Melissas car was found later in a parking lot not too far from the bodys location. Lewis was ambushed at her Plantation home, strangled and then her body was dumped in a canal. A witness stated that she saw a car similar to Tonys in the parking lot where Melissas car was eventually found. La Spata was born in South Plainfield, New Jersey in 1981. The two spent a lot of time together, with Melissa cooking for her children and going out on family vacations with them. "Where wasthe concern for your children when you were involved in this criminal activity?" ", "She feels extremely horrible that she believed in that," said Butts, referring to the fact thatTonyis accused of killing Lewis in March 2008. Debra Villegas - Scientology Service Completions Note: Preliminary analysis suggests that about 60% of people who try Scientology do only a single course or service, that 80% of new members become inactive within 2 years, and that 65% of those who reach the level of Clear become inactive within a year after doing so. In a press release, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge of . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This is not the last to fall.. Jump to Sections of this page "We talked about it, neither one of us wanted a gun, she was living alone so she felt she needed something to, you know I was going through a difficult divorce and living on my own as well, so I decided on a Taser and she decided on pepper spray," Villegas testified. Villegas, wearing a pink blouse and black skirt, sat quietly during the brunt of the hearing, not weeping but occasionally dabbing her eyes with a tissue as her psychologist, Butts,told of what she called a traumatic and painful childhood. Most recently, a government contractor, Mario Villegas was sentenced to a term of. Phone Ad. And Butts said that even prior to the murder of her best friend, Melissa Britt Lewis, a crime police allege Villegas' husband, Tony Villegas, committed, Debra Villegas suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder that was only intensified by the murder and her belief that if she didn't falsify documents and forge signatures for Rothstein, he would be killed by the Mafia. Debra Villegas, who has been released following a federal prison term for her role in one of the largest Ponzi schemes, is expected to testify as is the couple's son. For her role in Rothstein's Ponzi scheme, Debra Villegas was sentenced to 10-years in prison. Debra Villegas testified that her ex-husband was violent man and threatened Villegas. State of Texas records show Debra A Villegas held one job from 2017 to 2021. asked Zloch. Lewis was a law partner of notorious convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein. Jurors also saw evidence, pictures of Lewis' vehicle with her jacket in the back, and her last conversation with a co-worker. Debra calls San Diego, CA, home. Rick Telander/Sun-Times. Currently, Debra is single. Find Debra Villegas's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. debville1@sbcglobal.net . Their older sister, Aimee Villegas, who alsoworked at the Rothstein firm, was never mentioned during the hearing but sat beside them. / CBS Miami. / CBS Miami. Villegas pleaded guilty in the Scott Rothstein Ponzi scheme and was sentenced to 10 years in prison . Current address. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Tony Villegas, now 52, was arrested in 2008 and charged with the death of Melissa Britt Lewis. debra villegas released. [Left: Dateline compares the murder of Melissa Lewis to a John Grisham novel]. Updated: July 10, 2022 . But Zloch was unimpressed. Join Facebook to connect with Debra Villegas and others you may know. A man who had rented Tony a room stated that he saw him wash his hands and arms to remove pepper spray residue. Debra Villegas, who has been released following a federal prison term for her role in one of the largest Ponzi schemes, is expected to testify as is the couple's son. Lewis was found dead in a canal near Plantation after her SUV was found nearby. In brief remarks to the judge, Villegas expressed remorse and asked for mercy on behalf of her two children. She had been strangled to death. My mind was not where it should have been, Villegas replied. Villegas will have to surrender to authorities next June 24 so that she can continue to cooperate with federal investigators on the case. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. "There's now and forever a gaping hole and a lot of what if she were here in our hearts and our minds," said Leiws' auntLynn Haberl. April 28, 2010 Villegas pleaded guilty in the Scott Rothstein Ponzi scheme and was sentenced to 10 years in prison . That's when Zloch announced his sentence: 120 months, the maximum allowed under law. A motive for her slaying was hard to come by initially. Freda Hancock: Competed in Track, Coach. Debra Villegas will be released from prison and should be home for Christmas, said her lawyer. Melissa returned from work sometime in the evening on March 5, 2008, but she didnt show up the next day. Hall of Winners | Performance.gov All comments and opinions are submitted by Internet users . Villegas won early release for cooperating in . Her success and busy work did not keep her from her family, especially her nieces, whom she was very close to. She said during their nasty divorce her husband told her something that may have foreshadowed violence. Lewis was the best friend of Villegas now ex-wife Debra, who was the COO of the now defunct law firm. The authorities earlier confirmed that pepper spray had been used in the garage. "I thought it was a one-time thing. Tracking records showed Lewis' cell phone went back and forth between Broward and Miami-Dade along the FEC train line after her death. BackgroundDepression commonly occurs in heart failure patients, and negatively influences quality of life and disease prognosis. Butts reiterated the story told at the previous plea hearing that Rothstein had told Villegas she needed to assist him in a Mafia-run money-laundering operation and that Villegas believed that if she didn't help him, he would be killed. Tonys DNA was found on the jacket Melissa had been wearing on the night of her murder. Debra lived in Honolulu, Hawaii 96826, USA. View Background Report Sponsored. Her 10-year prison term was reduced because she cooperated. . Debra Villegas is 54 yrs old and lives on Rose Arbor Ln in Houston, TX. Woman Who Fell Ill At Jail Dies In Hospital, Boyfr Jury wants death for Phillup Partin, girl's killer. A Broward jury found Tony Villegas guilty of 1st degree murder Monday afternoon. When it came time for her tohave her own say, Villegas gave a very short apology. This morning, Debra Villegas, the law firm employee who allegedly helped disgraced lawyer Scott Rothstein run his $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme, pled not guilty to a charge of money laundering in federal court in Fort Lauderdale -- a move that observers say was just a formality. Debbie Villegas is on Facebook. The Dateline episode Betrayed investigates the 2008 death of Melissa Lewis, 39, a rising star attorney at South Floridas prestigious law firm Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler. "I hope the court will show mercy on us today.". This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Tony Villegas' DNA was found on Lewis suit jacket in her abandoned SUV, according to court records which also stated that a button that had been torn from it was found on her garage floor. Join Facebook to connect with Debbie Villegas and others you may know. A Broward jury found Tony Villegas guilty of 1st degree. Rothstein instead told her that he believed Tony was a "coward. Debra Villegas received the maximum sentence of ten years in prison this morning for her role in the massive Scott Rothstein Ponzi scheme. Debra Villegas received the maximum sentence of ten years in prison this morning for her role in the massive Scott Rothstein Ponzi scheme. She also spoke after the verdict. Debra Rachel Villegas Educator at San Diego Unified School District San Diego, California, United States 36 followers 37 connections Join to view profile San Diego Unified School District San. Find Debra Villegas. This morning, Debra Villegas, the law firm employee who allegedly helped disgraced lawyer Scott Rothstein run his $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme, pled not guilty to a charge of money laundering in federal court in Fort Lauderdale -- a move that observers say was just a formality. Related to: Rachel Villeags, Luis Carlos Villegas, Diane Pamela Villegas, , +2 more. One by one, the dominoes in this billion-dollar Ponzi scheme are falling, said U.S. Attorney Willy Ferrer. Tony Villegas, now 52, was arrested in 2008 and charged with the death of Melissa Britt Lewis. Investigators said a struggle took place inside her garage, using DNA and pings from her cell phone to allegedly connect Villegas to the crime. 1998 Dr. Kay Aguilar: Competed in Tennis, Coach. Terry P Villegas . Villegas's next court appearance is scheduled for May 13. Attorneys Lawrence D. LaVecchio, Paul F. Schwartz and Jeffrey N. Kaplan and Forfeiture Assistant U.S. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. At the firm, one of Melissa's closest friends was Debra Villegas, who was the COO. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. The former chief operating officer at the law firm run by convicted Ponzi scheme operator Scott Rothstein was sentenced Friday to the maximum 10 years in federal prison for her role in the $1.2 billion fraud. More arrests are expected in the case, one of the largest fraud schemes ever in South Florida. Debra S Papania Villegas was born c. 1951. 