South Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

Joshua Basso, 29, is accused of asking for sex from a 911 dispatcher. "The caller advised the 911 dispatcher that he was in the bathroom looking for sex and continued to make several obscene comments regarding masturbation and body parts," according to a report from Tampa police. Basso called back 4 times after being hung up on by the dispatcher. He was arrested immediately during the phone calls by Hillsborough police officials on charges of making a false 911 call. Basso ridiculously told police that "he was out of (cellphone) minutes and he called 911 because it was free." A mental evaluation is most likely in order for this deranged individual.

Continue reading "Florida Man Asks for Sex in 911 Call" »

An unnamed minor was arrested under charges of burglary, criminal mischief and voyeurism by Palm Bay police. Police reported that the boy secretly watched a mother and her child. The young teenager was seen at the rear patio door of the lady's home. Police used a dog to track the child back to his home. The kid broke down and cried once he saw the officers and promised to never do it again. The teenager also allegedly cut a screen in the woman's pool patio to gain access while observing her on numerous occasions in the past.

Continue reading "13 Year Old Boy Charged With Voyeurism in Florida" »

Mark Anthony Griffin, a homeless man from Bartlow, FL, was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison for stealing a box of cereal and a can of evaporated milk. The reason for this man's incredibly steep penalty is due to the fact that he has been labeled a "prison release re-offender." This title carries some heavier penalties for individuals who are convicted of a crime within three years of prison release. Griffin's petty theft would have landed him 3 years in prison and 2 years of probation according to the plea deal he rejected.

Continue reading "Florida Man Steals Cereal and Some Massive Jail Time" »

Santiago Cabrera, 19, was arrested by Miami-Dade Police under the charges of armed burglary and animal cruelty. Police say an incident involving Cabrera and the horse's death was for the horse's meat while he held the horse down for another person to come and slit its throat. Miguel Cordero, 18, was arrested recently by police in the area on similar charges.

The burglary statute in Florida covers not only wrongful entries into real property, such as a building or home, but also a conveyance: a conveyance in Florida can be an automobile, truck, bus, or anything that moves on the highways. If you are accused of burglary of a conveyance the state must prove that you wrongfully entered the conveyance with the fully formed intent to commit a crime. It is a burglary of a conveyance if you reach through a window of an automobile and hit someone.

Continue reading "Florida Teenager Charged in Horse Killing Case" »

Warren H, Goldman, Sam Lamport, Gary Richard Powell, Stephen Walton, Aaron Walton, and Kenneth D. Struve have all been arrested and charged in the theft of millions of dollars worth of products from the Publix supermarket chain. Central Florida was their target and police say the criminals were clever. All the men except for one are ranging in age from 53 to 68. The individuals would use their elderly figure to use motorized carts and load up on expensive goods like razors and other health/beauty items. The crimes took place over the past decade so a lot of money was accumulated by the thieves. They would sell the goods on the internet and through local flea markets. Brevard County police disclosed that one of the six suspects had an extensive criminal history. The final charge for most of the men were shoplifting, yet Struve and Goldman were charged with trafficking in stolen property.

Continue reading "Geriatrics in Florida Get Caught Stealing Goods" »

Anastasia Usher, 31, was arrested for child neglect, armed trafficking of cocaine, and possession of cocaine. Other charges of maintaining a drug dwelling with minors present were also added. The charges against Usher were not assisting in her maintaining custody of her children because of the fact that they showed her to be negligent as a mother. Police say she was held on a substantial bond after the arrest and will face court sentencing in the near future.

Continue reading "Florida Mother Arrested for Handgun and Drugs" »

Cameron Jefferson, 38, was arrested for possession of cocaine and cannabis in Tallahassee. While he was at the drive-thru teller window of a bank, he decided it would be a clever idea to throw in some drugs with the $200 dollar deposit. Needless to say, his prank wasn't taken lightly and officials were called in immediately. Further investigation of Jefferson's car led to the discovery of three marijuana cigarettes. $3000 in bail was posted by Jefferson after his arrest.

Cocaine possession of any amount is always going to be a felony. Marijuana can range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on the amount. Sometimes a small fine will be cited to the offender and handled just like a speeding ticket. The amount was not totally specified in the article, but given the cost of the bond the amount of drugs was most likely not too large. Jefferson was arrested for possession, but a variety of other charges may come about from a drug-related incident. Some of these charges may be cultivation/growth of a narcotic, delivery of illegal drugs, fraudulent sale or possession of a prescription drug, or possession of drugs with intent to sell.

Continue reading "Florida Man Deposits Drugs Into His Bank Account" »

James Earl Taylor, 40, and Mary S. Childers, 44, were arrested last Sunday for domestic assault. Bedford County Sheriff's Department stated that their deputies arrived on the scene to find the couple in an argument. The two were "involved in a verbal altercation" during which the Frito-Lay product of Cheetos snacks were used to assault one of the partners. Sheriffs found evidence of the assault yet "no physical marks on either party and the primary aggressor was unable to be determined." Both members of the party were charged $2500 in bond.

