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.

Two Fort Myers Men Indicted for Robbery of an Undercover Lee County Detective

Fort Myers, Florida — United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Eddy Luis Jose Estrella (age 25, Fort Myers) and Miguel Angel Martinez (age 27, Fort Myers) with multiple felonies relating to a robbery of an undercover Lee County Sheriff’s Office detective. Estrella is charged with distribution of oxycodone within 1000 feet of a playground, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to the distribution of oxycodone, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, conspiracy to affect commerce by robbery, robbery affecting commerce, conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a robbery, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a robbery. If convicted on all counts, Estrella faces a mandatory minimum period of 32 years up to a maximum of Life in federal prison. Martinez is charged with conspiracy to affect commerce by robbery, robbery affecting commerce, conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a robbery, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a robbery, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. If convicted on all counts, Martinez faces a mandatory minimum period of 7 years up to a maximum of Life in federal prison. The indictment also notifies that the United States intends to forfeit the firearms and ammunition alleged to be involved in the offenses and any property which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses or which facilitated the commission of the offenses.

According to the indictment, Estrella allegedly distributed oxycodone within 1000 feet of Schandler Hall Park in Lee County, on January 20th and 27th, 2011. Estrella and Martinez are also alleged to have attempted to rob an undercover Lee County Sheriff’s Office detective, on January 27, 2011, of oxycodone and cash that was to be used by the detective to purchase a firearm. Estrella and Martinez are alleged to have used and carried firearms during and in relation to the distribution of oxycodone (Estrella) and the robbery of the undercover detective (Estrella and Martinez). Both Estrella and Martinez are alleged to have been convicted felons at the time of the possession of the firearms on January 20th and 27th, 2011, and therefore prohibited by law from possessing firearms.

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 Detectives of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jesus M. Casas and Jeffrey F. Michelland.

This 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 Tampa Field Division, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Three Florida Cop Novels

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three Florida police officers who have written fictional novels.

Lieutenant Steven H. Richardson, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (ret.) (Florida) is the author of Crossing the Chalk Line. Although a work of fiction, it has been described as “closer to reality than fiction in describing what happens when police do the wrong thing for the right reasons.” According to the book description, “When Deputy Mark Jacobs finds his training officer lying dead in the panhandle mud, he must patiently wait for the criminal justice system to prosecute the murderer. Unable to place the murderer at the crime scene, the prosecutor is forced to release the murderer back into the Olustee communities.”

Derwin J. Bradley is a police officer for the Orlando Police Department Florida), a former military bodyguard and counter-terrorist specialist with extensive experience and travel in Africa and Europe. Derwin Bradley has trained hundreds of police officers in defensive tactics and has provided advanced tactical police training to U.S. Army Special Forces, British Army Special Forces, Police SWAT Teams, and military bodyguards during his 23 years in law enforcement. He has lectured at national conferences on juvenile crime and unconventional gang enforcement tactics, and has written several police training and program manuals.

Derwin Bradley is the author of two books, Black and Blue: Understanding Modern Law Enforcement in your American and The Operator Fear No Evil. Bradley’s book The Operator Fear No Evil is a novel of political intrigue. That includes, according to the book description, “hardball politics, advanced technology, unconventional tactics, and a secret state-of-the-art operations center.”

G.J. Herrey is a retired police officer from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (Florida). His novel is Sins, Stones and Glass Houses. According to the book description, “This novel begins in a city in Florida, where Zachary Naccarato, a decorated veteran, has just been awarded honors for catching a serial murderer. Shortly thereafter Sergeant Naccarato finds himself involved in a high stakes game of corruption, conspiracy, and murder. He is lured into the game of a madman, baited by his only true seduction: his quest for the truth. After a series of ritualistic murders are blamed on Naccarato, he is forced to resign from his career with the possibility of his arrest looming ever near. His life in disarray, Zach sets out to clear his name. Slowly, from the peripheral corners of each turned page, the killer emerges for an ultimate showdown. Conspiracy, betrayal, corruption, and the ultimate sin: homicide, are interwoven within the plot.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 393 police officers (representing 166 police departments) and their 848 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.