Being accused of a crime in Florida does not necessarily mean that one will be convicted. Every person is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty by a judge or jury. In a recent white collar crime case, Titus Dixon, a former professional football player and Osceola County deputy, was cleared of the charges against him in court.
The former star athlete became a Florida deputy after his career in football ended. He said that he believes in the criminal justice system in this nation and was disheartened to have been unjustly accused of crime. Allegations against him involved identity theft and supposedly falsely filed tax returns amounting to more than $500,000.
The 49-year-old, who once played as a wide receiver for the New York Jets, had been indicted in 2014 after working as a deputy for nine years. If convicted, he stood to incur a prison sentence of at least 25 years. It was claimed that others living in the former deputy’s home accessed his computer files and stole information that was then used to commit fraudulent acts.
On a recent Saturday, a federal jury returned a not guilty verdict, thus clearing the man of the charges against him. In similar white collar crime cases in Florida, it is likely that an experienced criminal lawyer’s guidance would play a crucial role in crafting a strong defense on behalf of the accused. In fact, it is advisable that a person charged with a crime retain an experienced legal representative as soon as possible after an arrest has taken place in order to seek help in determining all options available and how best to proceed in court.
Source: photographyisnotacrime.com, “Former NFL Wide Receiver and Florida Deputy Acquitted in Identity Theft and Tax Fraud Case“, Alexander J. Gratereaux, Dec. 11, 2015