Florida Criminal Attorney Blog

Published on: October 9, 2017

Marion County Teacher Assistant Charged with Molesting Student

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Marion County teacher assistant was recently charged with molesting a middle school student, according to Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

The 36-year-old is being charged with lewd or lascivious molestation.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office said she allegedly admitted to investigators that she had sexual contact with a then 14-year-old student.

According to the sheriff’s office, she was working as a paraprofessional teacher’s assistant at the school at the time when she met the student. Marion County Public School officials say she has been removed from the classroom and is on paid administrative leave.

The investigation started in July of 2017 when a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy found a suspicious vehicle in a church parking lot.

According to investigators, the deputy found the woman alone and partially clothed.

Authorities claim the woman made statements about having a relationship with an 8th grade student.

Investigators said the teen told them he was with the woman in the parking lot that night, but he ran away when he saw the deputy.

She was released on $5,000 bond.

If you have been arrested for child molestation, you need to consult with a Marion County Criminal Defense Lawyer at Whittel & Melton right away. We can provide you with the aggressive defense you need to fight the sex crimes charges against you. As trial attorneys, we have decades of experience and a solid understanding of sex crimes defenses throughout the state of Florida. We can put our experience to work for you and develop an aggressive defense strategy for your child molestation charges.

Published on: September 21, 2017

Top UF Official Accused of Stealing Over $180K From University

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A top University of Florida housing official has been charged with stealing more than $180,000 to buy $16,000 worth of lunches, nearly $45,000 in furniture and $37,000 more in electronics, a report shows.

The 41-year-old senior director of UF housing and education, was arrested Monday night and charged with grand larceny of more than $100,000.

According to a UF police report, the man used state funds to buy $25,000 in household items, more than $11,500 in maintenance items like lawn mowers and more than $44,000 for miscellaneous items including internet service, electricity and seven cellphones.

The report says the UF Office of Internal Audit also has records detailing fraudulent purchases of a recliner chair, blue-cushioned patio furniture, a motion-sensor trash can, tablecloth, cloth napkins, flatware, plates, lamp, storage box, motion light sensor, pitcher, several floor rugs, wall mirror, a seafoam green cabinet and several flat-screen televisions.

In November 2016, the man used his assigned UF credit card to buy a dining set and hutch at Furniture Kingdom in Gainesville for $1,340 and $1,399.95 respectively, the report says.

According to the report, a witness saw the dining set and hutch inside the man’s house. Several photographs posted on the man’s wife’s Facebook page also clearly show the dining set and hutch that were purchased with UF funds, police say.

Beginning in April, the UF Ethics and Compliance Hotline received several anonymous reports of several employees in the UF Housing and Resident Education Department who were using their positions within the department to make fraudulent reimbursement and expense claims and using department funds for private gain, the report says.

The man apparently told police Monday he was only storing the items and planned on bringing them back. He also said he would make restitution for the items.

The man was trespassed from all UF properties, the report says.

UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said five additional employees who worked under the man have have been placed on administrative leave and may have been involved.

The man started at UF Housing in May 2004 and worked his way up to senior director about a year ago. Records show the man earned $145,675 in 2016.

As of Monday night, the man was in the Alachua County jail, awaiting a first appearance before a judge.

While many people think theft charges are minor offenses, theft convictions can damage your reputation and limit your future employment opportunities. If you or a loved one have been charged with theft or larceny, you should speak with an Alachua County Criminal Defense Lawyer at Whittel & Melton. We can assess your case and determine your options.

Theft charges in Florida are no joke – they can result in hefty fines and jail time. A conviction can limit your ability to gain employment. Penalties stemming from a theft/larceny conviction may include:

Fines
Jail time
Probation
Restitution
Mandatory counseling
Difficulty obtaining employment
Trouble securing a professional license

Published on: September 13, 2017

Nashville Woman Accused of Shooting Homeless Man after He Asked Her to Move Her Porsche

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A woman was arrested and charged in the attempted murder of a homeless man in Nashville.

Police claim the 26-year-old allegedly shot a 54-year-old homeless man Aug. 26 near Music Row.

The man was critically wounded and is being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

According to police, the man was trying to sleep on the sidewalk at 3 a.m. at 19th Avenue South and Chet Atkins place.

He was reportedly disturbed by exhaust fumes and loud music coming from a Porsche SUV.

The man said he asked the driver to move the vehicle. Police say the two began yelling at each other, and the woman allegedly got out of the car and shot the man twice before running up the street with another woman.

The woman’s father released the following statement, saying his daughter fired two warning shots not meaning to hit the man.

The two women were actually acting in self defense. The man was always on his feet and not asleep as someone apparently has alleged and had accosted a group of very young women and nearly became physical with one. He then approached the white Porsche (not Lexus) with two female occupants and started verbally accosting them threatening them because their music was too loud for him to sleep… The driver fired a round as a warning to scare him away as he came at her. He kept coming and she fired a second round, again intended to scare him away. They quickly got back into the white vehicle and left, not knowing that the man was hit by the warning shots. Both girls contacted the police and DA shortly after the incident and have always agreed to cooperate fully with the investigation.

