North Miami Mayor’s nephew faces felonies
Ricardo Brutus, the nephew of North Miami Mayo Andre Pierre, has been arrested once again. This time he faces five felony charges related to practicing law without a license. His arraignment was scheduled for last Friday. The arrest came as Brutus was already awaiting trial in a separate case. Florida Department of Law Enforcement have charged him with two counts of practicing law without a license, two counts of third-degree grand theft and one count of organized fraud of $20,000 or less.
Sarasota-area sex sting nabs three Broward, Miami-Dade
A man from Dania Beach and two from Miami-Dade were among 31 people arrested in a Sarasota County predator sting Monday set up for men who thought they were going to have sex with minors they had met online. The collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement authorities was meant to expose those who use the Internet to lure and victimize minors. Those arrested included a 25-year-old Dania Beach man, Kevin Ramanan, Dalbert Borges, 21, of Hialeah and Shawn Gray, 45, an attorney from Miami and a lieutenant commander with the U.S. Coast Guard Judge Advocate General Corps.
Palmetto Bay jewelry store heist caught on camera
A jewel thief wearing a red, hooded sweatshirt was captured on camera committing his crime and now police are asking for your helping identifying the suspect. According to Miami-Dade Police in the Village of Palmetto Bay, the burglar first approached the jewelry store, located at 9839 SW 184th Street on May 5th around 11:50 p.m. where he used a long pole to move an exterior security camera.
He returned at 5:15 a.m. knowing the camera outside the store was pointed in the wrong direction. After he pried open the front door, he smashed several display cases in order to get to the pricey goods inside. He dumped everything into a white garbage pail or hamper and ran out of the store. Police said the approximate value of the stolen property is $15,000.
Twenty arrested In arson and insurance scam
A major arson and insurance scam has been busted in Miami. According to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, 20 people have been charged in the scam which targeted rental properties in South Miami-Dade. Those arrested in “Operation Candlelight” include the ringleaders and fake renters, also known as “Straw Renters.” State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, along with Florida Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater and members of the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Economic Crimes and Arson investigation division were expected to hold a joint news conference last Wednesday to reveal more details.
Judge tosses case against parents of Thanksgiving Day killer
The parents of Paul Merhige, the man who went on a Thanksgiving Day shooting rampage in 2009 killing a six-year-old girl and three family members, cannot be held accountable for his actions.
That’s according to Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Meenu Sasser who threw out a lawsuit filed against Michael and Carole Merhige. Judge Sasser had previously thrown out a similar suit filed by Patrick Knight whose pregnant wife and also the Merhige’s daughter, died in the shooting. Merhige has pled guilty in the deaths of his 73-year-old aunt Raymonde Joseph, his cousin’s 6-year-old daughter Makayla Sitton, and his 33-year-old twin sisters Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight. In exchange for his plea which spared him the death penalty he was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences.
Makayla Sitton’s parents, Muriel and Jim Sitton, and Patrick Knight filed suits against Merhige’s parents claiming they knew of their son’s “dangerous propensities” and failed to protect their relatives. In his ruling, Sasser said no Florida courts have held parents responsible for the actions of their adult children. The Sittons have vowed to appeal.
Thieves target Hollywood YMCA
Surveillance tapes may not be much help to Hollywood police as they try to track down the individuals who broke into a YMCA over the weekend and stole nearly a dozen flat screen TVs. It happened sometime after the facility, at 3161 Taft Street, closed for the day at 5 p.m. on Sunday. The staff noticed they were missing when they were opening up on Monday morning. The 10 televisions were stolen from the workout room. In reviewing the security video, police said the burglars wore masks so it’s going to be difficult to identify them. The greater Hollywood YMCA serves close to 15,000 people of all ages. While the facility remains open they have to figure out some way to make up for the financial loss.
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