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STATE
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE NEWSLETTER
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I
believe that the best way to enforce our laws against drunk driving
is to get more trained officers on the streets of Miami-Dade County.
I was proud to be able to help secure funding for the training of
additional officers to combat the crime of Driving While Under the
Influence.
Given
the fiscal pressures felt by every police department in our
community, money for continued Drug Recognition Enforcement (DRE)
Training for police officers has been limited. I recognize that DRE training
and certification are often important courtroom questions in DUI
prosecutions and felt a need and a responsibility to assist.
From
February through May 2016, forty-eight officers from 13 different
police departments throughout the county participated in five
separate trainings conducted by the University of North Florida
Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM). The officers
all received certifications in five critical areas: Driving Under the
Influence Instructor Development, Drug Recognition Expert Instructor
Development Course, Driving While Under the Influence/Standardized
Field Sobriety Testing, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving
Enforcement, and Drug Recognition Expert.
The
participating police agencies included Miami, Miami-Dade, Florida
Fish & Wildlife, Village of Palmetto Bay, Coral Gables, Key
Biscayne, Biscayne Park, Miami Beach, Hialeah Gardens, Pinecrest,
Pembroke Pines, Hialeah, and Florida City.
Too
many lives have been shattered by drunk and impaired drivers. These
tragedies might have been prevented if we had enough certified DRE
officers out working in our communities. Anything I can do to put
more enforcement on the streets is a task well worth undertaking.
Sincerely,
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SAO Remembers Victims of
Orlando Tragedy
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State
Attorney's Office staff took park in a vigil hosted by The City of
Miami Beach honoring the victims of the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub
in Orlando. The event, held at SoundScape Park, also encouraged the
community to donate blood to help the victims of the shooting.
SAO
staff also remembered the victims of the Orlando tragedy by attending
an event organized by Miami-Dade College at the Freedom Tower in
Downtown Miami. The names of the 49 victims were publicly read and
the New World School of the Arts students performed a touching
musical rendition of "Will I" in their honor.
"My
condolences and prayers are with the families, loved ones, and
friends of the victims of the horrific tragedy in Orlando,"
commented State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. "We will
never forget those innocent souls who lost their lives in this
horrific event and we are eternally thankful to the Orlando law enforcement
community for saving so many other lives."
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Body of Missing Mother Found,
Husband Convicted
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 A
Miami-Dade County Jury has found Jesus Maqueira guilty of First
Degree Murder for the killing of his wife Raquel Calderin.
On
the night of September 4, 2012, Raquel Calderin, a mother of three,
was seen leaving her job as a custodian at Gloria Floyd Elementary
School in Kendall where earlier in the day she was seen engaged in a
verbal dispute with Maqueira. She was never seen again.
Investigators
immediately suspected Maqueira as records had shown him to be a
controlling and abusive husband who was recently served with divorce
papers. Amongst other solid pieces of evidence in the case, the
investigation revealed that Maqueira's cellphone records showed he
was in the immediate area of the victim's place of employment where
she was last seen alive when her phone went dead.
Maqueira
was later arrested and mocked detectives for not having found a dead
body which would make the murder charges tougher to prove.
On
June 16, 2014, relying on information provided by the defendant's
father, the remains of Raquel Calderin were found inside a vehicle
submerged in a canal on Krome Avenue, one mile north of Southwest
Eighth Street in West Miami-Dade County. A butcher knife and the
victims' ripped clothing were also found.
With
this additional evidence presented, jurors deliberated for just two
short hours in reaching their decision.
"Good
police work and good prosecution brought all of the pieces together
for the jury. Sadly, this family was shattered by rage and
jealousy," commented Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine
Fernandez Rundle.
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Condominium
Association Fraud Meeting
Held
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 State
Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle met with State Legislators from
the Miami-Dade County Delegation at the State Attorney's Office to
discuss the obstacles facing condominium owners who have complaints
regarding mismanagement of funds, elections fraud, abuses by property
management companies and condominium associations.
The
meeting also served to take a look at the current laws, jurisdictions
and processes that are in place when there are these types of
complaints and see if they are effective and efficient.
Many
ideas and practical solutions in the short and long terms were
discussed as all attendees committed to working together on an
ongoing basis to strengthen the laws that protect condominium owners'
rights and the penalties for those who break those laws.