The woman has since posted a $25,000 bond and was released from jail.

While this incident occurred in Tennessee, it raises the question of what if this happened in Florida? This brings up Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” Law, which states:

A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity, and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

Published on: August 23, 2017

Jupiter Doctor Accused of Practicing Medicine Without License

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Jupiter man’s license to practice medicine was suspended in 2015 after he was allegedly found dispensing powerful pain medications to drug addicts, patients with mental-health issues and, in one case, a “morbidly obese” woman complaining she couldn’t bend over.

According to law-enforcement officials, the man offered to diagnose and treat an undercover Florida Department of Health investigator during an appointment on Aug. 21, 2015.

The 62-year-old was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on Friday and is facing a charge of practicing medicine without a license. He was released after posting a $3,000 bond.

At the time of the appointment, the man’s license had been suspended for six months after investigators allegedly found he had prescribed drugs such as oxycodone, Xanax and Dilaudid sometimes without performing adequate examinations and, in a few cases, failing to refer patients to addiction specialists, according to Florida Department of Health documents.

The investigation into the man dates back to 2010.

If you are facing charges of practicing medicine without a license, you must obtain legal representation as soon as possible to mitigate the serious potential consequences. It is essential to consult with a criminal defense lawyer immediately as these charges can negatively impact your life severely if not handled properly. Our South Florida Criminal Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can advise you of your rights and apply the best possible defense strategy for your specific charges.

Published on: August 21, 2017

Gainesville Doctor Sentenced to One Year for Health Care Fraud

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Gainesville doctor convicted of 162 counts of health care fraud for false billing and using drugs not approved in the United States was sentenced Friday to effectively serve one year in prison and to pay a fine of more than $1.13 million plus restitution.

The doctor, who had practices in Gainesville and Hawthorne, was convicted in May 2016 and sentenced Friday in federal court.

She was ordered to serve one year and one day in prison on each count. The terms will run concurrently. She will also serve three years’ of supervised release and perform 400 hour of community service. In addition to the fine, she was ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution.

The woman was indicted in April 2014 on 210 counts of health care fraud and money laundering. She was charged with submitting fraudulent claims for unnecessary tests, buying drugs from outside the U.S. not approved for use here and giving those drugs to patients without their knowledge or consent.

She was convicted of falsely billing Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, in addition to billing insurance companies for counseling, treatment and training procedures that were never performed.

The woman’s Gainesville office was raided by authorities in 2011. In 2013, she closed her practice.

A conviction for health care fraud is devastating. In addition to potential criminal and civil sanctions, charges like these could wreak havoc on professional and personal reputations and there is the very real possibility of losing professional licenses. Any Floridian who suspects that they are under investigation for health care fraud or who has been charged with a related crime should seek the advice of our Florida Criminal Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton as early in the process as possible to start building the most powerful defense possible. The risks are extremely great in these situations.

Published on: August 7, 2017

3 Pinellas Teens in Stolen Car Die in Violent Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Florida authorities said three teenagers – one 14-year-old and two 16-year-olds – stole a sport utility vehicle, sped away from officers and died in a fiery, violent crash early Sunday morning.

The 4:30 a.m. crash happened in Pinellas County.

A fourth teen in the SUV, who is 14, survived and is hospitalized.

All the teens all had criminal histories – including one who had gotten out of jail on July 31.

Reports indicate that a Ford Explorer and a Chrysler Sebring were stolen from a Clearwater car dealership Thursday. Both vehicles were spotted by deputies early Sunday morning. Deputies tried to apprehend the drivers of the cars, but didn’t pursue them. The sheriff’s office’s pursuit policy generally does not allow deputies to chase stolen cars.

Deputies believed the teens were using the stolen cars to commit burglaries. At one point, they set up a perimeter to try to catch the teens, but a deputy spotted the vehicles outside of the perimeter.

According to reports, the cars were in a “cat and mouse” game with each other, accelerating and slowing down, hitting speeds of 100 mph or more.

The deputy that spotted them did not initiate a high-speed chase, but the Explorer continued at about 100 mph when it hit another vehicle, caught fire and went airborne. The Explorer also hit a billboard pole.

The driver hit by the Explorer suffered minor injuries, reports indicate.

Officers found the Chrysler Sebring and arrested the two in that car; one is 16 and the other 18.

The teens involved were being monitored under a program for repeat offenders.

In 2015, police in Pinellas made 499 felony arrests for juvenile auto theft, more than any other county in Florida going back eight years, and more than the most populous counties in America, including Los Angeles. The Tampa Bay Times did an investigation into teen car thefts in April of 2017; the paper found that every four days, a teen crashes a stolen car in Pinellas County. It also found that in nearly every other county in Florida, most people arrested for auto theft are adults. But in Pinellas County, 62 percent are younger than 18 – the largest rate of juveniles arrested for grand theft auto of any sizable Florida county for at least a decade.

Published on: August 2, 2017

Suspected Drug Dealer Arrested with 70 Possible Bags of Heroin in Boynton Beach

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A suspected drug dealer was arrested while allegedly carrying 70 baggies of possible heroin, four grams of marijuana, six grams of cocaine, $4,000 in cash — and had kids ages 1, 2 and 5 in his back seat, according to police.

