Exhibit Character Reference Letters — USA v. Alexandra Acosta (Dkt. 115.4)

Record facts

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida · No. 0:23-cr-60170-RNS · Doc. 115-4 · 2024-08-15 · Docket on CourtListener

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Case 0:23-cr-60170-RNS   Document 115-4   Entered on FLSD Docket 08/15/2024   Page 1 of 9

 
 
 
DATE: August 12, 2024
To The Honorable United States District Judge Scola,
From:  Jay Santalucia 
Ref: Alex Acosta
I have known Ms. Acosta for over 11 years. During that time, she has always been honest, 
loyal, and a dedicated and caring mother.  Ms. Acosta has a great work ethic, from working 
road patrol to the Incident Containment Team to the SWAT Unit, she puts 100 percent into all 
of her assignments. Ms. Acosta has always been a team player and works well with her co-
workers. I consider Ms. Acosta a very responsible individual, she has always been an 
upstanding person throughout the community and the agency. 
I sincerely hope you consider this letter when reviewing her current case. I strongly believe 
that Ms. Acosta is an honorable individual and a valuable member of BSO.
Sincerely,
Jay Santalucia
Case 0:23-cr-60170-RNS   Document 115-4   Entered on FLSD Docket 08/15/2024   Page 2 of 9

August 13, 2024
Honorable Judge Robert N. Scola, Jr. 
United States District Court, Southern District of Florida 
400 North Miami Avenue 
Miami, FL 33128 
Dear Judge Scola,
I am writing to you today to provide a character reference for my dear 
friend, Alex Acosta, whom I have had the privilege of knowing for the past 
twelve years. We first met at the police academy, and from the very 
beginning, I was struck by her leadership abilities, unwavering integrity, and 
genuine nature. Alex and I quickly became great friends, bonding over our 
shared passion for our profession and our commitment to making a positive 
difference in our community.
Throughout the years, Alex has consistently demonstrated exceptional 
qualities that have earned her my deep respect and admiration. Her 
dedication to her work and her community is unparalleled, and she has 
always gone above and beyond to serve and protect others. Alex's 
leadership has been a source of inspiration to many, and her integrity has 
been a guiding light in both her personal and professional life.
It is extremely sad and disheartening to see Alex going through this difficult 
situation. Alex has always been someone I could depend on, and she has 
become like family to me. Her strength, resilience, and commitment to 
doing what is right are qualities that I deeply admire.
Alex is not only a dedicated professional but also a loving and devoted 
mother. She balances the demands of her career with her responsibilities 
as a parent with grace and unwavering commitment. Her children are a 
testament to her nurturing and caring nature, and she has always strived to 
provide them with a stable and loving environment.
In closing, I respectfully ask for your leniency and understanding in Alex's 
case. Alex has the potential to continue making significant contributions to 
her community and to be a positive influence on those around her. I am 
confident that, given the opportunity, she will demonstrate the same 
dedication, integrity, and leadership that she has shown throughout her life.
Case 0:23-cr-60170-RNS   Document 115-4   Entered on FLSD Docket 08/15/2024   Page 3 of 9

Thank you for considering my letter. Please do not hesitate to contact me if 
you require any further information.
Sincerely, 
Kaela Allison
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Case 0:23-cr-60170-RNS   Document 115-4   Entered on FLSD Docket 08/15/2024   Page 5 of 9

Case 0:23-cr-60170-RNS   Document 115-4   Entered on FLSD Docket 08/15/2024   Page 6 of 9

