Tag Archives: philadelphia

Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony Testified He Was Unaware Of Suspended License Until 2000 Traffic Stop, Court Documents And Investigation Tell Different Story

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Gregory Tony

In testimony before Administrative Law Judge Robert Kilbride last week, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony repeatedly referred to a March 2000 traffic stop in Liberty County. While on the way to Panama City to Tallahassee, Tony stated he was stopped by a member of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). Tony implied the FHP trooper had done him a favor by going easy on him for driving with a suspended license.

According to his testimony, Tony was unaware his Pennsylvania drivers license was suspended until the March 2000 traffic stop. Tony claimed he was too young to know about the particulars of the 1993 suspension. Tony urged anyone who may know the trooper to tell him he had done a great thing.

Just one problem.

None of the court documents from the 2000 traffic stop make any mention of Tony’s suspended license.

EXPIRED

On Sunday March 19, 2000 Gregory Tony, then 21 years old, was stopped by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper in Liberty County. Even though he lived in an apartment on Appleyard Drive in Tallahassee, Tony produced a Pennsylvania driver’s license.

According to a copy of the criminal violation obtained by REDBROWARD, Tony’s license had expired two years earlier.

There is no mention of any suspension of the driver’s license.

Tony was given a copy of the criminal violation and an April 4, 2002 appearance date.

Documents show Tony appeared at the Liberty Courthouse at the April 2000 hearing. A handwritten note reads “[Tony] present. Case continued for 30 days. Def. instructed to show proof of valid license in Judge’s office or be in court 05-02-00.”

A second handwritten note shows Tony appeared at the May 2000 court date. Instead of producing a valid driver’s license, Tony “plea nolo contendre [no contest], adj. [adjudication] withheld, to pay $123 court cost by 06-06-00.”

A receipt shows Tony paid $123 in court costs.

Why did Tony plead no contest instead of producing a valid driver’s license?

He did not have one.

SUSPENDED

According to an Office of Executive Investigations (OEI) document, Tony’s Pennsylvania license was suspended on August 8, 1993 for “Failure to Appear for Trial or Court Appearance.” In June 1994, Tony received a “Driver Conviction” for “Operator Must Be Licensed.” On March 4, 1997 Tony received a “Driver Conviction” for a red light violation.

The investigation shows Tony’s license was suspended for “five separate cases” on January 23, 1998. Tony’s Pennsylvania driver’s license expired on November 30, 1998.

The OEI investigation found Tony did not possess a valid driver’s license when stopped by the FHP trooper in Liberty County.

According to the report, when he was stopped, “Tony did possess a Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) issued identification card, but not a Florida Driver’s License.”

Coincidentally, the address Tony provided on the Liberty County criminal violation, was an apartment he shared with Sonia Colon.

Colon testified last week as a witness for Sheriff Tony. Under cross examination, Colon admitted to a longtime “romantic relationship” with Tony. Colon admitted to living with Tony at two different Tallahassee apartments.

Colon currently serves as a bureau chief for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Why is Tony acting as if he was unaware of his suspended license status?

State law prohibits issuance of driver’s license to someone with a suspended license in another state.

Did Tony try to obtain a Florida Driver’s License when he arrived in Tallahassee?

Why settle for a State Identification Card instead of Driver’s License?

Why is Tony so thankful to the FHP trooper? Drivers are routinely given time to produce a license, vehicle registration or proof of insurance to avoid paying a fine.

In the 2000 case, Tony was given nearly two months to produce a valid driver’s license.

Tony could not produce one because he did not obtain one.

Who owned the vehicle Tony was driving in March 2000?

Did Gregory Tony have the required automobile insurance?

Why is Sheriff Gregory Tony’s backstory so convoluted?

Broward residents deserve straightforward, honest answers, right?

Victim Placed Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony At Scene Of Stabbing Over Drug Debt Hours Before Deadly Shooting In Philadelphia

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Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony

In May 1993, a victim told Philadelphia Homicide Detectives that Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony accompanied the drug dealer who stabbed him over a twenty dollar debt, newly unearthed police records show. As first reported by the Florida Bulldog, the Florida Commission on Ethics released eighty-nine pages of police records surrounding the murder of Hector “Chino” Rodriguez. Philadelphia Police charged Tony with the murder of Rodriguez.

Two years ago, Gregory Tony claimed he killed Rodriguez in self defense. “When I was 14 years old, growing up in a dangerous neighborhood in North Philadelphia known as the Badlands, filled with gun violence, drugs and gang activity, I had to shoot an armed man in self-defense,” Tony stated in a social media post.

“The juvenile justice system reviewed my actions and concluded there was no crime and cleared my name,” Tony said.

However, multiple witnesses claimed the teenaged Tony shot an unarmed Rodriguez in front of the Tony home in Philadelphia. The witnesses said Tony confronted Rodriguez with a gun following a verbal argument. Tony shot Rodriguez multiple times including two shots in the back of the head.

In one interview, a witness placed Gregory Tony and Chino Rodriguez at the scene of a drug-related stabbing just hours before Tony killed Rodriguez.

YES, THEY WERE BOTH THERE

On Monday, May 3, 1993 at 3:55PM, Philadelphia Police responded to a shooting at 2828 N. Hutchinson Street. A family member had already taken a mortally wounded Hector “Chino” Rodriguez to Episcopal Hospital. Witnesses on the scene told police that fourteen-year old Gregory Scott Tony shot Rodriguez.

Among the eighty-nine pages of investigative records released last week by the Florida Commission on Ethics is a three-page interview with Tito Castillo. The interview was conducted by a Philadelphia Police Homicide Detective less than 3 hours after Tony shot Rodriguez. Castillo had spent time inside Episcopal Hospital that day.

Castillo said he learned of the shooting when he saw Rodriguez’s mother inside Episcopal Church.

Castillo told police he went to the hospital for treatment on a stab wound in his right shoulder. Castillo said he was stabbed by Jackie Davis who lived in an abandoned house at 2817 Hutchinson Street. When asked why Davis stabbed him, Castillo said, “Because he said that I have 20 dollars of his. I don’t have twenty dollars of his.”

Castillo told the detective he had known Rodriguez for six years. He stated he had known Gregory Tony for five years.

The detective asked Castillo if Jackie Davis was friends with Gregory Tony. “Yes he is,” Castillo said.

Police asked Castillo, “When Jackie stabbed you, did Gregory or Hector see this?”

“Yes, they were both there,” Castillo said.

The detective asked “Was the $20.00 debt over drugs?”

Castillo responded, “Yes, Jackie sells drugs.”

In the other police interviews, witnesses were asked if drugs played any role in the death of Hector “Chino” Rodriguez. Since many of the witnesses were members of the Rodriguez family, it is not surprising they denied any knowledge of drugs.

Clearly, detectives quickly surmised drugs and drug-dealing played some role in the violence that day.

The newly-revealed statement by Castillo places Gregory Tony at the scene of second violent crime on May 3, 1993.

Did Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony have any involvement in drug trafficking in the Philadelphia “Badlands” in the early 1990s?

Did Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony accompany Jackie Davis to collect a drug debt from Tito Castillo?

Did Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony witness Jackie Davis stab Tito Castillo over a $20 drug debt?

Was Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony a close friend or associate of Jackie Davis?

Broward residents deserve real answers about this matter.

Statement of Tito Castillo