Continue reading "Domestic Violence by Use of Cheetos Food Product" »

Artis Leon Ivey, 45, also known by his rapper name Coolio, has been charged with cocaine possession in Los Angeles, CA. He was also charged in the same incident with battery. Authorities say he grabbed a screener’s arm to prevent a luggage search that turned up the drugs. Ivey was charged with one felony count of possession and one misdemeanor count each of battery and possession of paraphernalia. He was released on $10,000 bail and is scheduled for arraignment April 3.

Coolio is soon to be living in his very own Gangster's Paradise in the pen. Cocaine charges are not a joke and I'm sure he won't be Smilin' any time in the near future. It's interesting when celebrities get caught and noticing how authorities and prosecution deal with them, usually leniently. We'll see how he 'Slide, slide, slippity slides' out of this Fantastic Voyage.

Continue reading "Rapper 'Coolio' Gets Cocaine Charges in an Airport" »

Ruth Madoff is under heat in regards to whether she can continue to stay at her living quarters or if she has to let the government seize them. Lawyers of Bernie Madoff are claiming that millions in assets of Bernie are in the escrow of Mrs. Madoff and thus untouchable or not relevant in a court of law.

The article, from the New York Times, goes on to say that to argue that the assets in Ms. Madoff’s name are in fact separate, it will be necessary for her to show they were acquired by untainted money. That may be difficult to prove because the records from Mr. Madoff’s investment advisory business do not appear to be very clear. If the government is able to show the brokerage operation was supported by the Ponzi scheme, then money taken from that business may not be immune to forfeiture.

Continue reading "Mrs. Madoff Gets To Keep Her Crib" »

Henry Farrell, 46, has been charged recently with carjacking. Farrell attempted to carjack a man in the parking lot of a coffee shop in Boca Raton last January. Police say the incident is the man's 190th arrest, an arrest rap record loaded with many charges from numerous marijuana and cocaine possessions. Family of the man say he suffers from bipolar disorder.

It's sad to see when recidivism is clearly evident from our court and rehabilitation systems even when millions of dollars are spent each year to have these types of incidents not occur. The man involved is clearly of unsound mind and needs to have some life changes in order to correct himself.

Florida Statute 812.133 defines "carjacking" as:

the taking of a motor vehicle which may be the subject of larceny from the person or custody of another, with intent to either permanently or temporarily deprive the person or the owner of the motor vehicle, when in the course of the taking there is the use of force, violence, assault, or putting in fear.

Continue reading "Florida Man Gets 190 Arrest Milestone" »

Louis Beverly, an ACORN activist, faces charges of fourth-degree burglary, a first in the realm of the foreclosure market. The activist, a part of ACORN (the Association of Community Organization for Reform Now) is facing these criminal charges in response to the breaking and entering of a home in southeast Baltimore a few weeks ago. "This is our house now," ACORN member Louis Beverly reportedly said after cutting a lock with bolt cutters at the home. A spokesperson at the Pittsburgh Police said charges would be filed in response to any person found living in a foreclosed home even if that person has lived at the residence previously or not.

ACORN launched its "Home Savers" campaign in New York earlier this month and plans to expand the program to at least 22 other cities and three counties nationwide in the coming weeks. Participants like Beverly say they will refuse to move out of foreclosed homes or reclaim properties altogether until a comprehensive federal housing plan takes affect. At least 500 volunteers have reportedly agreed to work as "home defenders" to employ non-violent tactics to block authorities from evicting homeowners. Orlando, Florida, is one of the other cities being targeted by "Home Savers" participants.

Continue reading "ACORN Foreclosure Squad Arrest Made" »

Mark Belanger, 34, was arrested last Sunday on charges of child abuse and permitting an unlicensed driver to drive. Allegations have it that the man allowed his 8 year old son to get behind the wheel after he supposedly ingested some Xanax. Belanger states that he felt "woozy" and did not want to man the vehicle, but allowed his son to drive instead. He figured it would be some good one-on-one father-son time. Police later talked to the boy who said his father actually took some "liquid medicine" while he pointed out an empty bottle of whiskey found in the vehicle. Bond was set an also odd amount of $10,120.

This is just one of those incidents where you can't help but wonder what do people really think when they're doing something they know that is wrong. Drinking and then letting your child operate your vehicle is a BAD idea always, no matter if you thought it was going to be a bonding experience or if you really needed to get home bad. An untrained and underage driver added to a drunk parent in the passenger seat can only lead to bad consequences. This odd story just proves that.

Continue reading "Police in Bradenton Charge Father With Letting Son Drive" »