Florida Criminal Attorney Blog

Published on: March 26, 2014

Broward County Sex Crimes Defense Attorney :: Fort Lauderdale Coach Accused of Procuring a Minor for Prostitution

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A former Broward Christian School coach was arrested last month on charges of procuring a minor for prostitution after police claim he organized a meet up between two detectives posing as teenagers and another undercover detective posing as a client.

The 63-year-old West Park man was arrested on Feb. 5. According to Fort Lauderdale police, at the time of his arrest, detectives found more than 300 index cards in his possession with females’ first name, descriptions, telephone number and their hobbies.

Detectives are not sure how the man knew these women. Police are looking into whether he met some of them when he worked as a teacher and coach at Plantation’s Broward Christian School. He has not been employed at the school since 2001.

Police are going through the index cards and contacting everyone at the phone numbers listed.

Fort Lauderdale Police’s Human Trafficking Unit began investigating the man in January, after receiving a tip that the man was recruiting young and old females for sex trafficking.

In January, an undercover female detective posing as a 16-year-old apparently received multiple phone calls and text messages from the man. Police claim the conversations were sexually explicit.

Reports indicate that another undercover detective posing as a potential client called the man requesting to have sex with a 15- and 16-year-old. The man allegedly showed pictures to the undercover detective and told him he would arrange a meeting that would cost $200.

The man allegedly arranged for the group to meet at a Fort Lauderdale Dunkin Donuts on Feb. 5. According to the report, the man told the detective “to have fun and go handle your business.”

In addition to the charges of procuring a minor for prostitution, he was also charged with unlawful use of a telephone to set up the meeting.

The state of Florida has many regulations when it comes to prostitution, but those that carry the harshest penalties involve children and prostitution. If you or someone you care for has been arrested for or charged with procuring a minor for prostitution or similar charges, you must seek the help of a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Not only do these charges carry strict consequences if convicted, but the harsh social stigmas one can face from a guilty verdict can be overwhelming.

Published on: March 24, 2014

Seminole County Sex Crimes Defense Attorney :: “Operation SafeNet” Ends in 26 Arrests of Alleged Internet Child Sex Predators

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office announced today that they arrested 26 men in an undercover Internet child sex predator sting dubbed “Operation SafeNet.”

All of the men detained are accused of using the Internet to make arrangement for sex with what they believed were children.

The men accused, ranging in age from 19 to 51, allegedly showed up at a house in Seminole County within the past five days believing that they would meet children between the ages of 11 and 14.

Two of the men were vacationing in Central Florida, according to police. One was from Ohio, the other from Georgia.

Ten of the men arrested were from Seminole County. Others were from Orange, Volusia, Osceola, Polk, Lake and Putnam counties.

According to reports, a 26-year-old Winter Springs man told officers he set up the meeting with a child as a way to celebrate his wedding anniversary.

Those arrested include two pizza deliverymen, a postal worker, a security guard and a 20-year-old landscaper whose mother dropped him off at the decoy house.

Undercover deputies and police officers from other agencies posed as children or the parents of children willing to let their children have sex with the men. Officers used chat rooms, social media and other Internet sites to communicate with the men.

According to authorities, the suspects spent hours chatting online and at least one made a phone call to a woman officer, posing as a young girl.

Each suspect was arrested and accused of traveling to meet a minor for sex.

“Operation SafeNet” included several other law enforcement agencies, including the police departments in Apopka, Casselberry, Longwood, Oviedo and Sanford and the Sheriff’s Offices in Orange, Osceola, Volusia, Lake, Polk, Citrus, Manatee and Pinellas counties plus the FBI.

Internet sex stings are conducted to net as many arrests as possible. Typically, law enforcement will pose as minors online looking for sex with strangers. Other times, undercover detectives will pose as a parent or guardian of a minor looking to help their child have sex. Police will then engage in conversations back and forth with the suspect in the hopes of getting the individual to agree to travel to meet the child for illegal sexual activity.

Published on: March 19, 2014

Hillsborough County Criminal Defense Attorney :: Naples Man Arrested in Tampa after Allegedly Beating Pharmacist and Stealing Prescription Drugs

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Naples man was charged Monday with attempted murder and armed robbery after he allegedly stole prescription drugs over the weekend from a pharmacist he left in critical condition.

