Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 9-1-15 Edition

Features
Affidavit Gives Details In Tax Fraud Case
An affidavit filed last week against a Tampa woman provides details on how she reportedly obtained information. She is accused of using a unique manner to obtain information.
Ms. Rita Girven, 32, provided information to the Tampa Police Department as a confiden- tial informant. In March, she agreed to a plea deal for federal income tax fraud. As a result of the deal, she will be sentenced for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, a search war- rant was conducted at Ms. Girven’s apartment in Belmont Heights Estates in September 2013. At that time, police found prepaid debit cards and hundreds of records containing personal in- formation of others.
According to court documents, the investiga- tion into Ms. Girven resulted in the discovery of the potential involvement of Tampa Police Department employees.
Another confident informant told police that while Ms. Girven was driving around, she would look for older drivers and write their tag numbers down. Ms. Girven allegedly would give the tag numbers to her friend who worked for the Tampa Police Department. The next day, Ms. Girven would receive a telephone call from her friend, who would provide her with the personal information.
The friend, who allegedly provided the infor- mation, was identified in the court documents
RITA GIRVEN ...Pleaded guilty to tax fraud
as Ms. Tonia Bright, a Civilian employee as- signed to Uniform District Three, the court doc- uments stated.
Officials said in her capacity as a Community Service Officer, Ms. Bright had access to the department’s computer databases. Police also
alleged finding a “sticky note” with the initials of D.A., along with her date of birth and social security number inside Ms. Girven’s home.
An expert analyzing the handwriting on the note compared it to a sample of Ms. Bright’s handwriting. The expert reportedly found the handwriting to be the same as Ms. Bright’s.
Ms. Bright was allowed to retire from the Tampa Police Department after 34 years of em- ployment. She has not been charged with any criminal offenses to date.
Ms. Girvin reportedly obtained information from other sources as well, including ancestry websites, and other co-conspirators, officials said.
Investigators said Ms. Girven admitted to receiving $33,002 as a result of filing the fraud- ulent returns.
Two other Tampa Police employees have ties to Ms. Girven, officials said. Former Sgt. La- Joyce Houston was arrested and fired after she reportedly used Ms. Girven’s food stamp card, with her permission, while Ms. Girven was in jail.
Sgt. Houston was fired and charged with welfare fraud in October 2013. The charges were later dropped.
Her husband, former Detective Eric Houston, was fired in March 2014, amid alle- gations of wrongdoing. So far, no charges have been filed against former Detective Houston.
Mother Wants To Reunite With Her Children
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
In 1993, Monica Dun- lap was battling demons in her life. Those demons cost her a son and daughter.
“They were both put into foster care. The last time I even saw pictures of them was years ago when they were in a paper because of their scholastic achieve- ments.
“Terrencia and Ter- rence would be in their 20s now, respectively. I’m not asking to change any- thing about their lives. I’d just like to see them.”
Ms. Dunlap said she’s not sure how her children will greet her after all these years, and she’s afraid they will not want to see her at all.
“I just pray that they will allow me to spend some time with them. I’m anx- ious to see what they look like now, and what’s going
MONICA DUNLAP
on in their lives.
“I may have grandchil-
dren now, and I’d like noth- ing better than to be a part of their lives.”
Ms. Dunalp said she’s not in a position to demand anything, but she prays every day that she will get to see her children again.
“If any of them see this story, call me at (813) 362- 5132. I’ll drop whatever I’m doing and come to wher-
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3