It looks like the mess that we've come to know as the Plantation Mortgage fraud case aka "Operation Copout" has come to an end. I'm told by a reliable source that this morning at 8:30 am the lone remaining defendant, Joseph Guaracino, is going to change his plea and agree to a 43 month sentence. Considering that the government took away any hope he had of paying for his defense for the retrial and the rumor of new charges being levied against him, cutting a deal seems like the most likely outcome. I'll update as soon as I get confirmation.
that is such bullshit if true. the goverment has endless money to go after people and sometimes big money wins. too bad for joe. hate to see the goverment win cases that shouldnt even be in court. did the bank reps take a plea yet. oh wait they werent charged. goverment at its worst
ReplyDeleteThe government didn't "win". Joe pled guilty abd ADMITTED what he did. There is an article in the SunIsentiel with all the information. Now he is being sentenced on January 27th.
ReplyDeleteWell i guess when you cant afford an attorney and the goverment pushes to not pay yours and they want to put someone away for 20 years i guess you will say anything at that point to get the lowest sentence. People have to addmit to crimes if they want the plea deal so even if someone addmits guilt you still need to look at the whole picture. not guilty people say there guilty all the time to get a better deal when they are backed into a coner. Just another case of big pockets win all the time.I bet if he had the money he would have won the case but not even given a court appointed attorney who would take that chance. I sure wouldn't. Too bad i would have liked to see the goverment and their agents lose a 3rd time. Next up on the straw buyer. AUSA Press release 80 year old retired vet in trail for house put in forclosure by crooked banks. He use to be a mailman.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is horrible that innocent people pled guilty.
ReplyDeleteIn this case he pled guilty and admitted what he did. Admitting it is a whole other ball game.
He admitted. He finally told the truth that he is guilty.
Plus nobody was really gong to get 20 years out of these trials....in this particular case the men could only serve 5 years, not 20, due to a federal law. So Joe did not pled guilty to avoid 20 years, he did not make a deal to avoid 20 years. He pled guilty because he is guilty and he ADMITTED it. Proof right there.
ReplyDeletelearn the law before you comment dumb ass. Joe would have had a guideline of 72 months for all the counts plus for being a so called leader they can add 120 months on top of it. so no his guide lines would have been 192 months. and after the judge wrote that 23 page report bashing him and the trail judge was shooting down everything the defense wanted and granting everything the AUSA wanted you dont think that judge would give him closer to the 192 months. other wise joe would have fought it.
ReplyDeleteNo, "dumbass" (really?). There is a federal law that allows up to 5 years when someone pleads guilty or is convicted guilty on conspiracy. John & Joe from the first trial could have gotten 5 years as well, vs. 20 years for the same charge.
ReplyDeleteIt is rare that a Judge gives out the full amount of time. Someone gets charged for murder and gets a life sentence? Sometimes they get 25-life..so they can get out (possibly) at 25 years.
Joe is getting a standard amount of time. They dropped all charges and gave him ONE charge for up to 5 years, instead of 20 because that charge fits under the federal law issue - conspiracy. That is why he ONLY getting 43 months - ONE charge of CONSPIRACY. Same thing John & the other Joe was charge and convicted on.
My comment about the 20 yrs vs 5 yrs is correct.
I'm not a "dumbass", obviously.
well there you go again not looking at the facts they dropped 33 counts and charged him with 1 becasuse he was changing his plea to guilty. john and joe got around 5 years because they were not the so called master mind. if he was found guilty the guildlines say there is a 10 year add on to the guildlines if you are a leader in the conspiracy. why dont you talk to a real lawyer before you make comments you no nothing about. Why would someone plead guilty and not fight it. if at worse he would get was the same time. I would defend myself in court if i thought a plea deal is the same as the time i would get if found guilty if i was joe. Learn the Federal guild lines before you talk you sound as stupid as the lead investigator on this case roadick. You too must have went to school together.
ReplyDeletePlus that judge showed if would have hammered joe if he was found guilty. just look what the other judge wrote that would have been used in joes next trail. he could have just said deined but know he had to make a statement. the whole process was a joke they (goverment)did everything they could to keep this from going to a 3rd trail and losing again.
ReplyDeletePlus that judge showed if would have hammered joe if he was found guilty. just look what the other judge wrote that would have been used in joes next trail. he could have just said deined but know he had to make a statement. the whole process was a joke they (goverment)did everything they could to keep this from going to a 3rd trail and losing again.
ReplyDeleteYou make no sense. You bore me.
ReplyDelete