Woman whose Facebook profile was “stolen” by the DEA for use in a drug sting gets $134,000.00 settlement from US government Meet Sondra Arquiett, an upstate NY woman who was arrested by the DEA in… Scroll down to read more!

Meet Sondra Arquiett, an upstate NY woman who was arrested by the DEA in 2010 for her role in a drug case.  

At the time of her 2010 arrest Sondra’s cell phone was impounded by the feds and, on their own initiative, the DEA sifted through it and used photos and data derived thereto from to create a new, and bogus, Facebook account with the intent of tricking Sondra’s friends and “associates” into revealing “incriminating drug secrets”.  Because the DEA’s faux page (pictured below) contained photos of Sondra, including some with her young son and niece, in 2013 Sondra filed a lawsuit against the DEA agent who created the page claiming that her privacy rights had been violated.  In her lawsuit Sondra claimed that she suffered fear and emotional distress and was put in danger because the fake Facebook page gave the general impression that she was cooperating with a federal investigation. She accused the DEA agent who set up the page of maintaining the account for at least three (3) months and of using it to “initiate contact with dangerous individuals [that] he was investigating,” all while outwardly and publicly pretending to be her.
Under the 4th Amendment and federal (US) law, absent exceptional circumstances the government is not permitted to search your cellphone (or other property) without either a warrant or your consent. In this case, naturally the DEA was very clear – adamant in fact – that it was admitting no wrongdoing whatsoever by way of its mediated settlement with Sondra.  Although it agreed to pay out the $134k the DEA insists that Sondra had “implicitly consented by granting access to to the information stored in her cell phone and by consenting to the use of that information to aid in … on going criminal investigations”.  Sondra doesn’t necessarily agree with this statement, but she did agree to the settlement, and therefore the DEA’s position is that it reached “a fair outcome” after mediating the issue has effectively been stipulated to by Sondra.  

– OR –
That is the question.  And, as this matter was resolved by way of mediation it remains unanswered by the Courts.  What the DEA did to Sondra pales in comparison to many of the tactics that it – the government (be it state or federal) – exercises in its everyday operations.  Things such as paid informants (i.e. folks who earn a veritable commission for brokering drug transactions), coercion (i.e. take the rap or we take your family and shelter your kids in foster care… this happens with great regularity in “grow house” cases in South Florida) and threats (i.e. tell me X or I’ll do Y) are rampant.  Worse yet they are almost impossible to prove as it always boils down to the cops word against that of the accused.  

For more than 23 years Michael A. Haber, P.A. has been providing creative, effective and zealous advocacy and counsel in cases ranging from DUI to drug trafficking and from misdemeanors to first degree murder.  


At Michael A. Haber, P.A. “Its all about reasonable doubt”!




THIS BLOG POST (AS ARE ALL OF HABERPA BLOG POSTS) IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT WHICH IS PRIMARILY DESIGNED, BY WAY OF REAL WORLD EXAMPLE, TO ASSIST THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN AVOIDING CONDUCT WHICH COULD FORESEEABLY RESULT IN ARREST AND PROSECUTION!  


#Webisode #YouTube #VideoFAQ #AVVO #HaberPA #Arrest #Arrested #CriminalLawyer #CriminalLaw #CriminalDefense #CriminalDefenseLawyer #MiamiCriminalDefenseLawyer #CriminalDefenseAttorney #MiamiCriminalDefenseAttorney #CriminalAttorney #DUI #DWI #DrivingUnderTheInfluence #BUI #BoatingUnderTheInfluence #DomesticViolence #DV #DVRO #DomesticViolenceRestrainingOrder #Seal #Expunge #Sealing #Expungement #CriminalRecord #CriminalHistory #PSA #PublicServiceAnnouncement #SocialMedia #Facebook #DrugSting #Sting #StingOp #StingOperation #CivilRights #DEA #DEAFAIL! #FAIL! #CivilRightsLawsuit #InvasionOfPrivacy
Posted in

Michael A. Haber

At Michael A. Haber, P.A. "it's all about reasonable doubt"! Whether in State or Federal Courts, Michael A. Haber, P.A. strives to ensure that his client's rights are respected and that his clients receive top-tier legal representation and counsel. For more than a quarter of a century I have striven to make Michael A. Haber, P.A. a business that custom tailors its services to meet the needs of the client. This incorporates such things as (but is not limited to) doing my best to meet clients at their convenience (as opposed to mine), in locations and at times which are mutually convenient (sometimes at their homes, places of business, independent ground - having free wifi and excellent coffee any Dunkin Donuts always works for me - and occasionally even at odd hours), structuring fees to reasonably accommodate the parties, making myself personally available to the client as close to 24/7 as is possible and, perhaps most importantly, giving careful and comprehensive consideration to both micro and macro issues in a given case so as to be able to agree upon and effort toward a viable litigation objective. This is why I refer to Michael A. Haber, P.A. proudly providing "boutique criminal defense litigation" (being "a small company that offers highly specialized services"), and this is a large part of Michael A. Haber, P.A.'s mission statement Accordingly, Michael A. Haber, P.A. has provided personalized and boutique legal services to both individuals and entities, primarily in the South Florida area, since 1991. With no history of professional discipline whatsoever, Michael A. Haber, Esq. zealously advocates his client's interests and custom tailors his services to meet each client's particular situation, needs and desires. Toward that end Michael A. Haber, Esq. makes himself directly available to his clients whether in person, over the phone (305-381-8686 or Toll Free 1-888-SHARK-8-1), by cell, verbally or text (305-798-2220), by e-mail ([email protected]) on Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/haberpa ), on Twittter, (@Sharkjy910) on AOL/IM (Sharky910), and also why I consistently add information to the public on both the Michael A. Haber, P.A. Criminal Michael A Haber PA Criminal DUI Defense Litigation Miami Blog (http://www.habercriminallaw.blogspot.com/) and with my "Webisode" series on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/c/MichaelHaberLaw), whcih currently features 222 briegf VideoFAQ's on a variety of Criminal Defense, DUI and BUI related topics. When you hire Michael A. Haber, P.A. you get Michael A. Haber, Esq.! And remember, at HaberPA, it's all about reasonable doubt!

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

12555 Biscayne Boulevard, # 893
North Miami, Florida 33181
Phone: 1-888-742-7581|
Secondary phone: 305-381-8686
Email: sharky910@aol.com

Monday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

  • positive review  Top notch, very skilled, and highly attentive. Mr. Haber is a fantastic criminal defense attorney.

    DrNetta Shaked Avatar DrNetta Shaked
    July 26, 2017
  • positive review  Thanks again. You are second to none when it comes to defending your clients. For that, I thank you

    Leo Gonzalez Avatar Leo Gonzalez
    April 10, 2017
  • Excellence in criminal defense. Very informative And upfront of wiyh your crimanal defense

    Chiko Sarri Avatar Chiko Sarri
    April 11, 2016

Categories

Archives