TILDEN LAW – Orlando Criminal Attorney

A 13 year veteran with the Florida Highway Patrol has been sentenced in a case involving official misconduct, a third degree felony.  Former Florida Highway Patrol trooper, Wilfredo, Jay Bennett has agreed to forfeit his law enforcement certification for life as part of a plea deal struck between state prosecutors and his criminal defense attorney.  Bennett, was placed on supervised probation for a 5 year term and required to pay a fine of $5,000.00. 

Among the allegations, Bennett was accused of regularly engaging in sex while on duty with at least two former girlfriends.  In addition, Bennett is accused by another woman of spending time with her in her apartment while also on duty and offering to get a ticket dismissed against a woman if she cooked dinner for him and.  It was also alleged that Bennett gave a former girlfriend a ride in his patrol car on 50 occasions while in duty.  Bennett quit his position at FHP in January, 2010 on the day following his arrest.  Under the plea deal, adjudication was withheld, so Bennett will not have a felony conviction on his record. But the deal also means he can never be a law-enforcement officer anywhere in the United States.

If you have been arrested or charged with a crime in Orlando or Seminole County, contact the attorneys at Tilden Law for an initial and confidential consultation, 407-599-1234.

Sellers of synthetic marijuana, also known as “K-2” and “Spice” are the target of Central Florida law enforcement agencies.  Currently, these products are being legally sold in some Florida convenience stores and gas stations as incense.  The Polk County sheriff’s department and Haines City police department are soon expected to outline details of a criminal enforcement operation targeting the establishments selling these products.  Also known as “legal weed”, some of these products are sprayed with a chemical that simulates the active ingredient in marijuana.  K-2 and Spice have gained popularity among both teens and adults as a legal substitute for pot.

TILDEN LAW represents clients in Central Florida accused of criminal Drug charges.  If you are facing a Orlando, Orange County or Seminole County Drug charge, call our office for a free case evaluation, 407 599-1234.

Developer John Boback, Sr. of Flagler Beach is accused of taking $410,000 from a Marco Island man to build a condominium on property at located on North Oceanshore Blvd.  The 51-year-old Flagler County developer was arrested this week and accused of grand theft in what authorities called a fraudulent real-estate purchase.

The buyer said he was told the condo was to be part of a larger professional complex. But investigators say it was never built.  Buyer Patrick Lyons, 55, told investigators all he ever received was a deed. Now the property is in foreclosure.  Lyons tried but couldn’t get Boback to refund his money.

Boback was booked into the Flagler County Inmate Facility and was released after posting $50,000 bond.

Orange circuit judge Frederick Lauten ruled Monday that nearly 50,000 tickets issued to motorists caught by automatic cameras running red lights in Orlando during the past two years should be dismissed.  The effect of Judge Lauten’s ruling may require the city of Orlando to refund more than $4 million paid in fines. But because the ruling is almost certain to be appealed, it may be years before there’s a final decision.

In his ruling, Judge Lauten ruled that “Although the court believes the city’s articulated goal is laudable — increasing public safety by reducing red light-running — the challenged city ordinance intrudes on an area of law reserved to the state is therefore invalid,” Lauten wrote.  The ruling doesn’t mean Orlando will be turning its cameras off, because the Legislature changed the law earlier this year to allow enforcement cameras. But it would seem to throw out nearly 50,000 tickets mailed to violators before the new law took effect July 1.  Orlando city attorney’s certainly will appeal the judge’s ruling. 

Regardless, Lauten’s opinion could have implications for drivers photographed blowing through red lights across Florida.  The judge’s  decision did not touch on ticket refunds or damages. The city issued 48,579 red-light tickets from Sept. 1, 2008, to July 1, when the law changed. It had levied more than $6.2 million in fines and collected $4.3 million.  Refund checks wouldn’t show up in mailboxes anytime soon. An appeal could take 18 months or more.

TILDEN LAW represents clients in Central Florida accused of DUI and Driving Under the Influence charges.  If you are facing a Orlando, Orange County or Seminole County DUI or Driving Under the Influence charge, call our office for a free case evaluation, 407 599-1234.

Recently, a client was arrested on charges of DUI and Leaving he Scene of an Accident (Hit and Run) in Orlando, Orange County, Florida.  The police report alleges that at about 12:00 a.m. our client drove into his apartment complex parking lot and struck two parked cars.  Damage was clearly done to his vehicle and allegedly done to the other vehicles.  Florida highway Patrol were called to investigage and ultimately arrested our client on charges of DUI causing damage and leaving the scene of an accident. DUI Breath tests were refused.

After filing Motions to Supress and having hearings, the case was set for trial.  At trial, TILDEN LAW petitioned the State Attorney for a dismissal which was granted.  All criminal charges were dismissed.

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

TILDEN LAW represents clients in Central Florida accused of DUI and Driving Under the Influence charges.  If you are facing a Orlando, Orange County or Seminole County DUI or Driving Under the Influence charge, call our office for a free case evaluation, 407 599-1234.

In a nine-page order, a six-judge panel denied a request Tuesday to exclude breath-test results in 19 pending driving-under-the-influence cases. The deputy in charge of certifying breath-testing machines for the Sheriff’s Office had a valid permit to do so, the judges ruled.

