Weapons Charges

May 16, 2019

Rapper Kodak Black Pleads Not Guilty to Weapons Charges

Rapper Kodak Black pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal weapons charges that prevented him from performing last weekend at the Rolling Loud hip-hop festival, around which several violent incidents occurred.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres also granted the 21-year-old Black release on $550,000 bond with house arrest, although he faces other criminal cases that could keep him locked up.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown said Black was out on bail awaiting trial in a South Carolina sexual assault case — and that bail is likely to be revoked with these new charges.

In the weapons case, an indictment claims Black on two occasions falsely filled out federal forms to buy weapons at Lou’s Police Distributors in Hialeah, Florida. He apparently received three of those — a 9mm handgun, a .380-caliber handgun and a semi automatic Mini Draco weapon — one of which was left at the scene of a recent shooting in nearby Pompano Beach, Brown said.

The rapper, whose current legal name is Bill Kapri and who was born Dieuson Octave, was arrested before his scheduled festival performance. Authorities are investigating three unrelated shootings in the Miami area with possible connections to Rolling Loud, two of them fatal. No arrests have been made.

Besides the South Carolina sexual assault allegations, Black’s lengthy rap sheet includes a recent arrest in New York on drug and weapons charges as he crossed the U.S. border from Canada. That case is still pending as well.

In Florida, he has been charged at different times with drug and weapons possession, armed robbery, sexual assault, probation violations and fleeing from officers, but Black has never done significant prison time.

Law enforcement can be extremely overzealous when it comes what constitutes a valid weapons charge in their fight against crime. Many weapons charges are the result of police performing an illegal search of a person, home or vehicle. If you have been charged with a gun crime, you need to seek legal help as soon as possible. In certain cases, weapons charges can be dismissed entirely if an effective argument can be made that that the evidence obtained and subsequent arrest was based on an illegal search and seizure.

April 26, 2019

South Florida Rapper Kodak Black Arrested on Weapons Charges

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

South Florida rapper Kodak Black was arrested Wednesday at the U.S. border in upstate New York on drug and weapons charges.

The rapper was with two other men in his vehicle trying to enter the country from Canada when they were detained. Four others were traveling in a separate car with Kodak.

During a search of the group’s Cadillac Escalade, which Kodak was driving, police found marijuana on the rapper and a gun inside the vehicle.

The Glock 9mm pistol had allegedly not been declared.

In the other vehicle, police claim they found two other weapons and more marijuana in the trunk.

Kodak Black was arrested for criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of marijuana. Two others were also arrested on weapons charges.

The driver of the other car was also arrested.

Black was released on bond Thursday.

Due to strict and complicated gun laws, it is very easy to end up on the wrong side of the law. Fortunately, our

South Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton are here to help. We can explain the charges you face and then help you resolve them as quickly as possible.

We understand Florida’s gun and weapon laws in detail, and we can help you build the strongest possible defense to whatever the charges you face. This includes gun charges as well as any other charges allegedly committed. If it is not possible to get the evidence against you thrown out, we will do whatever we can to negotiate a favorable resolution. We will fight aggressively to keep you out of jail whenever possible.

October 3, 2018

Two Juveniles Charged with Carjacking Teacher Outside Miami School

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested in Miami after authorities say they tried to carjack a teacher outside a school and crashed just moments later.

The boys were arrested Monday and charged them with armed carjacking.

Police allege one of the boys brandished a handgun at the 59-year-old teacher as she was entering her car last week outside the elementary school. A surveillance video allegedly shows the woman running off as both boys hop in and tries to drive away.

The video apparently shows the boys have trouble backing out, as if the parking brake was still engaged. While leaving the parking lot, police say the car crashed into a curb, and the boys fled on foot.

Carjacking is the crime of stealing another person’s vehicle with a gun, knife, or other type of weapon. Due to the fact that carjacking involves the use of threats or violence to hijack another person’s car while they’re still in the vehicle, it is considered a violent crime. Like all violent crimes, carjacking is vigorously prosecuted by both law enforcement officials and the State.

If you are convicted of carjacking, you will face a number of serious penalties, such as time behind bars, large fines, restitution to the victim, probation, and a strike on your record. It is unclear whether the teens involved in this alleged crime will be charged as juveniles or adults. Due to the serious nature of the charges, the court could rule either way.

December 3, 2016

Girl, 13, Allegedly Caught With Loaded Gun At School

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 13-year-old girl has been arrested after police claim she brought a loaded gun to school in Miami Gardens.

Miami-Dade Schools spokeswoman told local media that the girl brandished the gun at two classmates Wednesday morning before classes started at Carol City Middle School. A school staff member confiscated the weapon.

The student now faces four weapons charges.

An adult who lives at the student’s home, was arrested and charged with failing to secure a weapon from a minor.

Weapons charges are taken very seriously by state prosecutors, which is why these charges must be dealt with accordingly. There is much as stake when it comes to the consequences attached to these charges, especially when the person charged is a minor.

Juvenile courts tend to sentence minors who are charged with weapons-related offenses in a manner that promotes rehabilitation rather than punishment. Most juvenile courts choose to penalize minors through community service and probation. However, in certain serious cases involving weapons, juveniles could be tried as adults.

Our Florida Juvenile Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you if your child is facing a weapons charge. Call us today at 561-367-8777 to discuss your juvenile weapons charge and learn how we can help you navigate the court system. As former prosecutors, we know what it takes to achieve a successful outcome in a juvenile weapons case and we will fight aggressively to make sure that we do everything we can to prevail.

November 9, 2016

ATF Agents Arrest Dozens On Drug & Gun Charges In Broward County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Federal agents arrested about 30 suspects in Broward County and charged them with gun- and drug-trafficking offenses on Wednesday after a two-year undercover investigation targeting gang violence.

Twenty-five of the indicted defendants are felons with a combined history of 426 arrests and 71 convictions, according to authorities.

All of the defendants are supposedly members of the Doom City and Cypress Boys organizations in the Pompano Beach area.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Marshals Service made the arrests and conducted searches, along with the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation started in April of last year and entailed 230 undercover operations, resulting in the purchase and recovery of about 250 firearms, according to reports.

Undercover agents also claim they bought multiple kilos of heroin, cocaine, flakka and marijuana and about 500 oxycodone pills from the two gang organizations.

If firearms are connected in any way to drug crimes charge, you can expect to see an increase in prison time and penalties if convicted. Prosecutors will stop at nothing to make sure maximum consequences are enforced.

Drug and weapons offenses are serious and must be dealt with accordingly. Our South Florida Drug Crimes Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can challenge the weapons charges as well as the underlying drug crime you are facing. We serve clients throughout Broward County and all of Florida facing state or federal charges.