Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - senseless

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

A really sad story in the St. Pete Times website that shows how a few minutes of not paying attention can add up to a lifetime of pain, regret and punishment...

CLEARWATER — Nobody knows for sure how long the woman left her 10-month-old grandson unattended in the bathtub.

She told police it could've been anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. She put him in the bathtub for "some alone time" and forgot about him after snorting Alprazolam and possibly oxycdone, she later told a Clearwater police detective.

By the time she pulled the baby from the water Sept. 4, he was not breathing. An autopsy said that he drowned.

Now the woman, 42, of St. Petersburg, Florida has been charged with aggravated manslaughter. Police say she was high on prescription medication when the baby drowned.

According to a court document released Monday, the woman was watching the child for her daughter that afternoon in a Clearwater apartment.

About 4:30 p.m., the woman's boyfriend came to the apartment on N Saturn Avenue. He told police that Wooten answered the door, then promptly disappeared into the bathroom. She emerged holding the limp body.

Police did not identify the boyfriend. The man said he called 911 and started CPR. The baby was taken to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said the woman appeared intoxicated when detectives interviewed her right after the incident. Her urine tested positive for benzodiazepines, oxycodone and THC. A blood test confirmed the presence of Alprazolam.

After the results came in, detectives obtained an arrest warrant Nov. 22. Early Thursday, St. Petersburg, Florida police came into contact with her regarding an unrelated matter and arrested her for the warrant, Clearwater police said. On Monday, she was being held in the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

The lady was found guilty in July of leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and has previous convictions for obtaining property with a worthless check, grand theft and possession of cocaine, according to Pinellas County court records.

On her Facebook page bio, the boy's mother, says she just lost her baby and all she has left is her 2-year-old daughter. She posted this Sept. 28 as is: "That was my heart soul and mind. Twan iam so sorry for what grandma did to you.i will always love you."

Two weeks earlier, the suspect posted this on her own Facebook page as is: "To all who feel im guilty. I sware it was an accident i would never do anything to hurt my grandbabies they are my life they are who i live for."

Interestingly, the police did not charge her with a possession of controlled substance as a result of her urine test. That is because the law is clear...you need to be in ACTUAL possession of the drug (such as cocaine or (marijuana) to be charged...it is not enough to have used the drug at some point.

Have you or a loved one been arrested for a drug charge or violent crime? Then contact the Clearwater criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free consultation!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Clearwater criminal defense lawyers contact BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the lawyers your questions at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104 in Clearwater, across from the criminal courthouse in the airport business center, minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - drugs

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

Another day, another article on prescription drugs and the potential for abuse (see here for more). This article courtesy of the St. Pete Times...

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA — While working with federal investigators Tuesday afternoon, Pinellas County sheriff's deputies arrested two Tennessee residents on charges of trafficking in oxycodone, authorities said.

Narcotics detectives with the Sheriff's Office were assisting the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service in an investigation at a home in St. Petersburg when they found a man and woman with at least 0.98 ounces of the prescription pain killer oxycodone, said a Sheriff's Office Sgt.

Arrested were Kevin Bussell, 35, of Tazewell, Tenn., and Amanda Bible, 25, of Harrogate, Tenn.

Bussell and Bible were found at the home at 6065 38th Ave. N at 1 p.m.

According to property appraiser records, the two don't own the home, which has a market value of $125,000.

The Sheriff's Office declined to release any other information.

A spokeswoman for IRS criminal investigations out of the Nashville field office, confirmed the agency was working with the Drug Enforcement Administration and local authorities but said she could not comment on the ongoing investigation."

Many people don't realize that a charge like trafficking in prescription drugs or possession of oxycodone carries the same punishment as a posession of cocaine or trafficking in heroin charge! In the state of Florida, the law does not distinguish between prescription and non-prescription "recreational" drugs.

