Tampa Criminal Lawyer Blog

In a bizarre rampage, Andre Rodne Watkins was arrested after a carjacking and shooting rampage that left one person dead, two people critically injured and Watkins in jail.  The rampage started when someone who had known Watkins for 5 years let Watkins in his F-150 pickup truck.  Once inside the vehicle, Watkins pulled a 45-caliber handgun from his waistband and ordered the driver to take him to Chadbourne Drive.  Alyssa Aracich who was in the backseat of her red Pontiac Sunfire was killed when Watkins arrived on the scene and started shooting at the car.  Two friends of Aracich who were also in the car fled.  Watkins gave chase and continued shooting but the friends escaped unharmed.

After shooting Aracich, Watkins forced the driver of the F-150 to take Watkins back to his car, which was parked at a 7-Eleven.  Watkins got in his Pontiac GTO drove to his house and switched cars getting into a 1999 Chevrolet Malibu.  Watkins drove to the home of Ariel Love and knocked on the door, but when Love answered the door, Watkins began shooting at him.  Love was shot and taken to St. Joseph's Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

According to Deputies, Watkins then drove to a BP Gas Station on Linebaugh Avenue where he asked the clerk at the store for cigarettes but then without warning opened fire.  The clerk is also in critical condition at St Joseph's Hospital.  After shooting the store clerk, Watkins then drove to the home of Demetrius Jackson, who was in his front yard.  Watkins got out of his car and again began to open fire at Jackson, who fled and escaped without injury.

A Sheriff Deputy in an unmarked police car later recognized Watkins at a Marathon gas station.  Watkins was taken into custody but tried to resist according to the report.  Watkins faces numerous criminal charges including first-degree murder, carjacking, kidnapping and attempted first-degree murder.  He made his first appearance on Sunday.  Watkin's attorney said he had to impress on his client the importance of being calm and respectful in court.  John Musca, a Florida criminal defense attorney, said, "I was surprised to hear Watkins' attorney say that Watkins needed to remain in jail right now.  It is somewhat unusual for a defense attorney to take that position especially in a statement to the public."

 

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Local law enforcement officials have arrested 11 gang members out of a suspected 22 in total who have been involved in a string of smash and grab robberies (Florida Statute 812.13) in the Tampa area. Police had previously arrested nine of the suspected 22, leaving only two members at large. Nine of the total 22 gang members face potential life sentences for their involvement in the robberies.

The arrests come after a six month coordinated investigation by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's department and the Tampa Police Department. The target of the investigation was the local Drak gang, which police officials suspect has been responsible for many robberies in the Tampa area. Police officials said that one of the objectives of the raid was to discourage young people from entering the gang and to dismantle the gang's leadership. Police officials suspect that 14 businesses and homes have been targets of the gang in the last few months. One victim was Larry Butler, who owns a local pawn shop. Butler stated that his business is still recovering from the aftermath of the break in. "Still going to take awhile. Still cleaning up the glass. Everyday I come in and I find new pieces of glass laying around," Butler said. Police stated that most of the robberies occurred early in the morning with a crew of around four to seven people. They described this pattern as typically of so called "smash and grab" robberies. Police said that in 10 of the 14 robberies the gang would use a stolen car or SUV, drive it through the front of the targeted store and then collect the desired merchandise. Under Florida law breaking into a house or commercial property with a motorized vehicle is a life felony. The gang members would often be finished within in minutes, sometimes leaving the stolen vehicle in a mess of glass in front of the store.

 

Local police officials have offered a $1,000 reward through Crime Stoppers for information leading to the capture of two men who allegedly robbed a local Circle K store on east Fowler Avenue. Both men were identified as black and between the ages of 18 and 20. Eyewitnesses reported that both men had similar builds, about six feet tall and one hundred and eighty pounds. One of the men was described as wearing a black shirt and denim shorts. The other was described as wearing a long sleeve green button-up shirt and black pants. Witnesses were unable to identify his facial characteristics because he was wearing a black mask at the time of the robbery, says Tampa criminal defense attorney John Musca. Witnesses also reported that the second man was carrying a small chrome handgun during the robbery. Law enforcement officers say that anyone with information about the crime or the whereabouts of the perpetrators is eligible for the reward, although those with information are permitted to report anonymously if necessary or if they so choose.

