Recent Posts in Criminal Defense Category

A former insurance claims adjuster who was suspected of terrorizing women in the 1970s as the Westside Rapist has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for seven murders that were committed in two waves of killings and sexual assaults.

John Floyd Thomas was sentenced for the killings that took place in a area stretching from Inglewood to Claremont. Police describe him as one of the California's most prolific serial killers, saying that he is still a suspect in at least 10 to 15 additional murders.

Police said the sexual attacks targeted women who ranged in age from their 50s to their 90s, many of whom lived alone. He broke into their homes at night and raped and choked his victims until they passed out or died. His sentence was part of a plea deal with prosecutors that was described as an act of pragmatism rather than an act of mercy.

She noted that capital punishment was not legal in California when all but one of the killings Thomas admitted to were committed. She said the death penalty would not have been relevant in this case because Thomas would probably die in prison during his appeals, given his age.

Thomas was born in Los Angeles and was raised by an aunt and his godmother after his mother died when he was 12. He attended public schools, and briefly joined the U.S. Air Force in 1956. At Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, he received a dishonorable discharge. The next year, he was convicted of burglary and attempted rape, which put him in prison for nearly almost 10 years. After his release, police noticed a string of assaults on elderly white women. The attacker was dubbed the Westside Rapist at the time.

The attacks appeared to stop in 1978, when Thomas was convicted and sentenced to prison for the rape of a Pasadena woman. After his release in 1983, he moved to Chino, coinciding with a wave of rapes and killings that began in the Pomona Valley area.

The Westside Rapist faded from public memory and authorities made limited progress in the Claremont killings until 2004, when the LAPD matched male DNA taken from two of the crime scenes. The final break in the case came in October 2008, when two officers collected DNA from Thomas while trying to identify the so-called Grim Sleeper serial killer, who was linked to homicides in South Los Angeles starting in the 1980s. Several months later, detectives learned that Thomas' genetic profile matched DNA evidence from four of the killings he admitted in court.

Police will conduct an intensive investigation following a murder or sexual assault. Therefore, if you are criminally charged, you will need a skilled criminal defense attorney from Marks & Brooklier. Criminal defense lawyers  Donald Marks and  Anthony Brooklier have been successfully representing clients for murder and rape charges for decades. They have the experience necessary to provide you with skilled criminal defense in all Los Angeles County Courts. It takes a dedicated legal team to fight a murder or sexual assault charge, and with our firm you can feel condifent that we will provide you with the highest quality criminal defense team. Our Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers are aggressive in the court room and look forward to defending your case. Contact us for a free case consultation.

A Beverly Hills movie producer pleaded guilty to molesting a teenage girl he met on the internet through MySpace. Prosecutors in Orange County, California said Iren Koster, 62, met her on the website when she was 14 years old and starting chatting with her online on a regular basis.

He met the girl in person four times starting in 2007 after she was 15 and 16 years old, and had oral sex with her in his vehicle and at her residence. A person in the Internet community became concerned about their communication and alerted the Fullerton Police Department in 2009. Mr. Koster pleaded guilty to two felony counts of lewd acts on a child and two felony counts of oral copulation of a minor. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in a California state prison. His film credits include producing the movies "Invisible Kids" and "Mustang Sally's Horror House."

When an individual is arrested for any type of sex crime, it usually means they have attempted or have performed a sexual act on another person using force and against their will. Anyone accused of a sex crime is labeled a sexual offender, pervert or sexual deviant. A conviction requires a person to register with a sex offense registry for the remainder of their lives. Once you have labeled as a sex offender, it is difficult to remove the reputation. If you are convicted of a sex crime, you will be viewed with distrust by friends and neighbors. Securing employment will prove to be extremely difficult, even finding a place to live can be a huge challenge. Therefore, it is critical that you handle obtain the services of the best possible sex crime criminal defense attorney. At Marks & Brooklier, we are highly skilled  Los Angeles Sex Crimes defense attorneys who know how to defend you against these charges.

Sex Crimes Attorneys Donald Marks and  Anthony Brooklier have years of experience in handling all types of sex crimes cases. With our knowledge of sex crime laws and how the courts will prosecute these cases. we work closely with our clients to defend them from unwarranted charges. As experienced court litigators, we can bring your defense to trial if necessary. We offer legal defense representation for all types of sex crimes criminal charges including Prostitution, Sexual assault, Sexual battery, Lewd & Lascivious conduct, Rape, Statutory Rape, Indecent exposure and child pornography charges.  Call our office for a free review of your case.

A Garden Grove man was sentenced to four years, four months in a California State prison for kidnapping his daughter and assaulting her mother with a handgun in Lake Forest. The assault occurred during a custody drop-off in the mother's home, where Daniel Chomina was angered at seeing a male friend at the home.

He was accused of pointing a handgun at the girl's mother and her male friend at the home and then hitting the man with the gun. When the two locked themselves inside the home, Chomina broke in, took his 3-year-old daughter, and fled. A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge sentenced him to four years and four months in prison.

After driving away in his car, he called his former girlfriend and agreed to leave their daughter with his mother at an Anaheim restaurant. Chomina was facing 15 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of assault with a firearm, a misdemeanor count of being in possession of a firearm, and felony counts of kidnapping and first-degree burglary.

Kidnapping is defined as using force or threats of force to take a person against their will. Abducting an individual by force and holding them against their will could result in being charged for felony kidnapping. Regardless of your relationship to the victim, the consequences of your actions will be prosecuted aggressively.

If you have been charged or under investigation for kidnapping, it is critical that you obtain an experienced Los Angeles kidnapping criminal defense lawyer right away. At Marks & Brooklier, our law firm will specially design a top legal team who will defend you against these charges. Attorneys  Donald Marks and  Anthony Brooklier are skilled kidnapping criminal defense attorneys, who will ensure you receive the legal assistance you need to aggressively fight your criminal charges.  Call our office today to schedule a free consultation.

Two men were arrested in connection with what police call a complex, multimillion-dollar car theft ring. Kirsio Cruz, of Norco and Luis Marroquin, of Huntington Park, California were taken into custody by the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Motor Vehicles after a long investigation. The men are believed to have stolen 26 cars valued at least $1.2 million by using fake documents to remove the actual lien holders from the vehicles' titles. 

The men conspired to remove the lien holders using fraudulent notary stamps, fraudulent CHP stamps and fraudulent DMV stamps. The arrest were made at King City Auto Sales in Los Angeles. Police also served a search warrant at an unlicensed registration service in Los Angeles, where more evidence of fraudulent activity was found. The state attorney general’s office has filed multiple charges in Los Angeles County Superior Court against the men. CHP authorities said the theft investigation is still ongoing.

Regardless of what type of theft charges you are facing, our Los Angeles car theft criminal defense lawyers are confident we can assist you with your defense. We will aggressively approach your theft case with the intention of either having the charges lessened or getting the charges dismissed.

At Marks and Brooklier, we have  successfully defended individuals since 1976 in all types of theft crimes including: burglary, robbery, commercial burglary, conspiracy, counterfeiting, grand theft, grand theft auto, petty theft, petty theft with prior, residential burglary, shoplifting, carjacking, forgery, embezzlement and white collar crimes.  Contact our office to learn more about what we can do for you.

Los Angeles police used a Taser to subdue former USC football standout Everson Griffen after he assaulted a police officer during a traffic stop near the campus. Griffen, who is now a member of the Minnesota Vikings, was booked on felony battery after the incident, which was reported at 30th and Hoover streets, in Los Angeles.

The incident took place during a routine traffic stop. Police asked Griffen for his license, which turned out not to be valid. Griffen then told them "he did not want to go back to jail" and sprinted away from the officers, who caught up with him after a short distance. When one of the officers tried to subdue him, he grabbed the officer in the groin area. Moments later, officers used a Taser to subdue him. Griffen was arrested in 2009 in Massachusetts on suspicion of breach of the peace.

If you or someone you know have been arrested for an assault and battery charge, this can lead to serious consequences. Due to the complexity and severity of this type of charge, you will want to have a skilled and experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer to defend you. At Marks & Brooklier, we have the experience you need to offer a criminal defense that can lessen the chances of your being convicted. In assault and battery cases, there can convincing evidence proving that you might have been acting in self defense. With decades of dedication to our client's needs, our highly trained legal staff will supply you with strong legal advice to best handle your criminal charges. We will review all evidence against you and conduct our own investigation as needed. If you find yourself facing assault or battery charges, it is best to confront it quickly and get the best legal counsel you can to direct your defense. Attorneys  Donald Marks and  Anthony Brooklier have been  successfully representing clients since 1976, and we can do the same for you.  Call our office anytime, 24/7, for a free case evaluation.

A former employee of an adult day-care center in El Monte pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting three severely disabled women with the mental capacity of children. The plea came in exchange for an agreement with prosecutors that he be sentenced to no more than eight years in prison.

Juan Fernando Flores faced up to 27 years had he been convicted of all the charges, which included multiple assaults and the transmission of a sexual disease. The victims all have mental disabilities, including Down's syndrome. He worked as a cook and driver at the government-subsidized facility, then known as Healthy Start. After the arrest, he confessed to assaulting the three women. Police suspected there may have been other victims but did not have enough evidence to press more charges. Under the terms of the plea, Flores would have to serve 85% of the sentence and register as a sex offender upon release.

