Brian Silber Law

Civil Forfeiture Attorney

Free Initial Consultation

(954) 462-3636

Show the Way

Gym Teacher Hassan Jawad of Deerfield Beach, Florida Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

By

action-active-athlete-931325-300x200Gymnastics instructor Hassan Jawad of Deerfield Beach, Florida was arrested on February 28 after investigators allegedly found images and videos of minors engaging in sexual activity on his personal computer.

Jawad, 37, is charged with one count of compiling child pornography and eight counts of child pornography. The press did not name an attorney for him.

According to the police report, detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office began the investigation in January after receiving an alert about an IP address that was being used to share child pornography. The IP address was reportedly traced to Jawad’s home in Deerfield Beach.

Investigators executed a search warrant on Thursday at his home in the 1770 block of NW Second Avenue.

“[Jawad] was interviewed and admitted to using [redacted] software to search for and download child pornography filed within the last few weeks,” the report said. “He states he used terms such as ‘pedo’ (because he knew it was short for pedophile) and also used ages like ‘12’ and ‘13’ to search for child pornography.”

Jawad allegedly told detectives that some of his searches yielded pictures of boys as young as 8 years old.

“He states that he intentionally used this [redacted] program to view child pornography out of curiosity and that although he felt aroused by the content he felt it was wrong and deleted it,” a detective wrote in the report.

Jawad admitted to having at least seven pictures and videos of child pornography, the report said. Many of the pictures purportedly show boys between the ages of 8 and 13 engaging in sexual activity, including anal sex, oral sex, and masturbation with older men and/or other boys.

Jawad is a gymnastics teacher at Twisters Gymnastics in Boca Raton. The center sent the following message to parents:

“We regret to inform you that we received word late this morning that one of the class instructors, Hassan Jawad, who was working at Boca Twisters, was arrested for possession of child pornography on his personal computer at his home in Broward County. We are devastated, shocked, and angry.”

The center claims that Jawad has never received any complaints about his coaching or behavior with minors. He reportedly passed several background checks, including screening through the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCIS) and the national sex offender registry. The center is cooperating with police and is asking parents with information that might be helpful to investigators to contact the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

Prior to working at Twisters Gymnastics, Jawad purportedly worked at New England Academy of Gymnastics in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2017. Investigators believe there may be local victims and are continuing their investigation.

South Florida Child Pornography Attorney

If you are involved in a child pornography case, then you should hire an attorney. Contact us to set up a free initial consultation and work with one of Florida’s most experienced child pornography attorneys.

Source: 2.28.19 Gymnastics instructor arrested on child pornography charges, police say.pdf

Gym Teacher Hassan Jawad of Deerfield Beach, Florida Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

By

action-active-athlete-931325-300x200Gymnastics instructor Hassan Jawad of Deerfield Beach, Florida was arrested on February 28 after investigators allegedly found images and videos of minors engaging in sexual activity on his personal computer.

Jawad, 37, is charged with one count of compiling child pornography and eight counts of child pornography. The press did not name an attorney for him.

According to the police report, detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office began the investigation in January after receiving an alert about an IP address that was being used to share child pornography. The IP address was reportedly traced to Jawad’s home in Deerfield Beach.

Investigators executed a search warrant on Thursday at his home in the 1770 block of NW Second Avenue.

“[Jawad] was interviewed and admitted to using [redacted] software to search for and download child pornography filed within the last few weeks,” the report said. “He states he used terms such as ‘pedo’ (because he knew it was short for pedophile) and also used ages like ‘12’ and ‘13’ to search for child pornography.”

Jawad allegedly told detectives that some of his searches yielded pictures of boys as young as 8 years old.

“He states that he intentionally used this [redacted] program to view child pornography out of curiosity and that although he felt aroused by the content he felt it was wrong and deleted it,” a detective wrote in the report.

Jawad admitted to having at least seven pictures and videos of child pornography, the report said. Many of the pictures purportedly show boys between the ages of 8 and 13 engaging in sexual activity, including anal sex, oral sex, and masturbation with older men and/or other boys.

Jawad is a gymnastics teacher at Twisters Gymnastics in Boca Raton. The center sent the following message to parents:

“We regret to inform you that we received word late this morning that one of the class instructors, Hassan Jawad, who was working at Boca Twisters, was arrested for possession of child pornography on his personal computer at his home in Broward County. We are devastated, shocked, and angry.”

