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Every day the momentum for Chelsea’s Law grows and becomes close to being a reality in California. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has officially stated that he supports the law. Chelsea’s Law is named after Chelsea King, a San Diego girl who was tragically murdered by a registered sex offender. If passed, this law will strengthen and increase the penalties for sex offenses. Any sex crime conviction in California imposes grave consequences upon an individual. But, with Chelsea’s law, the punishments are about to become much more harsh.

Chelsea’s Law increases penalties enforced on sexual predators. It creates a one-strike provision that could lead to life without parole for the most serious of sex crimes. Another provision makes it a misdemeanor for a registered offender to be in a park or a public place where children may be present, without first seeking permission. Assembly Bill 1844 allows punishments for sex crime convictions to be altered depending on the age of the victim and the harm caused.
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Natalie Nicole Mejia of the pop group Girlicious pleaded not guilty to procession of cocaine with intent to sell. She was arrested in Glendale, California in March. CBS 8 reports that police found more than a dozen bags of cocaine in her purse. She was stopped for a traffic infraction when the police found the drugs in her purse. She has posted the $30,000 bail, but is facing felony drug charges. She claims that the drugs were not hers and she does not know how they got into her purse.

Drug possession in California is a serious offense with potentially life changing penalties. Being charged with intent to sell has even greater ramifications. What changes a possession charge to a possession charge with intent to sell is the quantity of drugs found. When there are more drugs found than can be reasonably used by one person, it is assumed that the person found with the drugs plans to distribute them.

A Glendale drug crime defense attorney is necessary to help reduce the drug charges being held against you. An experienced California defense lawyer will examine the means by which the police obtained the evidence and determine if any evidence was illegally acquired. If you have been charged with possession in California, you need a defense lawyer ready to fight for you. Please contact the skilled criminal defense lawyers at Sitkoff Law Group, Inc. by calling 866-430-8383. We always provide a free and comprehensive initial consultation to all clients.

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California is considering a new bill to strengthen existing penalties against drunk drivers. Assemblyman Jerry Hill has created a bill to allow judges the right to remove someone’s driving privilege for the rest of their life. This new bill gives judges the power to determine the severity of your charges based on years between convictions, rehabilitation efforts and the severity of your past charges. If this bill passes, who represents you in court can make the difference between being able to drive to work and taking the bus for the rest of your life.

Based on a NBC Los Angeles news article, Assemblyman Hill recently stated that over 310,000 California drivers have more than three DUI convictions. AB 1601 is meant to crack down on repeat offenders. These kinds of sweeping changes can sometimes lead to taking away the rights of individuals who have been falsely convicted of a crime. If a strict judge chooses to abide by the potential new law, even the most minor DUI charges can become life-altering. It is important that you fully understand the law and your rights no matter what the charges are against you. An experienced California drunk driving attorney can walk you through the process and help minimize your charges or even get your case thrown out.

As the law stands, you can be arrested for drunk driving even if you didn’t take a Breathalyzer test. If an officer believes you have been drinking, he or she can arrest you on the spot. Drunk driving is a serious offense with grave consequences in California. A DUI conviction can lead to jail time, hefty fines and can potentially jeopardize your career and future. If you have been charged with a DUI in California, call the DUI defense lawyers at Sitkoff Law Group, Inc. at 866-430-8383 for a free consultation and evaluation of your case.

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A 24-year-old man from Canada has been accused of luring a minor for sex and showing up at her California home, according to a news report in the North Bay Nugget. The man reportedly rode his motorcycle 3,000 miles to have sex with a minor in California. Prosecutors say the man sent her graphic text messages and photos. The girl is 17 years old and therefore considered a minor. The young man has been charged with contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, annoying or molesting a child, and sending obscene material depicting a minor. He is currently in jail without bail waiting to face these serious charges.

Soliciting sex from a minor is a serious offense. California has a long history of enforcing severe penalties upon accused sexual offenders. In this case, one must wonder if the accused really knew the age of the girl. Police will probably go through their online discussions and text messages to fully determine their relationship. In such cases, there is always the possibility that there was some type of miscommunication between the two parties involved.
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Did you know that you can legally have medical marijuana in California prescribed to you, legally purchase it from an authorized marijuana distributor and then get arrested for possession of a controlled substance under federal law? Marijuana laws in California can be complicated and confusing. The majority of people arrested for drug crimes related to marijuana are small-time users who possess marijuana for personal use with no intent to sell. Millions of taxpayer dollars and countless hours of the court’s time are spent prosecuting these cases.

According to a Reuters article, on Nov. 2, Californians will vote to potentially make California the first state in the United States to legalize marijuana. Currently, possession of an ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor offense that carries a $100 fine. If it passes, the new law would make this possession legal for those over 21-years-old. In the meantime, Californians must continue to sort through the complicated drug laws that currently exist.

Remember that if you are facing drug charges in California, it is important to have proper legal representation to help defend your rights. The penalties for a drug crime conviction can be severe. Often Orange County drug crime arrests are made after illegal search and seizure operations by the police. Do not plead guilty to any drug crime charges without first seeing what an Irvine drug crime lawyer can do to help getting your charges thrown out.