How do I begin to tell you about my daughter Alex, a special human being, dedicated, 
reliable, a great daughter, very family oriented, an awesome mom to her two kids. My 
daughter has always been an achiever. Alex got a full scholarship playing Softball, and
won a National Title for Lynn University. She wanted to study law and she did, with a 
lot of tutoring in Math she did graduate with honors. Alex started her career in Law 
Enforcement at the top of her class, it was just the other day, I still remember her giving 
the class speech, I am so proud to be her mom.
Alex started working nights in West Park, and every morning I would turn on the news to 
make sure that nothing had happened to her, I prayed to God to keep her safe, and she 
always told me, she wanted to be a Police Officer, to keep the streets safe, and that's 
what she wanted to do, she loved her job.
Eventually she started working in the Fort Lauderdale airport, after an eventful shooting 
in the airport they created a Special Canine Unit and she was chosen, I was a proud 
mom once again. Alex took care of Presidents, Vice Presidents, Dignitaries, 
Congressmen, Congresswoman, Senators, and the public that needed her, she was 
there doing the job she loves.
Alex calls me one day and tells me she is going to try out for Swatt, she tried and almost 
succeeded, a year later she tried again and of course she succeeded, but it 
wasn't easy, she was fighting her female body and she had to win, she gained 14 
pounds retaining water, she would get in an iced tub to be able to move and be ready 
for the next day and every day was a challenge and the pain and agony she sustained 
after training, it was incredible to watch, and every day was an accomplishment for her, 
she did not give up, I saw it everyday when she got home. I thought she was going to 
die, I was scared but she was on a mission. My daughter Alex was the first Swatt 
female officer of the Broward Sheriff Dept., I saw her struggles, I saw the pain she 
endured.
My daughter has a wonderful family with two kids, my grandchildren are the sunshine in 
her life. Emery is almost ten, she needs her mama, and Ollie is four, unfortunately he
was diagnosed with Diabetes when he was two and he needs his mama to live, my 
daughter takes care of him day and night and is always close to his monitors. Alex had 
a great career, she worked hard, she was very proud of all her accomplishments.
I love my daughter and I am very proud of her.
Sincerely,
Maritza Garcia
 
Case 0:23-cr-60170-RNS   Document 115-4   Entered on FLSD Docket 08/15/2024   Page 7 of 9

August 13, 2024
Attn: Your Honor,
Today I write to you about my beautiful and caring niece and God Daughter Alexandra
Acosta and even though I am biased, I still will be telling the truth about her character her
moral and ethical standards. 
Since losing her career job in October of 2023, Alex has been non-stop in getting menial
jobs, part-times through friends and acquaintances. She is non-stop and has never been a
quitter, even through these dark times.
She is a hard working mother, long days and or long
nights, whatever is required to make sure her family is care for and kept safe. She has a 
beautiful daughter which is 9 years old and has also a loving son who is 4 years old. They 
are her world and the little boy is her little Angel since he has Type 1 Diabetes from the 
time he turned 2 years old. She is constantly looking over him and monitoring all the 
alarms that ring through his monitor sensor. Always high and low, at least I notice when I 
am around him.
Alex meets and befriends many in her community. I know your Honor has not seen her 
smile because she has not had much to smile lately, but her smile lights up a room, I 
should know. 
Well I also like to start to tell a story of a young Alex who since her young age of 8 years 
old, was fascinated with softball. So much so that it was her ticket to college, where her 
grades, with a lot of tutoring, earned her scholarships into two Universities. One of them, 
she won the NCAA Division II Championship in 2004. She was still playing amateur 
softball last year for a few teams, which has helped keep her in shape.
She always put 100% effort at everything she thought of, since it would help her in life
and she assisted those that asked for her help.
had moved back to South Florida 
to be with family and old friends where she could get her career in Law started. 
First she was employed as a 911 dispatcher, as she waited to be called after applying to 
called and she went and passed their training and became a Sheriffs Officer on June 2013.
She work her way from West Park through the opening of a new branch for the BSO 
covering and protecting passengers at Fort Lauderdale Airport with a K9 unit searching 
for explosives. She did this from the time the branch opened till a few years ago. 
Case 0:23-cr-60170-RNS   Document 115-4   Entered on FLSD Docket 08/15/2024   Page 8 of 9

Alex tried and failed the first time she went to SWAT Camp. Even though she thought 
she had given her all she knew she failed because she probably did not. She again started 
training harder knowing that she must be a SWAT officer, and we believed it nearly cost 
her some health issues. She gave it her all this time and that seems what it took from her 
because she became the first woman in BSO SWAT. You should have seen that smile 
then. Even with the physical and mental pain of two grueling weeks, those pearly whites 
shone through.
Alex has over the years supported her partners in Law enforcement and EMTs. She has 
figure, even when she deals in this stuff every workday. 
Alex also gives her time 
she would put her life on the line for the safety of others and it became really became
clear to me after she became a member of SWAT by enduring all her physical and mental 
toll. 
Your honor, Alex has always been candid with me and her mother; she does not lie to us. 
I as a proud uncle and as a citizen of the greatest country in the world, am asking for 
leniency.
And lastly your, Honor I heard you say in the Court Room that your part is to issue 
Justice. 
jail; it will most surely hurt the family and the kids who 
have not been without her mother since their birth.
I again ask for leniency and Mercy of the Court.
With the highest respect,  
Case 0:23-cr-60170-RNS   Document 115-4   Entered on FLSD Docket 08/15/2024   Page 9 of 9

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