrio (56, Tampa) to 13 years in federal prison for leading a multi-object conspiracy involving the cloning of and interstate transportation of stolen automobiles; participating in the interstate transportation of stolen automobiles; mail fraud; and aggravated identity theft. The court entered a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $2.5 million, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct, and ordered restitution in excess of $204,000. Pablo Barrio pled guilty on January 7, 2011.

According to court documents, from an unknown date prior to April 2000, through on or about March 19, 2009, a conspiracy existed involving Pablo Barrio and numerous associates (co-conspirators). The conspiracy included multiple objects such as stealing motor vehicles, including luxury automobiles, sport utility vehicles, and various models of pickup trucks, from individuals and businesses including automobile dealerships throughout the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere. It also involved obtaining privately owned motor vehicles from individuals who voluntarily reported their vehicles stolen in order to make fraudulent insurance claims on the vehicles; altering and changing the VIN plates and decals (cloning) of the vehicles with counterfeit VIN plates and decals, which were sent via commercial interstate and foreign carriers, such as FedEx, DHL, and UPS, to the conspirators located in Mexico; and transporting these stolen and cloned vehicles to locations outside the state of Florida for sale, using counterfeit vehicle titles and other documents received from the co-conspirators in Mexico.

During the existence of the conspiracy, the conspirators stole and transported more than 100 motor vehicles in interstate commerce. The value of these vehicles totaled more than $2.5 million. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, this group of individuals led by Pablo Barrio was one of the most prolific and sophisticated professional auto theft organizations ever encountered.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Miami-Dade Auto Theft Task Force, Tampa Police Department, Lee County Sheriff's Office, Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Kane-Cook County Auto Theft Task Force in Illinois, Dupage County Auto Theft Task Force in Illinois, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald L. Hansen.

Law Enforcement Agencies Seeking Information on Serial Bank Robber and Offering Reward

TAMPA, FL—Investigating law enforcement agencies suspect that three banks in West Central Florida were robbed by the same individual, who investigators refer to as the “Bank Bag Bandit.” During the incidents, the robber wore a dark colored hat, sunglasses, mask over his face, and a dark colored jacket. He displayed a handgun at the teller station and demanded money be placed in a pouch. During one of the robberies, the suspect reportedly fled the bank in a Ford F150 pick-up truck, Lariat Edition, possibly gray or silver in color.

The suspected serial bank robber struck at the following financial institutions:

11/2/2010, the BB&T Bank, 6213 SR 54, Elfers, Florida (Pasco County)

12/8/2010, the First Citrus Bank,

13850 Sheldon Road, Tampa, Florida

(Hillsborough County)

1/28/2011, the Superior Bank,

1300 Pinehurst Drive, Spring Hill, Florida

(Hernando County)

Suspect Description:

Race: White

Sex: Male

Height: 5’8” to 6’0”

Build: Heavy

Hair: Gray

The agencies investigating the above robberies are the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI.

Anyone with information regarding the above robberies should contact Crime Stoppers at 800-873-TIPS (1-800-873-8477) to be eligible for the $1000.00 reward.

Four Local Juveniles Rescued from Prostitution During Operation Cross Country V

TAMPA—Over the past 72 hours, local law enforcement agencies concluded their investigative efforts in conjunction with Operation Cross Country V, a three-day national enforcement action as part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative. The operation included enforcement actions in 40 cities throughout the nation and led to the recovery of 69 children who were being victimized through prostitution. Additionally, nearly 885 others, including 99 pimps, were arrested on state and local charges.

Locally, four juveniles were rescued and 35 adults arrested during the weekend sweep. The four children resided in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. The participating agencies included the Tampa Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Clearwater Police Department, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the FBI.

Task Force operations usually begin as local actions, targeting such places as truck stops, casinos, street “tracks,” and Internet websites, based on intelligence gathered by officers working in their respective jurisdictions. Initial arrests are often violations of local and state laws relating to prostitution or solicitation. Information gleaned from those arrested often uncovers organized efforts to prostitute women and children across many states. Investigators further develop this information in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and file federal charges where appropriate.

To date, the 39 Innocence Lost Task Forces and Working Groups have recovered over 1,200 children from the streets. The investigations and subsequent 625 convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences, including multiple 25-years-to-life sentences and the seizure of more than $3.1 million in assets.

In the spring of 2003, the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, in partnership with the Department of Justice’s CEOS and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), formed the Innocence Lost National Initiative to address the growing problem of children forced into prostitution.

This program brings state and federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and social service providers all from around the country to NCMEC, where the groups are trained together. In addition, CEOS has reinforced the training by assigning prosecutors to help bring cases in those cities plagued by child prostitution.

The charges announced today are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.