Tameris, who was first arrested in October, is charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor in both cases. Simmons, who was notified by Volusia County last week that he was being fired, faces charges of solicitation to commit perjury in an official proceeding and witness tampering.

In the latest charges, Tameris is accused of having sex with a teenager three times at his home — the first time on her 17th birthday. The State Attorney’s Office did not file charges in the case last year, citing insufficient evidence.

The girl, a former part-time lifeguard for the Beach Patrol, first came forward last year, records show. She said she had sex with Tameris, Simmons and lifeguard Christin Duarte. Duarte was notified last week that he was being fired.

The teenager gave Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigators details of sexual encounters with the three men that she said occurred between August and December 2008, according to a report released at the time.

The girl “said she was never forced to have sex with anyone, it was consensual,” according to the report. She also told investigators that no one took any photos or video of her.  Cell-phone records showed the teenager spent a lot of time exchanging text hundreds of messages and talking with the three men, according to the report.

According to an arrest affidavit, the girl was 16 when Tameris met her while she was sunbathing on the beach. They had sex 20 to 25 times at the officer’s home, State Attorney’s Investigator Michael K. Taylor said in the report. On at least one occasion, Tameris video-recorded sex with the girl without her knowledge, Taylor said.  Tameris also sent a lewd photo to the girl during that period, the report said.

Simmons is accused of contacting a witness in the case that was discovered in December, according to an arrest affidavit. She told investigators she had engaged in sex with both Tameris and Simmons, the report said.

Simmons is accused of telephoning her to ensure that she did not discuss their relationship with investigators. Investigators monitored phone calls on Dec. 15 and 16 during which Simmons told the girl he was calling from a pay phone because he was not sure if his work and cell phone were being monitored and gave the woman instructions to lie and say they did not have a sexual relationship, the report said.

According to the report, he also told the woman to lie and tell investigators he never came to her apartment, but then changed and told her to tell investigators he was at her apartment to visit her infant son.

According to Merchant, the officer under investigation has more than 10 years experience with the agency and the conduct is related to “off-duty” activity.  The officer is suspended with pay until the outcome of the investigation. 

This investigation comes on the heels of other officers being investigated for wrongdoing.  Deputy Chief George Small is suspended with pay while he is under investigation in a case that reportedly involves ticket-fixing and Lt. Dale Picou is under investigation for losing a portable computer drive that contained information about the agency’s confidential informants. He was not suspended.  Also,Officer Ashley Rowe, 24, resigned earlier this year after the Florida Highway Patrol determined she was intoxicated when she was involved in a Dec. 15 crash that seriously injured a passenger in her car. She was off-duty at the time.

Officer Mark Maupin resigned in June as he faced termination for a November 30, 2008 crash in which investigators determined he was driving 104 mph in his patrol car when he crashed into the back of stopped car.

With the exception of Rowe, all of the officers who have gotten into trouble in recent months have been with the agency eight to 30 years, said Merchant.

According to law enforcement, Witt, 32, gave one of the students the keys to her vehicle which was later involved in an accident leading to the arrest of one of the teens who was driving. Witt resigned from her teaching position shortly after her arrest.

Witt was sentenced to 30 days Seminole County jail by the court and placed on years probation. During her sentencing, Judge Collins stated “We have to trust and have confidence in our teachers, and you violated that trust and that confidence. … We cannot accept this from teachers.”

It is common for sexual assaults to increase during the Spring Break month of March. “All of last year we had a total of 41 sexual assaults,” Police Chief Mike Chitwood said Tuesday. “Here we have six in one week.”

In an unrelated incident, Daytona Beach police arrested a rape suspect in another incident that involved heavy drinking. The suspect is accused of raping a Spring Breaker at the Plaza Resort & Spa, on North Atlantic Ave. According to an arrest report, the suspect engaged in sex with a woman who was unconscious because she was drunk. The suspect admitted to investigators the woman was already drunk when he met her earlier in the day on March 14. He said he decided to buy her more booze and then had sex with her at least twice in two different hallways of the hotel, an arrest report states.

The other four rapes occurred at another hotel, behind a popular beachfront restaurant and one on the mainland after a woman met a man at a nightclub and invited him over, the chief said.

According to Lake County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Jim Vachon, the drugs were discovered during a daily pat down of workers entering the Lake Correctional Institution off U.S. Highway 27 in Clermont. Deputies responded to the scene at the request of prison officials and apprehended Ducasse today, Vachon said.  The drugs were in a plastic bag and concealed in Ducasse’s pants.

Antony Ducasse, 25, was found in possession of the narcotics during a staff inspection at a prison gate, according to a statement from LCSO Sgt. Jim Vachon. The street value of the drugs was estimated at $500.  No additional illegal drugs were found after authorities conducted a search of Ducasse’s vehicle.

Ducasse is facing charges of possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, introduction of contraband into a state facility and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, all felony charges.  He is now held at the Lake County Jail on $12,000 bond.

