California Criminal Lawyer Blog

A pastor in an Anaheim church has been accused of molesting four girls in his congregation, The Orange County Register reports. The 45-year-old pastor was arrested in September and has been charged with one felony count of lewd acts on a child under 14, five felony counts of lewd acts on a child, two misdemeanor counts of child annoyance, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for lewd acts on multiple children. He is accused of inappropriately touching four girls as young as 13 between April 2007 and September 2009. The Anaheim pastor, who has a prior conviction for sale or distribution of drugs, faces a state prison sentence of up to 11 years and four months if convicted.

Sex crimes are some of the most vigorously prosecuted and severely punished offenses in our criminal justice system today. This is particularly true when the alleged victims involve children or underage teenagers. If you are accused of a sex offense, whether you believe you are guilty or not, you need a strong and skilled criminal defense lawyer on your side. A sex crime conviction can lead to significant incarceration and mandatory registration as a sex offender in California for the remainder of your life.

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Brawley King Nolte, the son of actor Nick Nolte, was arrested for driving under the influence in Santa Monica, California, according to a recent news report. The 23-year-old Nolte was stopped and arrested by Santa Monica police officers after he reportedly tried to change lanes and collided with another car. He was taken into custody after allegedly failing field sobriety tests and showing signs of intoxication and was booked for DUI and possession of a controlled substance.

Both driving under the influence and possession of illegal drugs are serious crimes in California. California law prohibits drivers from operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle."

A common mistake that many DUI arrestees make when they are arrested is that they plead guilty. Many do not know that they may not be "guilty" just because they take a breath or blood test and have an elevated blood alcohol level. Also, even though a person is arrested for drug possession, it does not mean they will be found guilty either.

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California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed two laws that will mandate drivers convicted of driving under the influence to install ignition lock devices that prevent vehicles from starting if alcohol is detected in the driver's breath. According to a news report, the bill written by Assemblyman Mike Feuer is a pilot project that will be tested in several California counties including Los Angeles. The bill will basically require that even first time DUI offenders must install these devices on their vehicles. Another bill, authored by Senator Bob Huff, will allow repeat DUI offenders to apply for restricted licenses if they install these ignition interlock devices in their vehicles.

While opponents question the effectiveness of these devices, advocates believe that the devices could cut down on repeat DUI offenses in California by 64 percent. New Mexico was the first state to enact such as law in 2003. In that state, the number of alcohol-related fatal crashes has dropped by 22 percent between 2002 and 2007.

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Two Los Angeles police officers and a former officer were charged with conspiracy and perjury for lying under oath in a Los Angeles drug crime case, according to an Associated Press news report. Two of the officers testified in a drug crime trial last year that they saw the defendant throw a dark object. One of the officers testified that he picked up the object and found crack cocaine.

Based on surveillance camera video obtained from the apartment complex where the incident occurred, a judge has determined that the officers took more than 20 minutes to "find" the drugs. The judge has also dismissed charges against the defendant. Not only are federal prosecutors now conducting a civil rights investigation, but the defendant has also filed a civil complaint against the LAPD alleging that the three officers planted evidence, wrote false police reports, and committed perjury.

This is an extremely disturbing case especially because it shows that sometimes, law enforcement officials can act unethically; lying about the evidence, falsifying police reports and even being untruthful under oath. This allegedly occurred in a drug crime case where the defendant had a lot at stake. Had the surveillance video not been obtained, this individual could have faced some serious jail time and many other hardships.

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Three men in Orange County have been charged with various drug crimes after police officers in Placentia found hallucinogens and other drugs following a stakeout in a local neighborhood. According to a news report, police reportedly found cocaine, marijuana, heroin, illegal prescription pills, ecstasy pills as well as psilocybin; the active component in illegal hallucinogenic mushrooms. Police said they organized the stakeout after anonymous citizen informants told them about illegal drug activity in the area.

Drug charges are extremely serious in Orange County and Los Angeles County and come with severe consequences including jail or prison time. The drug charges are usually based on quantity, whether the drugs were possessed for personal use or possession for sale, intent to sell or distribute; and other factors such as evidence of weapons possession or use, drug transportation or sales, large amounts of cash and so on. The seriousness of drug charges normally depend on the quantity of drugs possessed, the classification under the drug schedule, and the purpose of the possession – whether it was for personal use or for sale.

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Tawney Kitaen, actress and ex-wife of Anaheim Angels pitcher Chuck Finley, was arrested for drunk driving in Newport Beach; according to The Orange County Register. Kitaen may have been under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs or both, Newport Beach police said. She was apparently arrested for DUI near John Wayne Airport after she was involved in a traffic collision. However, there were no injuries or damages to either vehicle.

Driving under the influence is a serious violation of California law. California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) states: "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle." The law also states that it is illegal for any person with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more to drive a motor vehicle. Driving under the influence of drugs – whether they are recreational or prescription drugs – is also illegal.

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Police in Inglewood are asking for the public's help in finding a 49-year-old man who they believe sexually molested two girls, including one girl who says she has been abused by the man since she was 7 years old. According to a news report in the Daily Breeze, the girl, who is the daughter of the man's girlfriend, recently came forward with the complaint. The second victim is now an adult. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office has apparently filed two felony counts of child molestation against the man and has issued an arrest warrant with bail set at $1 million.

Sex crime charges, especially those involving young children or minors are extremely serious. If convicted of these charges, you could be looking at lengthy jail or state prison time, hefty fines and penalties, and required sex offender registration for the rest of your life. Your job and your career could be in jeopardy, and even finding a place to live can become a problem because of the stigma that sex offenders face in our society today.

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