State of Florida vs. Belafonte Rosier
Man gets life in prison for having sex with girl

Belafonte Rosier, 36, fought to the bitter end to get a new trial after his conviction in September. But what he got was life in prison. Collier county Circuit Judge Frank Baker sentenced Rosier to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment, plus three 30-year prison terms. Rosier was convicted September 1 of having sex with a girl from age 10 to13, and impregnating her. The case was prosecuted by Collier County Assistant State Attorney Deborah Schwartz.

State of Florida vs. Donald Ridenour
Punta Gorda man gets 15 years in homeless man beating

Donald Ridenour, 44, admitted in court that he beat a homeless man, but not to death as he was charged. He said someone else wielded the aluminum baseball bat that killed Abundio Ramirez. The six jury members, though, determined Ridenour was responsible for the homeless camp killing and found him guilty of manslaughter. Circuit Judge Frank Porter sentenced Ridenour to 15 years in prison, the maximum penalty for a manslaughter conviction. Porter said, “the most troubling aspect of this case was that Mr. Ramirez was not killed by one strike of the bat, but several.” Ridenour repeatedly cracked Ramirez’s skull with four fatal blows to the head. After the victim fell to the ground, Ridenour struck him six more times. During closing arguments, Charlotte County Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner took the dirty bat in his hands and slowly smacked the state’s table four times demonstrating to the jury how the killing took place. 

State of Florida vs Jonathan Vazquez
Man sentenced to 10 years in wife’s death

After a jury in August convicted Jonathan Vazquez, 21, of manslaughter, this month, the judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison, five to be spent on probation. Vazquez shot and killed his 22 year-old-wife while she sat on the couch beside the couple’s 5-year-old daughter. His attorneys said he didn’t know the gun was loaded. Lee County Assistant State Attorney Dineen Baker successfully prosecuted the case. 

State of Florida vs Equis Trenard Graham
Jury finds man guilty of sexual battery

Equis Trenard Graham, 28, was convicted of sexual battery after the victim told the jury he raped her at her sister’s home in Port Charlotte. The jury deliberated for just 23 minutes following the one-day trial before finding Graham guilty. Assistant State Attorney Don Mason proved to the jury that the sexual act was not consensual.

State of Florida vs. Jarvis McBride
Man guilty in death of ex Ft. Myers Police Chief’s son

A jury believed Jarvis McBride, 20, was involved in the slaying of Greg Hart and found him guilty of manslaughter and giving a false name to police. Hart, the son of former Ft. Myers Police Chief Larry Hart, was found shot to death in the entrance of his home. The motive for the shooting was about $2,000. Assistant State Attorney Bob Lee told jurors two eyewitnesses across the street saw two men, one with a white shirt and short hair and one with a red shirt and long hair, running from the scene after the shooting. Police caught up with the two of them about an hour later and arrested McBride and Terrence Jackson, 18. Jackson awaits trial. Sentencing date for McBride has not been set.

State of Florida vs. Jahwann Arbyummi
Guilty verdict for shooting a food deliveryman

After nearly four hours of deliberations, a four-man, two-woman Collier County jury found Jahwann Arbyummi, 20, guilty of felony battery and shooting inside an occupied dwelling. He faces up to 20 years in prison. The incident occurred when the victim was delivering Chinese food to the defendant. Arbyummi said he had not ordered any food and refused to pay. When the victim became persistent and demanded payment, Arbyummi shot him. The victim survived the shooting, but is paralyzed. In closing arguments, Assistant State Attorneys Mara Marzano and Amy Wilson told the jury the victim went to the home to collect money for the food and repeatedly asked for the parents when Arbyummi refused to pay. Arbyummi is being held on no bond pending the sentencing, which is set for December 18.

