Recent Blog Posts in March 2010

Police in Torrance arrested a peeping tom last week with the help of a boys baseball team.

According to police, Manuel DeJesus Garcia, 33, had been following women into the bathroom at a McDonald's Restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway. Inside the bathroom he would look up at them as they used the toilet from underneath the stall.

On March 13, video survellaince footage caught Garcia running out of the restaurant at the same time a women started screaming from the bathroom. Fast forward to March 21 when the boys were practicing baseball in a  park across the street from the McDonalds. Police approached the boys, showed them a picture of Garcia, and asked them if they had seen him.

Later that day, the boys recognized Garcia leave the restroom and run out of the McDonald's. Four of the boy's dads took off and were able to follow Garcia until police were able to catch up and place him under arrest.

This isn't the first time Garcia was arrested for peeping. He has been arrested at least three other times for voyuerism. It was not reported whether or not those arrests resulted in formal charges or a conviction.

If you are facing criminal charges for a sex crime, such as peeping, it's important to ensure your rights are protected by an experienced criminal defense attorney. Depending on the nature of your charges, you could be facing years in state prison, heavy fines, probation, mandatory counseling or therapy, and possible registration as a sex offender. An experienced Los Angeles sex crimes defense lawyer at Okabe & Haushalter can ensure your charges are aggressively defended from all angles in an effort to secure the best possible outcome.

Contact Okabe & Haushalter today at (310) 543-7708 to learn more about our experience and services.

The city of Los Angeles is one step closer to enforcing an ordinance that would shut down hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the city.

There are currently about 1,000 dispensaries throughout Los Angeles, but if and when the ordinance goes into effect, only the 187 dispensaries that were registered with the city before a moratorium was issued will be able to keep their doors open. This means over 800 dispensaries will be forced to closed.

The ordinance will also prohibit dispensaries from opening or operating near schools, public parks and libraries, and religious institutions.

Before the ordinance goes into effect, two separate city council committees will be voting on registration fees for dispensary operators. The suggested fee is about $1,600 for each dispensary. Once the registration fee has been decided the ordinance can take effect.

In response to the ordinance, medical marijuana advocates are suing the city of Los Angeles in an effort to try and save the dispensaries.

Experienced Los Angeles Drug Crime Lawyers

Although the state of California permits the possession, sale, and cultivation of marijuana for medicinal purposes, laws and regulations imposed by the city of Los Angeles and the federal government make prosecuting and defending medical marijuana charges difficult and complex. At Okabe & Haushalter, we have ample experience defending people who have been arrested in connection with a medical marijuana offense. Should you choose to work with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney at our office, you can trust your charges will be fought aggressively, and all measures will be taken to ensure you are provided with a tough and compelling defense. We have been very successful in defending clients throughout Los Angeles and South Bay against drug charges, and would be happy to use our experience, skills, and resources to help you!

For more information about our drug defense services, please contact Okabe & Haushalter today at (310) 543-7708!

Following the alleged rape and murder of 17-year-old Chelsea King, one California lawmaker is proposing legislation to stiffen the state's existing sex offender laws.

The legislation will be named after King, who disappeared February 25 while running in a park near San Diego. On March 2, her body was found near a shallow grave. It is believed that John Albert Gardner III, a known and convicted sex offender, raped and then killed her.

Now, with the support of King's parents, Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher is proposing to review the state's current sex offender laws and revamp them, this time making them much more stringent. Fletcher plans to introduce "Chelsea's Law" sometime in early April, which he says will focus on a "one-strike" provision and parole reform. He also wants to focus on including GPS tracking for registered sex offenders. He said the current laws only inform authorities where registered sex offenders live, but not where they go every day. Through GPS tracking, authorities can watch if a convicted sex offender goes near a location frequented by children, such as a school, park, or playground.

"I'm really concerned where these sex predators go because where you live is one thing, but where you go is another matter," Fletcher said. "We're looking at the possibility of using technology. Using a GPS device that's a passive device, but the minute you cross into one of these safe zones it immediately pings a 911 call and you've committed a crime by violating it."

Gardner, who pleaded not guilty to the rape and murder of King, was previously convicted of molesting a 13-year-old girl and is currently suspected in the death of a 14-year-old girl from Escondido. He served five years in prison for the first offense.

If you have been charged with a sex offense, such as rape or child molestation, it's extremely important that you speak with an experienced defense attorney right away. Sex crimes carry heavy penalties, including years in state prison, thousands of dollars in fines, probation, and mandatory registration as sex offender. Furthermore, because of California's three strike laws, if you are facing your third violent felony offense for a sex crime, you will face a mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in prison, even if your first two felony convictions were not sexual in nature.

At Okabe & Haushalter, we understand the serious toll a sex crimes conviction will have on your life, and feel we have the experience, skills, and resources to put up an aggressive fight against your charges. If you're interested in learning more about our defense services, please feel free to contact a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at our office today by calling (310) 543-7708.

