Recent Blog Posts in 2010

This past Friday, a Los Angeles man that sexually assaulted his girlfriend's 11 year old daughter and then killed her was sentenced to death for the second time.  The man, 58 year old James Heard, allegedly killed the girl because she bit off part of his tongue.

In 2003, the California Supreme Court upheld Heard's conviction, but then overturned his first death sentence.  The Court found that the trial judge improperly excused a man during the jury selection process.

Heard was sentenced again in Los Angeles County Superior Court for the death of Katrina Brown, which occurred in December 1990.  At the time of the crimes, the girl's mother was at work.  Prosecutors say that the girl bit off part of Heard's tongue during the attack.  Heard then poured a bottle of alcohol down the girl's throat in hopes that she would regurgitate his tongue before he strangled her.

Contact Okabe & Haushalter to discuss your case with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer!

This week Friday, a man who pled guilty to raping and murdering a young woman will be sentenced.  The crime took place 15 years ago and the girl's body was found near Cal State San Marcos.

Now, Michael Eddie Williams will be sentenced for the first-degree murder and rape of 18 year old Shannon Conway.  Authorities say Conway was killed in July 1995 and that Williams said her death occurred during the rape.

The prosecution said that Williams, now 37 years old, will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Williams was extradited back to California from Mississippi last December after a DNA match linked him to Conway's death.  Before his extradition, Williams was serving a 40 year sentence for raping a child.

If you have been charged with felony offenses, like rape or murder, it is important that you hire a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.  Contact our law office to set up a consultation with an attorney.

In Manassas, a high school teacher that was accused of sexually abusing a former student is now facing charges for child pornography.  Authorities say that 50 year old Kevin Garfield Ricks has been charged with transporting and possessing child pornography.

Ricks worked as a teacher at a high school in Manassas between September 2007 and February 2010, when he was arrested.  He was accused of having sexual relations with a 16 year old student prior to his arrest.

After his arrest, authorities searched his laptop and found pornographic images of children.   Ricks is currently being held at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center and will face at a sentence of five to 30 years if he is convicted.

Charged with transporting or possessing child pornography in L.A.?  If so, contact Okabe & Haushalter and arrange to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.  We have experience handling all types of sex crime cases, including cases that involve child pornography.

This week in Los Angeles, charges were filed against a 23 year old unlicensed driver that was suspected of hitting an 11 year old boy and driving away from the scene of the accident.

Police formally charged Silvia Vanessa Saldana with one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.  The boy, Natanael Garcia, was killed after being hit by Saldana.

On July 15^th, Garcia was in a marked crosswalk at Hovver and 76^th Streets when Saldana hit him with her SUV.  The accident took place around 2:30 PM.  Following the collision, an anonymous tip was given to the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th Street Station, which led to Saldana's arrest.

Saldana told police that she had borrowed the SUV from an in-law.  She parked the vehicle a few blocks from her home and did not tell the vehicle's owner what happened. 

If you have been charged with manslaughter, now is the time to contact our law office and discuss your situation with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.

In Minnesota, it is reported that a man that was accused of sexually assaulting a 12 year old girl died in jail.  The girl reportedly used her iPod and Facebook to get help.

This week, 42 year old Raymond Ernest Cesmat was found dead in his jail cell.  Cesmat used a bed sheet to hang himself this past Tuesday.  He had been alone when the incident occurred.  Jail officials found his body during a routine check on inmates.

Prior to committing suicide, Cesmat was charged with two counts of sexual conduct in the first degree.  If he was convicted, he would have faced 30 years of jail time for each offense.

On July 10^th, the victim was alone in her house with Cesmat, her mother's former boyfriend.  Despite their break up, Cesmat continued to rent the home with the girl's mother.  The girl told police that Cesmat had taken her phone when she went to bed because he didn't want her texting all night. 

She said that Cesmat entered her room naked and tried to remove her pants.  She kicked him and screamed.  When he left her room, she used her iPod and Facebook to summon help by contacting Cesmat's daughter.

Charged with a sex crime in Los Angeles?  Contact Okabe & Haushalter to discuss your case with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.

