Tampa Criminal Lawyer Blog

Police arrested a 46-year-old man on multiple child pornography possession charges.  Clearwater police arrested Joseph Ciancio at his home on Pines Drive in Largo around 10:30 a.m.  He was charged with 20 counts of possessing child pornography following an investigation by the Child Predator Cyber Crime Unit.  Ciancio's video files included files that mention "toddler," "incest," and "bestiality."  Ciancio is being held in lieu of $400,000 bond.

Court records indicate this is not the first time Ciancio has faced charges related to children.  He was arrested on a child abuse charge in 1996.  The 1996 charge was later dropped.  Ciancio was also ordered to take parenting and anger management classes after he pled no contest to charges of battery and child abuse after a 1996 arrest.  Criminal defense attorney John Musca said, "A defendant facing child pornography charges faces very serious penalties even beyond prison.  The stigma associated with such charges means it is very important to have the best legal representation possible to assist you."

According to recent studies, child pornography has become a multi-billion dollar industry.  It is estimated that 20% all pornography is made up of child pornography.  The United States Department of Justice has released estimates that pornographers have recorded the abuse of more than one million children in the U.S. alone.  A recent study of men arrested for possession of child pornography shows that 83% had images of pre-pubescent children and 80% had images depicting graphic penetration.  Additionally, 1 in 5 people arrested for possession of child pornography was found to have images of violence including rape, bondage and torture.

Criminal charges for sexual assault, rape, and other sexual offenses can destroy your reputation and most importantly your future.  When charged with a criminal offense it is essential to have an experienced attorney on your side who will advocate aggressively for your rights.  At Musca Law, we believe that anyone accused of a crime deserves the strongest and most effective defense possible.  Contact Musca Law for an initial consultation, so we can provide you with the best possible outcome.

Jeremy Lee Taff was arrested in the Tampa suburb of Clearwater and faces a federal felony interstate stalking charge while already fighting a fine and jail time on a misdemeanor conviction for harassing communications of the victim.  Court records show Taff and the victim attended the same high school in the 1990s. 

However, an affidavit of the victim indicates Taff's post graduation communications with her became annoying and then frightening in January and February of 2009.  The FBI filed an affidavit with emails from Taff including graphic descriptions of his desire to rape and sodomize the victim.  Taff will be brought back to Mobile, Alabama for a court appearance.  The U.S. Attorney's Office plans to present the case to the grand jury this month.  If he is convicted, Taff could be sentenced up to a maximum of 5 years in prison.

The woman originally sought an arrest warrant from the Daphne Police Department in March.  On October 5, Taff showed up at her home and said he wanted to take her picture.  Police arrested him later that day at a motel.  A Daphne municipal court found Taff guilty in November and sentenced him to six months in jail and a $500 fine.  Taff was out on bail while awaiting an appeal.

Taff has a history of legal and mental health problems.  According to Minnesota court records, Taff was convicted in 2003 of violating a restraining order and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, two years probation and an anger management program.  Taff pleaded guilty to making terrorists threats and was sentenced to three years probation and psychological counseling in 2005.  His probation was revoked in 2008 when he was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.  He was committed to a mental hospital by Minnesota courts for mental illness in 2004 and 2006.

Criminal charges for stalking, sexual assault, rape, internet solicitation and other sexual offenses can destroy your reputation and most importantly your future.   When charged with a criminal offense it is essential to have an experienced attorney on your side who will advocate aggressively for your rights.  At Musca Law, we believe that anyone accused of a crime deserves the strongest and most effective defense possible.  Contact Musca Law for an initial consultation, so we can provide you with the best possible outcome.

A sheriff's deputy with an exemplary record has been charged with the sexual assault of a woman that he had arrested. The woman was handcuffed and arrested after her license plate number had been phoned into police concerning a hit and run accident.

In a report made by investigators the deputy forced the woman to have sex with him in exchange for her release.

The deputy drove the woman down a dead end road, released the handcuffs, where a sexual act was performed.  The woman was later taken to her home where she immediately reported the incident to the police.

After an investigation into the incident the deputy was charged with sexual battery and placed on administrative leave without pay.