The criminal case was set for trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Pomona. Instead, the judge set a sentencing hearing for which the victims and their families will be given an opportunity to describe the effect of the crimes on their lives. Several families pulled relatives out of the facility after the arrest, and police sent letters to clients' families suggesting they be tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

When someone is accused or charged with a sex crime, it usually means that they have attempted or have performed a sexual act against another person using force and against their will. Anyone accused of a sexual assault is labeled a sexual predator, pervert or sexual deviant. A sexual assault conviction requires a person to register with a sex offense registry for the rest of their lives. If convicted of a sex crime, you will be viewed with distrust by neighbors and friends. Obtaining employment will be difficult. Therefore it is critical you handle this type of a charge with the best possible sex crime criminal defense attorney. At Marks & Brooklier, we are highly experienced Los Angeles sexual assault criminal defense attorneys who know how best to defend you against these charges. Attorneys  Donald Marks and  Anthony Brooklier have been successfully representing clients for decades and can do the same for you.  Call our office anytime, 24/7, for a free case evaluation. All consultations are strictly confidential.

Two men arrested after a robbery in Fontana, California are believed to be responsible for an armed robbery of a Redlands restaurant and many other robberies in surrounding cities. Fontana police arrested David Richard McKinney and Jonathan Burnside, both of Highland, California, following an armed robbery and vehicle pursuit in Fontana. Police have linked the two men to similar robberies in Highland and San Bernardino.

Two armed men entered the Mediterranean Grill and demanded money from an employee at the cash register. The suspects fled in a silver sport utility vehicle. Redlands detectives said the suspects and vehicle from the Fontana arrest matched video taken from the Redlands restaurant and other surrounding businesses. The suspects are in custody at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on numerous charges, including the Redlands robbery.

Because armed robbery is considered a violent crime, California judges and prosecutors tend to aggressively prosecute the accused. There are usually severe consequences for any robbery crime that can affect your life for many years. When our Los Angeles armed robbery criminal defense attorneys at Marks & Brooklier meet with you at our free initial consultation, we will carefully review all of the facts of your robbery case in order to properly advise you as to how we can best provide effective criminal defense on your behalf. Avoiding a conviction is always our goal, as we understand the consequences of serving a lenghtly prison sentenced can be to your family. Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have extensive experience in armed robbery arrest and we strongly encourage you to make an appointment to discuss how we can best defend you. Contact us today for your free consultation.

In Santa Ana, California, a Lake Forest man goes on trial on multiple felony charges of raping five women and sexually assaulting a sixth. The charges against Sekayi Rudo White, could result in a sentence of 119 years to life in prison if he is convicted of all counts. He is accused of 14 felony counts involving six women he met in bars, had been dating, or was acquainted with during a five-year span.

Prosecutors say that three of the victims initially were too frightened to report the sexual attacks, but called police after they read news accounts of his arrest in connection with the other three women. And one of the assaults took place after he was released on $250,000 bail. He has been in custody without bail since that incident in Lake Forest on March 31, 2007.

White is accused of forcible rape, assault with intent to commit rape, sexual battery, dissuading a witness and residential burglary, plus sentencing enhancements for committing sex crimes against multiple victims, using a deadly weapon, and committing crimes while out on bail. The six incidents according to prosecutors:

On March 31, 2007, a 28-year-old woman was drinking with a friend at Patsy's Irish Pub in Lake Forest. Prosecutors say he covertly followed the victim home, knocked on her door, and was allowed inside after she recognized him. He raped her after she passed out.

On Feb. 21, 2007, he broke into the home of a 22-year-old woman he had been dating, pushed her to the ground, and stepped on her chest as he removed her clothes. He is accused of forcibly raping the victim as he held a large hunting knife to her neck.

One night in January 2007, a woman renting a room from the victim in the Feb. 21 incident was attacked in her bedroom after he broke the lock on her door. He is accused of threatening to kill her if she reported the rape.

On Aug. 13, 2006, White met a 19-year-old woman at Atlanta Lounge in Huntington Beach, California. He offered to give the drunken victim a ride home, but instead drove her to his apartment and raped her.

On Dec. 23, 2005 White met a 44-year-old woman at the Fox Sports Grill at the Irvine Spectrum and offered to give her a ride home because she had been drinking. After arriving at her Newport Beach apartment, he asked to use the bathroom. Prosecutors say he ran out of the bathroom naked, tried to rape the woman while threatening to kill her if she told anyone, but she screamed anyway and he fled the scene.

In September 2002, White met a 22-year-old woman in driving school and asked her out for a date. He is accused of taking her to a hotel in Santa Ana and forcibly raping her while she was temporarily unconscious. After the attack, he is accused of harassing the woman, who did not initially report the incident,  by showing up at her work and home.

If you have been charged with a rape or any type of sex crime, you need the skilled defense services of a Los Angeles rape criminal defense attorney who has the experience and knowledge of this area of the law. At Marks & Brooklier, attorneys Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier are qualified Los Angeles sex crimes lawyers who will aggressively defend you. Our skilled lawyers have handled high profile cases involving rape with great success and can do the same for you. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7, strictly confidential.

An Anaheim, California man has been arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine in the living room of his 87-year-old bedridden aunt. The methamphetamine lab was discovered by police while conducting a welfare check on the elderly woman after her granddaughter to say she had not heard from her grandmother in three months, according to a statement by the Orange County district attorney's office.

Police arrested Thomas George Hogue, the caretaker of his aunt, who was confined to her bed in another room. He is being charged with one felony count each of manufacturing methamphetamine and elder and dependent adult abuse. If convicted, he faces a maximum of eight years in state prison.

A methamphetamine manufacturing conviction can be produce severe consequences. Therefore, it is critical that you discuss your case with an aggressive Los Angeles methamphetamine manufacturing criminal defense lawyer immediately. If you are facing any type of drug crime, you will need an experiences lawyer to take immediate action and to represent you at a bail hearing. Criminal defense lawyers Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been able to successfully challenge evidence obtained improperly and have methamphetamine manufacturing criminal charges reduced, or even dismissed. When you retain Marks & Brooklier as your criminal defense lawyers, you can be assured you will have the best legal counsel representing you. Contact our office today for your free consultation.

A man identified as a drug kingpin and a key defendant in a federal gang sweep was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for overseeing the racketeering and drug activities of the Varrio Hawaiian Gardens street gang. George Manuel Flores was arrested in 2009 as part of Operation Knockout, one of the nation's largest gang sweeps. He was labeled a leader in the Hawaiian Gardens gangs and was accused of ordering gang members to collect taxes from drug dealers in this Los Angeles county city. He pleaded guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy, being a felon in possession of ammunition and other drug charges. Flores was sentenced by a United States District Judge, who is presiding over the 57-defendant racketeering indictment. Prosecutors portrayed Flores as a drug lord.

As part of his guilty plea, he admitted to distributing mass quantities of drugs, including more than 30 kilograms of heroin, more than 4.5 kilograms of crack cocaine, more than 1.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, more than 15 kilograms of narcotics that contained methamphetamine, and more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.

The investigation began after Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Jerry Ortiz was murdered in 2005 by a gang member he was attempting to arrest. In 2009, about 170 gang members were taken into custody in the massive operation. Flores is the last defendant to be sentenced in this federal prosecution. Marcos Romero was sentenced last November to 291 months in federal prison for being a primary wholesaler of narcotics. Brian Viramontes was sentenced in September to 210 months in federal prison for distributing narcotics. This case also revealed a link between the Nazi Low Riders and the gang. Frank Wayne Henley, a member of the Nazi Low Riders gang, was sentenced last November to 262 months in federal prison for supplying members of the Hawaiian Gardens gang with methamphetamine and heroin.

Federal crimes can be labeled as such by falling under federal legislation of Title 18 of the United States Code. A federal crime is defined as a crime that is either made illegal by falling under this legislation, or because of occurring on federal property. Federal crimes are normally investigated by the FBI and are tried in the Federal Court system. Federal courts have their own governing rules and regulations which are different from California State laws. If you are facing federal criminal charges, you will need to discuss your case with a federal criminal defense lawyer who has the special knowledge of this area of the law. At Marks & Brooklier, we have qualified Los Angeles federal criminal defense attorneys to represent you.

Federal criminal defense attorneys Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier are uniquely qualified to represent you in court. They have represented defendants in virtually every major organized crime case prosecuted in Southern California. In 1980, Marks & Brooklier was lead counsel in the "Los Angeles Mafia" case in a major RICO conspiracy case. Conact our office anytime, 24/7, for a free case evaluation. All consultations are strictly confidential.

The bodies of Phong Le, 30, his wife, Ngoc "Trish" Lam, 25, and their son Tommy, were found in separate bedrooms in their Garden Grove home. They had been bound, gagged and stabbed multiple times. The couple's infant daughter, dehydrated but alive , was found next to the body of her mother.

During the trial, Deputy District Attorney Scott Simmons argued that Le had borrowed $80,000 from Quan but never paid it back. That was the motivation for the murders, he said. Quan, who has two prior strike convictions for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon in 1990, was sentenced by Orange County Superior Court Judge William R. Froeberg.

Police will conduct an intensive investigation following a murder. Therefore, if you are charged, you will need a skilled homicide attorney from Marks & Brooklier. Murder criminal defense lawyers Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients for murder charges for decades and have the resources and experience necessary to provide you with skilled criminal defense. It takes a dedicated legal team to fight a murder charge, and with our firm you can feel condifent that we will provide you with the highest quality criminal defense team possible. Our Los Angeles homicide and murder criminal defense lawyers are aggressive in a court room setting and look forward to assisting you with your case. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7.

The girl's parents, as well as her four siblings, were interviewed at the Santa Ana police station, where investigators learned that a 5-year-old and 8-year-old had also been victims. Police took Gary Gruber, into custody at his home in the 1200 block of East Fairhaven. He was arrested on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, sexual penetration by threat of retaliation and continuous sexual abuse of a child.

Gruber met the girls' father about five years ago, while the two were serving time at Theo Lacy Jail and as the two went through the Phoenix House program for alcohol addiction.  A man with the same name and birth date as Gruber pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in 2005 and to misdemeanor hit-and-run and felony possession of a controlled substance charges in 2006, according to Orange County Superior Court records.

