Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer Blog

According to KTLA, two Long Beach residents have been arrested on a suspicion of committing burglaries on the campuses of UCLA, UC Irvine and several other University of California campuses.

If you have been charged with burglary it is important to contact an aggressive Los Angeles burglary defense lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights and begin preparing your defense.

Under California law, burglary is considered a type of theft crime. Burglary is defined as entering into a building with the intent to commit a crime - typically grand theft or petty theft. Grand theft applies to cases where the value of the item stolen is in excess of $400. In burglary cases, the prosecution need not prove that the accused actually committed a crime, just that the intent to do so existed. Burglary may be classified as first-degree or second-degree. First-degree burglary involves entering into a person's home with the intent to commit a crime, whereas second-degree burglary usually involves entering a persons business or a commercial building. First-degree burglary is always considered a strike under California's Three Strikes law. Second-degree burglary may be charged as a felony or misdemeanor.

UC Irvine police arrested Karim Patrice Davis and Angie Latoya Gray after obtaining search warrants based on information obtained by tracking credit cards. If convicted, they face potential prison time, restitution, steep fines and potential restrictions on their ability to work.

Davis and Gray are also suspected of committing burglaries at Cal State Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Fullerton.

Two other men - Jacob Amir Qureshi and Jason Walker - who were with Davis and Grey were arrested on outstanding misdemeanor warrants. Outstanding warrants are serious matters that need to be taken seriously. Many people believe that outstanding warrants may disappear with time. This is not the case. Outstanding warrants need to be taken care of - otherwise law enforcement has permission to arrest you immediately. Incidents that might not typically land you in jail may result in incarceration if the warrant is not resolved.

Continue reading "Long Beach Residents Arrested In Connection With UCLA And UC Irvine Burglaries" »

The Sacramento Bee reports that a North Hollywood man, Kurt Billie, has been charged with setting 10 fires in 3 days in the San Fernando Valley. The fires are considered part of a larger arson spree that caused nearly $1 million damage. The main target of the fires were vehicles, including motor homes, cars and trucks, but an apartment building was also damaged

If you have been charged on a suspicion of any crime, including arson, it is important to contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer immediately to protect your rights and begin preparing your defense.

Arson charges, no matter the surrounding circumstances are serious criminal allegations. California Code section 451 defines arson as the act of willfully and maliciously setting fire to any structure or property. Arson can be either simple or aggravated. Here, Billie was charged with 20 felony courts of arson and one count of aggravated arson. The aggravated arson charge result from a previous charge of arson in Japan. If convicted, he faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. His bail was set at $2 million pending arraignment.

Continue reading "North Hollywood Man Charged In Los Angeles Arsons" »

The Los Angeles Times reports that two new suspects have been charged in the brutal Dodger Stadium beating of Bryan Stow. Reports indicate that Louise Sanchez and Marvin Norwood, both of Rialto were identified as suspects in the beating based on their "unruly behavior" at the game and after they bragged to coworkers about the fights. Other people sitting in the same section reported seeing a pair of "very aggressive, belligerent "jerks" seated nearby. Additional evidence includes cell phone records and photos showing the men in attendance at the game.

As law enforcement heralds the charges, which include Los Angeles felony assault and mayhem, another innocent man, Giovanni Ramirez - originally arrested and charged for the beating - will be exonerated. Despite the good news in finding the right suspect, when law enforcement wrongfully accuses any one of a crime - that person's life is turned upside down. It is important to speak to an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer immediately to defend yourself against wrongful accusations.

Here in a very public statement last May, Los Angeles Police Chief Beck announced his detectives has caught one of the men responsible for the Stow beating. However, while he was making the statement, police officers and prosecutors had growing doubts. In fact, the case against Ramirez rested on flawed eyewitness identifications and circumstantial evidence with no hard evidence linking Ramirez to the crime. Beck now has publicly announced that his department has exonerated Ramirez. "I want to the world that Ramirez is no longer a suspect in this case."

Admitting the mistake has exposed the department to questions about why investigators focused so long on Ramirez.