This week, the Boston Globe announced that federal investigators "have identified several dozen Pentagon officials and contractors with high-level security clearances who allegedly purchased and downloaded child pornography, including an undisclosed number who used their government computers to obtain the illegal material."

Numerous employees were under investigation for child pornography.  Detectives investigated workers from the National Security Agency, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office.  Employees that work in these divisions deal with some of the most sensitive defense and intelligence work for the government. 

The Boston Globe said that many of the cases are numerous years old and some remain open at this time.  The newspaper wrote, "The fact that offenders include people with access to government secrets puts national security agencies 'at risk of blackmail, bribery, and threats, especially since these individuals typically have access to military installations,' according to one report by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service from late 2009."

The DCIS report was publicly released by the Department of Defense inspector general's office.

If you have been charged with child pornography, know that you are truly in for the fight of your life.  For this reason, it is imperative that you hire a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer who has vast experience handling sex crime cases.  Contact Okabe & Haushalter today!

In Connecticut, a 17 year old male has been arrested in connection with two sexual assault cases.  Police say that on Thursday, they arrested and charged Terrence Easton with first degree sexual assault and first degree burglary. 

Easton was arrested after police investigated two sexual assaults in the Black Rock section of the city.  During both incidents, police found that the perpetrator broke into the homes of women were alone.  One of the victims told news sources that due to the incident, she is now afraid to even go outside.

She said through the mail slot of her door, "I was in bed and I was awakened by a black man in a black ski mask with a gun."  Police say that in both cases, more charges may be filed against Easton, whose bail has been set at $1 million. 

Officers are still waiting for more laboratory work to be completed at this time.

Were you charged with a serious sex crime?  If so, contact Okabe & Haushalter to arrange a time to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer that can help you fight your criminal charges.

This week, a second man stands accused of using social networking sites to share child pornography in western Pennsylvania. The man, 21 year old Ryan Chiles, pled guilty to exploiting children.

Chiles is of Hampton, Virginia and he entered his plea on Wednesday in federal court.  On Tuesday, 56 year old Stephen Sims pleaded guilty in the case.  He is from Palm Springs, California.

According to officials, both men will be sentenced in February.  They face a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life imprisonment for their offenses.

Prior to being caught, the two and others distributed thousands of explicit images and videos of children on a social networking site.  The defendants were part of a group that exchanged such material online.

Have you been charged with child pornography in Los Angeles?  If so, your best option is to consult with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer who has handled numerous other sex crime cases. Contact our law office today to get the legal advice and representation you deserve!

This Wednesday, a 49 year old man by the name of Blaine Kelley Beckham was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and grand theft.  Police say that the arrest occurred after Beckham crashed a stolen car on San Timoteo Road.

Prior to the crash, a green 1993 Honda Accord was reported as stolen.  When police arrived at the scene of the crash, witnesses told them that they saw a driver leave the scene earlier.  Minutes later, officers found Beckham. 

Police say that the car was reported stolen in Colorado.  However, Beckham was booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga. He also has a no-fugitive warrant from Los Angeles County for failure to register as a sexual offender as he was convicted of committing a lewd act with a child under 14 years of age. 

If you are in need of DUI defense in Los Angeles County, contact Okabe & Haushalter to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.

After being charged with white collar crimes, a heart monitoring services company that is based in Orange County, California has agrees to pay $3.6 million.  The large payment was offered by the company to resolve allegations that it had defrauded government health care programs.

According to U.S. attorney's spokesman, Thom Mrozek, the settlement was finalized this week Thursday with National Cardio Lans LLC, the manager of the company (Adrienne Stanman) and her husband (Robert Parsons) who worked as a former manager.

In a lawsuit, the company stood accused of submitting false health care claims to Medicare, TRICARE and various other health insurance companies that were contracted through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.  The fraud allegedly took place between 1998 and 2004.

In May, the company agreed to pay the United States $2.3 million.  It also forfeited $584,000 in assets and is set to pay the remaining $720,000 by July 21^st.

Anytime people have been charged with white collar crimes in Los Angeles, they need to contact Okabe & Haushalter and set up a time to discuss their case with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.

