California Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

A four-year old girl was rescued by law enforcementThursday after the police were alerted to a human smuggling operator by the child's parents. It seems the kind gentleman, er, kidnapper and extorter, was supposed to bring the child to the United States and deliver her to her parents, who had illegally entered the U.S. via another route. But the kidnapper/smuggler decided to extract payment after payment from the parents, until they got so desperate that they walked up to a CHP officer parked at the Laguna Hills mall and told him what was afoot.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE0 was alerted and the Orange County Sheriff's department ultimately arrested the kidnapper after setting up a payment meeting. Ironically, the child and her parents will be kept in the U.S. so that they can testify against the kidnapper.

The saying goes, "if you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas". Human smuggling and kidnapping for ransom are among the most serious crimes, frequently punishable by life in prison.

Whether you live in Santa Ana, Laguna Hills or Santa Ana, if you are charged with kidnapping, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Orange County Sheriff's Arrest Human Smuggler " »

John Arther Walthall, of Laguna Beach, was arrested last week for defrauding a Laguna Niguel elderly couple out of $4.7 million dollars.Walthall told this couple that he had invested his own money in a gold mining business and it had been very profitable for him. The couple gave millions of dollars to him to invest and instead, Walthall used it for his own personal expenses. He paid for his child's tuition, alimony, and child support and bought gold coins and cars. After getting caught, he has been charged with nine counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and other charges. If convicted of all of these crimes, he faces 150 years in federal prison.

Fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or damage to another and comes in many different forms. Money laundering is the act of making huge amounts of money through illegal means and then claiming the money came from a legitimate source. Conning people out of money to invest in a fictitious business is a serious crime. If convicted, Walthall will have to spend his life in prison and will be ordered to pay back as much of the money as possible. Since these are serious crimes that Walthall has been charged with, he will need an experienced fraud defense attorney to assist him. Whether you live in Tustin, Brea or Villa Park, if you have been charged with fraud, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Orange County Man Arrested After Defrauding Elderly Couple " »

Last week, at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas, five junior high students were kicked by fellow students. These attacks came after a Facebook group sent a message around to students claiming it was "Kick a Ginger Day" which meant students were supposed to kick redheads at their school. Police believe the kids got the idea from a "South Park" TV episode. No arrests were made and it is unclear if these suspects will be prosecuted.

Committing a crime against someone based on their hair color may be viewed as a hate crime. It's likely, though, that these suspects will be treated informally by the court, rather than be charged with a crime since they were so young and likely had no prior criminal record. Juveniles are increasingly prosecuted more frequently because parents cannot or will not supervise their own children and teach acceptable social values. Now the courts deal with misbehavior and crime, a task for which they are ill-suited. Whether you live in Laguna Hills, Orange, or Yorba Linda, if your child has been charged with assault or battery, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " California Junior High Students Assault Red-Haired Students " »

Vincent Edward Cantu, a former Pasadena officer of 8 years, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for two bank robberies he committed in 2008. While robbing banks, he was polite to the tellers but pointed a gun at them when demanding money. He was caught after a robbery in August of 2008 in La Habra, and once detained, admitted committing about 5 bank robberies. Because of the plea agreement, he was only charged with two bank robberies that he committed in 2008 in which he stole over $20,000.

Robbing a bank is a federal offense because banks are federally insured. Since its a federal offense, you are housed in federal prison if convicted. Bank robbers almost always get caught because banks have high tech security and surveillance systems. If you are convicted of robbing a bank, you will always get jail/prison time, have to pay restitution and be put on probation. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Ladera Ranch or Garden Grove, if you are charged with robbery, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Former Pasadena Police Officer Guilty of Robbing Banks " »

On Monday, Riverside Public Utilities workers were doing a routine check of a canal near Cridge Street Olivewood Avenue when they saw two dogs lodged against a metal grate to the storm sewer. The workers noticed that the dogs had tape over their mouth and one dog had died from drowning. The other chihuahua was uninjured. The dogs had been in the canal for less than 24 hours and were beleived to be someone's pet. Once the person who did this is caught, they will be charged with animal cruelty.

Animal cruelty is the infliction of injury or harm on an animal or the neglect of an animal. Animals are helpless creatures that often cannot fight off their attackers. If you are convicted of animal cruelty, you will likely go to jail, have to take anger management classes, pay restitution and be put on probation. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Laguna Niguel or Fullerton, if you are charged with animal cruelty, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Chihuahuas Bound With Electrical Tape & Thrown Into Riverside Canal " »

This week, Billie Joe Johnson, a convicted double murderer, was sentenced to death for the retaliation murder of a former gang colleague, Scott Miller. Miller decided to go on TV and explain their white supremacy gang. Fellow gang members recognized Miller on TV and were so angry that they decided to retaliate. Johnson was convicted of luring Miller into an alley and then co-conspirator Michael Lamb shot him. Johnson was charged and convicted of murder with special circumstances of lying-in-wait and murder for the benefit of the gang. He wanted to be sentenced to death instead of life in prison because he thought he would get a bigger prison cell, more recreation time and more family visits. In his past, he had beaten a man to death and has been serving time for that murder as well.

To qualify for the death penalty instead of just life in prison without the possibility of parole, special circumstances need to be present. Some special circumstances include felony murder, murdering a peace officer, prosecutor or judge or multiple murders, among others. If you are convicted of murder with special circumstances, you will be on Death Row for years before being executed. If you are sentenced to murder without special circumstances, you will have to spend your life in prison. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Westminster or Anaheim, if you are charged with murder, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " California White Supremacist Sentenced to Death " »

On Friday, a drug bust was made in Castaic leading to four arrests and ten children being put in protective custody. Rafael Arciniega and James Stern were arrested for possessing methamphetamine for sale and put in jail. Midalia Hernandez was arrested for possessing methamphetamine and was also jailed. Manuel Arciniega was arrested for possessing a fraudulent document. During the drug raid three guns, cash and several ounces of methamphetamine were found. Ten children were living in the home and they were all put in protective custody.

Most of the time, police need a search warrant to come into your home and look around. For this drug bust, it is likely that police obtained a warrant after neighbors reported suspicious activity coming from the house. Depending on the amount of drugs found, the suspects can be charged with either a misdemeanor or felony charge. They face serious jail time if convicted. Whether you live in Tustin, Garden Grove or Ladera Ranch, if you are charged with drug offenses, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " California Drug Bust Leads to 10 Children Being Put in Protective Custody " »

Margot Jean Strawn was a former accountant and trustee to the Pellissier family. She was in charge of managing trust funds for two children of the family. Over a six year period, Strawn stole more than $500,000 from the fund to buy herself a doll collection. She would write personal checks to herself from the fund and then deposit it into her own checking account. She also failed to file her tax returns and worked as an accountant even after her license expired. She was sentenced to two felony counts of grand theft with enhancements for aggravated white collar crime. This week, she was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay back the money she stole.

A white collar crime is a crime committed by someone in the course of their occupation. Types of white collar crimes include fraud, forgery, embezzlement, etc. Most people think that people charged with white collar crimes get special treatment since they have a lot of money. They are also thought to be sentenced to less time in prison and are sentenced to low security prisons that have many amenities. This is becoming less true as more and more white collar crimes are being recognized and prosecuted. Whether you live in Irvine, Newport Beach or Coto De Caza, if are you charged with white collar crime or grand theft, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " 58-Year-Old Laguna Hills Woman Charged With Grand Theft " »

Matthew Thomas Dragna was arrested this week, after police found evidence that links him to a murder that occurred last month. Authorities believe that Dragna and Damon Nicholson became friends through a website and starting a relationship. On October 23, a co-worker of Nicholson found him beaten to death on his sofa. Nicholson's laptop, computer, clothing and cell phone had been stolen. At the crime scene, there was evidence that Dragna may have been at the crime scene and there was no showing of forced entry into the home, meaning that someone close to him may have done the crime. Search warrants were issued for both Dragna's Lake Forest home and a Santa Ana Drug Rehab center where Dragna had been staying. Dragna was arrested when some of the stolen items were found. He faces murder and robbery charges.

A felony murder is a murder done during the commission of another felony, or in furtherance of that felony. Since police think that robbery may have been the primary motive for the murder, this would likely qualify as a felony murder situation. Felony murder charges come with a sentence of life in prison. A possible defense to the murder would be a lack of intent. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Tustin or Brea, if you are charged with murder or robbery, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Lake Forest Man Arrested for Murder & Robbery " »

Last week, four Orange County men and one Nevada man walked into a Nevada Wells Fargo bank, handed the bank manager a fake warrant and said that they had the authority to walk into the vaults and take all of the money. The bank manager refused to allow the men take the money so they handcuffed and threatened him. As the suspects were leaving, police caught the men and arrested them. The men in FBI custody include Orange County residents Jonathan Miranda-Brewster, Jonathan Gray, Brady Beach and Ryan Williams. The Nevada robbery suspect was Eric Griffin.

These men will likely be charged with attempted robbery. Robbing a bank is a federal felony since banks are federally insured. You can be prosecuted by both the FBI and federal prosecutors. It is a very serious charge that comes with prison time, fines and probation. If convicted, this counts as a strike against you and once you get three strikes, you are sent to prison for life. Whether you live in Irvine, Lake Forest or Anaheim Hills, if you are charged with attempted robbery, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Orange County Men Use Fake Warrant to Rob Bank " »

Julieta Pimentel was arrested today for stealing items off of a FedEx truck parked outside of a Wendy's restaurant in Glendora in September. Pimentel apparently stole items such as designer purses, luggage and clothing and then sold them from her apartment on South Occidental Blvd. After police received a tip that Pimentel was selling stolen items, they raided her apartment and found more than 300 stolen items exceeding $155,000 in value. Pimentel was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property.

You can be charged with receiving stolen property if you knowingly buy, sell or receive stolen property. Besides being charged with the crime, the suspect can also be sued in civil court by the person they stole from. Punishments include jail time, probation & restitution. Defenses include claim of right or lack of knowledge that the items are stolen. Whether you live in Huntington Beach, Laguna Niguel or Brea, if you are charged with theft, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Glendora Woman Arrested For Theft Off of FedEx Truck " »

Jesse Karim Pena was convicted of raping a female patient in the Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo in February. The patient was heavily intoxicated and could not resist Pena's advances. She later reported the incident to hospital officials who called police. Pena was arrested in June and was charged with one count of raping an intoxicated person. Last week, after pleading guilty to the crime, Pena was sentenced to three years in state prison.

Rape is a very serious crime that will almost always come with prison time. If the rape is with someone who is intoxicated, the sentence will be increased due to their inability to fight back. A major defense to rape charges is consent. Consent has to be freely given though and can not be influenced by the threat of force. Whether you live in Orange, Aliso Viejo or Anaheim, if you are charged with rape, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you in preparing a defense.

Continue reading " Orange County EMT Convicted of Raping Patient " »

Fabian Cayetano Urrea has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for the murder of a National Guardsman. Jorge Estrada had been serving time in Iraq while his wife, Diana Estrada, was having an affair with Urrea. Diana Estrada became pregnant with Urrea's child and Jorge Estrada decided he would raise the child as his own. Three days after the child was born, Urrea went to Estrada's apartment to see the baby. Before stepping out of his truck, Urrea loaded his 9mm gun and cocked it. When he saw Jorge Estrada, he shot him three times in the chest, killing him. Urrea was arrested and charged with first degree murder. Last week he was convicted of first degree murder and now faces 50 years in prison.

First degree murder is one of the most serious crimes you can be charged with. To prove that someone committed first degree murder, a prosecutor must prove that the murder was willful and premeditated. This means that the suspect must have had a plan and the intent to kill the person. This was proved in this case because before Urrea stepped out of his car, he loaded and cocked his gun. This shows that it was Urrea's intent to use the gun on someone. Whether you live in Westminster, Villa Park or San Clemente, if you have been charged with murder, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " California Man Sentenced for Murder of National Guardsman " »

Joey Roy Hawkins, a former long boarder and surf champion, was arrested last week on suspicion of being under the influence of methamphetamine and possessing a loaded gun while sitting in his car near a youth shelter in Huntington Beach. Shelter employees called police after they saw a suspicious man walking around the shelter. When officers got there, Hawkins was sitting in his car with a gun and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested, charged and pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of possessing methamphetamine while armed and of possessing the drug.

Since Hawkins will be charged with both drug and gun charges, it is likely that he may face some prison time. Luckily, police got there when they did because it was unclear what Hawkins planned to do with the loaded gun while under the influence of a mind altering substance. Although everyone has the right to own a gun under the Second Amendment, there are restrictions on where you can have the gun. If you have any questions pertaining to gun laws, look up your city and state regulations. Whether you live in Coto De Caza, Costa Mesa or Fullerton, if you are charged with drug or gun charges, call an experienced DUI defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Huntington Beach Surf Legend Arrested For Drug & Gun Possession " »

Clifford Polston, the former head of the Boys and Girls Club of Tustin for 30 years, pleaded guilty to stealing around $114,000 from the Club, taking over $6,000 in unauthorized car allowances and creating a fictitious job for his wife that paid her $75,000 a year. Polston has to pay back all the money that he took and also faces prison time for his acts. Friends and people who knew him were shocked that Polston could have done such a thing and thought he was really helping out the community.

Grand theft in California is the taking of another's property valued above $400. If you take something that has a value of more than $50,000, you will receive a sentencing enhancement as well. The only defenses for grand theft are consent or claim of right. Just because you return the money, that does not mean you will not be charged. Whether you live in Laguna Beach, Santa Ana or Yorba Linda, if you are charged with theft, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Head of Boys & Girls Club in Tustin Guilty of Theft " »

Lori Christina Armstrong was charged with a misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime to officers. Last month, Armstrong claimed that she had been kidnapped from a bus stop in Santa Ana after the suspects put a rag on her face that made her unconscious. She said that she kept waking up and blacking out in an apartment and at one point thought she had been raped. She claimed that later that day the men put her in the car and dumped her in Anaheim. She went to the police station and reported the crime. During follow up interviews she admitted to officers that she had made up the story. The motive behind the lie is unknown.

Lying to officers is a crime, whether it be about your name, where you live, what you are doing or about a crime. The problem with falsely reporting a crime is that police put a lot of their time and effort into finding the alleged suspects of the "crime." They also may arrest people that have not committed any crime.

The motive behind lying varies on the person. Sometimes people do not say their true name because they have a past that they do not want officers to know about. Others may make up stories to the police in order to cover up their own misdeeds. I have come across a few people that have lied about being raped or kidnapped to cover up an affair. If they claim they have been raped or kidnapped instead of being unfaithful, their husband or boyfriend will likely not leave them. There are many other reasons why people lie to officers, but they almost always get caught. Do not lie to police officers.

Whether you live in Santa Ana, Laguna Niguel or Villa Park, if you are charged with lying to officers, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Garden Grove Woman Charged For Lying to Cops " »

On Wednesday of this week, Mike Tyson was at LAX airport and was being followed by paparazzi. He exchanged words with one of the photographers, Tony Echevarria. The two men got into an altercation and both claimed the other one hit them first. Eventually, both men got into a physical fight and Echevarria was punched in the face four times. Tyson claims he was defending his family who was being swarmed by the paparazzi. They were both arrested on suspicion of battery and want to press charges.

Battery can be either a misdemeanor or felony offense, depending on the severity of the incident and if weapons were used. Here, there were no weapons used, but Tyson, a former boxer, clearly had an advantage over the photographer. Often, photographers get too close to celebrities and their families or they say something that the celebrity finds offensive and the celebrity will get physical with the photographer. A similar incident to this one involved rapper Kanye West and another photographer at LAX airport. It is likely that Tyson and the photographer will have to take anger management classes as part of their punishment.

Whether you live in Newport Beach, Fullerton or San Clemente, if you are charged with assault or battery, call an experienced defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Boxer Mike Tyson Charged With Battery For Fight in Los Angeles " »

Arthur Leroy Shoot was returning home from a trip to the Philippines in September of 2008, when custom officials at Los Angeles International Airport decided to search his luggage. While searching through Shoot's phone, officials discovered four sexually explicit pictures of a young girl. After further investigation, investigators determined that the child in the photographs was his 7-year-old niece and that Shoot had taken these pictures for his own sexual gratification. He was arrested and charged with a sex crime and was just recently sentenced to 17 years in prison. In his past, Shoot was charged with three counts of child molestation, two of which were against his daughters. He received jail times for those offenses as well.

Sex crimes can range from possession of child pornography to rape. Sentences may range from probation to decades in prison. California is very strict on suspects of rape and child molestation and will ensure that the defendant gets the highest penalties possible. Whether you live in Irvine, Fullerton or Santa Ana, if you are charged with sex crimes, you will need an experienced defense attorney to assist you. The defense attorney will fully investigate the claims and evidence against you in order to prepare a successful defense.

Continue reading " Mission Viejo Man Convicted For Having Naked Picture of Niece " »

Last weekend, over $10,000 of copper cable was stolen from two Southern California Edison power stations. The thieves stole over 1,000 feet of the cables that were being used to ground towers at substations. Edison officials estimate that the cost to fix these cables is $50,000.

Copper is often stolen to sell to others since the value of copper is increasing nationwide. Other valuable precious metals that are being stolen more in this rough economy include: silver, gold, platinum and palladium. In these tough times, people will do anything to make a few dollars. Once these thieves are caught they will likely be charged with grand theft and vandalism and may face prison time and have to pay restitution.

Whether you live in Santa Ana, Villa Park or Yorba Linda, if you have been charged with theft, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Copper Stolen From Lake Forest Power Station " »

Riverside prosecutors claim that in 2001, Jason Hann killed his daughter, put her body in a trash bag and drove around the country with her body in an RV with the child's mother for nine months and then left the body in a storage facility. Last week, he plead not guilty to these charges after being extradited from Kentucky, where he was serving time for doing the same thing to his son 10 years ago. The children's mother, Krissy Lynn Werntz was also charged with these crimes and also plead not guilty. If they are convicted of these crimes, they face life life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The facts listed above are just part of the story. To read the whole story, click here. Although I have been a criminal defense attorney for years, it still shocks me how people can kill their own children. What I have found is that often times people who do these crimes have mental disorders or just snap one day and make a terrible decision. Nevertheless, all people need an attorney to ensure that they are not falsely accused, that their due process rights are protected and that they are not presumed guilty without a fair trial. Whether you live in Irvine, Laguna Beach or Villa Park, if you are charged with murder, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Riverside Man Charged With Killing Daugther and Putting Body in Storage " »

Jose Guillermo Hernandez Luna was arrested last week, after he allegedly attempted to stick up an off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy at an ATM machine in Newport Beach. The deputy tried to shoot at the suspect but he got away. A few days later, Luna was arrested for drug possession. Before being taken to jail, officers found an article relating to the ATM incident in his possession. They found it odd that he had that article and then realized he may have been the ATM suspect that they had been looking for. Luna had also been the suspect of an auto and cell phone theft. After being questioned, they booked him on suspicion of armed robbery, drug possession and auto theft.

Luna will likely be charged with at least two felonies and a misdemeanor and will likely spend a few years in prison. An attorney can argue that just because he carried the article relating to the robbery, that does not mean he is the robber. Prosecutors will need a lot more evidence in order to prove that Luna committed these crimes. Whether you live in Santa Ana, Fullerton or Stanton, if you are charged with robbery, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Santa Ana Man Arrested for ATM Robbery " »

A woman in Lake Forest called officers to her house this weekend, claiming that her long time boyfriend had assaulted her. When officers arrived, the suspect was no longer at the home. Since officers thought there was clear and present danger, they called his cell phone company to assist them in finding the suspect. Jesse Tuomi was located in Mission Viejo and was arrested on suspicion of spousal abuse and assault with force to produce great bodily harm.

Normally, police officers need a search warrant to look through your house or any personal records. However, there is an exception when officers do not need to get a search warrant and that is in the case of clear and present danger. Officers feared that Tuomi was a dangerous man on the loose and therefore got to bypass the warrant requirement in order to obtain phone records. Cases in which officers bypass requirements are helpful to a defense attorney in arguing for their clients. A good attorney may be able to argue that a man that allegedly assaulted his girlfriend does not present a clear and present danger to the public and therefore, the warrant requirement should not have been bypassed.

Whether you live in Tustin, Santa Ana or Garden Grove, if you are charged with assault, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Lake Forest Assault Suspect Found Using Phone Records " »

Earlier this week, U.S. Border Patrol Agents stopped a suspicious car that was driving in San Clemente. Agents suspected that the driver was carrying drugs, so after the driver allowed agents to look inside, a K-9 team alerted them to something inside the car. Agents found a black duffel bag containing 12 bundles of crystal methamphetamine weighing over 15 pounds. This amount of meth could have been sold on the street for $356,000. The drugs were seized and the man was arrested.

Border officials claim that crystal meth and other drug seizures have increased this year. Besides the tough economy that is driving people to get money any way they can, border patrol has also stepped up its patrol and caught more people carrying drugs. It is likely that the driver will be charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell. This charge comes with serious prison time. A good attorney may argue that the driver was not intending to sell the drugs. Often times, a driver is hired just to transport drugs from one location to another. These drivers will face less prison time than the person who is selling the drugs.

Whether you live in Westminster, Lake Forest or Villa Park, if you are charged with drug crimes, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Agents Seize $356,000 Worth of Methamphetamine in San Clemente " »

On November 18, 2000, Edward Ayache and five other gang members went to a house party in Garden Grove. While there, they saw rival gang members and a physical altercation ensued. Members of Ayache's gang shot at the other gang, killing one and injuring two or three people. The men were all charged with murder for the benefit of a criminal street gang and two attempted murders as well as many gang charges. Ayache was convicted of all counts and faces sentencing next year. It is likely that he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Any crime committed for the gang or in furtherance of the gang will receive additional charges and steeper sentences. In certain cases, a defense attorney can argue that the crime was not for the benefit of the street gang. Here, since there was a fight between two gangs, it is likely that one gang was trying to assert their dominance over a certain territory and the fight erupted to benefit the gang. An additional defense is self defense. If the other gang threatened Ayache's gang or had weapons, Ayache and his gang may argue that they were just defending themselves. Gang charges are serious, especially when paired with murder charges.

Whether you live in Irvine, Fullerton or Santa Ana, if you are charged with gang crimes or murder, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Garden Grove Gang Member Convicted of Murder " »

In the last few months, many of the surfers in Huntington Beach had been complaining that their cars were being broken into and things were being stolen as they surfed. These burglars were apparently stealing cash, IPODs and other valuables and using the stolen credit cards,. Police decided to stakeout the beach and see who was burglarizing the cars. Police observed Nathan Pater taking the surfer's keys from either on the sand or underneath the tires of the cars. Pater would then unlock the car, take valuable items and then put the keys back where he found them. Police also observed Amber Marie Hitz drive by and pick Pater up. They were both arrested for suspicion of burglary, fraudulent use of credit cards and conspiracy.

Surfers often have to hide their keys because they cannot take them into the water with them which makes them easy targets. These burglars took advantage of the surfers and now will have to suffer the consequences. Burglary is serious but fraudulently using credit cards makes it an even more serious crime. They will likely get jail time and probation for their crimes. Whether you live in Tustin, Aliso Viejo or Brea, if you are charged with burglary, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " Huntington Beach Burglars Caught Stealing Surfer's Belongings " »

In September of this year, Dustin and Austen Sprague were at a house party in Cypress playing beer pong. Guests thought that the brothers were being too loud and obnoxious, so they were asked to leave. Half an hour later, the brothers and a few friends came back to the party holding miniature baseball bats, metal pipes, golf clubs and tire arms. The men then started to attack a few of the party guests. They also vandalized a car and stole a wallet from one of the guests. Troy Lacayo, a guest who was attacked, was injured so badly that he had to be taken to the hospital to get his head stapled.

After the assault, the suspects fled in a car and were caught by police. The Spragues, along with three other co-conspirators have all been charged with three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon, as well as felony vandalism, robbery, and burglary charges.

Often when people drink alcohol, they do not think rationally and they do something stupid. Unfortunately for these guys, because of their stupid actions, they all will likely face some jail time as well as have to take anger management classes. Whether you live in Garden Grove, Orange or San Clemente, if you are charged with assault or battery, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Cypress Party Ends in Assault & Battery " »

Chidi Benjamin Uzomah, Jr. was charged today with stalking radio personality, Ryan Seacrest. Last month, Uzomah attacked Seacrest's bodyguard in an attempt to get inside the car with Seacrest. Uzomah had a knife at the time of the assault. After that incident, Seacrest obtained a temporary restraining order against Uzomah. Last week, Uzomah tried to find Seacrest at his workplace in the E! building on Wilshire. Doing this was a violation of the restraining order. A few weeks prior to that, he tried to find Seacrest at the radio station where Seacrest also works. Since Uzomah had violated his court order twice, he was arrested and has been charged with one felony count of stalking and two misdemeanor counts of violating a court order.

Often celebrity's are stalked by obsessed fans that want to meet these stars.Stalking is the act of following someone repeatedly and making threats to that person's safety. Punishments range from probation to prison time. Stalking is a serious crime because it often leads to physical violence or even death. Whether you live in Westminster, Lake Forest or Brea, if you are charged with stalking, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away.

Continue reading " California Man Charged with Stalking Ryan Seacrest " »

Bethany Jane Brady worked as a bookkeeper for the Hampton Salon in Newport Beach for 15 years. During that time, she allegedly embezzled over $245,000 from the company. Police think that initially, she took money from the salon's checking account and paid off her bills. Eventually, she started taking money and putting it into her personal bank account to use. The loss was discovered when the salon was audited. Hampton Salon immediately fired her and police arrested her.

Embezzlement is a type of fraud that involves taking something from someone that has been entrusted to you. Possible defenses include false accusations, lack of intent, or claim of right. Whether you live in Irvine, Anaheim or Laguna Beach, if you are charged with fraud, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Newport Beach Salon Bookkeeper Accused of Embezzlement " »

Martin Quoc Pham, of Garden Grove, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for running two fraud schemes in which he used people's personal identification to obtain home equity lines of credit and credit card accounts. For the home equity line of credit scheme, Pham would use personal ID information to take over home equity lines at JP Morgan. He then transferred the money into his own bank account. The credit card scheme involved taking the personal identification of others and signing them up for credit cards and then running up the credit card bills. Pham had three other co-conspirators who all plead guilty. Investigators estimate Pham made about $1.5 million conducting these fraudulent operations. Besides the 11 years he will have to spend in prison, Pham will also have to pay $537,973 in restitution.

Identity theft can lead to empty bank accounts, poor credit and severe debt. It is a federal offense since, often, victims are not from California or the fraudulent credit cards are used to buy things from outside of California. It is one of the most serious crimes in California and will always lead to prison time. Whether you live in Westminster, Orange or Laguna Hills, if you are charged with fraud, call an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to assist you.

Continue reading " California Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Identity Theft " »

Hilbert Pinnel Thomas was arrested this week for the alleged murder of Matthew Scott and Elizabeth Palmer in February. Scott was the co-owner of a mobile home business and Palmer was his secretary. They were shot to death in the front office of the business on Beach Boulevard in early February. Soon after the incident, Scott's father walked in and found the dead bodies. When investigators arrived, they noticed Palmer's Lexus had been stolen , so police searched for the car to get clues about the murder. After finding the car, they found the driver and arrested him on suspicion of double homicide.

Now that police have caught the alleged suspect, they will question him regarding motive and how he did the crime. Even though he stole the car, police do not believe that robbery was the primary motive. Investigation could take years, but if Thomas is convicted, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. Whether you live in Aliso Viejo, Orange or Irvine, if you are charged with murder, call an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

Continue reading " Garden Grove Man Arrested for Double Homicide " »