TILDEN LAW – Orlando Criminal Attorney

There were Two more arrests of Volusia County Beach Patrol officers during an ongoing investigation of alleged illegal sexual activity.  Robert Paul Tameris, 44, was arrested Wednesday for a second time, while Capt. Jecoa Simmons, 37, was arrested Thursday morning.

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.

An unnamed veteran Altamonte Springs police officer has been suspended while under criminal investigation according to Altamonte Springs Police Chief Robert Merchant.  What is unknown at this time is both the identity of the officer and the nature of the criminal investigation.  At this time an outside agency is conducting the investigation, but Merchant declined to name the agency.

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.

Two Orlando men were arrested earlier today after being stopped by an Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy for a traffic infraction.  Deputy Richard Febo pulled over driver Derrick Newton, 30, who was driving with his door open while trying to flirt with a woman in the parking lot near Hiawassee and Silver Star roads. When asked by the Deputy why he was driving with his door open, Newton reportedly stated, “Man, I was hollering at that girl.”

 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.

An Orlando News Channel 13 anchor was arrested on allegations that he impersonated a law enforcement officer.  Spanish language broadcaster, Victor Juan Martinez, 33, faces 3^rd degree felony charges.  The allegation stemmed from a February 15, 2010 report that Martinez flashed a fake police badge at a man while driving in an attempt to scare him after following him home in February.

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.

A 17 year old Central Florida girl was arrested on an allegation of felony cyberstalking.  Marion County Sheriff’s detectives state that Shannon Marie Mitchell (17), of Ocala obtained photographs of a 15 year old girl from a social media Web site and posting them on a porn site.   Along with the teen’s photos, Mitchell also posted the 15 year old victim’s name, age, phone number and explicit comments on the pornography site.  The 17-year-old girl was arrested and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Marion County.

Detectives say the 15-year-old girl then received multiple sexually explicit text messages and phone calls from unknown men who requested sexual favors and nude pictures.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, during an interview with detectives, Mitchell said, “I did it,” and added that the victim would not stop harassing her. Detectives said Mitchell did not think it was that big of a deal when she admitted to posting the pictures until she ended up in a juvenile corrections facility.

Investigators said Mitchell had a grudge against the girl, who was her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, so she went online and set out to ruin the other teen’s reputation.

“We get more and more reports of teens harassing each other over the Internet or with cell phones. We take this crime very seriously,” said Lt. Chris Vorisek, supervisor in the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit. “People, especially teenagers, really need to know, if their actions rise to the level of a criminal offense, they will likely be arrested.”

Mitchell he has since been released from the Marion County Juvenile Assessment Center to her parents.

If you have been arrested or charged with a 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.

Attorney Todd Macaluso has resigned from the defense team defending Casey Anthony on charges of murder citing issues with the California Bar. According to the Orlando Sentinel, attorney Jose Baez made the announcement Sunday. According to the California State Bar Association, Macaluso is accused of misappropriating approximately $145,000 and misusing almost $61,000 in client money. These allegations are considered actions of “moral turpitude, dishonesty or corruption” as related to several client’s trust accounts.

In connection with this allegation, Macaluso has entered an alternative discipline program in California. Macaluso has denied any intentional Bar violations and is shifting the blame for his Bar troubles to his staff.

TILDEN LAW was recently successful in defending a client charged with a drug offense which resulted in all criminal charges being dropped.   According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department arrest report, our client was initially stopped for throwing a lighted cigarette out of his window while driving his vehicle on Colonial Drive in Orlando, Florida.  After being advised the reason for the stop, the Deputy requested permission to search our client’s vehicle which he refused.

A K-9 unit was called to the scene of the stop to conduct a canine search from the vehicle’s exterior.  According to the report, the K-9 units sweep search of the vehicle resulted in a “hit” or positive indication of drugs.  A search of the interior of the vehicle revealed a bag of Marijuana and two marijuana smoking pipes in the center console. 

Immediately after being retained by our client, attorney N. Fleetwood Tilden, filed pleadings entering a plea of not guilty as to all charges and requested copies of all drug tests conducted.  Mr. Tilden also petitioned the State Attorney’s office to dismiss all charges against his client.  As a result, the Orange County State Attorney’s office agreed with our request, dismissing all charges against our client.

If you have been arrested or charged with a Drug crime in Orlando and are facing criminal prosecution in either Orange County, Seminole County, Florida, contact the criminal defense attorneys at TILDEN LAW for an initial and confidential consultation, 407-599-1234.

With a few clicks of the computer mouse, he pulled up a page for a local woman advertising her services as an escort. Translation: sex for money.  It’s the modern version of the world’s oldest profession. Women who trade sex for money have found their way to solicit clients, on the information superhighway and specifically Craigslist.

On Wednesday, online escorts were center stage for Central Florida’s Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation agents who worked a sting operation aimed at escorts who charge upward of $200 an hour for their services.  As the crackdown continued into the night, five women ages 20-30 were arrested on allegations of prostitution.

MBI was the latest Central Florida law-enforcement endeavor to target prostitutes who market themselves online. A similar sting operation in Polk County led to 34 arrests last weekend. Those suspects included prostitutes and pimps, Polk officials said.

Agent Riggi is a 19-year law-enforcement veteran and supervisor of MBI’s Vice and Organized Crime unit. His years on the job have taught him how to spot a likely prostitution advertisement.  He clicked on an ad called “!Sweet as Candy!” posted in the casual-encounters portion of Craigslist. He finds a few short sentences and a picture of a scantily clad woman.  The posting, which may look distasteful to many people unaware of the subculture of escorts, pimps and prostitutes, doesn’t immediately appear illegal.  “Wanna play today? Come on over!” the listing says.  But it’s the next sentence that catches Riggi’s eye.  *$erious Gentlemen Only Plea$e*”  Although there is no mention of money, the dollar signs used in the last line shows Riggi this isn’t just a girl looking for fun. She’s likely a high-dollar escort, so he logs into his undercover e-mail account and fires off a message.  He wants to get her to an Orlando hotel where a pre-arranged bust is already scheduled. But she does not reply.

Central Florida MBI has been looking for prostitutes on the Internet for at least five years, scanning ads in such online sites as Craigslist and backpage.com. The agency schedules several stings per year but will do them spontaneously if hotels or other businesses complain.  MBI also monitors massage parlors, some of which advertise on the Internet. But it leaves the streetwalkers who frequent high-traffic areas such as to local law enforcement.

If you have been accused or charged with a criminal offense in Orlando, Florida, contact the defense firm of Tilden Law for a free case evaluation.