The center claims that Jawad has never received any complaints about his coaching or behavior with minors. He reportedly passed several background checks, including screening through the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCIS) and the national sex offender registry. The center is cooperating with police and is asking parents with information that might be helpful to investigators to contact the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

Prior to working at Twisters Gymnastics, Jawad purportedly worked at New England Academy of Gymnastics in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2017. Investigators believe there may be local victims and are continuing their investigation.

South Florida Child Pornography Attorney

If you are involved in a child pornography case, then you should hire an attorney. Contact us to set up a free initial consultation and work with one of Florida’s most experienced child pornography attorneys.

Source: 2.28.19 Gymnastics instructor arrested on child pornography charges, police say.pdf

Trayvon Newsome Arrested as Fourth Suspect in Murder of South Florida Rapper XXXTentacion

By

Trayvone Newsome has been named the fourth suspect in the shooting of rapper XXXTentacion. Newsome, 20, reportedly surrendered to authorities shortly before 5 p.m. on August 7. He is held at Broward’s Main Jail on charges of armed robbery and premeditated murder. He was ordered held without bond during a brief hearing the following morning.

According to sources, the rapper XXXTentacion, whose given name is Jahseh Onfroy, was ambushed and shot multiple times on June 18 as he was pulling out of RIVA Motorsports at 3671 N. Dixie Highway in Deerfield Beach. He died later that day.

Onfroy, 20, had reportedly visited a bank before he went to the motorcycle shop and had withdrawn $50,000, which he carried in a large Louis Vuitton bag. The gunmen are accused of stealing the bag out his vehicle after shooting him.

The first suspect arrested was Dedrick Devonshay Williams of Pompano Beach. He was arrested two days after Onfroy’s death. Investigators believe Williams, 22, was the driver of the SUV that blocked Onfroy’s vehicle from pulling out of the parking lot, based on surveillance footage collected from RIVA Motorsports.

The second suspect is Michael Boatwright of Fort Lauderdale. He was already in police custody on unrelated drug charges and was arrested on July 10 for his alleged involvement in the shooting. The indictment describes Boatwright, 22, as the shooter. He is being charged with first-degree murder in addition to violation of probation for the drug charges.

Robert Allen of Fort Lauderdale was arrested on July 27 as the third suspect. He was purportedly seen in the surveillance footage a few minutes before the robbery and shooting. Newsome is suspected to be the second gunman. He possessed a gun during the robbery and killing, sources say.

Onfroy was a rising star with some Billboard hits. He released a No. 1 single last year and chart-topping album earlier this year. His career was filled with controversy. He was arrested on multiple charges in 2016 and was jailed a month later for allegedly hitting his pregnant girlfriend.

According to the New York Times, Onfroy had signed a new record contract worth about $10 million before he was shot dead. The rapper had signed the deal with Empire Distribution for his third official release. A significant amount of material for the third album has reportedly already been recorded, but the music won’t be released until October.

“I don’t think Jahseh ever came to grips with how famous he was,” Onfroy’s attorney, David Bogenschutz, told the Miami Herald. “If he had security, maybe things would be different. Maybe not.”

Criminal Defense Attorney

If you have been involved in a shooting, then you should hire an attorney. Contact us to set up a free initial consultation and work with one of Florida’s most experienced criminal defense attorneys.

Source: 8.8.18 Fourth_suspect_in XXXTentacion murder arrested, jailed without bond.pdf

Unlicensed Plumber Andre Leite of Coconut Creek, Florida Arrested for Defrauding City of $300,000

By

Andre-Leite-240x300Andre Leite of Coconut Creek, Florida was arrested last month for allegedly defrauding the city of Deerfield Beach of $300,000 by wrongfully representing himself as a licensed plumber. Leite, 50, was charged with fraud, money laundering, grand theft, forgery, and working as an unlicensed contractor.

According to the arrest report, Leite, who owns Andre Plumbing, was hired to fix toilets and sinks at city facilities from 2012 to 2016. He reportedly applied to become the city’s plumber by submitting the certificate and license number of Glaydson Machado Silva, the owner of GMS Plumbing in Fort Lauderdale.

