Clearwater police have hit the streets in a prostitution sting aimed at both prostitutes and those who solicit their services. The operation, called "Operation Cheap Trick," has resulted in the arrest of twenty-five people over the course of two days. Five of the arrests carry felony charges.

Chief Anthony Holloway said in a statement, "The purpose of this two-fold operation was to address the problem from both ends. The message is simple when it comes to prostitution: not in Clearwater."

During the operation, male officers went undercover to target prostitutes, and female officers posed as prostitutes to target male solicitors. The operation was focused around the East Gateway area of Clearwater. Officers identify this area as the section of the city between Drew and Court Streets, bordered by Missouri Avenue to the west and Highland Avenue to the east.

If you have been charged with a sex crime, contact the Rivas Law Group to speak with an Orlando criminal defense attorney and discuss your legal options.

A van collided with a school bus last week, injuring two people in the bus in Brownsville, FL.

A witness to the accident says that the van sideswiped the bus when the van was turning the corner from Green Street onto West Avery. "I ran up there to see if anyone was hurt then called 911," the witness said. "People do at least 40 [mph] around this corner every day. It's dangerous." The witness was standing outside of his home when the accident occurred.

Two people were injured in the accident, the bus driver's assistant and a high school student. The extent of their injuries was not immediately apparent. Emergency medical services took the two injured persons to Sacred Heart Hospital, and the responding authorities arrested the driver of the van. It is suspected that the driver of the van was under the influence of alcohol.

If you have been involved in an accident and have been charged with an offense like DUI or reckless driving, an Orlando criminal defense attorney from the Rivas Law Group can defend you.  Contact our law office to schedule an initial consultation.

Authorities in the Bahamas have charged two tourists from Florida with the murder of a Jamaican man. The man who was killed, Clive Tomlinson was fatally shot early on Wednesday in Bimini. Authorities believe that Tomlinson was killed as part of a drug deal gone wrong.

The two men charged with the murder are 27-year-old Daniel Andres Ayo and 39-year-old Luis Mendez. A third man, 43-year-old Florida man Jorge Luis Paez was also allegedly a part of the incident, but was not charged in the murder. Paez was, however, charged with drug possession and weapons charges. Police say that the three men were carrying 1.6 ounces of marijuana at the time of the incident with the intent to sell.

None of the men entered a plea during their initial hearing, and their attorneys declined to comment.

If you have been charged with a serious criminal offense, you are entitled to a lawyer who will protect your rights. Contact the Rivas Law Group to consult with an Orlando criminal defense lawyer to discuss your options if you have been charged with a crime, such as murder.

Josh Hunter, a former high school teacher and football coach is currently on trial for a car accident which occurred last year that resulted in the death of Hunter's friend and colleague, Doug Garrity.

Hunter was believed to be driving when his F-150 flipped on I-75 after Hunter lost control of the car, but there is currently no hard evidence to prove that Hunter was the driver. Hunter was driving under the influence at the time of the accident with a blood alcohol level of .211. His older brother, who is currently in jail, was also in the car, but refuses to testify. Another man was in the car as well, but insists that he was too incapacitated to remember who had been driving. The group had left a bowling alley and barbeque together.

Without hard evidence that Hunter was driving, it is unlikely that he will be convicted.

If you have been charged with a serious offense such as DUI, contact an Orlando criminal defense attorney who can help get you through this difficult time.

DNA evidence has linked a 23-year-old Florida man to a rape that occurred in 2008 according to Ocean City police. The man, Lorenzo Ivan Garcia-Moreno is currently in a Florida prison for a burglary that he committed in Fort Lauderdale.

On May 24, 2008, a 26-year-old Pennsylvania woman was followed from a bar called Seacrets and attacked. According to police reports, the man fled after attacking the woman. He allegedly ran to the beach and jumped in the ocean. He was later found semiconscious several blocks away. The man then attacked two more people before fleeing again, according to the report.

Police were able to match DNA evidence taken from the scene to Garcia-Moreno earlier this month. Garcia-Moreno is charged with first and second-degree rape, attempted rape, assault, sex offense, kidnapping, and reckless endangerment.

The Rivas Law Firm works to ensure that those charged with serious crimes receive a fair trial and defense. If you have been charged with a sex crime, contact an Orlando criminal defense lawyer today to discuss your legal options.

Brenda Miguel, a woman wanted by police for swindling, was arrested in Orlando on Thursday.

Miguel was arrested after sheriffs received word that she would be in town to attend her aunt’s funeral. Miguel apparently has been on the run for more than three years and was wanted on an outstanding New Jersey warrant.

When she was arrested, Miguel gave the deputies a fake name, "Tarina Ristick." Miguel is know for using several aliases throughout the years, including Brenda Evans, Brenda Stevens, Girl Z, and Brenda John.

