MIAMI-DADE OFFICE OF THE STATE ATTORNEY, 11th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
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2003 - <br>Celebrating 10 Years of Service This publication is designed to inform the public of our office’s functions and services, to identify innovative ideas we instituted to improve the criminal justice system, and to highlight some of the many accomplishments our office made from 1993-2003.
general info brochure If you are just graduating from law school, returning to the workforce, or looking to start a career then the Miami Dade State Attorney's office is the place to look. Bookmark our human resource pages to find that perfect job for you.


 OPENINGS ASA's General Staffers
general info brochure A service provided by the Office of Katherine Fernandez Rundle, State Attorney "Justice In Motion" is a 37-foot mobile office equipped with state-of-the-art technology or community-based interviewing and education.


-Funded by a Victims of Crime
Act Grant
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press releases
 
 

Contact: Ed Griffith 305-547-0535 09/09/03

Close-Out Memo on Miami Beach Police Officer George Varon/Beach Incident

Link to full release

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Contact: Ed Griffith 305-547-0535 06/20/03

DCF Worker Charged in Public Assistance Fraud Case Created
Fake Cases for His Own Use

Miami (June 20, 2003) - Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Amos Rojas Jr., Regional Director of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) today announce the arrest of Department of Children and Families (DCF) caseworker, Edwin Johnson a/k/a Edwin Diaz after an investigation revealed that Johnson created two fraudulent public assistance cases for his personal benefit. The arrest is the result of a joint investigation undertaken by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office and FDLE. Edwin Johnson is being charged with public assistance fraud, grand theft and computer crimes.

Between July 2002 and June 2003 Edwin Johnson opened two fake public assistance cases by entering false information into the Department of Children and Families computer system in order to authorize an illegal provision of cash and food stamp benefits. Edwin Johnson used DCF computer terminals located at the Coconut Grove Service Center, the Helen Bentley center, the Camillus House center and/or the Homeless Assistance Center in Miami, Florida, to create Electronic Benefits Transaction cards (EBT cards) that allow DCF clients to obtain cash and redeem food stamp benefits at a variety of automated teller machines and retail establishments. The criminal investigation revealed that Edwin Johnson approved $8,791.00 in benefits to himself, via his falsely created case identities however only $5,744.70 of those benefits had been disbursed/redeemed prior to the accounts being frozen in June 2003 as a result of the criminal investigation. During a voluntary interview, Edwin Johnson admitted creating false cases in the DCF computer system due to financial problems.

Edwin Johnson is being specifically charged with:
  • 2 counts Welfare Fraud 3rd Degree Felony
  • 1 count Grand Theft 3rd Degree Felony
  • 1 count Offenses Against Intellectual Property 2nd Degree Felony
Under the Florida Statutes, second-degree felonies are potentially punishable by up to 15 years in prison and third degree felonies are potentially punishable by up to 5 years in prison upon conviction. Actual sentencing is a judicial decision made after conviction and is determined by the standards set out in Florida's sentencing guidelines which take both aggravating and mitigating circumstances into account during the sentencing phase of a criminal court process.


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Contact: Ed Griffith 305-547-0535 06/19/03

North Bay Village Commissioner Charged Sought Special Treatment to Avoid City Fees

Miami (June 19, 2003) - North Bay Village Commissioner David Murray Fleischer was arrested today by Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office Investigators and charged with 1 count of Bribery and 1 count of Corruption by Threat Against a Public Official. Officers with the North Bay Village Police also participated with the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office Investigators in the investigation of this matter.

Commissioner Fleischer's arrest is the result of a June 2, 2003 incident relating to a large bulk trash pile that had been deposited in front of his residence after some extensive yard work. Commissioner Fleischer demanded that city workers extend him special consideration to avoid the normal extra city fee. It was estimated that the materials comprised a mass that was three times the size of an acceptable free pick-up. Statements made and verified by the witnesses indicated that Mr. Fleisher made it clear that as a city Commissioner, and ultimately the workers' boss, this action should have been undertaken.

Upon a denial of free service, Commissioner Fleischer threatened several of the employees with not voting in favor of a pending union contract then before the city commission. Witnesses also stated that Commissioner Fleischer indicated that the workload was going to get a lot harder if they didn't do what he wanted.

