TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is charging 19 individuals involved in a massive drug trafficking organization selling fentanyl throughout Central Florida. Attorney General Uthmeier, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Assistant Commissioner Lee Massey, and Orange County Sheriff John Mina announced the takedown of the criminal group at a news conference in Orlando this morning. The Office of Statewide Prosecution charged the defendants with trafficking in fentanyl, trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine.

“There are swift consequences for those who commit crimes in Florida, and we will support law enforcement in the fight to keep deadly fentanyl off our streets,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “This operation was successful due to the SAFE Grant program, which provides additional state funding to local law enforcement to conduct investigations and combat illicit fentanyl activity. These operations save lives, and SAFE Grants are vital to these efforts.”

The joint FDLE and OCSO investigation uncovered the 19 group members selling fentanyl and cocaine throughout the Central Florida area. Authorities seized six pounds of fentanyl and four pounds of cocaine, worth a total of $1.5 million.

The operation was funded in part by Florida’s SAFE grant program. SAFE grants provide assistance to local law enforcement agencies conducting investigations designed to combat illicit fentanyl activity. The grant provides reimbursement for approved fentanyl-related investigative operations.

In the past year, the SAFE Grant Program has resulted in more than 1,500 arrests and the seizure of more than 170 kilograms of fentanyl and more than 57,000 fentanyl pills.

The following defendants have been arrested by authorities: Juan Carlos Oquendo, Luis Perez Guzman, Kendrick Butler, Jose Rodriguez, Wilfredo Hernandez, Denniz Andino, Jr., Edward De La Cruz Perez, McKenzie Debardeleben, Anamaria Carrasquero, Luis Galarza, Herman Toledo, Xuxa Sanes, Brian Nazario, Molly Wilson, Juan Gonzalez, Nolan Lavery, III, and Jose Ortiz.

The following defendants are still outstanding: David Santana and Valerie Multari.

Assistant Statewide Prosecutor David Gillespie will handle the case.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Attorney General James Uthmeier congratulated thirty-six law enforcement members for being named the Attorney General’s inaugural Law Enforcement Team of the Year. These men and women from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are being honored for their courageous and coordinated response that led to the apprehension of the alleged suspect involved in the attempted assassination of President Donald J. Trump.

“The men and women of this team exemplify the very best of law enforcement—swift, selfless, and steadfast in the face of unimaginable danger,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “They upheld the rule of law when it mattered most. Florida proudly honors them as our inaugural Law Enforcement Team of the Year.”

The team is being recognized for their exceptional response on September 15, 2024, apprehending Ryan Routh, the alleged would-be assassin of then-former President Donald J. Trump, while he was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The suspect fled the scene but was later captured in Martin County, thanks to the coordination and decisive action of the individuals recognized today. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a conviction for an illegal alien who held a critical role within a criminal enterprise of illegal aliens. Jonny Pinzon Rios was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering and two counts of Dealing in Stolen Property.

“This criminal illegal alien conspired with a theft ring to sell stolen Rolex watches that were taken during burglaries of Floridians’ homes,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Thanks to our brave law enforcement and Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Eric Ross and Briana Zupko, he was convicted of his crimes and faces serious criminal penalties. We do not tolerate theft in Florida, and we will continue to work with the Trump administration to get these criminals out of our state and nation.”

Pinzon held an essential role within a criminal enterprise of illegal aliens who victimized business owners and their families by committing high-end residential burglaries and selling the stolen property that was taken from the victim’s homes. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the criminal enterprise stole over $1,600,000 worth of personal property from the victim’s homes. Continue reading →

PENSACOLA, Fla.— Today, Attorney General James Uthmeier joined Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr., to sign a Memorandum of Agreement between the Attorney General’s Office of Parental Rights and the Florida Department of Education. This agreement brings the agencies together to protect students in Florida’s education system from unlawful abuses by school systems, protect parents’ God-given rights to direct how their children are educated, and maintain close involvement in such processes. The Memorandum of Agreement is available here.

“With this collaboration between the Office of Parental Rights and the Florida Department of Education, we are putting the power in parents’ hands,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “The rights of parents are non-negotiable in Florida, and they deserve an education system that works for them without an inappropriate, politically driven agenda. It was an honor to sign this important agreement with Commissioner Diaz.”

“Florida is the Parental Rights state, and I am proud to work with Attorney General Uthmeier to enhance the power of Florida parents,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “I am proud to sign this Memorandum of Understanding with the Attorney General’s Office today to further bolster our efforts to support the rights of parents and to protect Florida’s children.” Continue reading →

The Mechanics of the Tap and Glue Scam

Tap and glue scams leverage the convenience of tap-to-pay technology at ATMs, combined with a simple but effective trick involving glue. Scammers first disable the card insertion slot by pouring glue into it, forcing customers to use the tap function. While this may seem like an easy fix, it sets the stage for the scam.

Once a customer taps their card and withdraws cash, they often forget to log out of their account. This leaves the session open, allowing the scammer to step in and continue withdrawing funds. The scam relies on the victim’s unfamiliarity with tap-to-pay procedures, making it a lucrative tactic for fraudsters.

