South Florida Criminal Attorneys Blog

Prominent Hillsboro Beach Attorney Convicted on Federal Securities Charges

December 23, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

After a two-week trial in federal court in the Southern District of Florida a well-known and highly respected South Florida attorney faces decades in prison after being convicted of multiple counts of federal crimes.

James M. Schneider, who is 77 years old, is now awaiting sentencing for the crimes he was convicted of earlier this month which could easily amount to a lifetime in prison due to his age. A U.S. District Judge is set to sentence Schneider on Feb. 14, 2019.

In October, 2017, Schneider was charged with multiple counts of securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. At sentencing, he now faces a maximum statutory sentence of twenty-five years for each count of the securities fraud and conspiracy counts, and ten years each for money laundering and the conspiracy to commit money laundering counts, as well as a fine up to $250,000 or double the proceeds of the scheme as to each.

DNA Match from Genealogy Site Leads to Arrest in 2001 Murder of UCF Student

November 25, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

Over the past few decades or so, a vast amount of genealogy Websites have become popular to the public. For a moderate fee, these companies will send you a kit where a person can submit their DNA for testing which is analyzed in their labs.

Most people that use these services are curious about their heritage and want to track their family tree going back generations. But they’ve also become a treasure trove of potential evidence for law enforcement agencies.

The use of a DNA profile, commonly known as a DNA fingerprint has come a long way since its acceptance as a means of identification since it was first introduced into the legal system back in the mid 1980’s.

Excluded from Will, Fort Lauderdale Woman Allegedly Murders Her Mother

October 28, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

Lying to federal authorities such as the FBI is a crime that is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. Over the past year or so, many people have become aware of this crime due to recent highly publicized cases that have filled the headlines relating to the ongoing Special Counsel’s investigation of foreign interference in the 2016 election. Indictments have been unsealed relating to multiple defendants pleading guilty, being sentenced by a judge and sent to prison for this crime. Others await sentencing after negotiating plea deals for this crime as well as others.

However the same circumstance doesn’t apply for lying to local or state law enforcement authorities. It’s important to know that difference. Although statements you make to a police officer (true or false) can be used and held against you in a court of law whether your Miranda rights have been read to you or not at the time your statements were made, but the act of telling a lie in itself is not a crime.

Those who have visited my Website, or read articles here on my blog have been educated strongly to never speak when questioned by police or any other type of law enforcement authorities without an attorney present. It is also crucial not to volunteer information. This instruction is imperative whether an arrest has been made or the possibility of one may be pending. Even if police believe you’re only a witness to a possible crime you have the right to say nothing to them if they question you until an attorney is present.

Revisiting Prior Unresolved Case Articles, Part 4

September 23, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

Main Suspect of Brutal Murder Apprehended in Spain

In the May issue of this blog I posted an article relating to what has been called a vicious murder conspiracy that took place in close proximity to the Everglades in Northwest Miami-Dade County in 2011.

The five men that were implicated in the attack that took the life of Camilo Salazar were all prominent in their own way by virtue of their professions or their business savvy. Based on the evidence found at the scene of the crime, Mr. Salazar was apparently intolerably tortured before his death occurred

Revisiting Prior Unresolved Case Articles, Part 3

August 21, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

Updating an article that was posted on this blog in mid-February, a North Lauderdale woman was sentenced to forty-one months in federal prison after the judge in the case determined that a tougher punishment for the crimes she committed was warranted.

Normally, in cases such as these some type of restitution and penalties are always assessed by the judge but it’s rare that such a harsh sentence is imposed. In fact, most of those that plead guilty to the crime she was found guilty of usually get a minimal sentence or even probation if their previous criminal record is fundamentally unsoiled.

Background

Revisiting Prior Unresolved Case Articles, Part 1 & 2

July 23, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

When writing articles for my blog I try to find stories which are interesting, current, deal with cases in South Florida and hold the reader’s interest. In many cases the stories that are told are left incomplete before a final resolution has been decided.

In a variety of these articles, I’ll leave the reader with the words “check back here” for further updates. With that in mind I’ll bring readers up-to-date on some of the cases that were unresolved at the time of their original inception and their completion at the time they were written.

