Whatever happened to. . . ? #35

McCroskey, Dennis

2009-CF-007029-A-O

1^st Degree Murder; Sexual Battery w/Deadly Weapon (2cts)

DNA evidence linked defendant to a 1993 rape & murder. DNA match occurred because Defendant was serving time in Ohio for a similar case

Pled guilty to 1^st Degree Murder & adjudicated guilty; Counts 2&3 nolle prossed.  Sentenced to LIFE in DOC w/ 25y min man, consecutive to Ohio sentence. No credit for time served.

Gonzalez, Eduardo

2006-CF-011144-A-O & 2006-CF-007589-A-O

1^st Degree Murder w/Firearm; Att 1^st Degree Murder (9cts); Tamper w/Witness Conspiracy; Tamper w/Witness (5cts)

Defendant allegedly shot victim outside a bar near UCF after mistakenly identifying victim as having doused him in beer. Death penalty case.

Defendant pled guilty & was sentenced to 30y DOC w/credit 4yrs 268 days time served

Shaw, Travis Louis

2009-CF-015188-A-O

Attempted 1^st Degree Murder w/Firearm; Aggravated Child Abuse; Aggravated Battery; Possess Firearm by Convicted Felon; Throw Deadly Missile at or w/in Bldg; Aggravated Assault w/Firearm; False Info to Law Enforcement re: Missing Person or Felony

Defendant, a convicted felon, allegedly shot the minor victim in her face at home

Defendant pled guilty to counts 1,2,4 and was sentenced to 3 yrs DOC w/credit 600 days time served

Jean-Baskin, Vanel

2007-CF-000078-A-O

2^nd Degree Murder

Defendant allegedly beat his mother's boyfriend to death

Defendant was found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity and committed to DCF

Gill, Branden L

2010-CF-018313-A-O

Battery (2cts); Disorderly Intox; Kidnap Child<13 yrs

Defendant allegedly attempted to kidnap a boy from his home by trying to pull him over the fence

Case was transferred to misdemeanor court (2011-MM-138-A-W).  Defendant pled to battery & disorderly intox and was sentenced to 77 days w/credit 77 days time served.

Harris, Deidra S

2011-CF-002196-A-O

Agg Child Abuse w/Weapon

Defendant allegedly beat her adopted son with his own belt (Defendant has been investigated by DCF twice before w/a different child).

Pled no contest to Child Abuse, adjudication was withheld.  Defendant was sentenced to 2 days jail w/credit for 2 days time served; 30 months probation, and DUI/Drug school/rehab.

Younge, Marcus

2009-CF-005612-A-O

False Imprisonment; Battery

Defendant allegedly attempted to snatch a 9-yr old girl near her home in Southeast Orange County

Pled no contest to Battery & was adjudicated  guilty.  Sentenced to 2 days jail w/credit 2 days time served; 363 days probation and 25 hours community service

Logsdon Mitchell, Kira Hope

2011-MM-000659-A-W

Contrib to Delinq/Dependency of Minor; Neglect of Child (2cts)

Defendant allegedly got drunk (BAC .215) at an Ocoee bar and passed out with her 4-yr old in her lap. A bartender contends she left him in her car while she was inside. Her 9 & 7-yr old children were allegedly left home alone.

Pled no contest to count 1,  adjudication was withheld; Counts 2&3 nolle prossed. Sentenced to 1 day jail w/credit 1 day time served; 1 year probation; no alcohol/drugs.

Haynes, Rawn

2010-CF-014927-A-O

Negligent Storage of Firearm

Defendant was a Lakeland police officer who left his fireram unattended in a vehicle with 2 children - the 7-yr old accidentally shot his 10-yr old brother in the hand

Pled to Culpable Negligence and was sentenced to 6 months probation; 517 hours community serivce w/credit 417 hours already completed.

Louis, Shelly

2011-CF-011151-A-O

Neglect Child

Defendant allegedly left her son alone while she went to work & he was found hanging out a 2nd story window by a security officer

no information notice filed – case dropped

Lee, Bryan Deangelo

2010-CF-000888-A-O

Aggravated Battery; Tamper w/Witness

Defendant violated the no contact provision while in jail by calling victim over 250 times in 2 months. Judge revoked his phone privileges while at the jail. Defendant pled 6/10 & was sentenced to 2 yrs prob; BIP; no hostile contact; parenting class; Defendant later pled 9/10 to a VOP & got 15d jail.

Found in violation of probation for the second time.  Sentenced to 10y DOC w/credit 329d time served

Bonner, Jervaughn Antonio

2011-CF-004776-A-O

Poss Cocaine w/Intent w/FA; Possess Cannabis w/Intent w/FA; Possess Cocaine; Possess Cannabis; Poss FA in Commission of Felony; Theft; Make False Statement Under Oath to LEO

Defendant allegedly accidentally shot his GIRLFRIEND and lied to police, claiming a drive by shooter was responsible

Defendant pled no contest to first 3 counts & adjudication was withheld.  Count 4 was nolle prossed. No action taken on remaining counts.  Sentenced to 1 year jail w/credit 191 days time served.