While Leite’s application was approved, state statutes require a company to have its own license before it can contract services. Silva was reportedly surprised to learn Leite submitted his company’s license to the city. He said he knows Leite because he has employed him as a subcontractor.

In an interview with the Sun Sentinel, Leite said he didn’t know what he was doing was illegal. He blamed an accountant he hired for incorrectly filing the application paperwork which he signed.

Leite became the city’s go-to plumber when its facilities needed any plumbing work done. Frank Cristiano, the city’s facility manager, justified using Andre Plumbing because they are “more responsive to calls, have more familiarity with Deerfield Beach facilities and have lower rates,” according to the arrest report.

Nothing about Andre Plumbing’s performance history indicated that Leite was unlicensed, but city officials terminated his contract in March 2016 after a state investigation revealed that he had misrepresented his qualifications as a plumber. That investigation led the Department of Professional Regulation to fine Leite $12,000 in March 2017.

A warrant for his arrest was filed after authorities discovered that he earned more than $300,000 for city work he should never have gotten. He also allegedly filed incomplete documentation about his work and understated his earnings to lower his workers compensation insurance premium.

Investigators also allege that Leite gave some city workers gifts, a practice which is prohibited by state ethics laws. Leite purportedly paid the golfing tournament fees for Cristiano and Bruce Dooley, a city worker who reports to Cristiano. Cristiano and Dooley have not been accused of any wrongdoing, records show.

James Terry of GreenTeam Service Corp., the city’s official primary plumber, reportedly complained about Liete’s plumbing contract with city.

“Here, we’re doing business legitimately, by the book,” Terry said. “We have to take continuing education classes, pay insurance, we rent a 3,500-square-foot office and warehouse . . . and Deerfield Beach is basically using an unlicensed handyman who operates out of his townhouse.”

Liete told the Sentinel that he went to plumbing school for four years. In Florida, unlicensed contract work can result in charges ranging from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony.

Source: 1.3.18 Unlicensed plumber defrauds city of $300,000, authorities say.pdf

Jonathan Schuler Accused of Attacking and Killing Fellow Construction Worker in Deerfield Beach

By

Jonathan-Schuler-169x300Jonathan Schuler, a West Palm Beach resident and day laborer at a Deerfield Beach construction site, was arrested on March 8 for allegedly attacking and killing his co-worker Arcenio Alvarez of Lake Worth. Schuler, 32, faces a premeditated murder charge. He was booked into a Broward jail. News sources did not name an attorney for him.

According to news sources, the attack occurred on Wednesday morning at a construction site at 700 W. Hillsboro Boulevard in Deerfield Beach. News reports are still unclear about what exactly happened. Investigators claim Schuler struck Alvarez, 32, with a crowbar twice over the head, but witnesses reportedly saw Alvarez get struck twice over the head with an ax.

Orrin Scott, who witnessed the attack, told the press that he saw two men with crowbars running after another man who had an ax. He said the attack was unprovoked. Other witnesses shared similar stories with the press. After witnessing the attack, several construction workers subdued Schuler as they waited for police from Broward Sheriff’s Office and paramedics to arrive.

Alvarez was taken to Broward Health North, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later. He is survived by his wife and 3-year-old son. Schuler was also taken to Broward Health North for “various medical reasons.” He was discharged and booked into jail some hours later.

Investigators have cordoned off the area and are questioning all of the workers individually to try and piece together what happened.

Broward Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Gina Carter told the press the it is unclear what prompted the alleged attack. Police don’t know if the two men had even met before. In an official statement, Carter said the two men were employed by different companies: Schuler was a day laborer who was only contracted for the day and Alvarez worked for N&P Demolition in West Palm Beach, which is a subcontractor on the work site.

“It doesn’t appear that there was a fight between the two men, but this is something that the detectives are gonna . . . be trying to determine,” said Carter. “What prompted the attack? Why did this even happen?”

“It’s also unclear if these two men knew each other,” she said. “Right now, detectives are speaking to everyone involved, trying to piece together different information to determine why the attack took place.”

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, Schuler could face a first-degree murder charge. First-degree murder is a capital offense with only two possible sentences: death, or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Florida, but the state can waive the death penalty as a sentencing option. Under Florida law, homicide is only justifiable if done in self defense while resisting an attempt by someone to kill you or to commit a felony against you.

Source: 3.8.17 Schuler Premeditated Murder.pdf