The robbery at the Circle K on Fowler Avenue is the second at a Circle K in the Tampa area in less than a month. On June 5, a shirtless man attempted to rob a Circle K on Morris Bridge Road. The suspect threatened the clerk with a crowbar and demanded money. He was then disarmed by the clerk and fled the area without getting any money from the store. He is still at large at this time. Law enforcement authorities report that the man was 40 to 45 years of age, 6'2", 250 lbs., with a pot belly, blonde hair and blue eyes and last seen wearing a white t-shirt around his head. The Hillsborough Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the robberies.

Superintendent Wayne Alexander says that the school administration is still interviewing high school students regarding last weekend's vandalism of Hernando High School, which was apparently perpetrated by a group of seniors. The school and police have indicated that, despite the damage inflicted and the seriousness of vandalism, they do not expect any criminal charges to be filed against the teens at this time. This decision has been criticized by some community members as overly lenient in light of the behavior of the students.

Two groups of seniors snuck onto the Hernando High School premises on Monday night. The students had been out of school in observance of Memorial Day. Early in the evening, the first group of seniors made their way into the school building, wearing masks and hoods to cover their identities. Once inside, they slicked a layer of petroleum jelly onto surfaces throughout the school, including door handles and railings. They also stacked desks atop one another. Although petroleum jelly is difficult to clean and the school will incur costs to clean up the mess, the prank was relatively minor when compared to the actions of the second group of seniors. School officials believe the two groups of vandals, although acting on the same night, were not working together in any way.

The second group came to the school later on the same night. Once there, they unleashed spray paint to create a significant amount of damage. The students involved in the second group have not all been identified at this point and, unlike the first group, may not all have been graduating this year. The second group of teens spray-painted messages and markings across 15 buildings and one motor vehicle. Many of the messages were sexually explicit or contained profanity.

If you have been accused of a property offense or a theft crime in the Tampa area, contact the criminal defense team at Musca Law.

In January of this year, Pasco County law enforcement authorities began to notice a significant increase in the number of boat thefts reported. As many as 60 boats have been stolen just in Pasco County in 2009 already. Police believe they have identified several of the men responsible for a profitable boat theft ring, although they caution that there may still be another ring in operation at this time.

Luis Perez, 28, was arrested for stealing a boat with two engines worth a total of $18,000. The theft occurred on May 22. Perez posted bond and has been released from jail. Police have also identified Jonathon Stone, 22, and Kevin Allen Roach as possible accomplices in the same boat theft ring. Stone and Roach were arrested after they were located with a stolen boat. The pair were booked on charges of burglary, violation of probation, and criminal mischief.

Police say that a group of local thieves has been stealing docked boats. Once detached, they steer the boats to another location, where the thieves strip the boat of all valuables - motors, global positioning system units, fishing gear, and all electronic equipment. They resell the stolen property and sink the stripped-down boat. Police divers have been searching for evidence under the water and recently located a boat motor that they believe members of the ring stole. Additionally, they are continuing to search for more sunken boats.

"With the economy, thieves are looking to make a buck anyway they can," a Sheriff's Office spokesperson said. "It's hard to lock up a boat." Still, law enforcement officials advise boat owners to take extra precautions with their property whenever possible and make sure comprehensive boat insurance policies are up-to-date. Keeping a carefule record of all valuables in the boat is important. Boat owners can even write identifying information on these items in special ink that shows up only under a UV light, which is useful when locating stolen property.

 

The theft of cable television and satellite services has been in the Tampa Bay limelight recently after an area man was arrested and charged with such a theft. The State Attorney's Office alleges that Sergio Soto, 36, who resides in Avon Park, stole close to $8,000 worth of services from DirecTV, which provides satellite television around the country. At the time of the theft, which allegedly occurred between August 2006 and August 2007, Soto was employed as a subcontractor who performed assignments for DirecTV. He allegedly used a different user's personal account information in order to access the system for his own benefit. He has been charged under Florida law with the fraudulent interception of communications and fraudulently obtaining property valued at $300 or higher.

