Fort Lauderdale Criminal Attorney Blog

September 5, 2010

Broward County Sheriff Will Not Close Pompano Jail Wing

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

The budget crisis has had a crippling effect on Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti’s ability to run the Broward jails. Sheriff Al Lamberti’s solution initially was to close down one of the wings at the Paul Rein Detention Facility in Pompano. Sheriff Al Lamberti has canceled the closure plan. This plan was projected to have shaved $5 million from the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s roughly $425 million general budget.
The unions representing the Broward Sheriff’s Office jail workers have been clashing with Sheriff Lamberti for pay increases. During an arbitration, the ruling seems to clearly take Lamberti’s side saying that the unions are fighting for better pay “during the worst economic climate in more than a half century.”
The Broward jails are clearly struggling from overcrowding. In fact, the County is under the watchful eye of the federal government. Should the County overcrowd the jails they may be fined $1000.00 per day according to Lamberti.

August 26, 2010

Broward County DUI Arrests Likely Labor Day Weekend

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

The routine of strict Broward County DUI enforcement will be in full swing this Labor Day weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, Hollywood, and Wilton Manors. All Broward County Law Enforcement agencies will be conducting a crackdown on Driving Under the Influence including the Florida Highway Patrol. Officials in Miami Dade are planning similar “DUI saturation” stops in and around Miami Dade and North Miami Beach.
The South Florida DUI arrest crackdown is a direct result of the national “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign promoting strict enforcement of DUI laws in Florida and throughout the nation.
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July 28, 2010

Florida Highway Patrol Officer Sentenced to 364 Days in Jail

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

Florida Highway Patrol Officer Paul C. Lawrence was sentenced to 364 days in jail today. As you may remember, Trooper Paul C. Lawrence was arrested for fraudulently writing hundreds (maybe thousands) of fake traffic tickets to motorists in South Florida. Trooper Paul C. Lawrence was bold enough to write traffic tickets to motorists he had never even pulled over, some of whom were even not in the Country when the citations were written.

Please click to read about Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Paul C. Lawrence and his fraudulent traffic tickets.

In this case, it appears that Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Paul C. Lawrence will face the punishment of 364 days in the county jail for his actions. Lawrence was originally charged by the Office of the State Attorney with multiple felony counts. However, as part of the plea agreement, all the felony charges were reduced to misdemeanors.

It appears to me that this story reveals two things for sure. First, it could not be clearer that South Florida law enforcement does in fact have a “quota” system. South Florida Law Enforcement has long denied that any form of quota system is used. However, there appears to be no other incentive for the actions of Trooper Lawrence other than allowing himself to maintain his quota by falsifying traffic tickets.
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July 28, 2010

Fort Lauderdale Robbery Leaves Man Shot

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

A Fort Lauderdale robbery leaves a 21 year old man shot in the back. As a group of seven men were standing in front of a house located on the 2900 block of Northwest Eighth Court, four men approached and robbed the group at gun point. As the four men fled the scene of the Fort Lauderdale robbery, one robber shot a 21 year old in the back. The man was taken to Broward General where he was treated for his injuries. No names have been released by the Broward Sheriff’s Office and an investigation is pending.
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June 14, 2010

Fort Lauderdale Boating Under the Influence Plea Lands Son of Billionaire in Prison

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

Robert Ray Huizenga, the son of famed Fort Lauderdale billionaire H. Wayne Huizenga was sentenced to 18 months in Florida State Prison for the offense of Boating Under the Influence today.
Circuit Judge Michele Towbin Singer accepted the plea today while allowing this sentence to run concurrent with the 24 month prison sentence Huizenga received for violating his probation. Huizenga was originally placed on probation due to a driving under the influence (DUI) incident which left a pedestrian in Fort Lauderdale with a concussion, a gashed head, and a broken elbow.

May 29, 2010

Broward County DUI Lawyer warns of DUI Checkpoints this Weekend!

