United States v. Patrick Marquis Ayton Jr. — Plea Agreement, Southern District of Florida (Document 167)

Summary

A plea agreement between the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and Patrick Marquis Ayton Jr in Case No. 0:25-cr-60273-PCH, entered on the docket March 20, 2026 as Document 167. The defendant agrees to plead guilty to Count 1, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, and Count 36, aggravated identity theft; the office agrees to seek dismissal of the remaining counts after sentencing. The parties will jointly recommend a base offense level of 7, a loss of more than $1,500,000 and less than $3,500,000, and increases for 10 or more victims and for unauthorized or counterfeit access devices. The defendant stipulates to restitution of $1,670,954 jointly and severally with co-defendants, agrees to forfeiture and waives most appeal rights.

Summary drafted by a model from the text of the original file linked on this page and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

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Case 0:25-cr-60273-PCH Document 167 Entered on FLSD Docket 03/20/2026 Page 1 of 7




                               UN ITED STATES D ISTRICT CO UR T
                               SO UTH ER N DISTRICT O F FLO R IDA

                                      CA SE NO .25-CR -60273-H U CK

    UNITED STATES O F A M ERICA

    VS.

    PATRICK M ARQUIS AYTON JR,
           Defendant.
                                                     /

                                          PLEA A GR EEM ENT

           TheUnited StatesAttorney'sOfficefortheSouthernDistrictofFlorida(collectively,ttthis
    Office'')andPATRICK M ARQUISAYTON JR (hereinafterreferredtoasthefr efendanf')enter
    into the follow ing agreem ent:

                   Defendant agrees to plead guilty to Count l and Count 36 of the lndictm ent.

    Count1 charges Defendantwith conspiracy to comm itbank fraud and wire fraud,in violation of

    Title 18,United StatesCode,Section 1349. Count36 chargesDefendantw ith aggravated identity

    theft,inviolationofTitle18,UnitedStatesCode,Section 1028A(a)(1).
           2.      ThisO ffice agreesto seek dism issalofthe rem aining countsofthe lndictm ent,as

    to thisDefendantonly,aftersentencing.

                   Defendantisaw arethatthe sentencew illbeim posed by theCourtafterconsidering

    the advisory FederalSentencing Guidelines and Policy Sltements (hereinafter tçsentencing
    Guidelines''). Defendantacknowledgesand understandsthattheCourtwillcomputean advisory
    sentence underthe Sentencing G uidelinesand thattheapplicableguidelinesw illbe determ ined by

    theCourt,relying ingartontheresultsofapre-sentenceinvestigationbytheCourt'sprobation
    office,w hich investigation w illcom m ence afterthe guilty plea has been entered. Defendantis
Case 0:25-cr-60273-PCH Document 167 Entered on FLSD Docket 03/20/2026 Page 2 of 7




    also aw are that,undercertain circum stances,the Courtm ay departfrom the advisory sentencing

    guideline range that ithas com puted,and m ay raise or low erthat advisory sentence underthe

    Sentencing Guidelines. D efendantisfurtheraware and understandsthatthe Courtisrequired to

    consider the advisory guideline range determ ined under the Sentencing Guidelines, but is not

    bound to im pose a sentencew ithin thatadvisory range;the Courtisperm itted to tailorthe ultim ate

    sentence in lightofotherstatutory concerns,and such sentence m ay be eitherm ore severe orless

    severe than the Sentencing G uidelines' advisory range. K now ing these facts, Defendant

    undersGndsand acknow ledgesthatthe Courthasthe authority to im pose any sentence w ithin and

    up to the statutory m axim um authorized by Iaw forthe offensesidentified in paragraph 1and that

    D efendantm ay notw ithdraw the plea solely asa resultofthe sentence imposed.

           4.     D efendantalso understands and acknow ledgesthat,as to Count 1,the Courtm ay

    imposeastatutory maxim um term ofimprisonmentofup to thirty (30)years,followedby aterm
    ofsupervisedreleaseofuptofive(5)years. In additiontoaterm ofimprisonmentandsupervised
    release,theCourtmay imposeafineofup to $1,000,000ortwicethegrosspecuniary gain orIoss,
    whicheveris greater,and m ay orderforfeiture and restitution. As to Count36,the Courtm ust

    impose a sentence oftwo (2)years'imprisonment,which shallrun consecutive to any term of
    im prisonm entim posed for Count 1,and m ay also im pose a term of supervised release up to one

    (l)yearandafineofupto$250,000.
           5.      Defendantfurtherunderstandsand acknow ledgesthat,in addition to any sentence

    imposed underparagraph 4 ofthisagreement,aspecialassessmentin theamountof$200 willbe
    im posed on Defendant. D efendantagrees thatany specialassessm entim posed shallbe paid at

    the tim e of sentencing. lf D efendant is financially unable to pay the special assessm ent,


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    Defendantagrees to presentevidence to thisO ffice and the Courtatthe tim e ofsentencing as to

    the reasonsforDefendant'sfailure to pay.

