Thursday, September 22, 2011

Speechless. Sentencing in the Plantation cops case and the government rests it's case against federally indicted city of Miami assistant fire chief Veldora Arthur...

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Our comments section has been abuzz over the last few days, first with the second phase of the Plantation cops mortgage fraud trial ending in a hung jury and now with the sentencing of the two cops convicted in the first trial, John Velez and Joseph Derosa, being sentenced today.  I was frankly very startled to learn that in light of the outcome of the second case and the fact that 4 of the six defendants from the first case were acquitted, the court seems to have thrown the book at these guys.


John Velez was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison, Joseph Derosa received 37 months in federal prison and three years of probation.  Mr. Velez was found guilty of one count of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements on a hud.  Mr. Derosa was found guilty of one count of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of "making false statements within the jurisdiction of hud".  Does 37 or 42 months seem commensurate with those charges?  Hardly in my opinion and even worse when you take into consideration the fact that the banks that were the alleged "victims" of Mr. Velez and Mr. Derosa's scheme have done far worse than they have and to date they've gone unpunished.  What makes this even more outrageous is the fact that both Velez and Derosa had no records!  Let's not forget that before this mess these guys were cops!


Now, if that wasn't enough to get your blood boiling, let's take a look at what the cooperating defendants got.  We'll start with the mortgage brokers, the two crooks at the center of this mess who admitted to forging hundreds if not thousands of documents, two fraudsters that admitted to committing fraud on nearly every single loan they processed over the last decade, what did the government hit these guys with?  Matt Gulla got 34 months and his partner Rene Rodriguez gets 43 months with each one of them having to pay $500 in restitution each.  How's that for justice?!  These two characters were responsible for hundreds of millions, perhaps several billion dollars worth of fraud and they get off this lightly?  Judging by the severity of the convicted cops sentences, shouldn't these two get the chair?!


So here were are after nearly five years worth of investigating, almost 8 months of trials and this is the best we can do?  I'd love for someone to do a cost benefit analysis of just how much it cost to achieve the two convictions that resulted from "Operation Copout".  Any wonder why our government spending is out of control?


On another note, we're being told that the government has rested its case against federally indicted City of Miami assistant fire chief Veldora Arthur.  This case seems to be moving at a much faster clip that the other federal mortgage fraud trials we've been watching, I suspect the trials going to be over within the next ten days.  I'm also told that Veldora herself plans on testifying, that in and of itself should make for some interesting theater.

As if this week wasn't bad enough, we also had the execution of convicted murderer Troy Davis.  Despite the fact that seven of the nine eyewitnesses from his trial have recanted their testimony against him, the fact that a murder weapon was never found as well as plenty of other disturbing facts that created more than enough reasonable doubt as to his guilt, the state of Georgia seemed hellbent to kill this man, they finally did yesterday.  I'm not going to rehash what's already being said about this state sanctioned murder of a man who may have been innocent of the crime he was convicted of, instead I'll leave you with this letter Mr. Davis wrote just before his death...
I want to thank all of you for your efforts and dedication to Human Rights and Human Kindness, in the past year I have experienced such emotion, joy, sadness and never ending faith. It is because of all of you that I am alive today, as I look at my sister Martina I am marveled by the love she has for me and of course I worry about her and her health, but as she tells me she is the eldest and she will not back down from this fight to save my life and prove to the world that I am innocent of this terrible crime.

As I look at my mail from across the globe, from places I have never ever dreamed I would know about and people speaking languages and expressing cultures and religions I could only hope to one day see first hand. I am humbled by the emotion that fills my heart with overwhelming, overflowing Joy. I can’t even explain the insurgence of emotion I feel when I try to express the strength I draw from you all, it compounds my faith and it shows me yet again that this is not a case about the death penalty, this is not a case about Troy Davis, this is a case about Justice and the Human Spirit to see Justice prevail.

I cannot answer all of your letters but I do read them all, I cannot see you all but I can imagine your faces, I cannot hear you speak but your letters take me to the far reaches of the world, I cannot touch you physically but I feel your warmth everyday I exist.

So Thank you and remember I am in a place where execution can only destroy your physical form but because of my faith in God, my family and all of you I have been spiritually free for some time and no matter what happens in the days, weeks to come, this Movement to end the death penalty, to seek true justice, to expose a system that fails to protect the innocent must be accelerated. There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this Unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.

I can’t wait to Stand with you, no matter if that is in physical or spiritual form, I will one day be announcing,

“I AM TROY DAVIS, and I AM FREE!”

Never Stop Fighting for Justice and We will Win! 
Rest in peace Mr. Davis.

