The store employee gave chase and tackled Bassiloto in the store parking light.  As Bassiloto drove away the employee got part way into Bassiloto's car, but Bassiloto's escape was short lived as he crashed into a palm tree.  When deputies arrived on the scene, they discovered that the car Bassiloto was driving was stolen.  The deputies returned the rings to the jewelry store, which were worth $277,000.  Bassiloto faces a number of felony charges including strong armed robbery, two counts of grand theft, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and resisting a merchant.
 

Bassiloto faces a lengthy state prison sentence if he is convicted on all charges.  Strong-armed robbery describes a situation where any degree of force is used to complete the offense explained Tampa criminal defense attorney John Musca.  The offense is a second-degree felony punishable by 15 years in state prison.  The grand theft offenses are first degree felonies because the amount stolen is over $100,000 and each first-degree grand theft offense can be punishable by up to 30 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine.  The aggravated battery with a deadly weapon (i.e. Bassiloto's car) is a second-degree felony under Florida criminal law and punishable by up to 15 years in prison.  "While the legal consequences facing Bassiloto are very serious as the above penalties suggest, the punishment could potentially be made even more complex and serious if the defendant has prior convictions," said Musca.

If you have been arrested or rare facing criminal allegations, you face a number of important decisions.  The most critical one is choosing who will represent you in the legal system.

It is important to be proactive in building your defense.  A conviction will likely change your life.  But with high quality legal representation on your side, it is possible to put these charges behind you for good.  If you have been arrested and are seeking legal guidance, Musca Law is here for you.  Contact a Tampa criminal defense lawyer at Musca Law today, to speak with an experienced attorney.  We offer a free trial consultation and Spanish language translation services.
 

As Thorton rammed into the tree, Corporal Bryan Hoskins and Officer Tim Bergman each fired one shot at the suspect and indicated they feared for their lives.  One of the officer's bullet's hit Thorton; an investigation is pending to determine which officer's bullet hit Thorton. 

Despite Thorton's injuries, he managed to flee the scene in his vehicle and drove to the Lennox Apartments located at 11311 North 22nd Street.  Thorton knocked on an apartment door and said, "It's me."  The woman in the apartment thought it was her boyfriend and opened the door.  Thorton took the woman hostage and threatened to kill her.  The officers did not see what apartment Thorton went into but followed a trail of blood to a group of four apartments.  As officers prepared to enter the fourth apartment, Thorton jumped from the apartment balcony.  Two K9 officers pursued and jumped over a barbed wire fence in a foot pursuit of Thorton.  The officers apprehended Thorton, who was taken to Tampa General Hospital and treated for a gunshot wound to his side.  Upon arrest, a gun was discovered in Thorton's vehicle.  The officers also suffered minor injuries including cuts on their hands and legs.  The officers were placed on paid administrative leave.

Thorton had already been facing serious charges on the outstanding warrants including armed burglary, battery and aggravated assault as well as additional charges.  He now also faces additional charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, home invasion robbery and false imprisonment.  Tampa Criminal Defense lawyer John Musca indicated that Thorton could face decades in state prison if convicted.

If you have been arrested or are facing criminal allegations, you face a number of important decisions.  The most critical one is choosing who will represent you in the legal system.

It is important to be proactive in building your defense.  A conviction will likely change your life.  But with high quality legal representation on your side, it is possible to put these charges behind your for good.  If you have been arrested and are seeking legal guidance, Musca Law is here for you.  Contact a Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney at Musca Law today, to speak with an experienced attorney.  We offer a free trial consultation and Spanish language translation services.

Upon discovering the content of the memory card, the woman contacted police to notify them that she had evidence that Castillo was a child sex offender.  The woman cooperated with the police and the U.S. Secret Service to help authorities find Castillo and arrest him.  The authorities hailed the woman for coming forward and indicated she played an instrumental role in helping authorities locate and arrest Castillo.

Florida law makes all lewd or lascivious (sexual) touching of a minor child a crime.  "Depending on the age of the child and the nature of the unlawful touching, such conduct can be punishable by life imprisonment," said Tampa criminal lawyer John Musca.  It does not matter if the person accused of lewd or lascivious conduct toward a child believed the child was of legal age.  Under Florida criminal law, it also does not matter that the victim consented or had engaged in previous acts that exhibited a lack of chastity, explained Musca.  Even being accused of sex crimes against a child can have devastating consequences including a significant term in state prison and permanent damage to one's reputation and standing in the community.  If a person has been accused of a sex crime particularly where the alleged victim is a child, the individual should seek legal advice as soon as possible.  An unfounded charge of such a crime can have a huge impact on someone's life even without a conviction.

Musca Law provides the highest quality criminal litigation services to the residents of Tampa and its surrounding area.  Our Tampa Criminal Defense Attorneys have successfully tried and defended, and appealed hundreds of cases in both State and Federal courts throughout Florida.  These cases include, but are not limited to, felony cases and misdemeanor case, DUI, drug crimes, domestic violence, theft crimes, sex crimes, probation violations, white collar crimes, violent crimes, and motor vehicle crimes.

Stevenson allegedly sliced her boyfriend's throat from ear to ear with a butcher knife.  After Stevenson killed her boyfriend she hid him in the bedroom closet for days according to Lakeland police.  Authorities say that once the odor from the body became noticeable Stevenson wrapped the body in a canvas tarp and bedspread and covered it in baby powder. 

