CHIEF JUSTICE TO PRESENT GUARDIAN AD LITEM VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY MARY ANN ETZLER WITH FLORIDA BAR’S HIGHEST PRO BONO AWARD

Written by Guardian ad Litem Program, January 30th, 2020

[Tallahassee] – Mary Ann Etzler, a Florida Guardian ad Litem volunteer and Orlando attorney, will be honored today by Chief Justice Charles T. Canady as the State’s top pro bono attorney. Ms. Etzler will receive the coveted 2020 Tobias Simon Award in a ceremony at the Florida Supreme Court.

Ms. Etzler is being recognized for her work with the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program. She has represented 49 child victims of abuse, abandonment and neglect in dependency, family, criminal and delinquency courts and given 1,232 hours of pro bono service to clients of the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association. In addition, she has conducted countless training sessions for staff and volunteers, and mentored fellow volunteer attorneys.

In announcing the award, The Florida Bar noted that Ms. Etzler “steps forward to handle cases of child abuse that no one should have to experience.”

Bethanie Barber, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, called Ms. Etzler “our very first choice” for cases with elements of egregious sexual abuse, parental murder and complex cases deemed conflicts for the Society’s staff. She said many judges ask for Ms. Etzler by name.

“It is not possible to convey with words her profound respect for each and every client, or the sense of relief our staff feels when we know Ms. Etzler is the GAL attorney of record,” Ms. Barber said, “or the generations of lives she has improved through her pro bono efforts.”

For instance, Ms. Etzler represented a two-month-old shaken baby with a fractured skull, a lacerated spleen and other, older injuries. “We didn’t even know if he would survive,” she recalled. “His limbs were completely stiff.” She had to file motions to ensure the boy received the intensive physical therapy he needed “to help his brain create new synapses.” Two years later, she watched as he was adopted. “He was walking, talking, running, playing with his new siblings. It was the happiest day of my life.”

“Mary Ann exemplifies the highest ideals of our program,” said Guardian ad Litem Executive Director Alan Abramowitz.

Additionally, said Ms. Barber, Ms. Etzler has given “countless thousands of dollars” to Orange County’s indigent clients “because she understands that social equity is needed in concert with legal equities…Hundreds of Orange County children have proudly displayed Ms. Etzler’s compassionate impact by flying a brand new dragon kite in the park, buttoning up their little sister’s new fall coat, and toting lunch to school in their very own lunch pail adorned with their favorite cartoon character.”

Ms. Etzler is shareholder/owner of Etzler Law, P.A. She is married with two sons. She was a law enforcement officer for 15 years before becoming an attorney in 1995 – which she calls a natural progression.  “My job is to protect people,” she said. “My purpose in life is protecting those who can’t protect themselves.”

Ms. Etzler has been recognized for her pro bono work many times. According to The Florida Bar, she won the 2019 Jake Stone Award from the Legal Aid Society for lifetime pro bono service; Outstanding Alumnus of the Year 2010 for the Cumberland School of Law; Leader in the Law 2010, Florida Association for Women Lawyers; recipient of Pro Bono Awards/recognition from the Florida Supreme Court for service as a Guardian ad Litem every year from 2006 to 2018; and winner of the Orange County Legal Aid Award for Pro Bono work in 2012.

To learn more about the Guardian ad Litem Program or to become a volunteer, visit GuardianAdLitem.org or call 1-866-341-1425.

The Villages, Florida has more golf cart crashes

January 2, 2018

According to Villages-News.com there is another golf cart incident.

Golf cart driver asked if she’d been drinking replies ‘Of course, it’s New Year’s...

A woman driving a golf cart was asked by a Sumter County sheriff’s deputy if she’d been drinking and she replied, “Of course, it’s New Year’s Eve.”

Ronda Kae Ghioto, 58, had been traveling in the golf cart at about midnight when she ran a stop sign at the intersection of Old Camp Road and Old Mill Run, according to an arrest report.

After admitting she had been drinking, Ghioto was invited to participate in field sobriety exercises. She said she had undergone a hip replacement, but thought she could complete the exercises. She failed and at one point complained she had suffered a cramp.

She refused to provide a breath sample.

During the course of the investigation, the deputy learned that Ghioto had been convicted of DUI in 1995 and 2001 in Michigan. She also has an active warrant out of Ionia County, Michigan dated Jan. 3, 2007 on a charge of DUI.

She was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center. She was released after posting $5,000 bond.

Story by staff writer at Villages-news.com

Ronda Kae Ghiooto

Ronda Kae Ghiooto

Lady Lake man arrested after allegedly stealing ex-girlfriend’s $13,000 tennis bracelet

A 50-year-old Lady Lake man was arrested after allegedly stealing his ex-girlfriend’s $13,000 tennis bracelet.

Michael Carlo Pernaselci was taken into custody Thursday afternoon on a charge of grand theft.

He and the woman had been living together in August at the Cove Apartments in Lady Lake when he a took the platinum bracelet adorned with diamonds and sapphire gems, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department.

When the woman discovered the bracelet was missing, she asked Pernaselci if she should report it. He told her that she likely left it somewhere and that it was “probably long gone,” according to the report.

However, Pernaselci later texted a photo of the bracelet to another woman.

He denied taking the bracelet. He said he did not have the photo or the text message due to storage issues with his flip phone.

He was booked at the Lake County Jail. Bond was set at $2,000.