In comments made by the sheriff's department, "we are disgusted by this betrayal of public trust", "his actions reflect on every other man and woman who wears a uniform", "we cannot escape the consequences of one individual's actions".

Never mind a conviction, when someone is charged with a sex crime their life will not be the same again.  This is made clear by the comments made from the sheriff's department.   Additionally, a conviction of a sex crime requires that a person register permanently on the sex offender's registry, which is viewable to the public.

If you or someone that you know has been charged with a sex crime, you will need to retain an aggressive and experienced criminal defense attorney.  The consequences of these charges can be life-altering, where experienced legal representation is needed.

The Law Offices of Musca Law are fully prepared to handle your sex crime case.  As a leading Florida criminal defense law firm, we will provide you the legal representation that you need to fight your sex crime charges
                                                                                                                                                 

An alleged victim approached officers responding to the scene of another call in Spring Hill. The victim told the police that a man peered over the dressing room door when she was trying on clothes at a JC Penny store.

Officers tracked down the accused suspect, 29-year old Kevin Winger. He claimed that a woman verbally attacked him after trying on jeans in another dressing room. After some discussions with officers Winger eventually admitted to peering into the dressing room in an attempt to see the woman unclothed. Officers arrested the suspect and charged him with voyeurism.

With the speed of technology and the power of the web, voyeurism crimes in our community are becoming more prevalent than ever before. Most recently ESPN correspondent Erin Andrews unwittingly grabbed headlines when an offender videotaped her blow drying her hair in the nude inside her hotel room. This high profile case grabbed worldwide attention to growing crime of voyeurism.

Continue reading "Man Arrested on Voyeurism Charges After Watching Victim in Dressing Room" »

Continue reading "Man Arrested on Child Porn Charges after Videotaping Children at the Beach" »

Continue reading "Tampa Fire Medic Charged with Exposing Privates to the Public" »

Continue reading "Army Reservist Accused of Domestic and Sexual Battery against Girlfriend" »

Continue reading "Attorney John Musca Discusses Tampa Indencent Exposure Arrest" »

Continue reading "Tampa Man Used 12-Year Old Son to Solicit Prostitute" »

Continue reading "Lakeland Suspect that Fondled Himself at Library Found with 40 Counts of Child Porn" »

Continue reading "Teacher Accused of Molesting Students Tries to Frame Guards for Self-Inflicted Injury" »

In the last two decades harassment of teenagers in school, an offense which used to be called bullying or hazing, is now being prosecuted in state criminal courts, according to a report from USA Today and anecdotal evidence accumulated by Tampa criminal defense attorney Musca. One incident in Tampa has garnered widespread national attention and has lead to the prosecution of several football players. The incident involved four flag football players who reportedly held down a younger teammate and sexually assaulted him with a broom handle and a hockey stick. The teen was allegedly assaulted because of a botched play during a flag football game. School administrators learned of the attack after the students were called into the principal's office and asked to write an explanation of the problem on the football field. The teens reportedly confessed.

After the assault the teens then threatened to do it again, according to a witness. The case was widely reported in the Tampa area because of the stunning nature of the act as well as the characteristics of the accused. Most of the students involved in the assault were in honors classes and promising athletes. The widespread reporting of the prevalence of school bullying and the emotional impact it has had on the victims of bullying has led the local State Attorney's Office to become involved in bringing cases like the one in Tampa into criminal court. By some estimates, approximately a third of students between the ages of 12 and 18 have been the victims of bullying within the last year.

Some authorities on bullying in secondary schools have also speculated that middle and high school authorities and local law enforcement agencies have become more serious about bullying because the degree of bullying that occurs in this day and age is simply more serious than it was two decades ago. Bullying has taken on physical and sexual components, where it used to be primarily emotional, like taunting victims.

Law enforcement officials have made an arrest after allegations of child sexual abuse surfaced recently. Andrew Rae IV, who is 20 years old, was charged with sexual battery due to incidents that allegedly began many years ago. Tampa criminal attorney John Musca has learned that Rae is accused of sexually molesting a young girl beginning when she was approximately five years old. At the time, Rae was about 10 years old. Police investigating the allegations believe that Rae continued committing sexual battery on the girl until 2004.

