Office of The State Attorney, Fifth Judicial Circuit, Florida
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Serving the Citizens of Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties
Office of The State Attorney, Fifth Judicial Circuit, Florida
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Serving the Citizens of Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties

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MAN CONVICTED OF FRAUDULENT SIMULATION OF LEGAL PROCESS INVOLVING ELECTED OFFICIALS

(Marion County, FL) Last week, jurors found 58-year-old Manes Pierre guilty of Fraudulent Simulation of a Legal Process and False Statement to the Department of State. Pierre was taken into custody on no bond following his conviction to await sentencing.

Pierre was originally arrested in 2021 after investigators uncovered a fraudulent lien unlawfully filed with the Florida Department of State.

“Filing false liens is not only illegal, but it’s harmful, and it’s a form of harassment that can significantly harm a person’s reputation and lead to substantial damages,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “This type of crime will not be tolerated in our jurisdiction, and I am grateful the jurors convicted this defendant for his crimes.”

In August of 2021, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a fraudulent lien filed by the defendant, which listed several judgment debtors, including Marion County Sheriff William Woods, Marion County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Gregory C. Harrell, a Circuit Court Judge, and Assistant State Attorney. None of those individuals had any knowledge of the lien, and a records search during the investigation confirmed the filing was fraudulent.

The lien alleged that the debtors owed $16 million and listed the court as the “Morocco Consular Court,” with the judicial officer as Elio Bohechio Trogon El and the judgment creditor as Manes Pierre. Additionally, when the lien was filed, it was filed by Elio Bohechio Trogon El with a Miami Beach address and a Gmail account. This information matched other prior court filings linked to the defendant.

During the investigation, MCSO Detective Kip Peterson contacted the Department of State’s General Counsel’s Office to obtain copies of the information filed, as well as the transaction details for the electronic filing fee associated with the fraudulent lien. On the transaction details, the customer’s billing information listed was for Manes Pierre, with the same Miami Beach address and Gmail account information.

The State Attorney’s Office appreciates the efforts of Detective Kip Peterson, the Florida Department of State, as well as Assistant State Attorneys Kevin Steiniger and Robert Bullara, all of whom assisted in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.
Published on 3/17/2026.