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Police have arrested a man for sexually assaulting a jogger in Malibu. CBS News reports that the 35-year-old Malibu jogger had just completed her run at Point Dume State Park when she was grabbed from behind. After a reportedly lengthy struggle, the jogger escaped by jumping off the cliff to escape. A 31-year-old San Bernardino man was arrested for the assault, after his DNA was matched with DNA found under the jogger’s fingernails. She suffered only cuts and bruises.

The severity of a California sexual assault charge can depend on many factors. Even as a first offense, a sex crime conviction can carry jail time of up to one year. If you have previous convictions your punishment may be much more severe. You may be forced to register wherever you live as a sex offender and carry the stigma of a dangerous criminal — even if you were wrongfully convicted.

There appears to be a growing amount of false accusations with sex crimes. DNA evidence is not always as reliable as many people assume and mistakes can be made. If you are falsely accused of a sex crime you should not talk to the police without having a sex crime attorney present. Anything you say can be misconstrued and used as evidence for the prosecution.
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A high-ranking city official in Los Angeles was recently arrested for driving under the influence. The Los Angeles Times reports that the official was pulled over after driving too fast on a surface street in the San Gabriel Valley. The 40-year-old man was going home after attending a political event. The Los Angeles city Administrative Officer immediately released an apology and said he is seeking counseling.

The report mentions nothing about erratic or reckless driving. It only states that the man was driving “fast.” There is also no mention of a blood alcohol test. Did you know that police officers can arrest you for having any amount of alcohol in your blood even if it does not exceed the legal limit of 0.08 percent? If you do not know your legal rights, you may have your driver’s license suspended before you even realize that you did not break the law.

The consequences of a DUI conviction are severe. In California, a DUI conviction could remain on your record for seven years. If you have any additional offenses within that time, you may face serious jail time, loss of license, heavy fines and mandatory alcohol counseling programs. A DUI charge can tarnish your reputation and jeopardize your professional career, especially if you are a person of high standing in the community or a public official.

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A UCLA student has been charged with assault after allegedly attacking a fellow student on campus. The San Jose Mercury News reports that the 25-year-old has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, assault and sexual battery. Allegedly, the man attacked a woman leaving a party, forced her to the ground, pulled up her dress and then fled the scene. He faces more than nine years in state prison if convicted.

Felony assault convictions carry heavy punishments and the state of California aggressively pursues sex crime offenders. However, a false allegation can quickly become a life-altering event when the defendant is not properly represented. Megan’s Law forces all sex offenders to register with their local law enforcement. In 1996, the Megan’s Law database became open to the public. A false accusation and conviction can force you to carry the disgrace of being labeled a sex offender for the rest of your life.
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Los Angeles authorities have arrested 10 people who they believe are part of a major drug smuggling ring. According to a KTLA News report, officials believe the drug ring transported 200 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico to Southern California on a monthly basis. It is alleged that the drugs were moved in fake car batteries driven in vehicles crossing the border. Over an eight-month period, law enforcement officials have seized more than $5 million worth of drugs. Also, 31 defendants have been charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole.

Drug charges in Orange and Los Angeles Counties can be extremely serious and involve severe penalties. There are many aspects of a case that determine the harshness of the penalties for drug offenses. For instance, possession with intent to sell presents far more serious legal consequences than possession of a controlled substance for personal use only. The amount of drugs found can also affect the nature and severity of the drug charges.

In such drug crime cases, defendants need quality legal representation from a skilled drug charges lawyer with thorough knowledge of California and federal laws, including “search and seizure.” For example, it is important to look into whether the police discovered the drugs under an illegal search and seizure operation. If it is determined that the defendant’s Constitutional rights were violated, then the case can get thrown out. In a serious drug crime case where the stakes are high, it is important to have experienced Los Angeles drug crime defense attorneys checking every detail of your case.
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The brother of a former Mexican president had been sentenced to serve seven years in prison for securities fraud and tax evasion. According to an article from the Los Angeles Times, the 67-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday, March 23, 2010 to grand theft auto, securities fraud and tax evasion for defrauding those investors by promising large returns for false business opportunities and stealing the investors funds. In addition to prison time, he must repay $460,000 to seven victims as well as $117,000 to the California Franchise Tax Board.

The man was originally arrested and charged in January. He faced a maximum sentence of 27 years in prison at the time. His guilty plea was supposedly coaxed by a plea bargain that dropped 13 out of the 15 original counts of grand theft auto and one count of tax evasion and fraudulent sales of securities.

The man had taken amounts that varied from $18,000 to $350,000 from victims between March 2006 and August 2007. He promised either land or Mexican political influence. In total, he unlawfully stole $1.2 million dollars from his victims. This is the man’s second criminal conviction. Over 20 years ago, he had been sentenced to ten years in an Arizona prison for fraud, serving a total of six years before he was released.

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