Detectives say that Miguel is wanted for what is known as “The Sweetheart Swindle,” a con job she did on an 83-year-old man, cheating him out of $183,000.

Investigators say Miguel is legendary for her ability to con elderly men out of their money. This is her first arrest.

Need an Experienced Orlando Criminal Defense Lawyer?

Fraud and theft are serious crimes, both of which carry severe consequences upon conviction. If you or a loved one has been charged with either of these crimes, you need to contact an Orlando criminal defense attorney at our office immediately so we can begin protecting your interests and building a strong defense. We offer aggressive defense and will determine the best course of action for fighting your charges. Call us at 888-249-1206 to schedule an appointment with an attorney at our firm today!

Although this incident occurred several years ago, it’s still an important reminder of the consequences of drinking and driving.

A drunken driver was sentenced to 16 years in prison for manslaughter for the death of a baby who was prematurely delivered after an auto accident. This case was one of the first to test whether or not a person could be held liable for harming an unborn fetus.

Fifty-year-old Frank Flores Cuellar sentenced to prison for the death of Krystal Zuniga, the unborn fetus who was delivered shortly after the traumatic accident. It was determined that Cuellar’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit when he drove his truck into Jeannie Coronado’s car as she was returning from a trip to the grocery store.

Coronado was 7 ½ months pregnant and gave birth to Krystal by emergency cesarean section. The baby weighed only four pounds, suffered extensive brain damage, and died within two days. Cuellar apologized after the sentence was delivered by the jury saying, “I didn’t intend for any of this to happen.”

A pregnant woman was arrested by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) for ingesting drugs while pregnant. Ms. Esoche, along with four other suspects, tried to smuggle cocaine while on a flight to Rome. According to Hamza Umar, the airport commander, it was his view that the suspect had no respect for the dignity of her child.

Ms. Esohe communicated to officials  that she had been rejected by the man who impregnated her. She claimed she needed to fend for herself in order to survive. She agreed to smuggle the drugs on the promise of 2,000 Euros, claiming that she needed the money to take care of herself and her unborn baby.

Arrested for Drug Smuggling? Contact the Rivas Law Firm for Help!

If you have been charged with a drug crime, you need to contact a knowledgeable attorney immediately. An  Orlando drug crimes defense attorney at our firm can provide you with the defense you need against your serious drug charges. To learn more about the ways we can help you with your case, please contact the firm today by calling 888-249-1206.

According to research, it has been found that girls are more problematic when it comes to their behavior in the juvenile justice system. They seem to have more problems in areas like family, mental and physical health, responsibility, and traumatic events, but boys were ahead when it came to having more previous criminal offenses. Stephen Gavazzi, who co-authored the study, believes this conclusion leads to the suggestion that the juvenile justice system needs to become more geared toward handling the female issues and put more resources in place.

The study was done on slightly over 300 youths who were living in the detention facility of a large juvenile court in Ohio .

Juvenile crimes are troublesome in almost every state throughout the country. An analysis of the FBI’s National Incident based reporting system data from the years 1997-1998 shows that 19 percent of the victims of nonfatal violent crimes were victimized by a juvenile offender —either a juvenile acting alone, multiple juveniles, or juvenile and adult offenders acting together.

As of yesterday, 49-year-old Texas resident Jose Fernando Corona is under suspicion for the murder of his wife, 44-year-old Maria Corona, a mother of six children. She was found decapitated and died of wounds inflicted by a chainsaw, the local medical examiner stated. A warrant has been issued for Jose Corona’s arrest in connection with the incident. The Dallas Morning news reported that a mail carrier discovered Maria's body near her home.

According to Lewisville police Captain Kevin Deaver, the couple had been having marital problems and it’s believed that Jose fled the scene in a gold Ford Ranger pick up truck. A chainsaw was found still running on the tailgate of a truck in the home’s driveway. It was noted that Corona had no previous criminal record.

It’s bad enough to get pulled over after drinking and possibly having to submit to a sobriety test, but to be caught naked while drinking and driving, well, this is another thing.

According to police records numerous incidents like this have been recorded.

In Santa Ana, California police pulled over a suspect for driving under the influence after he hit another car. The driver refused to put his hands up when requested and the police used their taser gun to gain compliance. When the officers went in for the arrest, they discovered the man to be completely naked. At this point, he was taken in for drug and alcohol testing.

In an unrelated incident, a 45-year-old man was pulled over while flying down the interstate stark naked on his motorcycle and ran a red light. When police questioned him, he stated he’d been drinking at Hooters restaurant and did not know how he lost his clothes. He was arrested, needless to say, and for his fifth suspected DUI.