Tampa Bay briefs

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 5, 2000

Prisoner accused of sending threatening mail

TAMPA -- A 31-year-old man has been indicted on charges of sending threatening letters to a federal judge in Tampa and a Tampa Tribune writer, court records show.

Mitchell Monteverdi threatened injury to U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday in a February letter, the indictment states. Monteverdi also threatened to use anthrax to injure or kill others in an April letter addressed to Kathleen Beeman, a staff writer at the Tampa Tribune, the indictments states. Monteverdi also sent a threatening letter to a Michigan prison inmate, the indictment states.

He is charged with three counts of sending threatening communications through the U.S. mails.

Monteverdi, a Pennsylvania native with multiple aliases, including Christian Johnson, has been an inmate at the Hillsborough County jail and is presently serving a 13-year state prison sentence for multiple burglary, theft and forgery convictions, according to county and state records.

Visiting 16-year-old girl drowns in relatives' pool

ST. PETERSBURG -- A 16-year-old mentally challenged girl who was visiting relatives in St. Petersburg drowned in their backyard pool Friday afternoon.

Katyria Campos, visiting from New York City with her mother, was found in the pool about 3:45 p.m. at 1706 63rd St. N in the Garden Manor neighborhood south of Crossroads Shopping Center. She was taken to St. Petersburg General Hospital's emergency room, where she was pronounced dead. Police were investigating but said her death appeared to be an accident.

Campos' relatives told police that the teen had the intellect of a 4-year-old and spent most of her time listening to music.

Friday afternoon, she was left in the care of a 13-year-old female cousin who lives at the St. Petersburg house, said St. Petersburg police spokesman Dan Bates.

The cousin checked on Campos and found her listening to music in her room. The cousin then went to her own room to watch television, Bates said. Perhaps five minutes later, Campos' mother and the cousin's mother came home and found her floating in theswimming pool.

Bar patron stabbed during fracas

LARGO -- A St. Petersburg man was stabbed early Friday in a fight at Mugs 'n Jugs bar, Largo police said.

Dorian L. Speaker, 21, was in stable condition at St. Anthony's Hospital.

Police said he was stabbed several times when a fight among four or more people broke out in the bar at 14100 U.S. 19 N about 1:30 a.m. The fight spilled out into the parking lot, where Speaker was stabbed.

He left and went to the hospital, police said.

No one had been arrested Friday afternoon.

Crisis center's executive director resigns

TAMPA -- Jerry Vazquez, the longtime executive director of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, has resigned for personal reasons.

Vazquez stepped down on July 19 after leading the non-profit organization for nearly 23 years, said Gary Howell, chairman of the center's board of directors.

Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Rubin Padgett, who sat on the center's board of directors, will serve as interim executive director until a permanent replacement can be found.

Vazquez, 53, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Last summer, police arrested Vazquez and his wife Cecilia on charges of battery when the couple got embroiled in a fight in the driveway of their home.

Vazquez told police the fight began when his wife threw his possessions into their driveway and began clawing at him and hitting him with a board. Cecilia Vazquez told police her husband pushed her down and held her face to the ground. The couple are divorcing, court records show.

Howell would not elaborate on what caused Vazquez to resign for personal reasons. He said he did not know what Vazquez was doing or if he still lived in Tampa.

The center provides counseling services and a hot line for people in trouble.

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