Palm Beach County Criminal Lawyer Blog

Joshua Goodfellow of West Palm Beach, Florida has been with the West Palm Beach firefighting department for at least five years, sources indicate. His future with the department is now in jeopardy as he faces charges of disorderly conduct following an April incident. It is not clear whether Goodfellow, 34, has retained a private criminal defense lawyer. He has apparently been released from Palm Beach County Jail on an undisclosed bail bond amount, and is currently on leave from the fire deparment.

According to news reports, the alleged incident of disorderly conduct occurred on April 22 at Samantha's Restaurant in Jupiter, Florida. The exact time of the skirmish is not clear. Sources indicate that Goodfellow's wife was dining with a friend at the eatery when the altercation occurred. Neither she nor her friend have been identified in press reports.

Sources indicate that as Goodfellow's wife and her friend were enjoying the services of the restaurant, Goodfellow arrived at the eatery to search for her, whereupon he started yelling and cursing at her. An employee evidently asked him to leave, and Goodfellow allegedly moved towards him as if to strike him. The employee and Goodfellow then apparently got into a wrestling match on the floor of the restaurant.

The identity of the employee was not released, and it is not known whether he sustained injuries in the altercation. It is similarly unclear whether Goodfellow required treatment after the incident. Given that Goodfellow was not charged with battery, it is unlikely that the physical altercation was serious.

Eventually, Goodfellow left the building and employees locked the doors to the eatery and called police. The responding deputy alleged that when she arrived, Goodfellow was pounding on the glass door of the establishment. She also alleged that he smelled of alcohol. It is not clear whether officers conducted a blood alcohol content test, either at the scene of the arrest or at the jail.

Continue reading "Joshua Goodfellow, West Palm Beach, Florida Firefighter, Arrested for Disorderly Conduct" »

Joseph Pacheco of Port St. Lucie, Florida was arrested on Monday after he allegedly sprayed his neighbor's pet birds with weed killer, according to news reports. Pacheco, 59, was reportedly arrested and booked into St. Lucie County Jail on charges of burglary and animal cruelty. He has since been released on $15,750 bail bond. It is not clear whether Pacheco has retained a private criminal defense lawyer. The press has indicated that he has declined to comment on the allegations.

According to news reports, the pet birds in question belong to Ed Santos, Pacheco's 45-year-old next-door neighbor. Pacheco reportedly lives next to Pacheco with his family in a home on Southwest Onaway Avenue in Port St. Lucie, where he moved with his wife and children 10 months prior. Santos told the press that he keeps the birds in the back patio.

The birds, named Hannah, Sam, and Red, include a macaw worth $5,000. All three are reportedly receiving treatment for poisoning at Avian and Exotic Clinic of Palm City. One veterinarian at the clinic explained that Hannah, one of the birds, is receiving oxygen treatments due to respiratory problems caused by the weed killer, which officials have identified at Round-Off. Santos reportedly told the press that Red, another one of the birds, suffered from tremors after the alleged poisoning.

It is not clear whether the Santos family plans on filing for damages against Pacheco to cover veterinary treatment costs related to the alleged poisoning. The veterinary bills stemming from the alleged attack currently hover around $1500, reports indicate. It is not clear what the combined monetary worth of the birds are, but the veterinarian reportedly indicated that they are expected to survive.

Sources indicate that the alleged incident occurred on Monday evening at approximately 5:30. Stories differ as to whether Santos was home at the time of the episode. Santos' 10-year-old daughter reportedly told him that someone was spraying something on the birds through a hole in the patio screen. Upon investigation, Santos allegedly confirmed that someone was spraying something on the birds.

Continue reading "Joseph Pacheco of Port St. Lucie, Florida Arrested for Animal Cruelty" »

Ricardo Brutus of Miami, Florida was arrested over the weekend after he allegedly pretended to be a lawyer, according to press reports, Brutus, the nephew of North Miami Mayor Andre Pierre, was reportedly booked into Miami-Dade County Jail on two counts each of practicing law without a license and third degree grand theft and one count of organized fraud of $20,000 or less. He has since been released on $25,000 bail bond, sources indicate.

