Racketeering Charge Ditched

By THOMAS W. KRAUSE The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 9, 2007

TAMPA - A circuit judge has dropped racketeering charges against another defendant arrested in an August raid on the Latin Kings street gang.

Antonio Margarejo, 24, still faces charges of conspiracy, dealing in stolen property and being a felon in possession of a handgun.

In March, Judge Daniel Sleet dropped racketeering charges against a 20-year-old defendant and an 18-year-old defendant in the case. He ruled that being members of the gang was not enough to warrant the racketeering charge. Both of those defendants still face conspiracy charges.

Daniel Fernandez, Margarejo's lawyer, said the judge ruled Tuesday that at least two separate crimes are needed to warrant a racketeering charge. The conspiracy, stolen property and gun possession charges represent one incident, Fernandez said.

In the raid, 52 people were arrested. Since then, five have entered plea deals. All charges were dismissed against a sixth.

Also Tuesday, defense attorneys in the case asked the judge to help them obtain records from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which helped Tampa police with the raid.

Two FBI agents did not show up at a meeting where they were to give sworn statements to defense attorneys. Sleet has ordered the agents to show up at another meeting and bring a file about a confidential informant they used in the case.

Because the agents are federal, Sleet said, he cannot hold them in contempt if they do not show up. Lyann Goudie, one of the defense attorneys in the case, said she might ask the judge to dismiss all the charges if the federal agents remain uncooperative.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813)259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.