17 comments:

  1. i think we should compare cop out to scott rothstein

    Scott- stole from rich people

    Rene & Matt- stole from the banks who then ripped off american tax payers

    Scott- close to billion dollars

    Rene & Matt - 1000 loans close to a billion dollars

    Scott- did it by lieing and forging fake documents but most important forged a JUDGES name

    Rene & Matt - did it by lieing on loan apps and forging 1000 different peoples names(not JUDGES)

    Scott -FBI investgated that case and brought everyone to justice.

    Rene & Matt - FDLE sent 1 agent who only looked to go after cops no one really brought to justice.

    Scott- lost everything he had and they sold everything he owned to pay back the rich people who lost their investments

    Rene & Matt- keep all they have there familey is not charged and the goverment charges them $500 each to pay back america.

    all 3 worked with the goverment and made deals to go after others.

    Scott - brought down everyone who helped him steal a billion dollars.

    Rene & Matt -Brought down 2 cops and a poor house wife that worked at the office

    result for both in front of the same Judge.

    Scott - 50 years in jail

    Rene & Matt less then 3 years in jail.

    got to Love our system

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  2. How did this happen to innocent men? If in phase 2, many lies from phase 1 came out- how were these men convicted so harshly?

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  3. You should have seen Veldora yesterday, ridiculous high heels, skin tight jeans and a her hair looking like it took twenty people with irons to straighten. Tell me how this woman is on disability and is able to walk in those shoes?

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  4. The state attorneys office and FDLE will continue to back Roadruck because none of them are willing to take responsibility for this train wreck of a case. They indicted before having conducted a proper and thorough investigation and the snow ball rolled from there. Their so called facts were based on their assumptions.

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  5. There is so much truth to this:

    Cohn said Thursday it defied common sense for Velez and DeRosa to believe their police salaries allowed them to qualify for the hefty loans they received. For example, Velez got $1.6 million in loans for five properties within a five-month span in 2004, while DeRosa got $1.2 million in loans in 2007 for two properties.

    "There were red flags all around," Cohn told DeRosa. "You are a smart individual with a good record as a police officer. Either you knew what was going on or you turned your eyes from the obvious."

    REALLY JOHN????

    Velez did apologize to the judge for smoking marijuana just hours after the jury verdict — a violation of the terms of his pre-trial release that landed him in jail for two weeks.

    Climb into bed with Joe Guaracino and you get screwed - not in a way you'd like either. Guaracino is a smooth talker that can sell anything to anyone. It's his "gift" - to manipulate and lie.

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  6. Who cares if they were cops with no record? If they weren't so greedy, he wouldn't have needed a million dollar home. Derosa has a yoga instructor wife (not quite lucrative) and his salary. What made them think they needed so much more than they could afford? Many people are good people that do something stupid, but they don't get to remain out of jail when they are on trial, or awaiting appeal. They are already getting special treatment. Also, they will end up in a minimum security prison, with protection. It's like summer camp, paid for by taxpayers.

    Quit bellyaching about them. They should have made a deal like the other guys, and not been so cocky. They knew what they were doing.

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  7. Wow... Anonymous??? You seem way to invested in this case? I wonder why? Jealousy? Just because a cop was at the top of his game and he was doing well in his career?? The truth is you have no idea what you are talking about!! I can't stand ignorant people... You talk like you were there! The brokers lie to the government to save their own asses, the brokers admitting to forging, deleting, and destroying documents on johns files, as well as every single loan since the year 2000!!! The investigator had never worked on a mortgage fraud trial and screwd up, so the government has to continut with the case. After all it's been 4 years and tons of money, including your tax dollars mr. Anonymous... Before you talk so negatively about anyone,make sure you know the facts, have walked in their shoes, and most importantly gain some real insight and intelligence!! They will prevail in the end, wait and see...

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  8. The Problem is that we live in a society where you are guilty until proven innocent, rather then the other way around. The (4) who were acquitted of all charges, will have to deal with the allegations and ramifications, which I can assure you, will haunt them for the rest of there entire careers. I wonder if Roadruck considers himself to be a good investigator. Maybe Roadruck can “Follow the Money” and find where Rene and Matt hid the millions of dollars they made. Here is a Tip... check their families! The fact is the brokers frauded thousands of people, and I bet 99% of those people still don’t know!

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  9. The fact is Guaracino was the middle man here, I dont care what anyone says, Ask LaGrasta, ask DeRosa, ask Robert and Sherri DepRriest, ask Radziwon, ask Mittauer, they will all say the first person who screwd them over was Joe Guaracino. U cant ask Velez cause he is Joe's Butt Buddy. But come on Velez man up, u made 50 k a year, take 4 loans for 4 houses in less than 3 months, plus another one under your wifes name all in 2004. Total of 5 houses in 6 months for 2004. And u know ur wife never worked. WHERE IS THE COMMON SENSE.

