Florida prosecutor Monique Worrell to dismiss, expunge recent violent crime cases for top campaign donors

Following her inauguration this past January, Florida’s Ninth Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell has met with key staff members in order to establish goals and protocol. Among her immediate priorities are to dismiss hundreds of pending violent crime charges, as well as to approve and  direct the expungement processes of many recent violent crime convictions and their associated Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrest reports. Many of the cases approved for dismissal or expungement are represented by criminal defense attorneys who donated to Worrell’s 2024 reelection campaign. 

A 2023 Ninth Circuit verdict that Worrell has authorized for expungement involves accused batterer and animal abuser Naipaul Bryan Ramphal (case 48-2022-CF-001326-O). According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, two Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary volunteers were assaulted by Ramphal with a brick "in cold blood" on February 2, 2022. Both Ramphal and the victims stated that they had never previously interacted nor were the victims involved in any prior conflicts between Second Chance and Ramphal. The latter moved next door to the sanctuary around 2017. Second Chance was located at 805 Baron Road for nearly four decades.

According to the 2022 charging documents, Ramphal carried a large brick from his construction business and home to 805 Baron Road, where two Second Chance volunteers were located. Ramphal was accompanied by his unleashed dog, Benjamin Buttons, who had been reported by neighbors to Orange County Animal Services for unrelated prior biting incidents. Without provocation, Ramphal used the brick to strike and injure the head of a senior disabled military veteran. Ramphal allegedly noticed the veteran’s impaired mobility and disability placard before using antisemitic language  and striking him. The victim’s eyeglasses and vehicle were also damaged during the assault. The other volunteer also reported injury.

According to the arrest report, the victims advised that Ramphal recorded his approach and attack on his own phone, yet Orange County Sheriff's Office deputies failed to confiscate it. Footage from the multiple surveillance cameras on Ramphal’s property was also not attained by deputies that evening. Prosecutors were later advised by Ramphal and his attorneys that the cameras do not work and are used "for decorative purposes only." The defendant resisted arrest and refused to open his gate. An Orange County Sheriff's Office deputy was bitten by one of Ramphal's dogs.

Ramphal is represented by the Rajan Joshi law firm as well as by Muna Abraham of Longwell Lawyers. Joshi, a personal friend and college classmate of Worrell, hosted multiple fundraisers for her in 2023. Joshi’s firm is reputed to teach his junior attorneys a “7-D Strategy” in order to pressure alleged victims of the firm’s clients to drop violent crime charges: “Deny, Demoralize, Degrade, Delay, Depose, Distract, Deceive.” Muna Abraham, who worked at the Joshi firm in 2022 and 2023, is now at the Longwell Lawyers firm and co-represents Ramphal on his expungement petition.

Multiple social media posts detail the friendship between Worrell and her donor Rajan Joshi. In a December 2023 post on Facebook, Worrell states that Joshi’s firm “surely knows how to put on a party!”

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=804508548155533&set=pcb.804509774822077

The 2022 victims allege that they continue to receive threatening communications from the defendant, but additional charges have not been filed. An assistant prosecutor was contacted by three of Ramphal’s Baron Road neighbors who alleged that they were approached by Ramphal in early 2023 and asked to provide false testimony on the case. A neighbor, Don Eric Ballard, alleged that Worrell’s office did not respond to certified postal mail advising her of these alleged witness tampering incidents.

According to 2019 Orlando media coverage, Naipaul Ramphal was accused of harassing and assault volunteers at the Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary, physically attacking live-in manager James Bronzo, shouting antisemitic epithets over the fence, mimicking sexual gestures, illegally aiming surveillance cameras into the shelter property, stealing supplies, and killing multiple animals. 

Ramphal was offered placement Monique Worrell’s one-year “pre-trial diversion program” in July 2023, and proceedings were immediately ended. According to the Ninth Judicial Circuit website, the diversion program is intended for “early resolution for non-violent offenders.”  The victims were assured that their attacker would attend counseling, perform community service, and not be allowed to travel internationally even for work purposes. The victims were not advised by the assistant state attorney subsequently removed all of those requirements.

According to court filings, Ramphal delayed entering the “early resolution” program, finally enrolling in late October 2023 in order to reduce difficulties vacationing internationally the following month. This past June 2024, Ramphal was granted early termination from the program. The victims were not advised of the early termination, and stated this was a violation of Marsy’s Law.

Ramphal and his family formerly lived in the nearby Avalon Park community. They were evicted by the neighborhood’s homeowner’s association following multiple complaints of violent, illegal and antisemitic conduct. In 2017, they moved next door to Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary on Baron Road, which has no homeowner’s association.

