Arrested for DUI? It Could Cost You $16,000 or More!

Police officer has pulled over a motorist and is using his flashlight to check the back seat.

Los Angeles DUI defense lawyers know that the cost of being convicted of a DUI in California has increased dramatically in recent years. A study by the Automobile Club of Southern California, as reported in The Los Angeles Times, shows that a first-time misdemeanor DUI conviction can cost up to $15,649.

That reflects a 29 percent increase from the year 2011. The Auto Club determined this substantial increase by calculating the mandatory state and local fines as well as the penalties, restitution, legal fees, and insurance increases associated with a DUI conviction. This number does not, however, include lost wages, bail, or losses associated with car accidents, such as vehicle damage and personal injuries.

There are other losses that can result from a DUI conviction as well. Some drivers are required to install an ignition interlock device, which will prevent the vehicle from starting if an unacceptable level of alcohol is detected in the driver’s breath. These devices cost hundreds of dollars to install, service, and maintain. Other motorists are required to attend lengthy alcohol treatment sessions and classes.

Los Angeles Doctor Arrested for Sexual Battery

A Los Angeles doctor has been arrested and charged with committing sexual battery on a patient more than five years ago. According to a news report in The Republic, the San Fernando Valley doctor was arrested in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred in 2007. Officials say a woman was receiving a medical exam as part of her U.S. citizenship exam when the doctor sexually assaulted her.

He lost his license in 2011 after being accused of this incident during a licensing hearing. His license was stayed, however, and he was placed on probation. He now faces two felony charges.

Dozens Arrested in Los Angeles Prescription Drug Busts

blue-and-white capsules spilling from a prescription medicine bottle across the corner of a prescription; shallow depth-of-field image with focus on the nearest capsule

A massive series of raids throughout Los Angeles County resulted in the arrest of 28 people. According to a CBS Los Angelesreport, more than 400 federal agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) worked with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to conduct a number of raids in the greater Los Angeles area. The enforcement action resulted after a 32-count federal indictment was handed down in January, which charged individuals of multiple drug crimes involving oxycodone and hydrochloride.

In the raids, the LAPD seized an estimated $20 million in cash and drugs. The 28 suspects face charges including drug possession, attempted possession, and distribution. Some of the individuals named in the indictment could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Oxycodone is a powerful painkiller that has gained popularity as a recreational drug. It has effects similar to heroin and is highly addictive. OxyContin and other brands of oxycodone are drugs that are illegal to possess without a prescription. Therefore, anyone who is in possession of oxycodone without a prescription can face serious penalties for possession or distribution.

Owner of Los Angeles Daycare Center Accused of Lewd Acts with Children

A 45-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of molesting three children at his Los Angeles County daycare center. The Los Angeles Times reports that the owner of the Cano & Ramos Family Child Care center in Boyle Heights was arrested for alleged incidents that occurred in 2008, 2009, and in February of this year. Officials say a five-year-old girl attended the facility for the first time on February 5 and told her parents that the man touched her inappropriately.

The new allegations prompted police to review prior cases that did not lead to arrests. In 2008, the authorities were unable to file charges because the mother of another five-year-old victim was homeless and difficult to track down. In 2009, there was not enough evidence to arrest the day care owner on other allegations of fondling a child. Now that a third alleged victim has stepped forward, the authorities reopened the old cases and charged the Los Angeles man with three felony counts of committing lewd acts on a child.

ew California Bill Would Reduce Penalties for Drug Possession

Los Angeles drug crime defense attorneys believe that the war on drugs in California has relied heavily over the years on severe criminal punishments over treatment options for individuals convicted of drug possession. The penalties for marijuana-related offenses have decreased in recent years, but the penalties for heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine possession have remained harsh. A new bill could potentially change these laws.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Senator Mark Leno joined hands with the American Civil Liberties Union of California and the NAACP to announce a bill that would make simple possession of dangerous drugs a misdemeanor instead of a felony. He says it could save California as much as $200 million a year by keeping fewer drug offenders behind bars. Leno says that the goal of the bill is to ensure that low-level drug offenders are given the rehabilitation they need instead of incarceration.

Drugged Driving Laws in California May Soon Change

Symbol of law and justice in the empty courtroom, law and justice concept.

The laws and regulations regarding driving while under the influence of alcohol are clear in California. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent. The laws regarding driving while under the influence of drugs, however, are a little more confusing. Currently, there is a bill that California lawmakers are considering, which they hope will change that situation.

According to an NBC Los Angeles news report, Senate Bill 289 would make it illegal to operate a vehicle with any detectable amount of Schedule I, II, III, or IV drugs in your system. There will be exceptions for individuals who have a prescription who are using their medication in accordance with that prescription. How this law will be enforced is a question that remains to be answered.

Consequences of Drug Possession Charges in Los Angeles

Prison-Sentence Unless you have a prescription, it is illegal to possess marijuana or any other controlled substance in Los Angeles. You can face charges for possessing marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, or other narcotics. You can even face serious penalties for possessing medical drugs without a prescription. The consequences and penalties you could face for drug possession in Los Angeles depend on the type of drugs involved, the quantity of drugs seized by the authorities, and the prior criminal record of the defendant.

A person who possesses one ounce or less of marijuana will likely face misdemeanor charges. The punishment for this offense is typically a fine of $100. If, however, a person possesses more than one ounce of marijuana, then, he or she can face up to six months of jail and a fine of $500. Possessing marijuana paraphernalia and felony penalties for selling, manufacturing, and trafficking marijuana could be charged as misdemeanors or felonies depending on the circumstances of the case.

Former South Bay Pastor Faces Molestation Charges

The 77-year-old former pastor of the now-defunct Santuario de Oracion church has been arrested on suspicion of molesting three elementary school-age girls. According to a news report in The Daily Breeze, the retired pastor faced arraignment at the Torrance courthouse for multiple counts of molestation. Officials say that over a two-year period, the man allegedly molested the three girls at his north Torrance home and at his church located at Prairie Avenue and 180th Street.

Individuals under the age of 18 cannot legally give consent to sexual activity with an adult. Therefore, all sex acts involving a minor are illegal and can result in life-altering penalties. Under California Penal Code 288: “any person who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act … upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under the age of 14 years, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or the child, is guilty of a felony.”

Lawndale Man Charged with DUI Following Crash with Police Car

A 21-year-old Lawndale man has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) after crashing into the back of a marked Hermosa Beach police vehicle. According to a news report in The Daily Breeze, the alleged DUI incident occurred on Eighth Street west of Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach.

Officials say that the man was driving without a valid license and showed a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .22 on his preliminary breath test. The officers involved in the allegeddrunk driving crash were treated for minor neck, head, and back injuries. The 21-year-old man was being held on $100,000 bail.

How California’s Proposition 36 Affects Drug Crime Defense

The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, known as Proposition 36, is a California law that allows individuals struggling with drug addiction to receive treatment instead of punishment. Rather than spend time in jail or prison for a non-violent drug offense, some individuals can receive treatment in a substance abuse program for up to 12 months with a possible six months of additional aftercare.

To qualify for Proposition 36 sentencing in California, defendants must have been convicted of a nonviolent drug offense. Drug crimes that can qualify under Prop 36 include being under the influence of a controlled substance or possessing or transporting a controlled substance for personal use.