A six-day Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office operation, with the assistance of various local police departments and state law enforcement, has led to the arrests of 31 people, according to The Miami Herald. The sting operation aimed to protect Manatee and Sarasota County children from online predators.
All of the 31 suspects had responded to online ads and engaged in sexually explicit verbal and written conversation. They agreed to travel to a secret Sarasota County location for the purpose of having sex with a child or children. (The location will remain secret in order to be used again). When the suspects arrived, they were placed under arrest by detectives. Some of the charges brought against several of the suspects include “use of a computer and traveling to seduce, solicit or entice a child to commit sexual acts.”
Sex crimes against children are aggressively prosecuted. At least one of the 31 arrested suspects faces a second-degree felony charge carrying a maximum 15 years in prison. Such consequences can have a significant impact on a person’s personal and professional life. They can lose their family, their job, and even be branded a sex offender for the rest of their life. The repercussions of a felony sex crime charge should never be underestimated.
If you have been accused of a child sex crime in Florida, you will be fervently prosecuted. Your best chance to avoid excessive penalties and/or an unjust conviction is by retaining the services of an aggressive Florida criminal defense attorney. The experienced Sarasota County crimes against children defense attorneys at Musca Law have the knowledge, skills, and resources to effectively protect your legal rights. For a confidential consultation, call us today at (800) 687-2252.
Under Florida Statute 812.014, theft is committed when a person uses or obtains, or attempts to use or obtain, the property of another with the intention of permanently or temporarily depriving the other person of a right to the property or a benefit from the property and/or appropriating the property for their own unauthorized use or for the use of another not entitled to the property. Such a crime is common on A&E’s South Florida T.V. crime show, The Glades, but it is now also a common crime on the T.V. show’s set, according to The Associated Press.
Detectives are investigating multiple thefts from the set of The Glades in South Florida. Two thefts have occurred in the last month, amounting to over $20,000 worth of copper wiring/cables which were used to power air conditioners on the production sets. According to Broward County deputies, two men in a white Ford F150 pick-up truck drove up to the loading dock and stole the cables. A second theft occurred recently and also involved the theft of copper cables and a truck driving up to the same loading dock, though this time it was a different truck.
Surveillance video showing details of the crimes has been released by authorities, who are urging those with any information to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-8477.
If you have been arrested for a theft crime in Florida where the stolen property is of increased value, you may face substantial penalties. In order to avoid excessive charges and penalties, it is in your best interest to retain the services of one of the aggressive Broward County criminal defense attorneys at Musca Law. We are committed to protecting the legal rights of each and every client. To discuss your situation with one of our lawyers, contact us at (800) 687-2252.
According to the Miami Herald, an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force operation has led to the arrest of seven people with connections to a white supremacist and known domestic terrorist organization, as described by Florida law enforcement. The arrested suspects are being charged with felony conspiracy and hate crimes.
Each of the seven arrested suspects are being charged with the following specific charges:
- Paramilitary training;
- Attempt to shoot into an occupied dwelling; and
- Evidence of prejudices while committing the offense.
It is illegal, and a felony, to participate in paramilitary training in Florida for the purposes of using such training for a civil disorder within the U.S., and the evidence of prejudices falls under the scope of the state’s hate crime law.
The investigation that led to these arrests is part of a widespread effort to put a stop to hate crimes in the community. The suspects have ties to an organization called American Front, which is identified as a hate group by both the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center, despite its official purpose being the “religious and cultural preservation of the European peoples” which is “organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational and scientific purposes.”
Hate crime and conspiracy are serious charges in Florida and can carry harsh penalties upon conviction. To avoid excessive penalties and/or an unjust conviction, it is imperative that you hire the right Florida criminal defense attorney. At Musca Law, we make it our personal mission to defend your legal rights and protect your future. To speak to one of our lawyers, call us today for a confidential consultation at (800) 687-2252.
Cinco de Mayo is a fun and exciting celebration of Mexican heritage and culture observed nationwide on May 5 every year. No Cinco de Mayo celebration would be complete without the traditional foods and drinks of Mexico. But while you are enjoying your enchiladas and that second (or maybe third) margarita, remember that once you get onto the road, it is a whole different atmosphere.
Holiday weekends traditionally involve a lot of parties which include drinking, and Cinco de Mayo is no different. During these holiday occasions, law enforcement ups enforcement with DUI checkpoints and increased patrols to catch drunk drivers and take them off the road. Because of this, however, law enforcement tends to be overzealous about arresting possible drunk drivers over the holidays. Just because a driver is exhibiting certain signs of intoxication does not mean that those signs were caused by imbibing alcoholic beverages. Nonetheless, in order to make sure you stay safe, healthy, and not under arrest during holidays like Cinco de Mayo, it is imperative that you follow these tips:
- If you plan to drink, don’t drive. Take a taxi or carpool with a designated driver to your destination.
- If you drive to a party but have been drinking, wait until you are completely sober before attempting to drive home, call a taxi, or ask a sober driver to drop you off.
- If you are hosting a party where guests will be drinking, take the keys of anyone who is intoxicated and/or help them arrange for a safe ride home. Also, don’t be afraid to cut someone off if they become dangerously drunk.
By following these simple rules, you can be sure to not mar the holiday fun with a Florida DUI stop or arrest. If you have been accused of DUI, however, you have the right to a proper defense. At Musca Law, our aggressive DUI defense lawyers in Florida can defend your rights against both administrative and criminal action taken against you. To speak to one of our attorneys about your situation, call us today for a confidential consultation at (800) 687-2252.
