Lawrence Wolf - Part 15

Burbank Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempting to Kidnap Child

A 54-year-old man was recently arrested for allegedly exposing himself to a teenager before telling her to get into his car. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the incident occurred at Keystone Street and Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank. Officials say he allegedly exposed himself to a 16-year-old girl while in his car before asking her into his vehicle. The girl ran away and gave his license plate number to the authorities. The man was later taken into custody for suspicion of indecent exposure and attempted kidnapping.

Attempting to kidnap or imprison someone is a serious crime in California. There are many different charges that can result from a kidnapping incident. Simple kidnapping under California Penal Code 207 is a felony that involves instilling fear to carry a person from one place to another.

Former Member of Dio Arrested following Burbank DUI Crash

A former member of the band Dio faces driving under the influence (DUI) charges after being involved in a Los Angeles car accident. According to a news report in The Los Angeles Times, the collision occurred on Vanowen Street near Hollywood Way in Burbank.

Officials say the former bassist of Dio turned his 1995 green Toyota Camry left in front of another vehicle while exiting a parking lot. The arresting officer says that the driver failed to pass the field sobriety test and that he was in possession of Vicodin for which he did not have a prescription. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI, possessing narcotic pills, and for an outstanding felony warrant relating to drug charges.

Marina Del Rey Deputy Sentenced in Teen Sex Case

prison_1616955 A former 46-year-old Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy has been sentenced for having sexual relations with a minor. According to The Marina Del Rey Patch, the investigation began when an informant contacted the Los Angeles County Child Abuse Hotline. Officials say the deputy had sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl.

On August 10 he pleaded no contest to felony charges of oral sex with a minor. He must spend 60 days in jail and could end up serving an additional 30 days under house arrest with electronic monitoring. Additional penalties include supervised probation for five years and mandatory sex offender counseling.

The Consequences of Driving Under the Influence in Los Angeles

According to The California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs (ADP), there were 195,879 people were arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in California in the year 2010. The average blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of convicted DUI offenders was .15 percent in the year 2009. That is nearly twice the legal limit. In California, individuals with a BAC of .08 percent or higher can face serious penalties.

Drivers convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol face mandatory jail time of at least 48 hours, three to five years of court probation, fines and court fees between $1,400 and $1,800, a six-month driver’s license suspension, and enrollment in DUI school. These charges may increase if the driver is a repeat offender or if someone was injured in the DUI collision.

Los Angeles Drug Bust Leads to 2 Arrests, Seizure of 1,000 Marijuana Plants

marijuana foliage

A drug bust in Los Angeles culminated in the arrest of a 54-year-old Lawndale man and a 50-year-old Los Angeles man. According to The Acorn, the drug bust occurred at a residence on Oakfield Road in Hidden Hills. Officials executed a search warrant to seize 1,000 marijuana plants, 40 pounds of processed marijuana, and a semiautomatic handgun. The two men face multiple felony charges for transporting, selling, and cultivating marijuana.

In California, it is a felony punishable by up to three years in state prison and a $10,000 fine to grow just one marijuana plant. It is possible to have a cultivation charge reduced to simple marijuana possession if the amount of marijuana was clearly only for personal use. If, however, there is a large number of plants, or if the defendant intended to sell the drugs, the penalties can be severe.

San Fernando Valley Driving School Owner Accused of Molesting Teenager

The owner of a San Fernando Valley driving school is facing accusations of molesting a teenage boy. According to a CBS News report, the 44-year-old man has been charged with misdemeanor sexual battery after a 17-year-old boy told officials that the instructor molested him. The teenager said the driving instructor touched him inappropriately. Police believe that there may be other victims and an investigation is still ongoing.

According to California Penal Code Section 243.4 (a): “Any person who touches an intimate part of another person while that person is unlawfully restrained by the accused or an accomplice, and if the touching is against the will of the person touched and is for the purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, or sexual abuse, is guilty of sexual battery.” A conviction is punishable by up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to $2,000. If convicted of a felony, individuals could face up to four years in state prison and a $10,000 fine.

More than 2,000 Arrested in 18-Day DUI Crackdown in Los Angeles

Businessman being handcuffed and placed under arrest in front of his home.

Los Angeles County law enforcement agencies arrested 2,098 people for driving under the influence (DUI) through sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and regular routine patrols as part of the Avoid the 100’s anti-DUI campaign. According to The Glendora Patch, the arrests occurred over an 18-day period leading into the long Labor Day weekend. Officials made 2,795 arrests during the same period in 2011. The DUI campaigns are likely to get even more intensive during Halloween and later during the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year holidays. The campaigns are made possible by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

When cities conduct sobriety checkpoints or saturation patrols, we often observe that police officers are eager to catch as many drivers as they can. A number of organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) even have awards ceremonies to commend police officers who make the maximum number of DUI arrests each year.

