[bargee]

The term"Hush Money" comes to mind.

[NavyNJ]

Originally Posted by outlaw

I read that this was cleared through the state attorney's office or the appropriate FL authorities.

I've kept up with this "adventure" throughout, and I do not recall ever seeing any such "official" statement, in any news source. It's possible I missed it. ANy chance you can provide or recall where you read that?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Advogado

Deals to drop felony charges in exchange for anonymous restitution do not happen every day in our judicial system. In any event, I guess it's too bad for the perps that the Friends of Lake Miona, instead of the perps, ponied up the money.

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

How do you know that?

Originally Posted by Advogado

How do I know what?

That Friends of Lake Miona, paid instead of the perps.
Could the be one and the same? Or, do you have some inside information?

[Villageswimmer]

Originally Posted by bargee

The term"Hush Money" comes to mind.

Possibly, but why look a gift horse in the mouth? They were offered a deal that involved making restitution. Let them make full restitution and let's move on. I'm happy that their conscience finally got the best of them.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by naneiben

Possibly, but why look a gift horse in the mouth? They were offered a deal that involved making restitution. Let them make full restitution and let's move on. I'm happy that their conscience finally got the best of them.

It might be only a quarter of a gift horse and I seriously doubt their conscience is what got to them; public pressure of various sorts did.

They may not be out of the woods yet if this was not a legally qualified (way too soft) deal.

Maybe the AG or another legal authority will ax the deal.

[Mleeja]

Is it just me or does the recent post remind anyone of the Salem witch trials or the book, The Scarlet Letter? Maybe the persons responsible could wear a big "C" for cutter.... Let's move on folks, nothing to see here.

[Advogado]

Originally Posted by outlaw

They are just a few trees. I really can't see someone being imprisoned for cutting down a few trees in a swamp, given that the trees will be replaced anyway. I used to go out into the woods and cut down oak trees for firewood. And this was sanctioned by the federal government.

Are you serious? The perpetrator(s) caused $40,000 in damage to property--payable by you and me. This is a felony punishable by five years in prison under Florida law.

[Advogado]

Originally Posted by Mleeja

Is it just me or does the recent post remind anyone of the Salem witch trials or the book, The Scarlet Letter? Maybe the persons responsible could wear a big "C" for cutter.... Let's move on folks, nothing to see here.

It is just you.

[tuccillo]

In the absence of other information, I would assume the "Friends of Lake Miona" are actually the individual(s) responsible. It isn't clear to me why anyone else would pay. This was apparently handled through an attorney to preserve the anonymity. Presumably these sorts of "deals" have some documentation to the effect that there will be no future prosecution. It is not clear to me how you document a deal when you don't know who the deal is with.

Originally Posted by Advogado

Deals to drop felony charges in exchange for anonymous restitution do not happen every day in our judicial system. In any event, I guess it's too bad for the perps that the Friends of Lake Miona, instead of the perps, ponied up the money.

[tuccillo]

The difference is that cutting down these trees is illegal.

Originally Posted by outlaw

They are just a few trees. I really can't see someone being imprisoned for cutting down a few trees in a swamp, given that the trees will be replaced anyway. I used to go out into the woods and cut down oak trees for firewood. And this was sanctioned by the federal government.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by NavyNJ

I've kept up with this "adventure" throughout, and I do not recall ever seeing any such "official" statement, in any news source. It's possible I missed it. ANy chance you can provide or recall where you read that?

The online news original article of the offer covers this issue. Do a search on that site.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Advogado

In any event, I guess it's too bad for the perps that the Friends of Lake Miona, instead of the perps, ponied up the money.

I would think the "Friends of Lake Miona" are definitely the perps! What makes you think they're not the people who paid to cut down the trees??

[Advogado]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

I would think the "Friends of Lake Miona" are definitely the perps! What makes you think they're not the people who paid to cut down the trees??

I was being facetious.

[outlaw]

Originally Posted by Advogado

Are you serious? The perpetrator(s) caused $40,000 in damage to property--payable by you and me. This is a felony punishable by five years in prison under Florida law.

There was not $40,000 in damage. Think it was 5 trees. The state fine is what all the money is about. They could plant 5 trees for less than $5,000.

[NavyNJ]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

The online news original article of the offer covers this issue. Do a search on that site.

Yeah, I did find and re-read that article regarding CDD5 deciding to not prosecute. And although it did mention that Dist. Mgr. Tutt inquired with the local State Attorney's Office on the matter of deciding to pursue prosecution or not, it sounded like all that took place was a casual phone call, at best, about the matter. I don't believe the State Attorney has officially weighed in on this via any correspondence or other communication, which I would interpret as Ms. Tutt not having more than a "what if" type phone conversation with someone in that office.

The other point that I don't think has ever been very clearly established is who, exactly, is/are the "damaged parties" that would have a say in whether to prosecute or not?? Is it Ms. Tutt and the VCCDD, the SLCDD, the Projectwide Advisory Committee (who seems to have been paying the fines and remediation costs so far), CDD5 where the damage occurred, CDD's 5-10 who are sharing in the costs by decision of the PWAC? Or, is it the "Developer" in the form of VLSI (Vilalges of Lake-Sumter, Inc.)?

Seems like the check was made out to SLCDD. Be interesting to see how those funds are now re-allocated back to the Districts that have been assessed a share of the costs.