A 26-year-old Covington, Georgia man is headed to federal prison after participating in a targeted wire fraud scheme that swindled Florida residents out of tens of thousands of dollars. U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti sentenced Kimani Brennen Fletcher to 27 months behind bars this week, following Fletcher’s guilty plea in December 2025.
The investigation, led by the United States Secret Service and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, revealed a high-pressure “warrant scam” that unfolded over a single week in April 2024. According to federal court documents, Fletcher’s co-conspirators placed a series of fraudulent phone calls to victims between April 15 and April 22.
During these calls, the scammers posed as members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, falsely informing citizens they had active warrants for their arrest. The victims were told they could only avoid jail time by paying immediate “fines” or “bail.”
Fletcher’s specific role in the conspiracy involved acting as the “boots on the ground” in the Middle District of Florida. Prosecutors stated that Fletcher posed as a bail bondsman to meet with victims in person and collect the cash.
Once the money was in his hands, he funneled the proceeds back to his partners in the scheme. By the time the operation was disrupted, Fletcher had collected approximately $40,800.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the sentencing, which includes a financial penalty alongside the prison time. In addition to his 27-month sentence, the court ordered Fletcher to pay $40,800 in restitution to his victims, as well as an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
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