Fort Myers Criminal Law Blog

No one in Florida intends to go out and be arrested for driving under the influence. Many times, drivers are not sure how much alcohol they can consume and still be able to drive lawfully. Most know what the legal blood alcohol limit is, but it is not unusual for drivers to get behind the wheel because they feel fine and think they are below the limit. Regardless, being pulled over and charged with drunk driving for the first time can leave a driver with many questions.

The best thing to do would be to get criminal defense counsel to protect one's legal rights. First-time DUIs are often misdemeanors, but legal counsel is still a valuable asset. An experienced DUI defense attorney who is present during questioning and interviews with the police can help a client avoid incriminating statements. The lawyer can also scrutinize the methods used by law enforcement with a view toward presenting a strong defense in court.

Spring break is a fun time to get away from lectures, assignments and exams. Some Florida students use this welcome downtime to vacation and party. In fact, some of the most popular spots for spring breakers are in Florida, including Miami Beach, Panama City Beach and Key West.

But spring break is not always fun and games. These destinations often see an uptick in criminal activity during this time. Here is an analysis of some of the most common spring break crimes. 

Following the devastation of the 2017 hurricanes Maria and Irma, the owner of a Florida construction company worked as a subcontractor hired by a federal relief program to repair damaged homes. Following an investigation, the woman is now facing federal insurance fraud charges for allegedly submitting fraudulent invoices to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. At her indictment, it was alleged that the phony invoices totaled $840,000.

The indictment asserts that some of the fraudulent invoices included employees who were not involved in the repair work. Furthermore, it is alleged that workers had to sign blank time sheets, which were then filled out by other employees who were instructed to insert false details on the forms. It is alleged that this woman and three other co-defendants committed the fraud from Aug. through Oct. 2018.

A 46-year-old man who reportedly moved from another state to Florida last year was recently arrested. His arrest arose from an investigation into alleged white-collar crimes committed from 2014 through 2018. The man was charged with multiple felonies, including theft and wire fraud.

Investigators allege the man committed multiple white-collar crimes during his employment as the general manager of a business in another state. Reportedly, his position authorized him to purchase services and goods for the company. He was also responsible for maintaining customer relations, and traveled for business frequently. Allegedly, it was during this time that the defendant submitted false expense reports for reimbursement, and court documents show he even resubmitted already paid expenses after whiting out and changing details and dates.