State of Florida vs Shannon Robinson
East Naples man found guilty of Capital Sexual Battery

Shannon Robinson, 23, told investigators the acts on the two children under 12 years old were consensual. The five-man, one-woman jury believed differently and found Robinson guilty of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation and Capital Sexual Battery Upon a Child Under 12. Robinson was a family friend of one of the victims who often spent the night at his home. The boy saw pornographic material on Robinson’s computer and they sometimes played games where if the boy lost, he would have to perform sex acts on Robinson. At the beginning of November, Robinson pleaded guilty in Federal Court to Child Pornography charges and is serving a 20-year sentence. Robinson was sentenced on December 7, 2006, to chemical castration. Collier County Assistant State Attorney Steve Maresca prosecuted the case.

State of Florida vs. Joshua Grotberg
Man convicted on 24 sexual counts

The victim was 14-years old when the sexual contact began aboard a Collier County School Bus. The driver, Joshua Grotberg, 30 and his girlfriend Lillian Brown, 27, who was also a bus driver, drew in the victim because she helped care for Brown’s two young children. The couple threatened violence to her and her family if she told of the sexual encounters. The couple also made videos of the sex acts, which were seized as evidence in the investigation and eventually shown to the jury. Collier County Assistant State Attorney Steve Maresca thundered through his closing, calling Grotberg evil, and apologizing to the jurors for having to watch such appalling videotapes. It took the four-woman, two-man jury less than an hour to find Grotberg guilty of 24 sexual felonies (see list of charges in the left margin). Grotberg’s sentencing is scheduled for August 25th and he faces the possibility of multiple life sentences without parole. He still faces an unrelated capital sexual battery on a 3-year old child that will be tried later. His co-defendant Brown pled no contest to 19 felonies and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

State of Florida vs. Ernesto Mireles
Man convicted and sentenced for 1st degree murder and armed robbery

Ernesto Mireles, 26, of Bonita Springs, was convicted of shooting Isis Laffitte, 66, to death during a robbery at her East Naples grocery store. The 11-woman, one-man jury deliberated 4 ½ hours. Once the verdict was returned, Senior Judge William Blackwell handed down the mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. Collier County Assistant State Attorney Mike Provost proved to the jury that Mireles was a participant in the robbery that led to Laffitte’s death. She was shot in the neck and died in the store parking lot after accosting one of the four defendants who had a container with about $4,000.00 in stolen money. Co-defendant Salvador Nunez had already received a life in prison sentence as the getaway driver. Another co-defendant, Oscar Luna, agreed to a 20-year sentence in exchange for his testimony. A fourth co-defendant, Baldomero Nunez is awaiting prosecution.

State of Florida vs. Patrick Oleary
Friends turned over evidence in sex case

A Lee County jury found Patrick Oleary, 36, guilty of two counts of Sexual Battery, two counts of Promoting Sexual Acts by a Minor and Lewd and Lascivious Molestation. The Ft. Myers man was accused of performing sex acts on a 15-year old girl and keeping at least two videotapes of those encounters. Oleary was arrested after one of the two tapes was given to authorities by one of his friends. Another friend turned over the second tape afterward. Oleary was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Assistant State Attorney Francine Donnorummo prosecuted the case.

State of Florida vs. Roger Michael Bobbitt
Man guilty of attempted murder of an officer

A man who fired several shots at a police officer was found guilty of attempted 1st degree murder of a Law Enforcement Officer. Lee County Assistant State Attorney Betsy Biffl prosecuted the case, which took the jury one hour to return with a guilty verdict. Bobbitt faces life in prison. One of the bullets fired by Roger Michael Bobbitt, 52, wounded Ft. Myers Police Officer George Sanford when it ricocheted and tore through the back of Sanford’s bullet-proof vest. It grazed his vest, bruising him, but not piercing his skin. Then Bobbit jumped off of a second-story balcony breaking both of his legs and dislocating his shoulder. After jumping from the balcony, he fired two more shots at Officer Sanford from his hunting rifle and then turned the gun on himself. In a failed attempt to commit suicide, he fired one more round. Sanford was responding to a breach of peace incident at the time and said that Bobbitt fired a rifle shortly after opening the door. Sentencing is scheduled for September 27.