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In this world I urge to do business with people not businesses! People you know or someone that is a trusted referral. Take the time to call and get their opinion and or price. Take the time to know the business people around you. Continue reading →

Many people have heard that the IRS is working on updating their systems and modernizing their software for a more efficient and secure operation. Unfortunately we have been hearing this same refrain year after year and decade after decade. Sam Corcos with DOGE recently stated “We’re now 35 years into this program. If you ask them (the IRS) now, it’s five years away, and it’s been five years away since 1990. It was suppose to be delivered in 1996, and it’s still five years away.”

Every hard-working American taxpayer should be beyond frustrated and disgusted with such an antiquated, inefficient and broken tax system. What’s sad is that the system has become so large and unwieldy that any attempt to make it better ends up being an exercise in futility- like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

According to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, our income tax system inflicts an almost unimaginable burden on American taxpayers. Americans spend 6.5 billion hours preparing and filing their taxes each year. In addition, they spend over $414 billion in annual costs. That’s over and above their actual tax liability. In 2021, IRS commissioner Charles Rettig noted that we have a $1 trillion annual tax gap. That’s money owed but not collected thanks to illegal tax evasion. Continue reading →

More than 6 miles of added lanes on I-4 will be completed 8 months ahead of schedule 
KISSIMMEE, Fla.— Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced early completion of the congestion relief lanes through one of the busiest sections of Interstate 4 (I-4), delivering on a promise he made last June to open the lanes by the end of 2025. Not only has this commitment been met, but it has been exceeded with these lanes being ready for use eight months ahead of schedule. The new lanes, one additional lane in each direction of I-4 from U.S. 27 in Polk County to World Drive in Osceola County, will be open for use beginning the week of April 28.

“We launched the Moving Florida Forward initiative to accelerate major transportation projects that reduce congestion and improve connectivity,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “With nearly 700 projects underway and $75 billion in infrastructure investment since 2019, we’re delivering real results for Floridians and keeping Florida moving.”

Governor DeSantis directed FDOT to deliver immediate congestion relief along I-4. In response, FDOT used an innovative construction approach to open new lanes early—eight months ahead of schedule—improving travel times without waiting for full project completion. These lanes will remain open through all future construction. Continue reading →

1. MYERS, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis joined Florida Highway and Safety Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner to advocate for critical pay raises and funding for Florida State Troopers and other state law enforcement.

“In my Focus on Fiscal Responsibility proposed budget, I advocate for a 20% pay raise for state entry-level officers and 25% pay raise for veteran officers and all state firefighters,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The Florida House is blocking these raises, and other critical resources for law enforcement. We must support and equip law enforcement to be successful in defending our communities.”

Earlier this year, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his recommendation for massive pay increases for state law enforcement officers and firefighters in his Fiscal Responsibility Budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025-26.

The Governor’s Fiscal Responsibility Budget recommends $118.3 million in pay increases for more than 4,700 state sworn law enforcement officers and more than 730 state firefighters:

• 20% pay increase for state entry level sworn law enforcement officers.
• 25% pay increase for veteran sworn law enforcement officers and all state firefighters.

Continue reading →

OCALA, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida has awarded more than 7,800 recruitment bonuses to new law enforcement officers through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program. The latest round of bonuses went to officers serving in Marion County, while an additional 660 bonuses have recently been distributed to recruits across the state.

Launched in 2022, this first-of-its-kind initiative underscores Florida’s nation-leading commitment to supporting law enforcement. The program provides a one-time $5,000 bonus—after taxes—to newly employed officers as a show of appreciation and incentive for choosing to serve in Florida.

“When other states were defunding their police, demonizing law enforcement, and kneecapping their criminal justice system, we rewarded our law enforcement for their service,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I was proud to be in Marion County to award recruitment bonus checks to Florida’s newest law enforcement officers and thank them for their commitment to protecting our communities.”

To date, more than 1,700 law enforcement officers from 49 other states and two territories have relocated to Florida, with more than 500 coming from anti-police states like California, Illinois, and New York. Each of the 7,800 newly recruited officers has received a $5,000 bonus after taxes, with the program distributing more than $53 million to date. Continue reading →

OCALA, FL — Yesterday, Rep. Cammack and hundreds of constituents celebrated the grand opening of the new Ocala District Office located in the McPherson Government Complex at 2630 SE 3rd Street in Ocala.

Joined by special guests Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken, members of the Marion County Board of County Commissioners, and leaders from the Ocala Chamber & Economic Partnership (CEP), Congresswoman Cammack and her district staff cut the ribbon for the new facility, which opened earlier in March following the completion of needed renovations.

Congresswoman Cammack, members of her staff, and constituents celebrate the ribbon-cutting for the new office.

“I’m thrilled to have relocated our Ocala District Office back to its original location in the McPherson Government Complex,” said Rep. Cammack. “Centrally located with other useful local and state offices for constituents in Marion County, our office is a one-stop shop for folks seeking assistance with federal agencies, including the VA, Social Security Administration, and IRS, along with economic development opportunities, internships for local students, and more. Our team continues to deliver the same excellent service we always have in this new location. We hope constituents will visit us soon in-person or contact us via phone at (352) 421-9052.”

The Ocala District Office is located at 2630 SE 3rd Street, Ocala, FL 34471 and is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. No appointments are necessary to visit with staff.