Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What Does It Mean If You Get A Federal Target Letter?
When a piece of official correspondence arrives in the mail unexpectedly, it is usually not a pleasant surprise. For every pandemic stimulus check, there are piles of red light camera tickets, property tax bills, and notices from the IRS saying that you owe more taxes than what you already paid. The most worrisome notices… Read More »
Jury Acquits Doctor Accused Of Sexually Abusing Patient
In most cases, the extent to which you believe someone depends on the context and on your pre-existing relationship, if any, with the speaker. You trust your closest friends enough that you believe everything they tell you, even when it is upsetting or surprising; if something does not add up, you ask for more… Read More »
Does The Entrapment Defense Really Work?
To be acquitted of a crime, you do not always have to prove that you didn’t do it. In fact, you never have to prove this. All you have to do is show that the jury cannot be sure whether you committed the crime. Of course, even when there is little room for doubt… Read More »
Who’s Afraid Of MDPV?
Even if you majored in chemistry, it is hard to keep track of all the drugs that are known by their initials and have slight chemical differences from other drugs. At least MDMA has some catchy nicknames, such as ecstasy and molly. Reciting the full name of foxy can pass the time on a… Read More »
Domestic Violence Charges Are Much More Serious When A Weapon Is Involved
Ask any police officer or 911 operator, and they will tell you that domestic violence calls are all in a day’s work. It is nothing out of the ordinary when a couple gets into an argument, tempers flare, fists fly, and someone calls the police. Most domestic violence cases blow over quickly, at least… Read More »
Since When Is The Active Ingredient In Root Beer A Controlled Substance?
Perhaps you have never knowingly seen a sassafras tree, but just the word “sassafras” evokes feelings of cozy, carefree innocence. Just from the name, you can tell how sweet it is. Wikipedia says that safrole, a chemical compound found in sassafras leaves, is what gives sassafras its characteristic “sweet shop” smell. The ecological reason… Read More »
Federal Agency Recommends Changing Cannabis From A Schedule I To A Schedule III Controlled Substance
There are plenty of terrifying drugs out there, but suboxone is not one of them. Suboxone is the drug of choice in medication-assisted therapy for opioid use disorder. It makes it possible for people living with opioid use disorder to administer their own medication, just like people living with clinical depression administer their own… Read More »
Florida Senior Faces Probation Sentence For Her Role In Methaqualone Trafficking Operation
Methaqualone, a sedative, was a widely prescribed drug before its withdrawal from the market and reclassification as a Schedule I controlled substance in the early 1980s. It was sold under several brand names, the most famous of which is Quaaludes. Quaaludes were popular on the disco scene in the 1970s, where they got the… Read More »
Tampa Woman Accused Of Fraudulently Obtaining Official Documents And Government Benefits
Most cases of identity theft do not involve a defendant literally pretending to be someone else. A case where John pastes his photo onto Sam’s driver’s license, introduces himself to people as Sam, wears a “Sam” nametag at work, and receives paychecks issued to Sam is the kind of identity theft that occurs in… Read More »
Two South Florida Men Face Criminal Charges After A Series Of Fraudulent UberEats Transactions
Just as a new wave of COVID gains momentum in the distance, South Floridians have finally started to unlearn some of the bad habits we picked up during the pandemic. We have returned to the habit of greeting each other and making small talk instead of only ever taking a break from doom scrolling… Read More »