Have you or a loved one been arrested for a drug charge or drug trafficking? Then contact the Clearwater criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free consultation!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced St. Petersburg criminal defense lawyers, please contact BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the lawyers your questions at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104 in Clearwater, across from the criminal courthouse in the airport business center, minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - another celebrity DUI

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

Hopefully this won't become a pattern but not even a month after a Tampa Bay Buccaneer was arrested for drug possession, another player got arrested for drinking and driving according to an article in the St. Pete Times website.

TAMPA — Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout rookie wide receiver Mike Williams was arrested on a DUI charge early Friday.

Williams, 23, was arrested about 2:48 a.m. near U.S. 301 and Causeway Boulevard, according to jail records. He was booked at 4:44 a.m. and released at 8:04 a.m. after posting $500 bail.

Williams was driving a black Cadillac 57 mph in a 45 mph zone and weaving between lanes, said the Hillsborough County sheriff's spokesman.

Two Breathalyzer tests found his blood-alcohol level at .065 and .061, records show, below the limit of .08 at which the state presumes impairment.

But Williams failed a field sobriety test, smelled of alcohol and appeared to have glassy eyes per the reports. A urine test was conducted and results are pending, he said. A urine test is done if a deputy suspects a driver is impaired by a substance other than alcohol.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers officials said Williams will travel to San Francisco Friday with the team and play in Sunday's game against the 49ers.

Head coach Raheem Morris said the decision to let Williams play was tough.

"I'm very disappointed about the bad decision that he made to be out late and about the worse decision he made to drink and drive," Morris said Friday. "I was very pleased with his ability to be cooperative and not be disrespectful and make this thing even worse than it could be.

"It happens. It hurts our fans. It hurts our team. It hurts everybody on this football team. But Mike Williams not playing this weekend would hurt the fans more."

Officials aren't saying what impact the charge will have on Williams for the rest of the season.

"Right now we have a young team that's trying to search for the longevity," Morris said. "If he wants to be a part of that longevity, he certainly has to clean up his act."

With blood-alcohol results below .08, a case against Williams could be tough to prosecute, said a Tampa DUI defense attorney who is not connected to the Williams case. Urine test results are typically not a strong indicator of whatis in a driver's system at the time of the arrest. And the test results often take four months or longer to obtain. Often, a DUI defense attorney will ask for a speedy trial within 90 days, which is not enough time for a prosecutor to get the results.

The field sobriety test is a tool for law enforcement to use to determine if someone's normal faculties are impaired, but it's also not a strong enough indicator to prosecute someone, the lawyer said.

"I've never seen anyone pass the field sobriety exercises,".

Williams leads all rookies in receiving yards, ranks second among rookies in receiving touchdowns and has started all nine games this year for the Bucs. He has 40 receptions this season for 627 yards and five touchdowns. He averages 15.7 yards per catch. His longest reception this season was 58 yards.

His best game this season was against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 31 when he nabbed four catches for 105 yards and a touchdown.

The Bucs are 6-3 this year and tied for second place in the NFC South, one game behind the Atlanta Falcons.

The Buccaneers picked Williams in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He missed all of the 2008 season at Syracuse University after he was caught cheating on a test.

He missed part of the 2009 season after he was involved as a passenger in a car crash. Although the driver in the other car was faulted, Williams was suspended for violating curfew. It was the second curfew violation for Williams, and he left the team with five games left. He later said he left because of miscommunication with his coach.

Williams is the second Bucs player to run afoul of the law this season. The Bucs ended TE Jerramy Stevens' controversial tenure with the team Oct. 25, releasing the veteran two days after he was arrested on two felony marijuana possession charges.

Bucs' safety Tanard Jackson was suspended indefinitely by the NFL on Sept. 22 for violating its substance-abuse policy. He is not eligible for reinstatement until Sept. 22, 2011.

Cornerback Aqib Talib was suspended for the season opener for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, stemming from a 2009 arrest. Talib was arrested in St. Petersburg, Florida in August 2009 and charged with punching a cab driver while en route to the team hotel in Tampa. The case was not adjudicated until April.

