Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Mandatory Minimums In Florida Drug Cases
Florida has a very high rate of incarceration – among the highest in the United States, which in turn has far and away the highest incarceration rate in the world. In recent years, Florida has experienced a shift away from being ‘tough on crime,’ and toward focusing more on rehabilitation than punishment. This has… Read More »
Historic Train Depot Suffers Significant Damage In Arson Fire
Four teenagers have been charged with burglary and arson, being taken into custody on February 25 after setting two fires the previous week. They set the fires on the grounds of the Seaboard Air Line Station, a historic train depot in Delray Beach, causing “significant damage” and injuring a first responder. If you are… Read More »
What Is Entrapment?
Being charged with a crime does not necessarily mean that you will be found guilty of one, especially if there are extenuating circumstances surrounding your actions. One of the possible defenses that you can assert in order to help cast reasonable doubt in your case is entrapment, which is defined as law enforcement pushing… Read More »
Three Arrested After Drug Bust On Beach
On March 2, at around 6am, a boat landed on a beach in Palm Beach carrying several people – at least three, according to reports current as of this writing. Police were able to establish a perimeter around the landed boat not long after its landing, taking the three aboard into custody in what… Read More »
Death Penalty Sought For Parents In Child Abuse Murder
In 2016, Kristen Meyer and Alejandro Aleman were charged with child abuse and first-degree murder in the starvation death of their 13-month old daughter Tayla. Meyer is now scheduled to stand trial on March 13, intending to lodge an insanity plea, while her husband will be tried separately. Both will face the death penalty… Read More »
Florida Domestic Violence Coalition Dissolved
On March 12, the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV) was officially dissolved by a judge in Leon County. The Coalition has been under fire for alleged misuse of state and federal funds, mostly in compensating their CEO Tiffany Carr as much as $7.5 million per year. The FCADV will almost certainly be ordered… Read More »
Juvenile Misdemeanor Drug Possession
The Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey from 2019 revealed that approximately 20 percent of the surveyed middle and high school students have used marijuana at some point in their lifetimes. A total of roughly 29 percent of the surveyed students reported using at least some kind of illicit drug in their lifetime. Unfortunately, it… Read More »
West Palm Beach Domestic Violence Defense Lawyer
Florida treats domestic violence allegations very seriously, so there can be harsh punishment for a conviction, including jail time, fines, and a permanent mark on your criminal record. However, there are other implications, including severe limitations on your personal freedoms if your accuser obtains an injunction against you. If you were arrested or received… Read More »
Law Enforcement Mistakes in West Palm Beach Drug Cases
Police are tasked with enforcing criminal laws and protecting public safety, and they undergo significant training to ensure they have the skills to do so. However, officers are human and capable of making law enforcement mistakes in West Palm Beach drug cases. Even though Florida Department of Law Enforcement statistics show that Palm Beach… Read More »
Have You Been Arrested For Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is a heinous crime that is widely seen as a betrayal of trust, especially if the two people involved are married. However, Florida’s definition of domestic violence covers several types of behavior between people with several types of relationships. If you have been arrested and charged with domestic violence, it is crucial… Read More »