The Los Angeles Police Department is looking for a man suspected of raping a woman in a North Hollywood parking lot.

The attack took place March 11 around 12:45 a.m. near the 6900 block of Lankershim Boulevard. According to police, the suspect followed the victim for several blocks until he eventually grabbed her by the arm and led her to a nearby parking lot. He then raped the woman in the parking lot after telling her to undress. After the incident he fled the scene on foot.

One attorney and several chiropractors and paralegals were arrested this month for their involvement in a large-scale auto insurance fraud scheme.

According to ABC News, the group is suspected of defrauding 19 insurance companies by filing false claims for staged accidents, costing nearly $550,000. Prosecutors say those arrested were part of a larger conspiracy involving more than 300 suspects.

The attorney arrested in connection with the fraud ring is 40-year-old Vadim Schar of Encino, who has been charged with 16 counts of insurance fraud and four counts of illegal drug possession for cocaine, methamphetamine, and concentrated cannabis and marijuana.

Also arrested were chiropractors Arkady Pishik, 52, Arutyun Tovanyan, 33, and Dely Diaz, 37. Several paralegals were arrested as well, including Alex Shidlovitsky, 56, Geliya Akselrud, 67, and Michael Itkin, 50. All are facing various counts of insurance fraud.  

So far 63 people have been charged in connection with the conspiracy ring, and 27 of those people have already pleaded guilty or no contest.

At Okabe & Haushalter, we are committed to providing clients throughout Los Angeles and South Bay with the aggressive defense they need against insurance fraud charges. Should fraud charges result in a conviction, the defendant will be faced with a number of unpleasant penalties that will take a heavy toll on their rights, reputation, and freedom, including incarceration in state or federal prison, steep fines, probation, and more. The best way to protect your rights and freedom in the wake of a fraud arrest, is to hire an attorney who has the experience, practice, and legal knowledge to provide you with a strong and effective defense. At Okabe & Haushalter, we have considerable experience in fraud defense, and will ensure your case receives the attention and dedication needed to increase your chances of a successful outcome.

Contact Okabe & Haushalter today to arrange a consultation with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney!

Manhattan Beach Police detectives have arrested a Westchester couple on suspicion of stealing high-end bicycles, strollers, and motorized scooters and possibly selling the parts for drug money.

Arrested were 33-year-old Anthony Taraszka and 31-year-old Michelle Thompson. Both have previously been arrested on similar charges.

The most recent arrest came after police investigators found 16 strollers and 23 bicycles and scooters after searching the couple's home. Police think most of the stolen items came from homes in the Manhattan Beach area.

In Taraszka’s and Thompson’s previous case they would steal the items, strip them down, and then sell the parts on eBay for drug money. It’s not clear in this new case whether or not they were stealing the bikes, strollers and scooters for drug money again.

Taraszka is being held without bail on suspicion of possessing stolen property and drug possession. Thompson, who was released on $120,000 bail, was charged with possessing stolen property and identity theft.

Last month, the manager of a bowling alley in Arizona pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and engaging in indecent acts with a minor.

After entering his plea, 36-year-old William O’Rourke was handcuffed and taken into custody. He is scheduled to be sentenced for his crimes on March 26 in Pima County Superior Court before Judge Howard Fell.

O’Rourke faces between 10 and 24 years in prison just for the child pornography charge. He is likely to face additional years in prison for the indecent sexual activity with a 12-year-old boy. But even if O’Rourke is on his best behavior, the judge told him that prison is 100% certain, meaning it is unlikely he’ll be able to get any time off for good behavior.

As you can see, judges take child pornography charges extremely seriously. If you have been accused of possessing child pornography in Los Angeles or South Bay, nothing is more important than speaking with a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer right away. At Okabe & Haushalter, we devote a large portion of our practice to child pornography and sex crimes defense, and have the experience, knowledge and resources to provide anyone facing these types of charges with the effective representation they need during this unsettling time.

To learn more about our criminal defense, please do not hesitate to contact a Los Angeles child pornography defense attorney at our office today!

A father and son remain in police custody after they were arrested for stealing credit cards and money  from the elderly.

Witnesses say the father-son team would watch from the parking lot as their victims went inside the Ralphs supermarket on north Sepulveda Boulevard. While the victims were inside, the two would back their vehicle into the victim’s parked car, purposely causing minor damage. Then, as they exchanged information with the victim, they would steal their cash and credit cards.

While responding to an accident last week, police spotted the father and son as they were driving away. They were able to make an arrest a short time later.

Both Gino Oneal Sr. and Gino Oneal Jr. were booked at the El Segundo Police Department on grand theft charges. They are being held without bail on related parole holds.

Back in February we reported that a woman was convicted of setting a bikini dancer on fire during a feud. Last week that woman, 28-year-old Rianne Theriault-Odom, was sentenced to life in prison in Van Nuys Superior Court.

In attendance at the hearing was the victim, Roberta Santo-Busby, who tearfully asked the judge to issue the maximum sentence. Busby suffered severe burn injuries over 40% of her body, spent five months in the hospital, and had to undergo 30 painful skin grafts.

Theriault-Odom asked for a psychiatrist, claiming she wasn’t emotionally stable enough for prison, but the judge, Superior Court Judge Susan Speer, turned down her request to postpone the sentencing.

Speer said the crime involved “great violence, great bodily injury, disclosing an exceptionally high degree of cruelty, viciousness and callousness.”

The attack took place on February 5, 2009. Theriault-Odom and Busby got into an argument outside the Babes & Beer bar in Tarzana. As the argument escalated, Theriault-Odom doused Busby, a dancer at the club, with gasoline and then set her on fire. According ABC 7 news, Theriault-Odom had been denied a job as a dancer at the club.

Violent attacks like this warrant serious charges and even stricter penalties. If you have been accused of a violent crime, such as mayhem, torture, or aggravated assault, it’s crucial to speak with a criminal defense lawyer right away. You can trust your case will be aggressively prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law by the district attorney’s office, so it’s important to equip yourself with an equally tough defense. At Okabe & Haushalter, we can ensure your case is given the attention and dedication it deserves, and that you are aggressively defended from the beginning stages of your case until the very end.

If you are interested in arranging a consultation with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at our office to discuss your charges, please contact Okabe & Haushalter today at (310) 543-7708!

An Anaheim man is in police custody after luring a minor into a hotel and raping her.

The suspect, 33-year-old Matthew Martinez Casteneda, allegedly used the social networking site MySpace to convince the 12-year-old girl to meet him at the South Coast Plaza mall in Costa Mesa.

According to Anaheim police, Casteneda took the girl to Zaby’s Motor Lodge where he raped her. After they had sex, Casteneda left the victim at the hotel stranded without her bus pass. Police say she was able to flag down a civilian police traffic controller for help.

The victim didn’t reveal what happened right away. What had occurred in the hotel room was only revealed after police connected the girl to a missing persons report.

A former gymnastics coach has been convicted of having an unlawful sexual relationship with a 16 year old girl.

According to Orange County prosecutors, 37-year-old Jason Wayne Scofield met the girl while working as a coach at Wildfire Gymnastics in Tustin. His sexual relationship with the teen lasted from February 2009 through the end of June 2009.

The girl’s parents alerted police after receiving a concerned e-mail from one of their daughter’s friends. At the time police were notified, Scofield had already quite his job at the gym and joined the Army. He was living in Arizona when investigators came looking for him.

After obtaining a warrant, police went to Arizona to arrest Scofield and bring him back to Orange County to face his charges. He pleaded guilty to the felony charges and will likely be sentenced to one year in jail and three years probation. A judge has scheduled his sentencing hearing for March 30.

A Los Angeles County jury has recommended life in prison without parole for two men convicted of murdering a man and his stepdaughter on New Year’s Eve in 2006.

A judge has scheduled a sentencing hearing for Matthew Ian Koontz, 36, and Jonathan Blackwell, 29. Koontz and Blackwell were convicted in January of first-degree murder for killing Raul Cruz and Jessica Cipriano.

Cruz and Cipriano were fatally shot when Koontz and Blackwell broke into their apartment on December 31, 2006. Micaela Estrada, Cipriano’s mother and Cruz’s common-law wife, was wounded.

Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley’s efforts to crackdown on medical marijuana have landed one dispensary owner in the hot seat. The owner of Organica, a medical marijuana dispensary in Marina Del Rey, is facing criminal charges for the illegal sale of marijuana and money laundering.

Jeffrey Joseph is accused of passing out flyers advertising the dispensary near a high school. Since then, some of the students at the school have purchased marijuana from the dispensary. No details have been released about the money laundering charges.

In January, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed a new ordinance that prohibits dispensaries from opening within a certain distance of schools or any other location that children frequent. It’s not clear whether Organica is located near a school or if Joseph just went to the school to pass out the flyers.  

Although medical marijuana is illegal on the federal level, the state of California still allows marijuana to be cultivated, sold, and used for medicinal purposes. However, Cooley has been cracking down on medical marijuana dispensaries, and the ordinance Mayor Villaraigosa signed limits the number of dispensaries that are allowed to operate within Los Angeles County limits.

Joseph faces 24 criminal counts. His bail was set at $350,000.

A man will stand trial in Los Angeles after admitting to the FBI that he paid to have sex with a 14-year-old girl and several other children in Cambodia.

Michael Dodd, 59, is accused of traveling overseas to have sex with a minor. Dodd was in Cambodia teaching English when he was arrested by Cambodian authorities in 2008. A Cambodian court convicted Dodd of having a sexual relationship with the 14-year-old girl.

He has since been turned over to the U.S. and is now back on U.S. soil.  It has not yet been reported when Dodd’s U.S. trial is scheduled to be begin.