Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

Like a junior "Scarface" or the plotline from "21 Jump Street", an Ohio teen is accused of being one of the biggest drug traffickers in Cincinnati. Per an article in the Washington Post, at an age where most boys are getting ready for prom, 17 year old Tyler Pagenstecher pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in juvenile court.

Tyler is accused of being a major player in a large marijuana ring, one so large that it was selling over $20,000 of pot per month to fellow students in this Ohio suburb. He has been called everything from "a little czar" to "one of the most successful teenage drug dealers" in midwest history. Per the police report, while adults ran the drug ring, the juvenile drug dealer had six teenage "lieutenants" directly under his control who helped sell the pot. The teen, who admitted selling pot since he was 15, at first stayed off police radar. He avoided selling at school and would only sell from his home. Police eventually got word of him from informants and undercover agents bought drugs off Tyler on two seperate occasions.

Besides Tyler Pagenstecher, seven adults were also arrested and charged with trafficking in marijuana. They are accused of growing weed in suburban homes and a warehouse, using artifical light.

During Tyler's arrest, police seized over 600 marijuana plants with a cash value of over $3 million dollars! They also seized over $6,000 in cash they found in the juvenile's bedroom.

By the accounts of local teachers, Tyler was a smart student who has achieved cult-like status in his highschool for fooling the police for so long. The prosecutor for the case agrees that Tyler is intelligent and is hoping that he will dedicate himself to going straight.

What would happen to him in Florida Courts?

As Florida juvenile defense lawyers we have handled numerous juvenile cases throughout Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Pasco counties. The juvenile court system was made in part to help teenagers with bad choices they may make. Normally a case such as drug trafficking might result in years in prison for an adult offender. A juvenile offender may be given a more lenient sentence including probation or even a boot camp option rather then adult prison.

If you have any further questions for the juvenile crime lawyers at Blake & Dorsten, P.A., call us at 727.286.6141 or contact us for a free consultation.

Continue reading "Local Teen ran a 20k per month drug ring..." »

While the Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog regularly reports on the latest legal trends throughout the State of Florida, I sure hope this doesn't become the latest Florida trend: beating people up and posting videos online.

PALM BAY

Two (2) 15-year-old teens were arrested in Palm Bay after police were tipped to a video of them beating another teen unconscious, according to TCPalm.

In an example of the increasingly voyeuristic behavior people are exhibiting on social media web sites, a pair of 15-year-old boys were arrested because of a video one of them allegedly posted on Facebook showing his friend beating another teenager unconscious.

The 15-year old victim of the beating did not tell his parents or go to the hospital, police say. Rather, police were alerted to the beating and ultimately made the arrests acting off a tip from a witness who saw the video on Facebook.

Police arrested David Wayne Howard Jr. and Anthony Vincent Faiola, both 15. They appeared before a Juvenile court judge Thursday at the Moore Justice Center and were ordered held at the Juvenile Detention Center for twenty one (21) days.

Howard was charged with Aggravated Battery, Resisting Arrest without Violence and Solicitation of Gang Activity.

Faiola was charged with Accessory after the Fact and Resisting Arrest without Violence.

"They were defiant; no remorse," Palm Bay police Officer Kevin Morris said of the teens' demeanor hours after their arrest.

"We believe that they posted the video to promote their gang activities. The victim just made a comment about them belonging to a gang, but it was nothing that deserved this type of retaliation. We're also looking into whether there may be other videos."

Faiola videotaped the beating and it was later posted on Howard's personal Facebook profile page, police said. The incident happened Tuesday, but only surfaced Wednesday after a concerned resident alerted Palm Bay police.

The video shows Howard delivering several successive kicks to the victim's head in front of onlookers, at one point stomping on the boy's head as he lay on the ground. A girl's voice captured on the video is heard saying, "Oh my God," repeatedly while the attack continues.

"(The victim) didn't go to the hospital. In fact, he didn't even tell his family," Morris said.

From the video, officers with the department's Youth Services were able to identify several witnesses to the attack, all who attend Heritage High. The fight reportedly happened on Grandeur Road. Howard's family members later removed the video from his Facebook page, police said.

