March 9, 2010
Sarasota Drug Crime Lawyer Talks About The Legal Process On You Tube
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Sarasota criminal defense attorney Darren Finebloom has been practicing law in the Sarasota/Bradenton/Manatee area his entire career. He has been rated a superb lawyer by 
the independent service Avvo which has rated him a 10 out of 10. He is an aggressive criminal defense lawyer who can help you fight your drug charges.
Darren started his career defending the people of Sarasota and Bradenton in the public defender’s office and now he and his partner David Haenel have built a practice that now includes offices in Tampa, Clearwater and Orlando on top of the Sarasota location. Darren recently took the time to create a series of informational videos concerning all areas of drug crimes.…
March 4, 2010
Cocaine At Fort Lauderdale Airport Goes Unclaimed
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Officials at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport are anxiously awaiting someone to claim their three pieces of luggage that happen to contain 171 pounds of cocaine. Any takers? No arrests have been made at this point after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found the drugs hidden inside bags that were making their way around a luggage carousel Saturday.
Customs officials are trying to locate the owner of the bags but it seems unlikely anyone will file a lost bag report for these three suitcases. If the agents are able to track down the owner of the bags, federal drug trafficking charges seem likely in the case.…
February 19, 2010
Prescription Fraud Sting In Pinellas County Ends 10-Month Run With Just 20 Arrests So Far
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Prescription fraud has gradually became the focus of Florida Law Enforcement over cocaine and marijuana as of late according to a story in the St. Pete Times. A recent 10-month drug investigation involving prescription drug fraud in Pinellas County resulted in impressive numbers. “Operation Pill Poppers” wound up with 150 counts of doctor shopping, 55,000 pills worth three-quarters of a million dollars and 74 suspects. The problem, as of yesterday there were only 20 arrests made.
The prescription drug crimes division for Pinellas County has doubled in size in hopes of battling the growing problem of prescription drug fraud. With no statewide prescription computer system, doctor shopping and prescription fraud is a growing problem in Florida.…
February 10, 2010
Tampa Man Arrested For Armed Cocaine Trafficking, Possession Of Marijuana And Gun Charges
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Tampa man Joseph Barton was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana , armed trafficking in cocaine , being a felon in possession of a gun and possession of drug paraphernalia. The charges come after sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at his Tampa home. He is currently being held in Hillsborough County jail without bail.
According to the St. Petersburg Times, sheriff’s deputies found 28 grams of marijuana, a loaded gun, 60 grams of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia in the man’s home on 129th Avenue. Sheriff’s deputies claim Barton is a habitual felon. The drugs found in his Tampa home are said to be valued at $2,500.…
January 28, 2010
Lawyer For Buju Banton Claims Entrapment In Sarasota Drug Case, Wants Paid Informant Revealed
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
The drug trial of reggae star Buju Banton in a federal courtroom in Tampa hasn’t begun yet but the musician’s criminal defense attorney has already begun to set up his criminal defense strategy. Banton’s lawyer has accused the government of entrapping his client in a drug deal that involved a brick of cocaine being exchanged at a police-controlled warehouse in Sarasota according to a story on TampaBay.com. He is also requesting that the identity of a paid informant central to the case be revealed.
Banton’s trial is set to begin in March and he is currently being held in a Pinellas County jail.…
January 13, 2010
Pinellas Drug Operation Nets 40 Arrests For Crack, Powder Cocaine, Marijuana And Prescription Drugs
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s office conducted a drug cleanup operation last night and arrested more than 40 suspects according to the St. Petersburg Times. Narcotics detectives conducted the six-month investigation and set out to arrest 80 suspects on charges related to prescription drugs, crack, powder cocaine and marijuana.
The operation will continue today as officers with the Kenneth City Police Department pursue the other suspects that were not in custody at the time the story was published. The operation was part of an initiative that targeted drug dealing and possession near Lealman. There were approximately 226 charges filed in the operation.…
January 12, 2010
Manatee Sheriffs And Sarasota Police Break-Up Major Cocaine Trafficking Ring With 12 Arrests
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Sarasota And Manatee authorities arrested 12 men on federal drug charges as they joined forces to bust up a major cocaine trafficking ring according to a story on the Bradenton Herald’s website. All 12 men have been indicted on federal drug charges. According to the story, the prize of the operation, called Operation SRQ Cartel”, was Jesus “Jesse” Guzman. The man also known as Antonio Marroquin was allegedly the leader of the cocaine trafficking operation.
Guzman was arrested in a raid at Exotic Auto Parts during which detectives seized more than three kilos of cocaine. During the two-year investigation it is being reported that federal agents seized four kilos of cocaine, $350,000 in cash and more than $1 million in property.…
January 11, 2010
Major Drug And Weapons Arrest In Clearwater Follows A Police Stop For Tinted Windows
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Clearwater police stopped a Cadillac early Monday morning for dark tinted windows and upon the traffic stop they discovered cocaine, marijuana, more than 100 prescription painkillers and semi-automatic firearms. Police report finding the drugs and guns inside the car after stopping the vehicle on U.S. 19. The men were charged with armed trafficking in oxycodone, possession of Xanax and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The driver of the car was charged with DUI.
According to TBO.com police seized 17 grams of oxycodone, 111 Xanax tablets, a gram of marijuana, a gram of cocaine and two handguns.…
January 6, 2010
Buju Banton Arrives In Pinellas County Jail As He Awaits Trial On Federal Drug Charges
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
U.S. Marshalls transported reggae star Buju Banton to a Pinellas County jail this morning where he will wait for a trial on federal drug charges. The singer is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. The charges stem from a drug bust in Sarasota where Banton and two other men were caught on video tape entering into a drug transaction with undercover officers according to reports and a story on TampaBay.com.
Banton’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday in Tampa. His lawyer was quoted as saying that Banton will plead not guilty. The reggae star is nominated for a Grammy this year and is 36 years old.…
December 16, 2009
Tampa Courtroom Will Be Site For Cocaine Distribution Trial Of Raggae Star Buju Banton
Posted By 1 800 FIGHT IT
Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton will fight charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in a Tampa courtroom after waiving his bail hearing in a Miami federal court. The charges stem from a cocaine purchase in Sarasota last week. According to an Associated Press story, the singer and two others attempted to purchase a “large amount” of cocaine from an undercover officer. The maximum prison sentence in Florida for the drug crime could be life in prison.
According to a DEA affidavit, law enforcement officers were tipped off about the cocaine deal by a confidential informant. Banton’s attorney has proclaimed the Jamaican singer “completely innocent” of the drug charges.…