A common misconception when dealing with DUI cases is the myth that police will let you go if your breath alcohol level is below a .08. In reality, Florida law presumes you are guilty of DUI if you are .08 or above. If you are in the .061-.065 range like Mike Williams that tends to neither prove or disprove the state of his impairment. Rather, the jury is supposed to take into account ALL the factors such as demeanor, driving pattern, field sobriety results, etc.

This article mentioned that his urine was tested for drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine or prescription medication. If he did have drugs in his system, depending on the amount and type, the state attorney may try and argue that the alcohol combined with the drugs resulted in a synergistic affect. In other words, the alcohol mixed with the drugs made him under the influence due to the two substances combining.

Have you or a loved one been arrested for a drug charge or a DUI? Then contact the Clearwater criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free consultation!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Clearwater criminal defense lawyers please contact BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the lawyers your questions at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104 in Clearwater, across from the criminal courthouse in the airport business center, minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - Crime Spree

By Nicholas Dorsten, esq.

Courtesy of Bay News 9 website, the police believe they know who did it...

TAMPA: Officials are still searching for two men they say committed a crime spree on Wednesday.

According to the Tampa Police department, two men 30 and 27, are the suspects in the CVS pharmacy robbery and carjacking that followed Wednesday afternoon.

Officials said the duo, who did not have a prescription, stole pain pills (possession of a controlled substance) from the CVS at 6202 Commerce Palms Drive in the Tampa Palms area and fled in a truck stolen from Apopka.

Police began to pursue the suspects on I-75, but lost track of them.

The suspects flipped the stolen pick-up truck on the highway after driving recklessly and then pistol-whipped and carjacked a woman who stopped to help them. After abandoning that vehicle, they carjacked a different woman and stole her Toyota Sequoia, which police believe they're still driving.

Arrest warrants were issued Wednesday night for Torres and Wilkes, who both recently were released from prison.

One man was released in August from two-year prison sentence for felony battery, grand theft auto and robbery. The other man was released in July from three-year prison sentence for aggravated assault.

Have you or a family member been charged with a theft crime or a violent crime? Then contact the Clearwater criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. today. The experienced criminal defense lawyers are available 24/7 and offer free consultations. Email your questions to www.info@blakedorstenlaw.com or contact them at (727)286-6141.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - DUI homicide

By Nicholas Dorsten, esq.

While DUI or "driving under the influence" gets written about quite often (see here or here for instance), this article I found in the St. Pete Times really brings home the human cost that drinking and driving may cause...

LARGO — There will be no trial for the Defendant accused of DUI manslaughter.

The 27-year-old St. Petersburg, Florida man will not get the maximum 50-year sentence for causing a crash that took two young lives. One victim's mother will never get the chance to tell a jury of the pain she's endured.

The judge's decision Monday to accept a plea agreement in the case was too much for the victim's mother, who lost her only son in the June crash the dui driver caused.

"I can't,'' she wailed and rushed from the packed courtroom after Circuit Judge Chris Helinger said she intended to allow the Defendant to plead guilty to two vehicular manslaughter charges.

For several minutes, the mother's agonized cries from the hallway accompanied the hearing that continued in a courtroom at the Criminal Justice Center.

She was not in the courtroom when Helinger formally accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant to 20 years in prison. He also pleaded guilty to driving without a valid license, driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance. His driving privileges will be permanently revoked.

The defendant, who will turn 28 next week, was high on prescription pain medication and was traveling about 70 mph in a 45 mph construction zone when he slammed into several cars on U.S. 19 in Clearwater on June 19.

The eight-car pileup killed two people, a 22-year-old and a 23-year-old both of Odessa. Several other people were injured.

The defendant originally told investigators he was a passenger, and not the driver, of the Chevy Avalanche that caused the crash. He was arrested five days later, after the Chevy's vehicle data recorder indicated that the passenger seat was unoccupied at the time of the wreck.

At Monday's hearing, the defendant told the judge he has been depressed since the accident and has "episodes where I cry uncontrollably."

The victim's mother said the defendant had a chance at a pretrial hearing last week to apologize for killing her son.

"You could have apologized to me last week, but you didn't. You're only looking out for your best interest," she said.