Crooks, Tarren

2010-CF-011146-A-O

Armed Kidnapping; Battery DV; Aggravated Assault w/Firearm; Tamper w/Witness to Hinder Comm w/Law Enforcement.

Defendant allegedly abducted his ex-girlfriend from a school parking lot & assaulted her.

Defendant pled no contest to Battery and was sentenced to 283 days prob (includes 81 days credit time served); 100h community service; complete a substance abuse program.

Mann, Travis

2011-MM-000491-A-O

Battery DV; ROWOV (2cts)

Defendant was tased by law enforcement after his wife called 911 for assistance

Pled no contest to 1 count of Resist Officer Without Violence - adjudicated guilty.  Sentenced to 111 days probation; substance abuse treatment; anger management class; no possess firearms; no possess alcohol or illegal drugs; and ordered to have no contact with victim.

Fowlkes, Guy Swindell

2011-CF-008389-A-O

Agg Assault WDW; Battery; Prop Damage

Defendant allegedly ignited some explosives at a fireworks tent as part of an altercation with his pregnant girlfriend

Defendant was found not competent to proceed.

  

Whatever happened to . . . ? #19

Orange County

Tommy Lee Knight
2010-MM-002269-A-O
Resist Officer w/o Violence (2 counts)
See previous blogs for details on this defendant.
   Defendant pled and was sentenced to 98 days in jail with credit 98 days time served. He is currently in custody and awaiting trial on three counts of Attempted 1st Degree Murder, Attempted Arson, Stalking and Violation of Pretrial Release Conditions on a DV Case.

Benji Nelson
2009-CF-016411-A-O
Derive Support Proceeds of Prostitution (2cts)
Defendant was found guilty by a jury of one count and sentenced by Judge Jeffrey Arnold to 12 years Department of Corrections.

Luis A Quinones
2008-CF-008099-A-O
Lewd/Lascivious Battery (4cts); Use of Child in Sexual Performance; Possess Material Depicting Sexual Performancy by Child (8cts)
Defendant allegedly met his 12-year old victim on MySpace (victim allegedly told him she was 19).
   The four Lewd/Lascivious Battery counts were dropped in exchange for a plea to all eight counts of Possess Material Depicting Sexual Performance by a Child. Defendant was sentenced to 3 days jail with credit 3 days time served, 10 years sex offender probation; 200 hours of community service; no unsupervised contact with minors; no contact with victim or her family; not permitted to possess a computer to access MySpace or other internet networking sites.

John Phillip Ramos
2009-CF-011708-A-O
L/L Molestation Vic<12 (2cts); L/L Conduct (2cts)
Defendant allegedly molested a young girl in a pool at their apartment complex.
   A jury found Ramos guilty of the lesser included offense of Battery in the first two counts. The other two counts were dismissed. Judge Bob LeBlanc sentenced Ramos to 305 days in jail with credit 305 days time served.

Bryan Deangelo Lee
2010-CF-000888-A-O
Aggravated Battery; Tamper w/Witness
See previous blog for details about this case.
   Defendant pled guilty and was sentenced to 270 days in jail with credit 138 days time served; 2 years probation; no hostile contact; complete a parenting class.

Fernando Lopez Hernandez
2009-CF-005991-A-O
Burglary of Dwelling w/Assault or Battery; Lewd/Lascivious Molestation Victim <12
Defendant allegedly snuck in to an apartment where he fondled an 11-year old in her bed. The burglary charge was dropped in exchange for a plea to Lewd/Lascivious Molestation.
   Defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison; 10 years sex offender probation; no contact with victim or her mother.

Michael Russell Combs
2009-MM-015101-A-O
Battery (4 counts)
Defendant was an Orange Co jail Corrections Officer who allegedly inappropriately touched female inmates.
   Defendant pled no contest to all counts and was sentenced to 60 days in the Lake County jail with credit 1 day time served; 365 days probation; all counts consecutive; ordered to forfeit his certification as a corrections officer; undergo psychosexual evaluation; have no contact with victims.

Curtis Darrisaw
2010-MM-000100-A-E
Resist Officer w/o Violence
Defendant allegedly beat and held his girlfriend (a UCF student) hostage in her apartment for 14 hours - case was transferred from felony court to misdemeanor court because victim declined to participate. 
   Defendant was acquitted by a jury of the Resisting Officer w/o Violence charge.

Leon D Hankins
2009-CF-009975-A-O
Attempted 1st Degree Murder; Burglary; Arson of Dwelling; Aggravated Battery w/Deadly Weapon; Aggravated Assault w/Deadly Weapon
Defendant allegedly set fires outside victim's home when he found her there with another man, shot her when she came outside to extinguish them, and then pistol whipped her
   Defendant was found guilty by a jury of all counts and sentenced to LIFE in the Department of Corrections (a 25-year minimum mandatory sentence applies).