Bribery and Corruption by Threat Against a Public Official are both 3rd degree felonies. This arrest is a part of a broader, ongoing investigation into corruption allegations in North Bay Village

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Contact: Ed Griffith 305-547-0535 03/06/03

SAO Convicts Lindsey Hopkins Business Manager in School Theft Will Serve Two Years in State Prison

Miami (March 6, 2003) - After 40 minutes of deliberation, a Miami-Dade jury convicted the former Business Manager of Lindsey Hopkins Vocational Technical School, Linda Morris in the theft of $5,839.41 from the school's business account which will now send her to state prison for two years. The 20 year employee of the Miami-Dade School system had been charged with 1 count of third degree grand theft relating to a September 11, 1999 disappearance of funds that Ms. Morris had in her possession but which, according to her explanation, simply disappeared. The jury needed little time to conclude that the disappearance was actually a theft by Ms. Morris.

"This School District employee used her position of trust and responsibility to attempt to put a few dollars into her pocket. Her bold theft of these school funds was an outrage but equally outrageous was her belief that she could get away with it," said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. "I and my staff of prosecuting attorneys, along with the Miami-Dade Schools Police, are committed to pursuing, arresting and convicting anyone who feels that the public school system is an easy mark for theft and corruption."

This case was tried before Judge Bertila Soto by Assistant State Attorney Mark Smith. In addition to the prison sentence, Ms. Morris will also spend an additional two years on probation upon her release from custody and has been ordered to make restitution.

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Contact: Ed Griffith 305-547-0535 01/22/03

State Attorney's Office Announces Release of Report on
Shooting Death of Eddie Lee Macklin

Miami (January 22, 2003) -Today, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office announced the release of the investigative report into the January 21, 2002 police-related shooting death of Eddie Lee Macklin. This close-out memorandum is intended to provide the public with a straightforward and accessible examination of all of the information uncovered during the investigation of this tragic incident. The prosecutors involved in the investigation worked hard to insure that as many witnesses as possible, including parade attendees, were interviewed to provide a total picture of the events of that day. This report is the final result of those extensive efforts. Based on the present status of Florida law and based on the evidence obtained as a part of this lengthy investigation, State Attorney prosecutors determined that the shooting of Eddie Lee Macklin did not meet the legal criteria necessary to file criminal charges. As a result, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office will not be charging the police officer involved in Mr. Macklin's death.

Copies of the close out memorandum will be available through the Office of the State Attorney during working hours. Copies can also be obtained through the Office of the State Attorney web site (www.MiamiSAO.com)

Click here to view Close-Out Memorandum (130kb)

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Contact: Ed Griffith 305-547-0535 01/14/03

State Attorney Announces an Addition to the Fight
Against Public Corruption

Miami (January 14, 2003) - State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle publicly announced today that former Assistant United States Attorney Richard Scruggs has joined the prosecutors of the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office as Special Assistant to the State Attorney for Public Corruption. He will also be assisting the State Attorney as a member of the police shooting investigative team.

"I have been working to recruit Richard since I learned that he was interested in returning to criminal prosecutions," said State Attorney Fernandez Rundle. "I feel we are very fortunate to have an individual of his immense experience and talent joining our Public Corruption Unit. Richard's ability to successfully work with all of this community's legal and law enforcement agencies laid the foundation for an impressive record of prosecutions in the federal court system. He adds another important skill to the pool of talented prosecutors working to eliminate the taint of public corruption from our local government."

Richard Scruggs has a long and impressive history of prosecution in the federal court system. He served as head of the Criminal Division under United States Attorney Bob Martinez, Assistant to United States Attorney General Janet Reno, and head of the Public Corruption Division under United States Attorneys Tom Scott and Guy Lewis.

"As a former Federal prosecutor, I must admit that I missed my involvement with the criminal justice system and appreciate the State Attorney's offer to join her team," said Mr. Scruggs. "Miami-Dade County has a wealth of accomplished prosecutors and police agencies, all of whom I have worked with in the past. I look forward to renewing all of my old ties as I begin this new experience of prosecuting public corruption cases in Florida's state courts."

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