Category Archives: Criminal Defense
Driver Arrested in Deadly Miami Beach Hit-and-Run Accident
According to reporting from 7 News Miami, Ledisnier Pordomingo-Lopez, 35, has been arrested on felony criminal charges in relation to a fatal accident that occurred in the middle of the night last fall in Miami Beach. Prosecutors believe that Mr. Pordomino-Lopez was the driver responsible for a deadly hit-and-run crash that occurred on the… Read More »
Florida Truck Driver Arrested in 39-Year-Old Murder Case
According to reporting from NBC 6 South Florida, James Curtis Clanton, a truck driver, was arrested in Union County on murder charges. The arrest is in relation to a 1980 rape and homicide that happened in Douglas County, Colorado. Using a commercially available genealogy website, prosecutors were able to link Mr. Clanton’s DNA with… Read More »
Study: How the High Costs of Fines and Fees Burden Defendants and the Criminal Justice System
In November of 2019, the Brennan Center for Justice published the results of a new study that focused on how the high costs of being arrested unjustly burden the accused—especially middle and lower income defendants. Beyond that, the researchers found that in many jurisdictions, these fines actually burden the criminal justice system as a… Read More »
Miami-Dade County Drops Aggravated Assault Charges After a Security Video Exonerates an Innocent Man
According to reporting from CBS 4 Miami, aggravated assault charges have been dropped against a South Florida grandfather after a surveillance video was uncovered that exonerated him. Jorge Crusellas-Sotolongo, 52, was arrested on criminal assault charges in late September. He was detained for a day before the charges were eventually dropped. If Mr. Crusellas-Sotolongo… Read More »
Four Flight Attendants Arrested on Money Laundering Charges in Miami
According to reporting from NBC News, four flight attendants for American Airlines were detained and arrested on criminal charges at the Miami International Airport. The international based crew had just arrived on an overseas flight. Prosecutors are accusing them of money laundering and the unlawful smuggling of more than $20,000 into the United States…. Read More »
Alleged ‘Peeping Tom’ Arrested in Coral Gables, Florida—Charged With Voyeurism and Criminal Trespassing
According to reporting from CBS 4 Miami, a 31-year-old man named Yoel Diaz Hernandez, who was identified as an Uber driver, was recently arrested by the Coral Gables Police Department after allegedly peering into the bedroom of two residential homes. Mr. Hernandez, who was identified by two separate women, has been charged with two… Read More »
Criminal Mischief Charges in Florida: What You Need to Know
Criminal mischief — sometimes also referred to simply as ‘vandalism’ — is defined as the willful and malicious destruction of personal property or another person’s belongings. Depending on the extent of the damage, it can be charged as either a felony offense or misdemeanor offense in Florida. Here, our Miami defense lawyers provide an… Read More »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
State Attorney Drops Charges Against Women Seen in Viral Miami, FL “Rough” Arrest Video
According to reporting from NBC 6 South Florida, the South Florida mother who was seen in a viral video showing her being arrested in an especially “rough” manner is no longer facing any criminal charges from state or local prosecutors. Dyma Loving — a 26-year-old mother — was physically brought to the ground and… Read More »
Florida Supreme Court Hears Another Stand Your Ground Case
As reported by CBS Miami, the Florida Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in another ‘Stand Your Ground’ case. The core issue at stake in this case is whether or not key changes that were made to the controversial law in 2017 should be applied to earlier cases that are still making their way… Read More »
Three Things You Should Know About the Juvenile Justice System in Florida
Unfortunately, young people — especially teenagers — sometimes get themselves into serious trouble, even criminal trouble. According to a report from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), juvenile courts handle approximately one million cases nationally each year. Each state has its own juvenile justice program. For instance, in Florida, these types of cases… Read More »
