Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the conviction of an illegal alien this week for stealing and reselling trailers intended for victims who lost and were rebuilding their homes after Hurricane Ian.
“This illegal alien was allowed in by the Biden administration, and he targeted critical resources during a disaster when many Floridians needed temporary housing,” Uthmeier said. “Thanks to Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Paul Thomas and Tim Donnelly, this criminal will stay behind bars for a long time before we send him back to where he came from.”
According to the attorney general's office, Ivan Gutierrez Miranda and his codefendants attempted to blend in with state officials in the early morning and late evening as RVs and campers were being relocated during the hurricane's state of emergency to help displaced residents.
Miranda then filmed and advertised the features of the stolen trailers. Uthmeier's office indicated the move was a key piece of evidence in ultimately securing a conviction in the case during the week-and-a-half-long trial.
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol led the investigation.
A jury found Miranda guilty of the following crimes:
- RICO
- Conspiracy to Commit RICO
- Organized Scheme to Defraud
- Dealing in Stolen Property (5 counts)
Miranda is a Cuban national who arrived in the U.S. illegally in 2022. He faces a possible sentence of 165 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of eight years for the crimes.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2026. After his sentence is carried out, Mirand will be deported.
Uthmeier has been active in illegal alien cases over the past several months, including the arrest of a man for battery on a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officer in October. The attorney general has also led several investigations into child predator sting operations involving illegal aliens over the past several months, including a large sting in November.