Gruber and the girls' father remained friends after their release, Bertagna said, and when the man and his wife went out on Saturday nights, they would leave their children in Gruber's care. Authorities believe the abuse began about three years ago, when the oldest victim was 10. Gruber began having her sleep in the bed with him overnight, Bertagna said. Police believe he molested the girl's younger sisters as well but not her two brothers.

Gruber told the girl that her parents would be mad at her if they learned what was going on, Bertagna said. He also claimed that he had just been awarded custody of his three sons from foster care and that he would lose them if she said anything, Bertagna said.

Los Angeles lewd & lascicious acts criminal defense attorneys, Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier are exceptionally qualified to represent clients who have been accused of sex crimes with children criminal charges. Having the most skilled lewd & lascicious acts criminal defense lawyer will ensure you are provided with the defense you require to overcome the stigma and charges in your case. We provide our clients with the highest quality defense, including a dedicated legal team that is aware of how sex crimes with children charges can adversely affect your future. Marks & Brooklier has the experience necessary to present the type of defense that will allow a jury to view the facts without being caught up in the nature of the charges made against you.

Serving the Los Angeles & Beverly Hills areas since 1976, we have a thorough understanding of the complexity and details involved in defending against sex crimes against children charges. Our skilled and caring lawyers will provide you with the individual support and experience you need to fully understand the process and guide you through this difficult time in your life. Conact our office for a free, strictly confidential, consultation.

In Fresno, California, a United States Attorney, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge, and Fresno County Sheriff announced the unsealing of a federal indictment charging Bounepheng Savongsy, Phousangkhy Phanthadeth, Manop Souksavath, all of Fresno; Ernson Merisier, of Holbrook, Mass.; Marquis Allen Meca,  of New Bedford, Mass.; and Ruddys A. Pimentel, 28, of Roslindale, Mass.; with conspiring to manufacture, to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.

According to criminal complaints filed in the case, the defendants were involved in the interstate shipment and distribution of marijuana that was being grown in Fresno, under the guise of being “medicinal.” The marijuana was grown in agricultural fields in Fresno County that were posted with medicinal marijuana recommendations from medical doctors. Rather than being distributed in California for medicinal purposes, however, the defendants are charged with conspiring to make multiple shipments of large quantities of the marijuana to areas in and around Boston, where the drug was sold for about $3,000 per pound, about three times what it sells for in California.

The criminal complaints indicate that Savongsy is a grower and source of marijuana supply for the out-of-state drug traffickers. His nephew, Phanthadeth, is an interstate transporter who cultivated purportedly medicinal marijuana at the same location in southwest Fresno as his uncle and owns two properties in Fresno where marijuana was grown and processed. Souksavath is an interstate transporter, who has shipped multiple loads to the East Coast, two of which he transported with Phanthadeth. Merisier (a convicted drug felon), Meca, and Pimentel, are marijuana distributors in the Boston area. Phanthadeth and Souksavath were arrested in Utah in the course of transporting marijuana on November 4, 2010, following a traffic stop of their vehicle, which contained about 184 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana was then delivered to Merisier, Meca, and Pimentel in Roslindale, Mass., who agreed to purchase the load for about $570,400. Searches executed in the course of the investigation at locations in Fresno, Cedar City, Utah, and Roslindale, Mass. yielded 11 firearms, approximately 4,620 live marijuana plants, approximately 3,563 pounds of processed marijuana, approximately $115,000 in cash, and jewelry valued at about $9,000.

United States Attorney said: “As this case indicates, armed criminals who engage in the interstate trafficking of marijuana cannot hide their operations behind the label of ‘medicinal’ marijuana. We will continue to root out and prosecute drug traffickers who seek to use California’s medicinal marijuana law to cloak their illegal activity.”

This case is the product of a four-month investigation by the DEA offices in Fresno, Salt Lake City, and Boston, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Department of Justice Central Valley Marijuana Investigation Team, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol, Boston Police Department, and North Attleboro Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices in St. George, Utah and Boston assisted in the arrests of the defendants and initial court proceedings.

With the exception of Savongsy, the defendants are in federal custody and detained without bail. An arrest warrant has issued for Savongsy, who is at large. In connection with the execution of one of six federal search warrants obtained in this case, agents also arrested Douangchanh Keovilayvanh, of Sanger, California, who was charged via a federal criminal complaint with possessing marijuana with intent to distribute and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

If convicted of the drug offenses, the defendants, with the exception of Merisier, face a penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a $4 million fine. Based on his prior felony drug conviction, Merisier faces a penalty of 20 years to life in prison and an $8 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Criminal defense attorneys Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients on marijuana drug trafficking matters for over four decades. We are well aware of all the issues and complexities that can arise from such charges and have successfully handled numerous cases for our clients. When faced with marijuana drug trafficking charges you need experienced Los Angeles marijuana drug trafficking criminal defense attorneys with extensive experience in representing clients for drug crimes. Such charges could include offenses for drug possession, drug trafficking and other drug related charges. If you or someone you know has been charged with a drug crime, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

In Washington, D.C., an Oakland, California woman was convicted of health care fraud in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare for power wheelchairs that were medically unnecessary, announced the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services (HHS). After a one-week trial in federal court in Los Angeles, a jury found Donna K. Wells, guilty of one count of health care fraud. The evidence introduced at trial showed that Wells worked the streets and low-income, senior living communities of Oakland to recruit Medicare beneficiaries to bill Medicare for expensive power wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment (DME) which the beneficiaries did not want, need or use. The beneficiaries who testified at trial said that Wells approached them on the street, at the store, or in the lobby of their apartment buildings and offered them free power wheelchairs in exchange for the beneficiaries allowing Wells to copy their Medicare and California identification cards. One beneficiary testified that when she told Wells that she wanted a hospital bed and did not need or want a power wheelchair, Wells said that the beneficiary had to accept a power wheelchair in order to get a hospital bed. Based on that representation, the beneficiary agreed to accept both a power wheelchair and a hospital bed even though she did not need and never used the wheelchair.

Witnesses who lived in or worked at the San Pablo Hotel, one of the low-income senior living communities where Wells illegally recruited beneficiaries, testified that Wells often sat in the lobby of the hotel offering residents free power wheelchairs and copying their Medicare and California identification cards. These and other witnesses testified that many of the residents of the San Pablo Hotel did not use the power wheelchairs they received through Wells.

According to testimony at trial, Wells sold the beneficiaries' Medicare information to others. Witnesses testified that Wells charged them between $400 and $500 for the Medicare information of each beneficiary she recruited. One witness testified that over a four-year period, Wells sold the witness the Medicare information of approximately 200 different beneficiaries. Once these witnesses received the Medicare information from Wells, they sold the information to a fraudulent medical clinic in Los Angeles, which then used the information to fabricate fraudulent prescriptions for power wheelchairs and other DME in the names of the beneficiaries whom Wells recruited. One of the doctors whose name appeared on these fraudulent prescriptions testified that he never wrote the prescriptions or treated any of the Oakland beneficiaries whom Wells recruited.

Witnesses testified that they purchased the fraudulent power wheelchair and DME prescriptions from the fraudulent medical clinic, and then sold both the Medicare information they received from Wells and the fraudulent prescriptions for more than $1,000 per prescription to a number of Los Angeles-area DME supply companies. These DME supply companies used the beneficiaries' information and the fraudulent prescriptions to submit claims to Medicare for power wheelchairs which cost Medicare approximately $4,000 per wheelchair but cost the DME supply companies approximately $900 per wheelchair wholesale. Evidence introduced at trial showed that these DME supply companies submitted more than $577,000 in false power wheelchairs claims to Medicare. Several beneficiaries testified at trial that they did not need and rarely, if ever, used their power wheelchairs.

One of the DME supply companies that used the Medicare information from Wells was Maydads Medical Supply of Arleta, Calif. Trial evidence established that between June 2007 and August 2009, Maydads Medical Supply submitted approximately $470,973 in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, almost all of which were for power wheelchairs. The owner and operator of Maydads Medical Supply, Sylvester Ijewere, pleaded guilty to health care fraud and was sentenced on Oct. 5, 2010, to 46 months in prison.

Wells was originally charged in October 2009 with three counts of health care fraud. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on two of the three counts. U.S. District Court Judge Dales S. Fischer scheduled Wells' sentencing for March 28, 2011. Wells faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the California Department of Justice. HHS OIG assisted with the trial. The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division's Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Since their inception in March 2007, Strike Force operations in seven districts have obtained indictments of more than 825 individuals who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $2 billion. In addition, HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

Because a federal healthcare fraud crimes charge is a serious matter, you will need to consult a skilled and professional federal attorney who can take charge of the situation quickly. It is imperative you do not risk your freedom when you have the power of the federal government investigating your case. Criminal defense attorney's Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier are strong and aggressive federal lawyers from Marks & Brooklier. We have four decades of experience in this field, serving hundreds of clients in Los Angeles County, San Fernando Valley and Beverly Hills area. We are confident we can assist you with your federal healthcare criminal charges. Contact a Los Angeles healthcare fraud criminal defense attorney today for a free consultation

Authorities using DNA evidence have linked a 44-year-old convicted murderer and rapist on death row to a 1990 double homicide in Riverside County. Alfredo Rolando Prieto, who is already on California's death row and who recently received the death penalty for a murder in Virginia, was linked to the slayings of Stacey Siegrist, 19, and Anthony Gianuzzi, 21, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said.

On May 5, 1990, a jogger discovered the victims’ bodies along a dirt power line access road west of the intersection of Canal and Alta streets in Rubidoux. The two were dating and had not been seen for nearly two days. Both had been shot once in the side of their heads and once in the back of their necks. Siegrist had also been sexually assaulted.