The 25-year-old man was arrested at 2 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel in Tampa, according to police reports. He is facing additional charges, including occupied armed burglary and three other counts of burglary.

According to Temple Terrace police, the man entered a shopping center at 11410 N 56th St. on Saturday through the back of a nearby business. Shortly before 8 p.m., police claim he climbed through a crawl space in the ceiling to get to Omega Drugs Pharmacy.

The man allegedly attacked the pharmacist on duty from behind and struck him with a commercial hole-punch machine several times. The man exited the store with a small amount of prescription drugs. The pharmacist, a 59-year-old Wesley Chapel man, remains in critical condition at Tampa General Hospital.

The accused had apparently been working in Ybor City with a painting company based out of Naples. On Monday, police claim he was involved in a hit-and-run accident with his company vehicle. Following the accident, he allegedly boarded a Hillsborough Area Regional Transit bus where he apparently told another passenger about a mark on his face that was from being “bitten by a pharmacist.”

The man borrowed that same passenger’s cellphone to make a call. The passenger contacted authorities and a trail was led back to the man at the Clarion Hotel.

The man was booked in to the Orient Road jail.

The state of Florida classifies the crime of armed robbery as taking another person’s property without their permission, while possessing a weapon at the same time of the robbery. A weapon can be a knife, gun or other type of deadly weapon. Armed robbery is charged as a first-degree felony carrying very serious consequences if convicted.

Published on: March 17, 2014

Sarasota County Criminal Defense Attorney :: Sarasota Woman Found Guilty of Molesting 10-Year-Old Boy

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 29-year-old Sarasota woman was found guilty earlier this month of molesting a 10-year-old boy.

A jury convicted the woman of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child less than 12 years of age on March 5.

She will be sentenced at a later date. She faces anywhere between 25 years to life in prison for the sex offense.

The woman was apparently friends with the child’s mother and was staying in their home when the sexual abuse occurred last spring.

The boy testified at trial that the woman grabbed his genitals and he told her to stop. Three other alleged victims also testified.

According to reports, the woman apparently told the mother of a 12-year-old boy also staying at the home that she touched him. The mother ignored the comment at first, but then confronted her son who reportedly confirmed the sexual dealings. The mother did not report that alleged abuse to law enforcement because she thought she had a warrant for her arrest.

According to court documents, the youngest victim’s mother overheard her 15-year-old son say that the woman gave him oral sex. The woman asked her 12-year-old son about the alleged sexual contact and he confirmed the woman also touched his genitals.

Her 10-year-old son also said the woman touched him in a sexual manner, which led to the Sarasota woman’s recent conviction. She will go to trial this summer for those additional charges.

Child molestation is a very serious sex crime with severe legal and social ramifications. Even a simple accusation of this offense can ruin an individual’s career, personal connections and family relationships. There are very few crimes that are more repulsive to the public than sex offenses involving young children. A person accused of child molestation or any other type of sex crime cannot afford to ignore these charges. Cases of this nature should never be dealt with alone, so if you or someone you love has been accused of or charged with a sex offense in Sarasota, the best thing you can do is contact a Sarasota County Criminal Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melton as soon as possible. Time is of the essence in these cases, as a thorough investigation into these allegations needs to be conducted right away.

Published on: March 10, 2014

Orlando Criminal Defense Attorney :: U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson will Not Face Charges in Domestic Incident

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A spokeswoman for the Florida Democrat announced that U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida will not be charged in a domestic incident involving his wife.

A judge granted a temporary protective injunction against U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson after his wife filed paperwork accusing the Orlando congressman of shoving and injuring her during an incident earlier this month.

Lolita Grayson’s petition for the injunction claimed her husband pushed her against a door, causing her to fall to the ground, during a confrontation on March 1 at their home on Oak Park Road near Windermere.

The incident came just less than two months after Lolita Grayson filed a divorce petition stating that their marriage of nearly 24 years was “irretrievably broken.”

Rep. Grayson was first elected to Congress in 2008 but lost his 2010 re-election bid.

