Randal Rosado, 45, of New York and Vero Beach, was sentenced today to 40 years in prison by Circuit Court Judge George Richards after a jury convicted him in July of six (6) counts of Unlawful Retaliation Against Public Officials and 13 counts of Simulating Legal Process. The trial was held in Lee County.
The crimes involved the filing of arrest warrants, fictitious court orders and liens against Judges, the Lee County Clerk of Court and lawyers. Most of the lawyers were involved in foreclosures. Two individuals, previously convicted in Lee and Okeechobee Counties, hired Rosado to assist them with the foreclosure of their homes. Rosado created his own court and used the judgements from the fake court to get the liens. The individuals who hired Rosado thought it was a real court. Another individual from California hired Mr. Rosado because he thought he was a real estate agent to assist him in a short sale and Mr. Rosado instead took over his property and used the fictitious court in an attempt to delay the foreclosures. The evidence indicated that Rosado espouses views that are consistent with the sovereign citizen movement.
Sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe that even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or “sovereign” from the United States. As a result, they believe they do not have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Richards indicated that Mr. Rosado was a danger to the citizens of the State of Florida and of the United States. Assistant State Attorneys James D. Miller and Jennifer E. Royal, along with State Attorney Investigator Bob Nichols investigated and prosecuted the case.
Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
ssyoen@sao20.org
239-533-1125