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Her cousin left after a quick visit but . She won early release for cooperating with the state. Last week, Debra Villegas testified that her ex-husband was a violent man and had threatened them. Please enable javascript and reload the page to submit comment. The third result is Debra Ann Villegas age 60s in Lakeport, CA. She was 30 years of age when she was fatally shot . Prosecutors claimed Villegas motive was revenge as he blamed Lewis for his failing marriage. Villegas was declared incompetent to stand trial in 2010 and avoided a trial until he was cleared by the state. One of the most recent records in 2021 lists a job of Ombudsman 2 and a pay of $24.27/HR. What's on TV & Streaming Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Browse TV Shows by Genre TV News India TV Spotlight. Despite conspiracy theories early on, investigators say Lewis was never a part of Rothstein's $1.6 billion Ponzi scheme and her death had nothing to do with him. Melissas best friend Debra Villegas, Rothsteins chief operating officer, was convicted of helping by cooking the books. (AP) A West Texas man convicted. Butts testified that Villegas moved out of her home at age 15 and lived in a truck while completing high school and working in a bar. When it was the government's turn,Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Schwartz noted that at some point during the course of the Ponzi scheme and prior to its collapse, Villegassaid toanother RRA employee, "We're all going to jail.". Despite a psychologist's testimony that Debra Villegas suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome brought on by a lifetime of abuse by her mother and ex . Her lawyer confirmed that she has been cooperating with authorities since the beginning of the investigation into Rothstein's crimes. Debra Villegas was sentenced to 10-years in after pleading guilty to her role in Rothstein's scheme. Employer/Source. Then, a legal issue that her firm was embroiled in only added to the chaos. You will have enough time to read all pages pages in your spare time. [Related:Dateline Lawyer Scott Rothsteins Ex-Wife Hid $1 Million Jewelry], Andrew Dice Clay Says Lance Bass Playing Possum on My Kitchen Rules, 2012-2023, 2paragraphs Productions, LLC, Dateline Lawyer Scott Rothsteins Ex-Wife Hid $1 Million Jewelry. Debra Coffey, who went by the name Debra Villegas during her 15-year marriage to Tony Villegas, described victim Melissa Britt Lewis as her dearest friend and said they grew even closer. The hearing hit its dramatic zenith during testimony from Villegas' psychologist regarding her youth, which she said was marred by an alcoholic mother, living on her own in a truck at the age of 15, and rape. Controversial Jail Video Spurs Meeting, Independen Budget crunch can't stifle influx of prison inmates, Ex-lawman's new calling: helping prisoners repent, Fla. to have its first black female chief justice. "No," said Butts, who later said that if Villegas was taken from her children, "they wouldn't survive" and that they are "scared to death" of their father, who has been jailed since he was charged in the murder and had a competency hearing today. Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Daniel W. Auer, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID), announced that Debra Villegas, 43, formerly the Chief Operating officer of the Ft. Lauderdale law firm of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt & Adler, was sentenced today in Ft. Lauderdale by U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch to 120 months incarceration. Get current address, phone, email and more for Debra Villegas or anyone else 100% free. The murder trial of a Fort Lauderdale man charged with killing a former law partner of notorious Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein will begin. Rothstein was sentenced to 50 years in prison. His fleet of exotic cars included: 1974, 2006, 2007, and 2008 Ferraris, 2009 Bentley, 2007 Silver Rolls-Royce, and one 2008 and two 2010 Lamborghini Murcielagos worth about $400,000 each, a pair of $1.6 million Bugattis, and a pair of Harleys which he maintains in an air-conditioned warehouse. Her maiden name is Papania and she married into the Villegas family. Villegas' attorney, Bruce Fleisher, said pieces of the prosecutor's puzzle are missing and will cast doubt in the eyes of the jury. Debra Villegas, RRA's chief operating officer, was released from prison Dec. 18, 2014 after serving 3 1/2 years. He said Tony Villegas' DNA was found on Lewis suit jacket in her abandoned SUV. Debra Coffey, the ex-wife of Tony Villegas, who is charged with murdering her best friend Melissa Britt Lewis, took the stand to testify against him Tuesday. what time does fnaf 1 take place. March 3, 2017 Best of NBC News Play All NBC News. By Charlotte Dean For Mailonline. She won early release for cooperating with the state. Then