He ran again in 2012 and won.

Domestic violence accusations are not taken lightly by police and prosecutors. These serious allegations can ruin a person’s reputation and take away their freedom. Being wrongly accused of committing acts of domestic violence can significantly impact an innocent person’s life forever. A conviction for domestic violence or a related crime carries devastating penalties, including jail or prison time, probation, fines, loss of contact with loved ones, impact on child custody and visitation rights and will leave a permanent stain on your criminal record. These cases are prosecuted quite aggressively and charges can still be pursued even if a victim declines to press charges.

Published on: March 4, 2014

Lake County Criminal Defense Attorney :: Clermont Child Sex Sting Nabs 3 Disney World Employees, 19 Others

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A weeklong online undercover operation to bust child predators looking to have sex with children in Florida ended in the arrests of 22 people, including three Disney World employees, according to authorities.

Last month, undercover deputies from the Lake County cyber-crimes unit in central Florida led the sting operation, dubbed “Operation Be Mine,” and lured suspects by masquerading as children in online chat forums, according to a police press release.

Once contact was made with the suspects, undercover agents made arrangements to meet with the men at a vacant house. The men allegedly arrived at the home anticipating having sex with minors, according to police. Once the men arrived at the meet-up spot, they were immediately arrested and taken to jail.

Of those arrested include a miniature golf course worker, a paramedic and a member of the National Guard.

According to a Disney spokeswoman, the three Disney employees arrested during the undercover operation have been placed on unpaid leave for the duration of the investigation.

One of the arrested Disney employees, a 32-year-old man, also faces several additional charges including failing to disclose HIV status to a sexual partner. Another of the Disney employees allegedly arrived at the meeting location carrying a knife and condoms, according to reports.

Police also claim that one of the suspects arrested brought a Happy Meal and condoms with him to the arranged meeting place.

All of the 22 suspects face up to five years in prison if convicted.

The road ahead can be very difficult for those accused in child predator stings. In these types of cases, police set up unsuspecting individuals to make them look bad by manipulating online chats, as well as e-mails and text messages. Most of these sting operations use specials task force units that specifically train officers to create these scenarios and turn what may be an innocent statement into one with sexual undertones. Undercover sting operations involving internet sex crimes are usually handled by overzealous detectives who are looking to make a large number of arrests. Unfortunately, many times these cases involve improper procedures and/or conduct by police officers. This is why you need the help of a criminal defense lawyer who can identify such evidence and have it thrown out as well as identify weaknesses in the prosecutions’ case that revolves around illegal police behavior.

Published on: March 3, 2014

Polk County Criminal Defense Attorney :: Two Busted for Operating Marijuana Grow House in Polk County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Polk County detectives allegedly discovered 15 pounds of bagged marijuana in a grow house operation inside a barn in Frostproof last month.

Detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office claim they received a tip about starved animals on the property. They apparently went to check out the site and found 37 pot plants growing inside a barn. They also found high intensity grow lights and grow light hoods, electric ballasts, air conditioners, air filters, plastic pots used for cannabis cultivation and cannabis stalks and roots.

They also located five horses on the property and determined that the animals were not malnourished or abused, however, did need improved care. The animals were turned over to a family member.

Detectives decided to check out the mobile home on the property where they apparently uncovered a 30-30 rifle and two 357 magnum handguns.

Detectives arrested a 49-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman.

The pair has also been accused of stealing electricity to run the barn.

Both were arrested and taken to the Polk County Jail.

Charges in illegal marijuana cultivation cases are based on the number of plants captured by law enforcement officers. Most grow houses contain large quantities of marijuana plants and processed marijuana, so you could be facing serious felony charges that carry substantial prison time. Additionally, police tend to seek asset forfeitures when it comes to drug crime cases, so you could also be looking at frozen bank accounts, the loss of cash and even your home.

Published on: February 25, 2014

Clay County Criminal Defense Attorney :: Clay Deputies Face Disciplinary Action after Wrong Teen Spends Month in Jail for Sexual Battery

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Three Clay County sheriff’s deputies are facing discipline after a high school student spent more than a month in jail charged as an adult in a sexual battery case all because he had the same name as the accused.

