Florida Child Injury Lawyer Blog

An Alachua County man (Keith Edward Olmeda) was recently sentenced to 150 years in federal prison for sexually abusing his former girlfriend's children and for videotaping these heinous acts. This acts of Olmeda are very disturbing and make this case or sentence ripe for the act of locking him up and throwing away the jail key. Olmeda is a sexual predator who is an absolute danger to society and children. Children should be protected, nurtured and educated by parents and other adults. Making them the subject of sex acts and videotapes is cruel punishment by a the acts of a selfish and sociopathic person.

You can read more about this story at Alachua Man Gets 150 Federal Prison Sentence.

Dr. Robert Davis Williams, an emergency room doctor, was arrested at his home recently by Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff’s office deputies. Williams, who earned his medical degree at the University of Florida, and completed his residency at Shands, Jacksonville, has been charged with possession of child pornography.

Reportedly, a woman living with Williams came across a video portraying child pornography and notified police. She told police investigators that she then looked further and found thousands of DVDs which could be classified as child pornography. Police have seized Williams’ computer and computer storage media along with several hundred VHS tapes and DVDs.

Williams is licensed to practice medicine in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama, and was working as a travelling emergency physician with Team Health until he was fired on the same day that he was arrested. If he is convicted he could face up to five years in prison.

Read more about the arrest of a Jacksonville doctor at Hundreds of Discs, Tapes Taken from Jacksonville Doctor Facing Child Porn Charges.

If your child has been the victim of sexual abuse or the subject of exploitation or harm, contact a Florida Child Injury Lawyer for consultation as to your child's civil rights as they pertain to damages for medical bills, counseling, and related pain and suffering.

George Gibney left Ireland in 1994 and moved to Florida after a pedophile case against him lapsed due to the length of time since the alleged incidents occurred. The case included twenty seven alleged incidents of pedophilia. Since leaving Ireland for Florida, four new complaints against the former national swim coach have been made by former Irish swimmers who claim they were abused by Gibney while on the swim team. Irish police sent the files to the proper authorities, but no extradition warrant has been issued by the Irish government.

Now an American child protection agency, called Child AbuseWatch, is trying to have Gibney deported, saying that he lied on his Immigration form, which asks if the applicant has been arrested for or accused of a crime. Child AbuseWatch has distributed sex offender notification leaflets in the gated community where Gibney now lives; the community, Enterprise Cove, is located near Orange City, Florida.

It is not clear why the Irish government has not tried to extradite Gibney from the United States. Gibney is entitled to defend himself against the allegations. It is concerning that so many children and families have stepped forward with allegations against one man.

Find out more about the charges against George Gibney at Notorious Irish sex offender tracked to Florida.

If your Jacksonville, Florida child has been the victim of a sexual predator, there may be criminal and civil actions taken regarding the acts of the predator and the damages to the child. The police and State Attorney are charged with the responsibility of prosecuting the predator or sexual offender. In addition, a civil case may be brought against the sex offender / sex predator and his or her employee for the damage sustained by the child for such acts. A Florida Child Injury Lawyer can advise parents and caregivers as to the child's legal rights and the practicalities of pursuing a civil case for the abuse.

Polk County, Florida Sheriff Grady Judd is famous for his crackdowns on child predators, especially those who try to lure children over the Internet. He added another child predator suspect to his list recently, when he arrested Sikes Elementary School principal Corey Lynn Swindler on charges of sexually assaulting a young girl. Sikes Elementary School is located in Lakeland, Florida.

The alleged victim is an eleven year old girl and the child of a family friend. It was reported that Swindler knew the child / family for about 10 years. Swindler allegedly began abusing the girl when she was only five years old. Swindler has been charged with one count of sexual battery on a child under 12 years of age and six counts of lewd molestation on a child less than 12 years of age; he reportedly confessed to the lewd molestation charges after being arrested, but not to sexual battery.

Police say they have no reason to suspect that Swindler abused any children at the school he was in charge of for the last three years. The school district has placed him on administrative leave.

Parents should be able to send their children off to school without worrying if the principal is a child molester. If guilty, Swindler has certainly broken the trust of the parents at his school. Swindler is entitled to his day in court, but if he is convicted of these crimes, parents can breathe a little easier knowing that he will never be able to work with children again. Read more about the charges at Polk principal arrested for sexual battery on a child.

