On August 28, 2013, former Homestead Mayor Steven Bateman was arrested and charged with two felonies and three violations of county ordinances.

On September 22, 2014, Mr. Bateman was acquitted of the felony charge of Unlawful Compensation/Reward for Official Behavor, and found guilty of one second degree felony count of Unlawful Compensation or Reward by a Public Servant, and violating a county Conflict of Interest by Illegal Lobbying ordinance.  He was sentenced to 22 months in prison.

On January 15, 2015, he appealed his conviction to the Third District Court of Appeals.

The Miami Herald reported that Steven Bateman lost his appeal and faces a prison sentence of nearly two years.  His attorney, Ben Kuehne, told Herald reporter David Ovalle that the appellate court’s decision was “disappointing” and that “we are evaluating our next steps.”

Mr. Bateman still has the option of filing an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court.

On September 19, 2012, former North Miami Beach Mayor Myron Rosner was arrested and charged with three felonies, including one for grand theft in the 3rd degree, and five misdemeanors.

February 24, 2016, Rosner pleaded guilty to one second degree felony count of Unlawful Compensation or Reward by a Public Servant.

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors declined to prosecute, or nolle prosequi,  the other felony and five misdemeanor charges.  According to the Miami Herald, Myron agreed to serve a “sentence” of “three years probation and is also banned from running for public office during the probationary period.  Probation can be terminated after two years if he follows all the rules.”

Myron left the Richard E. Gersten Justice Building essentially a free man.  He just can’t run for office until 2019.

Here’s the big question:

How is it that two former mayors in Miami-Dade County cities are convicted of the EXACT SAME CRIME, yet one of them gets a sentence of 22 months in prison, while the other one gets nothing but a slap on the wrist and gets to go home?

Here’s the answer:

One is married to CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE SARAH ZABEL.

Funny how that works.

Epilogue – Once a criminal, always a criminal

Neither Steven Bateman nor Myron Rosner have served any prison time since their respective 2014 convictions.  Steven Bateman has been free on bail while awaiting his appeal, and Myron has been free to raise holy hell on his neighbors in North Miami Beach.

Mr. Bateman has managed to stay out of trouble and out of the news.

Myron, on the other hand, has been up to his old tricks, thumbing his nose at the law, violating his probation, and stealing other people’s money.

On October 17, 2017, Myron got himself arrested again, this time on four, count ’em, four felony counts, including securities fraud and once again, grand theft in the 3rd degree.

Despite her complicity and direct involvement in her husband’s criminal activity, CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE SARAH ZABEL was not arrested or charged.

Damn, it’s good to be a Judge!

The real mystery, however, is how Myron managed to be released on bond after committing four felonies while still on probation.

Oh, wait.  He’s married to a Judge.

Never mind.

Stephanie