Tampa Criminal Lawyer Blog

Officers were called to the scene of a physical altercation that took place at a Clearwater barber shop. The arrest report states that two customers entered Trend Citi Fades barbershop requesting haircuts. The victim, 25-year old Quazi Rahman, claimed he has been a regular customer at the shop for the last six months. He stated that he tried to negotiate a deal for two haircuts for himself and his friend. The owner of the shop, 36-year old Raymond Stewart, became offended and allegedly attacked Rahman.

Stewart is accused of placing Rahman into a headlock and repeatedly punching him in the face. Rahman suffered a black eye and abrasions on his face. Officers arrested Stewart and charged him with felony battery. He posted $10,000 and is awaiting trial outside of the Pinellas County Jail.

This is not the defendant's first dealings with the Court system. In 2001, the State sentenced him to a year behind bars and four years probation stemming from another 1999 felony battery conviction. Pursuant to Florida Statute 784.041, commits felony battery if an offender intentionally strikes another with the purpose of causing great bodily harm. Felony battery is considered a felony in the third degree in the State of Florida and punishable by up to five years in prison.

A Riverview suspect involved in a police chase is in custody and faces a laundry list of felony charges against officers. Deputies were contacted after the defendant, 23-year old Temoi K. Ford, showed up at the mother of his child's home. A restraining order had previously been put into place to keep Ford away from the premises. When the police arrived, the defendant attempted to flee the scene.

He used his vehicle to purposely and repeatedly strike three separate police patrol cars. Ford drove recklessly and ran several stop signs in an effort to escape arrest. Officers eventually stopped the suspect and he now faces very serious felony crimes.

Ford is charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, four counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated stalking, aggravated fleeing to elude and possession of marijuana. The Court has yet to set bail. Ford remains behind bars at the Falkenburg Road Jail.

Deputies arrested a Hernando County man for indecent exposure. The Police were first called to a residence for a possible burglary. Officers witnessed the suspect, 42-year old Brandon Glogower, with his pants down, urinating in the front yard of the victim.

Upon witnessing the officers, Glogower turned towards the residence and began pounding on the front door. Deputies dragged the defendant away from the home and arrested him. The victim stated to police that he has never met Glogower and saw him relieving himself near the front door of his home.

Officers determined that the suspect was intoxicated. A pat down search of the defendant revealed 10 prescription pills. Glogower faces charges of exposure of sex organs, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest without violence.

Florida Statute 800.03 states that it is unlawful to expose sex organs in public or on another's private property. Florida considers this crime a first degree misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in jail. The offender will face additional penalties for the possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest without violence charges.

Police took a Tampa man into custody after he used his 12-year old son to solicit sex. The defendant, 61-year old Severino Quintana, allegedly engaged his son to translate a sex transaction with a prostitute. This prostitute turned out to be an undercover police officer. Quintana allegedly instructed the twelve year old boy to translate to the undercover officer that he would pay $20 in exchange for sex.

Officers arrested the defendant and charged him with soliciting another person to commit to prostitution and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The twelve year old boy has been released into the care and custody of his mother. Quintana has not yet posted the $750 bond and remains inside the Orient Road Jail.

Pursuant to Florida Statute 796.07, it is unlawful to solicit sex with the intent to commit prostitution. Anyone who is arrested for this crime faces a charge of a second degree misdemeanor for the first offense. Under Florida law, a second degree misdemeanor can be punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a maximum fine of $500.

A man allegedly involved with a Bradenton car theft has been sentenced by the Court. The defendant, 38-year old Robert Corona faced charges of car theft, resisting arrest and driving without a license. Police stopped Corona in November of last year while driving a vehicle that matched the description of a missing person.

Corona claimed to have found the car with the window down and keys in the ignition. He was under the influence of alcohol, drugs and decided to take the car for a joyride. The car also contained blood and clothing of the missing person, Sabine Musil-Buehler. The authorities concluded that Corona had no involvement with Musil-Buehler's disappearance and the circumstances were merely coincidental.

The State pushed for the defendant to receive the maximum penalties under Florida law due to his lengthy criminal history. The defense argued that the prosecution tried using this case to tie Corona to the missing person circumstance. The Court accepted a plea of no contest and sentenced him to four years in prison. Five years is the maximum penalty for the charges against Corona.

The city of Largo is cracking down on drug offenders on the streets. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office created a three month investigation for known drug dealers and buyers in the area. Operation Mid-County Clean Up marked 47 individuals suspected of distributing narcotics. Undercover officers made elusive drug deals with unsuspecting offenders around Churchill Mobile Home Park.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office considers the operation a success with 30 alleged drug dealers and buyers arrested. The sheriff's office setup a make shift command post in a shopping center parking lot to detain the accused before transporting them to the Pinellas County Jail. Patrol deputies will keep an eye out for the remaining 17 suspects still at large.

All Florida drug charges are not created equally. The possible punishments will vary based upon the type of drug in possession, the quantity of the drug in possession and the intent in which to use the drug. An individual charged with possession of under 20 grams of marijuana will face a misdemeanor charge in Court. This is compared to a dealer facing a first degree felony after accusations of trafficking 28 grams or more of cocaine with the intention to distribute.

