Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - Tampa warrant round up nabs 100s!

By Nicholas Dorsten, Esq.

From the Times online site, a warrant round up in Tampa nabs a bunch of wanted suspects...

TAMPA — Thousands of Tampa crime suspects live freely despite outstanding arrest warrants against them. For months, years — sometimes decades — they elude police, wanted for crimes as terrible as murder.

And the Mayor wants that to end.

On Tuesday, Tampa police launched what they say is the biggest warrant roundup in the department's history.

With nearly 6,000 outstanding warrants on the list, the police department's first action was to execute 459 violent felony warrants, including eight for murder.

By late afternoon, police had arrested 33 people. Another 39 warrants were cleared because the suspects are either dead or in prison. The roundup continues through Friday. Meanwhile, the warrants are for a variety of crimes, from grand theft to drug trafficking to murder.

At dawn, officers participating in the operation gathered in a Sulphur Springs parking lot. They donned tactical vests, aware of the danger they faced. Two of the recent fatal police shootings in the bay area happened during warrant arrests.

"These (wanted) individuals have nothing to lose," the police Chief said. "They certainly don't want to go back to jail."

But one question lingered: Why are violent felons — murder suspects, especially — not already behind bars? Aren't they priority cases?

It is noted that the 459 outstanding felony warrants — some that date to the 1970s — make up less than 1 percent of the Tampa police's yearly arrests. It's a small fraction that gets away.

The outstanding warrants don't exist for lack of trying, said a police spokeswoman. Police often spend weeks visiting various addresses where a subject is known to stay.

Sometimes the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force also gets involved right away, especially if the suspect is in another county or state.

When police efforts fail, an officer sends the suspect's information to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, which has a warrants division with 12 detectives who work exclusively on tracking down the wanted.

They scour databases to find addresses associated with the subject.

Then they interview neighbors, family and friends, picking up clues.

"It's hard to run forever," said a sheriff's Master Detective, who works in the division.

Though some of the cases are decades old, he said they're never considered "cold." Detectives pick up old cases routinely.

The roundup is helpful, he said, because it offers a brief spike in manpower, which nets bigger results.

Law enforcement does these types of roundups routinely, but Tampa police say this is their largest.

Have you or a loved one been arrested for a criminal charge or grand theft? Then contact the Tampa Bay area criminal defense attorneys of Blake & Dorsten, P.A. for a free consultation!

For more information, or to speak directly with experienced Tampa Bay area 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 - pizza man

By Nick Dorsten, Esq.

An unusual way to order pizza, courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times website...

CLEARWATER — Police have arrested a teenager and are looking for another suspect accused of robbing a pizza delivery man at knifepoint Tuesday night.

The juvenile criminal defendant, 17, of Clearwater, was charged with armed robbery, resisting arrest without violence and loitering and prowling and was taken to the Pinellas County Juvenile Detention Center.

According to Clearwater police, The juvenile criminal defendant and another male, believed to be a teenager, called a Pizza Hut at 407 S Belcher Road on Tuesday evening and ordered pizza to be delivered to a phony apartment number at Canterbury Oaks Apartments at 2025 Rogers Street.

When delivery driver and soon to be robbery victim arrived at the complex around 7:30, the juvenile hit him in the face (battery) and demanded money, police said.

The victim fell to the ground and was threatened by the other suspect with a pocketknife. That teen is described as a Hispanic male with a thin build who was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt.

The victim gave the two a small amount of cash and grabbed the pizza before running away.

Officers set up a perimeter in the area and used a police canine to track the juvenile suspect to the 1200 block of Canterbury Road.

Detectives said they are still investigating to determine if any other people were involved.

Have you been arrested on a theft or juvenile charge? Then the Clearwater, Florida based Blake & Dorsten, P.A. criminal defense lawyers are at your service.

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

Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer - stolen car

By Nicholas J. Dorsten, Esq.

Courtsey of the St. Pete Times website, an interesting article about a chase gone bad...

CLEARWATER — Deputies arrested three people Sunday after a pursuit on U.S. 19.

A Toyota Tundra pickup, which had been reported stolen, was initially spotted about 4:30 p.m. Sunday heading north on 66th Street near Ulmerton Road, authorities said.

Here's how the resulting pursuit played out, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

When the driver failed to stop, deputies tried to box the truck in with several cars. But the suspect, identified as Robert Milam, 27, of Tennessee continued east on Ulmerton and then north on U.S. 19. Just south of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard, he bailed out of the vehicle and ran across southbound lanes of traffic. Deputies pursued him on foot and when they caught up with him, he resisted arrest and fought with deputies, who used a stun gun to subdue him.

Milam was transported to Mease Countryside Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the fight. Three deputies suffered minor cuts and scrapes.

Milam was arrested on charges of grand theft auto, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest with violence, resisting arrest without violence and possession of marijuana.

Tiffany Pennock, 27 of Clearwater and a juvenile, whose hometown was not released, remained in the stolen vehicle. Both were arrested on charges of grand theft auto.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the 2005 truck was reported stolen Christmas Day and was located Sunday by an electronic tracking service.

Have you been arrested on marijuana or theft charges? Then the Clearwater, Florida based Blake & Dorsten, P.A. criminal defense lawyers are at your service.

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