Miami Man Accused in Taped Drug Smuggling Sting in Tampa
September 12, 2011
Drug Smuggling Sting in Tampa
Our client’s partner negotiated on recorded calls for several weeks to sell two kilograms of cocaine in Tampa to an informant and undercover agent before doing bigger business with them. Our client and his partner drove from Miami to the Tampa hotel room where the exchange was to take place. Our client brought in the duffle bag containing the two kilograms of cocaine and tossed it to the undercover agent who opened the bag and cut into the cocaine for testing. It was all captured on video. In spite of the video, the defense turned down a plea offer that would have meant 15 years in prison. We argued that our client drove to Tampa because his partner’s license was suspended and our client believed there was going to be criminal activity taking place but not a drug transaction. The jury acquitted our client.
Illinois Man Charged in Four Separate Cases Involving Pensacola Real Estate Deals
September 12, 2011
A real estate entrepreneur who was currently under contract to publish a book on real estate transactions and purchasing distressed mortgages from banks was charged in four separate cases in Pensacola. He was accused of trading worthless land in Oklahoma for FEMA trailers, misrepresenting and trading unbuildable lots in Pensacola for homes and land, selling properties without a license, helping buyers obtain fraudulent mortgages to purchase his inventory of properties by wiring large cash deposits into their accounts to qualify them and selling properties he had a contractual right to purchase before he owned them. In addition to the four cases, the State attempted to bring in evidence of prior bad acts he had been investigated for eight years earlier by the FBI and HUD in Lehigh Acres, Florida. He had been investigated for intentionally destroying HUD homes so he would weed out any competitive bidders, selling homes purported to be income producing by stocking his properties with fictitious renters and creating false land values by controlling areas of land.
He came to the attention of Pensacola prosecutors when several people independent of each other went to the authorities complaining they had been defrauded.
After an extensive investigation, we were able to show the prosecutors that in one case the alleged victim was a highly sophisticated real estate investor who purchases and sells land in several states and the purported maps had been doctored by him instead of our client. In the second case we were able to show that it was a business deal where one party made out better than the other and that both cases were civil in nature; they dismissed both.
The third case went to trial and the client was acquitted of all counts. The state dismissed the fourth case shortly after the acquittal notifying the court in a pleading that there was no likelihood of conviction due to the acquittal.
Middle Eastern Man Accused of Smuggling Bulk Cash to Egypt
September 12, 2011
Middle Eastern Man Accused of Smuggling Cash
Our client, a businessman who owned several convenience stores, was stopped at the airport because a cash sniffing dog apparently alerted to him. Though he had declared that he had less than $10,000 with him, he had well in excess of the declaration. The government moved to seize all the money and charged him with three separate counts of smuggling cash. He was acquitted of all counts and the government had to return all of his money.
The list goes on…
August 12, 2011
Acquitted, Case Dismissed, or Charges Dropped
Charges Dropped: Miami Dolphins All-Pro Cornerback Accused of DUI
Acquitted: All American Receiver Who Led the NFL in Receptions Accused of Battery in a Halloween Party Fight
All Charges Dropped: A Miami Dolphins All-Pro Defensive Lineman Accused of Intentionally Running Over A Miami Beach Police Officer With His Truck During Hip Hop Weekend
No Conviction: Former Oakland Raiders All Pro Center Charged with Attempted Murder of Several Miami Beach Police Officers
No Conviction: Super Bowl and NFL All Pro Defensive Back Accused of Participating in a Multi-State Insurance Fraud Ring
Restraining Order Dropped: All American and First Round NFL Draft Pick Running Back Served with a Restraining Order by another NFL Player’s Girlfriend
Charges Dropped: A Starting NFL Offensive Lineman Accused of Domestic Violence on His Wife
Felony Charges Dropped: NFL Defensive Lineman Accused of Hitting His Pregnant Girlfriend
No Conviction: Starting NFL linebacker Accused of Attacking his Wife’s Male Friend with a Metal Stool In a Popular South Beach Restaurant
Charges Dropped: NFL Starting Fullback Charged With Lewd and Lascivious Sex in Port St. Lucie
Charges Dropped: NFL Running Back and His girlfriend Charged with Disorderly Conduct after Police Were Called to Their Home
Acquitted: Miami Man Charged with First Degree Murder, Armed Robbery
Charges Dropped: Teenager Charged with Attempted First Degree Murder and Attempted Armed Robbery