Bronzo appeared in several Orlando media outlets early 2019, detailing his side of the conflict and was scheduled to meet with Orange County officials with paper evidence the following day. His home and several sanctuary structures burned to the ground shortly after 1 am in February 2019. The defendant was then using the name "Brian Ramphal." A few months after the fire, Ramphal was charged with launching explosives into Second Chance and two other preexisting animal sanctuaries on the street. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ9H37Qfrx4

One week after the 2019 fire, Ramphal claimed in a 2019 WFTV interview that he would attempt to help rebuild the sanctuary. He stated that he and his family  "....try to do the right thing." Bronzo said that Ramphal instead blocked all attempts to rebuild the sanctuary, forcing the charity into closure in 2022. The land has since been stripped by Ramphal associate and Waterford Trails resident John Do. 

Richard Harger, who manages an unrelated bird rescue sanctuary on Baron Road, alleges in separate OCSO reports that Ramphal has harassed him and killed his animals for several years. He alleges that the defendant’s son, Randy Ramphal, has stolen his animals and intentionally damaged his driveway. Harger, who recently recovered from leukemia, said that the two remaining Baron Road animal sanctuaries are in jeopardy due to harassment from Ramphal and his wife Sherry Saran.

The two 2022 victims reported that Ramphal and his adult daughter, Manisha Ramphal Recinos, purchased a building at the corner of Sherman and Florida State Route 50-East Colonial in early 2023. East Colonial became the only major non-toll route between East Orange and Brevard Counties after Old Cheney Highway became unusable in East Orlando following a 2018 flood.

Ramphal’s Baron Road neighbors suspect that the Colonial building has been used for harassing as well as remotely recording their approaches and departures of their neighborhood. The victims reported they’ve been followed when they travel from East Orlando to Brevard County. Richard Harger also alleges that the property, located at 15200 East Colonial, is not used for Ramphal's businesses. 

“Shortly after the Ramphals acquired the lot in early 2023, the beautiful large oak trees and other plants were stripped from the property,” Harger said. “Cameras were installed in all corners, so they have a better view of State Route 50 and Sherman now that the old trees and plants have been killed. That building otherwise appears to be unused.”

Harger says that his Jewish neighbors have been told that Ramphal’s using the building and cameras to remotely record and follow them. He believes that Ramphal watches the camera footage remotely and knows when neighbors are not home or when they’re returning home. After Ramphal purchased the building, neighbors reported that their livestock and companion animals were missing when they returned home.

In May 2019, a case was initiated against Ramphal in the Ninth Circuit after he was recorded aiming flaming projectiles into Bronzo’s Second Chance, Harger’s bird sanctuary, and an unrelated Baron Road equine sanctuary (48-2019-NM-003628). The elongated case was dismissed shortly after Monique Worrell was elected in 2020.

In early 2019, the manager of Second Chance, James Bronzo, alleged that Ramphal was harassing the volunteers and killing animals. The shelter, which was opened on Baron Road in 1990, closed in 2022. In multiple Florida media outlets, Bronzo alleged that stalking from Ramphal was the cause of the sanctuary’s closure. Former volunteers also claimed that they received antisemitic threats and harassment. Both 2022 victims advised the court and Orange County Sheriff’s Office that they had received threats of drowning and arson, as well as being repeatedly followed and recorded by the defendant and his employees.

Approximately 18 months later in July 2023, Ramphal was approved to enter the Ninth Circuit's pre-trial diversion program for non-violent criminals that was promoted by State Attorney Monique Worrell. The victims were advised by Worrell’s assistant state attorney Anne Wedge-McMillan that requirements for Ramphal’s participation in the program included mandatory counseling and no international travel for one year. Without the knowledge of the victims, Wedge-McMillan waived the counseling requirement a week later. She also approved an Antiguan "business trip" for Ramphal. Ramphal and his wife Sherry Saran stayed at the luxury resort The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort. Nightly rates at the resort start at $775. His tax documents suggest his construction business is limited to Florida. Wedge-McMillan was promoted to lead the circuit's narcotics division. State Attorney Monique Worrell was suspended by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on August 9, 2023. She was reelected this past November.

Ramphal was previously charged with launching explosives into three Baron Road animal sanctuaries including Second Chance in May 2019. The case was dismissed shortly after Monique Worrell's election in 2020.

Richard Harger advised the assistant prosecutor that Ramphal did not comply with other conditions of the diversion program.

“Several times when he was on bail restrictions and the diversion program, we still heard gunshots that were detonating Tannerite exploding targets in his backyard. It's to my understanding he was to surrender ‘all’ of his weapons and ammunition on his property,” Harger said. “He has a huge arsenal, in addition to what his tenants and adult children have on the property.”

The 2022 case was delayed due to the defendant's motions. According to court paperwork, a last-minute continuance was granted in February 2023 when a defense witness and associate of Ramphal, John Do, expressed in English that he required a Vietnamese translator. He and attorney Muna Abraham advised the assistant prosecutor of this purported need just five minutes before Do was scheduled to provide an in-person deposition. In March 2023, a multi-month delay was achieved when Do indicated he needed a Mandarin translator instead. Do, a Waterford Trails resident and owner of DL Nails Spa, spoke to Orange County Sheriff's Office multiple times in 2022 and did not request translation services on those occasions. The victims and Do agree that he was not present at the attack. Richard Harger, who says he knows John Do, reports that the purported witness speaks fluent English.

