PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO BANK FRAUD

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - Shawn Steele, 52, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of bank fraud. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "I am proud of the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partners that uncovered and stopped this fraudster's scheme. This successful prosecution should serve as a warning to others who think they can fraudulently enrich themselves by ripping off banks. Doing so will only book you a one-way ticket to prison."

Between January 3, 2023, and June 30, 2023, the defendant obtained loans from PenAir Credit Union and Central Credit Union of Florida for a Jeep Wrangler, a Ferrari 488 Pista, and a Cape Horn boat. The defendant made knowingly false statements about in his income in the loan applications for the purpose of influencing the financial institutions.

The defendant faces up to 30 years' imprisonment followed by five years of supervision upon release. Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2025, at 11:00 am, before District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.