August 9, 2006
Miami Man Steals 1.5 Million in Cigarettes
Jerry Manuel was hauling $1.5 million worth of cigarettes before deciding to pull off at a Georgia truck stop for a quick break. He was not inside for long, but enough time for another man to steal his truck and trailer. According to Local10.com, Orestes Miribal, 43, stole Manuel's semi and started heading south. Authorities used a tracking device to lead them to Miribal but all they found was a truck. Miribal was later caught with the trailer and a different truck. He was charged with grand theft.
Photo Credit: First Coast News
| July 5, 2006
Trial Underway in Tampa Mirrors Miami Vice
In today's Tampa Bay Tribune, Elaine Silvestrini wrote a fascinating story about one of the largest drug busts in U.S. history and the trial that began today in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich. Throughout the 1980's until the late 1990's, Joaquin Mario Valencia-Trujillo, also known as Oscar Martniez, is believed to be responsible for pushing 20% of the cocaine into the United States. Due to some quirky Columbian law, Valencia who was believed to be the Colombian cocaine supplier to Miami drug lords Salvador Magluta and Augusto Guillermo "Willie" Falcon will only be charged for crimes committed after 1998.
Valencia who has $500 million in assets had his assets frozen but is getting strong representation from two public defenders. The Tribune piece also delves into the role of the FBI's star informant who has assisted with 775 arrests and 400 tons of cocaine. The trial is expected to last about six months and should result in some fascinating testimony that would resonate even with a casual Miami Vice fan.
Photo Credit: DEA
June 13, 2006
Attack on Yahoo E-Mail
Yahoo issued a statement earlier today indicating that a small fraction of it's email users were attacked with a message titled "New Graphic Site." If opened the file will infect the computer user and members found in the address book.
Miami Man Takes Cab To Rob Bank, and Snags Lunch
It sounds like a scene from the Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx film Collateral - swap Jamie with Miami Diamond Cab Driver Rene Joseph and Tom with Dave Jobson. According to a report by NBC6 and followed up by the Sun-Sentinel things went down like this:
1 p.m.: Joseph picks up Jobson at a Winn Dixie- just one block away from the Wachovia Bank at 10th Avenue and
14th terrace
1:20 p.m.: Jobson walks up to the teller with a withdrawal slip and a note requesting 10 g's in 30 seconds.
He walks away with $2000.
Minutes Later: Jobson returns to the cab and orders Jobson to drive him to Dogma Restaurant, a hot dog restaurant.
After ordering his food, he gives Joseph the change from the stolen $100 bill he used for his food.
Around 5 p.m.: Police apprehend Jobson trying to catch another cab outside of a hotel.
The report says Jobson did not have a gun as he had indicated on the withdrawal slip, but he was
arrested and charged with strong-arm robbery.
Photo Credit: A.N. (Not Associated)
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May 31, 2006
Ronald McDonald Ripped in Miramar
While this bit of crime didn't happen in Miami, when something happens to Ronald McDonald we see it as a matter of national importance. A man dressed in a yellow jumpsuit, red-and-white striped shirt and red boots took off with the Ronald McDonald statue in Miramar Beach either late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Ronald has been stolen before, but no one suspected it would happen again after the statue was cemented to a bench. Apparently the Ronald snatcher got confused (wouldn't the Burglar costume have been more appropriate?) The statue is worth $2,000. Walton County authorities are still investigating.
May 29, 2006
A Long Weekend For Crime
Nearly 600 people spent their holiday weekend in handcuffs including Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas and forward Awvee Storey and Pittsburgh Steelers Santonio Holmes. In a story reported by The Miami Herald, a police spokesman said that arrests were up by 224 from Memorial Day weekend 2005. While the number of police officers on duty remained the same as last year, there were less dressed in uniform and more in plain clothes. Hernandez told The Herald that arrests may have been lower last year because there were more officers in uniform which may have deterred people from breaking the law.
Most of the arrests were for misdemeanors such as drinking in public, public drug use, disorderly conduct or minor possession. Police also made felony arrests. Forty-four firearms were confiscated.
Photo Credit: Google Images
May 26, 2006
The Missing Picasso
The Miami Herald reported that the original 1925 Charcoal drawing was stolen from a yacht in a Miami River dry dock two years ago. The large luxury yacht was being repaired when the sketch for Picasso’s Les Trois Danseuses was stolen.
Police arrested handyman Orlando Granados, 48, on Thursday after trying to obtain the sketch through covert operations and failing. It is suspected that Granados is a middleman because he called his contact and had the art work dropped off at the palm tree. Police could not apprehend the suspect, but did get the drawing. According to The Miami Herald, police can’t figure out why the drop off place chosen was the palm tree. The owner of the Bakery near which the palm is located said that this may just be the most expensive Santeria offering ever left at the Palm. The Herald also reported that Granados was wearing a necklace worn by Santeria worshippers around his neck in his booking photo.
