“Sexting,” the act of sending nude or semi-nude images from one’s cell phone or computer, is being cited as a major factor in the recent death of a Ruskin teenager.Thirteen (13) year-old Beth Shields Middle School student Hope Witsell ultimately took her own life when the taunting and bullying by…
Jordan Valdez, the Davis Island teenager who was charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death, is expected to plead guilty and be sentenced on November 24th. For those unfamiliar with this case, Valdez, who was 16-years-old at the time, was involved in a fatal crash on February…
Amer Ali Ejak, 16, has been Indicted for First Degree Murder and will be prosecuted as an Adult for his role in the death of a 34-year-old father, Thomas Johannesen, in Hillsborough County two weeks ago. For the complete story, please check out today’s St. Pete Times article. Deputies say…
Improvements in technology, as well as social media, have led to the creation of some rather new and popular crimes (that didn’t exist when our parents were growing up). For instance, anyone who reads a newspaper is probably familiar with the following “new-school” types of criminal activity: “Cyber-bullying,” “Sexting,” “Texting…
An interesting story in today’s St. Pete Times highlights the life, or lack thereof, of Teddy Braden, the former gang member turned blogger that blogs from the Pinellas County Jail. Braden, who is in the Pinellas County Jail on Drug Charges, blogs with the help of his mother — who…
In a very emotional sentencing hearing, that I happened to witness while in the same courtroom on an unrelated case, a St. Petersburg mother plead guilty to Manslaughter on the morning her trial was to begin in a case where she let her 15-year old son, Shawn Ledesma, drive her…
A recent Tampa Tribune article opined on a very current issue in the State of Florida: “Should Texting While Driving Be Banned?” For the complete article, click on the Tampa Tribune link. After several recent high-profile Traffic Crimes in the Tampa Bay area (including Nick Hogan, Jennifer Porter and Jordan…
A recent story in the St. Petersburg Times has indicated that crime is on the rise in the City of St. Petersburg, Florida. According to the latest numbers, Burglary and Theft Crimes are rapidly increasing. For the full story, click here: Police Chief Chuck Harmon has suggested that the rapid…