Losing a DMV Hearing for a Los Angeles DUI is Not the End of the World

After receiving an adverse ruling from the DMV relating to a Los Angeles DUI charge and having your driver’s license suspended, it is normal to think of appealing their decision. This may be in response to a belief that the DMV ignored evidence, misapplied the law or that the effects of a license suspension harm one’s employment, health or schooling.

However, there are only two options to review the Hearing Officer’s decision. The first option is to file a Request for Administrative Review with the DMV in Sacramento within 15 days after the ruling. You need to request for the decision to be reviewed and you must state the reasons why you believe the hearing officer ruled incorrectly. You must also send in $125.00 as a filing fee. The DMV will respond to your request within 60 days. During this time, your license will remain suspended. If your suspension is overturned, you get your license back.

If you lose the Administrative Review, you may also apply for a Writ of Mandate with the Court in your county within 34 days after the DMV renders its Notice of Findings. A Writ of Mandate is a more effective way to challenge the DMV suspension on your license, but it is more costly. It requires you to send in a $395.00 filing fee for Writ of Mandate. You must also pay $155.00 to get a certified copy of the transcript from the DMV. It is advised and will be more beneficial to use an experienced Los Angeles DUI Attorney to handle this for you. The court will then hold a hearing to determine whether your license was properly suspended by the DMV. If the Court rules in your favor, the Court will order the DMV to reinstate your license.

Mexican Cartel Plead No Guilty to Federal Drug Offense

Reported by Associated Press today, the U.S.-born man accused of being a drug cartel lieutenant, Armando Villareal Heredia, pleaded not guilty to federal racketeering and drug charges yesterday. He was extradited from Mexico to the United States to face federal racketeering (RICO) and drug offense in the Southern District of California after being held at a prison in Veracruz State for almost a year. Villareal is the lead defendant among 43 people charged with drug crime allegedly committed between 2008 and 2010 and if convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Most Mexican states, especially the ones along the border with the US, have witnessed a high level of drug-related violence in recent years as rival drug cartels fight each other for control of the lucrative smuggling routes. U.S. authorities continuously show efforts to work with the government of Mexico to combat organized criminal activity along the southwest border. In Mexico, smugglers often advertised work as security guards, housecleaners and cashiers, telling applicants they must drive company cars to the United States. New hires would then be told to drive company cars across the border, and when they arrive, they are often told there will be no work after all that day and must leave the car and walk back to Mexico after being paid a small amount. People are often tricked into this false advertisement and inclined to investigate prior if they are desperate for work. These cases can be challenging for prosecutors because drivers may not know they are smuggling drugs.

Border security in California and other states is meant to reduce crime and criminal charges. Raids of supposed criminal organizations can be especially problematic in a court of law. That is, while some individuals may in fact be guilty of the infractions of which they are accused, other individuals may simply be innocent bystanders having been lumped together with other, more serious offenders. If you’re facing a drug charge, the experiencedLos Angeles drug offense attorneys at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf can help you protect your rights and fight for the best possible outcome in your case. To learn more, call us today at 866-390-7373 for a free and confidential consultation.

Hate Crime and Same-Sex Marriage

President Obama has recently expressed his support for the Respect for Marriage Act. His view on the idea of marriage has evolved since taking office and President Obama has now confirmed that he supports gay marriage. In contrary, new research based on FBI data shows that gay men face higher rates of hate-motivated physical violence than lesbians, bisexuals or other federally protected groups with high rates of hate crimes. California hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation rose by 25 percent just last year. The most dramatic shifts took place in Palm Springs and San Francisco – both cities with significant gay and lesbian populations. The most recent case was a transgender woman gunned down in Oakland last month.

California and federal hate crime laws impose severe punishment for harming, threatening or harassing someone because of the person’s race, national origin, disability, religion, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. There are cases in which a perpetrator used religious texts condemning homosexuality to justify behavior, which at that point investigators have a case of competing rights — the right to religious belief and the right to be free from discrimination. And if the victim of a hate crime is not out already, simply laying a criminal complaint could out them as a victim of an anti-gay hate crime, putting them at risk for what is called “secondary victimization”.

With that being said, it’s not uncommon for people to get wrongly accused of hate crimes. This often stems from false accusations, misidentification, or a rush to judgment merely because the alleged victim is different from the accused. If you are arrested for a violent and/or hate crime, our experienced Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorneys can help you better understand the laws, penalties and legal defenses pertaining to the charges. To have your rights and your freedom protected, contact Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf, a highly skilled defense attorney in Los Angeles. Call [number type=”1″].