A Hastings man known on the street as “Big Mayo” is facing serious charges tied to his involvement in the violent Blood-affiliated gang Sex Money Murder, which law enforcement says has continued a reign of mayhem across Florida despite recent crackdowns.
Andrew Mariano, 23, is classified by investigators as a “Floor 1” member — the lowest level in the gang’s structured hierarchy — but authorities say he was one of ten “notable” individuals playing an outsized role in keeping the gang active.
Despite his entry-level rank, Mariano was described in case records as part of a membership tier “instrumental in maintaining Sex Money Murder’s presence as a criminal enterprise.”
Deputies executed a search warrant at Mariano’s residence and found firearms and narcotics as part of a trafficking operation across Northeast Florida, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Social Media, Dues, and a Digital Trail
Sex Money Murder operates with a strict internal chain of command, court papers out of the prosecuting jurisdiction of Highlands County state.
At the top are national-level figures with titles like president, vice president, underboss, commissioner, and even a “First Lady.” Beneath them, members are placed into five “floors,” with Floor 1 being the least prominent and Floor 5 the most.
As a Floor 1 member, Mariano wasn’t high-ranking, but investigators say his name appeared repeatedly in internal group messages, payment records, and plans to commit criminal acts.
Gang members were expected to pay monthly dues — between $64 and $120 — often using mobile apps like Cash App and Zelle. Records tied to Mariano indicate that he helped to collect these payments, papers state,
Following a major 2022 investigation in Polk County that disrupted much of Sex Money Murder’s leadership in Central Florida, members were instructed to delete their public social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook and move conversations to encrypted platforms such as Telegram and Signal.
But a key confidential informant gave authorities access to a damning Signal group chat that included detailed discussions of narcotics activity, dues payments, firearms distribution, and violent retribution.
These messages became key evidence in ongoing gang-related investigations across several Florida counties.
Crimes and Communication
According to law enforcement, the ten “notable” members of the gang, including Mariano, worked to boost their “street credibility” by directly participating in various crimes. These included fraud, drug trafficking, firearms violations, and violent acts — all contributing to what investigators described as a continuing pattern of racketeering-style behavior.
Signal, a secure messaging app, became the primary communication hub for Sex Money Murder’s members, replacing Facebook and Instagram. In it, authorities say they found not only operational chatter, but also explicit planning related to physical violence.
“Signal is where Sex Money Murder was conducting a vast majority of their gang-related functions,” an officer involved in the case wrote in court filings. That included dues collection, logistical planning, and sending out gang-wide directives.
Plotting Retaliation After Gang Member’s Death
In December 2023, a known member of Sex Money Murder, Niyke Echavarria, was shot and killed in Tampa. Another man, Javionne Floyd, was arrested and charged with his murder.
After Floyd’s arrest, several gang members — including Mariano — took to Signal to discuss retaliation.
Because Floyd was behind bars, the group turned its attention to his family. Investigators allege Mariano encouraged others to target whoever was present at Floyd’s family business, stating: “Whoever dea needa get smoked momma daddy sister don’t matter.”
He also shared a photo of Floyd’s mother, commenting: “Fool mom look like uh junky she kan go too.”
These conversations, authorities say, show Mariano’s role in encouraging violence against non-involved relatives.
Arrest warrants were filed in March and in April ahead of statewide sweeps.
Mariano was booked and later released on $300,000 bond. His case is pending.
