A jury last week found defendant Michael Gambuzza not guilty of the April 2008 home invasion and robbery at the residence of former Anna Maria City Commissioner Linda Cramer.
At the time, Cramer resided with Joe Pandolf and was alone at his Crescent Drive house in Anna Maria. According to the police report of the incident, she was beaten and left bound by her attackers on the floor.
Police arrested Christopher Drescher with Gambuzza in May 2008 in connection with the crime.
Both Drescher and Gambuzza originally entered not guilty pleas, but Drescher changed his plea to guilty just before his June 28 trial was to begin and received a 15-year sentence.
At Gambuzza’s trial, Drescher testified that a man named Robert Reed, not Gambuzza, was with him when the crime took place.
Drescher also testified that an unidentified person paid him $2,000 to arrange the break-in on behalf of Pandolf.
Both Reed and Pandolf testified at the trial and denied Drescher’s allegations, according to defense attorney John Fleck, a Bradenton attorney appointed by the court to defend Gambuzza.
Cramer said she was “totally devastated” when the jury returned a not guilty verdict.
Before the trial, Cramer had identified Drescher and Gambuzza as her assailants.
Drescher’s testimony identifying Reed as his accomplice stunned Cramer.
“I was just appalled. He clearly lied,” she said.
Drescher testified about an “unnamed person” who offered him $2,000 to rob Pandolf’s home, but that also was a “total lie,” Cramer said.
Cramer reported to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office that she called 911 immediately after freeing herself from her bonds, but got no answer. She then called the MCSO Anna Maria substation and a deputy arrived about 10 minutes after her assailants left.
Following the acquittal, Fleck discounted Cramer’s claims, saying there was no evidence she was bound and there was no record of her 911 calls.
Cramer said she still has many unanswered questions about the entire process.
“I want to know how (defense attorney John) Fleck can assassinate my character during his summation to the jury and get away with it,” she said.
When Drescher opted to plead guilty and receive a reduced sentence, Cramer said she agreed to the plea bargain because she thought Drescher would testify against his then-alleged accomplice — Gambuzza.
“I don’t know what happened. I never saw the plea bargain Drescher signed,” she said.
Cramer said she waited two-and-a-half years for justice, only to have Gambuzza go free.
“The verdict did not serve justice and this guy is now free and back in the community,” she said.
Efforts to reach prosecuting attorney Jon Byrne for comment were unsuccessful.
She called 911 and no one answered? It took Anna Maria police ten minutes to get to her? This all sounds like BS to me. This women tried to identify someone as her attacker only to find out it wasn’t this person. Way to go! Prosecute an innocent man she tried?
Bud316