"It
is clear that laws against condo fraud are weak and the resources
allocated to combat this crime are insufficient," commented
State Attorney Fernandez Rundle. "As leaders in our community,
we have the responsibility to come together and engage in dialogue in
order to identify the weaknesses in the law and confront this problem
that is affecting so many families in our community."
Recent
statistics show that Miami-Dade County recorded the highest number of
complaints of irregularities and fraud in the administration of
condos of any county in the State of Florida.
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State Attorney's Office Alumni
Profile
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Judge Angie Zayas,
11th Judicial Circuit of Florida
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As
a little girl, Judge Angélica D. Zayas didn't dream of being a
princess or a ballerina. She always knew that she wanted to be a
lawyer. "Even my Barbie dolls had custom-made gray flannel
suits," she recalls with a laugh. "I was born saying that I
wanted to be a lawyer. In fact, there was never a time when I can
remember wanting to be anything but a lawyer."
Her
family always reminds her that even at three years old, she was
watching The Defenders and Perry Mason on television. "My
grandmother would always tell the story about the time that we were
in the elevator of her building with a friend when I was maybe four
years old. My grandmother and her friend were talking about a couple
they knew who were getting a divorce. According to my grandmother, I
said, 'well, if he waits, then maybe I can represent him in
court.'"
Judge
Zayas earned her B.A. and her J.D., both degrees Cum Laude, from the
University of Miami.
During
law school, she clerked for a Federal Magistrate and also worked for
a Personal Injury firm. In addition, Judge Zayas landed a rare
internship at the Florida Attorney General's Office under then
Attorney General Bob Butterworth. "It was really surprising
because that never happened back then but I was able to intern in the
appellate division."
Clearly
the AG was impressed with Judge Zayas' work. She was hired by the
Office of the Attorney General right out of law school. There, she
represented the state in criminal and civil litigation in the circuit
courts, district courts of appeal and the Supreme Court of Florida.
"Only
11 months after admission to the Florida Bar, I argued a case in the
Supreme Court of Florida! It was an amazing experience."
Judge
Zayas continued to work there for seven years before joining the
Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office in 1996 as an Assistant State
Attorney in the Legal Division. "Basically when you are in Legal
you are always behind the scenes. Your job is to watch and wait and
give strategic and legal advice. But most importantly, your role is
to be the voice of reason."
"I
really enjoyed every case that I worked on at the SAO. It was because
of the work that I got to do but also because of the amazing
attorneys and staff. We worked on legislation and new and novel
issues. It is an incredible experience to help create and shape laws
as well as implement them."
One
of the most meaningful aspects of being a part of the SAO for Judge
Zayas is the confidence that State Attorney Katherine Fernandez
Rundle had in her and how she values her lawyers. "I remember
appearing with the State Attorney before the Profession Ethics
Committee of the Florida Bar on a very important matter. After
speaking to the Committee for a few minutes, the State Attorney
turned the floor over to me and told the Committee that "her
lawyer" would address the legal questions. The State Attorney
would often say when introducing the lawyers in the Legal Division to
others, 'these are my lawyers.' I felt proud to be a part of the
office and to be one of her lawyers."
"When
she was an ASA, Angélica Zayas was known for her intelligence, for
her courtroom manner, her strict adherence to the law, and for her
deep personal warmth," commented State Attorney Katherine
Fernandez Rundle. In the juvenile courts, this reputation still holds
true, much to the benefit of the children of Miami-Dade County."
Judge
Zayas was part of the team that worked on Florida's sexual predator
civil commitment statute also known as the Jimmy Ryce Act. She also
worked closely with prosecutors from other jurisdictions and Homeland
Security regarding the issue of when and how defendants must be
informed of immigration consequences including deportation, and what
remedies should be available to said defendants if they were not
properly informed. The Padilla and Green decisions along with their
progeny posed difficult legal challenges that Judge Zayas helped
prosecutors navigate not only in Miami-Dade County but statewide.
While
the Judge was an Assistant State Attorney, she participated in
several notable prosecutions including the trial of the murder and
dismemberment case of four year old Kendia Lockhart whose parents
were charged and convicted in the horrific crime. She also worked on
the massive and successful prosecution of Corey Smith, the leader of
the John Doe criminal organization. "Working behind the scenes
on the John Doe organized crime case was very exciting,"
commented Judge Zayas.
In
2011, after sixteen years at the SAO, Governor Rick Scott appointed
her to the Circuit Court. She has been in the Juvenile Delinquency
Division since her appointment.