the murder came, and my head wasn't where it should have been," said Villegas. He maintains that he was framed. Debras son, Caleb, later testified that his father didnt like that. Captured - Texas Department of Public Safety Tony Villegas Found Guilty in Murder of Former Scott . source of local news and culture. "She didn't even know what a Ponzi scheme was," Butts said on the stand. Your articles help me a lot in all mediums of subjects.wrongful death cases, Lawyer for Naeem Davis, 30, says his client was provoked by the victim, Ki-Suck Han. A button that had been torn of it was found on her garage floor. Prosecutors say Villegas helped Rothstein prepare fake court settlements used to lure investors. The two spent a lot of time together, with Melissa cooking for her children and going out on family vacations with them. The defense is expected to plant the suggestion that Rothstein was behind Lewis' murder because, as an attorney said in an earlier civil proceedings, "she knew too much.". Filter by State in Public Records for Debra Villegas Found We found 15 entries for Debra Villegas in the United States. This is not the last to fall., It is unfortunate that Debra Villegas did not report Rothstein's schemes to law enforcement. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Facebook gives people the power. Debra Villegas in Washington. Woman 'beaten'at same police station as man dumped Polk deputies charged with delivering drugs to inmate, Woman Describes Night Girl Was Killed in Romeo House, Jury Recommends Death In Pasco Girl's Murder, Bond hearing set in slaying of Lauderdale lawyer, Inmate tries to hang himself in Riviera Beach cell. Her 10-year prison term was reduced because she cooperated. ", Zloch interrupted Butts to ask: "You're not saying loyalty excuses criminal activity, are you?". and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. The name Debra Villegas has over 15 birth records, 1 death records, 6 criminal/court records, 56 address records, 11 phone records & more. Melissa was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in November 1968. In the same month, Tony was sentenced to life in prison. Quince to be Florida's first African-American fema Judge prods attorneys to speed things up for Fort Another murder suspect gets tentative trial date. With time off for good behavior, most. . Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Debra Villegas Found We found 15 entries for Debra Villegas in the United States. The whole family was extremely proud of her. [Left: Dateline compares the murder of Melissa Lewis to a John Grisham novel] But it was Debra's estranged husband,. Age: 47 years old. Early life, education, and career. TV Shows. Hall of Winners | Performance.gov All comments and opinions are submitted by Internet users . Then, a legal issue that her firm was embroiled in only added to the chaos. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Services Criminal Investigation Division. South Florida's independent Rothstein was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Villegas attorney Robert Stickney described how Rothstein had helped Villegas and her two teenage sons escape an abusive marriage, eventually giving her a $407,000 house in a gated suburb and a $130,000 Maserati car. 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Debra Villegas Overview. Landline number (951) 685-0487 . Sometime in 2002, she married a lawyer, but that ended in divorce about five years later. debra villegas is a United States Buyer, the following trade report data is derived from its trade data; the company's import data up to 2020-08-10 total 2 transactions. '"But you and your friends will be sorry. Around the time Debra separated from Tony, Melissa grew closer to her. In a press release, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge of . South Florida's independent Regardez le Salaire Mensuel de Gta 5 Pc Release Date Steam en temps rel. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Six Degrees of Murder (TV Series 2016- ) - IMDb Will Debra Villegas, Queen of the Inner Sanctum, Tell All . Payroll Year. local Journalism in South Florida. Villegas ex-husband, Tony Villegas, is jailed awaiting trial in the March 2008 slaying of a former Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler attorney, Melissa Britt Lewis. Psychologist Lori Butts, who has been treating Villegas since the Ponzi schemes collapse in fall 2009, said Villegas knew she was committing a crime but was loyal to Rothstein who employed her for 17 years. Debra Villegas - $34,100 in Political Contributions for 2008, Campaign Finance, Money, American politics, American political campaign contributions, presidential campaign contributions June 21, 2016 / 3:14 PM Personal details about Debra include: political affiliation is unknown; ethnicity is Hispanic American; and religious views are listed as Christian.