Lawrence Wolf - Part 9

Retired Officer Charged with Sex Crimes Against Minors

A 53-year-old retired California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer faces multiple sex crime charges after allegedly using a social networking site to contact children. According to The Daily Breeze, the Burbank man was arrested the morning of April 29. Officials say he allegedly identified himself as a teenage girl on Tagged.com to meet an 11-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl. He was charged with two counts each of possession of child pornography, contact with a minor for sexual offense, and sending harmful matter to a minor. He retired from the CHP in 2012.

You do not have to make physical contact with a minor to face serious sex crime charges in California. For example, you can face misdemeanor or felony charges for “sexting” a minor, or for sending a minor harmful material with the intention of seducing him or her.

It is important to understand what type of material is considered harmful matter under California law. Under Penal Code Section 313 (a), “Harmful matter means matter, taken as a whole, which to the average person, applying contemporary statewide standards, appeals to the prurient interest, and is matter which, taken as a whole, depicts or describes in a patently offensive way sexual conduct and which, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.”

Man Arrested in Burbank for Drug Possession

pills-17185160 A 36-year-old Los Angeles man was recently arrested on suspicion of using methamphetamine and possessing prescription drugs without a prescription. According to a news report in The Burbank Leader, the man was arrested in front of the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in downtown Burbank.

Officials approached him because he was smoking, which is a municipal code violation. They say he acted nervously and admitted to using methamphetamine. He then allegedly consented to a search that resulted in the seizure of Norco and Vicodin. In addition to drug possession charges, he also faces identity theft charges because officials say they found someone else’s identification on him.

It is not only those who use illegal drugs who run the risk of being arrested on drug charges. Possessing any prescription drug without a proper prescription is a serious crime. It is common for individuals to face jail or prison time in California for possessing popular drugs such as Vicodin, Ritalin, Xanax, Methadone, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, or Percodan.

Civil and Criminal Penalties for a DUI in Los Angeles

A DUI conviction in Los Angeles can result in a lengthy license suspension and increased insurance premiums. There are many other potential criminal and civil penalties that can result from a conviction as well. If you have been charged with driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol in Los Angeles, it is absolutely vital to your case that you contact an experienced DUI criminal defense attorney. You could be facing severe criminal penalties and devastating civil litigation from anyone who may have been affected by the incident.

Under California Vehicle Code 23152, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or greater. This offense is typically charged as a misdemeanor unless you have previously been convicted of a felony DUI. Penalties for a first-time conviction can include imprisonment, hefty fines and a license suspension.

Driving under the influence causing injury is a separate offense. Whenever a serious injury results from a DUI to someone other than the driver, the driver can face misdemeanor or felony charges under California Vehicle Code 23153. The severity of the penalties depends on the seriousness of the injuries suffered, the circumstances of the crash and the defendant’s driving record.

High School Student Arrested on Suspicion of Sexual Assault

An 18-year-old Los Angeles high school student has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female classmate. According to a KABC news report, the young man was arrested at Valley High School in North Hills. Officials say he pulled a 17-year-old girl into the boys’ bathroom and attempted to take her clothes off. She informed a teacher who called the authorities. Since he allegedly held her against her will, he faces kidnapping charges as well as intent to commit rape.

California law states that an individual does not actually have to commit a crime in order to be charged with attempting to commit a crime. California Penal Code Section 21a states: “An attempt to commit a crime consists of two elements: a specific intent to commit the crime, and a direct but ineffectual act done toward its commission.” Attempting to commit a serious sex crime, such as rape, can result in felony level charges punishable by years of incarceration.

Your Rights after an Arrest in Los Angeles

If you have been arrested in southern California, you have a number of rights that are protected by law. If you have ever been arrested, or have ever watched a cop drama on television, you have probably heard about “Miranda Rights.” This is when the arresting officer informs you about your right to remain silent and your right to have a lawyer present while you are being questioned. From that point on, everything you say can and will most likely be used against you in court.

Once you have been read your rights, the authorities can ask you questions about whether you want to have an attorney present or not. You retain the right, however, to decline to answer those questions until your lawyer is by your side. Voluntarily giving up your right to not answer questions is a mistake that can adversely affect your case. If you answer questions and then decide that you no longer want to speak without an attorney, the authorities must respect your decision and allow you to contact a lawyer.

