SPRING HILL, Fla. - A Spring Hill man was arrested for stealing more than $600,000 worth of onions and potatoes, according to federal prosecutors.
What we know:
Jason Canals, 39, was arrested on eight counts of interstate transport of stolen property related to the theft, and officials said he faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison if convicted.
Dig deeper:
Federal prosecutors said Canals is accused of perpetrating multiple schemes to defraud wholesale produce companies. They said Canals used a company's name and email signature block without permission, so he could communicate with other companies that would request produce.
While the shipments were on the way, Canals would divert the produce to a different location and never paid the victim companies, according to prosecutors. There was even an incident where Canals was accused of giving false documents, so the victim companies believed he had prepaid for the produce.
By the numbers:
Between the cost of the produce and transporting it, Canals' schemes cost these companies more than $600,000.
What's next:
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and the FBI, and federal attorneys said Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn E. Hoenemeyer will prosecute.
The Source: The information in this story was released by the United States Attorney's Office Middle District of Florida.