Multi-Convicted Felons Sentenced in Case Involving the Burglary of Firearms from a Rincon Residence

SAVANNAH, GA—James Seyfried, 55, from Palm Coast; Florida, Finlandia Pineda, 56, from Palm Coast, Florida; and Elaine Taylor, 61, from Alma, Georgia, were sentenced yesterday to lengthy prison terms by Senior U.S. District Court Judge B. Avant Edenfield in a case that involved the burglary of a Rincon, Georgia residence of numerous firearms and other items. Each defendant earlier pled guilty to possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Seyfried was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison, Pineda was sentenced to serve 115 months in prison, and Taylor was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison. All three will serve three years of supervised release upon their release from prison.

United States Attorney Edward J. Tarver stated, “The combination of repeat offenders with multiple felony convictions and home burglaries makes for a volatile situation, particularly when firearms are the target. Thanks to the quick work of our law enforcement partners, a number of stolen firearms did not end up in our communities to be used in the commission of additional crimes. Dangerous felons who have failed attempts at rehabilitation continue to commit crimes and possess firearms should do hard time for a long time in a federal prison.

J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta, stated, “The FBI-led Southeast Georgia Violent Crime Task Force is pleased with the role it played in removing three dangerous repeat offenders from our streets while recovering numerous firearms, including several fully automatic machine guns. With the establishment of this task force, area law enforcement are better prepared to address those more violent individuals in a more comprehensive and effective manner as seen here.”

According to evidence presented during the guilty plea and sentencing hearings, Taylor, a multi-convicted felon, received information that a Rincon, Georgia resident had a number of safes in his home containing cash, firearms, and other items. Taylor recruited Seyfried and Pineda, also multi-convicted felons, in a conspiracy to burglarize the Rincon home. On April 15, 2013, the defendants stole the safes from the Rincon home and transported them to Florida. Once in Florida, the defendants were able to open the safes, which contained 16 firearms, including fully automatic rifles (machine guns) and semi-automatic firearms, as well as silencers, smoke grenades, and thousands of dollars in cash.

Taylor’s criminal history includes over 100 felony convictions, including convictions for tax fraud, counterfeiting, and an aggravated assault. Seyfried, who was on federal supervised release at the time of the burglary, has felony convictions that include cocaine trafficking and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Pineda’s criminal history includes a murder-for-hire conviction, where she attempted to hire a hitman to murder Seyfried, her husband at the time.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the FBI Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force of Southeast Georgia, which was assisted by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Bacon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. and T. Shane Mayes prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.