11-12-2013 (2)

In Case Number 13-CR-20855-KMM the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida filed a criminal Information charging PABLO O PINTO with structuring a financial transaction to avoid the currency transaction reporting requirements in violation of Title 31 United States Code section 5313(a) and 31 United States Code section 5324(a).

PINTO cashed multiple checks at SunTrust Bank, close in amount to, but less than the acknowledged amount of $10,000 USD in his attempt to evade filing a “currency transaction report” (CTR”). A “CTR” is a report that is given to the United States Department of Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Form Number 104.

The Information also contains a provision of forfeiture concerning unspecified property in which PINTO maintains an interest

In Case Number 13-600279 CR-SCOLA, the Government returned an Indictment charging EDUADO CHOC PEREZ with Illegal Re-entry after Removal from the United States.

If convicted PEREZ faces up to ten years in prison followed by a three year supervised release term. If tried the case could last for up to 5 days but more likely would take less time to try. The case has been assigned to Judge SCOLA in the Miami division of the District Court.

Likewise in case number 13-60276-CR-DIMITROULEAS, RONAL MARTINEZ MEJIA has also been charged with Illegal Re-Entry After Removal from the United States in violation of Title 8 United States Code section 1326 (a) and (b) (1). If convicted MEJIA would also fact up to a ten year prison sentence and three years of supervised release. This case has been assigned to United States district Court Judge William Dimitrouleas in the Fort Lauderdale division of the District Court.

In case number 13-6497 SNOW MIKELANGE PIERRE LOUIS was charged with willfully and knowingly attempting to use a passport issued and designed for the use of another person in violation of Title 18 USC section 1544. This case has been assigned to Magistrate Judge Snow until a Indictment is returned at which point the case will be assigned randomly to a District Court Judge.

The facts of this case allege that by way of flight #952, aboard the carrier Spirit Airlines, a female, presenting identification as MIKERLANGE PIERRE LOUIS’, arrived at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport on or about October 28, 2013. The flight originated from Port Au Prince, Haiti. Upon arrival, she presented a Haitian passport in the name of ”N.P.L.,” with the passport’s ID numbers ending in numbers 3464. She also presented a United States visa correspondingly in the name of ‘‘N.P.L.”. The documentation was presented to CBP officers for entry into the US reliant on examination, as is customary by the officers. After completing a fingerprint check, it was noticed by the CBP officer that her prints differed from the fingerprints that were stored in the immigration databases for ”N.P.L”. Said fingerprints were then referred for a secondary inspection.

The results of the secondary inspection through further inquiry of the computer database exhibited the visa being valid however the fingerprints not matching. It was distinguished that the prints were similar in appearance and may have been familial. Performing a search of MIKERLANGE PIERRE LOUIS’S luggage exposed a photo that upon being viewed appeared to be of her, as well as the individual whose image is in the Haitian passport identification card, the same name as presented to CBP officers. The results of the search also discovered a college identification card in the same name.

When questioned about the picture, MIKERLANGE PIERRE LOUIS answered by stating that the photograph was actually that of her sister who was slain in Haiti in May, 2013. At that time she said that she had never applied for a United States visa and also admitted that the passport she presented to the CBP officers was actually that of her dead sister.

Based on the preceding stated particulars, it is submitted that there is plausible reason to consider that on or about the date of her arrival, at the Airport of entry in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the Southern District of Florida, MIKERLANGE PIERRE LOUIS did knowingly and willfully use and further attempt to use a passport intended for the use of another individual and issued to that other individual, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1544.

Finally In case number 13-60278CR ZLOCH/HUNT the Government in a one Count Indictment charged OSCAR PEREZ GODINEZ with Illegal re-entry after Removal, a crime punishable by up to ten years in jail followed by three years of supervised release.

The four above cases indicate the breadth of immigration related crimes in South Florida.