Pharmacists Satender Singh and Rajnish Mehta were sentenced to probation on Friday in a federal health insurance fraud case prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Tampa. Both Singh and Mehta previously pleaded guilty and received credit for cooperating with...
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July 29, 2010
by
K. McKinney
The former corporate controller of Cast-Crete, a company founded by the late Tampa political activist Ralph Hughes, pleaded guilty this week to embezzling more than $5.3 million from the company. Franklin R. Derochemont had worked for the company since 1979...
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July 26, 2010
by
K. McKinney
After an eight day trial earlier this month, a federal jury in Tampa found Beau Diamond of Sarasota guilty of 18 counts of fraud and money laundering-related crimes. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of...
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July 21, 2010
by
K. McKinney
A U.S. District Judge in Tampa sentenced a Pinellas County man to 57 months in federal prison last week for mail fraud and tax fraud. Joseph Christopher Hooker of Tierra Verde was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount...
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July 20, 2010
by
K. McKinney
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office detectives started making arrests this month in their year-long Operation Spring Hill investigation. So far, arrests number in the dozens. They are looking to arrest a total of 66 people in relation to prescription drug fraud...
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Locations: Florida
Criminal Charges:
Drug Crimes,
Felonies
July 19, 2010
by
K. McKinney
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit affirmed actor Wesley Snipes’ 2008 conviction and sentence for failing to file tax returns last week. Snipes faces a three-year federal prison sentence but has been free on bail pending appeal...
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July 12, 2010
by
K. McKinney
Tampa’s highest-profile murder defendant in quite some time now faces four charges of murder in three separate incidents. Dontae Rashawn Morris is accused of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Tampa police officers David Curtis and Jeffrey Kocab earlier...
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Locations: Florida
Criminal Charges:
Felonies,
Violent Crimes
July 11, 2010
by
K. McKinney
Diane Ferron, a civilian employee at the Pinellas County Jail, was charged last week with driving under the influence (DUI) after reportedly crashing through a jail fence when leaving work. Ferron, an assistant inmate records supervisor, was leaving the jail...
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Locations: Florida
Criminal Charges:
Vehicular Crimes
July 5, 2010
by
K. McKinney
Tampa Bay – and the rest of the country – should probably ready itself for another round of federal mortgage fraud prosecutions. A few weeks ago, in late June, 2010, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced yet another coordinated task...
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