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A once-influential Miami lobbyist is now facing federal prison after orchestrating a years-long tax evasion scheme that included fake property sales, shell companies, and disguised income. Eston Eurel “Dusty” Melton III was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution after pleading guilty to defrauding the U.S. government.

The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg, comes after Melton admitted to dodging tax payments by concealing income and assets—while continuing to live lavishly behind a facade of family obligations and personal sacrifice.

"A Morally Right, Legally Wrong Choice"

Melton, who ran Global Projects Inc., a lobbying firm in Miami-Dade County, confessed in February to owing over $1.3 million in taxes from 2005 to 2014, having paid just $62,000 of it. In court, Melton attempted to justify his actions by calling them a “moral” decision—choosing to pay family expenses like $900,000 in alimony, school tuition, and buying a lobbying firm—rather than paying the IRS.

"The court will not find fancy vacations or luxury cars," Melton told the judge. "What the court will find is a lot of debt because of life’s necessities."

But prosecutors were unmoved. They argued Melton willfully and repeatedly took steps to deceive, not merely neglecting to pay taxes but actively hiding income, using his son's and wife’s bank accounts, and closing his own accounts to operate in cash.