State of Florida vs Kenneth McFarlin
Taxi driver’s death nets life sentence

After approximately nine hours of deliberation, a Lee County jury found Kenneth McFarlin, 29, guilty of 1st Degree Felony Murder, Kidnapping and Carjacking. McFarlin stole a taxi and stuffed the driver inside the trunk of the car, which caused the driver to die of a heart attack. Under Florida Felony Murder Law, a person who commits a felony is held legally responsible for someone who dies as the result of the crime, no matter what the cause of death. After the verdict was handed down, Judge Thomas Reese imposed two concurrent life sentences, plus 30-years. Assistant State Attorneys Betsy Biffl and Kelly Worcester prosecuted the case, which will be featured on Court TV at a later date.

State of Florida vs. Belafonte Rosier
Man found guilty of sexual battery on a child

Belafonte Rosier, 36, called himself as a witness, firing questions at himself as he tried to convince jurors that he didn’t have sex with an underage girl. Rosier served as his own lead attorney during the trial. But his self-representation didn’t work. The Collier County jury took less than one hour to convict the East Naples man of two sexual battery and three unlawful sexual activity charges. Rosier was tied to the sexual acts with the victim, now 16, through DNA evidence. The girl was 13 when she became pregnant. She was 10 when the abuse started in 2000. Assistant State Attorney Deborah Schwartz prosecuted the case. Rosier’s sentencing is scheduled for October 18th. He faces life in prison.

State of Florida vs. Christopher Ward
Ft. Myers man guilty in officer’s death

Christopher Ward, 30, was found guilty of second-degree murder, resisting arrest, and resisting arrest with violence and battery on two police officers. The murder charge stemmed from the death of Ft. Myers Police officer Daniel Starks, 21, who joined a pursuit of Ward and was killed when his car collided with another officer’s vehicle. Assistant State Attorney Marie Doerr proved to the jury that Ward’s actions caused Starks’ death. Ward was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

State of Florida vs Gerardo Bucio Gomez
Jury find man guilty of attempted murder

A 21-year old Immokalee man who confessed to shooting four times at a jogger at the Corkscrew Marsh trails before blasting him in the face was convicted of attempted murder. It only took the Collier County jury 85 minutes to convict Gerardo Bucio Gomez of first-degree attempted murder and grand theft auto. Gomez left the victim for dead and then stole his car. Deputies were seeking two suspects in the case, but a second man was never found. Assistant State Attorney Dave Scuderi prosecuted the case. Gomez was sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder and 5 years for grand theft to be served concurrently.

State of Florida vs. Fonseca
Woman convicted in record breaking marijuana bust

A Lee County jury found Yliedy Fonseca, 27, guilty of her role in one of Cape Coral’s biggest marijuana rings. Fonseca is the first of 12 people to go to trial in the case. Police raided 10 houses and seized 421 marijuana plants with a street value of more than $900,000.Assistant State Attorney Doug Sprotte described Fonseca and her husband to the jury as “warehouse keepers” who let the marijuana be grown in their home. More trials will follow for the other alleged members of the drug ring, including Luis Fonseca. Each suspect faces five to 40 years in prison as well as a fine of up to $250,000.

State of Florida vs. Ware
Murder, dismemberment brings 35 years

A former medic was convicted and sentenced to 35 years in prison for shooting a Lehigh Acres man, cutting him up and disposing of his body in garbage bags. Assistant State Attorney’s Claudia Stewart and Susan Tacy proved to the jury that William Ware, 38 shot Oscar Tolbert, 35, over a crack cocaine transaction. Ware was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment, 25 years minimum/mandatory.

State of Florida vs. Blango
Robbery foiled by watchful eyes

Two armed, masked men ordered everyone at the Fifth Third Bank at Boy Scout and Summerlin in Fort Myers to the ground. With guns at their heads, the tellers were instructed to put money into a bag. As Robert Blango, 25, of Cape Coral and Jerry Wilson, 30, of Fort Myers left the bank, a dye pack exploded on them and the stolen $16,000. A family outside the bank wrote down the tag number of their getaway car. Within minutes, SWAT and LCSO deputies surrounded Blango’s home and both suspects surrendered.

