Jacksonville man accused of Hurricane Irma disaster assistance fraud

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Florida man has been accused of lying about damage caused by Hurricane Irma, federal prosecutors announced this week.

An indictment was returned charging Deontre Javan Taylor, 26, of Jacksonville, with disaster assistance fraud. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison.

Taylor falsified records concerning his primary residence when submitting an application for assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to the indictment.

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Hurricane Irma struck Florida in September 2017, causing about $50 billion in damage throughout the state.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case. It's part of the United States Attorney’s Disaster Fraud Task Force, which was announced shortly after the storm.

A telephone message seeking comment from the Federal Public Defender wasn't immediately returned.