Photo Credit: Tate.org
May 23, 2006
DNA Evidence Expected to Free Florida Man
Barry Sheck's Innocence Project might exonerate a Florida man convicted of sexual assualt in 1983. Orlando Bosquete, 51, is expected to be released today barring any unforseen complications related to immigration papers. The Miami Herald discusses the original incident in 1983, Bosquete's two seperate prison breaks, his life on the run and his struggle to prove his innocence. Bosque was serving a 55 year sentence and spent ten years on the run. According to the Hearld, he took odd jobs in several states and used identification papers of recently deceased Hispanics. Bosquete will be the 178th person freed by the Innocence Project and the first escapee to be exonerated.
May 4, 2006
Attempted Robbery
It's been done a million times in movies. Two tough guys ride up on their motorcycles, make the robbery of a lifetime and speed off to a cheap hotel where they split the money and drink to their success. Fortunately, in real life it doesn't always work out this way.
According to local10.com, police said two men on motorcycles attempted to rob an armored Brinks truck yesterday, but didn't have much luck. The men allegedly drove in front of the truck forcing the driver to stop. They then pointed a handgun at the driver and demanded he open the door. The driver refused and the two men sped off on their bikes when two patrol cars drove by.
Photo Credit: Google Images
May 3, 2006
Political Sex Scandal
North Miami city attorney Barry Kutun was arrested outside his office yesterday. According to a story by The Miami Herald, an affidavit which alleged Kutun had sex with a minor, prompted police to begin an investigation in January.
Kutun was charged yesterday with two counts of unlawful sex with a minor. Police said they found that Kutun had visited an inappropriate Web site on his work computer. Also on the computer; a nude photo of him posing on a bed. The former state representative also allegedly gave out radios, TVs and cash to a 16-year-old in exchange for unprotected sex.
He was release on $15,000 bond yesterday and his attorney denies that his client had sex with the teen.
For more detailed information, check out the story by DAVID OVALLE on Miamiherald.com
April 18, 2006
An Easter Exhibit Gone Awry
Mascots are scary. Oversized heads, inability to speak without a muffled sound, some sort of webbed feet or claws, but the Easter bunny is supposed to be different. For many, the bunny stands for a day filled with good food, family and friends and of course Easter egg hunts, but what happens when the rabbit turns nasty?
According to a story by local10.com, a man playing the role of the Easter bunny this year, took off his bunny head and allegedly punched a customer at a Ft. Myers mall. Police reports said the customer was upset that the photo exhibit was closing early on Saturday night. The 22-year-old bunny denies punching the customer and the exhibit manager said that she was the one to throw the punch after the customer pinched her. The bunny and the manager were fired and both are charged with battery and disturbing the peace. They were taken to the Lee County Jail. We just hope neither of them has a Santa costume.
Photo Credit: Google Images
April 17, 2006
Rape Suspect Caught
A rape suspect, who got away from police the first time by stealing their cruiser, has been caught. Carlos Garay was arrested for sexual battery charges last week, but somehow managed to steal a patrol car and drive away handcuffs and all. Police found him yesterday hiding in his parent's attic in West Miami. When police tried to catch Garay he ran into the shower. He was finally detained after officers used a Taser on him. According to 7 News Online, Garay can now add grand theft auto and escape charges to his sexual battery charges.
April 13, 2006
An Arrest Made; Three Decades Later
Maria Otero was found guilty of second degree murder and was arrested yesterday. The only problem is that she committed this murder 30 years ago. Otero, now 87-years-old, was convicted in 1975, but failed to show up in court for sentencing. According to The Miami Herald, a cold case warrants squad found Otero living at a Miami address under a different name.
Photo Credit: Local10.com
April 12, 2006
Drive-By Shooting; One Dead In Miami Gardens
The owner of One-Stop Belly, a deli in Miami Gardens, was killed by a drive-by shooting which occurred late Tuesday night. An unidentified man was also shot and is in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. According to a story reported by The Miami Herald, a witness said he saw a Montecarlo speeding past the deli. Police are not sure if the car and the shooting are connected.
April 10, 2006
Miami Lakes Robbery
A family living in Miami Lakes was tied up and robbed late last night. At around 10 p.m. two men knocked at the door of the home on 8980 NW 147th Terrace and forced their way in. They men tied both the husband and wife up, and demanded money and jewels. The couple’s two young daughters were left alone and unharmed according to 7Newsonline. The father of the children was beaten when he resisted.
The two men drove away in the family's white Ford Expedition. If you have any information, please call Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers at 305-471-TIPS.