Miami-Dade candidate charged with many campaign violations could catch a break
.png "Sophia Lacayo was a candidate for the Miami-Dade County Commission in 2022. On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, she was booked at a Miami-Dade jail on charges related to campaign-finance violations. This photograph was taken during the booking process.")
The criminal charges against a failed Miami-Dade County Commission candidate accused of a slew of campaign-finance violations might be significantly reduced, a judge said Wednesday morning.
Sophia Lacayo, who ran against former Doral Mayor Juan Carlos “JC” Bermudez for the District 12 seat in 2022, was charged in 2023 with 21 felonies and misdemeanors stemming from alleged violations of campaign-finance law.
During a hearing on Wednesday, Lacayo’s attorney and prosecutors sparred over conflicting interpretations of the state law used to charge the political hopeful.
READ MORE: Failed Miami-Dade commission candidate faces long list of campaign-finance charges
Under the law, it’s a misdemeanor to knowingly and willfully accept an excessive contribution — and a felony to accept two or more excessive contributions. The law also states that a person may not make a contribution in the name of another.
In court, prosecutors William Gonzalez and Tim VanderGiesen said they interpreted the statute as punishing both making and accepting such contributions. They also argued Lacayo should be charged for each donation she made using other people’s names.
Susy Ribero-Ayala, who is representing Lacayo, argued that the prosecutors’ charging decision violates the double-jeopardy clause of the Constitution because “it seeks to punish the same conduct twice.” Double jeopardy prevents defendants from being punished multiple times for the same offense.
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Miguel De La O said that under his interpretation of the law he believed prosecutors were limited to two felony counts against Lacayo. The judge, however, said he will write an order ruling on the charges.
Lacayo spent more than $1 million challenging Bermudez. The violations, prosecutors say, were “deliberate steps” to sidestep finance laws.
The legal limit for campaign contributions is $1,000, including loans from individuals, organizations and political parties. All candidates are required — by law — to report all contributions, loans and expenditures.
Lacayo, prosecutors allege, moved more than $450,000 from her business account to her personal account and, ultimately, to her campaign account. She then ran the funds through several bank accounts to obscure the source of the money.
Lacayo, the owner of a tax-preparation business, stunned campaign watchers in 2022 when her campaign outspent Bermudez nearly 3-to-1 due to her $1.8 million war chest. Bermudez was mayor of Doral for more than 15 years.
The campaign-finance case isn’t the former candidate’s only legal woe. Lacayo is set to be sentenced on April 9 in federal court for a wire-fraud charge.
Lacayo is accused of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a federal indictment. Records indicate Lacayo struck a plea deal with prosecutors.
But in court on Wednesday, Lacayo’s attorney said she might have to spend time behind bars in that case.
