Two Hallendale Beach police officers have been placed on administrative leave while internal affairs investigates a video that reportedly shows them striking a suspect with batons.
Officers Richard Allen and Jaime Cerna were recorded arresting James Dunkelberger on May 30 after he purportedly stole a phone and charger from a parked car. Dunkelberger was charged with resisting an officer without violence and burglary.
Looters have reportedly been breaking into empty homes and businesses around Florida despite stern warnings from authorities. Some have been caught on camera.
ABC News caught footage of a group looting a shoe store in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday. The footage shows looters leaving Simon’s Sportswear with boxes of shoes. The perpetrators went on to rob a nearby pawn shop, sources say.
The suspects, six adults and three teens, were arrested by Fort Lauderdale Police hours later. The adults were identified as Rossano Henry Jr., Tyrell Pratt, Teonhki Robinson, Kenneth Pinkney, Michael Brown, and Zara Dumornay. All the suspects are charged with burglary during a natural disaster.
Ernslatta LaFrance of Miami Gardens, Florida was arrested on March 28 for allegedly attacking a teenager twice and stealing her phone because the teen reportedly attacked LaFrance’s daughter. LaFrance, 30, is being charged with strong-arm burglary, aggravated battery, and child abuse.
LaFrance was held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $38,000 bond and has since been released. News sources did not name an attorney for LaFrance.
According to the arrest report, the alleged incident took place at Coral City Senior High School. LaFrance reportedly showed up at the school searching for one of her daughter’s classmates. The classmate had allegedly been in a fight with her daughter at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition. Sources did not elaborate on the cause of the altercation, nor did they mention whether either teenager was hurt.
Brandi Leigh Begerow of Hialeah, Florida was arrested on February 7 for allegedly stealing a gun, cash, and other belongings from Mark Taiclet on January 30.
Begerow, 33, is an Uber driver who reportedly picked up Taiclet, 48, from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and drove him to his home in Plantation. She faces charges for armed burglary and grand theft of a firearm and is being held without bond at Broward County Jail. It is unclear if she has acquired legal representation.
Andre Allen of West Boynton, Florida was arrested on Tuesday for his involvement in the theft of $28,000 that was to be exchanged for Bitcoin, a digital currency commonly used for online transactions. Allen, 34, faces charges for burglary, armed robbery, and battery. He is being held in Palm Beach County Jail in lieu of a $31,000 bond. The press did not specify an attorney for Allen.
According to the arrest report, the alleged robbery took place on Monday on the parking lot of a restaurant on 2024 Military Trail. Steve Manos, the victim of the robbery, met with two men who he has purportedly done business with on several occasions. On this occasion, Manos, 32, wanted to exchange $28,000 in cash for Bitcoin.
Criminal Defense and Civil Forfeiture Blog