After a girl under the age of 12 told police she had sex with a Clay High student in the fall of 2012, investigators arrested a 17-year-old boy and booked him into the Clay County jail.

However, following a review of reports from the Green Cove Springs Police Department detailing the mother of the alleged victim having a verbal altercation with a boy that had the same name, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office began an internal investigation that revealed they had arrested the wrong teen.

The mistake was not uncovered until 35 days later when the teen received court documents detailing the charges against him.

According to reports, three Clay County deputies received formal counseling for the wrongful arrest and one deputy faces a 10-day unpaid suspension and a transfer from investigations to patrol.

Authorities claim that the Clay County deputies failed to confirm the suspect’s identity with a photo lineup.

Sadly, because of this error an innocent teen was arrested for a criminal offense that he did not commit.

A disciplinary hearing was being held for the deputies on Tuesday morning. The results have yet to be released.

Being investigated for a criminal offense or getting arrested in Clay County is not a fun or pleasant experience. The hours and days leading up to an arrest and those immediately following an arrest are highly important when it comes to protecting your legal rights. In most criminal cases, once an investigation has begun or an arrest has been made, there is no time to spare. A criminal defense attorney should be retained immediately to make sure police and prosecutors play by the rules. With that said, all criminal defendants have a right to legal counsel throughout the investigation process as well as during all criminal proceedings.

Published on: February 17, 2014

Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney :: Owners of 3 Central Florida Telemarketing Companies Arrested for Operating Illegally

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services arrested three people on Friday in connection with alleged illegal telemarketing operations in central Florida.

According to the agency, an investigation into three companies following a series of consumer complaints revealed the businesses were operating illegally. The owners of the three telemarking companies were arrested.

One of the agencies operating out of Kissimmee is suspected of defrauding 12 people of more than $500,000. The 34-year-old owner was arrested and charged with several offenses, including grand theft and exploitation of an elderly person or disabled person. The man was booked into the Osceola County Jail.

A 30-year-old business owner was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail. The FDACS claims this particular company was unlicensed to conduct commercial telephone sales. The business allegedly employed 12 unlicensed commercial telephone salespersons. The owner was charged with 12 counts of employing unlicensed commercial telephone salesperson and one count of commercial telephone solicitation without a telephone sales license, all of which are third-degree felonies.

The third person arrested, is a 48-year-old Sanford man who owns an Altamonte Springs company. Investigators claim that three unlicensed people were found working at his business. The man was charged with three counts of employing unlicensed commercial telephone salesperson and booked into the Seminole County Jail.

In an effort to prevent consumer fraud, law enforcement agents are constantly investigating telemarketing companies. The restrictions on telemarketing companies are quite strict and the laws are always changing, so if you are accused of telemarketing fraud of any kind you must act fast to protect your rights. Whether you are accused of operating a telemarketing scheme or are found to be in non-compliance with current laws and regulations, an Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melton can help you build a powerful defense for state or federal charges.

Published on: February 12, 2014

St. Johns County Criminal Defense Attorney :: St. Augustine Man Sentenced to 15 Years after Canadian Border Agents Intercept Child Porn

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a St. Augustine man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Monday for transporting images and videos of child pornography to Canada.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office claims the 67-year-old man used a fake name to send a package from St. Augustine to Ontario containing nearly 600 images and videos of children engaged in sexual acts.

The package was apparently captured by Canadian law enforcement. Authorities then searched the man’s home in September.

A St. Augustine man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Monday for transporting images and videos of child pornography to Canada.

The man admitted that he downloaded the child porn found in the package over several years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was arrested, and he pleaded guilty in October.

Records indicate that the man is a registered sex offender. In 1992, he was convicted of three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on a child in Hillsborough County.

State and federal law enforcement agencies do not mess around when it comes to investigating and prosecuting child pornography crimes. Whether you have been charged with possession, distribution or production of child pornography, make no mistake that law enforcement and prosecutors alike will seek maximum punishments. If convicted of a child pornography-related offense, the stakes are quite high. Consequences can include lengthy time behind bars, extensive sex offender registration requirements and criminal and civil forfeiture of personal property used in making child pornography, including any financial profits made from child pornography.