Recent Blog Posts
Supreme Court Preview: Can an Officer Assume a Registered Vehicle is Being Operated By Its Owner?
In October of 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States is expected to hear oral arguments in the case of Kansas v. Glover. Centered around whether or not a police officer had the right to stop and search a vehicle, this is one of the most important criminal procedure cases that the nation’s… Read More »
Arrest Warrants Issued for Four Former Nursing Home Employees — The Charges are Related to a Dozen 2017 Deaths
On September 13th, 2017, eight people died in an assisted living facility in Hollywood, Florida. Sadly, four more nursing home patients died in the following few weeks. The incident occurred days after Hurricane Irma hit the state of Florida — damaging the air conditioning system at the facility. Repairs were not immediate. While staff… Read More »
Three Miami-Dade County Women Arrested in Relation to Affordable Housing Scam
According to reporting from The Real Deal, three South Florida women have been arrested on fraud charges in relation to an affordable housing scam. Among other things, the three defendants in this case allegedly made false representations to people throughout the Miami-Dade region — indicating that they were city employees and that they had… Read More »
Father and Son Pair Arrested for Leading $1 Million Miami Area Boat Theft Ring
According to reporting from the Miami Herald, a father and son duo has been arrested for allegedly leading a boat theft ring that spanned several jurisdictions across South Florida — including Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County. Prosecutors allege that William Baez-Cartalla and William Baez-Valdes were at the top of a criminal enterprise that… Read More »
Social Media Celebrity “Real Tarzan” Arrested, Charged With Burglary and Battery in Miami
According to reporting from NBC 6 South Florida, Michael Holston, a social media personality with more than several million followers across platforms, has been arrested on burglary charges and battery charges in South Florida. Mr. Holston, who is known as the ‘Real Tarzan’ online, has been called the “next Steve Irwin” by some observers…. Read More »
Miami Beach Police Make Arrest in DUI Manslaughter Case
According to reporting from CBS Miami, an arrest has been made in connection with a fatal car crash that occurred on MacArthur Causeway in July. Jose Dominguez, 26, has been charged with DUI manslaughter and DUI causing a serious injury. A representative from the Miami Beach Police Department stated the deadly accident was triggered… Read More »
Miami Police Department Officer Arrested for DUI, Refused Breathalyzer Test
On July 22nd, 2019, the Miami Herald reported that Danny Hebra, an officer with the Miami Police Department, was stopped after allegedly driving in a reckless manner in Key Largo, Florida. The police report states that Mr. Hebra was weaving in and out of lanes and that he improperly drove through a bicycle lane…. Read More »
Miami-Dade County Swimming Instructor Arrested, Charged With Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of Young Children
According to reporting from NBC Miami, Daniel Diaz-Mejia, 20, has been arrested on sexual molestation charges. Mr. Diaz-Mejia was recently employed as a swim instructor in Miami-Dade County. Based on the arrest documents obtained by the news organization, NBC Miami reports that this individual is accused of fondling two nine-year-old girls who were in… Read More »
Supreme Court Strikes Down Overall Vague ‘Crime of Violence’ Law
According to reporting from The Washington Post, the Supreme Court of the United States has struck down a federal ‘Crime of Violence’ statute on the grounds that it is impermissibly vague. Writing the opinion for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch joined the Court’s four liberal leaning members to rule in favor of the defendant… Read More »
Seven People Arrested in for Involvement in Prescription Drug Ring in South Florida
On June 30th, 2019, the Miami Herald reported seven people were arrested on prescription drug fraud charged in South Florida. In a joint operation between state and federal law enforcement officials, arrest warrants were issued against six people who allegedly obtained fraudulent prescriptions and one pharmacist who knowingly filled bad prescriptions. Here, our Miami… Read More »
Miami Police Officer Arrested, Charged With Selling Stolen Automobiles
According to reporting from CBS Miami, Orestes Santiago Verdura — a Miami-Dade County police officer — was recently arrested and charged with participating in a scheme to sell stolen cars. Mr. Verdura and an co-conspirator were charged with: Conspiracy to Commit Organized Scheme to Defraud; and Organized Scheme to Defraud; and Dealing in Stolen… Read More »
Assistant Broward County Attorney Faces DUI Property Damage Charge
According to reporting from NBC 6 South Florida, Alim Babayev — an assistant state attorney for Broward County, FL — has been arrested on drunk driving charges. The report indicates that Mr. Babayev was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol on June 11th, at approximately 8:00 in the evening. NBC 6 South Florida reviewed… Read More »
Four Tips for Defending Probation Violation Charges in Florida
In criminal law, probation is a period of supervised release. A person may be placed on probation after being let out of prison. Alternatively, a person may be placed on probation instead of being sentenced to serve time in prison. When on probation, it is imperative that you comply with all of the terms… Read More »
Parkland Deputy Who Failed to Confront Shooter Arrested, Charged With Child Neglect and Culpable Negligence
According to reporting from the Miami Herald, Scot Peterson — the Broward County deputy who was assigned as the public safety officer at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School — is facing 11 criminal charges for his failure to confront the former student and gunman who killed 17 innocent people in February of 2018…. Read More »
Criminal Charges: Driving Without a License in Florida
Drivers operating vehicles without a valid license happens a lot more often than most people realize. Indeed, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that unlicensed drivers are responsible for more than ten percent of the accidents in the United States. In some cases, people drive with a suspended or expired license. In… Read More »
Music Star Arrested on Firearms Charges in South Florida
According to reporting from the Miami Herald, rapper Kodak Black has been arrested on weapons charges in South Florida. The music star, whose legal name is Bill Kapri, was detained right before he was set to take the stage for a performance in the region. In a joint state and federal operation, United States… Read More »
New England Patriots Owner Wins Important Procedural Ruling; Key Video Evidence Thrown Out of Court
In February of 2019, law enforcement agents in South Florida announced prostitution and solicitation charges against dozens of defendants after an operation at a Jupiter-based spa and massage parlor. This story quickly made national headlines as Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots, was among those arrested. This week, Mr…. Read More »
Florida Doctor Arrested, Charged With Manslaughter After Overdose Death
According to reporting from NBC 6 South Florida, a Miami-Dade County doctor has been arrested and charged with manslaughter and drug trafficking. These charges are related to the March 2019 opioid overdose death a 35-year-old Florida Keys woman. Dr. Marta Elena Farinas is accused of negligently overprescribing and unlawfully selling prescription drugs, including oxycodone…. Read More »
Miami-Dade Prosecutors Set to Announce Charges in Massive Insurance Fraud Case
According to reporting from the Miami Herald, several dozen South Florida homeowners and multiple public insurance adjusters are set to be criminally charged in a massive insurance fraud case. The alleged ringleader of the scheme — Barbara Gonzalez of West Miami — has already been arrested and booked into a local jail. In this… Read More »
Supreme Court to Decide if Police Need a Warrant to Draw Blood From Unconscious Person
As reported by Reuters, the Supreme Court of the United States recently heard oral arguments in a Fourth Amendment case involving an unconscious driver who had his blood drawn by police without hearing his rights or giving his consent. The nation’s highest court is now set to determine if this motorist’s constitutional rights were… Read More »