The multi-agency bust happened Tuesday afternoon after investigators got a tip that a 23-year-old Delray Beach man would be at Jaycee Park with a large amount of drugs.

Officers watched as he pulled into the park, driving a 2012 Ford Edge with dark tinted windows.

When the man wouldn’t unlock the SUV, agents moved in and smashed the tinted window, according to a Boynton Beach police arrest report.

A woman and another man were also in the vehicle along with the children.

Inside the SUV, investigators found the drugs and money, according to the report.

Police claim the man was carrying more than $4,000 cash, according to the report.

The man faces multiple drug charges. He is also charged with child neglect. He is being held on bonds totaling $295,000.

Have you been accused of a heroin crime? In Florida, drug crimes are punished quite severely, especially those which involve a narcotic like heroin. Individuals who are convicted of offenses involving heroin can face very serious consequences, including heavy fines and years behind bars. Because of the serious nature of these charges, if you have been arrested for a heroin crime or are facing allegations, you need to seek legal help right away. Our South Florida Drug Crimes Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you understand your rights and what to expect from your particular situation. We will do our best to help reduce the existing charges or get them dismissed.

Published on: July 24, 2017

Former Polk County School Principal Arrested and Charged with Fraud, Theft

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A former Polk County school principal was arrested Friday morning on allegations of fraud and theft.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has charged the 46-year-old former principal with 60 counts of dealing in stolen property, 16 counts passing forged or altered documents, 2 counts fraudulent use of credit card, 1 count obtaining property by fraud, 1 count money laundering, and 1 count grand theft.

Detectives said the crimes occurred while the woman was principal. She resigned as principal in June 2015 and was hired in July 2015 as Assistant Director of Academics at another school. Detectives said the woman resigned from that position in Sep. 2016 when confronted by school officials about suspected fraud and theft–a total of $105,426.

The woman was arrested on Jan. 10, 2017 for grand theft fraud, fraudulent use of credit card, money laundering, and criminal use of personal ID. She was released from jail two days later, on Jan. 12, after posting a $39,000 bail. This case is still pending an outcome, officials said.

The woman was arrested Friday, July 21, at her home in north Lakeland. She will have a first appearance hearing Saturday morning, July 22, 2017.

Anyone can be arrested for a crime, as this case shows. Theft and fraud crimes are taken very seriously in Florida, and can come with severe penalties and consequences. Whether it is a misdemeanor or felony theft or fraud offense it can have serious consequences that will haunt you for the rest of your life. If convicted of theft or fraud, you are looking at serious jail time and steep fines. Any type of theft or fraud conviction will more than likely affect your job. Employers do not generally like to hire people who have been arrested or convicted of theft or fraud, which could make it very difficult to support yourself both now and in the future. Therefore, it is very important to hire a skilled criminal defense lawyer who understands the consequences a theft or fraud conviction and what it can mean to your future.

Published on: July 19, 2017

St. Petersburg Man Accused of Posing as Girl, Luring Teenage Boys

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

St. Petersburg police arrested a 25-year-old man and charged him with two counts of kidnapping and one count of sexual battery with a deadly weapon.

Police claim the incidents involved teenage boy.

Police said the first incident happened June 29 when the man posed as a teenage girl on Facebook and lured a 17-year-old boy to a house. The man was allegedly armed with a handgun and threatened the boy, then apparently sexually assaulted him, authorities said.

The man is also accused of posing as a teenage girl and luring a 15-year-old boy to a vacant house on July 17. The boy escaped unharmed.

There are various levels of kidnapping laws in the state of Florida, and all of them are serious. Potential penalties can include substantial jail time and fines, just to name a few. These are severe crimes that require a strong defense. Depending on the facts of your case, some of your defense options could completely dismiss kidnapping charges while others may reduce the penalties of a conviction. When faced with kidnapping charges in St. Petersburg or the surrounding area, don’t mess around – get help from a Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer at Whittel & Melton as soon as possible.

Published on: July 19, 2017

Jaguars DE Dante Fowler Arrested in St. Petersburg

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler was arrested on charges of simple battery and criminal mischief Tuesday night.

Police say Fowler was driving in the Trellis at the Lakes apartment complex Tuesday night when a man walking nearby criticized his driving.

Fowler allegedly got out of his car, exchanged words with the man before hitting him, investigators said. Police claim the hit knocked off the man’s glasses, and Fowler stepped on them. He also allegedly grabbed the man’s grocery bag and threw it into a nearby lake.

The victim did not suffer any injuries.

Fowler was arrested and booked into the Pinellas County Jail.

Fowler is scheduled to report to training camp next week.

While both of these charges are misdemeanors, they still need to be dealt with accordingly. A conviction could result in jail time and fines. Our St. Petersburg Criminal Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are committed to the aggressive defense of our clients when they are facing battery charges. If possible, we will fight for a dismissal of the charges. We pursue every legal defense possible to mitigate the potential penalties, so that you can move on from this unfortunate situation as unscathed as possible.