Headline Surfer photo / James Sotolongo stands amid the defense team outside the US District Courthouse in Orlando where a jury began deliberating Friday as to his guilt or innocence in a mortgage fraud conspiracy trial. Sotolongo, his live-in girlfriend, Ramara Garrett, mother of their 1-year-old baby; and a third defendant, Stephanie Musselwhite, have all pleaded innocent to charges. The jury will continue its deliberations on Monday.ORLANDO -- What is most amazing in the case against James Fidel Sotolongo, Ramara Garrett and Stephanie Musselwhite is that it has has gotten this far.
Photo for Headline Surfer® / U.S. prosecutor Tanya Wilson is moving from the US District Court in Orlando to the Orange County courthouse downtown where she will leave her post as a federal government prosecutor to a county judgeship.ORLANDO -- Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Davis Wilson to an Orange County judgeship.
Wilson, 45, is the lead prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the trial against James Sotolongo, Ramara Garrett and Stephanie Musselwhite, all accused of conspiring to defraud four banks of nearly $13 million in mortgages involving seven upscale residences in the Daytona Beach area. The case went to the jury today.
Inset photo by Headline Surfer® / Will the jurors in the Volusia County mortgage fraud case believe government witnesses Sidney Coton and Christopher Mencis, who have already pleaded guilty and subsequently testified in exchange for lighter sentences or will they believe defendant James Sotolongo, shown at left in the display photo with his attorney, who didn't take the stand in his own defense? The jurors begin deliberating on Friday morning.ORLANDO -- Federal prosecutor Tanya Wilson apologized to the jury of 12 on Thursday in closing arguments for the cast of unsavory characters she had to rely on to make her case of mortgage fraud against the three individuals from the Daytona Beach-area on trial in the courtroom.
ORLANDO -- The world's No. 1 ranked golfer won't defend his championship when play begins Thursday in Orlando’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. That's because Tiger Woods withdrew Tuesday citing continued back spasms.
Photos for Headline Surfer® / The big question heading into the trial for Jim Sotolongo and Ramara Garret, shown in the inset, is whether U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr., shown at far left, will be presiding.ORLANDO -- Before he was nominated by President Obama and his appointed ratified by the U.S. Senate in 2011 for a federal judgeship in the Middle District of Florida, Roy B. Dalton, Jr.,was a member of the board of trustees for the Orlando-based Seaside National Bank& Trust for four years before laving to assume his position on the bench.
ORLANDO -- Victor Oladipo put on a dominating performance in leading the Orlando Magic to a double-overtime win over the New York Knicks at the Amway Arena Friday night.
Oladipo, Orlando's prized rookie small forward, poured in 30 points, a career-high 14 assists and nine rounds for the near-triple double in leading the Magic to a 129-121 win.
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. -- A dolphin that washed ashore Thursday is being cared for by SeaWorld in Orlando, beach officials said.
Photo for Headline Surfer® / William Guthrie, an attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP, has been tabbed by Gov. Scott to fill one of three vacancies on a statewide board.ORLANDO -- An Orlando attorney is among three appointees to the Community Association Living Study Council made by Gov. Rick Scott.
1st video by 09Sports uploaded from YouTube / 2nd video by uploaded NBA2K14 Official/ Headline Surfer / Highlights of the Orlando Magic's season opener loss at the Indiana Pacers, 97-87. Here is an NBA video link for game highlights: http://www.nba.com/video/games/pacers/2013/10/29/0021300001-orl-ind-recap.nba.ORLANDO -- The Orlando Magic have little hope of winning more than a third of the games on their 82-game schedule, if the opening night game loss on the road Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers, 97-87, is any indication.
