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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.

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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.”

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Fabio Ochoa Vasco, 48, was arrested and charged with drug trafficking by US authorities in South Florida. He will be looking at 10 years to life in prison for a drug operation involving the smuggling of tons of cocaine by speedboat, cargo ship and airplane from Columbia into the U.S. Federal prosecutors and authorities are looking to cut a deal with the man for forfeiture of assets including apartments around the world owned by Vasco, a $1 million island, as well as a bunch of other assets named by Vasco. Vasco is claimed to have been involved in the drug trafficking industry and the Medellin cartel for three decades.

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Polk County police have recently conducted a prostitution sting operation recently. The program resulted in the arrest of 28 women and 5 pimps, according to authorities. “Operation Hot Date” was thought to be a success in the movement to clean up the vice crimes occurring with no fear of police in the area for some time. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a release to the press that Craigslist in actually “facilitating” and “profiting” from the prostitute businesses that advertise for free via the internet website. Craigslist has promised to curb the number of ads that promote such sex crimes yet Grady wants charges to be pressed against the online listing site.

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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.

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Christopher J. Cox, 22, and Amer E. Ejak, 16, were arrested in Tampa in connection with the murder of Thomas M. Johannesen, 34, a resident of Long Island, NY. It is still undetermined what the precise relationship between the two individuals and the deceased is, but authorities say that the two were arrested in Johannesen’s apartment when the man was hit in the head with a bottle of alcohol. Johannesen was then suffocated and then shoved in a closet under some clothes. Police are investigating the circumstances of the homicide and are holding both of the arrestees without bail at a local sheriffs office.

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Jorge Miyar, 49, was arrested for driving under the influence by Florida Highway Patrol. Miyar was driving an unmarked government vehicle when he hit a curb before a DUI checkpoint set up at Oakland Park. This act made officer suspicious of the driver and upon questioning he said that he was “unfamiliar” with the area and thus negotiated the road incorrectly. What an answer, nice try my man.. Officers arrested him after conducting some field sobriety tests to solidify the case against him in court. Miyar refused to take the breathalyzer and was arrested by police at the scene.

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Straight out of Fort Walton Beach, a 22 year old man was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office after being stopped in a traffic violation and being cited for driving without a driver’s license. The man showed the officer a pipe which the violator explained was to smoke marijuana with. The police report stated this explicitly and was released to the public after the arrest. The bong in the car had marijuana residue, according to the report.

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Arthur Nadel of Holland & Knight, an investment group in Sarasota, is being sued due to a fraudulent investment program him and the firm engaged in. Holland & Knight is being sued for the failure to discover the fraudulent program despite the fact that a basic examination probably would have revealed this glaring issue to investigators. Nadel vanished in January, worrying his family with a suicide note left to them. Nadal is currently being held on $5 million bail and formally charged with federal securities and wire fraud.

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Jim Leyritz, a former player for the New York Yankees, has had his trial postponed under further questioning of a video brought to the court’s attention. The Honorable Judge Marc Gold delayed the trial until December or, at the latest, January. The video will allow Leyritz’ criminal defense attorney to argue that Leyritz was less drunk than the prosecution has charged him with which was at a .14 BAC level. 10 minutes are in question as the video shows the crash victim’s vehicle passing through an intersection before the actual crash. The legal limit for blood-alcohol content in Florida is .08.

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