Brutus was reportedly arrested after an investigation by the Florida Bar, which started after a Miami area lawyer claimed that Brutus falsified his signature on two separate occasions while working at his firm. The lawyer reportedly told investigators that he had hired Brutus to help him with administrative work at his law firm, but that Brutus was not given permission to forge signatures. Brutus is a paralegal with a bachelor's degree in business management, according to reports, but he is not licensed to practice law.

The two documents that Brutus allegedly signed without permission were 2009 divorce petitions, which the lawyer purportedly unearthed while searching for unrelated paperwork. The petitions reportedly listed an address affiliated with R&M Legal Services, a business that Brutus owns. The lawyer purportedly told investigators that he never used R&M Legal Services' address to file divorce petitions.

Press reports indicate that the Florida Bar investigation opened on July 13, 2010. Brutus purportedly claimed in a statement that while he had indeed worked with Landers, he signed the two divorce petitions with the lawyer's consent. The legal affidavit also states that Brutus signed an 'unspecified' number of divorce petitions, according to the media.

Reports indicate that the two divorce petitions that Brutus allegedly filed using Landers' signature were on behalf of clients who were under the impression that Brutus was a lawyer. One, Jerome Jean-Jacques, reportedly alleged that he head Brutus speak on a radio show and subsequently hired him as his divorce attorney. Jean-Jacques purportedly advised authorities that he paid Brutus two separate times: one payment was $440, while the other remains unspecified.

The second divorce petition was filed on behalf of Jean Gerard Saint Surin, who allegedly claimed that she also thought that Brutus was a lawyer. Saint Surin reported having paid Brutus $1,300 for legal services. According to reports, neither Saint Surin nor Jean-Jacques had ever met the lawyer whose signature was on their divorce petitions.

Continue reading "Ricardo Brutus of Miami, Florida Arrested for Licensing Offense" »

Shawn Gray of Miami, Florida and Carlos Martinez of Cape Coral, Florida were reportedly arrested along with 29 others in an undercover juvenile sex operation conducted by Sarasota County detectives, according to press reports. The arrests reportedly took place last week between Monday and Saturday at a home in Sarasota County. The exact location of the arrests has not been disclosed.

The defendants are believed to have been booked at Sarasota County Jail, and it is not publicly known whether any of them have qualified for bail bond. It is similarly unknown whether any of the defendants has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

The 31 defendants were reportedly apprehended as part of a sex offense sting spearheaded by Sarasota County officials. The sting, entitled "Operation Intercept," was carried out with help from several other departments and agencies, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Floria State Attorney's Office. Area police departments, including those of Venice, North Port, and Manatee County also purportedly participated in the operation.

News reports indicate that the sting was conducted by undercover officers who posed as teenagers, children, or parents thereof on the Internet. It is not entirely clear what sites the detectives utilized, although Craigslist has played a role in other similar area stings and likely did in this one as well. Whether the sites knew of the undercover activity prior to media releases on the subject also remains unknown.

Officers reportedly engaged in conversations with the defendants online and eventually arranged to meet them at a home in Sarasota County to engage in sexual activity. Some of the defendants allegedly arranged to meet teens and children through undercover officers posing as parents; in some cases, reports indicate that defendants arranged to pay the parents for sex with underage children. Sources denote that detectives recorded alleged correspondences with the defendants to be used as evidence in legal proceedings. Detectives also reportedly placed surveillance cameras in the home where the defendants arranged to meet the children.

Continue reading "Shawn Gray, Carlos Martinez Arrested in Sarasota County, Florida in Juvenile Sex Sting" »

Timothy McTigue of Boynton Beach, Florida was arrested after he allegedly attacked his girlfriend during an argument, according to news reports. MicTigue, 49, was arrested on Thursday on charges of aggravated battery and tampering with a victim, sources indicated. He reportedly remains incarcerated at Palm Beach County Jail, as we was denied bail bond. It is not clear whether McTigue has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

According to news sources, the alleged instance of domestic battery between McTigue and his girlfriend occurred last Tuesday at the home where the pair lives together, which is located in the 100th block of Northeast 4th Avenue in Boynton Beach, Florida. McTigue's 45-year-old victim remains unnamed in public reports. She is believed to have remained at the residence. It is unclear who owns the home.