Comcast, the cable television service provider, estimates that cable theft costs the cable industry about six billion dollars every year - and the problem continues to grow. DirecTV, however, maintains that they have succeeded in eradicating theft of their satellite television products with new technology. Through the invention of a smart card device, which is associated directly with each individual user, the company believes it has stamped out theft. The card, which is also known as an access card, resembles a credit card in its dimensions. It allows the satellite subscriber to access the services he or she purchases and is able to read the encoded signals transmitted to that user. Whether the smart card technology will ever successfully be evaded by tech-savvy thieves, however, remains to be seen in the years to come.

O.J. Simpson was famously sued for satellite television theft. The former professional football star was ordered to pay DirecTV $25,000 in compensation for his theft, in addition to the company's legal fees and other associated costs. Although similar civil lawsuits for cable signal theft are on the rise, criminal prosecution for such activities remains minimal.

The Tampa Bay area hosted a law enforcement conference this week at the Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Law Enforcement Executive Development Conference drew police officials from throughout the country, as well as a variety of vendors selling wares targeted at the law enforcement community.

When one of the vendors reported that some of its merchandise had gone missing, Tampa police were surprised. After all, who would steal t-shirts and jackets emblazoned with the conference logo from a location crawling with police? Apparently, the answer is one of their own.

The Tampa police department reviewed surveillance films taken overnight at the conference after the vendor reported the stolen items. What they found surprised them: images of Jim Spencer, 60, taking items from the vendor.

Spencer is a civilian reserve officer, who is reportedly well-liked and respected within the agency. He did not have a disciplinary record with the agency, but was relieved of his duties and is facing criminal charges in connection with the theft. Spencer's colleagues said that he typically volunteers about 12 hours each month in addition to his regular duties.

"It's just an enormous embarrassment and disappointment to the department, and not representative of the other men and women working here," Tampa police spokesperson Laura McElroy told reporters. The police chief personally apologized to the vendor for the problem. Additionally, Spencer has been contrite and immediately returned the stolen goods when confronted. "He was very apologetic," Elroy said of Spencer's demeanor after his police interview about the stolen goods.

Tampa police are continuing to review all segments of the film, because they believe that additional items were stolen by another culprit. Spencer took several items while working at the conference overnight, but it was not clear when the other merchandise disappeared.

If you have been arrested of a theft crime in Tampa or elsewhere in Florida, contact the criminal defense lawyers at Musca Law to begin working on an aggressive defense.

The term property crime encompasses a wide range of criminal activity. The prosecution must prove each necessary part of the crime in order to convict the defendant.

Traditionally, burglary was a crime that could only occur at night. More complicated than simply trespassing, the would-be burglar had to actually break into another person's home between sundown and dawn intending to commit a felony within the home - such as a large-scale theft, arson, or sexual battery. Now, Florida and most other states have expanded the definition of burglary to include crimes that take place during the daylight. The building or structure does not even necessarily need to be a home. For instance, a boat could be burglarized. However, a building that is open to the public, like a grocery store during business hours, cannot be the subject of a burglary. Also, the offense the burglar seeks to commit can be any offense and need not be a serious felony if he enters secretly; if he intends to commit certain felonies, his entry can be blatant. Florida classifies burglary as a felony, although punishment varies depending on factors such as whether the building was occupied and if the burglar was armed.

Theft is the most common type of property crime. Shoplifting goods from a store is a particular type of theft. These crimes are punishable by the worth of the items or money stolen. Usually, this is determined by the actual amount of cash taken or the monetary value of the goods, but certain items receive particularized treatment. The taking of a will, although it is not generally worth large sums of money alone, is considered a grand theft due to the importance of having the true wishes of a deceased person carried out. Similarly, stealing a gun, a fire extinguisher, stop signs, and certain construction site signage are also felonies under Florida law.

Arson is an exceptionally notorious property crime. It occurs when a person purposely sets fire to a home or any other building that he should have reasonably believed to be occupied, such as an office building during business hours. Arson also applies when the fire is not set intentionally, but occurs when committing another felony, such as armed robbery. Arson is a first-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

If you have been arrested in Tampa for any property crime or other offense, contact the criminal defense lawyers as Musca Law as soon as possible for a consultation regarding the specific facts of your case.