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Another Serb Case Dropped

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By ELAINE SILVESTRINI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 3, 2007

TAMPA - Federal prosecutors have dismissed charges against another Serbian immigrant who was to go on trial on charges that he hid his involvement in the Serbian army when he filled out immigration paperwork.

Ostoja Saric is the fourth Serbian to walk away from similar criminal charges filed in Tampa. Two others were acquitted after trials, and a third saw charges against him dismissed after two trials ended in hung juries.

Two other Serbians are scheduled to go on trial in November.

Saric's attorney, Robert Pavich, said the case against him was not much different than the case against the other defendants. However, Pavich said the documentation relating to Saric's alleged army service was more unclear than in the other cases. 'He was a cook, if anything,' Pavich said.
Pavich said he hoped the government's dismissal of the charges against Saric meant the government was re-evaluating its position on these prosecutions and would drop the other cases.

Steve Cole, spokesman for the U .S. attorney's office, said the government intends to proceed against the remaining defendants. He would not comment on why the charges against Saric were dropped.

Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837 or esilvestrini@tampatrib

.com.

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