This week in Long Beach, California, a jury decided to convict a man that stood accused of repeatedly raping his niece and her two friends.  The girls were between the ages of 14 and 16 when the rape took place.

The jury presiding over the case took 90 minutes to convict the defendant, Carlos Aguirre Jr.  He was charged with 12 felony counts which included rape, possession of drugs for sale and possession of child pornography.  Now, he will face a life sentence for his crimes.

According to authorities, Aguirre (25) raped the girls between 2004 and 2006.  However, it is reported that he had started molesting his niece when she was only 5 years old.  Investigators say that they found pornographic images on Aguirre's computer, including an 18 minute video that shows the victim being raped by Aguirre and a 12 year old boy.

Have you been charged with sex crimes in Los Angeles?  If so, now is the time to contact Okabe & Haushalter and arrange a time to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - it is reported that a man by the name of Arthur Neal has been sentenced with 30 years of jail time for producing child pornography.

Back in January, 47 year old Neal pled guilty to his sex crime charges.  This week, he was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Linda Reade.

Neal was accused of producing pornography with a girl he babysat for multiple years.  He was sentenced to a maximum sentence based on his sadistic and masochistic conduct, his criminal history and the fact that the abuse was ongoing also enhanced his sentence.

Reade said that Neal poses a "significant danger to children".  At this time, the victim is in a residential treatment program.  She called the court to give a victim's impact statement and said that she had resorted to using drugs because she cannot cope with the sexual abuse she had to go through due to Neal.

If you are in need of sex crimes defense in Los Angeles, now is the time to contact Okabe & Haushalter and discuss your offense with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.

According to KABC, a man in Simi Valley was recently arrested for committing a sex crime.  Allegedly, 32 year old Steven Soliz exposed himself to a traveler who was waiting for an Amtrak train.  The incident caused the commuter train to be delayed.

Supposedly, the woman was waiting for the northbound train when Soliz exposed himself to her.  He then proceeded to board the train and the victim called police. After officers arrived at the scene, the train was briefly delayed as they searched for Soliz.  The victim was able to identify him and he was placed under arrest.  No other witnesses came forward.

Police issued Stoliz with a misdemeanor citation for lewd conduct and he was released.

If you have been charged with a crime in Los Angeles County, now is the time to contact Okabe & Haushalter to schedule an initial case evaluation with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.

Recently, a Los Angeles County child abuse investigator was arrested for sex crimes.  The investigator, 45 year old Rod Carter, was arrested for suspicion of having sex with a 15 year old girl this past Sunday.  After paying bail, Carter was released from police custody.

According to Lt. Dan Keil, police found Carter and the victim having intercourse in a parked car.  They are still trying to determine if the girl was a prostitute or not.

At the time of the incident, the county Department of Children and Family Services say Carter was not on duty.  They also say that the 15 year old is not involved in the child welfare system. On Thursday, Carter refused to comment on the arrest.  He did say that he will be fired and has no plans to contest his termination because it is appropriate given the allegations.

Have you been charged with sex crimes involving a minor?  Now is the time to secure representation from a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.  Simply contact Okabe & Haushalter now!

In San Diego, a man from Oceanside that was investigated by authorities for illegal chemic sales on the Internet has been convicted by a federal jury.  The man, 45 year old David Grummer, was charged with 23 counts of child pornography.

According to U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy, Grummer was convicted on Thursday.  His charges included 18 counts of receiving child pornography and 5 counts of possession of child pornography.  Each of his receiving child pornography counts carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and the possession of child pornography counts have a maximum of 10 years jail time.

Initially, the FBI and Environmental Protection Agency investigated Grummer for illegal sales of chlordane and DDT over the web.  However, while conducting investigations, they found pornography on Grummer's computers.  He was arrested on December 5, 1008 and will be sentenced on September 17^th.

Facing child pornography charges in Los Angeles?  If so, contact Okabe & Haushalter and arrange a time to meet with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.

In Fort Worth, a 56 year old man by the name of Jack Zimmerman has pled guilty to charges of luring a minor.  Police say that Zimmerman lured a 14 year old girl into a van and then engaged in sex acts with her.  He also photographed and filmed the sexual activities.