The investigation is not over yet, police said. The crimes allegedly took place over a number of years at a day care facility for children, which was operated by Rae's mother. The investigation has revealed information that suggests that there may be other victims and law enforcement officers are seeking two other children, in particular, who they believe were victimized by Rae at the day care center. None of the names of the victims have been released, which is common practice in sexual abuse cases and in cases involving children.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said that Rae was arrested and taken to the juvenile detention facility due to his youth at the time the crimes were committed, although he is an adult at this point in time. A person under the age of 18 who commits sexual battery on a victim less than 12 years of age may be guilty of a life felony under state law, depending on the circumstances of the crime (Florida Statute 794.011). Contrary to popular belief, there is no statute of limitations for the prosecution of a crime that is classified as a life felony. If the case is charged as a first-degree felony, however, the statute of limitations would be four years after the crime was committed.

If you have been arrested for sexual battery in the state of Florida, contact the Musca Law criminal defense team to discuss your case.

Tampa law enforcement officials have arrested a local man who they believe held a former love interest against her will for two days. Police say that 32-year-old Ernest Vereen, Jr., held his ex-girlfriend this week after the pair had an argument on Sunday. The woman, who is 22 years of age, described being beaten and raped by her ex-boyfriend while he held her captive. She was able to escape from him in the early evening on Tuesday, investigators believe. She immediately went to a gas station and was taken to the hospital to be examined. On Thursday, Tampa police received a tip about Vereen's current location, and he was arrested and taken into custody near the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Willow Street. Vereen was charged with three counts of sexual battery on the woman, as well as kidnapping and aggravated robbery.

The sexual battery, or rape, statute is codified at Florida Statute 794.011. Sexual battery on a person who is over the age of 12 is a second degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, when the offender does not use "physical force or violence likely to cause serious personal injury." However, the statute also provides that an offender who does use such force is guilty of a first-degree felony, which is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Vereen has likely been charged with first-degree sexual battery due to the allegation that the woman was physically held against her will.

Kidnapping is covered at Florida Statute 787.01(1)(a)-(2), and includes holding a person against his or her will to commit a felony, to terrorize the kidnapped person or another individual, to use as a shield or hostage, to obtain a ransom, or to interfere with government functions. Kidnapping is punishable by up to 30 years of imprisonment. Robbery as a criminal act is codified at Florida Statute 812.13, and the sentence can be increased if the robber used a deadly weapon, such as a gun.

Websites like Craigslist have been vilified in recent weeks for their perceived role in promoting the commission of certain sex crimes, particularly prostitution. The Craigslist site has agreed to remove its 'erotic services' category, which was primarily used for call girls to advertise their services and drum up business. After several high-profile attacks on women who met men through the site, however, Craigslist has come under fire.

In addition to the selling of sexual services, which is an illegal criminal act in its various permutations under Chapter 796 of the Florida Statutes, Craigslist, various forums, and chat rooms sometimes serve as places for potential child sex offenders or sexual predators to meet underage victims. For example, an adult man may befriend a lonely teenager, eventually pushing the relationship to the sexual level and seeking in-person meetings. Earlier this month, a Georgia man was arrested for attempting to have sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl he met on a social media website, where emails and text messages could be exchanged through their cell phones.

Pinellas County law enforcement officials say that Manuel Willis, who is 43, drove to the area to meet the unidentified 14-year-old for sex on two occasions earlier this year. He was apprehended when he arrived again to have sex with her. Deputies were waiting to take Willis into custody. The girl's father had tipped of deputies after discovering the out-of-state charges on her cell phone bill and investigators had assumed the girl's online identity. Willis is being held in lieu of a $190,000 bail in the Pinellas County jail. He has been charged with multiple counts of traveling to meet a minor for sexual purposes (Florida Statute 847.0135(4)), lewd and lascivious battery on a minor (Florida Statute 800.04(4)), lewd and lascivious molestation (Florida Statute 800.04(5)), and prohibited use of a computer (Florida Statute 847.0135(3)). Ignorance of the age of the child, who must be under the age of 16, is not a defense to either lewd and lascivious battery on a minor, nor to lewd and lascivious molestation.