Earlier this year, Riverside County’s cold case unit submitted evidence from the crime scene to a private laboratory. The lab linked the DNA to Prieto. The department said it delayed notifying the public to ensure Virginia jurists were not influenced during the penalty phase of Prieto’s trial there. Prieto has been linked to nine murders and four sexual assaults, including the 1992 murder and rape of 15-year-old Yvette Woodruff of Ontario, the crimes for which he was sentenced to death. He is appealing his California death sentence.

In 2005, preliminary DNA tests implicated him in three 1988 Virginia slayings. Prosecutors from Fairfax County, Va., extradited Prieto from California to face trial for two of those murders. Prieto has operated with three other accomplices in the past, and authorities believe the Rubidoux murders involved one or two additional suspects.

If you have been arrested or under investigation for murder, it is important that you consult a Los Angeles homicide and murder criminal defense attorney immediately to begin planning of your legal defense. A conviction for murder can result in a lifetime sentence in a California penitentiary or even the death penalty.

Los Angeles Police will conduct an intensive investigation following a murder. If you are criminally charged, you will need an experienced murder criminal defense lawyer from Marks & Brooklier. Attorney's Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been successfully representing clients for murder or homicide charges for over four decades. They have the skill necessary to provide you with an exceptional criminal defense. We will conduct our own thorough investigation of the facts and study all evidence obtained against you in order to present a strong defense. Our Los Angeles homicide criminal defense lawyers are aggressive and are well-versed in a court room setting and look forward to assisting you with your case. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7.

San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge announced the arrest of Joseph Valencia Gonzales II, age 36. He was arrested by FBI and NCIS agents on Naval Base Coronado. At the time of his arrest, Gonzalez was sitting in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant, using the restaurant’s wireless Internet service to view and download child pornography. FBI and NCIS agents arrested Gonzales as he sat in the driver seat of his truck typing on a laptop computer in his lap.

In a criminal complaint filed in United States District Court, Southern District of California, San Diego, California, Valencia was charged with possessing child pornography. Gonzalez’s laptop computer was found to contain at least 42 image files and three videos depicting child pornography.

It is anticipated that Valencia will be booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) followed by his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. If convicted, Valencia faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the child pornography charge.

This investigation was assisted by the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose members include the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the Chula Vista Police Department, the United States Attorney’s Office, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the United States Marshals Service, the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the National City Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, the Oceanside Police Department, the El Cajon Police Department, the San Diego State University Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. This case was brought about as part of the Department of Justice Project Safe Childhood (PSC), and the FBI’s Innocent Images National Initiative (IINI). Both are nationwide initiatives designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.

Los Angeles child pornography criminal defense attorneys, Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier are exceptionally qualified to represent clients who have been accused of child pornography or any related sex crime offense. Having the most skilled and regarded child pornography criminal defense lawyer will ensure you are provided with the defense you require to overcome the stigma and charges in your case. We provide our clients with the highest quality defense, including a dedicated legal team that is aware of how these charges can adversely affect your future. Marks & Brooklier has the experience necessary to present the type of defense that will allow a jury to view the facts without being caught up in the nature of the charges made against you.

Serving the Los Angeles & Beverly Hills areas since 1976, we have a thorough understanding of the complexity and details involved in defending against child porn charges. Having successfully defended other individuals against these types of charges, we are confident we can do the same for you. Our skilled and caring lawyers will provide you with the individual support and experience you need to fully understand the process and guide you through this difficult time in your life. Conact our office for a free, strictly confidential, consultation.

A United States Attorney in San Diego, California announced that Augustin Jaime Lopez-Ceballos was sentenced to serve 181 months in prison after his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. United States District Judge Jeffrey T. Miller, who imposed the sentence, previously ordered Lopez-Ceballos to forfeit his interests in ten firearms, including handguns, shotguns, and rifles, and ammunition that were seized in connection with the offense.

The sentence imposed on Lopez-Ceballos resulted from an investigation begun in 2008 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the East County Regional Gang Task Force. The investigation identified Lopez-Ceballos as a methamphetamine distributor operating out of Spring Valley, California. According to court documents, Lopez-Ceballos used conspirators, including a juvenile, as couriers to distribute methamphetamine in east San Diego County.

Lopez-Ceballos is the final defendant to be sentenced from this investigation. The court previously sentenced co-defendants Dianne Lynn Pinal to serve 48 months in prison; Rafael Gaspar-Alvorado to serve 48 months in prison; and Felipe de Jesus Lopez-Lopez to serve 30 months in prison.

Federal criminal defense lawyers Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients on drug conspiracy and distribution crimes for over 30 years. We are well aware of all the issues and complexities that can arise from such drug charges and have successfully handled hundreds of cases. When faced with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine charges you need an experienced Los Angeles and United States drug conspiracy and distribution criminal defense lawyer with experience in representing clients for federal drug crimes. If you have been charged with a drug distribution crime in California, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

In Santa Ana, California, jurors will begin deliberations in the re-trial of a Washington man accused in the cold-case murder of his estranged wife. William Gregory Mordick, 64, maintains he is innocent of the Jan. 22, 1983, slaying of Katherine O'Connell Mordick, a 28-year-old mother of two young girls. Katherine's body was found partially nude inside her Anaheim Hills home. Her throat had been slashed. There was no evidence of sexual assault and nothing was stolen from the home.

Authorities charged Mordick, who eventually moved with the couple's two daughters to Washington, with the crime in 2008. They said DNA technology not available in 1983 linked him to physical evidence at the crime scene. Deputy District Attorney Dan Wagner accuses Mordick of killing his wife that morning when he dropped by to pick up his daughters, ages 2 and 4 at the time, to bring them to a birthday party.

Mordick, who is charged with special circumstances murder for financial gain, was worried about paying approximately $124,000 in child support over a span of 16 years, Wagner said. By killing Katherine, Mordick could avoid the payments and gain full custody of his girls, he said. Forensic evidence – specifically blood found in several areas the home – links Mordick to the killing, Wagner said. He also accused Mordick of staging the crime scene, such as taking off his wife's clothing to make it appear she was sexually assaulted.

Mordick, who testified in his own defense, said he didn't kill his wife. He said Katherine was alive that morning when he picked up their children. Katherine's body was found the next day, when her brother and boyfriend came to the home, worried because Katherine wouldn't pick up her phone.

His defense attorney said his client is innocent, and that some of the forensic evidence was tainted or inconclusive. He pointed out that a deputy coroner's estimate of Katherine's time of death was in the afternoon, and Mordick last saw his wife that morning. Mordick was first tried for Katherine's murder last year. That first jury deadlocked 6-6.

Jurors in the re-trial, which is being held in the courtroom of Orange County Superior Court John D. Conley, heard closing arguments and were read jury instructions. The panel is tasked with deciding if Mordick is guilty of first-degree murder, meaning a killing made willfully, deliberately or with premeditation, or second-degree murder, a non-premeditated killing. If they convict him of first-degree murder, they also have to decide on the truth of the special circumstance of financial gain. Mordick's maximum penalty would be life in prison without the possibility of parole.

If you have been accused or charged with homicide, it is important that you obtain a highly qualified Los Angeles homicide criminal defense lawyer immediately to begin planning of your defense. A conviction for murder can result in a lifetime sentence in a California penitentiary or even the death penalty.

Los Angeles Police will conduct an intensive and thorough investigation following a murder. Therefore, if you are charged, you will need an experienced homicide attorney from Marks & Brooklier. Attorney's Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients for murder charges for three decades and have the experience necessary to provide you with an exceptional criminal defense. It takes a dedicated legal team to fight a homicide charge, and with our firm you can feel condifent that we will provide you with the highest quality criminal defense team possible. Our Los Angeles murder criminal defense attorneys are aggressive and are well-versed in a court room setting and look forward to assisting you with your case. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7.

In Phoenix, Arizona, Stanley William Taylor, Jr., of Cleveland, Ohio, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute by a federal jury in Phoenix. The trial began before United States District Court Judge Susan R. Bolton on September 8, 2010, and the jury returned its verdict of guilt on September 15, 2010. The defendant was taken into the custody of the United States Marshal Service. 

The evidence at trial showed that a marijuana trafficking organization was acquiring wholesale quantities of marijuana in Arizona, and then shipping the drug to purchasers in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. The defendant agreed to use his position as a UPS delivery driver in Cleveland, Ohio to assist the drug trafficking organization with the delivery of boxes filled with illegal drugs. A Special Agent with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration testified that the organization’s drug ledgers reflected the sale of more than 6,900 pounds of marijuana. The banking records of the defendant’s associates showed more than $900,000 in cash deposits while the two-year conspiracy was underway.

“The success of a drug trafficking organization requires the complicity of many, and this verdict demonstrates you will be held to answer,” said Dennis K. Burke, the United States Attorney for the District of Arizona.

A conviction for conspiracy to possess at least 100 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute carries a maximum penalty of 40 years, a $2,000,000 fine, or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Bolton will consult the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. 

The investigation leading to the guilty verdict was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Mesa Police Department, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tempe Police Department, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by the Assistant United States Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix

Federal criminal defense lawyers Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients on drug trafficking matters for three decades. We are well aware of all the issues and complexities that can arise from such charges and have successfully handled numerous cases. When faced with marijuana drug trafficking charges you need a skilled Los Angeles and United States drug trafficking criminal defense attorney with experience in representing clients for drug crimes. Such charges could include offenses for drug possession, drug trafficking and other drug related charges. If you or someone you know has been charged with a drug trafficking crime, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

According to a 26-count indictment filed on October 7, 2010, Amador Eli Rosales aka Eli Rosales, 32; Tony Rosales, 29; Albert Vasquez, 40; Adrianna Cano, 33; Jonathan Gonzalez, 32; Michael Leonard Lovato, 44; Michael Valentino Lovato, 21; Andre Kovacs, 44; Nicole Garcia, 32; Derick Noble, 27, all of Sacramento; and James Murphy, 55, of Elk Grove, are charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, the distribution of methamphetamine, and the unlawful use of a communication facility. Bryan Perez, 33, of Sacramento was indicted separately for two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, during the course of this investigation, Eli Rosales and others sold methamphetamine to a confidential source.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the Sacramento Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, assisted by the Sacramento HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) team. 

