South Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

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On Tuesday investigators with the Jackson County Drug Task Force arrested Marcus D. Bell. The arrest came as a result of a traffic stop on Salem Church Rd. Bell was found to be in possession of approximately six grams of the illegal substance, Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bell was also found to be on Pretrial Intervention on charges of Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon. Bell was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Methamphetamine, with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and also charged with Violation of Pretrial Intervention.

Also arrested was Julie Marie Dalton. Dalton was charged with Fleeing and Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement after failing to stop the vehicle she was driving.

On Wednesday February 18 after further investigation of the contents of the vehicle, more evidence was located and seized. In the passenger floorboard of the vehicle, where Bell was seated, a black bag was found that contained a bottle of a bi-layered liquid that is suspected to contain meth oil. Also found in the bag were coffee filters, a funnel, suspected red phosphorus, tin foil containing suspected lithium metal shavings, and several unknown substances. Another bag was located in the passenger floorboard containing measuring spoons, syringes, unknown liquids, suspected MSM, and more suspected Methamphetamine. The contents of these bags are consistent with the use and manufacture of Methamphetamine, Bell was additionally charged with Attempted Manufacture of a controlled substance, Methamphetamine.

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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.

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James E. Laier, 57, is being charged with DUI manslaughter and DUI with serious bodily injury almost seven months after an incident in Largo that resulted in the death of John Prado, 21, and the serious injury of Heather Lynn Cook, 20. Prado was riding a motorcycle with Cook when at 2 a.m., a drunken Laier ran a stop sign and struck Prado. Prado was killed instantly while Cook was ejected from the crash, suffering a leg amputation. Laier’s BAC was found in excess of 0.195, extremely over the legal limit. As officers pulled him out of the car, Icehouse beer cans were tumbling out. He fled Florida after a 2 night stay in the hospital, and was found in Illinois where he has currently been extradited from back to Pinellas County Jail. Bond was at $55,000.

This incident is just one of the many tragic ones that occur involving alcohol and motor vehicles. Innocent lives were lost and the driver who committed the crime will be prosecuted because a fatality and injuries occurred. DUI of any level is eagerly prosecuted by court systems across the country, and Florida is no different.

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Very distressing and repugnant news out of Tamarac… a 50 year old South Florida woman, Shirley Ybarra, was arrested and charged with poisoning food or water and violation of probation. She was caught by supermarket employees after having nearly 15 minutes of uninterrupted mixing time in the baby food section of Publix. A customer finally notified an employee before that employee intervened and called the police. Her first comment was “she was mixing baby food for her son” but she doesn’t have a baby son, but instead a 21 year old son who lives outside the area. In response to this, all baby food was taken off the shelves and sent to the FDA for testing. Reports say no other stores were targeted by this sick and sadistic woman.

Two charges emerged from this one case. First a violation of probation and second, a first degree felony charge of poisoning food or water. Violation of probation is a common offense among people charged and convicted of certain crimes and can be dealt with accordingly and quickly by a lawyer who you entrust with your case.

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Scott Helfand, 42, was arrested by US Marshals in Arizona after a warrant was issued regarding his fraudulent activity as a sports agent for a former NFL athlete. Helfand operates Pro Athletes Only, a company that handles sports players and agent affiliations. In 2003, a Florida court found him guilty of stealing $150,000 from Oliver Gibson in 2001. In addition to this, an active lien is on Helfand in regards to a former filing by NFL defensive back Devin Bush in the amount of $115,000.

He remains book into Fourth Avenue Jail with a felony arrest for violation of probation in Florida and will extradited back to Florida pending the felony count.

A spokesman of the State Attorney’s Miami-Dade Office said that an individual notified the office of their concern regarding Helfand and his practicing as an agent in Arizona without acknowledging indiscretions with prior clients.

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Fort Lauderdale police detective Jeremy Aguayo, 32, is in deep water after a connection to a convicted Ecstasy dealer and pimp is discovered. He has been suspended without pay a month ago, and is scheduled to be fired today. According to an internal affairs report, Aguayo checked on Reyes’ driver’s license status in March after a prostitute driving his car illegally ran through a SunPass toll; checked on warrants for Reyes’ arrest days before he was arrested in August; and gave Reyes information on a bogus police sting mentioned by another detective. The two men exchanged hundreds of phone calls and spent nights out at strip clubs and nightclubs, according to Internal Affairs.