Arrests Made at Newhall DUI Checkpoint

A number of drivers were arrested at a Los Angeles County DUI checkpoint that was conducted over an eight-hour period. According to a report in The Los Angeles Daily News, the checkpoint began the evening of April 5 on Lyons Avenue at Wheeler Road in Newhall. Officials arrested three motorists on suspicion of drunk driving and a fourth driver for felony possession of narcotics. During the checkpoint, five vehicles were towed, seven drivers were cited for various vehicle code violations, and 12 drivers were sent to court for driving without a license or on a revoked or suspended license. There were 944 vehicles that were screened at the checkpoint.

If you are approaching a DUI checkpoint, your every move will be closely monitored. Police officers will actively search for any signs of intoxication or suspicious activity. Here are a few useful tips if you are at a checkpoint in Los Angeles County:

Crime in South Bay Increases

A review of the overall crime in the South Bay and Harbor Area of Los Angeles County shows that crime has increased by one percent in the year 2012. According to an assessment of the California Crime Index by The Daily Breeze, homicides dropped from 54 to 45, including a drop of 12 homicides in the Harbor Division. Overall Robberies were up four percent, primarily because of significant increases in Carson and Gardena.

In the year 2012, there were 836,350 people living in South Bay. During that year there were:

45 homicides;
122 rapes;
1,177 robberies;
2,295 assaults;
3,996 burglaries; and
3,091 auto thefts.

Many wonder if the crime rates will increase substantially more this year as a result of the recent realignment program that has been put in motion. Because of overcrowding, many inmates in prison have been moved to county jails and a number of nonviolent individuals in jail have been released. There has been a lot of speculation, but it is unclear if releasing nonviolent individuals will actually increase criminal activity in Los Angeles County.

Man Arrested for DUI in South Pasadena

A 25-year-old Los Angeles man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after police saw him running to his car suspiciously. According to a news report in The South Pasadena Patch, the DUI arrest occurred on Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena. Officials followed the man after watching him run to his car late at night. After observing him drive, they decided to pull him over. It is not clear from the report as to what signs of intoxication he exhibited before the traffic stop. He faces charges of driving under the influence and driving with a revoked or suspended license.

Police officers who are patrolling the roadways late at night are usually looking for telltale signs of impaired driving. They will likely pull you over if they observe you running a red light, making an illegal turn, swerving in and out of traffic or traveling well below or above the speed limit. If you are pulled over while driving late at night, there are a number of important things to remember.

Several Arrested in South Bay Prostitution Sting

Undercover Hawthorne policewomen recently apprehended 11 men on suspicion of soliciting prostitutes. The Daily Breeze reports that the five-hour operation took place on Imperial Highway from Inglewood Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard in Hawthorne. While posing as prostitutes, the female undercover officers waited for men to drive up to chat with them. After they allegedly arranged a deal, the men parked their cars and walked with the undercover officer to a motel room where they found officers who were ready to arrest them. A similar operation last year also resulted in 11 arrests.

The Daily Breeze reports that the Hawthorne police department has made 98 arrests of women on suspicion of loitering for the purpose of prostitution. Furthermore, they have obtained court orders on 52 of the alleged prostitutes to stay away from that specific area along Imperial Highway. Women who violate this type of restraining order are subject to arrest.

Prostitution is prosecuted aggressively in Southern California. Anyone suspected of engaging in a sexual act in exchange for money or other goods and/or services will face charges. California law states that it is a misdemeanor for individuals to solicit sex for money or to sell sexual favors for money.

Do You Have to Submit to Field Sobriety Tests?

dui-test-2700007 California police officers commonly use field sobriety tests to determine if a driver is impaired. Field sobriety tests such as the walk-and-turn test a driver’s coordination, balance, and motor skills all at once. These types of tests can occasionally show that a driver is impaired, but they are subjective exercises that are prone to errors. There are many reasons why even sober drivers can fail a field sobriety test and it is common for officers to see signs of impairment when there are none.

Under California law, field sobriety tests are voluntary. It is common, however, for officers to encourage participation in these tests without informing drivers that they are not mandatory. You have the right to refuse to take a field sobriety test. You should know that declining to take a test may result in an arrest and you are required by law to submit to a chemical test at the station.