On May 28, 2017, I posted an article titled:

State Seeks Death Penalty for Homestead Mother in Child Abuse Homicide

June 20, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

The mission of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) as specified on their Website “is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.”

The Courts that oversee cases brought by DCF in South Florida are known as Dependency Courts and will bend over backwards to keep young children together with their natural parents. In cases of parental abuse, although evidence will be weighed to remove a child in some cases, the overwhelming decision of the court is keeping a family united.

The Florida Dependency Court Information System (FDCIS) is a web-based case management system that provides the Court with resources to receive up-to-date information for what has been signaled to DCF to be potentially abused and neglected children. Its other function is to assure timeliness of court events. This system basically provides the court with what is deemed to be reliable data which is entered into the system to assist judges in making proper decisions. The system also utilizes data exchanges with various other agencies.

Four South Florida Men Charged in Brutal Murder

May 22, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

Alexis Vila Perdomo is a Cuban born two-time World Champion wrestler and 1996 Olympic bronze medal winner who defected to the United States via Puerto Rico in 1997.

Perdomo and Manuel Marin were friends from their days living in Cuba and Marin assisted his friend with coming to the mainland, gave him a job and helped him open a wrestling studio. He later went on to coach wrestling at Michigan State University. Based on an arrest warrant which implicates the two men and others with conspiracy to commit murder and other charges, Perdomo considered Marin to be his mentor.

At the time the alleged murder took place; Perdomo was featured as a mixed martial arts fighter (MMA), performing on the Florida regional circuit and then the Bellator circuit as well as with other MMA organizations. He previously served a three-year sentence after authorities mistakenly believed his actions to be attempted terrorism when he accidentally crashed his car into an area of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. He was ultimately charged and pleaded guilty to the felony of airport violence. Prior to his conviction his primary defense was that he suffering clinical depression at the time of the incident.

Homestead Man Charged with Killing Two in Hit and Run Crash

April 22, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

In the early morning hours this past February Cesar Cepeda lost control of his pickup truck by the on-ramp at the intersection of the Dolphin Expressway and Florida’s Turnpike. He was able to move the vehicle onto a grassy area on the side of the highway. Unable to restart the vehicle, he called his father Jose for assistance. His father promptly arrived to help his son. As the two men were standing on the side of the road by their vehicles, another car veered off the highway, striking and killing the two of them.

The man who ran into the father and son then left the 2014 Camaro he was driving and took off with the father’s Chevy Equinox. The SUV was later found that same day abandoned in the town of Homestead.

DNA evidence left at the scene found in and on the suspect’s car matched a man named Earl Lewis, of Homestead and led to a manhunt that went on for nearly a month. The Florida Highway Patrol began their search for Lewis assisted by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office as well as the U.S. Marshal’s Service.

West Palm Beach Double Murder Suspect Apprehended by Marshal’s Service

March 20, 2018 | Michael B. Cohen, P.A.

As 2017 was coming to a close the last act performed by Marlin Joseph was allegedly murdering his 36-year-old girlfriend, Kaladaa Crowell and her 11-year-old daughter Kyra Inglett.

After the double murder occurred, Joseph went on the run taking Cromwell’s gray 2012 Toyota Camry. The BOLO (Be on the lookout) issued by authorities specified that the car Joseph was last seen driving had a Bethune-Cookman specialty license plate BA0MJ. His description signified his hair styled in short dreadlocks, a cross tattoo between his eyes, as well as a large tattoo on the right side of his face. He was listed at 5’10”, 180 lbs. wearing khaki pants with no visible shirt at the time of the shooting. Police were concerned that he might have changed his appearance.

A five thousand dollar reward was offered by the US Marshal’s Service in conjunction with the West Palm Beach Police Dept. for any information leading to the whereabouts and capture of Joseph, but no one cashed in on the money when the Marshals tracked him down without any help from the public. Joseph was found hiding in an apartment complex in Lake Worth through what the Marshal’s service touted as their normal investigative process. He was taken into custody on New Year’s Day wanted on two counts of first-degree murder.