Florida Criminal Attorney Blog

On Monday, Gary Souffrant and his wife Yvonne, both of Davie, Florida, were convicted in a Miami federal court for conspiring to launder drug money and defraud banks. Also accused, but later acquitted, was Garry's brother, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Captain Gamaliel Souffrant, of Pembroke Pines, Florida.

The conspiracy was said to have transpired between 2002 and 2008 and included the purchase of residential properties in Florida and Georgia. The couple were accused of using their business, Progressive Real Estate of Broward, Inc., to help drug traffickers purchase real property and luxury cars by acting as "straw purchasers." One such car purchase included a 2004 Rolls Royce Phantom.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael "Pat" Sullivan said the case was investigated by the Miami-Dade Police Department, the FBI, and the IRS. According to Sullivan, the Souffrant conspiracy developed from a Northwest Miami-Dade cocaine ring led by Ali Adam and Graylin Kelley. Adam and Kelley have already been convicted and were both sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Garry and Yvonne Souffrant are presently scheduled for sentencing on February 2, 2010 before the Honorable Paul C. Huck, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and are facing between 5 and 30 years each for their participation in the conspiracy.

In deciding how to sentence the Souffrants, Judge Huck is likely to consider any prior criminal history, a recommendation by the U.S. Attorney's Office, as well as any acceptance of responsibility or expression of remorse by the Souffrants. The Court is also expected to consider any relevant mitigating factors presented by defense lawyers.

If they have not done so already, the U.S. Attorney's Office is also expected to pursue civil forfeiture of any assets seized from the Souffrants, including real property, cars, cash, jewelry, or any other items of value which are tied to the criminal conduct.

Accoridng to the Sun-Sentinel, Michael Brewer, the 15 year old burn victim from Deerfield Beach, Florida, spoke to investigators from the Broward Sheriff's Office today. The conversation was had in Bewer's hospital room at the Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center in Miami, Florida. While the details of their discussion have not been made public, the fact that the boy is speaking gives hope that his recovery is progressing in the right direction.

Brewer was also able to make a surprise phone call to his great-aunt, Patti Gendron. "It was a little raspy, but I could tell it was him, " said Gendon.

Brewer's recovery is undoubetly being monitored closely by prosecutors and defense lawyers alike. At the present time, three former classmates are charged with Attempted Murder for allgedly dousing the boy with rubbing alcohol and then setting him ablaze. Two additional teenagers have not been charged.

Brewer's recovery is critical because it will directly impact the ensuing criminal prosecution. If Brewer were to succomb to his injuries, prosecutors would likely increase the charges to 1st Degree Murder. On the other hand, as Brewer's condition improves, the charges may not increase, but he will be able to provide investigators with greater detail about the attack and reveal who exactly was responsible.

This additional information may prove to exonerate some of those charged or incriminate some of those presenly not charged. On the contrary, the additional information may serve to reinforce what investigators already beleive to be true about the case.

Ultimately, the direction this case takes will depend on what the prosecutors think they can prove in court. The more information Brewer is able to provide them, the more accurate of a case they can build. Unfortunately, in some attack cases, the only witness other than the accused is the victim. In such cases, prosecutors rely heavily on victim testimony or inferences garnered from forensic evidence.

There is no doubt that this case is nothing short of a terrible tragedy. Hopefully Brewer will make a full and speedy recovery very soon. Our prayers go out to him!