If you suspect that your child has been the victim of sexual abuse, it is important that the incident is reported to law enforcement authorities so that a criminal investigation can be pursued. The best place for a child predator is behind bars and away from children.

Children have rights and civil causes of action to pursue for sexual abuse and assault. In addition to the predator, there may be others including private businesses and school districts that are responsible for the harm inflicted upon the child. A consultation with a Florida Child Injury Lawyer can help answer many legal questions involved in sexual assault / molestation cases.

Parents and caregivers should monitor the text messages and e mails of their teen children. Of course, this can be a battle at times due to the typical teen's demand for privacy. In Kissimmee, Florida, a mother became concerned when she saw some text messages to her 13 year old daughter's mobile phone. These text messages eventually lead to the mother's discovery that her 13 year old daughter had sex with a 21 year old man that she met online at www.myspace.com. The mother reported the texts to the police who later arrested the man for lewd and lascivious battery, traveling to meet with a minor, and driving with a suspended license.

Children and teens greatly enjoy the Internet. Unfortunately, children and teens do not appreciate the dangers of online sites like My Space and Facebook. Parents should teach their children about the dangers of predators on the Internet and the fact that they target children. Parents should do their best to keep children off of sites like Facebook and My Space. In the alternative, parents should monitor their children's activities online and on their mobile phones. Make your child be your friend on My Space and Facebook. Set forth restrictions and limitations when your child is online. Make sure that they do not create friendships or liasons from purely online contact. It is well known that a person can be any body he or she wants to be online. You can read more about this Kissimmee story at Orlando Man Arrested Following a Mother's Discovery of Text Messages.

According to the Polk County, Florida Sheriff’s Office, John Stelmack was arrested after an investigation which revealed that he had allegedly created and was in possession of child pornography. Stelmack is the principal of Scott Lake Elementary School in Lakeland, Florida. He was suspended from his job by the Polk County School Board a week before his arrest, for an administrative investigation. In the course of the investigation, representatives of the school board found five images of child pornography in a briefcase seized from Stelmack’s office. School board representatives then contacted the Polk county Sheriff’s Office with their findings.

Stelmack allegedly often took pictures of his students at school and then used a computer to digitally superimpose their faces onto the bodies of nude children. At least one of the children, featured in four of the images, was positively identified as a ten year old female student at the school. Another female featured in the other photos has not been identified. A search of Stelmack’s home has yielded another ten to twenty digital images which may be considered child pornography.

Stelmack is fifty three years old and is married with two adult children. He has been charged with five counts of possession of child pornography and is being held with a $100,000 bond. To think that someone who has been entrusted with the safety of hundreds of children would do something like this is incomprehensible.

Of course, Mr. Stelmack has the right to representation from a criminal defense attorney or public defender for these charges. He may argue that the photos were not created by him or were otherwise unknown to him. If a plea deal is not secured, evidence will need to be presented at trial to prove up the charges. Forensic evidence should be yielded by examining the computer, digital camera, fingerprints,and other items.

Find out more about the arrest of school principal John Stelmack on child pornography charges at Principal out of jail after child porn arrest.

If your child has been the victim of a sexual predator, please contact our firm for expert legal counsel.

Brunswick, Florida native Timothy Paul Hitchcock used to be a popular Christian radio show personality. But on his third sex offender conviction, for trying to seduce a ten year old boy on the Internet, he was sentenced to ten years in federal prison. At the time, he was already on probation in Florida for providing obscene materials to a minor. He was released after nine years and placed on a three year probation. He moved to McIntosh County, in Southeastern Georgia.

Three months later, county sheriff’s deputies confirmed that he was living at the address he reported to the Georgia Sex Offender Registry. Shortly thereafter, he disappeared. According to Georgia authorities, Hitchcock crossed the border into Mexico, where he is still at large.

Hitchcock is only one of nine sex offenders last known to be living in South Georgia who cannot be found by law enforcement officials. According to Georgia law, sex offenders face a ten to thirty year prison sentence for failing to register their correct address annually with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Hitchcock could also have his probation revoked and be sent back to federal prison.