Law enforcement officials and other experts say the video is the latest example of boldly posted videos, texts or photographs that depict illegal or illicit activity. In 2007, a video of a 12-year-old Brevard County girl being beaten by peers was posted online. Across the nation, fights between teens are being captured on cell phones or other mobile devices and posted on social media sites within minutes.

"It's human nature to act in certain ways. It's just that the technology has changed," Brevard County Assistant State Attorney Wayne Holmes said. "People do things and they want to brag. It's just being carried on in a different way. The fact that it's being thrown on an online media site is no different than the bully in the classroom."

Morris also noted a recent trend of teens, including some in the Palm Bay area, getting together to do "wrestling-style" fights for online video-postings on sites like YouTube, although those cases involve willing participants.

The victim, whose injuries were described as not serious by police, did not want to come forward, primarily out of fear. Police said the incident began when the victim questioned one of the teens about involvement in a gang called "3-2-1," a [very original] name borrowed from Brevard County's area code.

Howard later told police that he had formed the "3-2-1 Boyz" or "3-2-1 Crew " gang and wanted to "beat his .¤.¤." because of derogatory remarks about the group. Police said they tracked Howard to his home on Grandeur Road. The teen ran inside and refused to answer the door for at least 20 minutes before his uncle arrived and ordered him to leave the home, according to police reports.

Howard and Faiola are scheduled for a June 16 trial in Juvenile Court and face one (1) to six (6) years in Juvenile detention. The state attorney's office will review the case to determine whether to charge one or both teens as adults. A conviction as an adult on an Aggravated Battery charge carries a penalty of up to fifteen (15) years in the Florida State Prison system.

WINTER HAVEN

In Winter Haven, a brother and sister, 18 and 16-years-old, were arrested after they were identified in a cellphone video beating a 14-year-old girl, TheLedger.com reports. The girl was thrown to the ground and kicked her in her face, police said. "He did what appears to me like a punter trying to kick a field goal," a Winter Haven police spokeswoman said. "It's really a blessing that she did not get any more injuries than what she had."

Walter Bouiye, 18, of 1695 Marshall Road, in Winter Haven, and his 16-year-old sister were charged in the attack, according to Winter Haven police.

Bouiye was booked Wednesday into Polk County Jail on charges of Child Abuse and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. He remained jailed Thursday in lieu of $1,500 bond.

His sister was charged with Misdemeanor Battery and taken to the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC).

Police withheld her name because she is a Juvenile and charged with a misdemeanor-level crime.

Officers were able to identify the suspects through witnesses at the scene, but the video, later found on online, assisted.

Obviously, the lesson learned from both of these stories is that law enforcement is using social media sources to build criminal cases against suspects throughout the State of Florida. Hopefully, teens will begin to realize this before they ruin their lives over stupid activity.

According to an online story on BayNews9.com, a Polk County teenager and her Juvenile friends made a costly trip to the shopping mall and now they are all facing criminal charges.

Ashley Turner, 16, went to the Lakeland Square Mall and ended up getting more than she bargained for from her local Spencer's Gifts store.

"We just went in there and sprayed some spray," she said. "I didn't know I was Shoplifting."

Officials say Turner and her friends went inside Spencer's Gifts and tested a mouth spray.

They say the bottle was in an opened box, but it wasn't a test (according to the store's spokesperson).

"I sprayed a spray and my friend sprayed a spray and her little sister," Turner said.

The store employee called police and confronted them. In my opinion, confront them (sure), but call the police (get real).

Turner's mother went to the store and couldn't believe what was happening.

"To charge them with shoplifting (Petit Theft) when they never attempted to walk out of the store with it, they left it on the counter," Turner's mother Kim said. "He had it in his hand when he approached them so how could he charge them when it was in his possession."

The teens must appear in Juvenile Court on Thursday. They also got letters stating they owe Spencer's Gifts $200 (which is a standard civil theft/restitution letter that all shoplifting clients receive from the store's corporate attorney).

Turner and the other girls with her may receive $600 in fines for the $7.99 bottle of spray.

A Spencer's corporate spokesperson said, just like other retailers, they need to recoup not only the loss of goods, but the time of employees and security dealing with the alleged theft.

Turner's mother says she wants to warn other parents.

"I just want other parents and other kids to be aware because I wasn't aware this is considered Shoplifting at all," she said.

