Florida Criminal Attorneys Blog

Oscar winning director Roman Polanski has been arrested in Switzerland after over 30 years on the run. In 1978, accusations arose of Polanski raping a child. He later entered a plea of guilty to sexual intercourse with a 13-year old girl. The State threatened the famous director to more prison time than originally agreed to in the plea bargain. Polanski fled the country prior to the sentencing hearing and has been on the run ever since.

The now 76-year old director relocated to France where there is no extradition treaty with the United States. Before the international terror crisis, European laws were very relaxed as far as detaining foreign fugitives. Polanski had no trouble publicly traveling around Europe up until this past weekend.

Information has not been released on what steps were taken to apprehend Polanski. However, Swiss authorities did arrest him inside the airport while he was on his way to accept an achievement award. Polanski directed the films Chinatown and Rosemary's Baby. He also was married to former actress Sharon Tate, who was infamously murdered by followers of Charles Manson.

A second individual has been charged in a fraud crime against an elderly man. The defendant and Stuart resident, 27-year old Apryle Marie Shepard, allegedly worked as an accomplice with her boyfriend to steal money from an 89-year old gentleman. In July, Shepard claimed she needed money to bond her boyfriend out of jail and then to have her car towed. The 89-year old victim, who also suffers from memory loss, handed over to the suspect $560.

Officers also arrested Shepard's boyfriend on similar charges. He told the authorities of Shepard's involvement and now she faces criminal charges. She is charged with two counts of larceny over $300 and fraud crimes against a senior citizen.

In addition to these theft charges, Shepard faces unrelated drug crimes. She is accused of four counts of manufacturing opium, four counts of possession of narcotics equipment and felony grand theft. Shepard has not yet posted $62,000 bond and is currently awaiting trial inside the St. Lucie County Jail.

A finger print analysis has led to the arrest of a Tampa man for burglarizing over $500,000 worth of stolen goods. Burglars broke open a wood panel leading into the garage of a Forest Hills Estates home to obtain access to a residence. The offenders raided a five foot safe and stole cash, jewelry, watches, guns and antiques. The total amount of stolen goods has been valued at over $504,000.

Officers performed a finger print analysis of a soda can and it matched positive to that of a suspect, 21-year old Joshua White. White has refused to cooperate with authorities and has not named any additional accomplices or suspects in the crime. White had recently posted on his Myspace web page that he had been living large prior to his arrest. Now he is charged with felony armed burglary of a dwelling, grand theft of over $100,000 and two counts of grand theft with a firearm.

Disney World Resort is in the headlines again for criminal activity against a minor. A man allegedly committed a sexual battery against a twelve year old girl at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. Orange County Police state that the defendant met the girl at the resort's pool. The victim told authorities that a short time after meeting the defendant had his hands on her hips and they kissed out of sight of witnesses. The victim and the suspect then kissed throughout the day.

The defendant, 29 year old Jean Garcia, later met the twelve year old victim at the resort's marshmallow roast party. The two sat next to each other until the victim's mother arrived. While the victim's family packed to leave the resort, she met Garcia inside a laundry room. Garcia participated in oral sexual activity with the victim and attempted to have sex her.

Two weeks later the victim told her parents that she feared she may be pregnant and came clean about the ordeal. The victim's family contacted the Orange County Police Department and they set up a sting operation. An officer of the force contacted the defendant and pretended to be the victim. Garcia admitted to wanting to meet with the victim and organized a plan to have sex. Officers stopped the defendant on his way into the Disney resort.

A Lake Correctional Institution employee has been arrested for allegedly sneaking contraband to imprisoned inmates. An inmate caught with an illegal cell phone tattled that the defendant, 39 year old Julia Bedenbaugh regularly supplied prisoners with drugs and cell phones. Bedenbaugh is accused of having the contraband delivered to her personal post office box.

Clermont officials worked with the U.S. Postal Service to obtain surveillance video of the defendant obtaining her mail. She retrieved two packages from the post office box. The authorities obtained a search warrant and found one box contained a cell phone and the other possessed two plastic cigars containing crack cocaine.

Officers arrested Bedenbaugh and charged her with possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute. The defendant posted $20,000 bond and is currently awaiting trial out of jail. The Department of Corrections has terminated Bedenbaugh for her alleged actions.