WEST MIAMI
Ex-West Miami mayor guilty of misusing phone
BY JOSE CASSOLA
jcassola@MiamiHerald.com
A Miami-Dade jury has found former West Miami Mayor Cesar Carasa guilty of exploiting his official position.
The ex-mayor, suspended from office in December, was convicted Tuesday on charges of misusing his city-issued cellphone.
Authorities said he made $70,700 worth of unauthorized international phone calls to the Dominican Republic and China between 2006 and 2009.
Prosecutors say the calls had nothing to do with city business.
Carasa could face a $500 fine or up to 30 days in jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 2.
He said he thought his cellphone had unlimited calling.
The jury acquitted him on one exploitation charge of making the unauthorized calls since the city's cellphone carrier, Sprint, credited nearly $65,000 back to the account.
But jurors found him guilty of exploiting his official position when he directed West Miami officials to have Sprint waive or reduce the remaining $5,400 bill. He eventually paid that bill last summer.
``On the one count, my client was acquitted because there was nothing improper of him making those phone calls,'' Carasa's attorney, Bruce H. Lehr, said.
``He thought he had unlimited free use of his cellphone. On the other count, I would disagree with the decision because he paid the $5,400 bill in full.''
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle said in a statement: ``It is bad enough for a public official to use his city tools, in this case, his cellphone, for personal use. But trying to have the city eliminate a personal debt only compounded this misuse of office.''
Carasa campaigned to be reelected as West Miami Mayor this past spring, despite the pending charges. He lost to current Mayor Eduardo Muhiña in April.
Carasa could not be reached for comment.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/22/1741401/ex-mayor-guilty-of-misusing-phone.html#ixzz0uROOO0iP
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