Prosecutors Marie Doerr and J.P. Galasso argued the case against Blango during the four-day trial. The jury deliberated for two and a half hours and found Blango guilty of robbery with a firearm. For his part in the robbery, Blango was sentenced in April to 20 years minimum/mandatory, followed by 5 years probation. Wilson was convicted earlier in the year in a separate trial and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

State of Florida vs. Chubbick
Man convicted of killing live-in girlfriend

A Lee County jury found Kenneth Chubbick, 38, guilty for manslaughter in the murder of his live-in girlfriend, 37-year old Payton King-Parrish. An argument started between the two at a Fort Myers Beach lounge when the defendant found her in the company of other men. Evidence including DNA testing and a 911 tape were used during the trial. Prosecutor Earl Fechter painstakingly proved to the jury that the only two persons involved in this incident were the defendant and the victim, despite claims from Chubbick that he didn’t do it.

State of Florida vs. Eskridge
An angry brawl ends in death

A Collier County jury deliberated for about two hours before finding Alan Blake Eskridge, 44, guilty of second-degree murder. During closing arguments, Prosecutors Mara Marzano and Rich Montecalvo took jurors through the events of the night Patrick McCaffrey, 38, died. The defendant, McCaffrey and several others started the evening drinking at a local restaurant and then went to Eskridge’s home to play cards. The drinking continued and the poker game erupted into a brawl between Eskridge, McCaffrey and another man.When the victim left to go home, Eskridge went after him. McCaffrey was stabbed four times, and died from a 3 ½- inch-deep knife wound that penetrated his heart. Eskridge was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years probation.

State of Florida vs. Poulin
Home invasion defendant says he was framed

Matthew Colby Poulin tried to convince the jury that a longtime friend framed him. Poulin, 23, was convicted of Home Invasion Robbery with a Firearm, Burglary with Battery and Kidnapping. He told the jury that the stereo equipment and rare records found in his girlfriend’s garage after his arrest were given to him by one of the three victims, not stolen, as an advance payment for $14,000.00 worth of marijuana purchased by the victim. Charlotte County Prosecutors Shannon Doolity and Don Mason, convinced the jury otherwise. Poulin faces up to life imprisonment at his upcoming sentence.

State of Florida vs. Smith
Second inmate recommended to death for killing corrections officer

A Charlotte County jury found Stephen Smith, 45, guilty for the pre-meditated murder of Charlotte County Corrections Officer Darla Lathrem and recommended the death penalty. Judge William Blackwell will rule on the recommendation at a later date.

State Attorney Steve Russell argued that Smith was the mastermind behind an escape plan from Charlotte Correctional Institution on June 11, 2003. That’s when Smith, Dwight T. Eaglin, 30, and Michael Jones, 49, tried to escape by building a makeshift ladder after Eaglin killed Lathrem and another inmate, Charlie Fuston, 36. Assistant State Attorneys Dan Feinberg and Bob Lee acted as co-counsel in the state’s case against Smith proving that Smith had planned the escape for months and made statements that “anyone who got in the way would be killed.”

In February, Eaglin was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Jones' trial is scheduled for September.

State of Florida vs. Young
Man guilty of murder and robbery with a firearm

After two days of testimony and three hours of deliberation, jurors concluded that Arthur Young was the man who shot 20-year old Anthony Cubello, Jr. Young was convicted of second-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. Cubello died after Young and Jeremy Jackson attacked him and took his wallet outside a Ft. Myers liquor store. Jackson pleaded guilty on May 8 to second-degree murder and robbery charges and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Assistant State Attorneys Marie Doerr and Kelly Worcester prosecuted the case.

State of Florida vs. Joshua Grotberg
Man convicted on 24 sexual counts

The victim was 14-years old when the sexual contact began aboard a Collier County School Bus. The driver, Joshua Grotberg, 30 and his girlfriend Lillian Brown, 27, who was also a bus driver, drew in the victim because she helped care for Brown’s two young children. The couple threatened violence to her and her family if she told of the sexual encounters. The couple also made videos of the sex acts, which were seized as evidence in the investigation and eventually shown to the jury. Collier County Assistant State Attorney Steve Maresca thundered through his closing, calling Grotberg evil, and apologizing to the jurors for having to watch such appalling videotapes. It took the four-woman, two-man jury less than an hour to find Grotberg guilty of 24 sexual felonies. Grotberg’s faces the possibility of multiple life sentences without parole. He still faces an unrelated capital sexual battery on a 3-year old child that will be tried later. His co-defendant Brown pled no contest to 19 felonies and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

