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BSO: Theft suspect calls Rolex 'gift from God'

Broward Sheriff's Office deputies said they arrested the man caught on surveillance video stealing an expensive watch from a plastic bin at Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Igor Ramos, 37, was arrested at his home in Sunny Isles on Friday morning, and detectives said he was wearing the watch when he opened the door. "When we asked him about the watch, he said it was a gift from God," said Lt. Brian Montgomery. Deputies said Ramos had no idea he made big news earlier this week when BSO released surveillance video that they said shows him swiping the pricey Rolex. "Even the security guard at his building in Sunny Isles came up to him and said, 'Hey, you're all over TV,' and he thought everybody was joking with him," said Montgomery. It happened Jan. 18. The $6,500 timepiece belonged to the woman in line ahead of him. She removed her belongings from the bin after walking through the body scan machine, but she accidentally left the watch in the bin. Surveillance video showed the man in line behind her taking the watch after she walked away, BSO said. By the time the victim realized the watch was gone, detectives said Ramos was well on his way to New York. Investigators requested the passenger list from the airline and were then flooded with tips after they released the video Wednesday. Detectives said Ramos frequently travels between Florida and New York, buying and selling cars, and was actually heading back to the airport Friday when deputies caught him at home. "As our guys were standing outside his condo, he opened the door, and surprisingly, he was wearing the victim's watch," Montgomery said. The woman who owns the watch lives in Honduras, and according to detectives, she is relieved to know her Rolex will be returned.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:45:30 GMT

Coast Guard seizes 1,100 pounds of marijuana

A Coast Guard crew off the coast of Cuba seized about 1,100 pounds of marijuana and took six smuggling suspects into custody earlier this month. On Feb. 9, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Confidence spotted a cigarette boat. Passengers on the boat were seen tossing bales of marijuana into the water, the Coast Guard said. A second crew recovered the dumped drugs. Six suspected smugglers were detained.

Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:04:52 GMT

Man arrested on 144 child porn counts

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Friday announced the arrest of a Davie man on 144 counts of possession of child pornography. Orville Bullitt, 44, of Davie, was arrested earlier this week at his mother's home in Osceola County. Bullitt because a suspect during an undercover investigation by the FDLE's Cyber High-Tech Crime Squad. During the investigation, agents were able to trace images that had been shared online back to Bullitt's home computer, investigators said. "He was one of those individuals that we, during our normal undercover investigations, isolated his particular computer in South Florida," said FDLE Case Agent Will Hernandez. The FDLE said Bullitt spent most of his days at the computer, selling, trading and sharing images of children. "The images we found show child victims in various sexual depictions," said Special Agent in Charge Addy Villanueva, of the FDLE. "What I would be comfortable telling you is, they were at least children under the age of 10," Hernandez said. "There's males. There's females. There are so many images that we have to go through," Villanueva said. Investigators said dozens of images were found on computers at Bullitt's homes in Davie and Pembroke Pines. Bullitt also documented his Disney World visits on Facebook. According to one investigator, Bullitt had drawers full of pictures of Disney characters. "The crimes allegedly committed by Bullitt are unspeakable and unforgivable," Villanueva said. Bullitt was booked into the Osceola County Jail. He is being held on $1.4 million bond. Agents suspect there are other victims who had contact with Bullitt. FDLE's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces in Florida were created solely to investigate Internet crimes against kids that include the online sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. To review tips for keeping your children safe online, click here.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:44:32 GMT