The spokesperson for Spencer's said they do not comment on specific pending cases (which is probably a good idea because of the stupidity of this case).

However, the spokesperson did say the stores do not have tester sprays which means every spray in the store is for sale.

Turner's mother says she and the other girls' parents tried to pay for the bottle when they arrived, but the store refused.

My best guess is that the State Attorney's Office will dismiss these charges as the State of Florida would need to prove that these young girls "knowingly" obtained or used the store's property with the "intent" to appropriate the property, which they were not entitled to, for their own use.

Good luck finding a Judge that will find these girls guilty (even in ultra-conservative Polk County).

As we enter another Holiday Season, the Blake & Dorsten, P.A. would like to wish you and yours a Happy and Safe Holiday weekend.

With the support of all of our friends, family and clients, 2010 was another excellent year for the Blake & Dorsten, P.A.. And for that, we have much to be thankful for this Holiday Season.

To our family and friends, thank you for your patience and understanding when it was necessary to work late nights and/or weekends.

To our business colleagues and our outstanding network of fellow attorneys, thank you for not only your referrals but for the trust that you have placed in the Blake & Dorsten, P.A. to provide an experienced and aggressive representation to those that you've sent our way.

And to both our former and present clients, thank you for the trust that you have placed in the Blake & Dorsten, P.A. to protect your rights and to handle your important criminal and/or traffic-related matters.

As many of you know, 2010 presented some different challenges for the Blake & Dorsten, P.A.. Without your support, we would not have been able to achieve the many successes that came our way.

On behalf of the entire Blake & Dorsten, P.A. team (Pam, Eryn, Oatie and myself), have a Happy, Healthy and Safe Holiday Season.

As always, attorney Nicholas J. Dorsten will be available throughout the Holiday Weekend. In fact, we were very grateful to sign up a new Client today and make a Christmas Eve trip to the Pinellas County Jail.

Continue reading "CLEARWATER: Happy Holidays from the Blake & Dorsten, P.A." »

According to a breaking story on TampaBay.com, a 28-year-old Tampa man was confronted by two (2) teenagers as he was jogging after midnight in Town 'n Country and (following a physical altercation) he shot one of them to death, said Larry McKinnon, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) spokesman.

The shooting happened after 1:00 a.m., near Pinehurst Drive and Hickory Circle. The teens were dressed in black and wearing hooded jackets, McKinnon said. No further information was given as to why two (2) teenagers would be out at 1:00 a.m., dressed in all black and wearing hoodies. However, its doubtful that they were also "out for a jog."

Thomas Baker, of 9015 Hickory Circle, fired multiple rounds with a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun, McKinnon said. According to the online story, he was cooperative with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) investigation.

It also appears that Mr. Baker will have a solid defense under Florida's relatively-new "Stand Your Ground" law.

Carlos Musteliel, 18, of 8921 Camino Villa Boulevard in Tampa, died from a gunshot to the chest. Deputies found him dead in a roadway at 1:24 a.m.

Five (5) houses away from where the shooting happened, Baker stood outside his home Wednesday morning smoking a cigarette. "I don't want to talk,'' he said. "It was a terrible thing."

Here's what deputies said happened:

The two (2) teens started talking to Baker. The conversation escalated into an altercation and Musteliel punched him. Baker said he thought one of the teens had a weapon and that a Robbery was about to take place. Baker pulled his gun and shot Musteliel multiple times in the upper torso. The other teen was uninjured, ran away and may have hidden behind a nearby house and discarded his jacket in the yard.

The 16-year-old returned when deputies arrived and was being questioned as a witness. He will not be identified by authorities (presumably because he is a Juvenile).

Hillsborough County Sheriff's detectives were conferring with Tampa prosecutors, who will determine if any criminal charges will be filed (and who they will be filed against).

Neighbor William McVey, 63, said he awoke to the sound of five (5) gunshots. "Somebody getting killed like that is awful," he said. "What an awful way to start the Thanksgiving weekend."

He said the neighborhood is pretty quiet with a lot of children.

Baker and the teenagers live in the neighborhood but don't know each other, sheriff's detectives said.

Baker has a concealed weapons permit and said he routinely jogs late at night, McKinnon said.

