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Attorney For Latin Kings Questions Arrest

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By THOMAS W.  KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 13, 2008

TAMPA - A key witness against members of the Latin Kings street gang was charged with a misdemeanor in Osceola County last year after sheriff's deputies pulled him over in a car renovated to look like an unmarked police car – complete with flashing lights.

A video of the Sept. 3 arrest was played in court for a judge today. It was the latest attempt by the defense to discredit Luis "Danny" Agosto, a confidential informant who was paid $2,400 a month to provide information about the Latin Kings.

On Aug. 20, 2006, Agosto, a Latin Kings member, called a meeting of the gang. Officers from six law enforcement agencies raided the meeting and charged 39 gang members with racketeering.

In October, defense attorney Lyann Goudie filed a 114-page court document asking the judge to drop charges against the defendants. She questioned the credibility of Agosto. Since November, Circuit Judge Daniel Sleet has held several days of hearings where Agosto has testified about his criminal history.

Today, Goudie questioned Agosto about a September traffic stop by an Osceola County deputy.

Agosto was driving a car that resembled an unmarked police cruiser with flashing lights.
On the deputy's video of the stop, he asks Agosto where he got the car. Agosto says he bought it at auction. The deputy questions how anyone who is not in law enforcement could buy a car equipped with emergency lights. He also questions why the car's lights were rigged with home stereo wire and mounted on cardboard. That is not the way police vehicles are rigged, the deputy says on the video.

In court, Goudie asked Agosto to confirm that he once told someone he wanted to buy an old police cruiser because a car like that could help him commit crimes. Agosto denied ever saying that.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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