This week, Zimmerman pled guilty to one count of enticing a minor and one count of production of child pornography. 

According to documents filed with the court, Zimmerman girl met the girl online in an internet chat room.  He fraudulently poses as an 18 year old from Dallas.  After Zimmerman's arrest in December of 2009, police discovered illicit images on his digital camera.

Prosecutors say that Zimmerman faces a 30 year prison sentence if the court agrees to accept his plea bargain.  Sentencing has been scheduled for October 2010.

Have you been charged with a serious sex crime?  If you answered "yes", do not waste any time.  Contact Okabe & Haushalter to schedule a consultation with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer from our team.

On Thursday, federal authorities were looking for victims they believe may have been molested by a former Fort Irwin Army soldier.  The soldier, 23 year old Joseph Scott Szymanski, was charged with possessing child pornography and also illegal sexual contact with children.

In June, police arrested Szymanski in Fairbanks, Alaska. Prior to his arrest, Szymanski was charged in federal court in Riverside County with possessions illicit photographic images of several children.  Police say that the children were babysat by Szymanski while he lived in Fort Irwin.

The FBI said that they found a memory card that contained sexual images of underage boys engaged in sex acts.  They were able to link Szymanski to the images by the furniture and other items displayed in the photos.

If you have been charged with sex crimes involving children, it is imperative that you hire a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer immediately.  Contact the Okabe & Haushalter to speak with a defense attorney.

It has been announced that the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be conducting sobriety checkpoints in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County.  The checkpoints will take place on Thursday June 24^th and Friday June 25^th and will begin at 8:30 PM and last until 2:30 AM on Saturday.  During that time period, officers will be on the lookout for those who are driving under the influence (DUI).

Police say that on Thursday and Friday, drivers will notice that signs are posted advising them that a sobriety checkpoint is ahead.   Drivers will be stopped by police for a few minutes while officers explain the purpose of the sobriety checkpoint.

Officers report that the goal of the sobriety checkpoint is to create awareness amongst drivers about the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.   Another goal is to arrest those who are drunk driving and reduce the number of DUI offenders on Los Angeles roads.

If you have been charged with driving under the influence, now is the time to contact Okabe & Haushalter and discuss your charges with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.

In Gainesville, Georgia, a bus driver from Hall County pled guilty to charges of child pornography.  He entered his plea in federal court this week Friday.

According to reports, 41 year old John Cooper Spinks was accused of searching for, downloading and viewing explicit images of children.  He was also accused of distributing child pornography over the internet.

Spinks was caught in the act when he allegedly sent child pornography to an undercover law enforcement agent while visiting a chat room on his computer.  On March 25^th, federal agents obtained a search warrant and confiscated Spinks' laptop and electronic media.  FBI agents said that during their investigation, they found numerous images of children on Spinks' computer.

For his offenses, Spinks faces up to 40 years of prison time and a fine of up to $500,000.

Were you charged with child pornography?  If so, contact Okabe & Haushalter to schedule a case evaluation with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.

In Sacramento, it is reported that a 54 year old man by the name of Edwin Lionel Chartier has been sentenced with 16 years of prison time.  At this time, Chartier is serving the first weekend of his sentence after being convicted for molesting three young girls.

In May, Chartier pled guilty to three counts of child molestation.  It is reported that he had inappropriate sexual contact with three girls below the age of 14.  The molestations occurred between 2006 and 2009.

During Chartier's sentencing hearing on Wednesday, his victims tearfully addressed the court.  One of the girls spoke directly to the judge and said that she hoped Chartier would never get out of prison.  Aside from having to serve time in prison, Chartier will have to register as a convicted sex offender in California.

If you have been charged with a sexual offense involving a child, it is important that you retain representation from a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.  Contact Okabe & Haushalter immediately to receive the representation you deserve.

When people have been charged with driving under the influence (DUI), they may assume that they have zero options.  This is especially true if their failed their breath alcohol tests or field sobriety tests.  However, the truth is that all people are innocent until proven guilty and that there are many DUI defenses.  Some of these defenses are detailed below:

§  Faulty administration of breath tests.  Sometimes, when law enforcement pull people over for DUI and ask them to take breath tests, they may administer tests incorrectly.  When this happens the results of the tests may not be accurate and can impact the outcome of people's cases.

