Mark Rankin Case Examples
April 2026 – Tampa Federal Court
Defendant charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime – a 924(c) with a mandatory 5-year prison term. Firearm was in the defendant’s vehicle with 5 kilos of cocaine. Jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty after less than an hour of deliberations.
April 2026 – Federal – Tampa
Physician Client investigated for fraud related to practice of medicine. Matter resolved with no criminal charges.
April 2026 – Federal – Sacramento, California
Physician Client investigated for Medicare Fraud and Anti-Kickback Statute violation. Client subject to federal grand jury subpoena. Matter resolved with no repayment of government payments and no criminal charges.
March 2026 – Federal – Tampa and Sarasota
Physician client investigated for Medicare Fraud and Anti-Kickback Statute violation. Client subject to federal grand jury subpoena. Matter resolved with no repayment of government payments and no criminal charges.
March 2026 – Federal – Tampa
Client previously sentenced to 22 years in federal prison. Assisted client with new sentencing hearing where sentence was reduced to 15 years.
2026 – Tampa Federal Court
Defendant charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime – a 924(c) with a mandatory 5-year prison term. Firearm was in the defendant’s vehicle with 5 kilos of cocaine. Jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty after less than an hour of deliberations.
2025 – Hillsborough County
Defendant charged with 14 felony counts related to state continuing care clinic matters. Case resolved with no criminal convictions, no jail, and no fines.
2025 – Pinellas County
Defendant charged with 4th DUI with a crash and attempting to leave the scene. Charges resolved as misdemeanors rather than felonies.
2025 – State and Federal Trafficking Case
Client charged in state court with trafficking more than 1 kilo of cocaine and faced 15 years minimum in state prison. Case moved to federal court, where client qualified for Safety Valve and received only 1 year and 1 day in federal prison after a plea.
2025 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client charged with being Armed Career Criminal in possession of a firearm. At trial, jury found client not guilty of being an Armed Career Criminal.
2025 – Hillsborough County
Client arrested for Aggravated Assault with a Firearm. State agreed to file no charges.
2025 – Hillsborough County
Client arrested for domestic battery. State agreed to file no charges.
2025 – Federal Court – Tampa
Federal Narcotics Plea and Sentencing – Cocaine – United States sought sentence of 48 months in prison. Client sentenced to 18 months in prison.
2025 – Federal Court – Tampa
Local medical practice investigated for alleged Medicare fraud. After months of advocacy, no charges brought against practice or physicians.
2025 – Pinellas County
Client charged with trafficking marijuana, faced prison term. Client sentenced to time-served and no probation.
2025 – Pinellas County
Client charged with multiple counts of armed trafficking in narcotics, faced 10-year mandatory minimum sentence on each count. Charges reduced to simple narcotics distribution and client sentenced to 18 months in prison.
2024 – Pinellas County
Client charged with DUI and Second Refusal. Client was asleep at a stop light and admitted to having four drinks. The refusal charge was dismissed before trial and the jury acquitted Client of the DUI.
2024 – Pinellas County
Client arrested for possession of methamphetamine after traffic stop. No charges filed.
2024 – Pinellas County
Client charged with first degree murder. Charges dismissed.
2024 – Manatee County
Client arrest for felon in possession of a firearm. No charge filed.
2024 – Federal – Houston, TX
Client investigated for multi-million-dollar health care fraud. Client pleaded guilty to a single count of sending an international wire without the proper license. No health care fraud charges filed. Federal sentencing guidelines suggested a prison term of 12-18 months. Client sentenced to probation.
2024 – Marion County
Client charged with felony voter fraud. Charges dismissed after client entered pre-trial diversion program and case sealed.
2024 – Federal – Tampa
Client’s businesses raided and searched regarding state and federal investigations of alleged human trafficking. Motion for return of seized property granted. No charges filed.
2024 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client charged with RICO and Medicaid Fraud offenses by Statewide Prosecutor’s Office, was facing sentencing guidelines of more than ten years in prison. After six months of discovery and litigation, client pleaded guilty with plea agreement and sentenced to two and a half years.
2024 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client pleaded guilty to marriage and passport fraud in federal court. United States sought prison sentence. Client sentenced to probation.
2024 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client pleaded guilty to production of child pornography in federal court due to sexting with teenagers. Client was facing 15 year minimum sentence, but United States agreed to plea agreement with reduced charge with a 10 year minimum sentence. Sentencing guidelines were 19-24 years and United States sought a sentence of 23 years in prison. Client sentenced to the 10-year mandatory minimum sentence.
2024 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States out of $271,000 in disability benefits. Sentencing guidelines were 21-27 months and United States sought a sentence of 2 years in prison. Client sentenced to probation.
2024 – Federal Court – Tampa
Clients charged with aggravated assault with a firearm in Hillsborough County, Florida. Clients approved for pre-trial intervention program. All charges to be dismissed.
2024 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client indicted for first degree murder in Pinellas County, Florida. After nine months of litigation and hearings, State dismissed the charge and client released same day.
2024 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client arrested for domestic violence. State agreed not to file charges.
2024 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client charged with felony assault of TSA Agent. Charge reduced to misdemeanor and probation.
2024 – Polk County
Client charged with $150,000 felony embezzlement scheme. Resolved with pre-trial diversion.
2024 – Hillsborough County
Client charged with $50,000 felony stock fraud and violation of felony probation. New charge resolved with probation and VOP dismissed with no sanctions.
2023 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client charged with being felon in possession of a firearm. Client acquitted at trial.
2023 – Federal Court – Ft. Myers
Client charged with multi-million dollar business and personal tax evasion schemes. Over government objection, client sentenced to 9 months in minimum security camp.
2020 – Federal Court – Orlando
Client pleaded guilty to illegal possession of machine gun. Government argued for prison. Client sentenced to 1 year of probation.
2023 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client charged with aggravated identity theft. Charges dismissed with prejudice.
2023 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client threatened with indictment for multi-million dollar fraud. No charges filed based upon violation of statute of limitations.
2023 – State Court – Pinellas County
Client charged with trafficking narcotics, felony use of firearm. All charges dismissed as part of pre-trial diversion agreement.
2023 – State Court – Hillsborough County
Client charged with felony domestic violence by strangulation. Charge dismissed and reduced to misdemeanor pre-trial intervention with no conviction.
2022 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client charged with $300,000 of social security fraud. Government requested 3 years of prison. Court reduced fraud loss to $69,000 and sentenced defendant to probation.
2022 – Federal Court – Tampa
United States sued for forfeiture of luxury vehicle. After an evidentiary hearing and briefing, court dismissed the case, ruled client owed nothing.
2022 – State Court – Hillsborough County
Client arrested for violation of sex offender probation and obstruction of justice. No charges filed.
2023 – State Court – Hillsborough County
Client charged with two felony voting crimes. One charge dismissed. Client pled no contest to one count and received no probation, no file, no court costs, and no jail.
2022 – Federal Court – Tampa
Client charged with trafficking firearms. Government sought prison. Client sentenced to probation.
2022 – Federal Court – Tampa
Physician client investigated by DEA for distribution of narcotics and Medicare fraud. No charges filed.
2021 – State Court – Pinellas County
Client charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest. Charge dismissed.
2022 – State Court – Polk County
Client charged with $700,000 embezzlement. State argued for long prison term. Court imposed probation.
2021 – State Court – Polk County
Client charged with Covid Relief Funds fraud. One count dismissed and client sentenced to probation.
2022 – State Court – Hillsborough County
Client arrested for illegal possession of firearm. No charges filed.