She referred to his record as a habitual traffic offender and urged Helinger to give him more time "so we can have safer streets."

Like the mother, prosecutors wanted the defendant to serve more than 20 years.

But Helinger said she found the plea agreement "reasonable" and said she hoped it would offer "an early resolution" to the case.

Helinger acknowledged that the victims' families were not happy with her verdict.

"There is no amount of years which can bring back your boy," she told amother, who remained in the courtroom.

"My only hope for the families is at least you can start processing your grief."

Have you or someone you loved been charged with a DUI? Do you need the help of a St. Petersburg Criminal Defense lawyer or Clearwater DUI attorney? Then Call Blake & Dorsten, P.A. today!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced criminal defense attorneys, please contact the law firm of BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email your questions to: info@blakedorstenlaw.com

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - domestic bust!

By Nicholas Dorsten, esq.

While this is not the first time I wrote about domestic violence ( see here and here for instance, this article still drew my attention...

CLEARWATER — A man accused of choking his girlfriend was arrested Wednesday morning after, authorities said, he threatened to shoot police officers who responded to the scene.

The defendant, 21, of Clearwater was charged with domestic battery by strangulation, battery, threatening a public official and resisting arrest with violence.

According to Clearwater police, the defendant began choking his 26-year-old girlfriend during an argument just before 8 a.m. at 118 N Hillcrest Ave..

When the couple's roommate tried to intervene, the defendant commited a battery by pushing him into a wall, police said.

Then the victim and the roomate called police.

The defendant fled when officers arrived, but was quickly taken into custody not far from the home.

After the arrest, hethreatened to shoot the officers on scene, police said.

According to an arrest report, hefirst begged to be released. When the officers refused, he vowed to "find and kill" one officer and his family.

Then, he said, "If I had my piece, I'll shoot you n----- cops," according to the report.

Police determined he did not have a gun.

On Wednesday afternoon, he was being held without bail in the Pinellas County Jail.

The defendant has had previous convictions for driving under the influence and marijuana possession, according to Pinellas County court records.

Have you or a loved one been arrested for domestic violence or violent crime? Then contact the Clearwater criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free consultation!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Clearwater criminal defense lawyers, please contact BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the lawyers your questions at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104 in Clearwater, across from the criminal courthouse in the airport business center, minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - drug deal gone bad

By Nicholas Dorsten, esq.

A recent online article is a reminder of how dangerous the world of illegal drug buys can still be. While I have blogged about drug deals before, this one is really tragic.

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA — Buyer and seller had made this deal many times before, according to St. Petersburg police. One man was the drug dealer. Another man bought the illegal drugs. They had been at it for months, police said.

But something went wrong during Tuesday night's transaction, when police said one man shot and murdered the other man around 10:22 p.m. at the Peppertree Village Condos, 876 116th Ave. N.

The deceased was taken to Bayfront Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his upper body. The 25-year-old was pronounced dead at 11 p.m. in what police called a drug deal gone awry.

By Wednesday afternoon, undercover detectives tracked down the suspect at his home and took him into custody without incident.

The accused, 26, was arrested on a charge of second-degree murder.

A St. Petersburg Major said his detectives are still piecing together what happened that night but believe that the suspect may have become alarmed during his last deal with the victim.

The victim had arrived with three friends and approached the defendant's sport utility vehicle with a pistol stuck in his waistband, police said. So then he pulled out a revolver, shot the victim in the upper body and drove off, according to police.

Witnesses said the two men didn't even speak to each other before the shooting.

But the defendant left behind the gun, which police said they found.

Both suspect and victim have criminal records. The victim, who lived in St. Petersburg was first arrested at age 14 for burglary, records show.

He was also repeatedly arrested for aggravated assault with a weapon, aggravated battery, driving under the influence, grand theft, larceny, and possession and sale of morphine, according to state records.

The victim, also of St. Petersburg, was repeatedly arrested on charges of sale and possession of drugs from 2005 to 2007, records show


Been arrested on a drug offense? Need experienced drug crime lawyers? Then call Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free initial consultation. We handle all drug offenses including possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, drug trafficking and many more.

