The Florida crime of burglary of a dwelling or structure is committed when a person enters (or remains) in the dwelling or structure of another with the intent to commit a crime in that dwelling or structure. A common manner in which the crime of burglary is committed in Florida…
A woman who held the position of supervisor at the Department of Children and Family Services (“DCF”) was arrested for allegedly stealing money that was intended for recipients of government assistance, according to an article on www.News4Jax.com. She was arrested on charges of grand theft, criminal use of personal information…
In the second quarter of 2008, Florida ranked 4th in the nation in percentage of home foreclosures. As a result of the increase in foreclosures in Florida, the Florida legislature and law enforcement officials are cracking down on what they consider mortgage fraud. This year, Florida passed into law the…
It is no secret that the housing market crashed months ago and the financial markets seemed to follow resulting in difficult economic times for people throughout Jacksonville and Florida. Politicians and media liberally are using the words recession, and even depression, to predict what is, or may be, happening to…
The use of DNA evidence by Jacksonville police and the Jacksonville State Attorney’s office, among other agencies, involves collecting biological material, analyzing the material, developing a profile and then attempting to compare it to profiles in state and/or federal databases where the DNA profiles of various people are stored. In…
Largely in an effort to crack down on illegal aliens in the United States, the government enacted the federal crime of aggravated identity fraud which is punishable by a mandatory two year prison sentence. This is a very severe mechanism used by the federal government to address the issue of…
Several times now, we have heard from clients in and around Jacksonville, Florida who have been arrested for the crime of theft at a department store that they have received letters threatening them with civil and/or criminal action if they do not pay money, often at least $200, to the…
According to the Florida Attorney General’s Office, this week is Identity Theft Week in Florida and throughout the country. The purpose of Identity Theft Week is to raise awareness as to the various ways people are at risk of having their identities and financial information stolen. As the Internet and…
Credit card theft/fraud is a crime that is increasing throughout Jacksonville, Florida and the entire country. As people become more proficient with computers and the Internet, those with criminal intentions are finding ways to misappropriate credit card numbers and other financial accounts. As high tech credit card thefts is increasing,…
Two mothers were recently arrested in Clay County, Florida for the crime of shoplifting for allegedly using their children to hide clothing, according to an article on News4jax.com. In a prior post, I discussed the various signs police and loss prevention officers look for to detect shoplifters. One of those…