Continue reading "TAMPA: Will Jogger that Shot Teenager Claim Self Defense?" »

Every once in awhile, the local media publishes a story that is so "right-on-point," that I'd rather cut-and-paste the entire story and quote to it (rather than provide commentary about it). In this case, I caught an early glimpse this evening of an article in tomorrow's St. Pete Times, written by Sue Carlton.

The following has been cut and pasted from the online version of tomorrow's SPT article:

Consider two criminal cases, alike and not so much, at least when it comes to doling out the law in equal measure.

In 2004 it was Jennifer Porter, a Hillsborough teacher who hit four children crossing a dark street and drove away. Two were killed, and two were seriously hurt. For the crime of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death, Porter faced up to 15 years in prison.

Today, a 21-year-old Tampa woman named Amanda Bentz faces the charge of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death. Investigators say one night in March, she hit a man who had a blood alcohol level of 0.35 and drove away. Like Porter before her, she would likely not have been charged had she only stayed.

But Bentz faces twice the sentence Porter did -- up to 30 years in prison. She would face half that had she been charged with DUI Manslaughter, and how does that make sense?

One more difference between the two cases, and it's a biggie: Amanda Bentz went back to the scene of the crash.

In the infamous Porter case, it's hard to forget the ugly details of her father washing the blood from her car and Porter returning to work the next day.

Bentz drove away, too. She made calls on her cell phone. And about an hour after the crash, she came back with her father and, investigators said, cooperated fully.

But by law, coming back later doesn't matter. If someone is injured or dying or even dead, you stop, you help, you answer questions for police. Of course you do these things.

But shouldn't the fact that Bentz returned be taken into consideration? Shouldn't coming back in a reasonable period of time -- "reasonable" being one of those law words for judges and juries to puzzle over -- mean a lesser but still serious charge?

Might it even encourage those who panic -- like Porter, like Bentz -- to finally do the right thing?

Now, about why Bentz faces twice the time. In recent years, lawmakers bumped Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death from a second, to a first-degree felony, punishable by up to 30 years -- 15 more than DUI Manslaughter. Sometimes when lawmakers "fix" what they see as a weakness -- or if you are cynical, when they beat their chests -- quirks can happen.

So what about Amanda Bentz? As a practical matter, like Porter before her -- and like Jordan Valdez, a Tampa high schooler who drove off after fatally hitting a homeless woman -- she will not likely see jail. She was not drinking. She is not accused of causing the accident. She came back.

We elect our prosecutors and judges to handle the nuances of such complex cases, to take into account what she did and did not do, to consider that the mother of Billy Ivy, the man who died that night, said she wants Bentz to understand what she did but does not want prison.

An issue may be whether Bentz spends her life with a formal finding of guilt on her record, "adjudication," as it's called. Valdez, sentenced in the Juvenile system, was not adjudicated guilty.

But here is another of those quirks: Because the crime is a First-Degree Felony, Bentz may not be able to avoid that record.

There is a lessen in these cases: You stop and you try to help, because it's the right thing and also the law.

But that law should be the same for everyone, and that law should note for the record: Amanda Bentz came back.

By Sue Carlton

According to a recent story in the St. Petersburg TImes, a 15-year-old boy shoved a teacher into a doorjamb, a boy punched a 12-year-old girl because she said she didn't like him, and a 14-year-old girl slapped and cursed at a younger classmate.

All three (3) of these incidents took place at John Hopkins Middle School, located at 701 16th Street South in St. Petersburg. Each of these three (3) incidents resulted in an arrest of the Juvenile offender.

In each case, a criminal charge was referred to the State Attorney's Office by the St. Petersburg Police Department. And, in each of the three (3) cases, the charge was dropped by the State Attorney's Office.

These cases represent just a small fraction of the eighty-four (84) arrests made on campus from September, 2009 through February, 2010 as officers and school officials try to restore order on the often-chaotic middle school campus.

According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, these cases are indicative of a current trend: Many cases where the St. Petersburg Police Department make an arrest on a Juvenile offender are ultimately dropped (before formal charges are even filed) by the Pinellas County State Attorney's Office.