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced criminal defense attorneys, please contact the law firm of BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email your questions: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located across from the 49th street Courthouse in Clearwater, at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104, Clearwater, 33762, minutes from St. Petersburg, Fl and Tampa.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer : DUI no laughing matter

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

A humorous article in the St. Petersburg Times that shows while honesty is a virtue, it may not get you out of a drunk driving charge!

TAMPA — A motorist who told a deputy he shouldn't be driving in his condition — but did anyway — was charged with drunken driving Wednesday, records show.

A sheriff's report shows that blood-alcohol levels of the drunk driver, 49, registered .372 and .382 percent — more than four times the legal limit in Florida of .08.

A deputy saw the DUI driver behind the wheel of a 2010 silver Toyota swerving and braking near Bearrs Avenue and Smitter Road around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The arrest report says the Tampa DUI defendant, after being read his rights, said he had consumed eight 16-ounce cans of beer that day.

The deputy wrote that the Tampa drunk driving defendant, could barely keep his eyes open and had to sit several times during questioning.

Jail records shows he was being held in Hillsborough County jail late Thursday on $500 bail.

What can happen to this defendant if he doesn't get an expereienced DUI defense attorney? Well for starters, he will have only 10 days to apply for a temporary drivers permit, if he doesn't, then he can be arrested for driving while license suspended if he gets behind the wheel. An experienced DWI defense lawyer will be able to help the accused get through the complicated DUI system and navigate through the potential mindfields.

Have you or someone you loved been charged with a DUI? Do you need the help of a St. Petersburg Criminal Defense lawyer or Clearwater DUI attorney? Then Call Blake & Dorsten, P.A. today!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced criminal defense attorneys, please contact the law firm of BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email your questions to: info@blakedorstenlaw.com

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - Prescription drug nightmare

By Nicholas Dorsten, esq.

The st. Pete times keeps showing the harm that prescription drug abuse can cause....

ST. PETERSBURG FLORIDA — As a major with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in the 1980s, Jim Coats sounded the alarm that the crack cocaine epidemic sweeping the country was responsible for a surge in property crimes.

As chief deputy in the 1990s, he witnessed the surge in heroin deaths and drug trafficking charges in the county.

Still, he said Tuesday, nothing compares to the challenges facing law enforcement in regard to prescription drug abuse in the 21st century.

"I've never seen a drug problem as severe as the one we're facing now," said Coats, who has spent almost 40 years in law enforcement. "It touches all walks of life."

Coats was one of about 100 law enforcement officers from west-central Florida who attended a one-day illegal prescription drug summit Tuesday in St. Petersburg.

The conference was put on by Purdue Pharma, a Stamford, Conn.-based pharmaceutical company that makes powerful pain medications including Dilaudid and OxyContin. A company spokeswoman said Tuesday she could not release annual sales figures for the privately owned company. But a November report by the Gale Group estimated Purdue's sales at $488 million in 2009.

The company was in the Tampa Bay area after identifying it as one of 10 regions throughout the country that has seen a spike in prescription drug abuse and related crimes, said Landon Gibbs, the company's director of corporate security.

"The goals are to share information about the issue and to help law enforcement prevent and solve crimes," Gibbs said.

In the Tampa Bay area, prescription overdose deaths doubled from 339 to 681 from 2005 to 2009, the last year for which statistics are available.

In 2009, 179 people overdosed on illegal prescription drugs in Pinellas County — an average of one person every 49 hours.

In addition to the number of overdose deaths, the number of drug diversion cases and arrests in Pinellas County also have grown over the past two years.

Drug diversion refers to cases where prescription drugs are diverted for recreational or illicit use. In some cases, like one reported in Pinellas on Tuesday, drugs are being stolen from the homes of people with legitimate medical needs. Other cases include people who feign injuries or create fraudulent prescriptions to get medications. Some are doctor shoppers who go to a variety of doctors seeking pill prescriptions.

The Sheriff's Office made 243 drug diversion arrests in 2009, compared to 83 the year before.

