Fort Lauderdale Criminal Attorney Blog

February 24, 2016

Report: Hit-and-Run Crashes Uptick in South Florida

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Hit-and-run crashes in Florida are reportedly on the rise, with the Florida Highway Patrol recently calling a Miami news conference to raise awareness of the issue.

State data shows more than 92,600 drivers fled auto accident scenes in 2015. That was approximately 8,000 more than had done so in 2014. It’s also nearly 23,000 more than were tallied in 2012.

Locally, state law enforcement officials say that in Broward County, hit-and-run crashes climbed from 9,750 in 2014 to 10,950 in 2015. In Miami-Dade, the numbers increased from 17,480 to 18,1350. And in Palm Beach County, hit-and-run collisions were up from 6,700 to 6,770. Continue reading

February 21, 2016

Shoplifting in Florida Can Result in Felony Charge

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Authorities in Weston are tracking down leads trying to find a suspected light-fingered woman with a penchant for long skirts.

According to the Sun Sentinel, the woman first appeared on law enforcement radar last year, when she reportedly heisted some $1,000 up or into her flowing, floral skirt. Now, almost exactly a year later, the same woman – accompanied by the same man – reportedly returned to the same store. This time, she had on a different skirt, but the technique was the same. The value of the goods taken this time, police say, was $400.

The dollar amounts are important in these situations because when it comes to Florida theft cases, the severity of the charge will depend on the amount stolen. Continue reading

February 17, 2016

Florida Official Accused of Keying Car in Neighbor Spat

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Ron Cacciatore is a man who has spent his life in Broward law enforcement. He worked for years as an undercover agent, targeting drug traffickers. He took on high-profile, influential members of organized crime. He even spoke at one about about running for Broward sheriff himself.

But now, he’s on the other side of that coin. The 62-year-old, who currently serves as the head fraud investigator at the Broward Property Appraiser’s Office, was recently accused of taking a key to vandalize the car of a 73-year-old neighborhood association president, who has been sparring with his 43-year-old stepdaughter.

This is according to The Sun-Sentinel, which alleges the source of this quarrel spans a full five years – and the tenure of two association presidents. In all this time, there have been reports of conflicts between those involved that resulted in hair-pulling, biting and restraining order filings. And now, reportedly, it’s culminated in vandalism by a high-ranking county official and retired lawman. Continue reading

February 13, 2016

3 Years Federal Prison for Wire Fraud Suspect in Online Auto Sales Scheme

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

The man said he was roped into an international fraud after striking up a conversation with a group in a Romanian night club. That was back in 2007. The plan didn’t involve physically hurting anyone, simply separating them from their money.

The following year, he was on a flight to Los Angeles, where he was taught how to open phony bank accounts. He was able to return to Romania. From there, federal prosecutors say, he would trick unsuspecting buyers on websites like AutoTrader.com and Craigslist into putting a down payment on a vehicle. Problem was, he didn’t own any vehicles and he never delivered once the cash was transferred. Authorities say there was never any intention on Mihai Postelnicu’s part to engage in a legitimate vehicle purchase transaction.

He returned to the U.S. in 2010 and began working out of Broward County, where he set up two bank accounts into which victims sent electronic transfers of cash. Posing as a Czech or Swedish citizen, he used fake identification cards and aliases to withdraw the money. The emailed transactions made it appear as if they were from legitimate services, like Google Wallet.

Now, The Sun Sentinel reports, the 37-year-old Postelnicu has been sentenced to 2 years, 9 months in a U.S. federal prison. Once he serves his sentence, he’ll be deported back to Romania. Continue reading

February 9, 2016

Bail Set for “Peeping Tom” Suspect in Pembroke Pines

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Prosecutors say Pelayo Alexander Cerulia grew increasingly brazen with his exploits over the course of two years. He allegedly started by peering into the homes of unsuspecting women. Then he started doing so while touching himself. Then, he began shattering their windows with marbles fired from a slingshot. Then, in the most serious incident, he is accused of trying to break into a woman’s home this past July, demanding that she show her breasts and bragging he would never be caught.

The Sun-Sentinel reports Cerulia was terrorizing the same five women (and possibly others) over the course of 24 months. The women tearfully spoke publicly about these repeated encounters and Cerulia turned himself into police two days later, on New Year’s Eve.