The reasons for this current trend vary: uncooperative victims, weak cases or the school already punished the student. Even when a student is prosecuted by the State Attorney's Office, Juvenile court judges have limited powers to remove a child from a particular school to prevent future trouble.

According to the St. Pete TImes, "[t]he juvenile system, it seems, can't fix what ails John Hopkins" Middle School.

"Does every bump in the hallway, every word that starts flying, does it belong down here in the Juvenile justice system?" said Joe Walker, Juvenile Division Director for the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office, "or is this something that can be handled by the family, by the school system? That's the question."

The State Attorney's Office won't comment on specific criminal cases connected to disciplinary problems at John Hopkins Middle School. Furthermore, Juvenile court records are not public record.

"Every case, every one of them is different," Walker said, "and they all have unique facts about them, and it's our job to evaluate them to see if they can get to the level of successful prosecution."

Walker said that school administrators have far more leeway to discipline and rein in students than the criminal justice system. "There's a lot of remedies available to a principal," he said.

Prosecutors, he said, have a higher burden of proof in Juvenile Court than arresting officers.

The purpose of the Juvenile justice system, in Florida at least, is to treat and rehabilitate first and punish them later -- much later -- if ever. And, as far as this author can tell, the Juvenile justice system is not keeping up with or sufficiently scaring the high-risk Juvenile offender.

Until the courts decide to "punish" Juvenile offenders, rather than providing them with a "slap on the wrist" and/or sending them to a Juvenile program (also known as "summer camp"), the Juvenile crime rate in the city of St. Petersburg and greater Pinellas County will continue to rise.

Until then, lock your car and make sure that you have a good alarm system in your home....

Continue reading "ST. PETE: Juvenile Arrests at John Hopkins Middle School are Often Dropped by the State of Florida" »

Christy Lynn Martin, a former Azalea Middle School teacher, was sentenced to five (5) years probation Tuesday for "sexting" an eighth grade student, according to the St. Pete Times.

Martin, 33, pleaded guilty to Transmitting Pornographic Images through an Electronic Device and Transmitting Material Harmful to a Minor. In exchange for her guilty plea, she was sentenced to probation, will have to register as a Sex Offender, wear an electronic monitor and undergo therapy.

The charges stem from Martin's relationship with an eighth-grade boy. According to authorities, they called each other "husband" and "wife," kissed each other and sent each other cell phone photos of their private parts.

They did not have sex and did not see each other outside of school, according to information contained in a search warrant related to the case.

"I realize how wrong I was," Martin said in court Tuesday, wearing a pale pink sweater, hair pulled into a ponytail. "I accept full responsibility for my behavior.... I am extremely ashamed and remorseful for my actions."

Martin was arrested in March and had been out of jail on bond.

According to the search warrant, the boy, then 14, said he took two photos of himself on his silver Samsung Messenger cell phone, and the teacher admitted taking three photos of herself on her red Sprint cell phone.

The boy sent his photos to Martin, and Martin acknowledged receiving them. She also admitted sending the photos of herself, but officials deleted the name of the recipient. Photos of a woman's genitals did appear on the boy's cell phone.

Martin did not admit to calling the boy her husband but did say she threatened him with "divorce," because he had "too many little girlfriends."

The document also says the boy touched Martin on her buttocks outside her clothing, but that she did not touch him in that way.

"You done messed up my son's life," the victim's mother told Martin in court Tuesday. "He thinks it's OK to go with the wrong kind of women.... You destroyed my son, you destroyed my family. I don't feel sorry for you one bit. If it was up to me, you'd get life. I mean that from the bottom of my heart."

At Azalea Middle, Martin taught five computer classes and one "life choices" course, which involved teaching students about positive relationships, self-esteem building and conflict resolution. The boy was not a student of her's this year. Martin has been placed on administrative leave.

As a condition of her probation, Martin can no longer work anywhere with children, including daycare centers, malls, theme parks and schools. Martin said she was working toward a master's degree.

She asked Judge Cynthia Newton if she could have permission to transport her two children to school. As a single mother, Martin said she had no one else to take them.

"I'm going to allow you to take the kids to school and pick them up from school," Newton said.

But she could do nothing else on school property.

Continue reading "PINELLAS COUNTY: Guilty Plea in Case of 'Sexting' Middle School Teacher" »

A Tampa Bay area teenager, convicted of a violent rape, has been sentenced to 27 years in the Florida State prison system.