Nine defendants appeared for arraignment and entered not guilty pleas before United States Magistrate Judge Dale A. Drozd. Albert Vasquez and James Murphy have not yet been arrested. Derick Noble is in state custody on other charges and will be transferred to federal custody at a later date.

U.S. Attorney Wagner said, “Methamphetamine is a highly dangerous drug infecting our communities. Targeting methamphetamine distributors is an effective way to combat the spread of this drug, while also reducing the violence and other criminal activity associated with meth trafficking.”

Special Agent in Charge Parenti said, “The FBI has a long and successful history of utilizing the Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative with our law enforcement partners across the country to combat violent crime. The indictments and arrests related to this case offer further proof that this approach to rooting out the criminals plaguing our neighborhoods is working.”

The statutory penalty for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine is a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life, a fine of $4 million or both; the maximum penalty associated with the distribution of methamphetamine is 40 years in prison depending on the quantity and purity levels; the penalty for unlawful use of a communication facility is up to four years in prison or $250,000 fine or both. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Criminal defense attorneys Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients on drug trafficking matters since 1976. We are well aware of all the issues and complexities that can arise from such charges and have successfully handled numerous cases for our clients. When faced with drug trafficking charges you need experienced Los Angeles drug trafficking criminal defense lawyers with extensive experience in representing clients for drug crimes. Such charges could include offenses for drug possession, drug trafficking and other drug related charges. If you or someone you know has been charged with a drug crime, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

According to the indictment, in the Safescripts Online conspiracy, which began in November 2004 and continued until December 2006, eight individuals conspired to distribute in excess of $22.2 million worth of controlled substances outside the scope of professional medical practice and without establishing a legitimate medical purpose for the drugs. The individuals charged are: Christopher Napoli, 44, of Newtown Square, Pa.; Joseph Carozza, M.D., 65, of Garden City, N.Y.; Daniel Johnson, 38, of Pekin, Ill.; Jeffrey Herholz, 43, of Fayetteville, N.C.; Darrell Creque, 60, of Clayton, N.C.; Jeffrey Entel, 40, of the Dominican Republic, Steven Paul, 49, of Glendale, Ariz.; and Salvatore Lamorte, 52, of Freehold, N.J. All of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to distribute schedule III and IV controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and conspiracy to launder money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). In addition, all but Paul were charged with distribution of the schedule IV controlled substance Phentermine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and all but Creque were charged with conspiracy to launder money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h).

The indictment also alleges that, in the Pitcairn conspiracy, which ran between May 2003 and April 2007, five defendants sold at least $55 million worth of controlled substances outside the scope of professional medical practice and without establishing a legitimate medical purpose for the drugs. The individuals charged are: Michael Arnold, 40, of Boca Raton, Fla.; Diego Podolsky Paes, 29, of Brazil; Lamorte, Herholz, and Creque. All of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to distribute schedule III and IV controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. In addition, Lamorte, Arnold, and Paes were charged with four counts of distribution of the schedule IV controlled substance Phentermine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and all defendants but Creque were charged with conspiracy to launder money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h).

According to the indictment, during the United Mail Pharmacy Services conspiracy, which began in January 2006 and ended in March 2008, three defendants conspired to distribute in excess of $48 million worth of controlled substances outside the scope of professional medical practice and without establishing a legitimate medical purpose for the drugs. The individuals charged are Paul, Entel, and Dino Antonioni, 42, of Miramar, Fla. All three were charged with conspiracy to distribute schedule III and IV controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and conspiracy to launder money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). Entel and Antonioni were also charged with the Attempted Distribution of Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and international money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1956(a)(2)(A).

The narcotics conspiracy offenses (21 U.S.C. § 846) carry a maximum penalty of: five years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The offense of distribution of a schedule IV controlled substance (21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)) carries a maximum penalty of: three years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The offense of attempted distribution of schedule III and IV controlled substances (21 U.S.C. § 846) carries a maximum penalty of: five years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The money laundering offenses (18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(h) and 1956(a)(2)(A)) carry a minimum penalty of: 20 years of imprisonment, a fines of up to $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the offense, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

The indictment was obtained in connection with an international investigation of illegal Internet pharmacies that began in 2005. The investigation has resulted in the indictment of 37 federal defendants, the conviction of 26 individuals on federal criminal charges, and the dismantling of more than five Internet pharmacies that illegally distributed more than 80 million doses of controlled substances to users in the United States. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement agents have seized more than $39 million in cash and assets, including several high value homes and multiple luxury vehicles.

The federal criminal cases resulted from an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation involving the coordinated efforts of multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies plus foreign authorities from several jurisdictions. The law enforcement agencies include the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Boards of Pharmacy from North Carolina, Florida, Kansas, Colorado, Connecticut, and Louisiana. Significant additional assistance was provided by authorities in Brazil, Panama, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Romania, Costa Rica, The Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts and Nevis, and the Bahamas. Additional federal prosecutions are contemplated upon completion of the ongoing investigations.

Criminal defense attorneys Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients on conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and other drug related matters since 1976. When faced with drug conspiracy charges you need experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers with experience in representing individuals for drug crime charges. If you have been charged with a drug conspiracy crime, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

Sylvester Ijewere, was also ordered to pay $211,755 in restitution by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer of the Central District of California. In addition, Ijewere was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

Ijewere pleaded guilty on April 12, 2010, to health care fraud. Ijewere, the owner of Maydads Medical Supply, admitted that between June 2007 and October 2009, he conspired with others to purchase fraudulent prescriptions and medical documents which he used to submit false claims to Medicare for expensive, high-end power wheelchairs, and other DME. Ijewere received approximately $4,000 in reimbursement payments for each power wheelchair claim he submitted to Medicare. Approximately 50 percent of the Medicare beneficiaries to whom Ijewere claimed Maydads had supplied power wheelchairs and other equipment lived more than 100 miles from Maydads’ Los Angeles-area offices in Central and Northern California.

As a result of this scheme, Ijewere admitted that he submitted or caused the submission of approximately $471,345 in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare through Maydads. Ijewere’s co-conspirator, Donna Wells, a patient recruiter, was charged for her role in the scheme in October 2009, and is scheduled to begin trial on Nov. 9, 2010.

Sentencing was announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. for the Central District of California; Tony Sidley, Assistant Chief of the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (CAL-DOJ); Glenn R. Ferry, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Los Angeles Region of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for HHS (HHS-OIG); and Steven Martinez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jonathan T. Baum of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry C. O’Neill of the Central District of California. The case is being investigated by CAL-DOJ. The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Since their inception in March 2007, Strike Force operations in seven districts have obtained indictments of more than 810 individuals who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $1.85 billion. In addition, HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

Because a federal healthcare fraud crimes charge is a serious matter, you will need to consult an experienced and professional attorney who can take charge of the situation quickly. Penalties for federal fraud crime include sentences up to 30 years, in addition to fines and other penalties. It is imperative you do not risk your freedom when you have the power of the federal government investigating your case. Criminal defense attorney's Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier are strong and aggressive lawyers from Marks & Brooklier. We have years of experience in this field, serving hundreds of clients in Los Angeles County, San Fernando Valley and Beverly Hills area. We are confident we can assist you with your federal fraud crime charges. Contact a Los Angeles healthcare fraud criminal defense lawyer today for a free consultation

The government alleges that the 165-bed acute care hospital fraudulently inflated its charges to Medicare patients to obtain larger reimbursements from the federal health care program. The settlement covers claims submitted by the hospital for short inpatient admissions, usually of one day or less, when the services should have been billed on an outpatient observation basis or as emergency room visits.

“Our office will aggressively work with investigative partners to protect healthcare funds from fraud and abuse,” said Laura Duffy, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our commitment to holding health care providers who receive federal funds and knowingly defraud or overcharge federal health care programs accountable.”

The allegations arise from a lawsuit that was brought under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act (FCA), which permit private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to bring an action on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower in this case, Pietro Ingrande, a former employee of El Centro Regional Medical Center, will receive $375,000 as his share of the recovery.

The United States has agreed to dismiss the lawsuit as a result of the settlement. In addition, as a condition of continued participation in federal health care programs, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG-HHS) has required El Centro Regional Medical Center to enter into a Corporate Integrity Agreement. The agreement subjects the hospital to strict policies and procedures to ensure future compliance with applicable statutes and regulations that govern the use of federal health care funds.

“Whistleblowers are critical to ensuring that Medicare dollars are not siphoned off, but find their way to those who most need them,” said Glenn R. Ferry, Special Agent in Charge for the Los Angeles Region of the OIG-HHS. “Office of Inspector General special agents and our law enforcement partners have forged a powerful team that will work with private citizens who come forward to protect the Medicare Trust Fund and defend it from fraud and abuse.”

The investigation and settlement of this case are the result of the collaborative effort of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, OIG-HHS, and the FBI. This settlement is part of the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and another step for the HEAT initiative, which was announced by Attorney General Holder and Secretary Sebelius in May 2009. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid fraud through enhanced cooperation.

Fraud consists of many different types of crimes, but is generally defined as intentional misrepresentation or concealment of information in order to deceive or mislead. Fraud crimes use deception on unsuspecting individuals who fall for a scheme or sales pitch that sounds too good to be true. If you have been accused of a state or federal fraud crime, you will need an experienced Los Angeles fraud crimes defense attorney to represent you in defense against these charges. Depending on the manner in which the fraud was committed, a fraud crime may be charged on the state or federal level. Fraud criminal lawyers at the Los Angeles based law firm Marks and Brooklier handle defense for any number of fraud crime charges.

