Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer Blog

According to the Pasadena Star News, a father and his daughter have pleaded guilty to California conspiracy charges. The charges stem from an alleged scheme to avoid paying taxes by making cash deposits at banks. Reports indicate that Anthony Luna and his daughter, Dianne Sanchez, and brother, made deposits of less than $10,000 into several accounts in order to evade federal tax reporting requirements.

Conspiracy charges can be complex. It is important to contact a Los Angeles conspiracy defense lawyer if you are under investigation or have been arrested with any type of conspiracy charge.

Conspiracy is defined as two or more people agreeing to commit a crime, with at least one person completing an "overt act." An "overt act" may be any action that is taken to further the conspiracy, even trivial actions such as making a phone call, renting a car or delivering a package. A common defense is that one of the parties charged never joined, or withdrew from the conspiracy.

Conspiracy is a separate from the underlying charge, and those involved may charged with both conspiracy and the underlying charge.

Continue reading "Montebello Man And Alhambra Woman Plead Guilty To Conspiracy Charges" »

KTLA reports that a Santa Clarita resident called the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department as the result of vandalism. The resident believes that he was the target of a hate crime - he stepped outside his home to find one of his cars engulfed in flames and another one vandalized. The car had all four tires slashed with a "religiously derogatory symbol" painted on the hood. No one has been arrested for this crime.

If you are under investigation or have been arrested for any California crime, contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer immediately to protect your rights and begin preparing your defense.

California vandalism is defined as the malicious act of damaging, destroying, or defacing real or personal property belonging to another person or institution and includes such acts as graffiti, inscription and cutting. It may also include destruction or damage to vehicles, signs, buildings, cemeteries or other personal or real property.

When vandalism strikes one's home or property - especially with aggravating circumstances such as gang related or a hate crime - emotions can run high with pressure to arrest someone quickly. In these circumstances, police can often make critical errors or arrests with flawed evidence.

Continue reading "Santa Clarita Vandalism Considered Possible Hate Crime" »

Ventura News reports that the Oxnard Police Department, Union Pacific Police Department ad Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department have all joined forces targeting cars and pedestrians that trespass on Union Pacific Railroad property between intersections.

California Criminal trespass is defined as any time a person knowingly enters another person's property without consent or authorization, or if you have entered another person's property and intentionally defaced, destroyed or demolished any part of the property.

If you are charged with a trespass you may face charges as an infraction, misdemeanor or felony. An experienced Los Angeles trespass defense attorney can help defend you against the charges, limiting the potential penalties faced.

The crackdown on trespass violations is rooted in safety concerns - with frequent violations including cars stopped on tracks and driving under gates while they are closing, and pedestrians trying to cross the tracks ahead of oncoming trains. California is ranked #2 for rail-crossing collisions.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Trespass Violations Targeted By Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department" »

Police chased five people suspected of armed robbery through downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, ending up in Boyle Heights.

A woman and her son told police they were robbed at gunpoint by three men and gave a description of the men and the getaway vehicle. The officers found the car they believed was driven the attackers and followed it.

If you have been charged with any California crime, contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer to begin preparing your defense.

The police officers followed the vehicle throughout the Los Angeles area at increased
speed - through Montebello, East Los Angeles, South Pasadena, Pasadena, Temple City and Rosemead. When the car came to a stop on Soto Street, three men and two women exited the car.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Armed Robbery Suspects Arrested" »

Nearly a year after a domestic incident, criminal charges were filed against Mel Gibson for domestic abuse and battery. On Friday in L.A. Superior Court, Gibson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery of his former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva. By accepting a plea deal, Gibson avoids jail time.

If you have been charged with California domestic abuse or battery charges, contact an experienced California criminal defense attorney to begin investigating your case and preparing your defense.

During an acrimonious break up, Grigorieva claims that Gibson hit her, leaving her with two broken teeth and a black eye.

Here, as in many situations, accepting a plea deal may be beneficial. A plead of "no contest" does not mean that a defendant admits guilt, but rather is not going to fight the charges and submit to a trial. Although a judge may impose criminal penalties, it may shelter people charged from additional civil damages.

Continue reading "Mel Gibson Pleads No Contest To Los Angeles Domestic Abuse And Battery Charges " »

California sex crimes charges including prostitution or solicitation of prostitution may result in harsh punishment, including potential jail time, probation and fines. If you are convicted of pandering, sometimes called "pimping," the charges can be even more severe. A Los Angeles pandering case is now under review by the California Supreme Court. In this case, a man was convicted of pandering and sentenced to 4 years in jail after trying to recruit a police officer posing as working prostitute.

If you have been arrested or charged with prostitution, solicitation of prostitution or pandering, contact a Los Angeles prostitution defense lawyer immediately to protect your future and your reputation.

The pandering case under review raises the question if a person can be considered a "pimp" and convicted of pandering if they try to encourage someone who is already a prostitute to work for them. The defense argues that the charge of pandering only applies to people who try to recruit innocent victims to become prostitutes. If the defense wins, the man's conviction could be for the lesser crime of solicitation and potentially be erased.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Pandering Case Reviewed By California Supreme Court" »

Los Angeles domestic violence charges are serious matters. Statistics provide that one in four women will experience domestic violence in her life-time and an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by a partner each year.

The L.A. Times notes that the recent incidences involving Charlie Sheen and domestic violence underscore the challenges of domestic abuse cases. Here, reports state that although Brooke Mueller's statements that Sheen threatened her were enough to obtain a temporary restraining order, they were not enough to open a criminal investigation. The article noted the difficulty of proceeding without a criminal complaint.

However in many volatile relationships the opposite occurs, a spouse or a partner may make allegations of domestic abuse in the heat of the moment with little evidence to back up these claims. Where an alleged victim files a complaint, even if the accuser changes his or her mind about filing charges, once the police become involved, it is the sole discretion of the police whether to press charges.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Domestic Violence Charges Present Challenges" »

According to L.A. News, two suspects are wanted in connection with a downtown Los Angeles jewelry heist. The burglary occurred after the two men tunneled into a Broadway jewelry store and stole more than $3 million worth of merchandise.

If you have been arrested on the suspicion of any California crime, contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at once to begin investigating the matter and preparing your defense.

Here, the two masked men allegedly burglarized the store - systematically emptying the display cases of high-quality jewelry.

In cases such as these, it is possible video-taped surveillance evidence may unfortunately lead to the arrest of the wrong men. Where images are unclear - or the men are in disguise - and the stakes are high, police and prosecutors may arrest the wrong people in their zeal to put solve a crime. The consequences for the accused can be serious, and in a burglary case include fines, jail time and damage to one's reputation in the community.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Jewelry Theft Of $3 Million In Merchandise" »