Every-once-in-awhile, we read about an arrest that, when juxtaposed against the time/background/location, really makes us wonder what is going on in our society. This happened earlier this week when Charles James Brown, 61, a security guard at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg was arrested on five counts of Sexual…
Corey Robert Munn, a 40-year old St. Pete man, has been charged with having sex with a woman and not informing her of his HIV-infected status. According to arrest affidavits filed with the Clerk of Court, Munn had a consensual sexual relationship with a woman for 18 months but neglected…
Yesterday, a Safety Harbor man was arrested on various charges stemming from his involvement in a counterfeit money order scam. Raul Francisco Zelaya, 50, was arrested for Scheming to Defraud a financial institution, Communications Fraud and Possession of Counterfeit Checks. For the complete story, check out today’s Tampa Bay Online…
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office just concluded a Prostitution sting which focused on the use of Craigslist’s online “adult services classifieds.” According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, his agency’s investigation revealed that “Craigslist, despite saying they’re cleaning up their exotic section, continues to facilitate prostitution, and they derive proceeds…
Another sad Traffic Fatality case unfolded this week in Judge Thane Covert’s Pinellas County courtroom. Agustin Palma Trejo, who was 18-years old at the time of the accident, was driving a trackhoe the wrong way on U.S. 19. In an unfortunate twist of fate, Donald Cochran was on his way…
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…
Another week has passed and another NFL star has given me something to blog about. We can now add San Diego Charger Shawne Merriman’s case to the list of celebrity athletes that the Blake & Dorsten, P.A. in Clearwater will be following. For more information on the alleged Domestic Battery…
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…
Hernando County Circuit Court Judge Jack Springstead denied a former Central High School teacher’s request to expunge a 2004 incident where he was arrested for Soliciting a 16-year old student to perform oral sex. Judge Springstead, in denying the motion, stated that “potential school districts need to be made aware…
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…