Drug charges and prostitution or sex crimes are prosecuted firmly in the state of Florida.

A person arrested for a drug crime can be charged with at least one of the following offenses:

* Possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia.
* Delivery of illegal drugs.
* Trafficking/Distribution of controlled substances.
* Manufacturing narcotics.
* Cultivation/growth of a narcotic.
* Fraudulent sale or possession of prescription drugs.
* Possession of drugs with intent to sell them.

* Illegal use of a drug.

Prostitution is defined by Florida Statute 796.07 as:

the giving or receiving of the body for sexual activity for hire but excludes sexual activity between spouses.

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Philip Danforth, 32, is in stable condition at Broward General Medical Center following an attempted robbery at knifepoint. He tried to escape two men approximately 30 years old at around 7:50 am last Tuesday. The robbery attempt took place in the 900 block of NE 16th Avenue in our very own backyard, Fort Lauderdale. No suspects have been apprehended, but if anyone has tips for police to follow they should call Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

This is a horrific incident where a deadly weapon was used to gain leverage on an innocent citizen and steal their property. Knifes, guns, and other deadly weapons should be properly stored if you own them. The use of them in any robbery attempt increases penalties from minor felonies to major felonies. Armed robbery and armed battery in Florida are serious offenses and will be prosecuted usually to the fullest extent of the law in your area. Do not play around with a public defender on these sort of cases because you will get a hefty time in sentencing.

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In a brazen lie to take just $3300 in cash from his own business, Phillip A. Collins, a South Florida IHOP manager, was taken into custody over charges stemming from a fake robbery report.

On the 21st of December last year, Collins went to complete the night deposit drop of his restaurant’s income for the day when he decided to fake a robbery. Soon after the direct incident, police found the claimed robbers which Collins said to have him at gunpoint.

Detectives began to become speculative of Collin’s story as inconsistencies were found along the investigation. Soon after, Collins confessed to making up the whole incident. North Miami detectives immediately released the formerly accused while detaining Collins under the charges of False Accusation of Armed Robbery and filing a false report as well as grand theft.

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Carlos Ortiz, 31, is going on trial for the vehicular DUI manslaughter charges originating from an incident in 2007 along the Beachline. Prosecutors say Ortiz was drunk and swerved into the emergency lane, killing an entire family parked in their vehicle. The three fatalities in the incident were Alexis Rodriguez, 33, his wife Jacqueline Dieppa, 33, and their 2 year old son Nayi Suarez. Sources say they were just waiting along side the road for family members to arrive for a beach outing. FHP identified the offending vehicle as a 2002 Chevrolet truck, last seen weaving through traffic moments before the collision. Blood alcohol of Ortiz was determined to be at 0.176, gravely over the legal limit in Florida.

Ortiz is being charged with three counts of DUI manslaughter. This is a second degree felony with up to 15 years behind bars for each count.

affects the lives of everyone, not just the driver. Collisions result in unnecessary deaths and are very tragic. Please remember the next time you drink to not go driving afterward. Taxis and readily available, many times for free, and certain towing companies will provide a free “tow and go” service where they tow your car to your house and give you a ride home as well, all for free.

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Florida budget cuts have come to hit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. 66 probation officers were laid off recently in response to the shortage of funds for the program. “Cutting probation officers statewide ”minimizes the impact to public safety,” said spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger. 22 of the 66 officers cut were in South Florida. The ones let go were officers in the program for less than a year, totaling only a 3% reduction in probation officers statewide.

It is unclear how this will affect those on probation, yet it seems to be obvious that it would lead to more strain on the already limited resources of law enforcement and their subsidiaries. Those on probation with officers already will be put on a longer leash because probation officers will probably have to be in more places at once.

Violation of probation is something that happens to criminals on probation and should not be left alone or thought of as “just going away.” An experienced lawyer can help represent you at all your probation hearings.

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