UPDATED: Florida Bong Ban Passes (Does Not Puff Puff)

Despite organized opposition from smoke shop owners across the state, the Florida Senate passed a bill that will effectively shut down most headshops in the Sunshine State. Under the so-called “Bong Bill,” the only shops allowed to sell water pipes will be stores where the sale of tobacco products constitutes…

More Questions About Michael Dippolito’s Finances

In between professing love for her California boyfriend and plotting ways to have her husband arrested, phone records show that Dalia Dippolito made some interesting allegations about Michael Dippolito’s finances.She told her boyfriend via text messages that Michael, who was on probation for telemarketing fraud and owed about $191,000 in…

Connecting the Dots: Does FAIR Play a Role in Lake Worth Politics?

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is under scrutiny in Lake Worth these days. As we reported yesterday, residents packed a small room at Monday night’s CRB meeting to hear a presentation on local “hate groups,” including FAIR.In part, the recently passed Arizona Senate Bill 1070, one piece of…

Another Child Sex Case in Boynton

For the second day in a row, the Boynton Beach Police Department has announced the arrest of a man for sex acts with a child relative. Octavio Pedro Jose, 18, has been charged with molesting his 8-year-old sister.According to the arrest affidavit, the abuse came to light this week after…

Dalia Dippolito’s Multiple Lovers and Schemes

Dalia Dippolito tried to enlist at least two ex-lovers to help in her plot to have her husband arrested or bankrupted. But did the two men know about each other? And did they both know about her alleged murder plot?Text messages released this week by the Palm Beach County State…

Boynton Beach Man Busted for Sex Acts With 11-Year-Old

Mark Sullivan, a 49-year-old man from Boynton Beach, has been charged with molesting his 11-year-old stepson.According to the arrest affidavit by Boynton Beach police, Sullivan slept on the floor of his living room with the boy, then placed the boy’s feet into his (Sullivan’s) pants. In his own interview with…

Gay Man Allegedly Beaten By Police Had History of Violence, Stalking

A gay man who says he was “beaten unconscious” by Fort Lauderdale police has a history of mental illness, unstable behavior, and violence. Two former friends of Ronald Clouse, who contacted us after he filed an Internal Affairs complaint against Fort Lauderdale police officer T.M. O’Neil, say that they had…

Dalia Dippolito’s Life as a Working Woman

She met her husband while working as a professional escort. But even after they married, Dalia Dippolito never completely gave up her past life.According to phone records included in the the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office murder-for-hire case against Dalia, she was still texting male clients as recently as…

Dalia Dippolito’s X-Rated Text Messages

Professing love via racy text messages, and telling him “cant wait to fuck ur hard cock,” professional escort Dalia Dippolito convinced an ex-lover to help her try to bankrupt her new husband. According to lengthy text message transcripts obtained by the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, Dalia cajoled Mike…

Arrest in Murder of Pompano Grandfather

Following a helicopter-assisted search by Broward Sheriff’s Office, a 30-year-old man, Marvin Johnson, has been arrested in connection with the May 7 murder of a Pompano Beach grandfather.The body of Samuel McWhorter, 79, was discovered on that day by his granddaughter. Around noon today, BSO received a tip that Johnson…

America’s Most Wanted in Jupiter to Help Find Serial Rapist

The 21-year-old woman walked alone on a darkened strip of Old Dixie Highway in Jupiter around 12:30 a.m. on April 9, 2009. Engrossed in a cell-phone conversation, she didn’t immediately notice the man quietly stalking her, a cigarette in his mouth.She did her best to put up a fight. “She…

Accidental Death Case Changed to Homicide; Suspects Arrested

The death Saturday of a homeless man, Bradly Schmidt, was not accidental, as investigators first believed. Rather, the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office has reversed its original ruling, based on what it has learned from detectives, and is now calling the case a homicide:From the Fort Lauderdale police news release:Investigators…

Vigilant Deputy Nabs Sex Offender Cruising for Kids

Here’s some good old-fashioned police work from a Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy in Oakland Park. The BSO press release: While on routine patrol on Monday, May 3, Sergeant Pat Murray observed a blue Dodge Pickup driving slowly past three girls, each walking separately between the 1600 and 1800 block of…

Tony Villegas’ DNA Mystery

For those who insist Tony Villegas was framed for the murder of attorney Melissa Britt Lewis in March 2008, one key piece of evidence begs for extra attention.After Melissa disappeared, Plantation police discovered her abandoned Cadillac in a parking lot in Plantation. In the trunk was the brown suit jacket…

Lauderdale Man Lives to Tell of Suicide by Housefire

Around 3 this morning, Fort Lauderdale firefighters responded to a blaze at a bungalow along 729 SW 15th Avenue. According to the Police Department’s release:As smoke and flames were bellowing [sic] from the residence, three officers saw a man inside. They broke a window, gained entry and brought the man…

Lawrence Taylor Busted for Rape

Hall of Fame New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor has been arrested on charges of rape for allegedly having sex in a Montebello, New York, hotel room with a 16-year-old girl who had run away from home.Taylor listed Pembroke Pine as his primary residence. We’ll keep an eye on this…

Tony Villegas’ Diary: Is This Man Sane Enough to Stand Trial?

Now that a Broward judge has declared Tony Villegas incompetent to stand trial for the murder of attorney Melissa Britt Lewis, many people are wondering about his state of mind two years ago, when he was arrested for allegedly strangling Melissa and dumping her body in a canal.If mental health…