Reports indicate that the victim told authorities that she was cooking a stew when McTigue approached her, peered at the brew, and declared that it "looked like s***." The victim was angered by McTigue's comment and told officials that she pushed him and told him that what he said "was not nice." McTigue then allegedly grabbed her hair and pulled her outside of the residence.

The woman told investigators that she attempted to call police on her cell phone, but that McTigue took the device from her and tossed it into a nearby trash bin, the contents of which were on fire. It is not clear why the contents of the trash bin were on fire or for how long they were burning, nor is it clear whether the bin belonged to the couple. The victim alleged that she burned her hands attempting to recover the device.

The victim also reportedly told authorities that as she was reaching for the phone, McTigue pulled her back by her hair, threw her onto the ground, and slammed her head into the ground repeatedly. The victim purportedly sustained a black eye in the alleged attack. It is not clear whether she required medical attention.

Continue reading "Timothy McTigue of Boynton Beach, Florida Arrested for Battery" »

Wellington High School in Wellington, Florida played host to several fights on Friday, resulting in two students arrested and three Wellington High School staff members injured, according to news reports. One of the arrested student, Latonya Cain, is 19 years of age and is therefore being prosecuted as an adult. She was booked at Palm Beach County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct, battery of a school board employee, and disruption of a school function, sources indicate. It is not clear whether Cain, who was release on her own recognizance, has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

The other arrested party is apparently a minor, and his or her name and age have not been released to the public. A total of 10 students have reportedly been suspended as a result of the fights, and three students are currently being investigated in connection to the altercations. It is not clear whether any more charges will be filed. It is similarly unclear whether the second arrested party will be tried as an adult.

News reports indicate that the chain of fights sparked over arguments over a preliminary fight that occurred about a month and a half ago at the school. Officials have yet to determine why the initial fight occurred. School officials have told the press that such occurrences are unusual at the school and that the incidents were likely result in permanent expulsion, if not criminal charges, for several of the parties involved.

Cain, according to investigators, was charged after she allegedly attacked a school official who tried to break up a fight that she was involved in. Cain was allegedly engaged in a physical fight with another student when assistant principal Cherie Andrewson attempted to intervene. Cain allegedly hit Andrewson twice, once in the back and once in the head, when she tried to break up the fight. It is not clear whether Andrewson required medical attention following the alleged attack. The school's principal told the press that Andrewson and the two other staff members who were injured were all back at their jobs today.

Continue reading "Wellington High School Fights in Wellington, Florida Result in Two Students Arrested, Three Staff Injured" »

Arionah Saha, Colin Coyle, Kenneth Snow, and Lauren Locascio of Port St. Lucie, Florida were arrested on Saturday after they allegedly resisted arrest by barricading themselves into rooms of a residence, according to news reports. Saha and Locascio, both 20 years of age, were charged with having an open house party and obstruction/resisting arrest without violence, while Coyle, 20, and Snow, 24, were both charged with having an open house party, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana (under 20 grams), and obstruction/resisting arrest without violence. It is not yet clear whether any of the defendants has qualified for bail bond or has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

According to news reports, the quartet was apprehended after Port St. Lucie police officers showed up at a house party taking place at a residence located in the 1200 block of Southwest Crost Avenue in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The officers were reportedly responding to complaints of an open house party at the home. It is not publicly known who owns the residence, although it appears as though the four people who were arrested were renting out bedrooms in the home. Open parties normally require permits from the city in which they occur, and it does not appear as though the gathering was registered.