Fueling the increase could be the increased resources that the department has put on the problem, said a Sheriff's Office spokeswoman. Over the past two years, the number of detectives assigned to drug diversion cases grew from two to 13. A Sheriff's Office-led task force also includes four members from other agencies.

"Of course if you have more detectives assigned to follow up on these cases, you're going to find more cases and conduct more arrests," Barreda said.

Investigators are seeing small, loosely organized rings of Pinellas drug traffickers who recruit others, sometimes transients, and pay them to get prescriptions, said the head of the Sheriff's Office narcotics division.

The recruit makes a small fee and ring members feed their addictions or sell the drugs for profit. The going rate for a pain pill in Pinellas County can be anywhere from $8 to $15 a pill, though the price is even higher in other parts of the country.

Gibbs also said he planned to share information about RxPatrol, a Purdue-funded database designed to collect and analyze information about pharmacy robberies, with the law enforcement officers.

The database, he said, is credited with facilitating 103 arrests since its inception in 2003.

"We don't want people abusing our products or anyone else's products," he said.

Coats said he supports greater emphasis on treating addicts, some of whom want help but can't find it or afford it.

Alfonso predicts the problem will get worse before it gets better. For each Pinellas doctor shopper taken off the street, another appears: "It's like shooting fish in a barrel."

While I have blogged about prescription drug abuse in the past, it appears that it is becoming even more of an epidemic. What does that mean for a St. Petersburg, Florida criminal defense attorney or his or her clients? While not widly known, in the state of florida, possession of prescription drugs(like oxy or zanax) without a prescription carries the same points and same potential punishment as illegal drugs such as cocaine or meth!

Have you or a loved one been arrested for a drug charge or drug trafficking? Then contact the Clearwater criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free consultation!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Clearwater criminal defense lawyers please contact BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the lawyers your questions at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104 in Clearwater, across from the criminal courthouse in the airport business center, minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - kids and drugs

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

While this blog has written much about drugs or drug trafficking before, an old article I found on the st. Petersburg times archives show just how desperate some people can be when it comes to addiction or illegal drugs...

HILLSBOROUGH - A special education teacher at East Bay High School has been accused of cocaine trafficking, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
The defendant, a then 33 year old female, faces charges of trafficking in cocaine, from 28 to 200 grams, according to an arrest report.

The accused, who has worked at the Apollo Beach school for six years, turned herself into the Hillsborough County jail at 10 a.m. Friday, said a sheriff's spokesman.

On Wednesday, the DEA and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office served a federal search warrant at the accused's home, seizing about 4.5 ounces of cocaine. Investigators found 112 grams of cocaine upstairs on a television stand, and 7 more grams of illegal drugs stuffed inside a dresser, the spokesman said. An ounce of cocaine in Tampa sold for $600 to $900 back in 2006.

The next day, authorities arrested another man and accused him of trying to deliver cocaine to the defendant.

The two-month investigation into the teacher's drug activity started with a tip to law enforcement, according to DEA special agent Jeannette Moran.

Moran declined to comment further about the investigation.

The accused was released from jail Friday after posting $10,000 bail, according to an arrest report.

No one answered the door at her home in Osprey Run, a gated community along Bloomingdale Avenue in Riverview.

Hillsborough school officials sent a letter to her in jail informing her that she was not to report to work until further notice. She will continue to be paid wages to which she is entitled.

She had resigned as a summer school teacher on Wednesday, according to Hillsborough schools spokesman Stephen Hegarty. As the case evolves, officials will consider whether to suspend Dotter or take further action.

"She's not going to be in the classroom while these charges are over her head," Hegarty said, noting that Dotter's principal said she was a good teacher.

Dotter has taught students with learning disabilities at East Bay High since the 2000-01 school year. Before coming to Hillsborough, she was a teacher at Clearview Avenue Elementary in St. Petersburg.

She graduated from Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg in 1991 and attended St. Petersburg Junior College before earning a degree at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, according to her Hillsborough schools file.

