Miami Gardens Man Sentenced to Jail for Mailing Hoax Threats to Broward Government Offices

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; Addy Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Miami Field Office; and Al Lamberti, Sheriff, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), announced Friday’s sentencing of defendant Tarvess David Taylor, 26, of Miami Gardens, on charges that he mailed hoax threats to various local government offices in Broward County. At the sentencing, U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch sentenced Taylor to 27 months in prison and ordered him to pay restitution of more than $35,000 to be paid to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue and Broward County Fire Rescue for the cost of investigating and prosecuting this hoax. Previously, Taylor had pled guilty to all five counts in the Indictment.

According to documents filed with the court, on October 4, 2011, Taylor mailed five separate envelopes, each containing a powdery substance. The envelopes were addressed to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the State Courthouse of the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida. As a result of these mailings, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the State Courthouse of the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida had to be closed while the Broward County Fire-Rescue HAZMAT Team responded to the scene to collect the powdery substance and ensure the safety of the facilities.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, FDLE, BSO, and Florida Department of Health. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Walleisa.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.