Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer Blog

A man wrongfully accused and jailed for a $30 drug store robbery has been awarded more than $160,000 by the California Victims Compensation and Government Claims Board.

If you have been accused on any California crime - especially where the potential for jail time exists - it is critical to contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer to protect your rights and provide an aggressive defense.

Here, Robert Cuevas was charged with robbery as the result of his alleged involvement in a incident at a Los Angeles Rite Aid store. Cuevas and two other men allegedly filled their pants with gift bags and dental strips worth roughly $30. On the way out of the store one of the men pointed a gun at a security guard.
Cuevas was identified as the man with the gun, and as the result of a California weapons enhancement, was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

In some instances, the use of a deadly weapon during the course of a robbery may subject the accused to mandatory minimum prison sentences. Using improved technology to review the surveillance tapes, it was determined Cuevas was innocent. He was not part of the robbery and did not have a gun. After spending 1,627 days in jail - 4 ½ years - Cuevas was released.

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Long Beach news reports the early morning gang raids have led to 13 arrests in the homes of suspected gang members. The police officers also confiscated numerous weapons.

If you have been arrested on a suspicion of gang violence or weapons charges, contact an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at once to protect your constitutional rights and begin preparing your defense.

Reports indicate that the raid was targeted at a gang who is associated with several shootings over the last two months, including the recent attacks on police officers in MacArthur Park. Two young men were arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and face significantly increased penalties if the attack is considered gang activity.

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Dubbed the "geezer bandit" based on his appearance as elderly, a man has committed twelve bank robberies throughout California. Thus far he has eluded capture. An FBI Special Agent attributes the bandit's success, in part, to his non-threatening demeanor.

The first 11 robberies occurred in Riverside and San Diego counties, and the last one in Bakersfield. Allegedly, the man showed a demand note, asked for cash and threatened tellers with a gun if they didn't cooperate.

Should he be caught the "geezer bandit" faces potentially serious penalties. Under Federal banking law, the bandit faces the possibility of federal criminal charges potential time in a federal penitentiary.

Additional state charges may exist, including potential weapons charges.

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Recently, some 61 suspected gang members from the Harbor Gateway area of Los Angeles, as well as Long Beach and La Puente, were indicted on weapons and drug distribution charges. Dubbed "Operation Red Rein," federal and local law enforcement officials assert that the members acted as suppliers for other gangs throughout Los Angeles and Southern California.

California weapons charges are aggressively pursued by both California and Federal law enforcement officials and may be prosecuted as felony or serious misdemeanor offenses. Many weapons charges arise simply out of the possession of a stolen firearm - and many times those in possession are unaware that the gun is stolen. However, some weapons charges are much more serious, such as the use of a firearm during the commission of a crime, distributing firearms, or the sale or possession of a semi-automatic gun.

Here, if convicted, the suspects face between 10 and 20 years in federal prison.

Because of the potentially serious legal penalties that can arise from a weapons charge, it is critical to contact a California weapons charges defense attorney at once. Experienced California criminal defense attorneys can challenge the evidence obtained. For example where law enforcement engage in an illegal search and seizure, any evidence obtained in that search may be thrown out. Without properly obtained evidence, charges may be dismissed.

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