Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 6-19-18

Crime
Tax Fraud Case
3 Jailed In Lottery Scam Targeting The Elderly
Nets Man 3 Years,
6 Months In Prison
Following a 3-month in- vestigation, detectives have arrested 2 people. An arrest warrant has been issued for a third person. They were charged in connection with a lottery scam.
According to Hillsbor- ough County detectives, the investigation into the organ- ized fraud scheme includes 12 cases that took place in Hillsborough, Polk and Lake Counties. Ten of those cases are in the jurisdiction of the Hillsborough County Sher- iff’s Office.
The majority of the vic- tims were elderly Hispanics. The victims lost a total of $152,034 in cash and $34,400 in jewelry.
During September of last year, Jhon Figueroa, Siomara Jimenez, and Marino Jimenez Quin- tana allegedly began survey- ing parking lots and targeting their victims. They would convince their victims that they had a winning lottery ticket that could not be
A federal judge sentenced amanto3yearsand6 months in prison. He pleaded guilty to theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft on October 5, 2017.
According to court docu- ments, between January 2012 and September 2014, Antwan Miller, 38, of Tampa, was involved in a scheme to file false and fraud- ulent income tax returns with the IRS. As part of the scheme, large refunds were deposited onto debit cards.
The investigation revealed that the IRS had received fraudulent tax returns in the names of several victims that resulted in $389,479.07 in fraudulent income tax re- funds being deposited onto debit cards controlled by
JHON FIGUEROA ... Arrested
SIOMARA JIMENEZ ... Arrested
MARINO JIMENEZ QUINTANA
... Warrant Issued
Two People Stabbed At Local Club
Police responded to a local nightclub early Monday in reference to a large fight. When they arrived, they dis- covered that two people had been stabbed.
According to the Tampa Police Department, officers were dispatched to Club Viva, 4235 N. Armenia Avenue, shortly before 2:30 a.m.
They discovered the fight had broken out in front of the bay and that an unidentified suspect had stabbed the two people.
The victims have been identified as Javaris Un- derwood, 30, and Gerard Jontae McCarthan, 35, both of Tampa.
Both victims left the club in vehicles. Underwood was driven to the hospital by a friend. McCarthan was taken to another location be-
Man Injured
ANTWAN MILLER Miller and his co-conspira-
tors.
They then withdrew the
money from ATMs and the Seminole Hard Rock Casino. Several of Miller’s co-con- spirators have pleaded guilty to similar charges and have been sentenced.
cashed because they were in the country illegally.
The suspects would place a telephone call in front of the victims to someone pre- tending to be with the Florida Lottery. The person on the other end would tell the victims that the only way to redeem the ticket was to prove they had cash on hand as a form of collateral.
The suspects would then drive the victim to their bank, where the victim would remove between $2,000 and $40,000 from their bank ac- count. They would also give
them any jewelry and cash on hand.
The suspects would leave and never return to repay the victims.
Figueroa, 42, was re- leased from the Hillsborough County jail on a bond of $107,000 with a GPS moni- tor. He is facing 22 charges. Ms. Jimenez, 52, was re- leased on a bond of $120,000. She is facing 13 charges. A warrant has been issued for Quintana, 48, who is facing 13 charges.
All three suspects live in Kissimmee.
UNCLE SANDY
By Gunfire
Appears At
Local Hospital
The holidays stress people 14, 19, 24, 28 out so much. 23, 30, 31, 35 I suggest you keep it simple 10, 17, 40, 42 and try to have as much fun as you can. 32, 33, 36, 39.
GERARD McCARTHAN ... Injured at Club
fore being transported to the hospital. Both victims were in stable condition, police said.
The investigation into the stabbing is continuing. Any- one with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873- TIPS or www.crimestopper- stb.com.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that took place shortly after midnight Mon- day. The victim went to Bran- don Regional Hospital for treatment.
According to police, deputies responded to a report of shots being fired at 5011 Marc Drive. Within 10 min- utes, a deputy at the hospital reported that a man had en- tered the Emergency Room with a gunshot wound.
The victim and the individ- uals who dropped him off were not cooperating with police.
The investigation is ongo- ing and no names have been released.
TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 19