Fort Lauderdale Criminal Attorney Blog

May 28, 2010

Miami Dolphins Player Arrested for Domestic Violence Receives Special Treatment by Broward Sheriff’s Office

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

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It appears as though the domestic violence arrest of Miami Dolphins player Phillip Merling in Broward County will lead to another investigation. Now the Broward Sheriff’s Office is investigating why Miami Dolphins Player Phillip Merling received special treatment while at the Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale.
Miami Dolphins player Phillip Merling has been arrested and accused of beating his pregnant girlfriend and was given a $15,000.00 bond. Florida Statute 784.045 states that:

784.045 Aggravated battery.–

(1)(a) A person commits aggravated battery who, in committing battery:

1. Intentionally or knowingly causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement; or

2. Uses a deadly weapon.

(b) A person commits aggravated battery if the person who was the victim of the battery was pregnant at the time of the offense and the offender knew or should have known that the victim was pregnant.

(2) Whoever commits aggravated battery shall be guilty of a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

May 19, 2010

Fort Lauderdale Officer Arrested for Drug Crimes

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department arrested one of their own this week for alleged drug crimes. Fort Lauderdale Police accuse Officer Justin Krashefski, 27 of buying drugs while on duty in his marked Fort Lauderdale police cruiser.

Police chief Frank Adderley stated that “This is not representative of law enforcement officers, particularly Fort Lauderdale police. When we find indications of crimes being committed, we investigate.” I agree with the Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Frank Adderley that crimes such as this arrest may not necessarily be “representative of law enforcement officers.” However, I do believe that those who head police agencies such as the Fort Lauderdale Police Department are too often quick to dismiss alleged criminal misconduct committed by those sworn to protect and serve. For example, remember Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Paul C. Lawrence? This is the Florida Highway Patrol Officer arrested for falsifying hundreds of traffic citations? It was only after dozens of complaints about the Florida Highway Patrol Officer before an investigation actually initiated.

In this case, Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Justin Krashefski purchased drugs while claiming to be involved in a “police investigation.” He demanded that a man meet him where he purchased the drugs. That man happened to be an undercover police informant. Needless to say, the informant brought this to the attention of the authorities. Police set up a sting operation where an undercover informant met Officer Krashefski. At this meeting the Officer purchased five Oxycodone pills from the undercover informant.

April 24, 2010

Broward County Porsche Hit and Run Suspect Denied Bail

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Broward County Judge John “Jay” Hurley ruled that Ryan LeVin, 35, should be held on an out of state warrant from Illinois. Parole officials in Illinois allege that LeVin failed to report his out of state travel when he arrived in Florida to be arrested on two charges of vehicular homicide by Broward County Law Enforcement.

Although LeVin posted his $21,000.00 bond set for the Florida charges, Judge Hurley ruled that Florida law dictates that LeVin should be held in Florida until the resolution of his Broward County case. Only the governor can intervene.

April 23, 2010

Broward Sheriff’s Office fires Deputy involved in crash that kills 14 year old girl

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Deputy Frank McCurrie, was an employee of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for approximately one year before he was fired. According to Sheriff Al Lamberti, “Franklyn McCurrie’s employment with the Broward Sheriff’s Office has been terminated for failure to meet probationary standards.”

On January 23, 2010, McCurrie’s patrol car struck a Honda Civic and killed a passenger, Northeast High School freshman Cara Dyan Catlin, at North Dixie Highway and Northeast 56th Street in Oakland Park. According to an affidavit, Deputy McCurrie was responding to a call for back up from another deputy at a traffic stop.

Traffic homicide detectives later calculated that at the time of the crash, McCurrie was driving 89 mph, almost 50 mph over the posted speed limit.
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April 21, 2010

Actor Michael Douglas’s Son is Sent to Prison for 5 Years for Dealing Drugs

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Michael Douglas’s son was sentenced to five (5) years in United States Federal Prison for “distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine”

Cameron Douglas, 31, pleaded with U.S. District Judge Richard Berman for a break in his sentence. Both his father, Michael Douglas, as well as his mother, Diandra Luker, appeared at his sentencing. Those who were present stated that his mother, Luker, broke down in tears. His father, Michael Douglas, fought back tears but was obviously overwhelmed with emotion.

Douglas was arrested at a Manhattan nightclub in July of 2009. At his sentencing he begged with the Judge for a lighter and more reasonable sentence. He stated, “I believe, your honor, things will be different this time,” he added. If given a second chance, he said, “I will never squander that opportunity.”

Although the Judge received numerous letters from many celebrities begging for leniency for Douglas, U.S. District Judge Richard Berman appeared determined to issue the 5 year sentence.

The Judge appeared unmoved by many of the celebrity letters. In fact, he stated that many of the letters implied that Douglas should not be made an example of just because he is the son of famed actor Michael Douglas. The Judge went on to state that, “None acknowledged appropriately the numerous impacts to victims of society for dealing drugs.”