14-year-old girl sexually attacked by Uber Driver

KISSIMMEE, Fla. —

A 14-year-old girl was sexually battered by an Uber driver in Osceola County, Florida, deputies said.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said the girl requested an Uber driver to pick her up Wednesday in Kissimmee. The driver, David Pena-Melo, of Kissimmee, picked up the girl and asked her to sit in the front seat, deputies said.

The girl told deputies that Pena-Melo began to make sexual advances during the ride and then drove past the requested destination.

Pena-Melo pulled over on the side of a road near a wooded area and forced the girl to perform a sex act, deputies said.

Detectives said they met with Pena-Melo on Thursday and arrested him on a charge of sexual battery on a person older than 12, but younger than 18.

When reached by WESH 2 News Friday, an Uber spokesperson issued the following statement:

“We are appalled by what’s been reported, and our thoughts are with the family. This driver has been banned from Uber."

 

Re-opening a child custody case in Florida

August 4, 2017

Subject: Child custody

As a Licensed Private Investigator within the State of Florida I constantly get 2 questions about re-opening a past child custody case or a divorce situation.  The first questions are “how do I get full custody of my child or children?”  The second question is “how do I prove my ex-spouse is a poor parent to our child?”

For the court to consider re-opening a child custody case in the state of Florida the petitioning parent must have proof that the other parent is or has been taking part in behavior that is endangering the child.  An example of that would be a recent arrest for DWI, a domestic violence incident with his or her new spouse or significant other.  These are just examples of some issues that the court will take into consideration.  As for the second question:  “how does one become sole custodial parent?”  For this to happen you must make a very compelling case to the court it would greatly benefit the child’s welfare, safety and mental stability to reside with the petitioning parent.  This is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, relevant to getting child custody, retaining child custody or acquiring a positive outcome as well as have a verdict ruled in your favor.  I can get you moving forward.  I will work with your attorney to achieve this goal. If you do not have an attorney, I can guide you in the right direction for obtaining a lawyer that specializes in these types of cases.

Every case is different, I will meet with you and provide you with a FREE, confidential, one on one consultation. Please contact me and let us work together. Call me, Sean Sullivan at 352-857-3057.

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Credit card fraud by Ocala man-20-YEAR-OLD CHARGED WITH ORGANIZED FRAUD

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THE USE AND SHARING OF YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. THIS ARTICLE BY OCALAPOST.COM  IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW YOUR INFORMATION IS OUT THERE. USE ONLY REPUTABLE ONLINE SHOPPING SITES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR CREDIT CARD CHIP TECHNOLOGY WHEN AVAILABLE.

Ocala, Florida — A 20-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he used stolen credit card numbers to purchase merchandise online from Lowes.com.

Lowes Loss Prevention Officer, Rocky Eppolito, told Ocala police that an order had been placed online for a washing machine and water hoses in the amount of $613.98. The purchase was made on April 23.

The purchase was made with a credit card with the name Erin Maher, with an address in Franklin, TN.

Eppolito stated that Tyree Dennis arrived at the Lowes, located at 3535 SW 36th Ave., to pick up the merchandise shortly after the purchase was completed online.

While at the store, Dennis provided a copy of his Florida driver’s license.

On May 6, Eppolito said that the transaction was charged back to the store. The bank stated that the charge was fraudulent.

During the investigation, police also learned that Dennis had used a different credit card with the name Dan Flores, with an address in Colorado Springs, to purchase a dryer from Lowes.com. Dennis picked up the dryer, valued at $319.93, from the Lowes located on Silver Springs Boulevard.

Dennis told police that the merchandise was sold on the streets, but claimed he did not benefit from the sale.

Dennis was arrested and charged with Organized Fraud. He was released from the Marion County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Police do not know how Dennis obtained the credit card numbers.

CREDIT: ocalapost.com

IDENTITY THEFT-Woman buys 2 Audis in someone else's name

This woman bought 2 Audis in someone else's name with a fake ID, cops say

Updated on July 19, 2017 at 1:58 PM Posted on July 19, 2017 at 12:39 PM

By Rebecca Everett reverett@njadvancemedia.com,For NJ.com

WESTAMPTON TWP. -- Police are seeking a young woman who used a fake ID, but not to buy booze or get into a bar.

She bought two Audis in someone else's name at a combined cost of $85,397, according to Westampton police.

The victim, a Pennsylvania woman, had two lines of credit taken out in her name by the woman pictured, who used the fake ID and the victim's social security number.

Westampton police said they've identified the suspect's accomplice, Arthur McCoy, and arrested him when he allegedly tried to buy a third Audi in Mercer County, but they need the public's help identifying the female suspect. 

Police said the pair bought two vehicles --  an Audi A7 3.0 Prestige and a 2014 Audi Q7 SUV in two transactions on July 7 and 10 at the J&S Autohaus located at 1853 Route 541.

Both times, they presented fake Pennsylvania driver's licenses that used their photographs but had the personal information of two people who were victims of identity theft, police said. They had the female victim's social security number and other information that allowed them to get a line of credit to finance the vehicles, according to a release from police.

McCoy tried to purchase a third car at the J&S Autohaus dealership in Ewing Township July 14, but police said they arrested him there and recovered the 2014 Audi Q7 that the pair had previously bought.

The pair will face charges of identity theft and motor vehicle theft, police said.

Anyone with information about the female suspect pictured is asked to contact the Westampton Township Police Department Criminal Intelligence Division at 609-267-3000 ext. 144. 

CREDITS: Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.