From “Modern Day Mafia” to Probation

A Pre-Trial Defense Investigation in Operation on the Fence

The Public Narrative

In October 2023, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody stood at a podium inside Miami-Dade Police headquarters and announced the takedown of what she called a “modern day mafia.”

Behind her: tables of seized merchandise. Beside her: organizational charts, defendant photographs arranged on presentation boards, and representatives from six law enforcement agencies. The message was clear before a single word was spoken.

The operation was branded Operation on the Fence. Authorities alleged a coordinated retail theft enterprise responsible for approximately $20 million in losses to more than 20 retailers across at least nine judicial circuits. Fourteen individuals were charged. The alleged crimes included racketeering, organized retail theft, grand theft, dealing in stolen property, conspiracy, and money laundering.

The retailers included Walmart, Target, Publix, CVS, Walgreens, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Costco, BJ’s, Macy’s, Winn Dixie, and others.

The investigation spanned nine months and involved the Miami-Dade Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Coral Springs Police Department, and Pembroke Pines Police Department.

The story went national.

Media Coverage

• USA Today – “14 charged in Florida retail theft ring that stole $20 million”
• CBS News Miami – “Sprawling South Florida retail theft crime ring busted”
• Yahoo News – “14 charged in ‘simple shoplifting’ case that became 3-county retail theft ring”
• Palm Beach Post – “A South Florida retail theft ring stole $20 million in merchandise”
• WPTV – “‘Operation On the Fence’ nets 14 suspects in retail theft case”
• NBC 6 South Florida – Video: “14 charged in $20 million retail theft ring bust”
• CBS12 / WPEC – “14 charged in massive $20 million South Florida retail theft ring”
• Florida Attorney General’s Office – Official Press Release

Attorney General Moody would later reference Operation on the Fence during her tenure as a U.S. Senator, citing it before the Senate Judiciary Committee as a model for federal organized retail crime legislation. Her office secured convictions against more than 260 members of organized retail theft rings during her time as Attorney General. (U.S. Senate Press Release, September 2025)

The Defendant

Our client’s photograph was displayed on those presentation boards alongside the others. Press reports positioned him as a central figure in the alleged organization. He was publicly associated with a case that the state’s highest law enforcement official personally announced on national television.

He maintained his innocence from day one. Defense counsel retained Royal Palm Investigations to test the State’s narrative against the actual evidence.

Charges and Sentencing Exposure

The defendant faced eight felony counts. If sentenced consecutively at statutory maximums, the combined exposure was up to 180 years in prison.

• Count 1 – Racketeering (F.S. §895.03(3)): First-degree felony. Up to 30 years.
• Count 2 – Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering (F.S. §895.03(4)): First-degree felony. Up to 30 years.
• Count 3 – Money Laundering, $100,000 or More (F.S. §896.101(3)(a)5.c): First-degree felony. Up to 30 years.
• Count 4 – Dealing in Stolen Property (F.S. §812.019(1)): Second-degree felony. Up to 15 years.
• Counts 5 through 8 – Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Stolen Property (F.S. §812.019(1)): Each a second-degree felony. Up to 15 years per count.

Scope of the Defense Investigation

Royal Palm Investigations was retained by defense counsel to conduct a comprehensive pre-trial investigation. The objective: independently test every material claim in the State’s case against the documentary, digital, and testimonial evidence.

The scope included:

• Discovery review – thousands of pages of prosecution materials, witness lists, and exhibits
• Financial record analysis – tracing transactions, accounts, and alleged money flows
• Electronic communications review – text messages, call logs, and app-based communications
• Cellebrite extraction assessment – reviewing forensic phone data for accuracy, context, and chain of custody
• Call detail record evaluation – mapping communications against the State’s alleged timeline
• Body worn camera footage review – comparing officer testimony and reports to what the cameras captured
• Search warrant and affidavit analysis – examining probable cause, factual basis, and legal sufficiency
• Public records requests – filling evidentiary gaps not covered in discovery
• Witness interviews – independent interviews and review of cooperating co-defendant statements and proffer agreements

Multiple co-defendants cooperated with the prosecution. Their statements were evaluated against documentary and digital evidence to assess reliability, consistency, and potential motive to fabricate or exaggerate.

