Payoff-soliciting informer sentenced on tax charge
By Wire services
Published March 26, 2004
MIAMI - A South Beach fashion photographer who pocketed millions as a high-powered informer in an operation that brought 114 Colombian drug suspects to U.S. justice received a four-month prison sentence Thursday on a tax charge.
Baruch Vega was the double-dealing star of the "Rehabilitation Program of Narcotics Traffickers," recruiting big-time traffickers to pay him off for sweetheart deals with purportedly corrupt U.S. prosecutors. The operation eventually cost two Drug Enforcement Administration agents their jobs.
Vega was never authorized to to take money from traffickers under the illusion they were buying favors from the U.S. government, DEA officials have said.
In an unusual arrangement, Vega signed a plea bargain admitting a misdemeanor income tax evasion charge more than four months before the charge was filed last July.
Two removed from jury in police corruption trial
MIAMI - A judge ejected two jurors and denied repeated defense requests for a mistrial Thursday in the corruption retrial of three Miami police officers charged with covering up guns allegedly planted near two robbers killed by police.
A juror who said "Castro couldn't change her mind" was removed based on notes about her conduct from other jurors. Another woman was sent home after saying she might blame supporters of the officers for a burglary at her home as she slept Tuesday night.
The upheaval came on the fifth day of deliberations.
U.S. District Judge Alan Gold planned to add one of three alternate jurors to the panel. Attorneys have agreed to let a jury of 11 decide the case.
Jurors reported that the juror who mentioned Cuban President Fidel Castro also refused to deliberate, watched news reports on the retrial, researched the first trial, made racist remarks and yelled "hurtful things" at some jurors.
The other excused juror who reported the burglary told the judge she had the "far-fetched" thought that someone may have planted a listening device in her condominium.
Youth allegedly shot by brother in argument
BRADENTON - A 17-year-old was in critical condition Thursday with a head wound after his younger brother allegedly shot him in an argument over a girl.
Ronnie Jennings was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg after being shot Wednesday with a .25-caliber handgun. Kevin Jennings, 15, was charged with attempted murder.
Bradenton police Maj. Bill Tokajer said the brothers were arguing in the street in a west Bradenton neighborhood over a girl, and Kevin pulled out a gun and shot his brother at least once.