           6.     This Office reserves the rightto inform the Courtand the probation office of all

    factspertinentto the sentencingprocess,including al1relevantinform ation concerningtheoffenses

    comm itted,whetherchargedornot,aswellasconcerningDefendantandDefendant'sbackground.

    Subjectonly totheexpresstel'msofanyagreed-upon sentencingrecommendationscontained in
    thisagreem ent,thisOffice furtherreservestherightto make any recom m endation asto the quality

    and quantity ofpunishm ent.

                  This O ffke agreesthat it willrecom m end atsentencing thatthe Courtreduce by

    two(2)levelsthesentencingguidelinelevelapplicabletoDefendant'soffense,pursuanttoSection
    3E1.1(a)oftheSentencing Guidelines,based upon Defendant'srecognition andaffirmativeand
    tim ely acceptance ofpersonalresponsibility. lf atthe tim e of sentencing Defendant's offense

    levelis determ ined to be 16 orgreater,this Office w illt5le a m otion requesting an additionalone

    (l) level decrease pursuantto Section 3E1.1(b) of the Sentencing Guidelines,stating that
    Defendant has assisted authorities in the investigation or prosecution of Defendant's own

    m isconduct by tim ely notifying authorities of Defendant's intention to enter a plea of guilty,

    thereby perm itting the governm entto avoid preparing fortrialand perm itting the governm entand

    the Courtto allocate their resources efficiently. This O ffice,however,w illnot be required to

    makethismotionifDefendant:(1)failsorrefusestomakeafull,accurate,andcompletedisclosure
    totheprobation officeofthecircumstancessurrounding therelevantoffenseconduct;(2)isfound
    to havemisrepresented factsto the governmentpriorto entering into thispleaagreement;or(3)
    com m its any m isconduct after entering into this plea agreem ent, including,butnot lim ited to,


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Case 0:25-cr-60273-PCH Document 167 Entered on FLSD Docket 03/20/2026 Page 4 of 7




    com m itting a state orfederaloffense,violating any term ofrelease,orm aking false statem entsor

    m isrepresentationsto any governm entalentity orofficial.

           8.     ThisOffice and Defendantagree that,although notbinding on the probation office

    orthe Courq they willjointly recommend thatthe Courtmake the following findings and
    conclusionsasto the sentenceto be im posed:

                  (a) Thatthebaseoffenselevelis7,pursuantto Section2Bl.1(a)(1);
                  (b) Thattherelevantamountofactual,probable,orintended lossunderSection
                       2B1.l(b)(1) of the Sentencing Guidelines resulting from the offense
                       committed in this case is more than $1,500,000 and less than $3,500,000,

                       resultinginanincreaseof16levelspursuanttoSection2B1.1(b)(1)(l);
                  (c) Thattheoffense involved 10 ormorevictims,resulting in an increaseof2
                       levelspursuanttoSection281.1(b)(2)(A)(i);and
                  (d) Thattheoffense involved theproduction ortraffkkingofany unauthorized
                       access device orcounterfeitaccessdevice,resulting in an increase of2 levels

                       pursuantto 28 1.1(b)(11)(B).
           9.     D efendant is aw are thatthe sentence has notyet been determ ined by the Court.

    Defendant also is aw are that any estim ate of the probable sentencing range or sentence that

    Defendantm ay receive,w hetherthatestim ate com es from D efendant's attorney,this Ofsce,or

    the probation office,isa prediction,notaprom ise,and isnotbinding on thisO ffice,the probation

    office,orthe Court. Defendantundersunds and acknow ledges,aspreviously acknow ledged in

    paragraph 3 above,thatD efendantm ay notw ithdraw hispleabased upon the Court'sdecision not




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    to accept a sentencing recom m endation m ade by Defendant,this O ffice,or a recom m endation

    madejointlybyDefendantandthisOffice.
           10.    D efendantagrees,in an individualand any othercapacity,to forfeitto the United

    States voluntarily and im m ediately allproperty,realorpersonal,that constitutes or is derived,

    directly orindirectly,from grossproceedstraceable to the com m ission ofthe offense,pursuantto

    l8 U.S.C.j 982(a)(2)(A). ln addition,Defendantagreesto forfeiture ofsubstitute property
    pursuantto21U.S.C.j853û9.
                  Defendant also agrees to assist the United States in al1 proceedings, whether

    administrativeorjudicial,involvingtheforfeituretotheUnited Statesofdirectly forfeitableor
    substitute assets. Thisassistance shallinclude: disclosing w ithin 14 calendardaysin aFinancial

