Last week, state Attorney General Ashley Moody put would-be looters and other criminals looking to take advantage of vulnerable Floridians in the wake of Hurricane Idalia on notice.
Moody sent a letter to state attorneys in the circuits affected by Idalia, outlining state law requiring that no defendant charged with a theft crime committed in an area under a declared state of emergency be released prior to a first appearance hearing.
Moody said, “Looters must be locked up in pretrial detention for as long as possible to ensure they do not continue to wreak havoc on displaced Floridians or pull vital resources from ongoing recovery efforts. I have been in contact with the state attorneys in the hardest hit areas and have asked them to seek pretrial detention to the fullest extent possible for looters looking to take advantage of Floridians during their greatest time of need.”
Moody asked that those state attorneys seek pretrial detention to the fullest extent possible for defendants who commit crimes during the current state of emergency. Florida Statute §907.041(4)(b) directs that no non-monetary releases shall be granted for dangerous crimes at the first appearance hearing under certain circumstances.
Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline remains activated. Consumers can report instances of severe price increases on essential commodities needed to help recover from the storm. The Florida Attorney General’s Rapid Response Team is quickly responding to consumer contacts alleging price gouging.
