Crimes of Violence

November 26, 2009

CLEARWATER: Botched Oxycodone Robbery Lands 3 Men in Jail

A scheme to rob a man of his prescription painkillers “backfired” Tuesday, police said, leading to the arrests of three (3) men — one accused of shooting the victim in the leg.

The trio planned to rob Gordon Kendrick, 28, right after he went into a pharmacy to have an Oxycodone prescription filled, police said. Tampa Bay criminal defense attorney Nicholas J. Dorsten, Esq. of the Clearwater-based Blake & Dorsten, P.A., has seen a sharp increase in the number of Oxycodone cases that his office has retained. These cases range from simple Possession of Oxycodone and/or Trafficking in Oxycodone to Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud and/or Doctor Shopping cases (as Oxycodone as certainly become “the clear drug of choice” among residents in the Tampa Bay area.

Ryan L. Holmberg (below/center), 23, of 1320 14th St. in Palm Harbor is accused of shooting Kendrick. He was charged with Robbery with a Deadly Weapon, Aggravated Battery, Throwing a Deadly Missile into a building and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.Also arrested, police said, were Sean M. Perry (below/left), 25, of Clearwater, who drove the getaway car, and Daniel C. Kane (below/right), 31, of Tampa, who helped coordinate the robbery.At least one of the men knew Kendrick, said Clearwater police spokeswoman Beth Watts.

Arrest reports show Kane communicated with Holmberg by telephone to let him know when to go to the pharmacy.

Perry then drove Holmberg to Trinity Pharmacy at 1474 S Belcher Road. Holmberg approached Kendrick and demanded the pills when Kendrick left the store.

When Kendrick said he didn’t have anything, Holmberg shot him in the right thigh with a semi-automatic handgun, according to a St. Pete Times article. The bullet passed through Kendrick’s thigh and went into the occupied pharmacy. No one else was injured.

The incident happened around 4:45 p.m.

Kendrick was treated at Morton Plant Hospital and released later Tuesday, a hospital spokesman said. Kendrick was able to identify at least one of the men, arrest reports show.

All three men were taken to the Pinellas County Jail.
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November 11, 2009

ST. PETE: Charges Dropped Against Both Men in City Council Brawl

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

Pinellas County prosecutors have decided to drop charges against two (2) men who got into a humorous fist fight at a St. Petersburg City Council meeting.

Frederick Dudley and Ronald Deaton were arrested in October after they began throwing punches during an argument over a decision to privatize a public sidewalk.

The men, ages 76 and 61, respectively, were charged with Disorderly Conduct.Assistant State Attorney Richard Ripplinger said authorities have “better things to do than prosecute a couple of old men who got angry in the heat of the moment.” In my opinion, while the State of Florida got this one right, we unfortunately see many silly and ridiculous prosecutions in the Tampa Bay area that should be dropped like this one (especially in today’s economic climate with our government working with limited resources).

The decision to cede the public sidewalk fronting the downtown BayWalk entertainment complex had been the subject of intense debate for weeks.

For more information on this story, including a link to the actual video of the infamous fight, please check out this Bay News 9 link.
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November 2, 2009

TAMPA: Man Arrested for Swinging Machete at Wife – In Front of Child

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

An unlucky Tampa man is behind bars after swinging a machete at his wife in a “fit of rage” early Monday morning, according to police.

Around 2:30 a.m. Virticee Lamar Thompson approached his wife of five (5) years, swinging the machete back and forth and threatening to kill her and himself, an arrest affidavit states.The woman’s 16-year-old daughter witnessed the incident.

Thompson, of 8100 North Marks Street, was arrested about 3 a.m. on charges of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Violation of Probation in connection with an Attempted Sexual Battery conviction in 2000 out of Polk County.

Thompson spent about two (2) years in the Florida State Prison system and his probation expires in 2013, court records show.

About 4:30 a.m., Thompson was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail, where he was held without bail (as is customary on a Felony VIolation of Probation as well as a charge of Domestic Violence).This was Thompson’s fourth arrest in Hillsborough County; other charges include Driving Under the Influence and Driving with a Suspended License, jail records show.
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October 22, 2009

PINELLAS COUNTY: Bucs Cornerback Aqib Talib Charged with Battery

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

The Pinellas County State Attorney’s Office said it plans to file formal charges against Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib.Talib is accused of hitting a cab driver in August. He will face a misdemeanor Battery charge stemming from the August incident where a cab driver said he was punched by the Bucs player and former first round draft pick. A second charge of Resisting Arrest without Violence has been dropped by the Pinellas County State Attorney’s Office.

The State Attorney’s Office said they have enough evidence to charge Talib. He will be formally arraigned in a few weeks. The misdemeanor Battery charge is punishable by up to one year in the Pinellas County Jail or one year of probation with up to a $1,000 Fine. Talib’s attorney, Ronald Hanes, has indicated that his client will plead Not Guilty.

The Buccaneers are leaving for England on Friday to prepare for their game with New England on Sunday in London. There are no special stipulations that would prevent him from traveling with the team, as he is not considered to be a flight risk.
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October 10, 2009

CLEARWATER: “Da Hood Gone Wild” Creator Sentenced to Life in Prison for Fatal Shooting

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

“The madness must stop,” according to Circuit Court Judge Joseph A. Bulone. On Friday, Judge Bulone provided one victim’s family with a sense of closure when he sentenced Allan Burney (below), 21, to life in prison for his role in the October 8th, 2007 shooting of Michael Scott, 23, in Clearwater’s North Greenwood community. For the complete story, check out Saturday’s St. Pete Times article.”

