Brian Silber Law

Civil Forfeiture Attorney

Free Initial Consultation

(954) 462-3636

Show the Way

Three Tampa Bay-Area Men Charged in Conspiracy to Defraud U.S. Department of Agriculture

By

dan-gold-4_jhDO54BYg-unsplash-300x200The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has announced charges against three Tampa Bay-area men accused of conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and making false statements regarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Ghasan Awad of Safety Harbor, Bassam Al Saleh of Tampa, and Ahmad Al Saleh of Tampa are charged with conspiracy to defraud USDA and making false statements to the USDA regarding SNAP. Awad also faces charges of wire fraud and obtaining SNAP benefits in violation of federal statutes. The Al Salehs each face three counts of making certain false statements to the USDA. It is unclear if any of the three has acquired legal representation.

According to the indictment, Awad was the owner of Express Meat Market, a grocery store in St. Petersburg, FL, that accepted SNAP benefits. For reasons that are unclear, Awad’s store was disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits by the USDA. Awad then allegedly conspired with Ahmad Al Saleh and Bassam Al Saleh to fraudulently transfer ownership of the business to Ahmad Al Saleh so that he could hide his active role in the business’ operations. The indictment accuses the trio of making multiple false and fraudulent statements to the USDA to initiate the transfer of the store’s ownership.

After transferring ownership of his business to Ahmad Al Saleh, Awad violated federal law and USDA regulations governing SNAP by giving the store’s customers cash in exchange for their SNAP benefits.

SNAP, which is formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is the federal government’s food-purchasing assistance program for low- and no-income people. Businesses that are authorized to accept SNAP benefits must comply with regulations set by the USDA. Business owners who violate the USDA’s rules may be disqualified from the program and face fines and other penalties.

If convicted, Awad and the Al Salehs face up to five years in prison for the conspiracy charges. Awad also faces up to five years imprisonment for each SNAP benefits violation, and up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud. The Al Salehs also face a maximum of five years in prison for each false statement count.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that an indictment is merely a formal charge that someone has committed violations of federal criminal law. However, the accused is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

SNAP fraud is a big problem in Florida, where more than three million people are on the program. According to Florida’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis, SNAP fraud cost Florida taxpayers more than $12 million in 2018 alone. Patronis’ office estimates that 10 percent of all stores authorized to accept SNAP benefits are engaged in fraud. Overall, the USDA estimates that SNAP fraud costs taxpayers around $330 million each year.

South Florida Fraud Defense Attorney

Have you been accused of fraud? Contact Brian Silber, P.A. for a free initial consultation with one of South Florida’s most experienced fraud defense attorneys.

Source: 6.10.20 trio charged in conspiracy to defraud US department of agriculture.pdf

Tampa Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

By

bill-oxford-udXD2NrbXS8-unsplash-300x200The Department of Justice has announced charges against Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari of Tampa, FL, for allegedly trying to provide “material support” to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and scouting a Tampa area for a possible terrorist attack.

Al-Azhari, 23, was charged with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. He is being held in the Pinellas County Jail. Attorney information wasn’t available.

“We are grateful for the hard work and swift action by our law enforcement partners and concerned citizens during this investigation,” stated U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez in a press release. “Their coordination and cooperation in this matter allowed us to interrupt a serious threat, without harm to anyone.”

According to the criminal complaint, Al-Azhari planned and attempted to carry out an attack on U.S. soil on behalf of ISIS. He allegedly spent much of this spring trying to illegally acquire guns from an undercover FBI agent posing as an eBay seller. He called off the deal after local law enforcement arrested him for trying to carry a firearm into a Home Depot. He purportedly worked at a Tampa Home Depot, but the complaint doesn’t specify which one.

Much of the complaint details the FBI’s monitoring of Al-Azhari’s online and phone communications through spring. In late April, he reportedly used the online shopping site Wish.com to order a bulletproof vest, a balaclava, and materials he intended to use to build a firearm silencer. He regularly read Islamic State news and participated in ISIS-focused chat rooms. He expressed admiration for Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen and spoke of his desire to carry out a similar mass shooting, the complaint states. He also allegedly researched how to make bombs and disguises.

Additionally, Al-Azhari researched and scouted potential targets for an attack, including Honeymoon Island State Park. He rehearsed portions of his plan and the statements he would make during the attack, according to the complaint.

Records indicate that Al-Azhari, a U.S. citizen, has a criminal history that includes prior terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia. He spent three years in prison in the Middle Eastern country after being convicted in 2015 of attempting to join a terrorist organization there, the complaint said. He returned to the U.S. in late 2018.

Al-Azhari was arrested May 24 in a FBI sting operation involving an undercover informant who promised to provide him with weapons after he’d shared his desire to carry out a mass shooting on behalf of ISIS, according to the complaint.

