Florida Criminal Defense Blog | Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group

Seminole Man Facing Felony DUI Charge After Third Drunk Driving Arrest

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jan 23, 2020 | Dui

Authorities in Pinellas County say the third time was decidedly not a charm for a Seminole man they arrested last week on suspicion of drunk driving. Deputies say the 50-year-old man first came to their attention by way of an off-duty firefighter/EMT who reported on Friday morning seeing a vehicle near Starkey and David swerving in traffic. The witness said the driver was "nodding off" as he drove as well. Officers caught up with the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. They say the defendant showed signs of impairment, including slurred speech and difficulty standing straight and still....

California Doctor Sentenced To 24 Months In Federal Prison For Medicare Fraud and Illegal Opioid Prescriptions

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jan 17, 2020 | Government Fraud

A federal judge sentenced a California physician last week on charges related to his alleged defrauding of Medicare and illegal prescriptions of opioids.Prosecutors say the 56-year-old Californian prescribed unnecessary home health services in exchange for illegal kickbacks. From early 2011 through the spring of 2016, the defendant submitted fraudulent paperwork to Medicare in order to receive the improper reimbursements, and he said in his guilty plea that he either did not see the patients to whom the equipment was prescribed or only saw them for a brief, superficial examination.In...

Deputies Say Curiosity Leads Hudson Man To Kill Pedestrian With His Vehicle

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jan 13, 2020 | Criminal Charges

Authorities say a Hudson man planned to randomly kill a man for months prior to striking a pedestrian with his vehicle last week. Now he faces a charge of premeditated murder as a result.Deputies say the 21-year-old man told them he wanted to know what it felt like to kill another human being, motivating him to look for an opportunity to do so for several weeks. They say he recognized his chance last week when he spotted a 75-year-old man walking along Aripeka Road in the early afternoon of January 10.Passing the man in one direction, the defendant allegedly executed a u-turn and aimed his...

Police Capture Men Who Allegedly Robbed Pharmacy By Following Trail Of Empty Pill Bottles

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jan 10, 2020 | Drug Crimes

Two of three men alleged to have stolen prescription drugs from a pharmacy are in custody after police say they were able to track them down by following a trail of pill bottles. Deputies say the trio stormed a pharmacy early on New Years Day, armed and carrying bags they'd soon fill with stolen drugs. One man allegedly hurdled the counter and demanded that the pharmacist open the safes containing prescription painkillers, while the other two allegedly bound the store's other employees and led them to the rear of the building. With garbage bags full of prescription opioids, investigators say...

Zephyrhills Man Charged With DUI Manslaughter Allegedly On Drugs When He Caused Fatal Crash

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 31, 2019 | Dui

Pasco County authorities say a Zephyrhills man was under the influence of drugs when he caused a car accident that turned fatal last week. According to deputies, the 36-year-old man was driving his 2008 Lincoln MKZ on Friday afternoon when he approached a stop sign at Lynbrook Drive and Old Lakeland Highway (County Road 535). In the intersection at the time was the Ford F-150 driven by a 70-year-old Michigan man. Rather than stopping for the sign, deputies say the MKZ proceeded into the intersection and rammed the F-150, sending it spinning out of control. The truck rolled, sending the...

Florida struggles with white collar crimes, data shows

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 26, 2019 | White Collar Crimes

Every year, there are rankings put together to identify areas in the United States that have the most crime of certain types. This year, one article describes how Florida ranks when considering white collar crimes.White collar crimes do account for hundreds of billions of dollars in losses, and they take place across the United States. Florida has three of the top 25 worst cities for white collar crime. In Florida, Orlando, Tampa and Miami are cities where you're most likely to see white collar crimes take place according to historical data. Data shows that there are over 4,200 white collar...

Gibsonton Man Facing Murder, Corpse Abuse Charges After Allegedly Killing Acquaintance And Dismembering His Body

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 20, 2019 | Capital Murder

A Gibsonton man is facing several felony charges on allegations by the police that he murdered another man and dismembered his body in order to attempt to cover for the crime. Hillsborough County investigators say the 32-year-old man was in a trailer home with another 29-year-old man in late November, as well as four other witnesses. The witnesses say the defendant ordered them to retire to a bedroom and remain there until told otherwise. Witnesses say they heard the report of a handgun shortly afterwards, followed by the return of the defendant. Upon his return the witnesses say the...

Tampa Man Facing Attempted Murder Charges After Alleged Drive-By Shooting Injures One

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 19, 2019 | Criminal Charges

A Tampa man is facing attempted murder charges after police say he perpetrated a shooting that injured one person. According to Tampa police, the 24-year-old man was in the area of University Mall on December 9 when a shooting occurred. Few details were released, but what is alleged is that the defendant was the same person seen leaving the scene of the crime. Tampa police were alerted to a wounded individual shortly after 1 P.M. Witnesses identified a blue Nissan Altima leaving the scene with the defendant at the wheel. Officers treated the wounded individual until Tampa Fire Department...

OFAC Sanctions Trio Of Lebanese Men For Allegedly Aiding Hizballah

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 18, 2019 | OFAC

The Federal government last week announced sanctions against a trio of Lebanese men and several companies associated with them over allegations that they are involved in laundering money for Hizballah.The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) say the men and their network have laundered tens of millions of dollars for the terror group and its allies, whom OFAC says engage in illegal activity that places Hizballah's interest ahead of those of the Lebanese people.Among the misdeeds engaged in by the sanctioned individuals is massive tax evasion, which it...

Man hides methamphetamine in belly button, gets caught

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 13, 2019 | Drug Charges

Drug charges can have a serious impact on your life and freedoms. If you're accused, you could be arrested and may have to spend time in jail. You may face harsh penalties and fines, too. Most of the time, once you're caught, it's a smart choice to be cooperative. If you're asked if you have more, you can stay silent instead of giving an answer one way or another.Sometimes, fact is stranger than fiction in these cases, but many people will do anything they can to avoid being caught with drugs. Take, for example, this man who hid a bag of methamphetamines in his belly button. According to the...