Burney, who co-created the underground DVD series “Da Hood Gone Wild,” was convicted following a three-day trial that ended on August 27th. A Pinellas County jury found Burney guilty of Second Degree Murder along with three additional counts on Attempted Second Degree Murder and Shooting at, within or into a Vehicle for the shooting that killed Michael Scott and seriously injured his brother, Antonio Scott.

“Da Hood Gone Wild” infamously depicted violence in Clearwater’s North Greenwood neighborhood. Burney developed the controversial DVD series with his childhood friend Cortez Hearns. The videos chronicled street life in the North Greenwood community including: fights in the middle of the street, gyrating women in G-strings and the Clearwater Police Department trying to control the pandemonium.

At trial, state prosecutors were able to convince a jury of four women and two men that Burney fired a Mac-11 into the car that Michael Scott was driving on October 8, 2007 in the area of North Betty Lane and Springdale Street in Clearwater.As shown above, the Ingram Mac11 (officially known as the “Military Armament Corporation Model 11”) has a very high rate of fire: about 1,000 rounds a minute — allowing a 32 round magazine to be emptied in just a few seconds.
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September 28, 2009

TAMPA: 16-Year-Old Juvenile to Be Tried as an Adult in “Show-Off” Murder Case

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

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 that Ejak, and his 22-year-old co-Defendant, Christopher Cox, killed Johannesen, then wrapped his body in a sheet before hiding it in a closet. It is alleged that Ejak fatally struck Johannesen in the head with a whiskey bottle.After hiding Johannesen’s body in a closet, the two Defendants returned to show their friends what they had done.While Ejak was originally booked into the Juvenile Detention Center, he was transferred today to the Orient Road Jail where he will remain, on no bond, until his trial.
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September 27, 2009

WEST VIRGINIA: Burglar Leaves his Facebook Page on Victim’s Computer

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

While Florida certainly has the dumbest criminals in the nation, this guy from West Virginia was pretty darn stupid last week.

Jonathan G. Parker, 19, of Ft. Loudoun, PA, was arrested following an August 28th Burglary where he broke into the victim’s home through a window and stole two diamond rings. While inside, this not-so-bright criminal decided to check his Facebook status. The only problem: Mr. Parker forgot to log out. When the victim returned home and checked her computer, she was greated with a not-so-funny message from her intruder.For the complete story, check out this article from The Journal (Martinsburg, West Virginia).
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September 13, 2009

LARGO: Construction Worker Sentenced to Six Years for Fatal Trackhoe Accident

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

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 to Biff Burger, on April 21, 2007, when his truck swerved and struck the large construction trackhoe that Palma Trejo was operating. For the complete story, check out the article in today’s St. Pete Times.This case is a bit unusual for several reasons. To begin with, Palma Trejo was charged with Manslaughter, not DUI Manslaugher. Secondly, both the State Attorney’s Office and Palma Trejo’s attorney agreed that the trackhoe was only traveling at the rate of 4 mph. However, the State and the defense disagreed on whether the trackoe’s lights were on and whether Palma Trejo was properly trained to operate the large piece of machinery.

Last month, Palma Trejo entered an “open plea,” meaning that he did not have a plea agreement with the State Attorney’s Office. After entering an “open plea,” the Judge can sentence a Defendant to any legal sentence (i.e., up to the maximum sentence allowed by law or something less than what the sentencing guidelines would normally call for). In Palma Trejo’s case, he could have received 15 years in prison on the Manslaughter charge, which is a Second Degree Felony.At his sentencing hearing earlier this week, Palma Trejo pleaded to the judge for leniency. With the assistance of a court translator, he stated “I only want to ask the family for foregiveness… I know what it is like to lose a father.”

Because Palma Trejo was under 21 years of age, his attorney was asking the Court to sentence him as a “Youthful Offender,” which would have allowed Judge Covert to sentence him below the recommended guideline sentence (to include any form of community supervision such as community control or probation).
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September 12, 2009

TARPON SPRINGS: Mother and Daughter Arrested for Attack on Cheerleading Coach

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

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 While Driving,” and “Cyber-stalking.”

However, one of the classic (ripped straight from a Lifetime movie or recent episode of Law & Order, never-gets-old type of cime has occured, once again, in Tarpon Springs, Florida this week.A Tarpon Springs mother and daughter face Felony Burglary and Battery charges after law enforcement determined that they beat up a recreational cheerleading coach.

Karen Joanne Wood, 41, and her 16-year old daughter, Kyersten Wood, were arrested September 5th after reportedly assaulting Sharell Ortiz, 34, at Jasmine Sports Complex in Tarpon Springs. For more information, check out today’s full St. Pete Times article.As suggested by some of the readers’ comments following the St. Pete Times article, “wft” is wrong with parents these days?
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September 7, 2009

NFL Star Shawne Merriman Arrested, Accused of Choking Tila Tequila

by Blake & Dorsten, P.A.

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 and False Imprisonment charges, committed upon MTV reality star Tila “Tequila” Nguyen, you can check out the full story online at CNN.com.According to the CNN story, Tila Tequila told deputies that she had been choked and physically restrained by Merriman when she attempted to leave his residence in suburban San Diego at approximately 3:45 a.m. Sunday morning.

Merriman’s attorney, Todd Macaluso, has indicated that Nguyen was “extremely intoxicated and inebriated” and that his client had made arrangements for her to leave his house. However, the district attorney’s office will determine whether criminal charges will be pursued.

As “Tila Tequila,” Nguyen starred on the MTV reality shows “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequilqa” in 2007 and “A Shot at Love 2 with Tila Tequila” in 2008.Merriman, who has made three Pro Bowls, is entering his fifth year with the San Diego Charges after playing college football at my alma mater: the University of Maryland @ College Park.
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