The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Wednesday that, 17 individuals have been arrested following a two-year-long investigation of statewide organized fraud.
FDLE said that it is believed that the statewide organized fraud netted the group in excess of $500,000 over a three-year period.
Of the seventeen arrested, nine persons are from Orlando, two from Altamonte Springs, two from Sanford and one each from Pompano Beach, Bradenton, Ocala and Oklahoma.
The investigation began in late 2010 in partnership with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, FDLE said. The group commonly used counterfeit checks to purchase merchandise from large retail stores throughout Florida. The counterfeit checks used by the group typically displayed fraudulent information and/or stolen account numbers.
Agents say, the defendants would use the counterfeit checks in conjunction with counterfeit driver’s licenses and identification cards to purchase store merchandise. Once the merchandise was purchased, it would be kept for a short period of time, only to be returned later for cash or gift cards.
In some instances, members of the group would use the counterfeit checks to directly purchase store gift cards which would then be used to purchase Visa or American Express gift cards at a sister store. Once the Visa or American Express cards were purchased, they could be used almost anywhere, agents also said.
The following individuals have been charged with organized scheme to defraud, conspiracy to commit organized scheme to defraud, criminal use of personal identification information, conspiracy to commit criminal use of personal identification information, and criminal use of fictitious or personal identification information:
- D’Angelo Keith Jones, 28, of Orlando
- James Edward Cook Jr., 33, of Orlando
- Timothy Duval, 23, of Orlando
- Christopher Michael Jones, 34, of Orlando
- Claudine Antoinette Smith-Jones, 33, of Orlando
- Brandon Sanchez Brinson, 24, of Pompano Beach
- Roger Sermon Jr., 31, of Altamonte Springs
- Gregory Wayne Lowe Jr., 26, of Sanford
- Henry Evett Allen, 37, of Orlando
- Courtney Boston Scott, 23, of Orlando
- Ralph Williams III, 34, of Bradenton
- Annette Luvern Siplin, 50, of Sanford
- Paul Boyd Jr., 50, of Altamonte Springs
- Montrez D. Maye, 33, of Orlando
- Edger M. Jenning-Boswell, 30, Ocala
- Cenenia Bryant, 30, of Orlando
- Chelsy L. Beals, 22, of Edmond Oklahoma
Each defendant is being held under a $45,000.00 total bond.
The case is being prosecuted in partnership with the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.