    Disclosure Statem ent provided by this O ffice the existence,nature and location of allassets in

    w hich the defendant has or had any direct or indirect financial interest or control,any assets

    involved in the offense ofconviction,and those held by a spouse,nom inee,orotherthird party;

    taking all steps necessary to locate assets,wherever located;agreeing to the entry of an order

    enjoiningthetransferorencumbranceofassets;transferringassetstotheUnitedSotesbydelivery
    to thisOfficeany necessary and appropriatedocum entation to delivergood and m arketable titleto

    assets; liquidating assets, or com pleting any task which willresult in a paym ent tow ards the

    forfeituremoneyjudgment;andnotcontestingorimpedinginanywaywithanycriminal,civilor
    adm inistrative forfeiture proceeding concerning the forfeiture.

           12.     Defendant agrees that forfeiture is independent of any assessm ent, fine, cost,

    restitution,orpenalty thatm ay be im posed by the Court.Defendantfurther agreesto waive:any

    constitutional,legal,and equitableclaim ordefensetotheforfeitureofassetsin anyjudicialor

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Case 0:25-cr-60273-PCH Document 167 Entered on FLSD Docket 03/20/2026 Page 6 of 7




    administrative proceeding;any applicable time limitsforadministrative orjudicialforfeiture
    proceedings;any claim ordefenseunderthe Excessive FinesClause ofthe Eighth A m endm entto

    the U nited States Constitution;the requirem ents ofFed.R.Crim .P.32.2;and any appealofthe

    forfeiture. Defendant understands thatthis plea agreem ent shall serve as a w ithdrawal of any

    pending adm inistrative forfeiture claim .

           13.     D efendantunderstands and acknow ledges thatthe Courtm ustorderrestitution for

    thefullamountofthevictims'lossespursuantto 18U.S.C.j3663A. Defendantstipulatesand
    agreesthathe owesrestitution jointly and severally with hisco-defendantsin the amountof
    $1,670,954.
            l4.    D efendantis aw are thatTitle 28,United States Code,Section 1291 and Title 18,

    United States Code,Section 3742 afford Defendantthe rightto appealthe sentence im posed in

    thiscase. A cknow ledging this,in exchange forthe undertakings m ade by the United States in

    thisplea agreem ent,Defendanthereby w aives al1rights conferred by Sections 1291 and 3742 to

    appealany sentence im posed,including any restitution order,orto appealthem annerin w hich the

    sentence was im posed,unless the sentence exceeds the m axim um perm itted by statute or is the

    resultofan upward departure and/or an upw ard variance from the advisory guideline range that

    theCourtestablishesatsentencing. D efendantfurtherunderstandsthatnothing in thisagreem ent

    shallaffectthe governm ent's right and/orduty to appealas setforth in Title 18,U nited States

    Code,Section 3742(19 and Title 28,United StatesCode,Section 1291. However,iftheUnited
    StatesappealsDefendant'ssentencepursuantto Sections374241$ and 1291,Defendantshallbe
    released from the above waiver of his rightto appealhis sentence. D efendant further hereby

    waivesallrightsconferred by Title 28,United States Code,Section 1291 to assertany claim that


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Case 0:25-cr-60273-PCH Document 167 Entered on FLSD Docket 03/20/2026 Page 7 of 7




    (1)thestatuteto which Defendantispleading guilty isunconstitutional;and/or(2)theadmitted
    conductdoes notfallw ithin the scope ofthe statute of conviction. By signing this agreem ent,

    D efendant acknow ledges that Defendant has discussed the appeal waiver set forth in this

    agreem ent w ith D efendant's attorney. Defendant further agrees,together w ith this Office,to

    requestthatthe Courtenter a specific tinding thatD efendant's waiverofhis rightto appealthe

    sentence im posed in thiscase and hisrightto appealhisconviction in the m annerdescribed above

    wasknowing and voluntary.

            15.   This isthe entire agreem entand understanding between thisO fficeand Defendant.

    There are no otheragreem ents,prom ises,representations,orunderstandings.


                                               JASON A.REDING QUIRONES
                                               U NITED STA TES       TORN EY

    Ilat
       e: 77l IJ                        By:
                                                                            #

                                               DA VID .SN IDER
                                               A SSIS AN T  ITED STA TES A TTORN EY

    Date:         7 )% J.6
                                               Ml     A.     TON
                                               ATTORNEY FOR DEFEN DAN T
                                                            *


    Date: 7-/t-z8
                                               PATRICK M ARQUIS A TON .
                                                                      IR
                                               DEFEN DAN T




                                                  7


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