State of Florida vs. Ernesto Mireles
Man convicted and sentenced for 1st degree murder and armed robbery

Ernesto Mireles, 26, of Bonita Springs, was convicted of shooting Isis Laffitte, 66, to death during a robbery at her East Naples grocery store. The 11-woman, one-man jury deliberated 4 ½ hours. Once the verdict was returned, Senior Judge William Blackwell handed down the mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. Collier County Assistant State Attorney Mike Provost proved to the jury that Mireles was a participant in the robbery that led to Laffitte’s death. She was shot in the neck and died in the store parking lot after accosting one of the four defendants who had a container with about $4,000.00 in stolen money. Co-defendant Salvador Nunez had already received a life in prison sentence as the getaway driver. Another co-defendant, Oscar Luna, agreed to a 20-year sentence in exchange for his testimony. A fourth co-defendant, Baldomero Nunez is awaiting prosecution.

State of Florida vs. Daniel Gross
Two Down, One to Go

State of Florida vs. Anthony Dennis
Crime Doesn't Pay

Sixteen-year old Anthony Dennis thought he could get away with shooting a man and stealing his money. The victim, Jimmy Niles had worked out a deal earlier in the day with Dennis’ co-defendant Tiffany Coleman to buy her car. That night, Dennis, Coleman and another co-defendant, Gregory Larry, saw Niles walking down a street in the city of Ft. Myers. Assuming Niles was carrying the money, the three jumped out of the car, where Dennis shot the victim in the head with a .22 caliber gun. But fortunately, it did not penetrate. He then gave the gun to Larry who shot Niles four times, severely wounding him. Larry pled guilty to the crime and is serving an eight-year sentence. Coleman also pled and testified against Larry and Dennis. Dennis was convicted at trial. Sentencing for Dennis is in February, when, according to the prosecutor of the case, Hamid Hunter, he faces 25 years to life.

State of Florida vs. John Barker III
Second Brother Sentenced

John Barker III was sentenced to life plus 15 years for home invasion robbery and manslaughter in a trial prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Betsy Biffl. He was sentenced under both the Habitual Felony Offender and Prison Releasee Reoffender statutes.

In September of 2003, he and his brother John Barker II, of North Fort Myers, broke into the home of Michael Livolsi to commit a robbery. During the commission of the crime, Livolsi was hogtied, fiercely beaten and left for dead in his home. The beating he sustained was so violent that Livolsi never again regained consciousness and died nine days later.

Last year Betsy Biffl also tried John Barker II, who was convicted of 2nd degree murder and home invasion robbery. In May he was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 30.

State of Florida vs. Alfredo Quintero
Victim Survives Stabbing

Alfredo Quintero walked into the Cape Coral Police Department covered in blood. He approached the officer on duty and claimed he had just killed his live-in girlfriend. Despite the fact that the 37-year old had stabbed her eight times with a large kitchen knife, she survived. In reaching a verdict of Attempted Second Degree Murder, Assistant State Attorney Dineen Baker overcame the suppression of Quintero’s confession and was able to prove the case without testimony from the victim. It only took the jury one hour to reach a verdict of guilty. Sentencing date to be set.

State of Florida vs. Chanquila Shuler
Seniors Thwart Criminal

Four Bank of America customers, ranging from 80 to 93-years old, complained to bank officials of unauthorized withdrawals on their accounts. Within a month, 26-year old Chanquila Shuler was arrested and charged with Grand Theft. One of the state’s Collier County investigators, Tim Cully, provided transportation to the 93- years old victim and his wife who was in her 80’s. The trial took 1 1/2 days with the jury deliberating for only 15 minutes. It was a challenge to Assistant State Attorney’s Mara Marzano and Deborah Schwartz to manage the many documents that were important to establish that these withdrawals were not just errors. And, an even greater challenge for the prosecutorial team was that defendant represented herself. In closing the state argued that the documentary evidence was proof that a crime had been committed and the defendant's claim that she admitted to the first incident (the only one she admitted) to save her job was unbelievable.