Seminole County

Ty Standley

2009-CF-003982-A

Video Voyeurism by person 24+ yrs old of a child <16 yrs old

Defendant was arrested at Altamonte Mall after being observed taking photos under the skirt of an unsuspecting girl. 
   Defendant was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to 18 months in prison, 2 years Community Control, ordered to undergo mental health evaluation & treatment, to have no unsupervised contact with minors, and to not go to the Sears store in Altamonte Mall.
NOTE: There is no mention on the Clerk's website that Standley's Community Control includes the standard sex offender provisions.

Antonio Alejandro Gonzalez

2009-CF-004654-A

Cruelty toward child promote sexual performance by child (34 counts); Obscene material possess photo of sexual perf (14 counts)
Defendant pled and was adjudicated guilty of all counts and sentenced to 2 years in prison + 10 years sex offender probation.

Judge Apte "gets" domestic violence

Judge Alan S. Apte moved from Juvenile Court to a Criminal division in the Orange County courthouse at the beginning of the year. After watching him for the past 2 1/2 months, CourtWatch is pleased to have him here.

Judge Apte routinely asks probing questions, makes thorough explanations to the participants in his courtroom, shows compassion to victims, treats everyone professionally and with respect, and exhibits a good understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence.

CourtWatch monitored two hearings in the judge's courtroom related to the case of State v. Bryan Deangelo Lee last week.  Mr. Lee is charged with Aggravated Battery and Tampering w/Witness in an assault on the mother of his 2-yr old child. Defense Counsel Christina Shepherd filed a motion to set bond (defendant was still in custody), modify victim contact, and delete the GPS requirement that was imposed at his initial appearance. The State requested pretrial detention.

The defense requested a modification of victim contact in order to enable the defendant to visit with his 2-yr old child. Judge Apte asked if the defendant and the child's mother (the victim in this case) were married. They are not. He took the time to explain to the defendant that unless paternity has been legally established, the defendant has no legal right for contact with the child. CourtWatch rarely sees judges in criminal cases inform the parties about what the law allows in these situations. The motion was withdrawn.

Ms. Shepherd then requested a reasonable bond be set, and argued that the defendant could only afford a $5,000 bond. He claimed to have a job selling magazines door-to-door and in a good week, makes $500. He also said he is unable to pay his child support obligations. Judge Apte asked what he reported his income to be on the Affadavit of Indigency he completed when he requested the services of the Public Defender. He admitted he wrote $0.

The State then presented testimony from the victim's mother and sister who were fearful for the safety of the victim. They testified to injuries and property damage they've seen in the past, as well as threats made by the defendant.  The State also presented evidence that the defendant had violated his "No Contact" Order by making 267 phone calls to the victim's cell phone since his arrest on January 21, 2010.

The victim testified on behalf of the defendant and said she was not afraid of the defendant, admitted that law enforcement had been called on previous occasions and that he did hit her, and claimed that she and the defendant had never discussed her testimony. She had filed a declination of prosecution.

A 15-minute recording of one of the many jail calls was then played in court. In the call, the defendant blamed the victim for not getting him out of jail, told her to claim she hit him first, and demanded that she get get him out. He cursed and yelled at the victim during the call.

Judge Apte asked several probing questions about the defendant's history which included approximately 13 arrests (some of which were batteries on different victims).

Defense Counsel Christina Shepherd argued that the cost of GPS monitoring was burdensome and requested a $5,000 bond.

Assistant State Attorney Eric Trabin argued that there were no conditions of release that could protect the victim, and noted that the defendant's having violated the no contact order while in jail 267 times is indicative of the his likelihood of non-compliance with any conditions that the judge might impose. He requested no bond be granted.

When requesting pretrial detention of a defendant, the State has a two-pronged burden. They must demonstrate that proof is evident that the defendant committed the crime(s) for which they're charged and the presumption is great that the victim/community would not be safe if the defendant is released - no matter what restrictions might be placed upon them by the judge. Another factor the judge may consider is whether or not the defendant is a flight risk.

Judge Apte granted bond in the amount of $25,000, ordered GPS Monitoring and Home Confinement, and revoked his phone privileges at the jail. He explained that there was insufficient evidence presented at the hearing to cover the "proof evident" prong mentioned above.

Two days later, Mr. Lee was back in court on the State's Motion to Revoke Bond because he called the victim after having been admonished that "no contact" truly does mean "NO CONTACT." Judge Apte told the defendant he would be found in contempt of court and given 364 days in jail if he called her again. He also remarked that hopefully the jail would prohibit Mr. Lee from having access to a telephone since his phone privileges were revoked at the previous hearing.

Bond was revoked.

Kudos to the judge for holding this perpetrator accountable.

Kudos to the prosecutors and advocates at the State Attorney's Office who cared about protecting this victim, in spite of her initial efforts on behalf of the defendant. I'm told that she is now a "cooperative" witness for the prosecution.

Lee's trial is now scheduled for June 21, 2010.