Sources indicate that officers entered the residence, though it is not clear whether they had a warrant. There were reportedly 50-75 teenagers and young adults inside, partying and drinking. The partygoers appear to have dispersed without incident. There are no reports of any persons under the age of 21 having been caught drinking alcohol at the gathering, although a beer keg and other alcoholic beverages were purportedly discovered on the scene.

Continue reading "Arionah Saha, Colin Coyle, Kenneth Snow, and Lauren Locascio of Port St. Lucie, Florida Arrested for Resisting Arrest" »

Guilfort Dieuvil of Palm Beach, Florida was arrested of Thursday after an investigation purportedly revealed that Nationwide Investment Firm Corporation, a Palm Beach-based company of which Dieuvil, 38, is president, was defrauding customers and failing to fulfill other duties. Dieuvil was booked into Palm Beach County Jail on charges including acting as a loan originator without a license and obtaining property by fraud, according to news reports. It is not clear whether Dieuvil has since been released on bail bond.

Sources indicate that Dieuvil was arrested after the Florida Office of Financial Regulation launched an investigation into Dieuvil's business in cooperation with area police departments in April. The investigation came following a string of complaints from customers, including allegations that Nationwide tricked them into giving up ownership of their homes. Dieuvil previously told the press that he was dealing with the claims through negotiation. It is not clear whether this approach has resolved any of the customer complains. Several former customers are reportedly in the process of filing lawsuits.

Nationwide Investment Firm Corporation evidently specializes in foreclosure rescue, helping homeowners negotiate deals with lenders that allow them to keep their homes. One description stats the Nationwide defends clients in legal proceedings and helps to broker loan modifications or short sales to that aim. According to reports, Nationwide owns 73 area homes in Palm Beach, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and other surrounding areas. Dieuvil himself is lives in Boynton Beach and was a licensed mortgage broker until his license expired at the end of 2010, according to reports. It is not clear whether he founded Nationwide, nor is it clear whether similar charges are forthcoming against any other company officials.

Reports indicate that Dieuvil and his company are currently facing legal action by several former clients who claim that Nationwide swindled them out of their homes. The company is also facing charges from community associations claiming that Nationwide failed to pay maintenance fees on the properties it owns and moved tenants into the residences without the required approval. The former claim reportedly came to light after clients began sending letters to state officials and hiring lawyers to pursue legal action against Nationwide. Some of the complaints reportedly stated that Nationwide tricked them into signing over the deeds to their homes, resulting in debts for properties they did not own as well as possible eviction.

Jossette Dimanche, one woman who is suing Nationwide, purportedly claims that she worked with the company in August 2010 in order to negotiate a loan modification for her Lake Belvedere Estates house. She says that she moved out of the home and signed over the deed to Nationwide in hopes that she could settle the debt, and that Nationwide started renting out the residence, according to news reports. However, the loan modification reportedly never came through, and according to Dimanche's lawyer, she cannot take action through the bank since she no longer has the deed to the home. It is not clear whether Dimance worked with Dieuvil directly.

Reports indicate that similar claims stemmed from areas across Florida. The investigation involved several area police departments as well as the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, along with other agencies. Read about other Palm Beach fraud cases here.

20 Palm Beach, Florida drivers were arrested after they were allegedly caught using expired or fraudulent insurance cards, according to news reports. Other charges doled out in the sting, which was reportedly executed throughout Palm Beach County on Tuesday of this week, include drug possession, driving with a suspended license, and driving under the influence of alcohol, sources indicate. The defendants are believed to have been booked at Palm Beach County Jail on the charges. It is not clear whether any of them has successfully qualified for bail bond or has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

News sources indicate that the operation was part of a campaign headed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an insurer-sponsored organization dedicated to reducing insurance fraud. Interest in conducting the sting was apparently sparked by reports of uninsured drivers. In Florida, all drivers are required to have valid motor vehicle insurance with a minimum of $10,000 personal injury protection and $10,000 property liability damage insurance coverage, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The Palm Beach County operation reportedly ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. of Tuesday and involved 12 jurisdictions, including Boynton Beach, Jupiter, and Greenacres. During the operation, drivers stopped by officers at normal traffic stops were asked to present proof of insurance, which was inspected and verified by insurance company representatives. Reports indicate that seventeen insurance companies sent representatives to participate in the sting. A spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office reportedly stated that similar operations would take place in the near future.