Defense attorneys argued that Sgt. Edward Bowman’s permit to act as the inspector for the Volusia County sheriff’s three Intoxilyzer 8000 machines had expired. A paperwork error was to blame, they said. The lawyers said Bowman should have been retrained on the breath-testing equipment because he retired in 2003 and returned to the job five years later. Instead, Delgado argued, Bowman took a refresher course.  The judges finding was that Bowman’s permit to inspect the machines was invalid for just two months in 2008,

Bowman left his job in 2003 and was rehired in 2008. His permit, the court decided, became invalid July 1, 2008, but was good again after Sept. 29, 2008, because he completed a renewal course on the equipment, as required. Because each of the 19 pending cases was the result of arrests after that date, when the permits were good, the motion was denied.

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

TILDEN LAW represents clients in Central Florida accused of domestic violence charges.  If you are facing a Orlando domestic violence battery charge or a Seminole County Domestic related charge, call our office for a free case evaluation, 407 599-1234.

The Pinellas County State Attorney’s Office chose to drop the misdemeanor domestic battery charge against New Port Richey Mayor Scott McPherson’s wife, Kimberly McPherson who was arrested at Grille 54 in the early hours of July 26 on a simple domestic battery charge.  McPherson was accused of slapping her husband during an exchange between the two and a Pasco County deputy. Scott McPherson said during a City Council meeting Tuesday that the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has opened a Professional Standards investigation of the arresting deputy.

Results from the sheriff’s office investigation are pending, and McPherson said he will reserve further comment until those deliberations have concluded.

If you or someone you know has een arrested or charged with a Battery or Domestic Violence charge in Orlando and are facing criminal prosecution for Domestic Violence in either Orange County, Seminole County, Florida,  contact the attorneys at TILDEN LAW for an initial and confidential free consultation, 407-599-1234.

TILDEN LAW represents clients in Central Florida accused of domestic violence charges.  If you are facing a Orlando domestic violence battery charge, call our office for a free case evaluation, 407 599-1234.

Police arrested Tracey McLaughlin on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon earlier today.  McLaughlin, 33 or Deland, is accused of attempting to run ehr husband over with her vehicle after a custody fight pertaining to their dog.  McLaughlin and her husband, Mark McLaughlin, 45, confronted each other about the dog Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. in front of their Palmetto Avenue home near DeLand, a sheriff’s incident report shows.

According to the report, Mark McLaughlin said their marriage is ending and he found Tracey McLaughlin at the home loading up her vehicle with personal possessions. Mark McLaughlin then saw his dog being taken and stood in front of the vehicle and questioned his wife.

During the heated argument, Tracey McLaughlin drove the vehicle toward her husband and hit him. She drove by three or four houses until her husband could “extricate himself from the vehicle,” the report states. Mark McLaughlin suffered a cut to his knee and refused medical attention, deputies said.

Tracey McLaughlin drove to her parents’ Deltona home where a deputy found her. She denied running over her husband, the report states.

If you or someone you know has een arrested or charged with a Battery or Domestic Violence charge in Orlando and are facing criminal prosecution for Domestic Violence in either Orange County, Seminole County, Florida,  contact the attorneys at TILDEN LAW for an initial and confidential free consultation, 407-599-1234.

A 17 year old girl has accused an Altamonte Springs Officer of having a inappropriate sexual relationship with her.  The accusations were reported this past Friday.  Officer Clay Toomes resigned from the Altamonte Springs police force following the accusations and a four month suspension while under investigation by Orlando police.

 Information shows that the 17year old girl gave Officer Toomes her e-mail address at Orlando Regional Medical Center, where the high school girl was volunteering when the officer showed up to interview a patient involved in a traffic crash.

 According to court documents, the 38-year-old officer had sex with the 17-year-old girl. Police said he knew the victim was underage and a student at a local high school. Reports show that in one e-mail, the girl wrote, “I’m 17. I have no problem with the age gap, but you might.”  Toomes then replied, “I have to start by asking you, when do you turn 18?”

Documents show over the course of 5 months, they exchanged 89 e-mails. They exposed themselves to each other over the internet on a video chat account Toomes created under a fake name. They met on several occasions and had sex at least three times.

In one e-mail she wrote: “Birth control doesn’t work 1 percent of the time. I carried your child until I had that spontaneous abortion.”  Investigators won’t confirm if she really carried his child.

If you have been accused or are being investigated of criminal conduct in Central Florida, contact the Criminal Defense firm of Tilden Law for a free initial conference to discuss your rights and possible defenses, 407-599-1234.

The owner of a prominent Ocala real estate firm was arrested on charges of soliciting a prostitute on Friday.  Fred Roberts, Sr., 71, was one of seven men arrested on allegations of solicitation for prostitution.  The prostitution sting was conducted by the Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement Team, which is a task force comprised of officers from various local law enforcement agencies.

The undercover operation, one of three or four that the task force conducts each year, occurred in the area of 3600 W. State Road 40 between 3 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.  Sgt. Lee Whitston, who supervised the operation, said the team used female officers to pose as prostitutes. Men who approached them for sex were taken to a hotel room, where they were arrested.

According to an Ocala Police Department arrest report, Roberts approached a female undercover officer at about 4 p.m. and offered $50 in exchange for sex. He told officers he had never picked up prostitutes in Ocala but had done so in Tampa and had not been caught, the report stated.  Roberts was booked into the Marion County Jail at 6:30 p.m. and released on $500 bail.

If you have been arrested or charged with a sex, prostitution 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.