No Arrest or Filed Charges for Lewd & Lascivious Molestation

On June 6, 2016, we were hired to assist a client with a Pre-File Sexual Abuse investigation. In this case, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was investigating an allegation of Lewd & Lascivious Molestation. A Detective requested that our client submit to a polygraph examination. In the interim, our firm hired an expert polygraph examiner to conduct our own exam. The results exonerated our client and were submitted to the Detective investigating the case. The information we presented to the Detective, along with the polygraph evidence, resulted in the “No-File” which means that the State Attorney’s Office never filed any formal charges at the recommendation of the Detective). As a result, we were able to prevent our client from ever being arrested because of this false allegation.

Exposure of Sexual Organ in Hillsborough County

On February 9, 2017, in case number 16-CM-013XXX, in a different case pending before the Honorable Judge Valkenburg in Division A in Hillsborough County, we were able to keep our client out of custody by having the warrant withdrawn and we ultimately convinced the prosecutor to enter “Nolle Prosse” (dropping the charges).

Sexual Violence Injunction Dismissed

July 19, 2018 – In a hard fought battle, our firm ultimately won an extensive hearing on a sexual violence injunction in front of Judge Perrone in Division G in Hillsborough County. In 18-DR-29XX, the opposing counsel continued to drag out this matter in hopes of our client agreeing to the injunction in some form within the divorce proceedings. We refused to settle, and the court had a full hearing with witnesses and evidence on July 19, 2018. We had extensive evidence to show that the allegations were not true based on a severely delayed reporting and failure to cooperate with law enforcement. The court dismissed the injunction finding there was no competent substantial evidence to award an injunction.

Our client was accused of soliciting in Tampa, as a result of a sting. He had no criminal record. Based upon providing extensive mitigation regarding his work history and schooling as well as completing the JADE program and community service early, we successfully achieved a Nolle Prosse in 21-CM-00XX77 in front of Judge Gutman on August 16, 2021. This avoided any sort of conviction and eligibility to expunge the record. Most importantly, our client was able to avoid thhe mandatory statutory $5,000.00 civil penalty.

On February 16, 2023, our firm won a hearing on a sexual violence injunction in front of Judge Perrone in Division G in Hillsborough County. The court dismissed the injunction finding there was no competent substantial evidence to award an injunction. The Petitioner failed to present substantial evidence of any sexual violence committed by our client.

Sexual Battery Allegations and Investigation – In December of 2022, a search warrant was executed on our client’s property due to false allegations of sexual battery. After nearly a year of fighting the charges, we convinced the State Attorney not to file any charges and close the investigation.

Our client was charged with a first-degree misdemeanor. We presented mitigation, showing that no crime had occurred. After the prosecutor was unwilling to drop the charges, attorney Katherine Aranda took the case to trial, and the jury returned a not guilty verdict on February 20, 2024.

In a hard-fought battle, our firm ultimately won an extensive hearing on a sexual violence injunction in front of Judge Perrone in Division G in Hillsborough County. In 18-DR-29XX, the opposing counsel continued to drag out this matter in hopes of our client agreeing to the injunction in some form within the divorce proceedings. We refused to settle, and the court had a full hearing with witnesses and evidence on July 19, 2018. We had extensive evidence to show that the allegations were not true based on a severely delayed reporting and failure to cooperate with law enforcement. The court dismissed the injunction finding there was no competent substantial evidence to award an injunction.

The jury returned a “NOT GUILTY” verdict on a first degree felony punishable by life in prison. The charge was pending before the Honorable Susan L. Barthle in Dade City, FL. Instead of facing those penalties, our client was exonerated and walked out of the courthouse with us after the jury returned the not guilty verdict.