While not everyone knows this, the punishment for trafficking in cocaine differs greatly depending how much cocaine is in a person's possession. In addition, while there is a minimum/mandatory sentence that differs depending on the amount of the drug, in many cases, an experienced criminal defense lawyer may be able to help avoid or minimize the sentence!

Have you or a loved one been arrested for a drug charge or drug trafficking? Then contact the Clearwater criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free consultation today.

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Clearwater criminal defense lawyers please contact BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the lawyers your questions at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104 in Clearwater, across from the criminal courthouse in the airport business center, minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - more charges

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

A recent article in the St. Pete Times website talks about how an alleged criminal's problems just went from bad to worse...

DUNEDIN — Authorities added 10 more charges in the case of a man they believe committed a string of armed robberies in north Pinellas County in a 10-day span that ended Monday.

The defendant, a 36 year old man from Largo, was charged in connection with two Clearwater robberies, the first at Dollar General on N Myrtle Avenue on Oct. 20 and another at a Walgreens drugstore at 1505 S Belcher Road on Monday.

The additional charges, according to Clearwater police, were two counts of armed robbery, four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of using a firearm during commission of a felony and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm.

The Defendant has been connected to four robberies in all.

He was initially arrested Wednesday by Pinellas County sheriff's deputies and charged with two counts of armed robbery in connection with Dunedin robberies at Munchee's Store on Union Street on Oct. 26 and Dodge Store on Patricia Avenue on Oct. 27. He also was charged with driving while license suspended or revoked.

Detectives noticed a pattern to the robberies and set up surveillance Wednesday at locations in Dunedin and Clearwater, the Sheriff's Office said.

During that operation, deputies saw a white Cadillac driving slowly through business parking lots. The man behind the wheel matched a description of the robber, the Sheriff's Office said. Deputies pulled the car over in Dunedin and found the defendant was driving on a suspended license.

The defendant had previously pleaded no contest to a charge of criminal use of identification in 2006 and was later sentenced to six months to be served on work release, according to Pinellas court records.

He was held Thursday in the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $360,000 bail.

Have you or a loved one been arrested for robbery or violent crime? Then contact the Clearwater criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free consultation!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Clearwater criminal defense lawyers please contact BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the lawyers your questions at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104 in Clearwater, across from the criminal courthouse in the airport business center, minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - wanted

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

Another article in the Bay news 9 website, with a vigalante style twist. Unlike previous posts dealing with juvenile crime this person was caught due to a "wanted" poster.

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida --
A St. Petersburg resident took an Old West approach to solving a crime in his neighborhood.

He made wanted posters and plastered them around the neighborhood, which actually helped police catch a burglary suspect.

A neighbor initially didn't pay the sign much attention.

"I just thought that somebody had lost a dog, cat," the neighbor said.

A camera mounted on the homeowner's house captured an image of a suspect during a car burglary on Oct. 17. The image was good enough to put the suspect's face on a poster and print copies.

"This is kind of unique,'' said an officer with the St. Petersburg Police department. "To the effect that not many people actually have a picture of a suspect that committed the crime."

Investigators said the suspect, a 17-year-old who looked directly at the camera during the break-in, only was able to steal loose change from the vehicle.

"I guess he had kind of stayed in hiding inside his house for two days anticipating that someone might recognize him," the officer said.

The home- and car owner, who did not want to be identified, put up the poster around the neighborhood with the title, "Have you seen this scrawny, big-eared punk?''

Someone did. And an arrest was made days later. The teen, a suspect in other car burglaries in the Bay area, has been charged with auto burglary. It was not known if the teen will be charged as an adult or charged with a juvenile crime for his role.

Have you or someone you love been arrested for burglary, robbery or battery? Then call Blake & Dorsten, P.A. today for a free consultation!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced criminal defense lawyers please contact BLAKE & DORSTEN, P.A. at 727.286.6141 or email the lawyers your questions at: info@blakedorstenlaw.com. We are located at 4707 140th Ave N, Suite 104 in Clearwater, across from the criminal courthouse in the airport business center, minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg.