California Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

Martin Burt Kuehl of Costa Mesa must stand trial for gross vehicular manslaughter for the death of Martha Ovalle. In August of 2008, Kuehl was driving and texting in Newport Beach. He failed to see a pedestrian, Ovalle, and ran right into her. Although phone records showed no texts at the exact time of the incident, Kuehl had his phone in his hand during the accident and had been texting in a prior intersection. If convicted of this crime, Kuehl will face up to 9 years in state prison.

Possible defenses include that Kuehl was not in fact texting or talking on the phone and instead, was just negligent in failing to see Ovalle. Another defense could be that the pedestrian crossed when she was not supposed to. Lastly, the defense attorney could say that road conditions caused the accident and it was not the fault of Kuehl. Nevertheless, this manslaughter charge is serious and Kuehl will need a good defense attorney to assist him.

Whether you live in Yorba Linda, Laguna Niguel or Aliso Viejo, if you are charged with manslaughter, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Orange County Driver Stands Trial in Texting-While-Driving Death " »

Dr. William Moore Thompson, 82, of Orange County plead guilty of sexually assaulting a relative of his and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 330 days of home confinement. In 2003 and 2004, when the victim was under 14 years old, Thompson asked his young female relative to rub his genitals. Sentencing guidelines for 2 counts of lewd acts on a minor should result in between three and eight years in prison. Here, however, since Thompson was so old and sick and he had helped Orange County by setting up free medical clinics in prior years, the judge gave him a light sentence of just 30 days in jail.

In this case, the defense attorney initially likely argued that the assault never occurred. If the judge did not believe that, the defense attorney would then try and mitigate the situation by claiming that this was an isolated event and that the doctor is a good man who has helped this community. Clearly, the judge beleived that Thompson was in fact a good man that did one bad event and his sentence reflects that. Whether you live in Irvine, Santa Ana or Fullerton, if you are charged with child molestation or sexual assault, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Orange County Doctor Molests Child " »

William Shoop, Charlies Durliat and Jodie Brummet were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, hate crime and conspiracy to commit a crime for a fight they had with a black homeless man in Costa Mesa. The three suspects were outside of a bar on Harbor Boulevard, when a homeless man asked Brummet for a cigarette. The two men chased the homeless man two blocks down the street, while they yelled racial slurs and threats at him. When police arrived, Shoop was kicking the homeless man in the head.

A hate crime charge is given to anyone who uses race, sex, religion, etc., as the motivation for committing a crime against someone. The charge carries with it a stigma that the person is not tolerant of other people and comes with serious penalties. Besides jail time, people convicted of hate crimes may have to pay between a $5,000 and $10,000 fine. Additionally, a person convicted of a hate crime may be sued by their victim.

Whether you live in Brea, Laguna Beach or Tustin, if you are charged with assault, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " 3 Californian's Charged with Hate Crime for Beating Homeless Man " »

James Detory Shipp, Jr. was found guilty of murdering a woman in 1998 who tried to stop him from sexually assaulting one of her co-workers. Shipp was a former football player and aspiring Boxer who claims that he had neurological problems and faced domestic violence while growing up that changed him. Between 1997 and 2001, Shipp had also raped 5 women and had kidnapping and robbery charges on his record. For the murder/rape he received life in prison and for the crimes between 1997 and 2001, he faces 119 years and another life term.

Sometimes troubled pasts make people want to turn to crime. Here, Shipp witnessed domestic violence, associated with gangs and had neurological problems. These experiences all affected him adversely and caused him to commit these heinous crimes. For his actions, Shipp will spend the rest of his life in prison, contemplating what he did. He received so much time in prison so that it could never be a possibility that he be released. If you are charged with murder or rape, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Orange County Boxer Gets Life in Prison for Murder & Sexual Assault " »

Michael Alexander Clemmons and John Paul Foster II pled guilty this week to sexually assaulting an unconscious 18-year-old acquaintance in Tustin, which was recorded on videotape. A third party found the tape and turned it over to the police. The tape shows the heavily intoxicated victim laying on the bed and the men taking turns raping her. The men both pleaded guilty to eight felony sexual assault counts and are expected to be sentenced in November. A third co-defendant, Luster Mitchel Lewis, is expected to stand trial in November for similar charges.

