The remains of 55 people were uncovered on the school grounds of the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys. The researchers at the University of South Florida announced that this number is 24 more than what was listed in the school records. Finally, relatives of some of...
Tampa Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer
Month: January 2014
When Is Sexting Considered Child Pornography?
Two years ago, a youth from Pennsylvania felt relief when a Legigh County judge agreed with the girl's attorney about charges she faced. The girl had been faced with child porn charges after she posted a video showing two other teens engaged in a sex act. The Legigh...
Supreme Court: Drugs Must Cause Death for Dealer to Be Convicted
A conviction for drug distribution under the federal Controlled Substances Act can carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. "If death or serious bodily injury results from the use of such substance," however, the mandatory minimum sentence doubles to...
Sex Sting Leads to The Arrest of 35
While the residents of Tampa and the surrounding areas enjoyed Gasparilla, 35 other men looked for enjoyment somewhere else. Websites such as teenchat.com, boyahoy.com, and motherless.com were some of websites these men were using to look for young girls. These men...
From First Degree Murder to Mail Fraud
A 27 year old woman lost her unborn child when boyfriend John Andrew Welden gave her a fraudulent prescription for a drug called Cytotec. A drug commonly used to prevent ulcers is also used, in combination with another drug, to terminate pregnancies. Welden was first...
Counsel’s Failure to Object Cost Client Jail Time
Edwin Aguilar-Ibarra pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act robbery and the commission of a Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 87-months. Prior to his sentencing, his defense counsel failed to make timely objections to the presentence investigation...
Your Smartphone Is Your Life. Should Police Be Able to Search It?
The U.S. Supreme Court has just agreed to hear two cases about whether law enforcement should be allowed, without a warrant, to seize and go through the cellphones of anyone they arrest. In one case, the cellphone was an old-fashioned type with minimal functionality...
Couple Faces 30 Years for $15 Million Bank Fraud
Darryl Burke first entered the federal system in the 1990s when he pleaded guilty to a prior bank fraud conspiracy with his brother. Now, 25 years later, Burke faces 30 years in prison if convicted of the new charges against him. However, the scheme behind these new...
Father Given Two Life Sentences For Sexually Abusing Children
Sarah and Jonathan Adleta were charged for various crimes, including the making of child pornography with their two children. The couple had sexually abused their two young children over a span of approximately 4 years before charges were filed. Jonathan Adleta had...
Mandatory Minimum Sentences: No Longer Seen as a Positive Solution
Mandatory minimum sentences were once created as a "one-size-fits-all" solution for sentencing disparities. However, these sentences have recently been recognized as coming up short of these expectations. This recognition arises from reasons such as the fairness of...