Continue reading "20 Arrested in Palm Beach, Florida for Motor Vehicle Insurance Fraud" »

Donald James Glowacki of Jupiter, Florida was arrested after a woman shopping at a Target store accused him of trying to take a cell phone photo up her skirt, according to news reports. Glowacki, 32, was arrested and charged with battery and video voyeurism, for which he was booked at Palm Beach County Jail. He was later released on his own recognizance, reports indicate. It is not clear whether Glowaki has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

According to press reports, Glowaki was apprehended after an alleged incident on Tuesday afternoon at the Target store located at 500 North Congress Avenue in Jupiter. A woman who was shopping at the store with her child made the allegations. The 35-year-old woman and her child have not been identified. News reports neglected to mention what Glowaki, one of several defendants in recent Palm Beach sex crime cases, had to say about the allegations.

The victim reportedly alleged that she was talking to her child outside of the women's fitting room in the store when something touched the inside of her right thigh. She told investigators that she turned around to see a man pulling a cell phone back from underneath her skirt. The victim reportedly screamed and the man started to walk away while fiddling with the cell phone, at which point the victim says she called to a manager and security guard at the store for help.

The store manager and security guard apparently approached the man and told him they were contacting police. The pair reportedly told authorities that the suspect looked scared, told them that he had to leave to go back to work, and fled the store.

Authorities purportedly connected the incident to Glowacki after viewing security footage of the incident captured on the store's cameras, on which they could see the name of a business on Glowaki's shirt. Investigators reportedly contacted the business owner, who led them to Glowaki. The name of the business was not released to the public.

In another recent area arrest, Erica Monique Jimenez Vasquez and Hector M. Jimenez Vasquez were arrested in Collier County, Florida after authorities reportedly found the couple's children unsupervised in a vehicle, according to reports. Erica Vasquez, 25, and her husband Hector Vasquez, also 25, were purportedly charged with two counts each of negligence of child with great bodily harm. Erica Vasquez has reportedly since been released on $30,000 bail bond, while her husband remains incarcerated as his immigration status is reviewed. It is not known whether the couple has retained a private criminal defense lawyer to help them fight the child abuse charges.

Continue reading "Donald James Glowacki of Jupiter, Florida Arrested for Voyeurism" »

Michelle Renee Maglio-Say of Palm Beach, Florida has been arrested for allegedly attacking her boyfriend, reports allege. This is the second time Maglio-Say has been accused of attacking her live-in boyfriend this year. She is currently incarcerated at Palm Beach County Jail on charges of violation of a no contact order, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and resisting arrest without violence. It is not clear whether she had retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

According to news sources, officials apprehended Maglio-Say on Monday evening at the 300 block of Cypress Avenue in West Palm Beach. The address is apparently residential, and it is believed that Maglio-Say lives there with her boyfriend. The 31-year-old boyfriend, with whom Maglio-Say reportedly has a child, purportedly told a responding deputy that he and Maglio-Say had gotten into an argument about money that the victim allegedly owed Maglio-Say. It is not clear how much money the victim allegedly owes Maglio-Say. His name also remains unknown, as does the name and age of the couple's child.

The victim evidently alleged that Maglio-Say had threatened to "exact revenge" should he fail to settle the debt. She then allegedly threatened him with a baseball bat, although she did not actually hit him with it. The victim told the responding deputy that he took the bat from Maglio-Say before she could attack him with hit. The deputy apparently stated in the arrest report that Maglio-Say was "screaming and yelling obscenities" when he arrived at the scene. The report does not mention the involvement of drugs or alcohol.

Reports indicate that after Maglio-Say was arrested in April on battery charges, she was ordered not to have any violent contact with others. The alleged incident was reportedly a violation of that order, resulting in her being charged with violating a no contact order. It is not clear how Maglio-Say allegedly resisted arrest.

