Couple Arrested for Stealing Luggage

If you are a frequent flier, your luggage has probably been misplaced, delayed, or lost at some point.  But maybe the airline wasn't responsible for your loss, especially if you've flown in or out of a  South Florida airport.

Photo Credit:  Broward County Sheriff's Office

Sean Maxwell, 44 and Lorina Flint, 42 have been married since 1999.  They worked together to steal luggage off baggage carousels at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FTL) and Miami International Airport on several different occasions.

In each incident, Maxwell, well dressed, was captured on video "blending in" with passengers in the luggage areas. He  loaded luggage on a push cart and exited the terminal.

Flyers with Maxwell's picture were given to employees at the airports and on Sunday morning it paid off.  An employee at FTL recognized Maxwell.  Alerted by the employee, the deputy recognized Maxwell from the flyers and noticed he acted nervous and was sweating.

Maxwell stole some luggage and was placing it in a  black Jeep Grand Cherokee when the sheriffs deputy approached him.

Flint was the driver of the Cherokee.  The deputy asked to see Flint's drivers license and registration.  She told him the Grand Cherokee was a rental.  The tag number on the rental contract and the tag on the vehicle did not match.  The deputy said the tag on the car was "very obviously altered with stickers".

When asked why she was at the airport, Flint became nervous and stuttered. She first said she was at the airport to pick up her husband, but she later changed her story and said she was there to pick up her husband's friend.

While the deputy was questioning her, he noticed a large red suitcase in the back of the vehicle and another smaller red suitcase in the back seat along with toiletry bags, shoes, flat irons, toothbrushes and other travel items in plain view.  When the Jeep was searched, found were six prescription bottles, labels scraped off, containing opiates and amphetamines.

The deputy did a teletype of Flint and learned she had a warrant our in Georgia, her NV drivers license was expired and her Florida license was suspended. Maxwell also had two warrants; one in S.D. and another in Dade County Florida.

Obviously, stealing luggage is fairly easy and very stupid. Did they think the victims wouldn't complain to airport authorities and that authorities wouldn't watch the security video. They targeted the same two airports, more than once which made it easy to set a trap for them.

Currently, they are both in jail. Maxwell has ten charges which include fraud and grand theft and his bond is $115,075 (that's an odd number). Flint has eight charges and her bond is $25,000.

According to authorities, Flint said they couldn't afford a lawyer or to bond themselves out of jail. They should stay in jail until their court date. Otherwise, these two would probably go back to stealing luggage from the same two airports.

Sitting in jail is just what they deserve; who cares if they couldn't afford bail...sadly, their eight children. Yes, there are eight children whose parents will probably be in jail for some time. Hopefully, there is family to take care of them.

Peace

Source: Police report at http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/fax000295472.pdf

Related video:

The Best Dads Deserve the Best Cards! Buy 2 Father's Day Cards Get 1 FREE at Cardstore.com! Save 

$10 and get FREE Shipping on any order over $100 from AnnasLinens.com! Use Promo Code: ANNAS10$

Judge Orders "Date" in Domestic Violence Case

Joseph Bray of Plantation, Florida came home and didn't wish his wife happy birthday.  They got into an argument and Bray pushed his wife onto the couch, put his hand on her neck and "he held up his fist to hit her, but never struck her".

Bray appeared in court this week to face the domestic violence charge.



This is Judge John "Jay" Hurley's order:

"He’s going to stop by somewhere and he’s going to get some flowers,” Judge John “Jay” Hurley said during the first appearance hearing. “And then he’s going to go home, pick up his wife, get dressed, take her to Red Lobster. And then after they have Red Lobster, they’re going to go bowling.”

 The Judge continues:

“It was a minor incident, in the court’s opinion,” he said. “The court would not normally do that if the court felt there was some violence but this is very, very minor and the court felt that that was a better resolution than other alternatives.”  Hurley asked her is she was hurt or in any fear of her husband. After she said she wasn't, and Hurley confirmed that Bray had no prior arrests, the judge continued his questioning with a lighter tone." 

“Do you have something you like to go to?” he asked. “Is there a restaurant you like to go to?” The woman answered that she enjoyed bowling and eating at Red Lobster. And so the judge made his decision accordingly. “Flowers, birthday card, Red Lobster, bowling,” Hurley said. He also ordered that the couple begin seeing a marriage counselor within a week."

Judge Hurley and the media seem to find this story amusing, but there is nothing funny about domestic violence.

If she is truly a battered woman, does the Judge really expect her to say in open court that she is...and that she is afraid of her husband?  It's well known that domestic violence victims deny the abuse because they are afraid of the abuser.

The fact that he started to hit her makes it apparent Bray has anger issues.  Just because he has no previous record doesn't necessarily mean he isn't an abuser. He stopped just short of hitting her this time, but neither of them may be as lucky next time.

Bray definitely needs counseling, but Judge Hurley's order for couple counseling makes it clear he believes Bray's wife is equally responsible for the violence committed against her.

It is no surprise many victims of domestic violence don't speak out about the abuse, especially in light of a ruling like this one.  Unfortunately, the victims always seem to get blamed while the courts protect the abusers.

Judge Hurley and the media are attempting to trivialize this case by using a "lighter tone".  Hurley's ruling is an insult and a slap in the face to victims of domestic violence everywhere.

Peace

Source:  http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/state/broward-judge-orders-man-in-domestic-case-to-go-on-date-with-wife----dinner-bowling-counseling