Initially, prosecutors argued the judge should set no bond in the case, arguing the 43-year-old defendant was a danger to the community. But defense argued there was a significant flaw in the eyewitness account provided by the woman who alleged attempted burglary: She described a man who was “Irish-looking” with “reddish complexion” who was a “pasty white guy.” His client’s skin is tan and his hair is dark and graying near his temples. He also has thick black eyebrows. Continue reading

February 6, 2016

Drunk Driving Arrest in Boynton Beach for Man Who Hit 7 Cars at Intersection

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

After reportedly plowing into seven vehicles at a Boynton Beach intersection, the driver of a pickup reportedly failed a number of field sobriety tests. He was arrested by police for DUI and driving on a suspended license.

James Dean Martin, a 47-year-old from Delray Beach, was hauled out of his pickup truck by several people at the scene shortly before 4 p.m. on a Saturday and held on the ground until police got there, according to The Sun-Sentinel.

An 18-year-old woman who had recently purchased a new car told a reporter he approached a line of vehicles waiting at the intersection traveling, “probably like, 50, 70 mph and he just bumped each car.” No one was injured, but the teen said she was shaken up because there were children in other vehicles and her brand new vehicle was damaged. Continue reading

February 1, 2016

Broward Marijuana Citation Program to Launch

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Broward County leaders are pressing ahead with lesser penalties for marijuana possession, plunking down $175,000 to launch a civil citation program and hire a coordinator who will steer it.

Previously, arrests for marijuana possession in Fort Lauderdale resulted in a misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to one year in prison. Now, anyone caught with less than 20 grams of the drug (or its derivatives, such as hashish) may instead receive a civil citation. Twenty grams is about 3/4 of an ounce. The fine schedule is $100 for the first ticket and $250 for the second and $500 for the third.

A person who receives a citation would have the option to instead opt to do community service, successfully complete a drug treatment program or appeal, as opposed to paying the fine. Continue reading

January 29, 2016

New Broward Mental Health Diversion Off to Start, But a Slow One

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

Following a scathing report criticizing treatment of mentally ill defendants who languish sometimes for years in the criminal justice system (and six times longer than a person with comparable charges in regular court , the Broward State Attorneys Office devised a partial solution: A mental health diversion program that would get people out of the criminal justice system.

The idea, modeled after a program launched in Miami-Dade in 2008, focuses on treatment – rather than incarceration – for those who are mentally ill. Non-violent offenders without lengthy rap sheets who have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness would be vetted by the state attorneys office. Those accepted would receive housing support, therapy, medication management and other assistance. Those who successfully complete the program (in six months to a year) would be allowed to have the criminal charges dropped.

It’s a start, critics say, but so far, the program has accepted just one applicant. What’s more, even when it reaches capacity at 60 defendants, that’s not going to make much of a dent when there are an estimated 1,200 cases overflowing in felony mental health court. Plus, there is no guarantee of assistance to those who are already enmeshed in the system, charged with minor felonies. Continue reading

January 26, 2016

Florida Man Acquitted of Stalking to Face Additional Charges

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

A man from Boca Raton who was acquitted last fall of felony stalking charges involving a neighbor is now facing additional stalking charges involving a former business partner.

Ahmad Dastjerdi, 55,was found not guilty of third-degree felony stalking in September after leaving about five dozen profanity-laced voicemail messages on his neighbor’s phone. Although the target of those messages stated they made him fear for his safety and that of his family, jurors ascertained after three days of testimony that it amounted only to misdemeanor harassment. He was given the maximum sentence allowable under state law for that charge – 60 days in jail – but he evaded a possible five-year prison sentence with his acquittal on the more serious felony charge.

Now, Dasterjedi is facing similar charges. He is accused of one count of feony aggravated stalking. He was arrested and jailed, but the judge set his bail at $5,000, provided he remains on house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor while he awaits trial. He’ll be allowed to leave his residence for work. He also is not allowed to have access to any weapons and he can’t have any contact with the alleged victim, his former business partner. Continue reading

January 21, 2016

Men Face Federal Charges for Brazen Jewelry Store Robbery

By The Law Offices of Richard Ansara, P.A.

As far as robberies go, this one was about as daring as you can get.

According to authorities, four men burst into the jewelry store located in The Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale, armed with hammers, their faces covered with masks.

Inside, stunned store owners and customers scrambled for cover under various items of furniture as the men used the hammers to smash the glass cases. Authorities said in all, they snatched nearly 50 high-end watches, most of those Tag Heuer and Rolex, with a combined value of $250,000. Continue reading