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  10. Joes butt buddy? It seems as if your the one with the hard on for John? What happened? Did he take your swat position? Honor guard? Award? Your so jealous! Real men don't waste their time bashing another unless your so insecure about your manhood. So, Mittauer buying 3 in two days worth over a million isn't suspicious? Or what about all the people who weren't indicted who had the same fraud as your idol John who testified in court? The problem is not with the houses or with John, it's the fact that you have little man complex... I bet you drive a corvette? I would be very careful with the things you say because you never know when it will be your turn to bend over..

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  11. Joes butt buddy? It seems as if your the one with the hard on for John? What happened? Did he take your swat position? Honor guard? Award? Your so jealous! Real men don't waste their time bashing another unless your so insecure about your manhood. So, Mittauer buying 3 in two days worth over a million isn't suspicious? Or what about all the people who weren't indicted who had the same fraud as your idol John who testified in court? The problem is not with the houses or with John, it's the fact that you have little man complex... I bet you drive a corvette? I would be very careful with the things you say because you never know when it will be your turn to bend over..

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  12. Funny I was there in court for 5 months never heard any of those people say a bad thing about Joe or John interesting a few jealous idiots with an agenda and a connection with some power put a half ass investigation together, and lost!!!!

    Let me simplify for you federal court 90 percent conviction rate.  However in this case because of a coward juror three men decided not to testify and two got fucked!  

     I will bet my left nut they win on an appeal!  

    The second Case another loss 10-2 in favor of the defense.  Guess we will see round three another loss. 

    Idiots+ jealousy+shitty investigation = 

    Waste of 4 years investigation 
    Waste of thousands of hours of investigation and court time
    Waste of hundreds of thousands of dollars

    4 years investigation 
    Over a year in trial 
    The best prosecutors in the district 40 year vet, Harvard, and 30 year vet.  35 witnesses 2 liars and a partridge in a pear tree.  

    = two losing cases!!!!

    Two appeals that will not take more then the first paragraph to overturn the bad malicious prosecutions.  

    Did you watch the movie yet! 

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  13. WOW ! ANONYMOUS ! you are amazing !
    summer camp ? are you kidding me ? It would not matter If John and Joe were in a castle, they are still away from there family and Joe has a baby and John has a special needs baby,and other children that need their father. Yes they could have made a deal, and lied like the other's did, to save themselves and had lesser time, but they could not have lied on Joe, and BUTT BUDDY ! YOU ARE REALLY BUTT WIPE !!!

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  14. Well, the maturity is just oozing out of these last few posts. Amazing.

    Although, I must say, someone made a comment about a "small man complex" and mentioned someone having a corvette because of it. Joe Guaracino had a red corvette - does that still apply?? He was able to purchase that in cash with stolen money by the way.

    It does suck that John & Joe have to go to jail...I never thought John & Joe would ever be on the other side of the law. I always thought John was one of the best men I knew. Although, again, you get in bed with the wrong people you can get in trouble. But who would think your best friend (Joe G) would be the one to lead down that road? It's a shame.

    I guess we'll just have to sit around for a bit and see if Joe G will be retried- can't read to your posts then.

    You people are entertaining to say the least.

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  15. Who did Joe steal money from? Not one person or bank got on the stand and said they were victims! There are no victims or losses. Mortgages were paid, homes were repaired with over a million dollars in receipts and the banks were paid in full. You know John? If you REALLY know John you would know he isn't even capable of a bad act. John never intended to do a crime, it's not in his nature. Impossible! The fraud occurred with the banks and brokers who forged documents without them knowing. John has 6 kids and the newest baby has down syndrome. He is desperately needed in this world. Families are hurting, kids destroyed... John hasn't hurt anyone, murdered, raped, or done any real crime at all! He signed papers truthfully and got duped! So anonymous, have some compassion because this is true injustice and very undeserving. This could have happened to you or anyone you know who has ever bought a house. John velez was then, now, and will continue to be the best man as well as human being I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

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  16. With regard to the last post, if you actually read what I wrote you would see that I did say John V was one of the best men that I knew & that it was a shame that he is on the other side of the law. Also, i put the blame on Joe G for John being in this position, not John.

    I don't know why kids keep being brought into these posts. What someone may or may not have done is one thing but brining kids into the convo is uneccessary. Having a child or 3 or 6 should have made someone think twice about what was going on.
    Either way the kids are the real victims. Whether their dad really did anything or not the bottom line is that they were convicted & the kids are losing their dads for a period of their lives.

    It sucks.

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  17. Dont act like you know john or are even his friend. and I noticed you keep blaming it on Joe G. why not Matt or Rene or the Banks. you must be another person Jealous of the successes he had or lack there of that you didnt have. This is personal for you. But look at it this way your day of judgement will come one day too and you will answer for your acts. And when you do look back at the stones you casted and wonder will there be stones thrown back at you.

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