Tampa Bay’s new top federal prosecutor aims for bigger cases

TAMPA — Roger Handberg had been a federal prosecutor in Orlando for a tiny additional than four years when he was handed one particular of the biggest situations of his job.

The defendant was Lou Pearlman, the business manager for superstar boy bands like NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. An investigation experienced uncovered proof that Pearlman for several years had operated a Ponzi plan netting a loss of more than $300 million.

It was a monumental situation, a single that could have simply long gone to a additional seasoned prosecutor. But it fell to Handberg, who came to see it as a model for what federal prosecutors must do, and how they should really do it.

“One of the factors that I often appreciated about the workplace is that they trustworthy me to be equipped to choose a scenario of that magnitude,” he explained.

It is a circumstance that remains on his intellect right now, as he now potential customers the business where he has put in the bulk of his legal vocation.

In late December, Attorney Basic Merrick Garland appointed Handberg as the U.S. Attorney for the Center District of Florida, a sprawling 35-county jurisdiction stretching from Jacksonville to Naples. It is the 2nd-most significant federal judicial district in the country by population, encompassing the towns of Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa.

Although the original appointment was excellent for 120 times, the area U.S. District court docket recently extended Handberg’s tenure. He’ll stay until eventually there is a presidential appointment.

5 months into the best task, Handberg, who earlier led the office’s Orlando division, aims to refocus on the cases he thinks federal prosecutors are ideal geared up to handle. The priorities are some of his possess specialties: white-collar criminal offense, public corruption and civil legal rights.

He points to the Pearlman scenario, which was a design for a swift, if intricate, investigation. Also, nevertheless, it is a product for the kind of scenario he’d like to see youthful prosecutors tackle, if they come to feel they are up to the undertaking.

“I bought all the aid and assistance and steerage I desired,” he mentioned, “but there was a trust, that there wasn’t some set quantity of several years that I essential to be at the place of work in advance of I could do some thing sizeable. And I acquire that with me.”

Handberg, 51, grew up near Orlando. He gained a bachelor’s diploma in 1991 from the University of North Carolina, and a law diploma 3 a long time later on from Harvard Legislation Faculty. He expended the initially many years of his profession with the agency of King and Spaulding in Atlanta, dealing with scenarios that provided antitrust, insurance, breach of deal and fraud. He later on served a a few-yr stint with the Florida Legal professional General’s economic crimes division in Tallahassee.

In 2002, he returned to his hometown of Orlando as an assistant U.S. legal professional. He handled a bit of all the things, from drug and gun crimes to baby exploitation scenarios and counter-terrorism. His enthusiasm, while, seemed to be in white-collar crimes and general public corruption.

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The Pearlman circumstance was an early spotlight. Pearlman was sentenced to 25 yrs in jail.

In 2015, Handberg prosecuted the previous police main of Longwood, who was accused of using the services of a former felon as a law enforcement officer in trade for additional than $30,000 in bribes. A jury convicted the main at trial he received four years in prison.

Most just lately, Handberg has been at the forefront of the circumstance of Joel Greenberg, the previous Seminole County tax collector who pleaded responsible to intercourse trafficking, wire fraud and other rates.

Handberg inevitably rose to direct the office’s Orlando division, supervising a group of about 40 legal professionals. He was among the finalists to be the U.S. Attorney the final two moments there was a vacancy.

In an job interview last yr with a judicial nominating commission, he stated he needed to get absent from smaller sized scenarios, the variety that may perhaps finest be left in point out courtroom. He pointed out that in the yr in advance of, 28 {a9fceaa179c66de81d6ded78cc148e55a417461f5e6dc2313e6c9f59f0d2b556} of the office’s white collar prosecutions ended up for thefts of a lot less than $40,000.

“I think we can get more substantial conditions,” he claimed.

He states he’s by now observing some progress towards his priorities. White-collar criminal prosecutions have greater by 40 per cent from the same period very last year, he mentioned. Some of that is because of to fraud similar to COVID-19.

A the latest news release from the office highlighted 28 defendants accused of thieving from federal packages intended to support individuals and businesses during the pandemic. Put together losses attributed to individuals defendants whole much more than $35 million in taxpayer cash. Prosecutors have managed to recover most of it by forfeiture actions.

1 spotlight was the Orlando circumstance of Don Cisternino, who is alleged to have obtained a $7.2 million loan through a federal application built to enable businesses survive the financial impact of the nationwide lockdowns. He sought the cash for a film output corporation that did not exist. He utilised it, in accordance to prosecutors, to acquire a 12,579-sq.-foot luxurious dwelling.

At the same time, violent crimes continue to be a priority. In Tampa, he’s increased from 6 to 11 the number of attorneys assigned to cope with violent crime circumstances. He also additional an lawyer to the nationwide protection part in Tampa. The office also stays targeted on opioid-relevant drug situations, specifically these involving defendants who distribute fentanyl.

However he nevertheless lives near Orlando, he calls himself a “road warrior,” and attempts to check out each and every of the Center District’s 5 regional workplaces as substantially as he can. That features a couple days a 7 days in Tampa.

He claims he tries not to micromanage. He is aware of several of his prosecutors could make a lot more revenue in the personal sector. Theirs is a calling, and he hopes they sense empowered to do the kind of function with which he’s manufactured his job.

Does he consider he will he be U.S. Lawyer for a prolonged time? He will not say.

“What I will say is that I am grateful for just about every working day that I get to be the United States Attorney,” he said. “As someone who was born and elevated in Central Florida, there is no greater honor.”