A man previously convicted of a felony has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison following an investigation into a drive-by shooting that led authorities to discover firearms, contraband, and stolen personal information.
Keith Bethel, 34, received a sentence of 104 months from U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz after being found guilty by a federal jury. The charges included being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida stated: “What began as a drive-by shooting investigation led to the discovery of illegal firearms, stolen identities, and a calculated fraud operation. Federal investigators uncovered a dangerous combination of violence and identity theft that harmed real people — from a foster care specialist to a young Air Force firefighter. The Southern District of Florida will continue working with our partners to dismantle criminal enterprises and protect our community.”
The trial evidence showed that on July 18, 2023, law enforcement responded to reports of a high-caliber drive-by shooting at a residence in Lauderhill. Authorities determined that Bethel was wearing an ankle monitor due to an earlier felony conviction and fled the scene after the incident.
During their search of the residence—described by officials as a “trap house”—officers found multiple firearms including a large-capacity Draco-style weapon, ammunition, and significant materials related to identity theft. Investigators recovered folders containing victims’ personal information, stolen mail, blank checks, as well as ledgers with instructions for committing fraud against individuals and financial institutions.
Victims affected by these crimes included professionals such as a basketball coach from Florida, a foster care specialist, a retired nurse, and an Air Force firefighter whose personal data was misused.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. Prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kseniya Smychkouskaya and General Crimes Chief Joseph Egozi.
Court documents related to this case are available on the District Court for the Southern District of Florida’s website at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or through http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60103.