Continue reading "New Suspects Arrested In Bryan Stow Beating Case - Initial Suspect Giovanni Ramirez To Be Exonerated" »

According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, two men have been arrested on a suspicion of a several charges following a brief pursuit. The men allegedly entered a 7-Eleven store with a handgun, demanded cash and fled. The suspects were not immediately found. A second robbery then occurred with similar suspect description, and police followed a vehicle matching the same description, eventually detaining the men after the car crashed into a house on Veronica Avenue.

The men were arrested on a suspicion of robbery, carjacking, evading police and assault with a deadly weapon.

If you are facing any Los Angeles criminal charges, it is important to contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney immediately to protect your rights and begin preparing your defense.

Here, if convicted the men face serious penalties. Robbery is considered a violent crime and counts as a "strike" under California's "Three Strikes" Law. Three Strikes convictions are used to significantly enhance future sentences and punishments. Further, where a gun is involved, sentencing may be even further enhanced.

In many cases though it is possible to defend against a robbery prosecution. Each element of the crime must be proven thorough evidence such as videotape surveillance, circumstantial evidence or witness statements. Although here the men face charges stemming from both alleged robberies, whether sufficient evidence exists connecting the men to each incident is unclear.

Continue reading "West Covina Arrests Of Two Men On Suspicion Of Robbery, Carjacking And Assault" »

The Contra Costa Times reports that overall Los Angeles crime is on the decline. In fact, due to a drop in both violent crime and property crimes the Los Angeles crime rate is on track to be lower than in 2010, which set a four-decade low.

If you have been arrested or charged with any crime in the Los Angeles area such as assault, robbery or murder, it is important to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer immediately to begin preparing your defense.

According to statistics, the Los Angeles murder rate is down 8% in the first half of the year, with 147 murders compared to last year's 160. If this pattern stays true, the numbers will fall below last year's 297 which was the lowest since 1966. Similarly, violent crimes and property crimes have reported lower numbers than in 2010.

Violent crimes include such actions as robbery, homicide and gang violence.

How the decrease in crime has affected those charged with Los Angeles criminal activity is unknown. Ensuring your rights are protected in the event you face an arrest for any type of crime remains of utmost importance.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Violent Crime Decreasing" »

The L.A. Times reports that former ESPN personality Jay Mariotti will face a stalking trial in Los Angeles Superior Court based on allegations of felony stalking and assault charges filed by an ex-girlfriend.

California law defines stalking as intentionally, maliciously and repeatedly following or harassing a person and putting that person in fear for his or her safety. Harassing includes those activities that purposefully alarm, terrorize or torment another - both types of activities are associated with domestic violence and often occur between spouses, ex-spouses or ex-boyfriends and girlfriends.

If you have been accused of stalking or harassing another, it is important to speak to a Los Angeles stalking defense lawyer immediately.

Here, Mariotti is accused of counts including confronting is ex-girlfriend after being ordered to stay away from her and pulling out a chunk of her hair. Whether sufficient evidence exists that Mariotti took such actions and whether these actions are adequately severe to warrant felony charges remains to be seen. Mariotti has pleaded not guilty to these offenses and representatives have stated that the allegations were "meritless and inconsistent with the physical evidence in the case." In fact, at the preliminary examination, the ex-girlfriend admitted the clumps of hair had in-fact been hair extensions.

Continue reading "Mariotti To Stand Trial On Stalking And Assault Charges" »

A recent California Supreme Court case - People v. Skiles - evaluated whether faxed evidence of a prior out-of-state conviction could be used to show a "strike" under California's Three Strikes law. In Skiles, a California man was convicted or residential burglary and receiving stolen property.

Under California law, residential burglary is considered "first-degree burglary" and requires the prosecution prove that you had the intent to commit a felony or theft before you enter someone's home. First-degree burglary is charged as a felony and constitutes a "strike" under California's "Three Strikes" law.