Turchin's Take: No excuse for child porn

I’ve held my tongue long enough. There is no excuse for child pornographers. I don’t want to hear they had a bad childhood, or they grew up in a bad neighborhood, or they couldn't help themselves. All that may be true, but if it were your kid that was exploited or violated, I bet you wouldn’t be so understanding. My tirade comes as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested a man on 144 counts of child pornography -- a man agents say left a trail of young victims throughout south Florida. Orville Bullitt. He’s 44 years old. You might recognize his name. If you do, call the cops and tell them why. If not, he is yet another example, another alleged example (don’t want to forget that), of sickos that prey on kids -- our kids -- your kids. I have come to realize the treatment of children as sex objects has existed for decades -- as has the production of erotic materials involving children. What's more, it’s something that is probably not going to go away anytime soon. The advent of the Internet in the 1980s dramatically changed the scale and nature of the child pornography problem, and has required new approaches to investigation and control. Thankfully, many police departments have made it a priority. Sadly, it may not be enough. Law enforcement agencies need more funding, more investigators and examiners. Sex offenders -- in any form -- are a growing and dangerous threat to our children. There are more than a half-million sex offenders listed on various state registries, but because of poor federal and state laws, at least 150,000 of them are missing. On the positive side, the Adam Walsh Act is the most comprehensive piece of child protection legislation Congress has ever considered. That bill created, among other things, new state and federal regulations, community notification requirements, as well as new federal criminal penalties for sex offenders. It also gave law enforcement new resources. These people, those who "get off" looking at children, or are involved in trading, selling or taking pictures of kids naked or in sexually explicit positions, like agents suspect Bullitt was, deserve to be thrown in a jail full of the most violent criminals. People who are sexually attracted to children are bottom-feeders, the scum of the earth. I've long heard every other criminal can’t stand them. So, it is my hope that they will always get what they deserve. I say drop them all off on some deserted island with a crap load of alligators. You can throw in the rapists and child abusers, too. This world has no room for any of them... my opinion, of course. Forget about cruel and unusual punishment considerations, too. Just let them suffer -- and direct our tax dollars towards taking care of the victims. After all, it’s our responsibility as parents, as a community, to protect those who can't always protect themselves... our children.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:51:56 GMT

Hit-and-run suspect tests negative for drugs

A man accused of hitting two cyclists with his car on the Rickenbacker Causeway and then driving away tested negative for drugs during a court hearing Friday morning. Michele Traverso was back in court on an unrelated drug charge from last year. Traverso passed a drug test Friday, which would have detected any drugs in his system during the past 30 days. "There has been a lot of speculation about my client," said Traverso's attorney, Roman de la Cabada. "This is the best test, and he was perfectly clean." Although the test came back negative for drugs, it does not show if Traverso had alcohol in his system. "At some other future point, we're going to address all other matters. Unfortunately, I can't do a test to prove that he wasn't drinking now because it's not valid," De La Cabada said. "The crime here is that he left the scene, which is inexcusable, but that's the crime, and I want everyone to remember that." Miami police said it all happened early Wednesday morning. Enda Welsh and Aaron Cohen were riding their bikes east over the bridge when Traverso hit both men with his car, then drove away, left both men injured on the road, Miami police said. Welsh fractured his ankle in the accident, but his friend had more serious injuries. Cohen died at Jackson Memorial Hospital a day after the incident. Traverso turned himself in to police Thursday. Detective Loraine Rubio was there at the crash scene and was also in court Friday morning. She said she is seeking the truth for a family who's dealing with a very difficult loss. "I would like to see that justice is served and that we have the right person who was behind the wheel," Rubio said. Traverso's pending drug case has been transferred to another court, where a judge will handle both the new charges and the previous drug charges. Traverso is set to appear in court again March 6. Additional charges against Traverso in connection with the fatal hit-and-run are pending. A memorial has been planned for Cohen. Click here for more information.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:48:50 GMT

Art, boats bring thousands to So. Fla.

Don't say there is nothing to do this weekend in South Florida. Four big events are drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the area, filling hotel rooms and pumping millions into the local economy. "I thought it would be easy to get a hotel room in Miami and I didn't book ahead. Lesson learned for next year. I forgot the boat show was going on too," said artist Jennifer Ivory. Ivory drove here from Oregon to showcase her work at the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. The event is expected to bring more than 100,000 people to the Grove. Art lovers can also enjoy the Art Wynwood show in Midtown Miami. Art lovers aren't the only ones with plenty to see this President's Day weekend. Boat lovers will be in their glory. There is the Yacht and Brokerage show along Indian Creek in Miami Beach, featuring hundreds of breath taking yachts. The Miami International Boat Show has also sailed into town and organizers expect more than 100,000 visitors will be checking out all of the latest boats and accessories. Exhibitor George Sawley says the show has a huge international appeal. "You get lots of people from Central and South America, Europe, coming here to see the latest and greatest," said Sawley.

Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:15:16 GMT

Fundraiser scheduled to help injured woman

A fundraiser is scheduled this Sunday to help pay for a South Florida woman's medical bills. In September 2011, Zena Friedman was hit by a taxi cab in Bali. She broke several ribs, ruptured her spleen and suffered a concussion. Five months after the crash, Zena is recovering from her most recent surgery at her sister Chere's home, along with the help of a caretaker. The fundraiser is taking place Sunday, February 19th at 1421 E. Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $50 and includes a three-course meal, gratuity and a show. There will also be a silent auction benefiting the Zena Recovery Fund. The event takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Email TLTerryL@aol.com or Cher4Hair@aol.com for more information.

Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:35:34 GMT

Will Manso heads to Rio's Carnaval

Friday 9 p.m. We are already crime victims in the crazy street crowds of Rio. Pushing and shoving crowds got us boxed into a corner. Lots of opportunists pounced when they saw the television equipment. They tried to get our cameraman's wallet and telephone. He made it through the other end of the crowd with his belongings. Another member of our crew, not so lucky. His iPhone was snatched right from his hand, never to be seen again. Not a good way to start our weekend, but crime is real in Rio, like so many other big cities. At least it wasn't the much more expensive TV camera we lost. We won't let it ruin our adventure. Friday 7 p.m. Not sure what to compare it to. Enormous crowds have overwhelmed Rio de Janeiro. The streets are packed. Traffic is not budging as tourists and locals who have had way too much to drink start their Carnaval celebrations. We are heading out into the crowds. Don't have to go too far to find great pictures and stories. More to come! Friday 5 p.m. Welcome to Rio. We have arrived. What a memorable journey so far, and it promises to get even better. Carnaval here we come. We will navigate through the gridlocked streets of Rio de Janeiro to our hotel in Ipanema, then hit the streets looking for tonight's story. I have a feeling plenty of stories will find us! If all goes according to plan, we will see you on Local 10 News at 11 p.m. Friday 2:05 p.m. Five hours into our flight and it's nap time. Need to conserve energy for tonight in Rio. Romero is taking a short snooze too. I have a feeling we won't get much sleep this weekend, so good idea to catch some Z's when we can. Heard some incredible stories from Romero on the flight so far. He's currently painting a picture of Queen Elizabeth and will be presenting it to her soon. Amazing stories, amazing trip. And have you ever wondered what the bathroom looks like in a $50 million jet. Well here's a picture. How will I ever go back to commercial flights again? Friday 12:55 p.m. It's about 12:30 p.m. local time back home in Miami and we're about 45,000 feet in the skies over Brazil. We're still a good four hours away from Rio De Janeiro. Our first stop tonight will be the street parties that accompany the start of Carnaval. I'll be filing a report as soon as I get in and send it back for Local 10 news at 11 o'clock. PHOTOS: Slideshow: Romero Britto PHOTOS: Destination Rio PHOTOS: Rio de Janeiro, Carnaval (Updated throughout the weekend) I'm told to expect literally thousands of people on the streets everywhere. Tomorrow morning we have a tour of some of the local spots in Rio and then a visit to a samba school. We also plan on hitting the beaches to see the real beauty of Brazil; the people! Romero Britto has a busy day and night planned, including a special party in his honor in the evening. He'll also tour a number of spots where his art work is being displayed. Meantime, I don't think I'll ever want to fly commercial again! Flying in a private G-550 plane sure is nice. Okay, I can stop dreaming. I'll be hitting the connecting commercial flights come the NBA playoffs, but no complaining from me. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience I'm making sure to enjoy. More to come from Rio... Feb. 17, 2012: 8:35 a.m. It's time to head to Rio De Janeiro. Needless to say, I'm beyond excited for this trip to Carnaval. It's cliche to say something is on your bucket list, but this truly has been on mine since a young age. Our Local 10 crew is set up on a private jet with Miami artist Romero Britto and ready for the 8-hour ride. Britto is sitting next to me right now, and I doubt he's ever been more anxious. While he's painted for presidents, actors, singers and even royalty, being honored in his native Brazil is a dream come true for him. So, here we are, both preparing for an experience of a lifetime. Like I mentioned in an earlier video post, I wish we could bring all of you along, but I'll make sure to send some great pictures and video to give you a taste of the experience. OK, it's time for liftoff. Next stop; Rio! We'll talk next from Carnaval. Feb. 14, 2012 South Florida's most famous artist is about to be honored in a very big way. Romero Britto, now known around the world for his art, will share it with an even bigger audience as his art comes to life at Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro. His art decorates our landscape. You can't escape the color.PHOTOS: Slideshow Romero Britto has left his mark on South Florida and the world -- paintings, sculptures, cars, even a line of collectables now sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Britto is wildly successful. His art is now sold in galleries in more than 100 countries. He has painted presidents, celebrities, even royalty. But with all of his successes so far in his life, his greatest achievement is about to be realized. This weekend, Britto will be celebrated in Brazil, at the country's biggest celebration: Carnaval. "I got an invitation from the school of samba. They said they wanted to make homage of my work," Britto said. "I was thrilled, and I couldn't believe it. Carnaval in Brazil is the biggest cultural event in the country." It will truly be full circle for Britto. He was born in poverty in Brazil, one of nine children raised by a single mother. The once-struggling artist who gained fame in Miami, now returns to Brazil as a pop art icon and will watch as 4,000 performers bring his art to life. It will be a spectacular production -- big, bold and bright. "There will be thousands of people dressed up. There will be huge floats," Britto said. "It's hard to describe in words. I'm very appreciative. I'm very thankful." Britto has worked for more than a year getting ready for this weekend's event. No detail has been overlooked. And Sunday night is show time! "To do this in Brazil is, like, wow -- incredible," Britto said. Here are some more incredible numbers to consider: In Brazil alone, 100 million people will watch the Carnaval parade on television. In addition, the parade will be broadcast in 137 countries. Britto will be there in person at Carnaval to take in the experience. Local 10's Will Manso will be in Rio to document the event. "This is truly one of my bucket list items," Manso says. You can keep up with his travels on Local10.com, where we will publish all the photos and videos he will be sharing from Carnaval.

Published: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:54:14 GMT

Is Mexican Coca-Cola better than regular Coke?

An American classic may be getting upstaged by its Mexican counterpart. More places are starting to offer Mexican Coca-Cola. It is made with pure cane sugar, while here in the U.S., it is produced with corn syrup. Sweetness Bake Shop in Miami has been selling Mexican Coke for about 10 months now, and exmployees say customers can't get enough of it. "I mean, it's a more natural flavor," said manager, Jonathan Braswell. "People love it because it gives them a more natural taste." Local 10 wondered if people could really tell the difference, so it set up a very unscientific experiment at the station. One cup was filled with regular Coke, and another cup was filled with Mexican Coke, and employees were asked which one they liked better and why. In the end, the American version won, but by only 1 vote. Mexican Coke is a little more expensive, which is why the company switched the corn syrup in the 1980s; sugar prices got too high. Click here to check out some bloopers from Local 10's taste test!

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:11:38 GMT

Mullet mania, part II: The mullets strike back

They're baaaaack... and crazier than ever! Mullet Mania makes a return with a whole new batch of some of the worst (or best) haircuts on the planet.

Published: Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:42:23 GMT

Latest South Florida Mugshots

Click to see the latest mugshots from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.

Published: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:06:03 GMT

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