A Tampa area physician has pled guilty to illegally selling prescription drugs. The doctor, Kevin Mark Denny, had been accused of writing false prescriptions for the drugs oxycodone, hydrocodone and the generic version of the anti-anxiety medication Xanax. Denny worked out of a small office combined with a pharmacy. The office essentially compensated Denny for prescribing medication. The doctor allegedly prescribed over $25,000 in oxycodone medication this April alone.

This week Denny entered into a plea agreement with the State on the above criminal charges. He pled guilty to two charges of illegally dispensing prescription medication above and beyond medicinal purposes. Court records reported that Denny admitted to prescribing the drugs to individuals in which he had no medical relationship. He faces a maximum consecutive sentence of 40 years behind bars if he is convicted on all charges.

Police arrested a Lakeland man at a local library today. The library employees contacted the police after they witnessed the defendant acting suspiciously. Police saw the 59-year old Johnney Keen, place a book over his private area and fondle himself at a public library table. Officers arrested Keen for breach of the peace and disorderly conduct. The police reported that there was insufficient evidence to file charges of lewd conduct.

Keen later gave the Police permission to search his home. During the search, officers allegedly found child pornography on the defendant's computer. There were 40 photographs of sexual performance by a child. The Court has denied Keen bail and he awaits trial in the Polk County Jail.

He admitted to police that he and his wife have recently had marital problems and he would go to local establishments to fondle himself while watching children. Keen admitted to police that he would go to public places like the library and the local mall. Keen also worked for 30 years as an air conditioning repair man for the Polk County School System.

A Hillsborough County teacher arrested on charges of molesting two underage boys allegedly tried to frame the guards at the Orient County Jail. A jail informant stated that Stephanie Ragusa is accused of cutting herself and planning to blame the resulting injury on the guards. The authorities removed Ragusa from her cell and placed her into the medical ward for behavioral observation.

After the inmates' removal, the guards searched the cell and found contraband. Jail made alcohol and tattooing materials were found. Medical personnel stated that the defendant had exhibited "additional manipulative behavior". Ragusa is currently being held in administrative confinement.

Authorities arrested the former teacher in 2008 for allegedly having sex with two students. A 14-year old boy came forth with allegations of sexual abuse. Two weeks after her arrest, the defendant drove to another student's home, that of a 16-year old boy, for sex. Both victims were able to positively identify three tattoos on Ragusa's body. She is awaiting trial on two counts of sexual molestation charges while in jail without bond.

The suspect appeared with a second dog and instructed it to attack Burton again. The taser gun had already been administered and the officer was forced to use his gun. Delvalle attempted to flee the scene and a physical altercation broke out between the two men. Delvalle punched the officer several times in the chest and arms before another deputy, Kenneth Route, arrived to deploy a taser. Delvalle was arrested and charged with four counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and violation of DUI probation. The suspect has not yet posted $13,000 bond and is currently being held in the Hillsborough County Jail.

Unfortunately, the second pit bull has died as result of the gunshot wound. A third remained in the home and none belonged to the suspect. Hillsborough County Animal Services has become involved and returned the others to their rightful owner.

A Palm Harbor man has been arrested by federal agents at Tampa International Airport. The defendant, 28-year old David Wysocki, allegedly punched his pregnant wife and bit her while traveling on an Air Tran flight from Baltimore to Tampa. He is also accused of threatening to kill her when he exited the airplane. Wysocki is now charged with a federal abuse crime.

Wysocki's wife stated to federal agents that he has abused her in the past and had even previously threatened to kill her with a knife. The FBI report also documented the statements of flight attendants and that Wysocki screamed at his wife's two children during the trip. Airport police also filed a disorderly intoxication charge against the Defendant, in addition to the federal abuse crime. Wysocki has not been granted bond and is currently awaiting trial at the Orient Road Jail.

A pregnant victim greatly increases the severity of a physical crime. The crime of battery occurs by an offender striking another with the intention of inflicting harm. A first offense is considered a misdemeanor in Florida and punishable by up to one year in prison. However, if the offender commits the crime against a knowingly pregnant victim, the Defendant will be charged with a second degree felony. Aggravated battery is punishable by up to 15 years behind bars. Wysocki is now in major hot water with the Federal Courts, because he allegedly committed this crime against a pregnant person aboard an airplane.

 

An officer from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested 27-year old Jose Saez, after he allegedly beat another man with an 8-foot long flag pole. Saez is accused of bringing the flag pole to the victim's home with intent on using it as a weapon. It is unknown at this time what initially caused the dispute between the men.

Saez allegedly struck the victim several times in the head with the metal flag pole, knocking him to the ground unconscious. The defendant is also accused of kicking and stomping on the victim's head while he lied on the ground motionless. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. A witness identified the defendant as the perpetrator and was found a block away from the attack. Saez faces charges of felony battery and could be sentenced up to 5 years in prison if he is convicted. The victim, whose identity has not been released, is being treated for serious head injuries at Tampa General Hospital.