"I've
been given the opportunity to transfer to the Criminal or Civil
divisions but have chosen to stay in Juvenile. I still have work to
do here," stated Judge Zayas. The Judge firmly believes that a
thoughtful approach in the Juvenile division by judges can help stop
the violence that is occurring in our community. "Too many youth
become the victim or perpetrators of gun violence," she says.
"I
had a young man in my court and I was reviewing his file when I
noticed that his grades had improved, so I congratulated him on his
hard work. The boy started crying. I was surprised and didn't know if
I had said something wrong. His attorney spoke to him and then told
me the boy revealed that no one had ever said anything nice to him
before." Judge Zayas was deeply moved by the young man's
reaction to such a simple positive statement. "These youth need
someone to care about them." She adds that "many judges
leave the Juvenile division in favor of other divisions so they're
only here temporarily." She believes that youth are best served
by consistency from the bench which is one of the main reasons she
has chosen to stay. She freely admits that it takes a certain passion
to work as a judge day after day with youth who are at-risk and who
need so much help. However, Judge Zayas strongly feels the rewards
outweigh the emotional toll the work takes.
Judge
Zayas is committed to children in and out of the courtroom. Besides
working on a type of preventative court that addresses the needs of
at-risk girls, she is also very active in the Girls Scouts of the
USA. She enjoys being able to make a positive impact on the lives of
our youth.
There
is something else that also keeps her in the Juvenile division.
"Here I have the opportunity to help develop young lawyers. I
get to question them on why they are doing what they are doing in
court, who has what statutory authority in different situations, etc.
I try to teach them how to be a better advocate."
"The
SAO will always be part of my heart. It is a family. I recently
suffered a personal loss. I was astounded and amazed at the number of
prosecutors and former prosecutors who reached out to me or attended
the funeral mass. It was very touching."
Judge
Angélica D. Zayas is a wonderful example of commitment to public
service and our community and we are proud to have her as an alumnus.
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Courthouse Highlights
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 Division
Chiefs (DCs) Christine Hernandez-Baldwin and Annette Del Aguila
obtained a guilty conviction on the aforementioned Jesus Maqueira
murder case.
Assistant
State Attorneys (ASAs) Barbara Govea and Mari Jimenez got a guilty as
charged verdict in a Second Degree Murder case before Judge
Tinkler-Mendez.
DC
Joe Mansfield and ASA Annette Rasco secured a First Degree Murder
conviction and a life sentence was imposed in a murder case that
resulted over a $10 drug debt.
DC
Jonathan Borst worked diligently in a very difficult case that
rendered a guilty plea in a Manslaughter case.
ASAs
William Volet and Jesse Shurman secured a guilty verdict on two
counts of Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure and Petit Theft case
before Judge Milian.
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REPORT PUBLIC CORRUPTION !
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Don't
Allow the Public's Trust to be Jeopardized.
Hotline:
305-547-3300
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Grand Jury Reports
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Need
the latest Grand Jury Report or any other Grand Jury Report dating
back to 1965? Click Here
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Our Community
Outreach Events
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July
2 - Home Depot Safety Event, Home Depot Store, 33001 South Dixie
Highway, Florida City, FL, 33034, 9:00AM - 2:00PM
July
11 - Community Meeting with Church Leaders and Ministerial
Alliance, Greater St. Paul AME Church, 3680 Thomas Avenue, Miami, FL,
33133, 8:00AM - 11:00AM
July
14 - Coconut Grove Crime Watch, Greater St Paul AME Church, 3680
Thomas Avenue, Miami, FL, 33133, 6:30PM - 8:30PM
July
14 - Coconut Grove Crime Watch, Greater St Paul AME Church, 3680
Thomas Avenue, Miami, FL, 33133, 6:30PM - 8:30PM
July
21- Sealing & Expungement Event, Miami Dade College North Campus,
11380 NW 27 Avenue, Conference Center Building 3000, 2nd Floor,
4:00PM - 7:00PM
July
22 - Miami Vet Center & Miami Elks Lodge Veterans Career Day,
Elks Lodge, 10301 SW 72 Street, Miami, FL, 33173, 10:00AM - 2:30PM
July
23 - West District Hurricane Preparedness Event, Jorge Mas Canosa
Middle School, 15735 SW 144 Street, Miami, FL, 33196, 11:00AM -
2:00PM
July
29 - "Kickin It" With Cops, Gwen Cherry Park, 7090 NW 22
Avenue, Miami, FL, 33147, 10:00AM - 2:00PM
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