Drinking alcohol can set you up to be the victim of rape. These men were supposed to take care of the victim (or so she thought), but instead they took advantage of her and she did not even know it happened. If there was no video recording of this incident, she likely would not have even known she was raped and the boys would have never been charged. Please remember that when you are drinking, have someone around you that you trust. Whether you live in Lake Forest, Anaheim or Laguna Beach, if you are charged with rape, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Santa Ana Men Plead Guilty to Videotaped Sexual Assault " »

Chrystina Rene Bock was arrested this week for allegedly stealing $200,000 from her Aliso Viejo church. She worked at the church as someone who collected donations. She told congregates to just write "CB" on the checks instead of the full church's name, Compass Bible Church. The letters "CB" were also her initials, so she would take the checks and deposit them into her own account. Officers got notice of the incident about a year ago and started investigating the books and her account. Once they realized she was likely stealing, they arrested her on suspicion of grand theft.

Stealing is a serious crime and can be looked at as immoral. Stealing from a church is at another level and it makes people cringe at the thought of doing. In these tough economic times though, people are getting desperate and will do whatever it takes to have money. Since grand theft is such a serious charge, Bock will need an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist her in court. Whether you live in Irvine, Trabuco Hills or Buena Park, if you are charged with theft, you will need an experienced Orange County attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Ladera Ranch Woman Stole $200,000 From Church " »

Dr. James Clyde Fish, a 90-year-old retired physician, shot and killed his 88 year-old-wife and tried to shoot himself on Sunday in Laguna Woods, California. Allegedly, he gave his wife morphine and then attempted to shoot her in the head, but the gun did not fire. A caretaker rushed in and took the gun away. She called the couple's son who told the caregiver to call 911. Meanwhile, Fish had a second gun that he used to shoot and kill his wife and then shoot himself in the head. He was immediately taken to the hospital and has been charged with manslaughter.

It is likely that Fish tried to kill his wife because she was suffering and under hospice care. He likely tried to kill himself because he did not want to live life without his wife. In California, euthanasia is against the law. You may not kill someone to relieve their suffering without being charged with murder or manslaughter. Although Fish was charged with manslaughter, it is unclear whether he will have to spend time in prison for his actions, because of his old age.

Whether you live in Anaheim Hills, Santa Ana or Coto De Caza, if you are charged with manslaughter, you will need an experienced Orange County defense attorney to assist you in court.

Continue reading " 90-Year-Old California Man Charged With Manslaughter Of Wife " »

George Joseph England spent 29 years as a fugitive after he was convicted of multiple child molestations in Costa Mesa in the 1970's. In the 70's, England was a contractor in Vietnam, where he met a woman who had a 5-year-old daughter and bought the young girl from the woman. They moved to Orange County, where he repeatedly molested her. He also molested her young friends, who told police and it eventually led to molestation convictions against England. Before being sentenced, while out on bail, England took his daughter from protective services and absconded. He was captured in Florida in 2006 and has been serving time since.

Since the crime was committed in the 70's, the laws during the 70's were not harsh on molesters. After just three years in prison, England is up for parole. District Attorney's are trying to prevent his release by claiming he is not remorseful and could do it again since he has not been to counseling yet. Even if he is not released soon, the maximum time he can serve is 6 years for his crimes, so he will be released in 2013. If he was convicted of those molestation charges today, he would be facing 45 years to life in prison.

Whether you live in Irvine, Buena Park or Lake Forest, if you are charged with a sex crime, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Costa Mesa Child Molester Up for Parole Soon " »

Last week, the FBI released a survey that proved that in 2008, crimes in Orange County went down, especially violent crimes and property crimes. This dip in crimes is a nationwide trend with violent crimes down 1.9% and property crimes down 1%. Property and violent crime dipped in both Santa Ana, Anaheim and Irvine. In Santa Ana, however, murders and non-negligent manslaughters increased. The only crime that increased throughout Orange County was theft, which likely went up because of the tough economic times.

I think it is great that crime is down right now. This shows that people are being more educated on effects of crime and alternatives to crime. Normally, in tough economic times, people get desperate and commit crimes to get what they want. Unfortunately, homicides went up in Santa Ana, likely due to the heavy gang activity in Santa Ana. Now that these statistics are out, the county will know where to focus their attention in providing resources to those that may commit crimes.

Whether you live in Laguna Woods, Tustin or Orange, if you are charged with a crime, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Statistics Prove That Crime is Down in Orange County " »

Chidi Benjamin Uzomah, Jr. pled guilty to misdemeanor assault, battery and possession of a switchblade knife. Uzomah was at the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) on Tuesday because Ryan Seacrest and other KIISfm radio hosts were there for a fundraiser. Seacrest was about to get in his car to leave when Uzomah tried to get in with him. Seacrest's body guard stopped Uzomah from entering the car and Uzomah was so mad that he put his arm around the body guard's neck and started choking him. He was immediately arrested. In court, Uzomah pled guilty to the assault, battery and weapon charges and was sentenced to 15 days in jail, three years of probation and an order to stay away from Ryan Seacrest and CHOC hospital.

Assault is the unlawful attempt, coupled with present ability, to commit a violent injury upon another. Battery is the willful and unlawful use of force against a person. These are both criminal charges that can also be brought against you in a civil suit. Whether you live in Laguna Niguel, Orange or Fullerton, if you are charged with assault or battery, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you fight these charges.

Continue reading " Ryan Seacrest Fan Assaults Security Guard " »

Cheryle Ann Ross of Garden Grove was charged with elder abuse this week. Ross lived with her mother Doris Ross in a mobile home park in Garden Grove. Ross was supposed to care for her mother, but Doris got so sick she was rushed to the hospital. Once there, doctors claimed that Doris had not been turned in her bed in quite some time and had such bad bed sores that she went into septic shock. Doris also was malnourished, dehydrated and had kidney failure. Cheryle said that she couldn't help her mom because her mother refused the help.

Elder abuse is the mistreatment of people over the age of 65. The mistreatment could be physical, psychological or sexual. Penalties for committing elder abuse include jail time and monetary penalties. Elder abuse also can be brought as a civil suit. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Yorba Linda or Tustin, if you are charged with elder abuse, you will need an experienced defense attorney to assist you in fighting your charges.

Continue reading " California Woman Charged With Elder Abuse of Her Mother " »

Juan Armando Candela was charged with two felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and oral copulation of a minor. Candela was the security guard at Beckman Hight School in Irvine, which is where he met a 16-year-old student. Candela and the girl started dating and they eventually had sexual intercourse. Newport Beach police saw the couple having sex in the car in August and he was arrested. If convicted, Candela will receive about 3 years and 8 months in state prison and may have to register as a sex offender.

Unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor is a serious charge because there is an implied issue of consent. Even if the minor consented to the sex, which in this case she did, the assumption is that she is not yet of the age to consent and does not really know what she is doing. Besides being held criminally liable, Candela may be sued by the victim or the victim's parents. If found guilty during a civil trial, Candela could have to pay around $25,000.

Whether you live in Buena Park, Laguna Niguel or Anaheim Hills, if you are charged with any sex crimes, call an experienced attorney to assist you right away.

Continue reading " Irvine Security Guard Charged With Having Sex With Student " »

Nicolas Alex Duran, Alejandro Justin Duran and a 16-year-old boy were all arrested this week for allegedly stabbing a man twice in the stomach after the man tried to stop the 3 gang members from tagging a wall. After the victim yelled for them to stop tagging, the three suspects kicked, punched and stabbed him, likely because they thought he was going to report them to authorities. They will all be charged with assault with a deadly weapon and if convicted, will face between 3 and 12 years in prison.

A violent felony will count as a strike on your record. If you get three strikes, you are sentenced to life in prison. Since these suspects were in a gang, they may get a sentencing enhancement if they were assaulting the victim in furtherance of the gang. Additionally, if they were actually tagging the wall, they will face more time in prison.

Whether you live in Irvine, Fullerton or Huntington Beach, if you are charged with assault with a deadly weapon, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you fight your charges and help lower your sentence.

Continue reading " Santa Ana Men Stabbed For Stopping Taggers " »

Thuy Le called 911 on Wednesday morning, claiming that she stabbed her 5-year-old and 3-year-old daughter and herself. She was staying at her cousin's house in Westminster that night. Le's cousin's children noticed the living room covered in blood when they woke up and told their parents. Le was seen cradling one of her daughters after the 911 call had been made. Pham, Le's cousin, said she had not been herself lately. She was stressed with her failed marriage and her failing business and suddenly became very religious. After police arrived, they arrested Le on suspicion of two attempted murders. The children are still in the hospital but are expected to survive.

The children must have been so scared to see their mother stabbing them. Clearly, Le was not mentally stable at the time she committed these heinous acts. Attempted murder is a serious charge and Le will need an experienced attorney to assist her in court. If Le claims she is guilty by reason of insanity, she will have to spend the rest of her life in a mental facility. Whether you live in Tustin, Fullerton or Laguna Beach, if you are charged with murder or attempted murder, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Westminster Mother Stabs Her 2 Kids & Herself " »

On Thursday of last week, an Orange County judge ordered Brian Benedict to pay more in child support for his son. He was very angered by the $500 increase in child support he had to pay. On Sunday, Rebecca Benedict, Brian's ex-wife, went to go pick up her 4-year-old son from Brian's on-campus apartment at University of California, Irvine as Brian's weekend custody had terminated. The couple argued before he gave her the child. As Rebecca was leaving, Brian Benedict walked up behind Rebecca and shot her in the head, near their son. She fell to the ground and after being taken to the hospital, was pronounced dead. Police and campus security immediately detained Brian on suspicion of murder.

In his past, Brian studied at the U.S. Naval Academy and when he graduated, he was assigned to U.S. Air Force Space Command. After the Air Force he went to UCI to earn his graduate degree in physics. There, he met Rebecca and they were married soon after. In October of 2004, the couple had a soon together but in 2006, the couple split.

It was assumed that the bitter divorce and custody dispute along with the child support issues affected Brian so much that he acted on rage and anger when he committed this heinous crime. He will now be charged with the murder of his ex-wife. If convicted, he will likely face years in prison.

Whether you live in Tustin, Laguna Hills or Brea, if you are charged with murder, call an experienced attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Irvine Graduate Student Shoots Ex-Wife on Campus " »

Zachory Loring, 24, is prohibited from going within 100 yards of Audrina Patridge. Patridge is best known for her role on the reality show "The Hills" as well as being on magazines and in commercials. Last month, Loring went to Patridge's house and declared that he was a fan. He gave her poems and notes that he wrote for her and handed her a drawing that had a woman being strangled. On two other occasions, Loring was found loitering on her property. Eventually, Patridge got scared and called police to escort him away from the property. This week, she received a temporary restraining order against him and will go back to court for a permanent order, because she believes she is being stalked by Loring.

Stalking is the act of repeatedly following someone and making threats against that person. In this case, Loring waited by Patridge's house for her several times and once gave her a drawing that she felt was a threat against her. If Loring is charged with stalking, he may face prison time. Whether you live in Orange, Brea or Laguna Niguel, if you are charged with stalking, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Los Angeles Reality Star Gets Restraining Order Against Stalker " »

Guy William Savage, or the Buddy Holly Bandit, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after an Anaheim bank robbery. Savage was shot and wounded by Anaheim police after waking into a Washington Mutual bank with a fake bomb taped to himself in 2005. He claims that police did not let him get medical help right away, which caused flesh eating bacteria to invade his body and nearly kill him. He was convicted of bank robbery charges and has to spend 10 years in prison and pay the bank back about $12,000. Once he is released from prison, he will have to go to drug counseling since he claims that he robbed the banks because of his drug addiction.

Savage had such a severe addiction to drugs that he would do anything to pay for his addiction. Robbing a bank to get money is not a good idea. Banks have lots of security and video cameras and people rarely get away with bank robberies. You will receive a larger sentence if you use a weapon to commit your robbery. A fake bomb would be considered a weapon since it instills fear in people. Whether you live in Westminster, Aliso Viejo or Tustin, if you are charged with robbery, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side.

Continue reading " Buena Park Bank Robber Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison " »

Dennis James Ward was found guilty yesterday of nine counts of lewd conduct on a child who was a young male relative of his, that occurred 15 years ago. For this crime, he now may face 30 years in state prison.

In 1985, two Costa Mesa boys claimed they were molested by Ward. Ward was convicted and was sentenced to six years, although he served just three years. He was released on parole in 1988 and the molestation on the victim/relative occurred between 1990 and 1992. The victim was between 4 and 7 at the time and did not tell anyone what occurred. Ward was then arrested in 1995 for molesting two young Huntington Beach boys and was sentenced to 23 years in prison. Ward was going to be released in 2007, but once the victim of the current case found out, he reported the molestation that occured 15 years prior.

Child molestation is a very serious offense that will stay on your record and will require you to register as a sex offender. Whether you live in Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel or Fullerton, if you are charged with child molestation, you will need a good Orange County defense attorney to investigate the claim and prepare defenses.

Continue reading " Repeat Molester Convicted Again for Lewd Conduct " »

Cesar Gomez is charged with murder with special circumstances for the alleged killing of Ashley Lilly, a prostitute. Lilly had posted on Myspace that she would be at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Anaheim and would offer her services to people that contacted her. Around August 20, 2009, Gomez went into Lilly's room and beat her face and body and then strangled her. He ransacked her hotel room and stole personal items. On August 21, hotel staff found her dead in her room. Through DNA evidence, Gomez was suspected and arrested for the murder. Gomez had a prior strike on his record for a 1993 murder conviction. If convicted of this murder, he will face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Gomez did not sexually assault Lilly and seemed interested only in murderher personal belongings. The District Attorney will allege that this crime was for the benefit of a criminal street gang and committed this crime for the benefit of the gang. If it is proven that Gomez did this for the benefit of the gang, his sentence will be enhanced significantly.

There is a split among the courts as to whether the DA has to prove that the crime was for the benefit of the gang. The basic gang statute in California, Penal Code section 186.22 says "Any person who actively participates in any criminal street gang with knowledge that its members engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity, and who willfully promotes, furthers, or assists in any felonious criminal conduct by members of
that gang, shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months, or two or three years." Gomez's lawyer will likely argue that he did this crime due to personal reasons (robbery) and that it had nothing to do with promoting the gang or making people afraid of the gang.

Whether you live in Santa Ana, Fullerton or Huntington Beach, if you are charged with murder, assault or prostitution, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Los Angeles Man Arrested for Killing Prostitute in Orange County " »

During these tough economic times, people are going to desperate measures to get money. The newest way people are making money, is torching their cars or reporting them stolen and then collecting the insurance money. Suspected vehicle arson fraud went up 31% from 2007 to 2008. Suspected vehicle theft fraud went up 15% from 2007 to 2008. Already in 2009, there are more questionable vehicle thefts and arsons, as well as more suspicious "hit while parked" reports and phantom accidents than in 2008.

An obvious sign of fraud is when inconsistent stories are told to the insurance company. Often, people in Southern California drive their cars down to Mexico and leave them there, and then report the cars stolen. Now, insurance companies are investigating claims more thoroughly. If you are caught lying to the insurance companies, you will be charged with insurance fraud. Once charged, you must pay back what you owe the insurance company and you may even go to jail. For more information on fraud investigation, click here.

Whether you live in Irvine, Santa Ana or Newport Beach, if you are charged with fraud, you will need an experienced Orange County defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " More Californians are Torching Cars to Defraud Insurance Companies " »

Anand Jon Alexander was convicted of 16 counts of rape and sexual assault and was sentenced to 59 years to life in prison for his acts. Alexander was a well known fashion designer in California and was well liked among celebrities. Alexander hired models (some who were under 18) for his fashion shows and then raped and assaulted them and other model hopefuls who he lured to his house.

Initially, the grand jury indicted Alexander of 59 counts, but the majority of the charges were dropped. Before sentencing, Alexander claimed he didn't receive a fair trial because a juror contacted his sister, the prosecution withheld evidence and his attorneys were ineffective. Since he thought his lawyers were ineffective, he fired them and represented himself in court. Nevertheless, the judge still sentenced him to 59 years to life in state prison. He is awaiting similar rape and sexual assault charges in Texas and New York. If he is convicted of those, he will have more time tacked onto his sentence.

This sentence of 59 years to life seems very steep for rape charges. Although the article did not mention the details of the rapes, they must have been very heinous. In California, rape is a very serious crime that comes with steep penalties. Additionally, statutory rape or the rape of someone under 18, is an even more serious crime and was probably what cause Alexander to receive such a long sentence.

Whether you live in Laguna Beach, Westminster or Brea, if you are charged with rape or sexual assault, call an experienced OC criminal defense attorney to assist you in fighting your charges.

Continue reading " California Fashion Designer Sentenced in Sexual Assault Case " »

David Dunlap was stopped on Monday in Lake Forest for rolling past a stop sign. When the officer pulled him over, he smelled a strong marijuana smell. Upon further investigation, the officer found 1 gram of marijuana on Dunlap and another 97 grams and a scale in his backpack. Dunlap said he had bought it from a nearby marijuana dispensary and was selling it to others who had medical marijuana cards. The sale of medical marijuana is only allowed by specific dispensaries according to the Compassionate Use Act. Dunlap was arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana and possession for sale. The estimated street value of 98 grams of marijuana is about $1600.

Medical Marijuana is available to people who have chronic illnesses and who are in constant pain. Once patients have applied for a medical marijuana card and have received one, they may buy drugs from specific marijuana dispensaries throughout the state. Each state has varying laws on how much you can buy at one time. In California, you may only buy 8 ounces of marijuana at one time.

Whether you live in Santa Ana, Fullerton or Buena Park, if you are charged with possession or sale of drugs, call an experienced Orange County defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Lake Forest Man Arrested With 98 Grams of Marijuana " »

The Los Angeles Station Fire that started a couple of weeks ago, was just ruled to be an arson fire. Officers are looking for the arsonist who they think matches the profile of a typical arsonist: a while male between 15-25 years old who set the fire out of revenge. The Station Fire has burned about 230 square miles, burned down 60 homes and killed two firefighters. The California governor has authorized a $100,000 reward to any person that turns in the arsonist. Once this arsonist is caught, he will be charged with murder and arson and will likely face the death penalty.

Humans are the number one cause of fires in Southern California. In 2008, humans caused over 5,000 wildfires, which was the highest number in years. Arsonists are hard to catch though because they rarely come back to the scene of the crime and normally burn areas that are not commonly populated or recorded on surveillance cameras. Whether you live in Anaheim, Laguna Beach or Orange, if are charged with arson, you will need an experienced defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " California's Station Fire Ruled an Arson " »

In July, Jaime Martinez of Buena Park pleaded guilty to 32 felony counts including the rape of 4 young girls in his family aged 5 to 11. One of the girls claimed she had been molested since she was 5 years old and once was abused by Martinez in the school bathroom. Additionally, the girl said that he once hit her and showed her a gun and said he would kill her and her family if she reported him to authorities. Last week, Martinez was sentenced to 330 years to life in prison for the sexual assaults.

People often wonder why sentences are so long. Clearly, no one will live for 330 years so why have a sentence for so long? Sentences are actually calculated based on how many offenses the person is convicted of and the severity of the offenses. Even with that number calculated, the judge has broad discretion in sentencing and can add or subtract years. Whether you live in Irvine, Santa Ana or Fullerton, if you get charged with a sex crime, you will need an experienced Orange County criminal defense attorney on your side.

Continue reading " California Molester Gets 330 Years in Prison " »

Timothy Wade Voroshuck walked into a Santa Ana CVS and demanded OxyContin from the employee behind the pharmacy counter. The robber claimed he had a gun and when the employee refused to give him OxyContin, the robber jumped on the counter and tried to fight with the employee. The quick thinking employee gave him Tylenol instead and told him it was OxyContin. Officers quickly arrived and arrested Voroshuck for robbery and false imprisonment. He is in jail with his bail amount set at $145,000.

Clearly, Voroshuck was addicted to OxyContin and was desperate to get his hands on some more. In desperation, people do crazy things. He will likely face a few years in jail for the robbery and false imprisonment. He will need an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist him in fighting his legal charges.

Continue reading " Santa Ana Man Robs CVS Pharmacy " »

William Eric Hamren called police earlier this week to report his stolen truck and bike. When Fullerton officers went to his house, Hamren ordered them off his property. Officers called for backup and Hamren was detained. A roommate told officers that Hamren had a gun in his room and Hamren said he had two safes in the garage. After searching the house, they found ammunition and pipebombs. Hamren was taken to St. Jude's Medical Center for psychological evaluation. Apparently, while being questioned, he threatened to kill President Barack Obama. After being interviewed by the secret services, he was booked in an Orange County jail.

The combination of bombs, the threat to the President and Hamren's psychological problems will make this a complicated legal matter. An experienced defense attorney will seek to have his client examined by a psychiatrist trained in forensic examinations to determine if the client does have psychological problems. If the defense attorney is successful in raising a mental defense to the charges the client may be admitted to a mental institution instead of going to prison. If you are charged with weapons charges, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Fullerton Man Arrested for Bomb & Weapon Possession " »

Adrian Montano Fuerte was found guilty, this week, of felony forcible rape and assault with the intent to rape and two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and battery. Fuerte, who worked at a few Econo Lube and Tune locations in 2007 would lure women into the garage to explain their car problems. Once there, he would assault them, sexually batter them or rape them. Five women came forward and said that Fuerte either raped them or assaulted them. Fuerte could face around 15 years in state prison for his crimes.

Sexual battery is the touching of the intimate part's of another without consent and is a misdemeanor. Rape, on the other hand, requires actual penetration and is a felony. Sex crimes stay on your record and may even require you to register on a sex offender list. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Fullerton or Newport Beach, if you are charged with a sex crime, you will need an experienced defense attorney to assist you with your legal matters.

Continue reading " Tustin Mechanic Found Guilty of Sexual Assault " »

Colin Nathanson was the president and CEO of Giant Golf Company and Play Big Enterprises. While owning those companies, he admitted that he fraudulently convinced hundreds of people to invest in his companies, claiming that the companies would soon be publicly traded or would merge with a larger company. Nathanson received about $55 million from the investors and then bought houses, went on pricey vacations and used the money for his gambling addiction. The Securities and Exchange Commission started investigating him in 2005 and realized he was engaging in fraudulent activity. This week, Nathanson was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for the fraud he committed. As soon as he gets out, he will deported to South Africa since he was illegally in the U.S.

Someone being suspected of defrauding people out of money can be prosecuted criminally and sued in civil court. Even though Nathanson is in prison, he can also be sued by all the people he stole money from. Nathanson was sentenced to 27 years. To put this in context, a murderer would likely be sentenced to about 25 years. After Enron, the court has been more harsh in sentencing white collar criminals, especially when the dollar loss was so great. Whether you live in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach or Huntington Beach, if you are charged with fraud or any other white collar crime, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side.

Continue reading " Coto De Caza Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Fraud " »

Two homeless men decided to have sex on a stranger's lawn in broad daylight on Sunday at the 1000 block of Gavoita Drive in Laguna Beach. Police came after the homeowners called them to report the incident. The men were taken to Laguna Beach jail and charged with lewd conduct.

Lewd conduct involves sexual conduct that is done in a public place that offends someone. It is a misdemeanor offense but it will be on your criminal record. The penalties are normally jail time, fees and probation. A good defense attorney may be able to lower the charges to disturbing the peace. Whether you are in Irvine, Newport Beach or Tustin, if you get charged with lewd conduct, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Laguna Beach Men Arrested for Having Sex on Stranger's Lawn " »

On Saturday night, Fullerton PD responded to a burglary call on Dale Street and Valencia Drive. Police arrived and saw a man walking near the area with a concealed weapon on him. The suspect then tried to run but was stopped by the police dog, Blitz. Thomas Zucchero, 24, was arrested for possession of a loaded .25 caliber, semi automatic gun. Zucchero was on parole at the time of arrest so he will also be charged with a parole violation and evading arrest. Lieutenant Kevin Hamilton said Zucchero is a Pauline Street gang member that was recently paroled and may have to go to Chino State Prison after this parole violation.

Parole is the supervised release of a prisoner before the end of their sentence. Once someone is paroled, conditions are placed on them to abide by, including the ban on carrying any weapons. Zucchero is clearly in violation of this requirement and will face more prison time for this incident. He will need an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist him with his legal matters.

Continue reading " Anaheim Parolee Caught Carrying Gun " »