Jose Walle, 15, was one of three men accused in a string of attacks throughout the Bay area in the summer of 2008.

He and two others are facing charges in connection with an Armed Robbery and Armed Sexual Battery at The Table in downtown St. Petersburg. Investigators said the trio also attacked women in Gibsonton and Apollo Beach.

Investigators said that, while Walle himself did not commit any of the rapes, he helped make the crimes happen. In one case, investigators said he pointed a gun at a duct-taped kitchen worker while one of the other, Rigoberto Moron Martinez, raped another employee on the kitchen floor.

According to the St. Pete Times, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Joseph A. Bulone remarked at Walle's sentencing that: "Quite frankly, the facts of this case are amazingly aggravated; they are very, very serious."

Continue reading "ST. PETE: Teen Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Rape at The Table" »

"Sexting," the act of sending nude or semi-nude images from one's cell phone or computer, is being cited as a major factor in the recent death of a Ruskin teenager.

Thirteen (13) year-old Beth Shields Middle School student Hope Witsell ultimately took her own life when the taunting and bullying by other students became too much to handle.

According to a recent story in the St. Pete Times, Hope Witsell's death is just the second in the nation in which a connection between "sexting" and teen suicide can be clearly drawn.

According to Parry Aftab, a nationally known "cyberlawyer" who has appeared on Goodmorning America and the Today show, "This is very important, because it shows that sexting-related suicides are tracking the same way cyberbullying-related suicides are."

A 2009 Harris online poll shows that one (1) in five (5) teens admit that they've sent naked pictures of themselves or others over a cell phone. But even that number may be low, according to experts.

While the details leading to Hope's death vary, many students describe the chain of events this way: During the last week of school in June, Hope forwarded a photo of her breasts to the cell phone of Alex Eargood, a boy she liked. A rival girl, who was the girlfriend of another boy Hope liked and a friend of Alex's, asked to borrow Alex's phone on the bus. That girl found the image and forwarded it to other students. Within hours, the image had gone viral at both Beth Shields Middle School and Lennard High School.

Aside from the embarrassment associated with nude photos landing in the wrong hands, Florida law considers the possession or distribution of nude images of minors to be Child Pornography, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five (5) years in prison.

Unfortunately, while Hope's death may be the first of its kind in the Tampa Bay area (and the State of Florida), it will probably not be the last.

Continue reading "TAMPA: Sexting-Related Bullying Led Teen to Commit Suicide" »

Jordan Valdez, the Davis Island teenager who was charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death, is expected to plead guilty and be sentenced on November 24th. For those unfamiliar with this case, Valdez, who was 16-years-old at the time, was involved in a fatal crash on February 8th, killing a homeless woman as she crossed Hyde Park Avenue near the Davis Island bridge. The victim, Melissa Sjostrom, 33, died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident.

In what has become both a newsworthy and controversial case in the Tampa Bay area, Valdez has been charged (as an adult) with a First Degree Felony which carries up to a maximum of thirty (30) years in prison. However, authorities with the Hillsborough County State Attorneys Office have already indicated that they will not be seeking prison time or a conviction. For the complete story, please read today's St. Pete Times article.

It only takes a quick look at the 256 online "comments" that follow a previous St. Pete Times article, that was published on May 19, 2009, to get the feeling that this case has upset many in the Tampa Bay community. Initially, Valdez was cited for Careless Driving, a non-criminal traffic infraction that is usually punishable by a small fine. Adding further insult to injury, that Careless Driving citation was dismissed in a Tampa traffic court (without anyone from Sjostrom's family present -- despite a written request from the family to continue the matter so the family could travel down from Kentucky) by Hillsborough County Court Judge Joelle Ober.

After the St. Pete Times went public with the story, and following the public backlash that the story created, the Tampa Police Department "re-opened" and "re-investigated" the case. And, after doing a much more thorough job the second time around, the Tampa Police Department finally built a solid case for prosecutors to bring to Court. Eventually, Valdez was arrested and charged as an adult with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death.

