Jonathan Daniels, 46, of St. Petersburg, was sentenced today to 14 years and seven months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Court documents reveal that Daniels and his co-conspirators participated in a scheme to strip bank liens from more than 100 vehicles in order to obtain clear titles. The conspirators submitted fraudulent documents, including fake certified mail receipts, to Florida tax collector offices, falsely claiming the vehicles had outstanding towing and storage liens. With these fabricated liens, they secured clear titles and then resold the vehicles to unsuspecting buyers, profiting from the fraudulent scheme.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will aggressively investigate individuals who engage in fraudulent schemes at the expense of the American public and our financial institutions,” said Steven Hodges, acting postal inspector in charge of the Miami Division.
“The results of this investigation are a testament to strong partnerships across the law enforcement community,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel of the U.S. Secret Service’s Tampa Field Office. “The Secret Service remains committed to investigating those who engage in crimes that exploit our financial system.”