Another DCF Worker Sentenced In Child Porn Case

Michael Hernandez, former computer technician for DCF, was sentenced today to 2 years probation and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine after admitting to destroying files on Al Zimmerman's computer. Hernandez told investigators that two days before the search of Zimmerman's house, he put Zimmerman's home computer in a trash bin. Hernandez said Zimmerman was afraid police would seize the computer and that Zimmerman did not want police to have access to the computer. Hernandez also admitted that two days prior to the execution of the search warrant, he had wiped and reformatted the laptop that the department had assigned to Zimmerman. He originally denied his involvement then later tried to help Federal Investigators build their case against Zimmerman. He was only charged with making false statements to Law Enforcement.

John Pasko

A Melbourne police officer is appealing a decision to suspend him for 80 hours without pay for reckless driving due to an incident in November, in which he crashed his patrol car into a stop sign and did not report it to his superiors, officials said.

The officer, John Pasko, remains on duty until a decision is reached.
Documents show that Pasko crashed his patrol car into a stop sign on Riverview Drive in Palm Bay on Nov. 14 and did not report the accident. The car sustained dents and damage on the driver's side.

Video from the dash-camera shows Pasko examining the damage to the car after he hit the stop sign.

But he later told a nurse that he had no recollection of the incident, records show.

An incident in January 2008 resulted in Pasko being issued a reprimand for "intoxicants and substances that impair ability."

Pasko was disciplined and received counseling in 2004 and 2005, once for off-street parking and once for failing to use personal responsibility for department property.

According to his profile on Facebook, John Pasko is a Hostage Negotiator and Crisis Intervention Officer with Melbourne Police Department.


Reckless Driving or DUI ? You be the judge:

Cindy Economou

Yesterday a former St. Lucie County county firefighter was sentenced to six months of probation and community service after pleading guilty to stealing a Melbourne mans amputated leg and foot from the scene of an accident.
Cindy Economou, 38, said Karl Lambert's lower left leg was "an unrecognizable mass of flesh" when she recovered it from the wreckage of a two-vehicle collision on Interstate 95 in Port St. Lucie in September. Rescue crews amputated the limb to free Lambert from the wreck. Police said Economou put the limb in her freezer, presumably to use in cadaver dog training.
Economou had faced up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if convicted at trial on one count of petit theft, a second-degree misdemeanor. In addition to about $300 in court costs, St. Lucie County Judge Philip Yaccuci also ordered Economou to perform 50 hours of community service by talking to schools and hospitals about her life. The judge granted her attorney's request to withhold adjudication, meaning a conviction won't show up on Economou's record.

Al Zimmerman

On May 8, Al Zimmerman was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the production of child pornography. He was arrested in February 2008 and accused of taking sexually explicit photos and videos of two 16-year-old boys then sent the images to child pornographers in other countries. Authorities said he met through his job with DCF. Later, prosecutors said investigators had identified five more victims.

Zimmerman's arrest prompted a statewide review by DCF of all employees hired since Nov. 15, 2006, to make sure criminal background and professional reference checks were conducted and that each employee completed a state job application.

The review found that 8 percent of those 2,627 employees had not been fingerprinted, nearly 10 percent of the personnel files were missing appropriate reference checks and 1.4 percent of the employees were missing a job application

In addition to his 24 years in prison, Zimmerman will be on probation for the rest of his life. He will be required to register as a sex offender and will not be allowed any contact with minors without the written permission of his probation officer.

Charlie Morris

In February Charlie Morris, Okaloosa County Sheriff and President of the Florida Sheriffs Association, was arrested on a Las Vegas gambling trip with $5,000 in his pocket and $30,000 in a hotel safe He was subsequently suspended from office by Governor Charlie Crist. He was indicted on April 23 along with his Director of Administration and Finance, Theresa Adams.
Prosecutors say the pair deposited bonuses in employees accounts and asked the employees to return a portion of the money to them in cash. They used some of it to finance several first-class Las Vegas gambling trips for themselves and an inner circle of sheriff’s office associates.
Morris and Adams were arrested in Las Vegas in February.
Collier said Tuesday that Morris’ plea agreement included a provision for him cooperate with federal prosecutors and State Attorney Bill Eddins’ office in their ongoing investigations of others in the department.
Among other things, an investigative audit of the department’s finances found Morris bought himself 41 new cars during his 12 years in office. Morris frequently traded vehicles and spent more than $170,000 in public money buying GMC Envoys, Chevrolet Impalas and other cars.
On May 19, Morris plead guilty to the charges and faces a maximum federal prison term of 85 years and up to $1.75 million in fines. He will appear for his sentencing hearing on July 28.