Palm Beach County
LIFE SENTENCES
Former Florida Atlantic University police officer Jimmy Ho rejected a 30-year plea offer and has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms for his conviction in the murder of a prostitute. Ho, 51, was found guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping with a firearm in the death of Sheri Carter, 29, of Boynton Beach. Ho was off duty when he went to Carter’s apartment on Jan. 31, 2011, to pay for sex and a dispute arose. She was shot twice. Ho fled and threw his gun into a pond behind his home. Carter was taken off life support and died Feb. 4, 2011.
GUILTY COP
West Palm Beach police officer Dewitt McDonald has pleaded guilty in federal court to selling drugs while on duty. McDonald, who owns health and wellness clinics, was caught illegally selling steroids and other prescription drugs.
PEPPER SPRAY ARREST
Brandon Barta, 31, a convicted felon, was arrested by Boca Raton police for allegedly having a pocket-size vial of pepper spray on him. He is charged as a convicted felon carrying a concealed weapon and violating his parole and is being held without bond in the Palm Beach County Jail.
Broward County
AIRLINE JOBS
Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance CEO Bob Swindell has announced that Lufthansa is coming to Broward County. The German airline will bring its Lufthansa Technik, a maintenance, production and development company, to Miramar. It means more jobs are coming to the county.
NEGLECT CHARGES
Perry Fletcher Jr. of Wilton Manors caused a mini-manhunt when he left with his 7-month-old son but did not inform anyone. He was found with the child in Fort Lauderdale the next day and was arrested on child neglect charges. The infant suffers from several illnesses and Fletcher did not have the medication to administer to him for several days.
JUDICIAL RELAPSE
Broward Circuit Court Judge Gisele Pollack, 56, was arrested on DUI charges. Pollack has struggled with addiction for years and has suffered several relapses in recent months and was reassigned from the Drug Court recently. She was arrested after crashing into another vehicle, causing injuries to the driver, police said.
SCAMMER SENTENCED
Jamaican national Oneike Mickhale Barnett was sentenced to five years in federal prison for running a lottery scam that targeted elderly people in Florida and elsewhere. The scammers would call the elderly and trick them into believing they won large sums of money but in order to collect they would have to pay a fee. The victims paid the fee and never heard back about the supposed winnings. Barnett must also serve five years on parole and pay $94,456 in restitution.
Miami-Dade County
TEENS SHOT
Three teenage boys were shot while they rode their bicycles in Miami last Friday night. It happened around 8 p.m. in the 4200 block of Northwest 23rd Avenue. The boys, aged 14 to 16, were taken to a hospital with no life-threatening injuries. According to witnesses, a tan-colored Lexus drove up to the kids from behind and opened fire. Police are asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
RIVERA RUNNING
Former U.S. Rep. David Rivera is under investigation but that’s not stopping him from running for his old congressional seat. Rivera filed to run against Democratic incumbent Joe Garcia who defeated him in 2012. Rivera is under investigation by the federal government for his alleged ties to a scheme that supposedly funneled unreported campaign cash to Garcia’a primary opponent in the 2012 race.
Monroe County
BURGLARY BLISS
Drew Sterling, 29, of Big Pine Key has been charged with burglarizing his girlfriend’s home and car. He is also accused of ransacking her home where TVs and other items were smashed. His girlfriend told police he had moved out of the house and they had broken up earlier in the day but he returned and stole several items and trashed her home. Sterling has been charged with burglary of a vehicle, burglary of a dwelling, grand theft and two counts of criminal mischief.
SMOKE FREE
Monroe County Commissioner Heather Carruthers and her colleagues voted unanimously to bar people who smoke or use tobacco products from applying or being hired for county jobs. The ordinance, which takes effect Jan. 1, will not affect current employees.
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