Jacksonville officer among 13 netted in federal bust

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Thirteen people including a Jacksonville police patrol officer were included in a wide-ranging federal bust on charges of tax fraud, drug trafficking and money laundering.

U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley on Thursday unsealed the indictments, which included 46-year-old Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer Michael Rounsville.

Rounsville is charged with improperly using the National Crime Information Center Database to do a background check on what turned out to be an undercover agent taking part in an ecstasy deal.

The sheriff’s department says Rounsville was arrested and no longer has police powers. He is on voluntary leave.

The Florida Times-Union (http://bit.ly/1Fkgfdt ) reports that two others charged in the bust are local business owners Hedar Khlaf and Vladimir Adunts, listed as owners of various companies in Jacksonville.

A phone number for Rounsville was disconnected.