Maglio-Say was hardly the only area resident accused of domestic violence recently. On Saturday, 32-year-old Zachary Anderson was reportedly apprehended after he was accused of allowing a child he was babysitting to wander off. Anderson was charged with child neglect and booked into Palm Beach County Jail for the alleged offense. He has since bonded out on $3,000 surety bond, sources indicate. It is not clear whether Anderson has retained a private criminal defense lawyer to assist him in his case.

Continue reading "Michelle Renee Maglio-Say of Palm Beach, Florida Arrested for Assault" »

William Paine and Kenneth Michael Paine of Wellington, Florida were arrested after they were accused of battery, according to news reports. William Paine, 62, and his son Kenneth Paine, 19, were arrested and booked at Palm Beach County Jail on charges of battery and aggravated battery, respectively. It is not clear whether the defendants have qualified for bail bond or have retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

News reports indicate that according to the arrest report, William and Kenneth Paine were arrested at on Sunday evening at Primrose Park in Wellington, located in the 1600 block of Primrose lane. An onlooker reportedly called police to report that a fight was taking place at the park, prompting a deputy to come investigate. The arrest report purportedly stated that several witnesses claimed that the Paines had arrived at the park and started yelling at a group of teenagers who were playing basketball.

One teen, a 15-year-old whose name is not known, alleged that the younger Paine was aggressive and approached him in order to instigate a fight. The teen said that he pushed Paine and that Paine reciprocated by grabbing his arm, shoving him to the ground, then punching him several times. The teen was reportedly left with cuts on his face. It is not clear whether he required medical treatment.

During the alleged altercation, a witness apparently approached William Paine, who was apparently standing by and watching the fight, and asked him to intervene. Paine allegedly told the witness "you don't know what's going on here," then shoved him, causing him to fall to the ground. It is not clear what the elder Paine was referring to. Although it appears likely that the younger Paine and the 15-year-old knew each other somehow and something had occurred to anger the Paines, reports do not detail what this might have been.

While William and Kenneth Paine were both arrested, another area resident was arrested this week after allegedly attacking a family member. Barry Jay Webster of Jupiter, Florida was apprehended and booked at Palm Beach County Jail after he allegedly threatened his brother with a knife. 49-year-old Webster, who was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, was reportedly denied bail bond. It is not clear whether he has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

Continue reading "William Paine and Kenneth Michael Paine Arrested in Wellington, Florida for Battery" »

Over 30 Palm Beach, Florida area residents have been arrested as a part of Operation D Minus, according to Palm Beach Sheriff's Office spokespeople. Operation D Minus, which is meant to lessen the number of Palm Beach drug offenses in schools, involves undercover school police officers posed as students in area schools. The police officers are searching for illegal drug offenders, such as sellers and users, who make up the majority of the arrested parties.

Most of the defendants, the bulk of whom were arrested this week, remain anonymous because of their status as minors. Nearly all of them were evidently charged with selling marijuana or other drugs within 1,000 feet of a school or park or trespassing on a school campus. It is not clear how many of the defendants have been released on bail bond, although the Palm Beach Police chief reportedly said that the majority were free on bond pending legal proceedings. It is not immediately apparent whether any of them has retained a private criminal defense lawyer. It is also not clear whether the minor defendants will be tried as adults.

According to sources, the defendants in the sting were arrested at five different area high schools: Royal Palm Beach High School, (11 students), Jupiter High School (10 students), William T. Dwyer and Park Vista High Schools (3 students each), and Palm Beach High School (at least seven students). Three of the Palm Beach High School students, Andrew Hylton, Alec Jackson, Fredler Gertin, were mentioned by name in local news because they are 18 years of age. Three Independent Middle School students and two home-schooled students were also purportedly arrested. Finally, two adults, an 18-year-old high school dropout and a 20-year-old adult education student, were also charged.