“The primary mission of the FBI is to protect the American public from terrorist attack. Today’s announcement of the arrest of Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azahari is proof we are committed to that pledge. I commend the 18 federal, state, and local member agencies who comprise FBI Tampa’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) for working day and night to prevent the loss of life in the Tampa Bay community,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division Michael F. McPherson.

South Florida Criminal Defense Attorney

Have you been accused of a crime in Florida? Contact Brian Silber, P.A. for a free initial consultation with one of Miami’s most experienced criminal defense attorneys.

Source: 5.27.20 Tampa man charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS.pdf

Tampa Woman Arrested on DUI Charges in Connection with Fatal Wrong-Way Crash in Largo, FL

By

matt-chesin-ZI-vWZBbwj8-unsplash-300x200Police in Largo, FL, have announced the arrest of a Tampa woman accused of driving in the wrong lane and crashing head-on into another vehicle, killing one person and injuring three others, including two children.

Britney Lynn Crawford, 27, faces charges of DUI manslaughter, DUI causing serious injury, vehicular homicide, and child neglect. She was booked into jail Sunday and was ordered held on $70,000. She bonded out of jail the following day. Attorney information wasn’t available.

According to the Largo Police Department, the crash occurred at approximately 2:15 a.m. May 3 along U.S. 19. Police received a call about a Nissan Murano speeding south in the northbound lanes of the highway. Officers tried to pull the vehicle over, but it crashed head-on into another vehicle.

The front-seat passenger of the vehicle the Murano crashed into was pronounced dead at the scene. The vehicle’s driver suffered a serious leg injury and was hospitalized, according to police. A 10-year-old child in the back seat was also hospitalized with serious injuries. Police haven’t released the names of the victims.

Crawford was identified as the driver of the Murano. She was found unconscious in the vehicle and was airlifted to an area hospital. She reportedly had a child with her at the time of the crash who was hospitalized for precautionary reasons, police said. Crawford’s relationship with the child was redacted in her arrest report.

Police noted that Crawford smelled of alcohol. They reportedly found two open cans of seltzer in her vehicle. Blood drawn at the hospital revealed that her blood alcohol content was .202, which is more than twice the legal limit for driving in Florida.

More than 5,000 accidents involving alcohol are reported in Florida every year, and at least 350 result in fatalities for at least one person involved. On average, over 29 percent of traffic-related deaths reported in Florida every year are the result of drunk driving. As a consequence, law enforcement agencies are required to use a zero-tolerance standard when punishing individuals who engage in this type of reckless behavior.

DUI manslaughter is a criminal charge brought against a driver accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and causing or directly contributing to the death of another person. It is a serious offense that, depending on the circumstances of the case, may be prosecuted as a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. It is usually charged as a second-degree felony by default with an array of penalties that include jail time, fines, driver’s license suspension, alcohol abuse courses, and more.

There are many instances where individuals are wrongfully accused of being under the influence at the time of a fatal accident, and they face severe consequences from such a conviction. Given the gravity of a DUI manslaughter charge, it is crucial to hire an experienced defense attorney who can launch an aggressive but tasteful defense that won’t create additional liability for the defendant.

South Florida DUI Attorney

Have you been arrested for DUI manslaughter? Contact Brian Silber, P.A. to set up a free initial consultation with one of South Florida’s most experienced DUI attorneys.

Source: 5.5.20 Woman driving wrong way crashed into car, killing one.pdf

Monica Racy Arrested in Sumter County, FL, after Police Find Drugs in Her Vehicle

By

thermometer-headache-pain-pills-139398-300x200Police in Sumter County, FL. announced the arrest of a 20-year-old Villages Charter School graduate after she was caught with a large quantity of drugs in her vehicle last Monday.

Monica Racy, 20, was arrested on multiple charges of drug possession with intent to distribute. She was ordered held on $24,000 bond at the Sumter County Detention Center. Attorney information wasn’t available.

According to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Department, Racy was pulled over by a deputy at approximately 6:30 p.m. April 19 on County Road 229 south of County Road 462. The deputy reported seeing Racy’s gray 2018 Volkswagen Jetta swerving into the path of his vehicle. She had also been paced driving 65 mph in a 45-mph zone on County Road 462.

Racy was allegedly “slow to respond” to the deputy and was seen “frantically” moving items around the vehicle, according to the arrest report.

“I observed her to place a backpack and a large Amazon envelope from the front passenger seat to the rear seat and attempt to place a scarf over the items,” the deputy wrote in the report.

Racy purportedly told the deputy that she was tired and was in a rush to get to her mother’s house. The deputy called a K-9 unit to the scene to search the vehicle for controlled substances.