California's "Three Strikes" law is one of the harshest laws of its kind in the country. Not only will someone with two or more prior strikes be convicted to 25 years to life for any felony conviction, but also those convicted of a second "strike" must be sentenced to double the prison term of the current conviction.

Here, Skiles was convicted of residential burglary after a couple returned to their motel room and noticed that it had been burglarized. Witnesses stated that they had seen Skiles in the area and police found his fingerprints in the hotel room.

During the sentencing phase, the prosecutor introduced a single page of an indictment from Alabama for vehicular homicide. However, the document introduced did not contain a factual description of the charges. In order to gather more evidence that Skiles committed a serious felony, the prosecutor had the Alabama court fax a certified copy of the first page of the indictment, which described the charges in detail. Based on the faxed copy, Skiles' robbery conviction was considered a second strike and he was sentenced to 9 years for robbery.

Continue reading "People v. Skiles Holds That Faxed Copy Of Prior Out-of-State Felony Conviction Qualifies As Evidence Of A Serious Or Violent Felony Under California's Three Strikes Law" »

According to news reports, Los Angeles deputies were called to respond to an El Monte burglary in progress. When they arrived at the scene, they encountered four men and a boy. Upon investigation, it turned out that the group was trying to break into a warehouse that contained over 5,000 marijuana plants - making it one of the biggest marijuana grow houses in the city's history. The men were arrested on a suspicion of burglary. Investigation into the drug warehouse continues.

This episode presents several interesting legal questions, involving theft, drug manufacturing and possibly even conspiracy - contacting an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney is important to protect your rights.

First - for the men involved, they may be charged with second-degree burglary, which usually involves the entering of a business or other commercial structure. It may charges as a misdemeanor of felony, typically based on the value of the property taken. Here - reports indicate that the men had a u-haul truck and were planning to steal marijuana. Additionally, one of the men indicated that "he broke into the warehouse his family owned because he wasn't getting his share of the proceeds." Whether this statement is admissible is questionable.

It is also likely that drug charges will follow - although who will be charged is yet to be determined. Drug charges may be misdemeanors or felonies, however because of the quantity of marijuana involved, felony charges will likely result.

Continue reading "El Monte Burglary Investigation Leads To $1 Million Pot Bust " »

Several news sources including the La Canada Flintridge Patch have reported that identity theft - including Los Angeles identity theft - is growing throughout the nation. In order to combat this growing threat, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has released several tips on how you can protect yourself from identity theft.

With the growing concern of identity theft comes an increased effort to crack down on accusations of ID theft and prosecuting defendants to the fullest extent of the law. A person convicted of identity theft may face up to 30 years in prison. As a result - if you are targeted as a suspect in an identity theft crack down - it is important to contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney to protect your rights and provide you the defense you need.

At the same time, some tips to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft include:
• Accurate use of your personal identification information such as your proper name, Social Security number, credit card number and other financial account information;
• Review you credit report from the three major credit bureaus each year;
• Review you statements and closed unused accounts;
• Don't give away personal information over the phone, mail or internet unless you know who you are dealing with;
• Disconnect your laptop from a broadband or a shared connection
• Don't carry your Social security card or PIN number in your wallet in case you lose it.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Identity Theft Growing In Frequency" »

According to the Los Angeles Times on Thursday three suspects accused in Gabriel Aron Ben-Meir murder and robbery spree pleaded not guilty to all charges. One suspect, Destiny Young faces both robbery and murder charges, while two others face robbery charges.

If you have been arrested and charged with a serious crime such as robbery or murder, it is critical to retain an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at once to protect your rights and begin preparing your defense.

Here, the individuals are suspected in 10 robberies in Mid-City, Southwest L.A. and Wilshire areas of Los Angeles, as well as 2 Los Angeles murders, including the shooting of Ben-Meir, an MTV music coordinator.

