Page 31 - Florida Sentinel 11-30-18

Crime
Gang Member Gets
Police Seek Help In Home Invasion Murder
11 Years In $1.1M
Tax Fraud Case
Detectives with the Tampa
Police Department are asking
for community assistance in a
home invasion murder. The
murder took place during the
afternoon hours of November 17th.
According to police, unidentified suspects forced their way into the home at 2409 State Street during the early afternoon hours. Once inside, the suspects, who were armed with handguns, con- fronted a 19-year-old woman who was in the kitchen and demanded money.
Police said Cristian Oso- rio Velazquez, 20, heard
the com- motion and came out of the bedroom to investi- gate. One of the sus- pects then shot him. The sus- pects then threat- ened to shoot the
scene after the shooting. Po- lice said a 4-d00r silver vehi- cle may be involved in the case.
Detectives are asking any- one with information about the murder to contact law en- forcement.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873- TIPS, or at www.crimestop- perstb.com.
Information can be re- ported anonymously and Crime Stoppers is offering up to $3,000 for information pertaining to the murder.
A 31-year-old Tampa man has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison. He pleaded guilty to theft of gov- ernment property and aggra- vated identity theft on August 16, 2018.
According to court docu- ments, Equanzick Howell, a/k/a “Pookie,” “Big Pook,” or “Pook Pook,” was sen- tenced to 11 years and two months in federal prison. Offi- cials said Howell was a senior member of the Manche Boy Mafia, or “MBM” Gang.
Officials said as a member of the gang, Howell committed tax fraud, credit card fraud, and identity theft in the Tampa Bay Area between 2011 and 2018.
Between March and June 2013, he filed 12 fraudulent tax returns, including one in his own name, and directed the funds be loaded onto his H&R Block card. With the exception of the return filed in his name, all of those forms were filed using stolen identities from de- ceased, elderly, or severely men- tally disabled individuals.
Officials said he also used the card to make ATM with- drawals and purchases. One of the purchases was for $2,500 to a cosmetic surgery center as payment for a procedure for his girlfriend, officials said.
During 2012, 2013, and 2014, officials said Howell and those working with him made false claims to the IRS for tax re-
CRISTIAN OSORIO VELAZQUEZ
EQUANZICK HOWELL
funds in the amount of $976,000. The group received $140,000 in fraudulent tax re- funds.
In 2015, the gang expanded its enterprise into purchasing stolen credit and debit card ac- count numbers online from var- ious websites.
Once they obtained the in- formation, it was used to use the counterfeit credit cards to ob- tain gift cards. The gift cards were then used to purchase firearms ammunition and to make purchases. Some of the items were kept and others re- turned for cash, officials said.
Investigators said Howell is responsible for approximately $1.1 million in purchases, or at- tempted purchases, with the counterfeit credit cards and stolen account information.
The multi-jurisdictional case was investigated by the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Tampa Police Department.
woman, who is 8 months pregnant, if she didn’t comply with their demands.
The suspects fled the
Truck Driver That Left Elderly Woman Hurt Arrested
Detectives have arrested the driver of a vehicle that struck a house and injured a 71-year-old woman. He was arrested Monday on an active warrant.
The elderly victim, who police have not identified, re- mains in critical condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
According to the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office, last Saturday, the woman was sitting on her sofa in her home at 12428 Pepperfield Drive, in Carrollwood. Shortly after 6:30 p.m., Saturday, the driver of a 2004 Chevrolet Sil- verado crashed into the home, traveled through the front walls and pinned the victim down.
Fire Rescue responded and
ROBERT DEVON SIDERS, III
freed the woman after more than 30 minutes.
After the accident, the driver, later identified as 30-year-old Robert Devon Siders, III, fled the scene on foot.
Detectives obtained a war- rant for his arrest and located him on Monday. Siders was hiding under a house at 12901 Four Oaks Road.
Siders was charged with leaving the scene of an acci- dent with serious bodily in- jury, reckless driving with serious bodily injury and driv- ing with a license that has been suspended, canceled, or revoked.
UNCLE SANDY
Your mind is a powerful thing 8, 20, 38, 48, 60. When you fill it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change 3, 16, 30, 48, 55.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 23-A