Polk County gang members busted in large-scale check fraud conspiracy: ‘We flushed the Trap Boys’

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Three gang members are headed back to prison and 19 others are facing federal charges in a large-scale conspiracy that victimized 200 people and businesses in Polk County. 

On June 23, 2022, deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were responding to a call for service at a Chevron gas station. They were searching for Tyler Jacob, who they said tried to run away but was quickly apprehended. 

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Jacob is a convicted felon and a member of the ‘Trap Boys’ gang. When he was apprehended, Judd said deputies found a handgun, ammunition, numerous fraudulent checks, checks that had been returned as altered, personal information on other people that was written in a notebook, 27 other debit cards in other people’s names, a computer and a cell phone.

They also found blank checks, blank check paperwork and debit cards when they stopped Jaquavious Green on gun charges. Judd says he also belongs to the ‘Trap Boys’ gang. It was the same story when they arrested Daquan Carey, another member of the gang, on murder charges for a shooting in Lake Wales. 

"When we arrested him, we fought with him," Judd stated. "Our deputies put their lives on the line, and they got a gun out of his waistband. What else did he have? Checks, credit cards, and so we saw that we have the beginning of a large operation here."

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According to U.S. Attorney Mark Handberg, the checks Jacob had with him belonged to businesses that had reported fraud on their checking accounts and that those fraudulent checks had been deposited into the same accounts associated with nearly all the 27 debit cards. 

Polk deputies also determined that the personal information written in the notebook was stolen. It belonged to dead people, people who lived in assisted living facilities and people who were mentally incompetent. 

Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office

When deputies executed a search warrant for Jacob’s computer, they found check-writing software and copies of fraudulent checks.

"This is where the Task Force comes in," Handberg explained. "The Polk County Sheriff’s Office teamed up with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Their goal, simply put, was to conduct a comprehensive investigation, to dismantle the ‘Trap Boys’, to stop them from using check fraud to support themselves, and hold accountable anyone who supported them in these crimes. Working together, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI uncovered a massive check fraud ring."

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From July 2021 - Nov. 2023, Jacob and at least 19 conspirators worked together to defraud banks, credit unions, and businesses throughout Central Florida. 

PCSO and the FBI have identified more than 200 businesses, 26 banks and three credit unions that were victimized. Law firms, insurance companies, auto shops, public school districts, colleges and state agencies were among those victimized.

"These guys were kind of instrumental for this gang they call the ‘Trap Boys’," Judd said. "In fact, Tyler Jacob was known as the ‘Money Man’. He kind of perfected the scheme and was teaching it and bringing people in…But, guess what? We flushed the ‘Trap Boys’. They cease to exist. They’re in the toilet and down in the sewer. We’re going after their accomplices now. There are more flushes for this toilet."

According to Handberg, the conspiracy had four basic parts. First, conspirators either stole checks from businesses or used online databases to locate banking information for those businesses. Second, conspirators would alter the stolen checks or use some of the information they got to write fictitious checks. Third, the conspirators would provide those checks to other conspirators to be deposited. Fourth, the conspirators would try to quickly withdraw the proceeds from those fraudulent checks as soon as they were available.

Handberg said Jacob was the leader of the conspiracy, and he recruited others. 

At times, banks flagged the fraudulent checks, but many times they were successful. 

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According to Handberg, Jacob and his conspirators deposited about $50,000 a week in fraudulent checks. Typically, they got about $10,000 a week if they were successful.

"The dismantlement of this organization started exactly where it should have – with its leader. On January 23, 2024, detectives, working with the FBI executed a search warrant at Jacob’s house."

According to Handberg, Jacob was not compliant, refused to go outside for 30 minutes and even knocked down a drone. 

Inside the home, detectives said they found ‘tools of the trade’, including checkbooks, a scanner, a printer, an ink cartridge and financial documents identifying victims, a shredding machine, and shredded documents. 

Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office

"Additionally, law enforcement found that there was something in the washing machine that had been started. What was found in there was a box of checks as Jacob was attempting to wash away every bit of evidence against him."

Handberg said Jacob also tried to get an ex-girlfriend to lie and tell authorities that the ammunition found at the home belonged to her instead of him. 

"Jacob’s efforts were successful in only one thing, which was increasing the federal charges that were brought against him," Handberg shared. "Jacob committed conspiracy. He was federally charged with that. Jacob committed bank fraud. He was federally charged with 16 counts of that. Jacob committed aggravated identity theft. Jacob was federally charged with that. Jacob committed destruction of evidence. He was federally charged with that. He committed witness tampering, so he was federally charged with that. He has been convicted of all those federal crimes. Jacob has pleaded guilty to those crimes and is pending sentence in Tampa federal court."

Green and Carey have pleaded guilty to federal firearms offenses.

Nineteen others have been federally indicted, but Judd warns that there are other people associated with the conspiracy who are still under investigation. 

"This is a wake-up call for everyone," Judd stated. "These are now, not only multi-generational criminals from an age perspective, but they are multi-functional criminals. They’ll run and gun and shoot with you at night and then they’ll get on their computers and steal stuff in the daytime."

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