Miami Criminal Defense Insights
Aggressive representation for DUI, Domestic Violence, Gun Crimes & more
Mystery shoppers are employed in some large stores to pretend to be customers. The idea is that the “customer” assesses the level of service they get from the store employees and hopefully gives some useful feedback to store management so they can provide a better service in future. Mystery shoppers are not expected to wander […]
Florida is only one of three states in the U.S. in which judges have little influence over whether juveniles are sentenced in the adult courts or the juvenile courts. The decision is an important one because the way offenders are treated in an adult court is quite different from the way they are treated in […]
A pick-up truck and a toy gun resulted in three men from Collier County ending up in jail over the weekend, charged with robbery. Deputies apprehended and arrested 18 year old David Lee Moya, Devon Charles and Alfredo Garcia, after they allegedly demanded money from people attending a small gathering last Saturday in Golden Gate, […]
Jack Utsick was extradited from Brazil to Miami in late 2014 charged with fleecing millions of dollars from investors. After a long period of working as a pilot for TWA, Utsick decided to undertake what he had always wanted to do and that was to be a concert promoter. This he did, high in a […]
The Florida Times-Union reported recently that a Jacksonville man could face a 120 year prison sentence for firing two shots without causing any injuries. 58 year old Randal Ratledge, who is classified as an Army Veteran, is on trial. Criminal defense attorneys for the defendant have requested that the judge hearing the case, Judge Jack […]
It has been recently reported that an immigrant from South America pretended he had been born in Puerto Rico and used a Florida driver license to get a U.S. passport. This incident is one of many that has occurred in Miami in the last 12 months and has been brought to the attention of the […]
Police are seeking help identifying a woman who it has been reported drugged and robbed two men on different occasions following meetings in two different Miami area high-end restaurants. The first incident took place at Morton’s Restaurant while the second occurred at Hillstone Restaurant, but both on the same night. Police have released surveillance photos […]
Not long ago, the British royal, Kate Windsor ex Middleton, was on a good will visit to Australia with her husband, Prince William. On one memorable occasion her billowing skirt blew up with a sudden gust of wind from an Australian Air Force helicopter that had landed to pick them up. All eyes were immediately […]
A 22 year old man called Sean Francis Tucker of Parkland, Florida has been accused of peering through the window of a bathroom watching someone else’s wife taking a shower. Furthermore, this is the 2nd time this young man has been caught in the act. Tucker was arrested after the woman’s husband caught Tucker in […]
Few people manage to get arrested twice in a single day, but that’s what Port Richey man Donald Garter managed to achieve last Sunday when he first got himself arrested for criminal mischief then later the same night was arrested again for auto burglary. Facing a charge of criminal mischief is probably enough for most […]
A man was quickly arrested for a bank robbery in West Boca Raton after his fingerprints were left behind on the ransom note he handed over to the bank teller. The Sheriff’s Office at Palm Beach County apprehended and arrested 25 year old Stephen Palmieri after he allegedly entered a branch of the Wells Fargo […]
Two Florida men wreaked havoc at a party celebrating a prison release recently. Obviously not really realizing how good being out of prison can feel one ex jail inmate and his buddy hosted the prison release party at a house they had broken into. The owner of the house was away for a few days […]
If you saw a couple of shifty looking people idling around a parking lot as dusk was about to fall you might think that a car theft was about to take place or some car windows were going to be smashed in order to relieve the vehicle’s owner of valuable possessions left conspicuously on the […]
A would be robber who already had a conviction for a previous felony got more than he bargained for when he attempted to rob a convenience store in Jacksonville Beach recently. The 32 year old man, Jacob Mercer, wore a Darth Vader mask and dark clothing when he entered the convenience store and allegedly pointed […]
There has been a recent outbreak of thieves stealing credit card information at ATMs and gas stations in Florida prompting legislators to toughen up on penalties associated with this kind of theft. You may not even notice it when you gas up or put your credit card into an ATM machine, your card information may […]
If you’ve been arrested after a physical confrontation in Florida, one of the first things you need to know is whether you’re facing assault, battery, or both. People often use those words interchangeably. Florida law doesn’t. An assault can involve a threat or an act that makes someone reasonably fear imminent violence. Battery involves actual […]
Being investigated or charged in federal court can be confusing, especially if you have only dealt with Florida’s state criminal system before. Federal cases follow different procedures than other cases, involve federal prosecutors and agencies, and can involve sentencing rules that are very different from those used in Florida state court. If the FBI, DEA, […]
Charged With Theft in Florida? Why the Value of the Property Is Only Part of the Story A theft accusation in Florida can look simple at first. Someone says property was taken, the police get involved, and suddenly you are facing a criminal charge. But the value of the property is only one part of […]
Florida Juvenile Court Process Explained Having a child arrested can be frightening, especially when the family has never dealt with the juvenile court system before. The first question is usually simple: What happens now? A juvenile delinquency case in Miami-Dade does not usually go straight from an arrest to a trial. There are several steps […]
They Found a Gun in Your Car in Florida. What Happens Next? A traffic stop can turn serious very quickly. An officer pulls you over, asks a few questions, and then a firearm is found inside the vehicle. Maybe the gun belongs to you. Maybe it belongs to someone else. Maybe you didn’t even know […]
Florida Just Rewrote These Traffic Laws, and Most Drivers Have No Idea Most people think of a traffic stop as a fine and a bad afternoon. In Florida, that’s changed. Starting October 1, 2025, several traffic behaviors that used to mean a ticket, or a minor misdemeanor at worst, can now mean a felony and […]
Your Probation Officer Filed a Violation. Here’s What Actually Happens Next A probation violation in Florida is serious. But a lot of what you’ll read online about it is either outdated or scarier than the law actually is. Here’s the real picture. First, Take a Breath If you just found out a violation was filed, […]
Caught With Drugs in Florida for the First Time? You Might Not Realize How Many Options You Actually Have Prison isn’t the only outcome. But only if you know about these programs before you walk into court. The Charge That Feels Like the End of Everything A drug charge in Florida has a way of […]