The defendant and his attorney, Muna Abraham, filed for expungement shortly after Worrell's reelection this past November. Abraham's advertised hourly rate is $650. The estimated net worth of Ramphal and his wife Sherry Saran is nine million dollars, but it's unknown if this income is completely derived from their two construction and contracting businesses, R-Squared Engineering and Restoration Professionals. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Ramphal's victims indicated that they work in manual labor and service-industry jobs. 

James Bronzo, who founded and managed Second Chance, says he fled Baron Road around 2022 due to safety concerns. He alleges that Ramphal deliberately allowed his aggressive dogs to wander and kill his animals. Multiple Baron Road residents have also reported to Orange County Animal Services that they cannot take daily walks or sit in their yards because of attacks by Ramphal’s dogs.

“I lived peacefully for over 36 years with all my neighbors, giving shelter and medical care to abused and abandoned animals at my Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary,” Bronzo said. “Then Ramphal bought the land next to me knowing there were three shelters on the street. He began building a huge million-dollar house next door and wanted the animals and me gone. He has fought with most of the neighbors. He killed some of my animals. They were all rescues, some from terrible abuse situations. And suspiciously, my house burnt to the ground two days after I was on the news.”

Bronzo said that he’s been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his experiences with his former neighbor. He alleges that his Ramphal used guns and fireworks to bully the three animal Baron Road sanctuaries that predated Ramphal’s move to the street.

“I went before the county board in early 2019 and spoke with Jerry Demmings about the deteriorating situation,” Bronzo said. “Ramphal told my neighbor Rosemarie Arnemann he’d call every government office constantly to wear me down and force me to leave. He then called me and threatened to end my life. He shot his guns and fireworks for hours and hours terrorizing the animals. I closed the sanctuary and moved away from Baron Road because the police did absolutely nothing. This is all public record. I miss my sanctuary and my dogs that perished in the fire.”

Harger and the anonymous 2022 victims alleged that multiple victims’ rights statutes, known in Florida as “Marsy’s Law,” were repeatedly broken by the Ninth Circuit court and the defense team. To date, they have not been allowed to access prosecution and Orange County Sheriff’s Office files despite 27 trips to both. They also allege that they were not advised of the modifications of his diversion program agreement, nor of the hearing to terminate his diversion program early.

A Marshall Washington book, "Anarchy Acres: The Burning of Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary," details the tumultuous recent history of the Baron Road area. A millionaire described as "Brick Loozner" and his attorney, "Paula Delayman," are alleged to harass neighbors and prior alleged victims. The victims requested relocation assistance and were denied. “Loozner” is described as “America’s worst neighbor since Jeffrey Dahmer.”

https://www.amazon.com/Anarchy-Acres-Burning-Wildlife-Sanctuary-ebook/dp/B0BTJR4VXK

Monique Worrell was originally elected as the State Attorney of the Ninth Judicial Circuit in 2020. Approximately 2.5 million dollars donated to that campaign were linked to organizations apparently related to billionaire George Soros. Worrell’s law firm, Faith Moriah, continues to receive an annual $110,000 grant from the Tides Foundation, a Soros-affiliated organization. Multiple defense attorneys for alleged child sex criminals and murderers also financially contributed to Worrell’s campaign. 

Worrell’s alleged donors are detailed in a Change.org petition, “Show us the Mo-ney and Special Interests, Florida State Attorney Monique Worrell!”

https://www.change.org/p/show-us-the-mo-ney-and-special-interests-florida-state-attorney-monique-worrell

Worrell’s assistant state attorney, Erik Andersen Jenkins, has approved Ramphal's expungement application. The victims notified Jenkins that Ramphal made multiple perjurious statements in his expungement application. Regardless, a hearing for Ramphal’s request is scheduled this February 25th. The public and media can view and save the related court documents before then by visiting MyOrangeClerk.net. 

Members of the public with questions for the Clerk of Courts can be call 407-836-2202. Records for the 2019 explosives case, in which Ramphal’s first name is misspelled “Nuipaul,” can be attained by referencing the case number 48-2019-NM-003628. Ramphal’s 2022 arrest report and additional records of his neighbors’ calls for service can be attained from the Orange County Sheriff's Office Records Department, which can be reached at 407-254-7280. Orange County Animal Services records related to Ramphal can be requested by contacting the program manager 
Theon Linero at 407-836-3111 or Theon.Linero@ocfl.net.

Ramphal’s expungement hearing is scheduled for February 25th at 9:30 am at the Ninth Circuit courthouse at 415 North Orange Avenue in Orlando. Judge Greg Tynan will preside at the hearing.

Members of the public with questions regarding Naipaul Ramphal’s case can contact Worrell’s assistant state attorney for her expungement division, Erik Andersen Jenkins, at 407-836-1100 or ejenkins@sao9.org.