Stevenson had told neighbors a number of stories in an apparent attempt to cover-up the crime.  She told neighbors that her boyfriend had gone away on a trip to pick fruit.  She also claimed that Milliken had been vomiting blood and that the blood had soaked into her carpet and living room sofa.  Stevenson used bleach in an attempt to remove the bloodstains from the carpet and used a sheet to hide the bloodstains on the couch.  Stevenson also mopped Milliken's blood from the tile floor in an attempt to conceal the crime.

Eventually, Stevenson could no longer keep the body in her apartment, presumably due to the smell, so she disposed of the body in a trash bin behind their apartment.  She subsequently relocated the body further from the Lakeland apartment placing it in bushes under branches and moss.  The police were alerted to the crime when a neighbor from the apartment called them regarding suspicious items found in an area dumpster.  A search turned up the body 6 days after the killing.  The autopsy indicated that the throat wound was several inches deep and that Milliken "suffered numerous puncture wounds and abrasions about his head and face from numerous weapons, to include a socket driver and a large drill battery."

Stevenson made a statement and told police that the attack followed a heated argument.  Stevenson said she used a large butcher knife to slice Milliken's throat and other weapons to stab him.  She told Lakeland police that "she just snapped."  A person who is accused of a homicide faces very serious consequences including the possibility of a life sentence or even the death penalty depending on the circumstance case according to Tampa criminal lawyer John Musca.  "If arrested for a homicide, a person should consult an experienced Tampa criminal attorney immediately," said Musca.

Musca Law has over 100 years of combined legal experience with convenient offices located across the State of Florida.  Our Tampa criminal defense attorneys will aggressively defend your rights on the State and Federal level.  The prosecution is looking to punish you to the fullest extent of the law.  You need a knowledgeable attorney to watch for you.  Contact the Tampa criminal lawyers at Musca Law for a free, comprehensive review of your case.

James W. Bruce, a 73-year-old grandfather, was arrested last Thursday on three counts of bank robbery.  Bruce told deputies that he that he needed to pay his mortgage.  This most recent arrest is just one in a recent "crime wave" by senior citizens in the Tampa area, which has left some puzzled.  During the last two months, 29 people over the age of 70 and 42 people from ages 66-70 have been arrested.  Even more surprising, these offenses are not minor traffic violations but include domestic battery [two cases], robbery [two cases], grand theft [three cases], aggravated assault and driving under the influence [five cases].

"We always assume age leads to wisdom but that is not necessarily the case," said Musca.  "Such a large number of arrests of senior citizens might strike one as strange at first blush," Musca explained, "but when the economy is bad and unemployment is high, desperation can set in."  Musca also pointed out that even spikes in cases of DUI and domestic violence are not unusual during stressful economic times.

Just last month, Pasco Sheriff's deputies charged Harold Van Horn, a 66 year-old-man, of robbing three banks.  According to the reports, Van Horn had been drifting between various hotels along U.S. 19, when he robbed a Regions Bank twice and a Fifth Third Bank.  Van Horn told deputies that he traveled to Florida when he lost his job in Ohio and turned to robbing banks to support himself.

There are other recent examples of this unusual trend.  Mary Joan Webb, age 77, was arrested and charged in December with grand theft for stealing $534 of merchandise from Macy's at Westshore Plaza.  In another incident, Lieutenant Johnson, age 73 and his wife, age 72, were recently charged with robbery using a firearm.  Johnson had no previous arrest record in Florida according to state records.  In yet another example, Pasco County sheriff's deputies arrested and charged Milo Dakic, age 73, with selling a $20,000 excavator that he did not own.

If you have been charged with a crime, legally you are presumed innocent until a judge or a jury has convicted you.  The prosecution holds the initial burden of proof to provide convincing evidence that you are guilty, often known as proving guilt, "beyond a reasonable doubt," where the prosecutor will work with the police investigators in an effort to secure a conviction.

It is imperative to retain a competent criminal defense attorney that will evaluate and analyze every aspect of the investigation that has led to an arrest, as there is absolutely no room for mistakes when your freedoms are at risk. Whether you have been arrested for DUI, or any other criminal act, you need to hire an experienced Florida Criminal Defense Attorney who will demand that the integrity and proficiency of the investigation that led to the arrest is beyond approach.  Attorneys at Musca Law will provide you with the highest quality criminal representation available.

Adams was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the fourth overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft out of Clemson.  It was hoped that Adams would revive Tampa Bay's pass rush, but Adams never lived up to expectations.  During Adams 47 games over 3 years with the Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Adams had 67 tackles, including 13.5 sacks.  Adams did not live up to the mark set for him by Tampa coach Raheem Morris who said at the start of training came that Adams could be considered a "bust" if he did not have at least ten sacks.  He was eventually traded to Chicago in October for a second round pick in the 2010 draft.

Morris said of Adams after his death, "'[A] true team player and a positive influence on everyone he met.  My prayers go out to his family.  The Tampa Bay Buc's ownership and Tampa players were saddened by his death."  Roger Goodall, the NFL commissioner said of Adams, "I remember him at the 2007 draft as a fine young man.  Our condolences to Gaines' family, his teammates on the Bears and Buccaneers, and their organizations on their loss."  Adams teammates with both Chicago and Tampa have commented on Adams enormous potential.  "He had so much potential that had yet to be achieved, and I am very sad that the full extent of his life won't be realized," said cornerback Ronde Barber.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a Tampa drug crime, contact a reputable attorney for help with your case. The attorneys of Musca Law have over 100 years of combined legal experience with two convenient Tampa offices. We have handled countless criminal cases and with proven successful case results. Contact the Tampa criminal defense attorneys at Musca Law for a free, in depth review of your case.