In Georgia, monitoring sex offenders is imposed on sheriffs by the state and is not funded. It can put a strain on the resources of rural sheriff departments. But the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded the Georgia Department of Corrections a $500,000 grant to locate and prosecute non-compliant sex offenders. Law enforcement officials are actively seeking information about the whereabouts of Timothy Paul Hitchcock. Anyone who has information about him or any other such offenders is asked to call the nearest law enforcement agency or notify the Georgia Bureau of Investigation through the tip link on its Web site, www.gbi.georgia.gov. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Find out who the other eight missing sex offenders in Southeastern Georgia are at Gone missing: 10 Southeast Georgia sex offenders.

If your child has been the victim of a sexual predator, please contact our firm for expert legal counsel.

The Miami Herald recently conducted an investigation of the Florida Department of Children and Families that showed 183 felons are working for the child welfare agency. Their crimes include child molestation, child abuse, sex crimes, drug dealing and even welfare fraud.

The Miami Herald story pointed out several examples, including the fact that the Tallahassee head of the agency’s data security team is on Florida’s list of sexual predators. The Miami Director of Rehabilitative Services has been arrested twice for buying cocaine, and the Chattahoochee Supervisor of Mental Patients was charged with first degree murder after allegedly firing a shotgun at his wife and child.

The Department of Children and Families maintains that the department works hard to screen its employees. DCF claims that in most of the cases highlighted by the Miami Herald story, DCF was aware of the employee’s backgrounds and had thoroughly reviewed each employee to ensure that the respective employee was rehabilitated and would not pose any threat to Department of Children and Families’ clients. DCF also points out that out of 24,000 employees statewide, 183 is a relatively small number. Read more about the Department of Children and Families’ questionable employees at Felony No Bar to Employment at Florida Child Agency.

Thousands of reports of abuse coming in on the Florida Department of Children and Families abuse hotline are being rejected or ignored, thanks to a little known new screening practice recently undertaken by the department. Child welfare managers in Broward County, Florida, brought the new screening rules to light during a routine practice review.

The new screening procedures were put into effect to ease the burden on the overwhelmed child welfare system. The Department of Children and Families calls the new practice “necessary triage” that allows them to focus on the most at-risk children. They point to a number of frivolous complaints filed, but reports of abuse, kidnapping, rape, child abuse, neglect and domestic violence are now being routinely being labeled as “unworthy of investigation” as well. A spokesperson for the department said the new rules are a work in progress, which the department will continue to refine.

One of the new policies that was leaked to the press includes a revision of guidelines on what is considered abuse, and includes a directive to reject complaints about signs of a beating unless the child was taken to a doctor or the hospital or was permanently disfigured. This would basically rule out any signs of abuse reported by childcare workers. Child advocates are up in arms over what they call a “dangerous shortcut” that will leave many children at risk. A one year old child, Bryce Barros, has already fallen victim to the new rules; he was beaten to death by a family member even after a Broward County domestic violence judge contacted the hotline on three separate occasions on behalf of the child.

The economic downturn is being blamed for a large part of the problem; stress and loss of income within families has put more children at risk, just as funding for the Department of Children and Families is being cut by the state. An increase in frivolous complaints lodged by child care workers afraid of being prosecuted for failure to report suspected abuse was also cited.

You can learn more about the new screening procedures at Cries for help to DCF hot line go unheeded by design.

In Fort Lauderdale (Broward County), Florida, Matthew Kent Sheley was sentenced to a 30 year prison term. He was charged with crimes related to child pornography and sexual battery on a child. According to a news story reported at the Florida Times Union, Sheley moved out of an apartment and left behind a VCR and some camcorder video tapes. This was the key evidence against Sheley. The tapes showed Sheley engaged in molestation acts with two young neighbor girls. As a result of the evidence against him, Mr. Sheley pleaded no contest to the charges. While justice is served with a long prison sentence for Mr. Sheley, it will not erase the horrible acts committed against these children. You can read more about this story at Broward County Man Sentenced to Prison Term for Child Pornography and Sex Abuse Charges.

In Jacksonville, Florida and cities throughout the country, child predators are unfortunately targeting teenagers and children for sex. Many people would be surprised by the identify and occupation of those who try to take advantage of children. In Jacksonville, Florida, a navy sailor was recently sentenced to a 10 year prison term. According to the FBI Website, Robert William Goodwin was convicted of crimes involving the use of the Internet / chat room to entice a child for sex. At the time of the commission of these crimes, Goodwin was not aware that he was actually chatting online with an undercover investigator with the Florida Attorney General - Child Predator Cyber Unit. When Goodwin arranged for a meeting, he was then arrested for these crimes. You can read more details about this case at Navy Sailor Sentenced to Prison - Used Chat Room to Entice a Minor for Sex.

