Tampa Man Indicted On Gun, Drug And Tax Fraud Related Charges

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return by a grand jury of a superseding indictment charging Edwaldo Louis Oliveiri (22, Tampa) with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine, possession of a firearm by a user of a controlled substance, theft of government property, aggravated identity theft, and nine counts of wire fraud.  If convicted, Oliveiri faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the drug charge, 10 years’ imprisonment for the firearm charge, 10 years’ imprisonment for the theft of government property charge, up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge, and a consecutive two years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft offense.  The superseding indictment also notifies Oliveiri that the United States intends to forfeit any assets which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses.

According to the superseding indictment, Oliveiri was involved in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine from 2012 through September 11, 2013.  In addition, he is charged with possessing a firearm on September 4, 2012, while then being an unlawful user of a controlled substance.  The indictment alleges that Oliveiri committed a theft of more than $1,000 from the United States Department of Treasury on or about May 29, 2013, by stealing a fraudulently issued federal income tax refund.  While committing the federal income tax refund theft, Oliveiri unlawfully used the name and Social Security number of another person.  He is also charged with wire fraud in connection with the filing of nine separate false tax returns in April 2013. 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Bini.