TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - A federal grand jury returned a 14-count indictment, unsealed today, charging 10 defendants with conspiracy, theft of government funds, and aggravated identity theft. The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The defendants are:
* Ja’Baree Vazquez Allen, 26, Tallahassee, Florida;
* Ronald Edward Brown, 27, Quincy, Florida;
* Anre’ Juardon Davis, 34, St. Petersburg, Florida;
* Addrain Montez McMillan, 29, Overland Park, Kansas;
* Rashard Lavonta McMillian, 26, Quincy, Florida
* Jasmine Junae Robinson, 25, Tallahassee, Florida;
* Daria Patrice Simmons, 33, Tampa, Florida;
* Jazzman Shabazz Simmons, 27, Tallahassee, Florida;
* John Walter Simmons, 34, Tampa, Florida; and
* Mercedes Shevon Sutton, 25, Tampa, Florida.
The indictment alleges that, between January 2011 and April 2014, the conspirators fraudulently obtained the personal identifying information of approximately 2,800 individuals from multiple sources, including the insurance provider AmeriGroup and the online death database, dobsearch.com. The indictment further alleges that the conspirators then prepared and electronically filed fraudulent federal income tax returns using the victims’ information and caused the Internal Revenue Service to issue tax refunds in the victims’ names. The tax refunds were allegedly loaded onto debit cards, issued in the form of U.S. Treasury checks, and deposited into bank accounts controlled by the conspirators. By this conduct, the conspirators allegedly attempted to obtain approximately $11.1 million in tax refunds. Additionally, John Walter Simmons is charged with knowingly possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The trial is scheduled for Dec. 14, 2015, at 8:30 a.m.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. The office strives to protect and serve the citizens of the Northern District of Florida through the ethical, vigorous, and impartial enforcement of the laws of the United States, to defend the national security, to improve the safety and quality of life in our communities through the protection of civil rights, and to protect the public funds and financial assets of the United States. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
