WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) — Polk County officials announced the arrests of several gang members in what they’re calling “Operation Spin Cycle.”

The three gang members— 24-year-old Tyler Jacob, 25-year-old Jaquavious Green and 24-year-old Daquan Carey, with lengthy histories of criminal felonies and misdemeanors, were arrested.

Jacob already has 37 criminal charges including 17 felonies, while Green has nine felonies and Carey has 33 felonies and 23 misdemeanors, Sheriff Grady Judd said.

The case started with traffic stops in July 2022. A search of Jacob’s vehicle during this stop revealed fraudulent and altered checks, along with personal information in a notebook and 27 bank debit cards in other people’s names.

“Polk County deputies also determined that the personal information written on the notebook paper was stolen. It belonged to dead people, to people who lived in assisted living facilities and individuals who were mentally incompetent,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg.

“We flushed the ‘Trap Boys’,” Judd said. “They’re in the toilet and down in the sewer. We’re going after their accomplices now. There’s more flushes for this toilet.”

These conspirators defrauded banks across the Tampa Bay region, and beyond beginning from at least July 2021 through November 2023. Over 200 victims, 26 banks, and three credit unions were victims of the conspiracy. Businesses included auto shops, insurance companies, law firms, construction companies, tile companies, public school districts, colleges, and state agencies.

The men used check writing software, automated systems and online databases to alter checks and create fake ones. They also learned the banking information of the victims, including their transaction history, account balances, and check numbers.

Jacob’s gave his conspirators a cut, after generating roughly $50,000 in fraudulent checks each week.

“No businesses were off limits,” U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg said.

A search of Jacob’s home revealed checks in his washing machine to “wash away” the fraud, printers, and shredders scattered across his home.

Officials said 19 others, some of whom were recruited by Jacob’s through social media, were also federally indicted, but their images were not released due to their crimes being handled at the federal level, Sheriff Judd said.

The 19 suspects are all Polk County residents: Qornelious Campbell (31), Kenneth Cole II (25), Kenisha Coffer (25), D’Andranika Crews (20), Ebony Fields (26), Victoria Ferrer (22), Aaliyah Gotay-Woods (23), Bre’asia Harris (26), Jaun Hillman (51), Keith Honors, Jr. (39), Kendrick Iles (20), Arkuria Lewis (22), Deven Little (28), Josie Lopez (29), Clarissa Morris (24), Tamiria Perry (27), Mark Quesnel (66), Tamaries Richardson (30), and Kalei Spicer (22).

If convicted, each suspect faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.

Sheriff Judd spoke on the crimes alongside FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor, State Attorney Brian Haas, U.S. Attorney Handberg, and Assistant Chief with Lakeland police Steve Pacheco.

“This is what we are up against these days: gang members who are tech savvy, who know how to navigate the dark web to learn fraud schemes that can provide them with the money they want but at less risk,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fodor.

WFLA live streamed the press conference at 10 a.m., which can be viewed in the live player above.