Former Tampa Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty To Receipt Of Stolen Government Property

Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that LaJoyce Caldwell Houston (51, Riverview) today pleaded guilty to receiving stolen government property. She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, in 2011 and 2012, while working at the Tampa Police Department, LaJoyce Houston received goods, services, money orders, and cash that were obtained with debit cards tied to accounts that had been loaded with fraudulently obtained tax refunds. The fraudulent refunds deposited into these accounts totaled $284,490.41 and were the result of fraudulent federal income tax returns that had been filed by Rita Girven.

For example, in March 2011, Girven paid off LaJoyce Houston’s Target Visa credit card, with Houston’s knowledge, by making two in-store payments totaling $3,863.08. These in-store payments were made using a debit card loaded with nine fraudulently obtained tax refunds, eight issued in the name of identity theft victims, and one issued to Girven.

LaJoyce Houston’s co-defendant and husband, Eric Houston, pleaded guilty on March 31, 2017, to receiving stolen government property. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25, 2017.

In a related case (case no. 8:15-cr-58-T-17EAJ), Rita Girven pleaded guilty on March 16, 2015, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. On November 20, 2015, she was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mandy Riedel and Megan Kistler.