Ocala courts: Two men facing separate charges sentenced by judges
Two men who recently pleaded guilty to criminal charges were sentenced recently in Ocala.
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State v. Aurelio M. Mas Prats
Aurelio M. Mas Prats was adjudicated guilty by Circuit Judge Pete Brigham and sentenced to eight years of probation on Dec. 19.
Mas Prats had 196 days of credit for time already served at the Marion County Jail. He also must pay restitution, submit a DNA sample, and complete 100 hours of community service, according to court records.
The 60-year-old Tampa man was taken into custody by Ocala police officials in August 2019. Law enforcement officials said Mas Prats used compromised credit cards at various local businesses to purchase goods that were then loaded into a U-Haul rental vehicle and transported to a storage facility.
Authorities believe Yohana De La Caridad Estevez Audia, 32, of Miami, was also involved in the scheme. Arrested in St. Lucie County in 2021 on a warrant signed by a Marion County judge, she is charged with grand theft and obtain goods or service by unlawful use of a credit card. Her case is pending, court documents indicate.
U.S. v. David O. Isagba
A press release from government officials on Dec. 20 states David O. Isagba was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison by U.S. District Senior Judge John Antoon II. Isagba was charged with mail fraud and conspiring to defraud the United States with respect to tax claims.
Federal officials said Isagba and his wife, Joyce, had been indicted on tax charges in May 2020. Isagba pleaded guilty earlier this year. His wife went to trial and was convicted in the summer. Her sentencing is scheduled for March 2023, government officials said.
Court documents and Isagba's plea agreement show that from 2009 through 2019 he submitted 227 fraudulent claims to the IRS claiming he was entitled to more than $2.9 billion in tax refunds on behalf of non-existent trusts. Isagba received $5.81 million from the IRS.
Government officials said Isagba spent the money on a home, multiple luxury vehicles and other items.
Aside from his 14-year prison sentence, Isagba has a 2022 conviction for possession of child pornography. That case was handled in the Eastern District of New York. He must serve 27 months in prison for that offense. The sentences will run consecutively, federal officials said.
Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala courts: Felony cases resolved with probation and prison