Racy’s backpack was allegedly found to contain a bag of cocaine, an alprazolam pill, and a bag of cannabis. The Amazon envelope reportedly contained several bags of hallucinogenic mushrooms, methamphetamine, amphetamines, cannabis, and alprazolam. Police also found LSD and three packages of candy with labels indicating that they contained THC, the report said.

Racy allegedly confessed to the deputy that she had been “transporting the illicit narcotics for a friend to Sumter County from Tampa,” the report said.

“She advised illicit narcotics sales were down in the USF area due to the COVID-19 restrictions in Hillsborough County,” the deputy noted in the report.

Racy told the deputy she was to deliver the drugs and “take money back to her friend in Tampa,” the report states. She was placed under arrest and taken to Sumter County Detention Center, where she has since posted bond.

Records indicate that Racy has no prior criminal history. She is a clinical research assistant at the University of South Florida in Tampa, where she is pursuing a master’s degree in public health. She is responsible for “recruiting, educating, screening, and consenting patients with Type I and II Diabetes Mellitus throughout various clinical research projects,” according to the press.

Drug possession with intent to distribute is a serious offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Anyone accused of possession with intent to distribute should immediately consult an attorney who can review the case and come up with a winning defense strategy.

South Florida Drug Crimes Attorney

Have you been accused of a drug crime in Florida? Contact Brian Silber, P.A. to set up a free initial consultation with one of South Florida’s most experienced drug crimes defense attorneys.

Seth Lapensohn of Tampa, FL, Arrested in Suspected DUI Crash that Killed Bicyclist

By

adult-beer-bottle-blur-174936-300x225Police in Tampa, FL, announced the arrest of a 22-year-old man who allegedly struck and killed a bicyclist on Wednesday night and fled the scene.

Seth Lapensohn faces a felony charge of leaving the scene of a crash involving death and a misdemeanor DUI charge. He is being held in the Hillsborough County Jail on $15,500 bond. The press did not name an attorney for him.

According to the arrest report, the accident occurred at approximately 7 p.m. on March 4 on W. Gray Street near N. Gomez Avenue. Lapensohn was reportedly driving a 2016 Jeep Wrangler on the eastbound lane when he struck a bicyclist who was riding on the shoulder.

The victim, whose name hasn’t yet been released, was thrown from his bicycle and suffered severe injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lapensohn kept on driving without stopping to render aid or call 911. He returned to the scene about 50 minutes later and identified himself to officers as the driver involved in the crash, the report states. The damage to his vehicle was purportedly consistent with vehicle parts found at the crash site.

The officers who questioned Lapensohn reported smelling alcohol on his breath. He showed multiple signs of intoxication, including glassy eyes, slurred speech, and body tremors. He performed poorly on field sobriety exercises, according to the report.

A breath test showed his blood-alcohol content level was 0.008, which is less than Florida’s 0.08 limit for impairment. A drug recognition exam also showed he was impaired. The results of a urine test are pending, police said.

Records show Lapensohn is a student at the University of Tampa. The crash occurred about a mile east of his residence on the 400 block of N. Rome Avenue.

Two more DUI arrests were reported in South Florida this week. Police arrested two drivers on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in separate fatal crashes that occured in Orange County last year. Both drivers were arrested on a DUI manslaughter charge.

Raymond Sater, 44, was arrested for his role in a crash that occurred in October on Plymouth Sorrento Road. He was driving a pickup truck when he attempted to pass another vehicle and crashed head-on into a car driven by 25-year-old Parker Anthony, police said. Anthony was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sater’s blood alcohol level was 0.185, which is more than twice the legal limit in Florida. He was booked into Lake County Jail on $10,000 bond. It is unclear if he has acquired the services of an attorney.

The second arrest was of Edgardo Montes Negron, 50, for allegedly causing an accident that killed a motorcyclist in September 2019. Negron was reportedly turning onto Amber Road from Colonial Drive when he drove into the path of 25-year-old Austin McCurry, his arrest report states. McCurry died at the scene of the crash.

A witness allegedly saw Montes throw a drink out of his car after the crash. It is unclear if Montes submitted to breath or urine testing. He was ordered held without bond at the Orange County Jail. Attorney information wasn’t available.

Florida has passed some of the most stringent DUI laws in the country because of all the deaths that have occurred as a result of drunk driving. If you have been arrested on DUI charges in Florida, then you should immediately consult an experienced DUI attorney who can help you build a good defense and avoid a conviction.

South Florida DUI Attorney

Have you been arrested for a DUI? Contact Brian Silber, P.A. to set up a free initial consultation and work with one of South Florida’s most experienced DUI attorneys.

Sources: 5.3.20 Tampa driver arrested in crash that killed bicyclist.pdf & 3.3.20 FHP arrests 2 drivers on DUI charges for 2019 fatal crashes.pdf