Jacksonville Real Estate Investor Sentenced To Federal Prison For Passing More Than $250,000 In Fraudulent Treasury Checks

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Neil Andre Butler (47, Jacksonville) to 15 months in federal prison for possessing and passing fraudulent government securities—specifically, four U.S. Treasury checks. Butler was found guilty on July 20, 2018, following a bench trial.

According to court documents, Butler was a real estate investor who borrowed funds to buy distressed properties, intending to refurbish and “flip” them for a profit.  When his business began to fail, in an effort to stave off his creditors, Butler manufactured and mailed four fraudulent checks to his creditors. The checks totaled over $250,000 and were purportedly payable by the United States Treasury. Throughout the proceedings, Butler asserted various defenses associated with the so-called “Sovereign Citizen” movement, including denying that the court had jurisdiction over his case.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.