If you have been arrested or charged with a Drug Crime or other criminal offense in the Orlando area and are facing criminal prosecution in either Orange County, Osceola County, Volusia County or Seminole County, Florida, contact the attorneys at Tilden Law for an initial and confidential consultation, 407-599-1234.

 As Deputy Febo spoke with Newton, he could smell marijuana coming from Newton’s vehicle and called for a back-up deputy to assist him.  After stepping outside his vehicle, Newton agreed to be patted down, but would not let the deputy search his car and told the deputy he didn’t have an illegal guns or drugs, according to an arrest report.

The Deputy’s search of Newton’s vehicle netted 40.7 grams of crack cocaine, 249.7 grams of marijuana and a loaded .357 revolver, according to the report. Deputies also found a large pink purse in the trunk, which held a digital scale and most of the marijuana, the report stated.

Newton’s passenger, Andrew Johnson, was also arrested. Deputies found more than $4,960 in Johnson’s pockets when he was patted down. Johnson told deputies he recently sold a gold necklace for $3,800, but couldn’t tell deputies where he sold it and didn’t have a receipt.  He later changed his story about why he had so much cash in his pockets, according to his arrest affidavit.

Johnson was charged with seven counts, including drug and gun charges. Newton is facing six charges, including trafficking in cocaine and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony. He faced an additional charge of introducing contraband into the jail, after he told officials he had marijuana in his wallet, reports show.

Both men are being held at the Orange County Jail on more than $100,000 bond each.

After the initial accusations, a second teenager came forward, alleging multiple sexual encounters with Tameris who was charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor.  The victim who was 16-years old told authorities she met Tameris while she was sunbathing on the beach. The two engaged in sex 20 to 25 times at the officer’s home, according to State Attorney’s Investigator Michael K. Taylor.  On at least one occasion, Tameris video-recorded sex with the girl without her knowledge, and sent a lewd photograph of the girl, Taylor said.

Investigators monitored phone calls and text messages between Tameris and the girl, including two calls they set up in which Tameris acknowledged having sex with the girl “frequently” when they first met, as well as videotaping one of the encounters, according to an arrest report.

The county is firing Simmons and Duarte on grounds of unprofessional conduct and inappropriate relationship with a minor. Simmons also was accused of tampering with or harassing a witness victim or informant and improperly using state driver’s license and criminal justice data bases.  Miranda, who is accused of lying for Duarte, is being fired on grounds of unprofessional conduct.

While Martinez denies any wrongdoing and claims he was working as a news anchor on the day in question. After interviewing the alleged victim, investigators with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office believe otherwise.  Investigators used information gathered from Martinez’ E-Pass and determined he was in the area alleged by the victim and spoke with Martinez’ supervisor who dispute his story. 

According to investigators, the victim had seen Martinez swerving in and out of traffic on State Road 417 in Orange County. At some point, Martinez tried merging into the victim’s lane, but couldn’t make it and was forced to merge after the victim had passed him.  When the victim arrived home with his toddler and pulled into his driveway, he spotted Martinez’s car suddenly drive behind him and partially block him.

“[Martinez] got out of his car and told the victim he was a police officer,” Lizasuain said. Martinez then flashed a badge that resembled a star-shaped badge and said he knew where the victim lived and had his auto tag number.
Martinez then jumped into his car and sped away.   The victim later identified Martinez in a photo lineup. He was arrested Friday at his home on an arrest warrant and booked him into the Osceola County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

One motorist attempted to avoid the DUI checkpoint by accelerating to what officers described as a high rate of speed in an attempt to enter Florida’s Turnpike.  The driver was unsuccessful and ended up crashing his vehicle.  After a short foot chase, the driver was arrested and was later found to have almost three pounds of marijuana in his vehicle. 

About 150 personnel were on duty for the event, with volunteers from Mother’s Against Drunk Driving “MADD” and the Ocoee police union also providing support.

If you have been arrested or charged with a Orange County DUI or other criminal offense in Orlando and are facing criminal prosecution in either Orange County, Seminole County, Florida, contact the attorneys at Tilden Law for an initial and confidential consultation, 407-599-1234.

Fonseca was originally picked up on state charges, but is now charged in a criminal complaint on counts of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiring to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and mail theft by a postal employee.

According to the criminal complaint filed against the men, a postal inspector in September found a suspicious package addressed to an address on Philadelphia Circle, Kissimmee, and determined it contained about 24 pounds of marijuana. Several days later, the inspector found another package addressed to the Philadelphia Circle residence, and found out it contained about 22 pounds of marijuana. In November, postal inspectors found another suspicious package mailed from Puerto Rico to an address on Alaqua Trail, Kissimmee. Inspectors seized the package and found more than five pounds of cocaine

If you have been arrested or charged with a Drug Crime or other criminal offense in the Orlando area and are facing criminal prosecution in either Orange County, Osceola County or Seminole County, Florida, contact the attorneys at Tilden Law for an initial and confidential consultation, 407-599-1234.