In Florida and other States, children continue to be kidnapped and abducted every year. Because of their size, immaturity and at times poor judgment, children are often times easy victims for those intent on abducting and harming children. Gary Belson is a security expert and a teacher who uses his knowledge and experience to teach children about kidnapping and safety. The case of Carlie Brucia is a teaching tool that Belson uses in the classroom to help teach the children about safety. Carlie Brucia was abducted at a car wash. A surveillance video captured the abduction. In the video, a man is showed holding Carlie's arm and leading her away. Belson instructs children on how Carlie may have been able to fight back and get out of this dangerous and ultimate deadly situation. Of course, the best safety measure is to stay out of dangerous situations and to have parental or adult supervision at all times possible. You can read more about this story at Jacksonville, Florida Elementary Students Get Lessons and Instructions Regarding Child Safety.

The State of Louisiana has started a new program, called Offender Watch, to crack down on sex offenders who fail to register or fail to update their addresses as required. Under Louisiana law, convicted child abusers who are on probation and other sex offenders who have been released from prison are required to register their addresses with the local sheriff's office. Their whereabouts is made public. The program was formerly coordinated by 65 different Louisiana agencies; the new program is coordinated by just three: the Louisiana State Police, the Attorney General's Office, and the Department of Corrections and sheriffs' offices. Through it, the State of Lousiana has been able to add the names of about 2,500 missing sex offenders.

The new program has recently benefitted the State of Florida. When Angel Zelaya was stopped by Kenner, Louisiana police for a moving violation, they were able to determine that Zelaya had been living in Louisiana for two years without registering his new address and that he was wanted in the State of Florida for failing to maintain his sex offender registration. He is currently awaiting prosecution in both states.

Sex offenders in all states should be aware that the law is catching up with them, and take the time to make sure they are in compliance with their registration requirements. Otherwise they may face prosecution.

Find out more about the registration of sex offenders in Louisiana and Florida http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/11/post_79.html.

There is a general public awareness of the dangers or perceived dangers of Florida Sex Offenders and Florida Sex Predators; however, many people do not know or understand the difference between these two legal designations or classifications of people with a criminal history. The Palm Beach Post posted a good article that defines each term. This information is also posted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other web sites as well.

Children should be able to grow up in a society or community free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. If someone suspect that a child is being harmed, action should be taken to contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Department of Children and Families, and / or the local police department or sheriff's office.

The Orange County, Florida Sheriff’s Office made ten arrests recently, stemming from an investigation into an internet prostitution ring. The investigation took place over several weeks and included individuals in seven Florida counties. One of the alleged prostitutes arrested was a sixteen-year-old girl. She told police that her pimp was holding her five-month-old baby hostage, and that if she did not return to him with the money, he would keep the baby.

Deputies found the baby some time later with the girl’s alleged pimp, in a car in a parking lot at the Wal-Mart on South Kirkman Road in Orlando, Florida. The baby was unharmed; the pimp was arrested. The child has been turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families, which will determine if the infant should be returned to its mother.

It is sad enough that this young sixteen-year-old girl has become involved in a life of prostitution. But it is sadder still that her infant child has been mixed up in it as well. Children should be cherished and protected, not used as hostages held for ransom. Clearly this young girl is putting her child in harm's way by associating with alleged criminals. It will be interesting to see how the Florida Department of Children handles this matter and what the future holds for the 16 year old and her child.

Find out more about this story at Baby held hostage in prostitution ring.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 62 million people volunteer at least one day a year. Those volunteering to work with the elderly, children or the disabled persons are likely to be screened for “red flags” in their criminal history, such as convictions for drugs, violent crimes, sex crimes and child abuse. The ability to use national criminal history checks to screen out volunteers with certain types of criminal records has been made possible by the National Child Protection Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993.

In Florida, a state law requires schools to check volunteers against the sexual predator and offender database. A proposed law would also require youth sports organizations to check the backgrounds of coaches and referees. Some Florida volunteers who have been turned away from positions have hired a lawyer and plan to argue that the background checks violate their rights to privacy.

Checking someone’s background only costs few dollars. That seems like a small price to pay to be able to ensure parents and caregivers that their loved-ones will not be in the care of a person with a known or reported criminal history.

