Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer Blog

According to L.A. Now, the Calabasas high school students arrested on charges of Los Angeles vandalism wrote racist graffiti on the school walls because they felt they had been "mistreated during the school year." The boys indicated that they were not targeting a specific ethnicity or religion - making it a potential hate crime - but rather the writings were aimed at individuals who had upset them throughout the year.

If you have been charged with either felony or misdemeanor vandalism, it is important to contact a Los Angeles vandalism defense attorney right away. Because several factors exist that can lead to penalty enhancements - such a whether conduct involves suspected gang members or could be considered a hate crime - it is important to get an attorney on your side immediately to start an investigation and begin preparing your defense.

Here, two teen boys were booked for felony vandalism and a third is expected to be arrested. Law enforcement has stated that they will seek criminal prosecution and reimbursement.

Continue reading "Teens Face Vandalism Charges In Calabasas High School Graffiti Case" »

A Long Beach teenager faces charges of making California criminal threats after allegedly creating a fake Facebook account and then threatening classmates. According to the Los Angeles Times, in addition to charges of making criminal threats, he has also been charged with obstruction of justice. As stated by the Long Beach police, "Posing a threat online is no different than making a threat face-to-face."

If you have been charged with making criminal threats or any other California crime, it is important to contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney to protect your rights and begin preparing your defense.

Long Beach police are using this case as an example to teenagers of social networking dangers. Despite the importance of this lesson - including the need to know whom you are accepting friend requests from - it is important not to forget the rights of the individual who allegedly made the threats.

Continue reading "Long Beach Teen Faces Charges Of Making Criminal Threats For Facebook Postings" »

The Long Beach Post reports that a West Long Beach block was evacuated as the Los Angeles Police Department searched for a man suspected of California armed robbery. The neighborhood was shut down for nearly 5 hours while the officers prepared to serve the suspect with an arrest warrant.

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

Here, the police officers carried rifles and were prepared for a raid. However when the police officers arrived at the suspect's home, they took him into custody without incident.

Continue reading "Long Beach Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested" »

Van Nuys news reports that law-enforcement has seized thousands of marijuana plaints from an indoor pot-growing facility in the San Fernando Valley. The seizure is part of a larger drug crime investigation that may extend into additional Los Angeles area communities.

Drug searches were also conducted in Canoga Park, Sherman Oaks, North Hills, North Hollywood and Palmdale. No arrests were made initially, but several individuals were targeted.

In order to reduce the number of drug crime both State and Federal law enforcement agencies hand down harsh punishments to any one arrested on a suspicion of a drug crime. If you have been arrested on any drug charges, you need an experienced Los Angeles drug crimes attorney to prepare your defense.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Drug Raid Yields Thousands Of Marijuana Plants" »

Former baseball player Lenny Dykstra was arrested this Friday in his Encino home on a suspicion of grand theft for allegedly trying to buy a stolen car. On Thursday, he was charged for allegedly trying to embezzle funds from his bankruptcy estate.

If convicted of these white-collar crimes, Dykstra faces up to 5 years in jail, as well as other potential penalties including fines and probation.

If you are facing any federal or state white-collar crimes, contact an experienced white-collar crimes defense lawyer immediately.

White Collar crimes typically refer to economic and non-violent criminal offense and including a variety of types of fraud including embezzlement, grand theft and identity theft. As has been alleged here, these types of crimes are typically committed to obtain money or property.

Continue reading "Dykstra Arrested For Grand Theft And Federal Bankruptcy Crime" »

According to L.A. Now, two men have been arrested for allegedly assaulting one man outside the Whisky a Go Go club in West Hollywood, then hitting two pedestrians while fleeing the scene.

If you are facing assault or any other criminal charges, it is critical to contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer immediately to protect your rights and begin preparing your defense.

If the men are convicted of assault, they face potentially serious penalties, including jail or prison time, fines and probation.

Here, many potential defenses exist. First - can the police officers prove the identity of the men as those involved in the assault? Further - were the men acting in self-defense? Additionally, where more than one person is charged with a crime, the extent of each individual's involvement may be not be equal. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can evaluate the circumstances, point out flaws and determine the best strategy in your matter.

Continue reading "2 Suspects Arrested In West Hollywood Assault " »

Five people, including residents of Los Angeles, Corona, and Oceanside have been found guilty in an LA phishing scheme. The scheme involved using spam e-mails to obtain bank account information from customers. The accused then used this information to transfer money into fraudulent accounts.

The 5 people convicted were found guilty of bank fraud, computer theft and identify fraud. The two men and three women were charged as part of operation "Phish Phry," a U.S.-Egyptian investigation that resulted in charges against 100 people.

If you are facing any California criminal charges or federal criminal charges, contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney immediately to begin investigating your case and preparing your defense.

Many times, when numerous people are charged with crimes as the result of a large scale investigation, innocent people are swept up in the arrests, and the prosecution may misperceive the nature and extent of any one individual's involvement.

Continue reading "5 Los Angeles Area Residents Convicted In Identity Theft And Bank Fraud Scheme" »

Los Angeles violent crime and Los Angeles property crime have seriously declined since this time last year.

According to the Mercury News, Los Angeles Police Department 2011 crime statistics reveal a 12.5% decline in the rate of violent crime and a 12% decrease in the property crime rate.

If you are under investigation for or have been charged with a violent crime or a property crime, it is critical to contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney immediately to begin investigating the allegations and preparing your defense.

4,579 serious violent crimes were reported as of the end of March for Los Angeles, including aggravated assault.

Violent crimes such as aggravated assault and robbery may be charged as felony as may count as a "strike" under California's "Three Strikes Law." Potential penalties include jail or prison time, fines, community service and probation or parole.

63 property crimes have been reported thus far for 2011, down from 72 at this time last year. Property crimes include such offenses as theft and vandalism, with charges depending on the value of the items taken or destroyed. Potential penalties include jail or prison time and fines.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Property Crime Declines" »