Continue reading "Over 30 Palm Beach, Florida Students Arrested in Operation D Minus" »

Michael and Leonardo Rodriguez were arrested in Palm Beach, Florida after they were accused of stealing from two Sunshine Flea Market shops, reports indicate. Michael Rodriguez, 27, and Leonardo Rodriguez, 48, are reportedly father and son. Both were charged with grand theft and burglary and booked at Palm Beach County Jail on Tuesday. Both men were reportedly released on bail bond; Michael Rodriguez on $16,000 bond and Leonardo Rodriguez on $6,000 bond. It is not clear whether either party has retained a private criminal defense lawyer.

According to reports, the arrests took place after Palm Beach County officials accused the Rodriguez duo of conducting a robbery in the Sunshine Flea Market on April 16th. Sources indicate that two businesses in the flea market reported $5,250 worth of merchandise, including $750 worth of fine jewelry, stolen from the stores. Reports to dot mention the names of the stores, though one is reportedly a jewelry store and the other is a shoe shop.

Michael Rodriguez worked as an armed security guard at the market before his arrest. Sources indicate that Michael Rodriguez told investigators that on the night of the alleged robbery, his father had brought him dinner and suggested taking a look at some of the shops. Leonard Rodriguez allegedly conducted the robbery on the jewelry store while his son stood lookout. Authorities also believe that Michael Rodriguez moved the security cameras before the break-in and gave his father information about the interior of the store.

The day after the alleged burglary, the two store owners reportedly reported the incidents. The jewelry shop's owners evidently told officials that his security cameras had been repositioned, while the shoe shop owner reported that his store was missing laptop computers and multiple pairs of sneakers. The flea market has not released a statement regarding the alleged incident. Authorities evidently used footage from security cameras in the area to make the arrests, including some that allegedly shows Michael and Leonard Rodriguez crawling under a barrier protecting the shoe store.

Continue reading "Michael and Leonardo Rodriguez Arrested in Palm Beach, Florida for Robbery" »

Robert Mark Van Wagner of Port St. Lucie was arrested after he allegedly tried to get underage girls to give him socks that they had worn. Van Wagner, 33, was charged with one felony count of lewd and lascivious exhibition committed on or in the presence of persons less than 16 and one misdemeanor charge of loitering or prowling, news reports indicate. It is not clear whether he has qualified for bail bond or has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

Sources indicate that Van Wagner was arrested after an incident on Saturday afternoon in Port St. Lucie's Sportsman's Park. Three girls 12-13 years in age reportedly told police officers that a man had approached them with two bags of socks. The man allegedly asked the girls to don the socks and wear them while at the park, then give them back to him. The girls reportedly refused to comply with the mans request, at which point the man allegedly put the socks on a park bench and drove off in a beige pickup truck. It is not clear whether officers were called to the scene or if they happened to be passing by and were flagged down by the victims.

While the girls were telling the officers about the incident, Van Wagner allegedly drove by the park in a beige pickup truck that matched the victims' description of the suspects' vehicle. Officers followed Van Wagner and apprehended him at the corner of Northwest Prima Vista Boulevard and Northwest Curtis Street, sources indicate.

Upon being apprehended, Van Wagner allegedly told investigators that he had a sock "fetish" and that he had been asking girls playing at local parks to give him their used socks for years. Investigators suspect that Van Wagner may be responsible for a similar incident that allegedly occurred at the same park last Wednesday.

Van Wagner is a media specialist at Jensen Beach High School, sources indicate. It is not clear whether he will be able to keep his employment at the school following his arrest. It is unknown whether the school district plans on releasing a comment.

Van Wagner was hardly the only area resident to run into trouble with the law this weekend. Edwin Diddier Jaramillo, 33, was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly smashed a glass door of his ex-girlfriend's home because he thought that she was seeing another man, news sources indicate. Jaramillo was arrested on charged of criminal mischief and aggravated stalking and booked a Palm Beach County Jail. He was denied bail bond at an initial hearing, according to reports. It is not clear whether Mr. Jaramillo has retained a private criminal defense attorney.

Continue reading "Port St. Lucie Man Arrested for Lewd of Lascivious Exhibition" »