Digest

Crime journal

By Times Staff Writer
Published September 20, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY

Prosecutors ratchet up sex slave case

Authorities say Andrew Michael Kobak used a 10-page document called "Master Drew's Slavery Contract" to make a woman his sex slave. Now the state is throwing the book at "Master Drew." An additional 15 felony counts of deriving proceeds from prostitution were filed Tuesday against Kobak by the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office. That brings the total number of counts against Kobak, first arrested in July, to 19. That's 16 felony counts of deriving proceeds from prostitution, felony manufacturing of marijuana, felony possession of marijuana and a misdemeanor count of maintaining a place of prostitution. If the 34-year-old man were to be convicted of all charges and serve consecutive sentences, that could add up to about 90 years. Authorities say a schizophrenic woman named Alyssandra Cardillo met Kobak over the Internet. Soon the 19-year-old was a sex slave at his Port Richey home, authorities say, and for $60 she performed sex acts on other men.

ST. PETERSBURG

Telemarketer faces license violation

A local man was arrested on a charge of operating his telemarketing business without a license, the state's Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement said Wednesday. Scott Andrew Friedman, 37, is the owner of Premier Timeshare Vacations, Inc, 14 18th St. S., which sells advertising space for local timeshare properties, authorities said. After finding his license was not registered, investigators asked Friedman to close the business in July. When he didn't, he was arrested earlier this week on charges of telemarketing without a license and hiring unregistered salespeople. Both are third-degree felonies. The agency announced a similar arrest on Friday, when two Redington Shores men were charged after their business telemarketing advertising space to timeshare properties was found operating without a license.

YBOR CITY

Dead woman found in alley

Two people walking through an alley found the body of a woman in the back yard of a vacant house at 1312 E 15th Ave., around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Tampa police said. Cpl. Jared Douds said a man and a woman were standing near the body as the passers-by approached, but walked away as they neared. The two people who happened upon the scene immediately called police, and officers were able to locate the woman who had been standing over the body and question her, Douds said. They were still searching for the man late Wednesday. Police were investigating the case as a suspicious death.

TAMPA

Man charged with drug trafficking

A Tampa man faces felony charges after Hillsborough deputies linked him to more than 1.5 kilograms of cocaine Tuesday. Anthony Len Johnson, 24, of 8208 Laguna Lane, was arrested around 11 p.m. Jail records show he is charged with trafficking cocaine. Johnson is being held without bond at the Orient Road Jail.

[Last modified September 20, 2007, 00:37:09]