Read more about national laws and policies for criminal background checks on volunteers at Volunteers screened before working with children, elderly.

In Miami, Florida, a high school teacher (Frank Matthew Galatas - age 28) was arrested on allegations that he molested a 14 year old boy. According to a news story posted at the Miami Herald website, Galatas is being accused of molesting / performing oral sex on a 14 year old. Galatas has a profile posted online at Amazon. com where he describes himself as a religious man or "servant of god".

The allegations against Mr. Galatas are most serious. If he did perform the acts alleged by the 14 year old, Mr. Galatas should serve prison time for these acts. Of course, Mr. Galatas will have the right to defend himself against the allegations. It is uncertain what evidence the State Attorney / Police have against Mr. Galatas other than the statements of the 14 year old.

The Roman Polanski case involved an adult (Roman Polanski) and a 13 year old girl. It is interesting that actors and other directors have lobbied or supported Polanski yet these same people probably would not hesitate to imprison Mr. Galatas if Galatas committed these crimes. Does fame or fortune excuse bad or criminal acts? Does the passage of time make a crime any less that the crime is? I do not think so. People who take advantage of children by molesting them should be punished and serve prison time. This applies to any person whether they are a teacher, director, or do any other job in job. A crime is a crime - plain and simple. You can read more about the Galatas story at Southridge High School Teacher Accused of Molesting Student.

In Florida and other states, police officers and deputy sheriffs have a duty to uphold the law and protect all citizens including children and teenagers. Most law enforcement officers work hard everyday to fulfill this duty to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, there are some law enforcement officers who not only break the law but also go to prison for these crimes. In Marion County (Ocala) Florida, a judge recently sentenced a former deputy sheriff, Gabriel Pizzini, to 15 years of prison for sexual misconduct. Mr. Pizzini denied the charges but a jury / judge determined differently and the judge issued the sentence. Mr. Pizzini was accused of groping a 14 year old girl and then taking a photograph of the girl with her breasts exposed. Part of Mr. Pizzini's defense was that the girl's friend actually took the photo and it was planted as evidence against him.

Mr. Pizzini's prison will be followed by probation which will require Mr. Pizini to register as a sex offender. Most police officers can be trusted. It is unfortunate that all cannot be trusted. You can read more about this story at Former Marion County Deputy Sheriff Sentenced to Prison Term.

In Florida and other States, probation offers and state authorities monitored the activities and residences of sex offenders / predators. There are real concerns when a sex offender / predator moves near a school or day care center. Parents and residents are becoming more sophisticated and aware of where sex offenders / predators are living. Some released convicts move into society without ever re-offending. While others are bound to and often times commit crimes against others and children over and over again. Parents are and should be concerned about where sex offenders / predators live. A group of residents in the Orlando area were concerned by the fact that sex offenders / predators lived in or near their neighborhood. As such, some parents have applied for a license to set up or build a day care center. The plan is to get the license approved and then to have law enforcement authorities come in and require sex offenders / predators to move into a different area. Will this plan work? Time will tell. While not attempting to defend sex offenders or predators at all, there is a real issue as follows:

Where should sex offenders / predators reside?

How do residency requirements / restriction laws hold up against home ownership rights and other civil rights of sex offenders / predators?

What is the role of the city, county, state with respect to these issues?

What laws are constitutional as to these issues?

You can read more about the efforts by Florida residents to set up a day care center to drive out sex offenders at Day Care Center Planned for Orlando Area Neighborhood.

According to a story posted at the Florida Times Union Website, Kendrick Jerrald Collins was recently arrested for criminal charges that he fathered a child with a 15 year old girl. Prior to this arrest, Mr. Collins, age 26, was already serving a term of probation for lewd and lascivious battery on a minor. This is the second time that Mr. Collins has impregnated a girl younger than the age of 16. Unfortunately, there are many men like Collins out in the community taking advantage of young girls. Some may argue that these acts involve consensual sex and the State of Florida / Sheriff's Office take cases like this too far. On the other hand, child advocates would argue that young teenage girls are very vulnerable and immature. Furthermore, some child advocates may argue that a 26 year old is not a boyfriend to a 15 year old girl but is a sex predator who should be prosecuted. you can read more about this story at Sex Offender Facing New Charges in Jacksonville, Florida.