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

A warning from Fort Lauderdale DUI Lawyer Richard Ansara. With Memorial Day just around the corner you can be sure that the police agencies throughout Broward County will be out in force! Please pay particular attention to the 4500 block of State Road 7 in Hollywood. The Florida Highway Patrol will be checking vehicles for faulty equipment as well as driver’s licenses and registration checks all while looking out for impaired drivers.

Additionally, the Broward Sheriff’s Office will be at the corner of the 1000 block of East Oakland Park Boulevard from 10 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. Saturday.

May 28, 2010

Miami Dolphins Player Arrested for Domestic Violence Receives Special Treatment by Broward Sheriff’s Office

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

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It appears as though the domestic violence arrest of Miami Dolphins player Phillip Merling in Broward County will lead to another investigation. Now the Broward Sheriff’s Office is investigating why Miami Dolphins Player Phillip Merling received special treatment while at the Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale.
Miami Dolphins player Phillip Merling has been arrested and accused of beating his pregnant girlfriend and was given a $15,000.00 bond. Florida Statute 784.045 states that:

784.045 Aggravated battery.–

(1)(a) A person commits aggravated battery who, in committing battery:

1. Intentionally or knowingly causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement; or

2. Uses a deadly weapon.

(b) A person commits aggravated battery if the person who was the victim of the battery was pregnant at the time of the offense and the offender knew or should have known that the victim was pregnant.

(2) Whoever commits aggravated battery shall be guilty of a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

May 19, 2010

Fort Lauderdale Officer Arrested for Drug Crimes

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

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department arrested one of their own this week for alleged drug crimes. Fort Lauderdale Police accuse Officer Justin Krashefski, 27 of buying drugs while on duty in his marked Fort Lauderdale police cruiser.

Police chief Frank Adderley stated that “This is not representative of law enforcement officers, particularly Fort Lauderdale police. When we find indications of crimes being committed, we investigate.” I agree with the Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Frank Adderley that crimes such as this arrest may not necessarily be “representative of law enforcement officers.” However, I do believe that those who head police agencies such as the Fort Lauderdale Police Department are too often quick to dismiss alleged criminal misconduct committed by those sworn to protect and serve. For example, remember Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Paul C. Lawrence? This is the Florida Highway Patrol Officer arrested for falsifying hundreds of traffic citations? It was only after dozens of complaints about the Florida Highway Patrol Officer before an investigation actually initiated.

In this case, Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Justin Krashefski purchased drugs while claiming to be involved in a “police investigation.” He demanded that a man meet him where he purchased the drugs. That man happened to be an undercover police informant. Needless to say, the informant brought this to the attention of the authorities. Police set up a sting operation where an undercover informant met Officer Krashefski. At this meeting the Officer purchased five Oxycodone pills from the undercover informant.

April 24, 2010

Broward County Porsche Hit and Run Suspect Denied Bail

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

Broward County Judge John “Jay” Hurley ruled that Ryan LeVin, 35, should be held on an out of state warrant from Illinois. Parole officials in Illinois allege that LeVin failed to report his out of state travel when he arrived in Florida to be arrested on two charges of vehicular homicide by Broward County Law Enforcement.

Although LeVin posted his $21,000.00 bond set for the Florida charges, Judge Hurley ruled that Florida law dictates that LeVin should be held in Florida until the resolution of his Broward County case. Only the governor can intervene.

April 23, 2010

Broward Sheriff’s Office fires Deputy involved in crash that kills 14 year old girl

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

Deputy Frank McCurrie, was an employee of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for approximately one year before he was fired. According to Sheriff Al Lamberti, “Franklyn McCurrie’s employment with the Broward Sheriff’s Office has been terminated for failure to meet probationary standards.”

On January 23, 2010, McCurrie’s patrol car struck a Honda Civic and killed a passenger, Northeast High School freshman Cara Dyan Catlin, at North Dixie Highway and Northeast 56th Street in Oakland Park. According to an affidavit, Deputy McCurrie was responding to a call for back up from another deputy at a traffic stop.

Traffic homicide detectives later calculated that at the time of the crash, McCurrie was driving 89 mph, almost 50 mph over the posted speed limit.
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