February 20, 2010

Miami Dade Law Enforcement Official Charged with Felony For Issuing Fake Tickets

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

The victims of Trooper Paul C. Lawrence, 38, of the Florida Highway Patrol were shocked when they learned that they had pending traffic citations or that suspensions had been issued on their Florida drivers license for failure to appear in court. Most of the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper’s victims were not even on the road when the traffic citations were written alleging a slew of traffic violations. Others were not even in the United States when the traffic citations were issued.

The Trooper now faces 22 counts of official misconduct, a third degree felony. So far, over 211 traffic citations written by Lawrence have been dismissed. It appears as though the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper used information from previous traffic stops in order to manufacture the false citations. According to the Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson, “there is no incentive for him to do that because Florida Highway Patrol does not use a quota system.”

August 5, 2009

Domestic Violence Charges Land Chris Brown Under Judicial Scrutiny

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

The famous 20 year old R&B singer Chris Brown has pleaded guilty and publicly apologized for beating Rihanna back in February. Brown is expected to be sentenced to five years probation followed by six months of community labor. Although Chris Brown is expected to be permitted to serve his probation in his home state of Virginia, he will be required to return to California every three months to attend domestic violence classes.

These charges stem from an incident which occurred back in February of 2009. On February 8, 2009, Chris Brown was arrested for allegedly beating, choking, and biting Rihanna as he tried to push her out of a car.

Domestic Violence in Florida is defined by Florida Statute 741.28 as follows:

“Domestic violence” means any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another family or household member.

In Florida, if a person is found guilty of Domestic Violence the Court may sentence as follows:

If a person is adjudicated guilty of a crime of domestic violence, as defined in s. 741.28, and the person has intentionally caused bodily harm to another person, the court shall order the person to serve a minimum of 5 days in the county jail as part of the sentence imposed, unless the court sentences the person to a nonsuspended period of incarceration in a state correctional facility. This section does not preclude the court from sentencing the person to probation, community control, or an additional period of incarceration.

July 31, 2009

Hollywood, Florida Police Officers Caught in Cover-Up

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Four Hollywood Florida Police Officers are being accused of faking a crash report. The entire incident was accidently caught by the on board dash camera. They were identified Tuesday as Dewey Pressley, Joel Francisco, Andrew Diaz and Karim Thomas. They’re on administrative duty pending an investigation.

It is alleged that Officer Joel Francisco accidently rear ended a vehicle. The Officer then placed the individual under arrest for drunken driving related charges. A video depicts the Officers apparently attempting to create a story in which blame for the accident could be placed on the other driver. Apparently, the Officers were unaware that the entire incident was being recorded. The accident report written by Officer Pressly states that the driver of the other vehicle was distracted when a cat sitting on her lap caused her to loose control striking the officers vehicle. The Broward County Office of the State Attorney has agreed to drop the driving under the influence charges stemming from this incident.

ANSARA RESPONDS
It appears that the Broward County Office of the State Attorney has taken the initiative to drop all charges stemming from the incident involving these Hollywood Police Officers in this particular case. However, what is the Broward County Office of the State Attorney doing to investigate other arrests by these officers? It appears to me that the Broward County Office of the State Attorney has a duty to further investigate pending and prior arrests involving these officers. The Hollywood Police Department is no stranger to scandal. Recently the Department was shaken when the FBI arrested fellow Hollywood Police Officers. The FBI posed as an underground criminal ring and used the Hollywood Police Officers as protection during drug transports.

Retired FBI agent Jack Garcia was one of the undercover operatives and gave his account of the investigation in a book published last year. In an interview last October, he said of his dealings with the Hollywood Police Department: “What was amazing to me is that it was so easy to get cops to look the other way, to guard trucks for us, no questions asked. I’d never seen anything like it.”

July 28, 2009

UBS Client Pleads Guilty in Fort Lauderdale Federal Court

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Jeffrey P. Chernick of Stanfordville, N.Y., pled guilty today on the charge of filing a false tax return in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Federal Court. This is the result of an ongoing attempt by the United States Government’s efforts to force the United Bank of Switzerland (UBS) to divulge the names of thousands of wealthy American’s who may have large amounts of money in UBS accounts.

Arrests for South Florida UBS white collar crimes have already occurred and it seems likely that other arrest are sure to follow.
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July 14, 2009

Weston Man Charged with Operating $14M Commodities Fraud

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

The Commodities Future Trading Commission alleges that Weston resident Sean Nathan Healy ran and operated a multi-million dollar securities scheme. The civil complaint alleges that Sean Nathan Healy defrauded 44 investors of approximately $14 million dollars.
The Broward County man is accused of operating the white collar scheme in order to make extravagant purchases such as a $2.5 million home, luxury cars, gold bullions, and a $500,000 home theater. On Monday a Federal Judge issued an order freezing Healy’s assets.
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