South Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog
Amer Ejak, 16, will be facing first-degree murder as an adult after his move a juvenile detention facility into the county jail. We covered this murder in a previous blog post weeks ago, but to briefly go over the event, Ejak and Christopher Cox, 22, killed a 34 year old man after hitting him in the head with a whiskey bottle in his own apartment. The two hid the body in a closet and fled the scene. Ejak will not be allowed bond and will be held by the state in preparation of his trial. The victim’s parents attempted to contact their son for a few days before they notified police of his disappearance. Detectives searched the victim’s apartment after serving a search warrant and then found the dead body.
Articles Posted in Crime News
Fort Lauderdale Marijuana Bust Yields Impressive Arrest
Ramiro Rodriguez, of Hialeah, was arrested after being caught with hundreds of pounds of marijuana in his vehicle. He was transporting all the pot in individually-wrapped packages. The GMC Yukon was towing a trailer full of the stuff when detectives discovered it. Broward Sheriff Office and DEA agents worked together and believe that the two men arrested in the aforementioned bust were actually members of a larger group in the area that are smuggling heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. The two men were formally charged with drug trafficking.
Florida Traffic Stop Leads to Marijuana Arrest
Jason Rivera, Hiram Maldonado, 24, and Nathanael Desmornes, 24, were arrested by Orange County Sheriff’s Office with charges related to possession of a stolen gun and marijuana. The three were pulled over in Rivera’s vehicle after officers noticed that the front passengers were not wearing seat belts. According to Florida’s Click-It-or-Ticket law, police were authorized to stop the vehicle and thus proceed with their investigation. The investigation turned out four Xanax pills with no medication prescription and a stolen 9mm pistol fully loaded. The firearm was stolen from an unlocked vehicle near the campus of the University of Central Florida according to records. Maldonado and Desmornes were identified as members of a street gang, as well.
Infamous Florida Child Predator Dies in Prison
John Couey, 51, died in prison according to a Florida Department of Corrections spokesman. He had been on death row for four years in the murder, abduction, and rape of Jessica Lunsford age 9. Couey had been ill for some time, according to prison officials. The murder of Jessica Lunsford was quite graphic and disturbing, even to some court officials and officers. She was lured to his trailor from her own, raped, and when he thought he was going to be caught, buried her alive in garbage bags which would suffocate her. Couey explicitly told all the events to police including every gory detail while saying in a nonchalant manner to the press “this kind of thing happens every day.” “To me, death is sad,” stated Jessica’s father, Mark Lunsford. “But her death, Jessie’s death, has been redeemed … I’m relieved. I’m glad it’s over with.”
Florida Cocaine Runner Sentenced to Federal Prison
Todd Jackson Sr., 42, was charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. The US Attorney’s Office indicted Jackson after investigating his career as being part of a cocaine distribution network that reached from Broward County north to the Treasure and Space coasts. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison in lieu of possession of more than 5 kilos of cocaine. Haiti and the Bahamas were the primary sources of Jackson’s smuggled cocaine. From the entry into the US, distribution would be made to other smaller dealing sources in Broward, St. Lucie, Brevard and Palm Beach counties. Many sites were raided by federal agents totaling in 243 kilos of cocaine, 80 grams of crack cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy, guns, over $100,000 in cash and nearly half a million dollars worth of jewelry.
Family Killed by Father in Florida Makes Headline News
The Dieu family is at the center of media attention revolving around their gruesome murder by the man of the house. He fled to Haiti after killing at children and his wife. Police in Haiti caught him once he was off the flight and he is now in custody. Mackindy Dieu, a relative to the family murdered, never noticed any abusive behavior involving the couple. “He never showed any aggression toward her, when I was around, because he knew I wouldn’t put up with that crap,” he says. Police say this incident was one of the most tragic they have seen in a long time.
Under Florida law, a person who is arrested for domestic violence (DV) can be charged with battery, assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or certain kinds of sexual abuse. The accused must also be held in jail without bond until he or she speaks with a judge.
Florida Teenager Charged in Horse Killing Case
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.
Florida Marijuana Growers Busted in the Florida Panhandle
Investigators for the Blountstown Police Department have been underway in a large marijuana operation involving some large, key producers in the state. Charles and Salenna Stephens were the owners of one residence where police found tens of baby marijuana plants. Another home caught in the sting had 17 marijuana plants, owned by a Thomas MaClean, age 44. These arrests have shown officers that marijuana cultivation is booming as usual in the panhandle and further sting operations will be conducted in the future.
Because Florida is a major center for illegal international drug trafficking, drug offenses are aggressively prosecuted in the state. The amount of drugs involved in a person’s arrest can determine whether the person will be charged with a felony or a misdemeanor.
Florida Inmate Used as Corrections Officers’ In-House Weapon
Prison Sgt. Obe D. L’Bert, 30, Officer Cordell J. White, 22, and Officer Christopher W. Bonnet, 21, were all charged in the mistreatment and coercive use of inmate Larry “Monster” Williams. Williams was “hired” by the men to beat up uncooperative inmates at the Dade Correctional Institution. All officers were charged with conspiracy and civil rights violations of an inmate. Williams was originally incarcerated for possession of cocaine in January 2007. The department head at the institution has called the alleged violations “unconscionable.” In one incident, an inmate identified by the moniker D.T. was attacked by “Monster” while two of the officers charged with the crimes were waiting outside. Florida Corrections Secretary Walter A. McNeil has shown dismay over the conduct of his officers and made a release saying, “Our mission is to ensure not only public safety, but the safety and well-being of inmates.”
13 Year Old Boy Murder Results in Arrest of Florida Man
Tyrone Ward, a man from Volusia County, has been arrested as the fourth man in connection with the murder and shooting of a 13 year old boy in Daytona Beach. Numerous agencies from the US Marshals to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have been involved in the case’s investigation. Lloyd Robinson, Jr., 13, was shot in the head after opening the door to his home when someone knocked on it from the outside. A lot of information is still unknown about who the precise killer in this crime is yet many tips have been flooding the law enforcement agencies regarding who the killer might be. One more fifth suspect is still on the loose and being searched for by authorities. “Four out of five are in custody and if you’re number five, it’s probably in your best interest to come and surrender because it’s only a matter of time before we get you too,” said Daytona Beach Police Chief Michael Chitwood in a press conference to the public.