Continue reading "TAMPA: Davis Island Teen to Plead Guilty to Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death" »

Amer Ali Ejak, 16, has been Indicted for First Degree Murder and will be prosecuted as an Adult for his role in the death of a 34-year-old father, Thomas Johannesen, in Hillsborough County two weeks ago. For the complete story, please check out today's St. Pete Times article.

Deputies say that Ejak, and his 22-year-old co-Defendant, Christopher Cox, killed Johannesen, then wrapped his body in a sheet before hiding it in a closet. It is alleged that Ejak fatally struck Johannesen in the head with a whiskey bottle.

After hiding Johannesen's body in a closet, the two Defendants returned to show their friends what they had done.

While Ejak was originally booked into the Juvenile Detention Center, he was transferred today to the Orient Road Jail where he will remain, on no bond, until his trial.

Continue reading "TAMPA: 16-Year-Old Juvenile to Be Tried as an Adult in "Show-Off" Murder Case" »

Improvements in technology, as well as social media, have led to the creation of some rather new and popular crimes (that didn't exist when our parents were growing up). For instance, anyone who reads a newspaper is probably familiar with the following "new-school" types of criminal activity: "Cyber-bullying," "Sexting," "Texting While Driving," and "Cyber-stalking."

However, one of the classic (ripped straight from a Lifetime movie or recent episode of Law & Order, never-gets-old type of cime has occured, once again, in Tarpon Springs, Florida this week.

A Tarpon Springs mother and daughter face Felony Burglary and Battery charges after law enforcement determined that they beat up a recreational cheerleading coach.

Karen Joanne Wood, 41, and her 16-year old daughter, Kyersten Wood, were arrested September 5th after reportedly assaulting Sharell Ortiz, 34, at Jasmine Sports Complex in Tarpon Springs. For more information, check out today's full St. Pete Times article.

As suggested by some of the readers' comments following the St. Pete Times article, "wft" is wrong with parents these days?

Continue reading "TARPON SPRINGS: Mother and Daughter Arrested for Attack on Cheerleading Coach" »

An interesting story in today's St. Pete Times highlights the life, or lack thereof, of Teddy Braden, the former gang member turned blogger that blogs from the Pinellas County Jail.

Braden, who is in the Pinellas County Jail on Drug Charges, blogs with the help of his mother -- who takes his notes and letters and posts them online at: teeninjail.blogspot.com

Braden, who was arrested for the first time at age 13, has a Juvenile record consisting of various Drug Charges and a Residential Burglary. As an adult, he has been locked up for doing drugs, selling drugs, Grand Theft, Burglary and now Drug Trafficking.

In one of Braden's blog posts he states that "One of my biggest regrets is joining a gang." The quote sits below a picture of Braden, wearing a red t-shirt, hat and bandana, while throwing up a "B" (a noted gang hand sign for the Bloods). However, something about this photo tells me that Braden would not survive, on the streets, for very long.

Continue reading "CLEARWATER: 20-Year Old Pinellas County Jail Inmate / Blogger" »

In a very emotional sentencing hearing, that I happened to witness while in the same courtroom on an unrelated case, a St. Petersburg mother plead guilty to Manslaughter on the morning her trial was to begin in a case where she let her 15-year old son, Shawn Ledesma, drive her car, which he crashed, killing one of his passengers, Raquel Carreras, a 14-year old student at Northeast High School.

For the complete story, check out this St. Pete Times article.

Personally, I think this would have been a very interesting case had it gone to trial. While I certainly understand the position of the State Attorney's Office (after all, someone's child was killed that evening), I also think it is a bit unfair to treat this Defendant in the same way that we would treat someone who intentionally drinks and drives and kills someone leading to a DUI Manslaughter charge.

At trial, the State of Florida would have needed to prove that Lesa Ledesma "knew" or "should have known" that giving her car keys to her 15-year old son would have lead to someone being seriously inujured or killed. To me, that would have been a stretch as underage kids drive their parents' vehicles a lot more than we probably realize or want to admit.

The mother of the now-deceased high school student stated that she would like for parents to "quit being a friend, and be a parent." After many years of prosecuting and handling difficult and emotional cases such as this one, I could not have said it better myself.

Continue reading "St Pete Mother Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter After Allowing Her Unlicensed 15 Year Old Son to Drive and Kill His Passenger and Friend" »