State of Florida vs. Wilder
Bad Meat

An inmate at the Collier County Jail, Erwin Wilder, 46, of Immokalee, attacked a corrections officer because he did not like his breakfast. The trial took only one day, and the jury took only one hour to return a verdict of guilty. Assistant. State Attorney Rich Montecalvo prosecuted the case. Wilder was sentenced as a violent career criminal to 10 years in prison to be served in its’ entirety.

State of Florida vs. Jerry Broomfield
Violent Rampage Leads to 13 Convictions

It only took Assistant State Attorney Betsy Biffl two days to present the evidence that led to the conviction of 38-year old Jerry Broomfield of 13 criminal charges which included Robbery - Possessing Firearm; Attempted Robbery - Possessing Firearm; Carjacking - Possession Firearm; Possession Of Firearm, Ammuntion, Or Concealed Weapon By A Convicted Felon; Aggravated Assault With A Firearm; Cruelty To Animals; Aggravated Battery With A Deadly Weapon; Carjacking - Possession Firearm; Kidnapping; Attempted Second Degree Murder; Fleeing Or Attempting To Elude With Wanton Disregard; Criminal Mischief Less Than $200.00; two counts of Aggravated Assault With A Firearm.

It all started when Broomfield failed in his effort to rob a safe at a Ft. Myers pizza shop. After kidnapping an employee of the pizza shop and stealing a car, terrorizing a neighbor, wounding a dog, stabbing a man, fleeing police and causing a traffic accident with injuries, Broomfield was finally apprehended in a police stand-off. But Broomfield wasn’t quite ready to give up, so he kicked out a car window. Broomfield is a Prison Release Reoffender and could face multiple life terms at the sentencing.

State of Florida vs. Perez
Confrontation Ends in Murder

It took less than two hours for a jury to convict 24-year old New York native Jose Perez, Jr. of second -degree murder. When an argument with a friend took a turn for the worse, Perez pulled out a gun and fired three times as his victim turned to flee. Once the victim was down, Perez shot him through the neck. Prosecutors Sigrid Tejo and Hamid Hunter convicted Perez under the “10-20-Life” Statute. He is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 25-years to life in prison.

State of Florida vs. Green
Back in the News

In eleven days, Montrell Green victimized 8 people. Last October we told you about Green's first trial in which Assistant State Attorney Betsy Biffl earned a conviction. In January and February of this year, Betsy tried the other cases against Green. Charges for all three cases included various counts of Robbery with a Weapon, Robbery, Kidnapping, and Home Invasion. As a result of Green's crime spree, he was sentenced to a total of 105 years in prison.

State of Florida vs. Dwight Eaglin
Prisoner Convicted of Murdering Guard

A twelve-member jury recommended 30-year old Dwight Eaglin be sentenced to death for the murder of a prison guard and fellow prisoner. Lead prosecutor on the case was State Attorney Steve Russell who was assisted by Assistant State Attorneys Dan Feinberg and Bob Lee. Eaglin was already serving a life sentence for a 1998 murder in Pinellas County when he killed prison guard Darla Lathrem and prisoner Charles Fuston during an escape attempt. The trial lasted one week, taking the jury about two hours to reach a verdict of guilty on two counts of premeditated murder. A judge will make the final decision of whether Eaglin will be sentenced to death.

State of Florida vs. Stacy Watts
More To Come

Stacy Watts from Ft. Myers forcibly took a victim's car in Immokalee to attempt his return to Ft. Myers. A high-speed chase ensued with the Collier County Sheriff's Office. A jury convicted Watts for Carjacking, Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding. He qualifies as a Habitual Felony Offender and prosecutors Lisa Mead and Mara Marzano will seek that designation at time of the sentencing. If sentenced as an HFO, he could be sentenced to two times the statutory maximum for his crimes. Watts is also awaiting trial on Sexual Battery charges in an unrelated incident