Under California law, robbery includes those situations when force is involved in the attempted taking of money or property. Robbery is considered a violent crime and included as a "strike" under California's "Three Strikes" law. When the assailant uses a gun or knife while in the course of the robbery, sentence enhancements may apply, creating longer prison sentences.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Suspects Accused Of Robbery And Murder Of MTV Employee Plead Not Guilty" »

The Long Beach Post reports that police have asked residents to help identify an arson suspect who was caught on video setting fire to a commercial building earlier this week. The man is also suspected of setting another arson a few blocks away the following day.

Individuals arrested on the suspicion of arson should contact an experienced Los Angeles arson defense lawyer immediately.

Arson charges are serious. California Penal Code section defines arson as the act of willfully and maliciously setting fire to any structures. Arson is typically charged as a felony with the potential for prison sentences, significant fines and arson registry requirements.

Here the suspect was recorded breaking a window and setting fire to a marijuana collective. He was then seen running away with his hand on fire. Whether any one else was injured, the extent of damage and if the man has a prior criminal history will all impact the legal consequences as a result of this incident.

Continue reading "Suspect Sought In Long Beach Arson " »

According to the L.A. Times, one man has been arrested and the search continues for two others connected to the near-fatal Brian Stow assault, the San Francisco Giants fan attacked at Dodger Stadium.

Giovanni Ramirez has been taken into custody and is being accused of being one of two men who assaulted Stow after a Giants/Dodgers baseball game earlier this year. Detectives are preparing to conduct line-ups later in the week in an effort to identify the other suspects.

Here - the charges and potential penalties will be quite serious. Although Los Angeles assault and battery charges may range from less serious misdemeanor charges to serious felony charges, where significant injuries exist, the crime will be charged as a felony. Further, in some cases an assault or battery conviction will be considered a strike under California's "Three Strike Law." This means that if you have two prior violent felonies, you may face 25 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Continue reading "Man Arrested In Los Angeles Assault On San Francisco Giants Fan" »

A Los Angeles Transportation Security Administration officer was arrested on a suspicion of theft at LAX for allegedly stealing items from a traveler's suitcase. The 31-year-old TSA agent faces charges of felony grand theft.

If you have been arrested on theft charges, it is important to contact an experienced Los Angeles theft defense lawyer immediately to begin investigating the charges and preparing your defense.

Los Angeles theft crimes cover a broad range of activities, but include those criminal acts of taking another person's property or money without his or her permission. The crimes can be charged as felonies or misdemeanors based on the value of things stolen. Where the value of an object is less than $400, the crime will generally be considered a misdemeanor.

"Theft crimes" include various actions such as:
• taking property by false pretenses
• embezzlement
• larceny
• identity theft

Continue reading "Security Officer Arrested For LAX Theft" »

Gabriel Ben-Meir, a 30-year-old music and production coordinator at MTV was killed on Mother's Day outside his Mid-City apartment. KABC News indicates that he was shot with a shotgun in the back of the heard. No suspects or motives have been reported.

An investigation into whether he was a robbery victim, if someone specifically targeted him, or if other factors were at play continues.

Anyone arrested for this crime faces serious consequences, including significant jail time.

Whenever a high-profile investigation is underway, numerous individuals may be questioned. In order to ensure you are not falsely accused and to protect your rights, it is important to hire an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Often people are concerned that hiring a defense attorney may appear suspicious and prefer to speak to police on their own. This is a mistake. What you say may be misconstrued and lead to potential charges. It is always best to have a knowledgeable defense lawyer at your side to protect your interests and avoid compounding an already tragic circumstance.

Continue reading "Mid-City Homicide Investigation Of MTV Employee Gabriel Ben-Meir Continues" »

A Los Angeles city union leader has been arrested on a suspicion of theft. Josif Kahraman, along with his wife Ani, are accused of stealing a laptop computer from his architecture and engineering union. The couple was arrested on a suspicion of felony grand theft and were released after posting bail.

If you have been arrested on charges of theft, it is important to contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer immediately to begin a thorough investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding the case.

California has two categories of theft crimes - felony grand theft and misdemeanor petty theft. In order to prove felony grand theft, prosecutors generally most show that the value of the things stolen is $400 or greater.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Union Leader Arrested On A Suspicion Of Theft" »