More than 100 pending DUI cases are in jeopardy after a Broward Sheriff’s Office breath alcohol technician was indicted on a slew of felony charges.
Celia Cromer, who is responsible for administering the Breathalyzer tests for the agency, is facing several charges, including identity theft and defrauding the federal government with bogus tax returns.
Private attorney Bill Gelin said many of the cases will be thrown out as a result.
Cromer, while moonlighting for a fraudulent tax preparation company called Family Free Taxes, bought the personal identification information of 10 people from an undercover federal agent, according to the indictment.
The owner of the company, Tameka Walker, and a woman named Maritynque Cromer, relation to Celia Cromer unknown, were also indicted.
A fourth co-defendant, Marlin Mejia, was an employee of Palmetto General Hospital, where, according to federal prosecutors, she stole patients’ personal identification information to further the fraud.
“Every case where that witness was involved, they are going to have to proceed without the Breathalyzer,” public defender Howard Finkelstein said. “The Breathalyzer is the single most important evidence, in fact, in many cases the only evidence the jury cares about.”
Finkelstein, whose office is handling 45 of the more than 100 cases in question, said the state is going to have to throw out the Breathalyzer tests in those cases.
“I believe of those 45 cases, the lion’s share will be dismissed,” Finkelstein said.
The state attorney’s office is now notifying all of the DUI defendants of Cromer’s indictment and sorting out which cases can go forward without her.
“For those people that think that drunk driving is a serious crime, and that’s most of us, this is not good for the citizens of Broward County,” Finkelstein said.
Cromer faces 20 felony counts. If convicted, she could face more than 50 years in prison.
The BSO said Cromer, whose public salary was $45,000, has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of her criminal case.
I can never understand why in this day and age why people who have good/responsible jobs place them into jeopardy -many would have loved to have had her opportunity in life #smh
greed
I wouldn’t even say greed because the salary not all that but she could go get a second job
They want to drive expensive cars so that they can profile. If you have been to Florida you can’t imagine the amount of expensive cars around you. People will have two $70K cars in their driveway and the house is worth $50K and is in poor condition.
Bwaay dem soon stop hire Jamaican’s a Fl.
At least she appears contrite.
Bogus tax returns though? You don’t play with the govt and dem money, when will these petty criminals learn seh dem can never win no scamming when it come to di feds and dem tax money. Is wah dem really believe seh? I wish her well cause she will need all the well wishes she can get.
If a murder, robbery, natural catastrophe, vote count, scam….no matter what it is, Florida will never disappoint.
:ngakak
very true. They inherit the worst kind of criminals.
Trust mi they make hand to mouth be like a fifth class ….. A di only people weh have a credit system fi food stAmp
damn wuckless…. 50years fi har baxide.. if she’s indeed guilty..
I pray to God is not the very serious drunk driving cases that were fatal or severely injured to people dem ago mek see street again
God forbid I lost my job and I can’t find something in my field or something that is not in my field i would clean toilet and shit before i steal or get involved in any illegal activity because I love my freedom the thought of hand cuff on my wrist make me want to piss myself…nope not me.
People don’t love freedom,what happens in the dark always catches up! Only in North America people want , big Benz an bmw, for those of us who travel all over Europe, u will kW those cars are used as taxis! Sometimes and most times doing stuff to get rich quick will be ur down fall! Thou she doesn’t make a lot , she could have got a second or better job
Lockup har thiefing bumbo….y dem nuh go rob bank n leave ppl name n ssi #
Hairstyle neat tho!!
Lock her &her daughter up leave people information alone she needs to get 50years make an example out of them she drive a suburban she brought it with other ppl taxes money and her ugly ass been cheating on her husband for many years with another married man 1970 n.w.175street ride by there
I am not laughing ___________________________