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.

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 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.

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.

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.

This week, it was reported that Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) star and NFL Hall of Famer, Lawrence Taylor, was arrested on suspicion of rape.  He was also arrested for suspicion of beating a 15 year old.

According to one news source, Taylor is, "being held in lockup on suspicion of third-degree rape."  Next Thursday, an arraignment has been scheduled for the NFL star and police are planning a news conference as well. 

For many, the news came as a complete shock as many felt Taylor was charming on Dancing with the Stars and commend Taylor for his NFL career.  More developments on the story are expected to follow in upcoming days.

If you have been charged with a sex crime, like rape, it is important that you have your case reviewed by a Los Angeles sex crimes lawyer at Okabe & Haushalter.  Contact our law office now to set up a time to discuss your case. 

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.