If you has been arrested for a federal fraud crime, you will need to consult a Los Angeles and United States federal fraud criminal defense lawyer who has the special knowledge of this area of the law. Attorneys Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier are qualified Los Angeles criminal attorneys to represent you. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7, strictly confidential.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation to put some sex offenders in prison for life at a bittersweet ceremony for family and friends of a 17-year-girl who was killed after being abducted while running less than seven months ago.

Chelsea's Law is named for Chelsea King, who was murdered by 31-year-old convicted child molester John Gardner. He was sentenced to life in prison fter pleading guilty to murdering Chelsea and 14-year-old Amber Dubois. "Because of Chelsea, California's children will be safer. Because of Chelsea, this never has to happen again," said Schwarzenegger, an early backer of the legislation.

The ceremony began under a light drizzle then gave way to sunshine at an outdoor theater in Balboa Park, where Chelsea played French horn for the San Diego Youth Symphony. Many of the 200 people in the audience carried sunflowers, her favorite flower.

Brent and Kelly King, who traveled from their new home in suburban Chicago, thanked lawmakers for speeding the bill through the Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support. Brent King said he was initially skeptical about the bill's prospects and had been preparing to sponsor a ballot initiative. Kelly King said the lawmakers were an example for young people.

The Kings, in an interview, said they plan to promote similar legislation in other states and have tentatively targeted Texas, Florida, Colorado and Ohio, the scenes of high-profile child abductions. They have not settled on a timetable.

The Kings have not been considering their new home state of Illinois for legislation because they want to shield their 14-year-old son Tyler from the spotlight. The avid baseball player has recently shown renewed interest in the game.

The Kings plan to use their nonprofit foundation, Chelsea's Light, to promote peer counseling programs  and to offer scholarships for college and other programs.

Chelsea's Law allows life without parole sentences for adult predators who kidnap, drug, bind, torture or use a weapon while committing a sex crime against a child. Life terms could be ordered for first-time and repeat offenders.

It also increases other penalties for child molesters, including requiring lifetime parole with GPS tracking for people convicted of forcible sex crimes against children under 14. Previous law permitted lifetime GPS monitoring, but most tracking ended when offenders leave parole.

Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, the San Diego Republican who spearheaded the Chelsea's Law legislation, said in an interview it would have resulted in a longer prison sentence, possibly life, and longer parole for Gardner in 2000 for molesting a 13-year-old neighbor. Gardner served five years of a six-year sentence and repeatedly violated parole. Supporters came to the ceremony wearing T-shirts with one of Chelsea's favorite quotations, "They can because they think they can," from the Roman poet Virgil.

If you have been arrested with a sex crime, you will need to consult a Los Angeles sex crime criminal defense lawyer who has the special knowledge of this area of the law. Attorneys Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier are qualified Los Angeles and Beverly Hills sex crimes criminal attorneys to defend you. You will need the over 33 years of experience that our law firm can provide you with. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7, strictly confidential.

Two Latino gang members were convicted of first-degree murder in a hate-crime trial involving the deaths of a 14-year-old black girl and a potential witness in the Harbor Gateway area of Los Angeles. The jury deliberated for less than two days before convicting Jonathan Fajardo and Daniel Aguilar, members of the 204th Street gang, of all charges. Fajardo was found guilty of killing Cheryl Green, whose slaying the jury found was a hate crime motivated by her race. Both men were convicted of participating in the murder of 21-year-old Christopher Ash, who prosecutors say was a fellow gang member suspected by the rest of the gang of talking to police about Green's killing.

Fajardo and Aguilar showed no emotion, staring blankly ahead, as their families wept in the audience. The penalty phase for Fajardo, in which the jury will decide whether he should receive the death penalty, is next. Aguilar, who faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 27.

Green was shot in December 2006 as she stood with friends in a driveway in broad daylight. Prosecutors alleged at the trial that Fajardo was agitated from an earlier confrontation with a black man when he fired into the crowd of black youngsters. Three others were wounded in that shooting. Fajardo was convicted of seven counts of attempted murder for firing at the others in the crowd.

Ash's death came two weeks later. His body, stabbed more than 60 times and enveloped in a blood-soaked blanket, was dumped on a roadside in Carson, California. The gang suspected him because police served a search warrant on his apartment but released him the same day. At the trial, a fellow 204th Street gang member testified in graphic detail about Ash's killing in exchange for a lighter sentence. In his testimony, Jose Covarrubias recounted how Fajardo hit Ash in the head with the butt of a shotgun, causing him to stumble, after which other gang members beat and stabbed him. Aguilar, Ash's best friend, was assigned to lure him to the garage, and later kicked him in the legs after he appeared dead, Covarrubias testified.

Two other gang members, Robert Gonzales and Raul Silva, are expected to stand trial later this year in Ash's slaying. Another man, Ernesto Alcarez, is charged in Green's murder and is awaiting trial for allegedly acting as Fajardo's lookout. In the two-week trial, Fajardo's attorney disputed that Green's killing, which Fajardo admitted to in police interviews, was motivated by race, calling it an "accident that rose of fear and anger" and a "rash impulse." The defense attorney also maintained that Fajardo did not know Ash would be killed. Aguilar's attorney, told jurors that other gang members kept his client in the dark about their plans to stab Ash to death because Aguilar was Ash's friend.

Green's death sparked furor in the community and outrage from authorities and politicians about long-standing gang violence and black-Latino tensions in the neighborhood, a narrow stretch of Los Angeles between Torrance and Carson where graffiti with racial epithets were an everyday occurrence. The girl's death was but one of a number of slayings in the area that police believe were racially motivated. The slayings date as far back as 1997.

If you have been arrested or under investigation for murder, it is crucial that you obtain a Los Angeles murder criminal defense lawyer immediately to begin planning of your legal defense. A conviction for murder can result in a lifetime sentence in a California penitentiary or even the death penalty.

Los Angeles Police will conduct an intensive investigation following a murder. Therefore, if you are charged, you will need an experienced murder criminal defense lawyer from Marks & Brooklier. Attorney's Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients for murder charges since 1976 and have the skill necessary to provide you with an exceptional criminal defense. We will conduct our own thorough investigation of the facts and study all evidence obtained against you in order to present a strong defense. Our Los Angeles homicide criminal defense attorneys are aggressive and are well-versed in a court room setting and look forward to assisting you with your case. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7.

A man suspected of being an international serial rapist is in custody in Orange County after being extradited from Austria following a DNA match through INTERPOL. The defendant was featured on the Orange County District Attorney’s Ten Most Wanted list.

Ali Achekzai, 32, formerly of Ladera Ranch, will be arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from Austria. He is being escorted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Tustin Police Department.

The defendant will be held in the Orange County Jail on $1 million bail and is subject to a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement nobail hold. He is expected to be arraigned in the Central Jail, Santa Ana. 

Achekzai is charged with two felony counts of forcible rape, two felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object by force, one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and sentencing enhancements and allegations for committing sexual crimes against more than one victim and causing great bodily injury to a victim. The Orange County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the defendant for rapes and assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense  that occurred in both Orange and San Diego Counties. If convicted, Achekzai faces a maximum sentence of 68 years and four months to life in state prison.

Tustin Police Department is the lead investigating agency and the FBI coordinated the extradition. The OCDA charged the defendant and a $500,000 arrest warrant was issued for him Oct. 19, 2004. The warrant was later increased to $1 million and Achekzai was arrested in Salzburg, Austria, on Jan. 26, 2010. The Federal Ministry of Justice in Vienna, Austria granted extradition on Aug. 13, 2010.

Achekzai's return to the United States will be funded by the FBI Project Welcome Home, which provides funding to facilitate the transportation of fugitives wanted by the FBI to the United States. It is anticipated that the federal government will dismiss the federal warrant charging Achekzai with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution in lieu of the OCDA prosecution.

On Jan. 31, 2004, Achekzai is accused of meeting 21-year-old Jane Doe #1 at a nightclub in Laguna Beach. Shortly after 2:00 a.m., Jane Doe #1 observed the defendant following her in his car as she was driving on Jamboree Road toward Tustin. The defendant is accused of following Jane Doe #1 as she drove around and attempted to get away from him. Achekzai is accused of pulling up near Jane Doe in his car and yelling for her to pull over because he wanted to talk to her about something important.

Jane Doe #1 parked in a fast food restaurant lot and Achekzai is accused of getting into her car under the pretense of warning her about another man she had met at the nightclub. The victim became scared, got out of her car, and attempted to run away. Achekzai is accused of getting out of the victim’s car, chasing Jane Doe #1, catching her, and leading her back to the car as she cried and struggled to get away. Once they were back in the car, the defendant is accused of grabbing Jane Doe #1 by the neck, holding her down, digitally penetrating and forcibly raping her. He is accused of then getting back into his car and driving away. Jane Doe #1 reported the rape to police and DNA was collected from her clothing. TPD investigated this case.

On May 3, 2004, Achekzai is accused of meeting two women while at a nightclub with his male cousin in San Diego. Late that night, the defendant is accused of going with his cousin and the two women to Mount Soledad in San Diego County. Achekzai is accused of isolating 21-year-old Jane Doe #2 from the other two friends by inviting her to take a walk through a dark park. Once the defendant was alone with the victim, he is accused of grabbing her and pulling her to the ground as she struggled to get away.

Achekzai is accused of repeatedly hitting and punching the victim and telling her that he would kill her if she screamed. He is accused of covering the victim’s mouth to keep her quiet and forcibly raping and sexually penetrating her in the bushes. The defendant is accused of threatening Jane Doe #2 that he would kill her if she told anyone about the rape.

When the defendant and victim returned to the car, Jane Doe #2 immediately told her friend that she had been raped. Achekzai is accused of becoming angry and punching her in the mouth, knocking out her front tooth. Jane Doe #2 reported the rape to police and DNA was collected from her clothing. The San Diego Police Department investigated this case. In July 2004, DNA linked both rapes to the same defendant. Charges were filed against Achekzai for the sexual assaults of Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 in October 2004.

On Oct. 26, 2002, Achekzai is accused of getting into a limousine with four other people including 24-year-old Jane Doe #3, her friend, and two friends of the defendant. The group had been at a nightclub in Laguna Beach and drove to Costa Mesa to drop one of the men off at home. While still in the limousine, Achekzai is accused of removing Jane Doe #3’s pants and assaulting her after she fell asleep with the intent to commit a sexual offense. The victim woke up to find the defendant fondling her breasts. Achekzai is accused of swearing at the victim and telling Jane Doe #3 to shut up as she screamed. Jane Doe #3’s friend was also asleep in the limousine.

Achekzai is accused of fleeing the country prior to being charged for the rapes. The defendant is accused of fleeing illegally into Canada. He is accused of changing his name several times and obtaining identification under the identities of Ali Achekzai, Ali Achekza, Ali Achelczia, Waleed Nawabi, Walid Nawabi, David Azizi, and Wali Ahmed Shoja. He is a national and citizen of Afghanistan and is suspected to have lived in Afghanistan, Germany, San Francisco, Canada, Austria, and England.

Based on the fact that Achekzai had multiple California victims, and knowing that he fled internationally, Tustin Police Department worked with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Crime Lab in December 2009 to coordinate the submission of Achekzai’s DNA to the international police agency, INTERPOL.

On April 24, 2009, Achekzai was arrested in Austria for rape under the name Wali Ahmed Shoja. His DNA was taken at that time, but the case in Austria was later dismissed. As a result of this case, INTERPOL matched the defendant from the Austria rape to the rapes in Orange and San Diego Counties and determined that Achekzai was living in Salzburg, Austria.

He was arrested Jan. 26, 2010, at the Hotel Unterbrunn in the Austrian town of Neukirchen am Grossvenediger. He was arrested by the Salzburg Criminal Investigative Division in cooperation with the FBI.

The case against and arrest of Achekzai has been a coordinated effort between the Tustin Police Department, Orange County District Attorney's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation and FBI Legal Attache in Vienna, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and ICE Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshals Service, United States Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, Toronto Police Services Fugitive Squad, INTERPOL, Salzburg CID, Austrian Federal Police, Austrian Ministries of Justice and Interior, San Diego Police Department and San Diego District Attorney’s Office.

If you have been charged with a sex crime, you need to contact a Los Angeles rape and sex crimes criminal defense attorney who has the extensive knowledge of this area of the law. At Marks & Brooklier, we have qualified California and Los Angeles rape and sex crimes lawyers to defend you. You will absolutely need the experience that our law firm can provide you with. Our international legal team has handled high profile cases involving rape and other sex crimes with great success and can do the same for you. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7, strictly confidential.

The Los Angeles County sheriff has escalated his war of words against California medical marijuana dispensaries, saying as many as 97 percent operate as criminal enterprises.

Some of the pot shops get marijuana from Mexican drug cartels, and most dole out pot to people with no medical need for it, Sheriff Lee Baca said.

"Millions of dollars are being made for profit, and it's all illegal," the sheriff said.

Baca presented no evidence to support his claim. His comments coincided with a recent announcement that he would lead efforts against a November ballot measure to legalize marijuana for personal use in California. Critics said his claims about the dispensaries were politically motivated and untrue.

"When they run out of scare tactics, they come out with stuff like this," said Michael Backes, a board member of the Cornerstone Research Collective, which provides marijuana to patients in the Eagle Rock area of Los Angeles.

Backes stressed there was no need to buy pot from Mexican cartels because more than enough quality marijuana is legally grown in California to supply the dispensaries.

A Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman, who works in the San Francisco office, said it was difficult to substantiate or refute Baca's claims because of challenges in determining where pot found in dispensaries was produced.

Baca, however, said chemical analyses of pot confiscated during drug raids against street dealers showed similar pesticide content and other characteristics as marijuana sold in dispensaries.

Allegations of criminal activity involving pot shops increased after a string of deaths, including the slaying of three men in West Hollywood, California who police suspect had been buying up bulk quantities of high-grade marijuana from dispensaries and reselling it on the street.

The suspect in that case confessed to killing the men when he didn't have enough cash to complete a transaction. In addition, two workers at different marijuana dispensaries have been killed during robberies in recent weeks.

"It is no surprise that people are going to get killed, drugs and violence go together," Baca said. Despite his concerns about the way dispensaries operate, Baca has been a longtime advocate of medical marijuana use by AIDS patients and people with other chronic conditions.

The 1996 law approved by California voters allows collectives to grow medicinal marijuana, though they are not supposed to make profits and can only charge enough to cover operating expenses.

Baca said the intent of the law was good but had been corrupted almost beyond recognition with most "patients" producing spurious notes from doctors describing vague ailments that don't need to be treated with marijuana.

Thirteen other states have legalized medical marijuana, and many jurisdictions around the country have decriminalized marijuana to the point that low-level possession offenses aren't prosecuted.

At Marks & Brooklier, criminal lawyers Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients on medical marijuana and other drug related matters since 1976. When faced with medical marijuana charges you need experienced Los Angeles medical marijuana criminal defense lawyers with experience in representing individuals for California marijuana drug crimes. If you have been charged with a medical marijuana drug crime, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

A Los Angeles physician was arrested for prescribing Vicodin pain medication to homeless people who didn't need the drugs. Dr. Zhiwei Lin is set to be arraigned on five counts of illegally prescribing drugs, misdemeanors each punishable by up to a year in County Jail and a $20,000 fine, according to the arrest warrant filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Lin, a board-certified neurologist, declined to comment. "I cannot speak to you right now because they are coming to me without any explaining," Lin said as a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy led him away in handcuffs from his Western Avenue practice in the Harvard Heights neighborhood.

Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Opferman, who runs the medical fraud unit that made the arrest, said Lin is suspected of prescribing Vicodin, a powerful pain reliever popular among drug abusers, to homeless people without legitimate medical need. Police believe the homeless "patients" were brought to the doctor by recruiters, also known as cappers. The cappers would pay the homeless people for their prescriptions and turn them over to dealers who sold them by the pill at a huge mark-up.

A security officer at the building, said that Lin's practice drew "strange characters" on the days it was open and that police had been called to at least one disturbance. Opferman said Lin's case would be referred to the Medical Board of California, which could pursue action against his license. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was also involved and could pull the physician's federal permit to prescribe drugs prone to abuse.

Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients on illegal prescription drug and other drug related matters since 1976. When faced with illegal prescription drug charges you need skilled Los Angeles prescription drug criminal defense attorneys with experience in defending clients on prescription drug charges. Such charges could include offenses for unlawful prescription drug possession, prescription drug trafficking and other drug related charges. If you have been charged with an illegal prescription drug crime, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

A Long Beach, California homeless man was found guilty of 22 counts including attempted murder, kidnapping and mayhem. He stabbed, slashed or strangled six women from February to May 2008; all of the victims survived. The homeless man who went on a crime rampage in downtown Long Beach that included slashing two women's throats was sentenced to 11 life terms and 433 years in prison.

Charles Juan Proctor was convicted of 22 counts including attempted murder, kidnapping for robbery and mayhem. He was accused of robbing various Long Beach businesses and one in Hawaiian Gardens for cash ranging from $35 to about $700. In the process, Proctor threatened, slashed, stabbed or strangled six female shop owners.

The prosecution alleged that Proctor left a 1/4-inch-wide gash on one woman's throat. In another incident, he stuck a knife into a woman's throat and turned it when she resisted, then repeatedly slashed her face.

The victims, of varying age and race, were attacked in beauty salons, a clothing boutique and a bridal shop. The incidents occurred between February and May 2008, most of them on consecutive days in late April. The crimes were linked to Proctor through DNA he left on a cellphone case at one of the crime scenes. The genetic material was matched to Proctor's records in Nevada, where he had been arrested and convicted for assaulting a woman with a box cutter in a Hooter's parking lot in Las Vegas in 2007.

Proctor will serve nine years in Nevada prison for his conviction there, then return to California for the rest of his terms. Victims spoke at Proctor's sentencing, saying they continue to be haunted and traumatized by the attacks.

If you have been accused or charged with attempted murder, robbery or any type of violent crime, it is crucial that you obtain a qualified Los Angeles criminal defense attorney immediately. A conviction for any type of violent crime in the State of California can result in a lifetime sentence in a California penitentiary.

Los Angeles Police will conduct an intensive and thorough investigation following a violent crime. Therefore, if you are charged, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney from Marks & Brooklier. Attorney's Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have represented clients for attempted muder, robbery and other violent crimes charges since 1976. It takes a dedicated legal team to fight a violent crime charge, and with our firm you can feel condifent that we will provide you with the highest quality criminal defense team possible. We will conduct our own thorough investigation of the facts and study all evidence obtained against you in order to present a strong defense. Our Los Angeles attempted murder criminal defense lawyers are aggressive and are well-versed in a court room setting and look forward to assisting you with your case. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7.

Dr. Lisa Tseng, a Rowland Heights osteopath, is the focus of a DEA probe into the over-prescribing of painkillers. At least six of her patients in their 20s have died since 2007.

Last December, Joey Rovero and a couple of pals from Arizona State University set out on a road trip to Southern California.

They weren't headed to Hollywood or some other spot likely to attract a trio of rowdy frat boys out for a good time. Their destination was a clinic in a mini-mall off the 60 Freeway. After a short visit with Dr. Lisa Tseng, the young men left with a handful of prescriptions and headed back to ASU. Nine days later, Rovero, a muscular former high school football star, was dead of an overdose. He was 21.

Rovero was one of at least six men in their 20s who have died of overdoses since 2007 after making the trek to Tseng's office in Rowland Heights. Two others died after getting drugs from patients who got them from Tseng. Though Tseng is a general practitioner without a specialty, some patients drove from San Clemente, Palm Springs and places even farther away to see her.

