Andrew D. Stine, P.A. - Florida Criminal Defence Attorney

Experts are saying where the demand is, that's where the supply will be. Leading news reporters and experts on criminal trends are reporting that when large nationwide events occur, a spike in criminal activity is likely to happen. Law enforcement officers are turning their eyes away from Super Bowl XLVI this weekend in order to focus on potential criminal activity, likely to happen wherever large groups of people congregate for this special event.

When officers of the law are arrested, the public usually sees the case on the news because officers generally always fight the charges. This is usually because if they are convicted, they will never again be able to be officers of the law. In Broward County, a Sheriff’s deputy is facing this dilemma after conducting a suspicious arrest while off duty. His accuser allegedly has a video recording of the incident.

Facebook has become a daily part of many people's lives. Law enforcement is now using the social media site more often to catch criminals. Over a year ago, Facebook was used to track down a mother and daughter who repeatedly committed animal cruelty crimes against a pig, and posted a video of the act. Now, an Orange County mother has been arrested on charges of child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor due to another video on Facebook.

For the past several months, law enforcement has seen a rise in metal thefts all across the county. Because of the serious increase in this particular crime, officials are wanting to crack down on thieves who target homes, restaurants, and even abandoned buildings. Task forces have been created in order to battle the ever popular and lucrative crime of metal theft. There are several different kinds of crimes committed involving metal theft, not only could the thief be charged with theft, but the buyer could be charged with dealing in stolen property.

Undercover police officers put their lives on the line to catch crimes in the act. Law enforcement use police officers to pose as buyers for drugs, weapons, and several other illegal activities. While these methods are often successful, the possibility of entrapment can be an issue. In Pompano Beach, a gun deal involving an undercover deputy went wrong, resulting in the death of the gun dealer.

Many people have been following the case of the death of beloved grocery store owner Jimmy McMillan in Belle Glade. The 19-year-old accused of robbing, shooting, and killing McMillan confessed to his crimes Saturday. After appearing before the Judge briefly he is being held without bond and could possibly be facing the death penalty for aggravated assault with a firearm, armed robbery with a firearm, and first-degree murder with a firearm.

Many times, a legal defense for the prosecution of a crime includes the definition of entrapment. However, entrapment can be a very difficult defense to use as law enforcement officers are continuously growing more cautious and prepared when planning to catch criminal activity. The only way to be able to use entrapment as a criminal defense is if you have a complete understanding of what it entails and what it means for you.

Probation is a sentence ordered by a judge that allows a convicted person to live in society under the supervision of a probation officer, instead of serving time in jail. Probation is different from parole. Parole is the conditional release of a prison inmate after serving part or all of his or her sentence. Violating probation is a serious charge with many repercussions. Your probation may be revoked.

Plea bargaining can conclude a criminal case without a trial. When it is successful, plea bargaining results in a plea agreement between the prosecutor and defendant. In this agreement, the defendant agrees to plead guilty without a trial, and, in return, the prosecutor agrees to dismiss certain charges or make favorable sentence recommendations to the court. Plea bargaining is expressly authorized in statutes and in court rules.

The State of Florida drunk driving laws prohibits driving any type of vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or above. The .08 percent BAC limit is the standard measurement used across the United States for the "impaired" driver. This limit is lower for drivers of commercial vehicles (.04%) and virtually non-existent for drivers under the age of 21 (.02%).