The Disposition

On February 11, 2026, every major charge was dismissed:

• Racketeering – nolle prosse
• Conspiracy to commit racketeering – nolle prosse
• Money laundering ($100,000+) – nolle prosse
• Conspiracy to commit dealing in stolen property (all four counts) – nolle prosse

One count remained: dealing in stolen property. Sentence: twelve days credit for time served and six years probation.

From 180 years of combined exposure to probation. From “modern day mafia” headlines to courtroom reality.

The evidence told a different story. And that story prevailed.

The Takeaway for Defense Counsel

High-exposure, multi-defendant cases driven by press conferences, political pressure, and cooperator testimony require more than legal argument. They require independent investigation that tests the State’s evidence at every point of contact: the warrants, the forensics, the financial records, the cooperator statements, and the officer narratives.

When the public narrative hardens before the first hearing, defense counsel needs an investigative team that can go behind it, find where the evidence actually leads, and deliver work product that holds up under scrutiny.

That is what Royal Palm Investigations does.

Retain Royal Palm Investigations

We work directly with criminal defense counsel in complex felony matters – statewide and nationwide. Our team integrates with your defense strategy under attorney-client privilege and work product protection.

If you’re handling a high-exposure case and need an investigative team that delivers, we’d like to hear from you.

Call: (941) 779-8041
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Royal Palm Investigations
13118 SR-64 E, Suite 301, Bradenton, FL 34212
Florida License A3300070

All details presented in this case study are based on public court records, publicly available media reports, and work performed by Royal Palm Investigations in coordination with defense counsel. Certain details have been limited to protect client confidentiality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a pre-trial defense investigation?

A pre-trial defense investigation is an independent review of the evidence, witnesses, and claims in a criminal case, conducted on behalf of defense counsel before trial. The goal is to test the prosecution’s case against objective facts and identify weaknesses, inconsistencies, or exculpatory evidence. Learn more on our Resources for Attorneys page.

What is Operation on the Fence?

Operation on the Fence was a multi-agency law enforcement operation announced in October 2023 by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. It targeted an alleged organized retail theft enterprise across South Florida, resulting in the arrest of fourteen individuals and claims of approximately $20 million in retail losses.

What does nolle prosse mean?

Nolle prosse (nolle prosequi) means the State has formally declined to prosecute a charge. The charge is effectively dismissed. In this case, seven of eight felony counts were nolle prossed on February 11, 2026.

What is racketeering under Florida law?

Under Florida Statute §895.03, racketeering involves conducting or participating in an enterprise through a pattern of criminal activity. It is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Florida’s RICO Act is modeled after the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. See our Wiretap & Title III Defense page for related services.

What is dealing in stolen property under Florida law?

Under Florida Statute §812.019(1), dealing in stolen property means trafficking in or endeavoring to traffic in property that the person knows or should know was stolen. It is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Does Royal Palm Investigations work with criminal defense attorneys?

Yes. We work directly with criminal defense counsel in serious felony matters including racketeering, organized retail theft, fraud, drug trafficking, and complex multi-defendant cases. We serve attorneys statewide in Florida and nationwide. Visit our Litigation Support page for details.

What digital forensic services does Royal Palm Investigations offer?

We provide computer and cell phone forensics including Cellebrite extractions, deleted data recovery, social media preservation, and call detail record (CDR) analysis. All work is documented to court-admissible standards.

How do I retain a defense investigator?

Contact us directly or have your office reach out. All defense investigation work is coordinated through counsel to preserve attorney-client privilege and work product protections. Call (941) 773-2466  or visit our Contact page.