§  Field sobriety tests are prone to errors.  There are numerous defenses that can be used to contest FSTs, including poor weather conditions or even poor instruction from officers.

§  Lack of probable cause.  In order for police to make a DUI stop, they must have sufficient probable cause. If they do not have sufficient probable cause, the DUI stop may be deemed illegal.

If you would like to learn more about possible DUI defenses, contact Okabe & Haushalter to speak with a South Bay DUI defense lawyer.

Authorities report that a man from Orange County is suspected of a rape in the state of Arizona may also be responsible for a sexual assault that took place across the country.  Accusations surfaced when investigators found hundreds of photos of unknown women and women's undergarments in the suspect's home.

The man, 44 year old Kevin Francois, is waiting extradition to Arizona after officers connected his DNA to a rape and burglary that occurred in 2003 in Tempe.  At this time, Francois remains detained by police.

Law enforcement officers arrested Francois in Newport Beach in January.  He was allegedly loitering near an apartment complex and resisted arrest.  Police were able to gather his DNA and he was released in May.  Authorities believe that Francois targeted younger women that lived near college campuses.  He would allegedly burglarize homes and in some cases, the women would be in the homes while Francois was committing offenses.

Have you been charged with a felony sex crime in Los Angeles?  If so, it is imperative that you retain representation from a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney now.  Contact Okabe & Haushalter to speak with a lawyer from our team.

In California, two women who were waiting at a bus stop were hit by a drunk driver this week Tuesday.  The women suffered serious injuries during the collision.

News sources report that while 40 year old Keri Sanders and 32 year old Demertia Davidson were waiting for the bus, they were struck by a vehicle heading eastbound.  The vehicle was operated by 24 year old Jason Howard.  Police say Howard first hit a trash can, swerved off of the road and ended up crashing into the bus stop.  He was arrested for driving under the influence at 5:00 PM.

Both of the women had to be rushed to the hospital to receive treatment for their major injuries.  Sanders sustained a head injury, but both victims are in stable condition. 

Police say that Howard was charged with DUI causing injury after an accident and if he is convicted, his penalties will largely depend upon the health of both victims. 

If you are in need of DUI defense in Los Angeles, contact Okabe & Haushalter to arrange to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.

Tagged.com is being watched by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office.  Cuomo is the Attorney General in New York and he is taking aim at the social networking set because it had sexually explicit pictures of young children. 

According to Attorney Cuomo, the site ignored its own policies by allowing the pornographic images to be viewed by users.  He also says that the site received complaints about the child pornography, but did not rectify the situation.  Attorney Cuomo sent a letter to Tagged.com and requested that it take immediate action within five days or face civil action. 

Cuomo told reporters, "My message to Tagged.com is: Clean up your act or we will see you in court immediately."

In response, the site said that it allows users to flag offensive material, which is then removed by the site's staff.  Tagged.com caters primarily to teenagers.  However, the Attorney General's office created fictitious accounts and found that despite complaints, the site failed to remove the images.

A lawyer representing the social network said that it would work with investigators.

If you have been charged with a serious sex crime,, like child pornography, now is the time to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney from Okabe & Haushalter.  Contact us now!

This week, several news sources reported that Alex Da Silva of the hit show So You Think You Can Dance has pled not guilty to charges of rape.  Da Silva is a choreographer on SYTYCD and was accused of raping several women from 2002 to 2009.

Da Silva made a court appearance in Los Angeles and pled not guilty to eight rape charges, including:   four forcible rape charges, two assault with intent to commit rape charges and two counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object.

All of the charges were filed by four women who were students in his dance classes.  They all said that they were lured to Da Silva's home in North Hollywood and then raped.  In August, police arrested Da Silva and he was held in lieu of $6.2 million bail.  If he is convicted, he could face life in prison.

Were you charged with a serious sex crime?  If so, contact Okabe & Haushalter to arrange a time to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer.