Former St. Petersburg Homicide Detective Sentenced to Prison

TAMPA, FL—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Anthony V. Foster (40, St. Petersburg) to two years in federal prison for public corruption. As part of his sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $500, the proceeds of the public corruption not yet recovered by law enforcement. Foster pleaded guilty to one count of public corruption on October 20, 2011. That count, count one of the indictment, charged a wire fraud scheme to deprive the public of honest services.

According to court documents, during the period 2009 through June 2011, Foster worked as a homicide detective with the St. Petersburg Police Department (“SPPD”). During the same period, Foster made known to one of his sources (herein the “Source”)—who had a criminal history and pending state criminal cases—that Foster would contact State of Florida judges and/or Assistant State Attorneys (collectively “state authorities”) involved in the Source’s state criminal cases and provide positive information about the Source in exchange for Foster’s personal receipt of cash and property payments.

As acknowledged by Foster in the plea agreement, on April 6, 2011, following a series of cellular telephone calls and text messages, Foster met alone with the Source. During the meeting, Foster secured a cash payment from the Source totaling $7,075. Foster and the Source met alone again on April 15, 2011, in a grocery store parking lot, where Foster secured another cash payment of $325 and a 40-inch flat-screen television. Unbeknownst to Foster, both meetings were monitored by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

As further explained in the plea agreement, in exchange for the receipt of the cash and television, Foster then placed a telephone call on behalf of the Source to an Assistant State Attorney in Hernando County who was prosecuting an active state criminal case in which the Source was being charged with retail grand theft. During that telephone call, Foster identified himself as a homicide detective with the SPPD and provided positive information about the Source’s involvement in various SPPD investigations. Foster also encouraged other officials with the SPPD to contact the same Assistant State Attorney and provide positive information about the Source.

The plea agreement specifically notes that Foster never acknowledged to the Hernando County Assistant State Attorney or any official with the SPPD that Foster had received cash and property from the Source.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay G. Trezevant..

'America's Most Wanted' fugitive arrested

TAMPA, Fla. - Eric Antwan Bell, a federal fugitive in a Clearwater Area Human Trafficking Task Force (CAHTTF) investigation, was arrested without incident today at approximately 3 p.m. by special agents of the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Parsippany, N.J. He had been living in Jersey City, N.J.

On June 11, Bell was featured on the television program "America's Most Wanted" with John Walsh during the show's "Be On the Look Out" (BOLO) segment.

Bell was also featured on a digital billboard throughout the Tampa Bay-area and on ICE website as one of the agency's most wanted criminals.

On Jan. 3, a federal criminal complaint was filed in the Middle District of Florida which alleged that Bell was involved in the production of child pornography, unlawfully possessed a firearm and engaged in sex trafficking of a minor.

The task force agencies include: the Clearwater Police Department, Tampa Police Department, St. Petersburg Police Department, Largo Police Department, Pinellas Park Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Regional Community Policing Institute, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, Office of the State Attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, FBI and ICE HSI.

Non-government partners include: the Florida Department of Health, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, World Relief, the Haven Spouse Abuse Shelter, Gulf Coast Legal Services, Inc., Salvation Army and Clearwater Hispanic Outreach Center.

St. Petersburg Police Department Detective Indicted

TAMPA, FL—United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces the return of a seven-count indictment by a grand jury charging Anthony V. Foster (39, St. Petersburg) with public corruption charges. Counts one through six charge Foster with a wire fraud scheme to deprive the public of honest services. Count seven charges Foster with attempted extortion under color of official right. If convicted, Foster faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, per count. The indictment also notifies Foster that the United States intends to forfeit $7,400 and a Samsung Television, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

Foster was first arrested pursuant to a federal complaint on June 8, 2011. According to the charging documents, Foster, who worked as a detective for the St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD), told one of his sources that he would contact state authorities involved in the source’s state criminal cases to provide positive information about the source in exchange for Foster’s personal receipt of cash and property payments. Sometime thereafter, Foster and the source met so that Foster could secure cash and property payments from the source. According to the indictment, Foster sent and received text messages to coordinate the meetings with the source.

The indictment also alleges that Foster contacted state authorities involved with the source’s state criminal cases, identified himself as a detective with the SPPD, and provided positive information about the source’s involvement in various SPPD investigations. The indictment further alleges that Foster caused other SPPD officials to also contact state authorities on behalf of the source.

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. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay G. Trezevant.

Neo-Nazi Prison Gang Member Sentenced for Selling Pipe Bombs

Tampa, Florida – U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore sentenced Marc A. Balentine (42, St. Petersburg) to seven years and three months in federal prison for selling unregistered destructive devices to undercover agents.

Marc A. Balentine pled guilty on January 28, 2011.

According to court documents, Balentine and his co-defendant met with undercover agents and a confidential informant about other criminal conduct. During the midst of those discussions, the confidential informant and undercover agents asked Balentine if he could provide them with pipe bombs. Over a period of time, Balentine provided undercover agents with five pipe bombs. An explosives expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) found that the pipe bombs that Balentine provided were destructive devices that were capable of causing serious physical injury or death. Balentine is a member of European Kindred – a white supremacist prison and street gang that was founded in the prisons of Oregon.

This case was investigated by ATF and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale and is a part of the United States Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative.