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A 25 year old Orange County woman was stopped near the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Temecula and interviewed by agents at that checkpoint. After smelling a strong odor of perfume, a k-9 unit was called in. The woman’s car was searched and agents found 36 pounds of methamphetamine.

The Orange County woman faces several serious charges including but not limited to felony possession of a controlled substance, possession for sale and transporting and the sale of a controlled substance, also known as drug trafficking. To prove intent to sale, the prosecution does not need to prove that you sold anything, only that you intended to. This proof can be made based on the amount of drugs found, other items found such as baggies or scales, conversations with undercover officers or informants and high volume of traffic to and from you residence. The potential sentence for possession of drugs for sale is 3-5 years.

Drug trafficking, or transporting and the sale of controlled substance, is also a serious felony which carries a potential sentence of 6-9 years. However, the judge may include enhancements which can add up to 15 years additional penalty.

A good Orange County California Criminal Defense Attorney, will be familiar with legal and illegal search and seizure. It should be looked at whether the police acted appropriately at the time of the arrest and in seizing the evidence. A skilled Criminal Defense Attorney uses technical procedures to successfully attack the basis for the search and seizure of evicence. Further, a good Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney should be familiar with methods to uncover evidence of police misconduct. Evidence may be suppressed and the case dismissed where the criminal defense attorney can prove that the police acted inappropriately and violated your rights.

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A Santa Ana youth coach who was convicted of molesting three boys over a two year period of time faces possible life in prison. The youth coach was found guilty of nine counts of lewd acts with a minor, four counts of showing pornography to a minor and one count of attempted lewd acts on a child under 14, and possession of child pornography. This coach met the boys while coaching them on different sports teams. He would befriend their parents first and then gain favor with the boys by bringing them gifts. The youth coach admitted to molesting one victim but denied the others in an attempt to avoid a life sentence.

A conviction of multiple molestations carries sentencing enhancements which calls for a life sentence.

Child molestation defense requires a qualified Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney, experienced in sex crimes and familiar with the court in which the case will be heard. These cases often come down to who the judge or jury believes. An experienced Irvine Criminal Defense Attorney defending a person charged with child molestation will know when, and if, it becomes necessary to use psychologists, character witnesses or other tools to achieve the best outcome for his client.

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After a neighbor noticed suspicious activity at a neighbor’s house, police were called regarding a possible burglary. The Westminster Police arrived just as a car with four suspects in it drove off. The police officers chased the car, which ended up crashing into a brick wall. Three suspects were caught and arrested on suspicion of burglary. Westminster Police are still looking for the fourth suspect.

A charge of burglary can be filed as a misdemeanor burglary or felony burglary depending upon the circumstance of the burglary and the criminal history of the person being charged with burglary. A conviction of felony burglary can result in up to 6 years in California State Prison.

Possible defenses to burglary are consent, lack of intent or intoxication. If the suspect’s attorney can show that his client was so intoxicated he could not form the intent to steal prior to entry into the house, the defendant may be acquitted.

Any person who is being charged with the crime of burglary in Orange County California needs an experienced Orange County criminal defense attorney. A good Orange County criminal defense attorney will be able to achieve the best possible outcome for someone being charged with burglary, whether in Westminster, Irvine, Tustin, Newport Beach or Santa Ana.

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A Yorba Linda, California man is under fire from the Securities and Exchange Commission after an investigation revealed what appeared to be a Ponzi-like scheme to defraud investors while paying off older investors.

Matthew Jennings, 39, a resident of Yorba Linda, California, a pleasant suburb of Orange County, is looking at having all of his assets frozen by a federal judge while the government takes a look at his records to see how much money was inappropriately diverted from investors.

In one instance, the SEC alleges that Jennings took $300,000 from investment accounts and deposited it into his own accounts. In the SEC’s view, it appears he was enriching himself wrongfully.

White Collar fraud takes many forms. investment fraud is one version, and requires a lot of effort to accomplish. In this case, many companies were created, possibly with a view to divert funds improperly, without being discovered. Whether or not Jennings intended to service these investment accounts will be an issue, in terms of degree of culpability. In any event, he will need an experienced White Collar defense attorney to assist him, to try and head off a criminal filing.

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Two unfortunate men standing on a street corner in Santa Ana the other day, were accosted by two suspected gang members who robbed and stabbed them.

According to the victims, a dark SUV pulled up and the passenger said, “where are you from”, a well-known prelude to an attack, called a “hit up”. If the two suspects are caught, they will be facing life in prison for attempted murder, robbery as well as multiple gang enhancements.

The two suspects will need an experienced Orange County criminal defense attorney to assist them in avoiding the worst consequences. Whether the robbery occurred in Tustin, Irvine, Newport Beach, Santa Ana or Westminster, the defendant will need a good Orange County criminal defense lawyer to assist him.

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Naomi Perez, of Brea, was sentenced to 150 days in Orange County Jail for having sex with a student at the high school where she taught.

The relationship was discovered after Perez vandalized the student’s car when he broke off the relationship. This is always a troubling situation. The student, whether a male or a female, is not in an equal position to the teacher, either by virtue of age or power. Students can feel locked in a relationship they want to escape, fearing retribution if they speak out. That factor alone necessitates court intervention. I wonder if the defendant would have received a heavier sentence had he been a male. Since these cases rise and fall on their own specific facts, it’s hard to compare. In either event, someone in Perez’s situation will need a qualified Orange County molestation or sex crime attorney to help them sort through the applicable law and defenses to such charges. Good outcomes can be obtained with proper planning and investigation.

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Medical overbilling is a crime often overlooked by prosecuting agencies, probably because most insurance companies focus on overt, long-term acts of outright medical insurance fraud, where no services at all are rendered, or, as in the Unity case, unnecessary procedures were performed.

But charges were filed against several chiropractors and one lawyer today. Not too many details were revealed in this case, but it seems the chiros were billing for treatments that were never performed, on undercover DA investigators. A paralegal was charged with processing the claims and acting as a lawyer in the process.

If the over-billing can be documented, then there isn’t much to say about it, other than for the defendant to get out his checkbook if he doesn’t want to go to prison. But, the paralegal who was charged may have a valid defense that he wasn’t practicing law, merely assisting the attorney for whom he worked.

Whether you or a loved one has been charged with fraud, you should contact a qualified Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney to assist you with legal counsel.

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I’m beginning to wonder if there are really any young girls actually suckered into meeting an adult male through the internet anymore. All I read about are sting operations conducted by police agencies, like this one in Huntington Beach, California.

This is a typical scenario. The police begin by lurking around on chat rooms, trying to connect with a potential suspect, baiting him by leaking out false information about age, gender and willingness to meet. The male takes the bait and shows up to the rendezvous, only to be met by cops. According to national health statistics, over 100,000 reported sex abuse cases occurred in 2007.

Molestation is a very serious crime that will almost always come with prison time. If the molestation is with someone who is kidnapped, or moved from the original area of assault, the sentence will be dramatically increased due to their inability to fight back. Consent is never a defense. Frequently, these types of cases are prosecuted in federal court as well. Whether you live in Irvine, Mission Viejo or Fullerton, if you are charged with molestation, hire a qualified molestation child abuse defense attorney in Orange County right away.

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What an orderly bank robber! A white guy walks into an Orange County bank and gives the teller a note demanding money. He gets the money, then he asks for the note back. Very neat.

There really aren’t very many details, but Tustin Police would likely get the bank’s videos showing the all the interior and exterior views to see if they can firm up a description of him or his car, if he came in one. Either way, bank robbery is a federal offense, but can be prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney. A qualified Orange County criminal defense lawyer would attempt to have the charges prosecuted in state court, as that would lend flexibility to the outcome.

Whether the robbery occurred in Tustin, Irvine, Newport Beach, Santa Ana or Westminster, the defendant will need a good Orange County criminal defense lawyer to assist him.

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Doesn’t anyone get points for ingenuity? I don’t think so in this case. Seems this kid decided he didn’t need to buy a stolen gun for “protection”. So he made one himself.

Well, he tried to fire it and it worked! Oops. It worked so well it went through some neighbors’ walls and the cops came out. Looks like our Thomas Edison is going to the grey bar motel on a felony charge of discharging a firearm into a residence. The police think he’s a gang member, too, so they’re adding those charges.

What may end up happening is that the minor may plead to a negligent discharge, instead of the more serious strike offense of a straight discharge. In either event, the police have this kid in their sights and he’ll be watched carefully from now on. All police departments and an Orange County criminal defense attorney will look for this kind of thing to be repeated.

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