Many who died were white men in their early 20s from Orange County. As kids, they played baseball and soccer and went surfing. They had nice homes and loving parents. Several shared a mischievous streak or bad-boy edge that led them to experiment with drugs. Friends and family members of some patients described their loved ones as addicts who used old injuries,  a once-shattered ankle from riding motocross, a sore knee from a snowboarding mishap or a stiff back from a car accident, as excuses to score drugs.

Tseng prescribed an array of painkillers, muscle relaxants and anti-anxiety medications, according to records. Sold under the brand names OxyContin, Vicodin, Soma and Xanax, these drugs are widely abused by teens and young adults who increasingly are ending up in detox centers, emergency rooms and county morgues. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration deemed her "an imminent danger to public health and safety" and suspended her license to prescribe drugs prone to abuse. Since then, law enforcement officers have received calls from more parents alleging that their children had overdosed after getting prescriptions from Tseng.

Hsiu-Ying "Lisa" Tseng graduated from Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine with an osteopathic degree in 1996. Her California medical license remains in good standing, according to state records. She has no reported malpractice judgments against her or settlements of note and has not been charged with any crime. The drugs Tseng prescribed, although addictive, can provide much-needed relief to patients in pain. The law gives doctors broad latitude to make diagnoses and treatment decisions, but requires that they conduct physicals and document a patient's medical history.

Experts say such measures should help physicians tell the difference between a patient with real pain and an addict shopping for his or her next high. Among the most obvious signs of abuse are patients willing to drive long distances to see a doctor; patients asking for a specific medication in its most potent dosage; and patients going to multiple pharmacies to have their prescriptions filled. Tseng said she had noticed that some of her patients drove long distances to see her. She said she asked them why and was told that they had been referred by friends or relatives, an explanation she accepted.

Cases against doctors are fraught with the difficulties medical and legal authorities face in drawing the line between legitimate medicine and drug dealing. "If somebody is selling heroin or coke on the street, one undercover buy and they are going to prison," said Steve Opferman, a Los Angeles County sheriff's detective who specializes in medical fraud. "With doctors, it's a whole other matter. You need overwhelming evidence."

Matt Stavron was happiest soaring through the air on his Yamaha dirt bike after hitting a jump on the various motocross tracks throughout Southern California that he would visit with his dad and little brother. Landing wasn't always so much fun. Stavron was 13 when he suffered a compound leg fracture in the mid-1990s, the first of many injuries. He was hospitalized and given morphine for the pain. His parents think that's when he started on the road toward addiction.

Over the next decade, Stavron was in and out of rehab, battling an addiction to painkillers. As much as his son loved competing in motocross and hoped to turn pro, Bruce Stavron said, it got to the point where he began to wonder whether Matt was crashing his bike on purpose to get drugs. In 2007, however, things began to look up. Stavron spent the summer in rehab and this time, his parents said, it appeared to be taking. He had been clean for three months and was engaged to be married.

That September, Stavron's fiancee broke her neck and, rather than continue with his rehab in Long Beach, he stayed home to take care of her. He relapsed about two weeks later. His mother, Kelle, found him curled up in the fetal position on the bathroom floor, dead at age 24. Pills,  large white ones, small bluish green ones and rectangular bars,  were strewn about: There was OxyContin, Soma and Xanax,  all traced back to Tseng, more than 50 miles away in Rowland Heights, according to Orange County coroner's records. She prescribed 80 milligrams of OxyContin, intended for people in extreme pain and favored by addicts. Of the 30 tablets Tseng prescribed just two days earlier, four remained.

Stavron's parents said they had never heard of Tseng and didn't know how their son had met her. What they did know, they said, was that he had no legitimate injury requiring the sort of medication he was given. Kelle Stavron said she knows her son could have died after scoring drugs on the street, "but the truth is this doctor gave him those pills, and he died," she said. "She's gotta live with that."

Ryan Latham was 21 when he overdosed in 2008. He died of the combined effects of hydrocodone, Xanax and Soma,  the same drugs prescribed by Tseng less than a week earlier. The coroner ruled his death a suicide, noting, among other things, that Latham had grown depressed after breaking up with his girlfriend about a year earlier.His mother, Tina, said her son was particularly upset because his ex-girlfriend was about to get married. Handsome and gregarious on the surface, Latham was "pretty sensitive, emotional" underneath, his mother said. He struggled with drugs for years, but had been clean for about six months before he started seeing Tseng.

Tina Latham said her son was born with a mild case of spina bifida and had suffered a broken jaw in a fight a year or so before his death. Neither was causing him any pain, she said. In fact, Latham said, her son confided to her that Tseng, given some pretext,  "an old X-ray, whatever," would prescribe "all the drugs you want." Ronnie Wiessbrod, one of Ryan Latham's roommates when he died, recalled his friend sending him a text message from Tseng's waiting room in which he talked about other patients laughing about the things they were planning to tell Tseng to get drugs.

Jeffrey "Neil" West did not die of an overdose. But his mother says she believes Tseng played a role in his death. In the two weeks before West fatally shot himself in July 2009, Tseng wrote him seven prescriptions totaling 325 pills,  Adderall, Xanax, Soma, hydromorphone and 80-milligram tablets of OxyContin, coroner's records show. At one point, she wrote him overlapping prescriptions for Soma, 90 tablets on July 8 that should have lasted a month, then another 45 a week later. Upon learning after his death that Tseng had been prescribing such powerful drugs to her son, she blamed the doctor for fueling his addiction.

Criminal defense lawyers Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients on prescription drug and other drug related matters since 1976. When faced with unlawful prescription drug charges you need experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys with experience in representing individuals for prescription drug crimes. Such charges could include offenses for unlawful prescription drug possession, drug trafficking and other drug related charges. If you have been charged with a prescription drug crime, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

Police officers seized $24 million worth of marijuana in Granada Hiils, California, in the San Fernando Valley. The grass was growing high at O'Melveny Park in Granada Hills this summer, but don't blame groundskeepers at the rugged city facility.

Authorities this week destroyed nearly 3,000 marijuana plants valued at $24 million that towered more than 10 feet high and thrived on a sophisticated irrigation system hidden off the main trail.

The plants were discovered in July but police spent months investigating the large operation, leading to the arrest of a West Hills man last week.

"It's the largest outdoor grow I've ever seen," said Detective Robert Holcomb, who has worked in LAPD's Narcotics Enforcement Detail in the San Fernando Valley for 20-plus years.

The plants were discovered just hundreds of yards off the trail and 1½ miles north of the parking lot. More arrests were expected, detectives said Wednesday.

"One person, I don't think, could have tended to all these plants," Holcomb said.

Natale Gabriele, 49, was the first person arrested in the case last Thursday after air surveillance photos were taken in April. He was charged with possession of marijuana for sale and released Friday after posting $100,000 bail.

"So what this guy did was he went about 1½ miles up, through the brush, up over a ridgeline, into another secluded part of the park," Holcomb said. "You'd never see it from the hiking trail or the biking trail. Never. You'd have to go through the brush."

The plants, which ranged from 2 feet to more than 10 feet high, were planted in a ½-acre area along the hillside and in a ravine and were interspersed among existing shrubbery, Holcomb said. Officers have since cleared out the site.

Gabriele, who investigators believe tended the plants, had created an elaborate watering system by damming up a stream that ran through the hillside in the city's second-largest park, Holcomb said. Gabriele allegedly rigged the system using irrigation tubing, a battery-powered pump and timer to water the plants.

The regular watering was what enabled investigators to find the site, which was no easy feat. Detectives enlisted the help of the California Air National Guard Condor Squadron, which uses a C-130 plane outfitted with high-tech imaging equipment, to find and photograph rural areas believed to be sites of illegal marijuana operations throughout state and federal parks.

"They look for symmetrically planted and different-colored plants," Holcomb said. "Because vibrant marijuana plants are a different color from the California chaparral that we normally get, it will maintain that color even in the dry season that we have now."

The pictures were verified to contain evidence of an illegal grow in April. Detectives hiked up to the site in July, discovered more than 100 plants, and set up surveillance of the area.

When investigators returned to destroy the plants after Gabriele's arrest, they discovered thousands more in various stages of growth, Holcomb said. Another illegal outdoor grow operation was found within park boundaries about a mile away in May 2007. Several have been discovered along La Tuna Canyon Road, in the foothills.

In 2009, the Drug Enforcement Agency destroyed nearly 10 million marijuana plants being cultivated outdoors across the country, up 31 percent from the 7.6 million eradicated in 2008. "It's not that common to discover them in the San Fernando Valley," Holcomb said. "It's not something you usually find in an urban area."

At Marks & Brooklier, we have been representing our clients on marijuana and other drug related matters since 1976. We are aware of all the issues and complexities that can arise from such charges and have successfully handled numerous cases for our clients. When faced with marijuana and drug charges you need experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys with experience in representing individuals for drug crimes. Such charges could include offenses for drug possession, drug trafficking and other drug related charges. If you have been charged with a drug crime, we recommend you contact us in order to begin to prepare your case for a successful defense.

Charlie Sheen could work at a Colorado theater company by day and spend his nights in jail under a deal reached with prosecutors that calls for him to plead guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in his domestic violence abuse case.

In exchange, prosecutors would drop criminal mischief and felony menacing charges stemming from an argument Sheen had with his wife on Christmas Day at an Aspen home where they were on vacation. The deal calls for Sheen to serve a 30-day sentence and three months probation.

A judge must still approve the agreement. Sheen was expected to appear Monday in an Aspen court. Prosecutors confirmed last week that Sheen had reached a plea agreement but released no details. Sheen, the star of the hit CBS show "Two and a Half Men," previously pleaded not guilty to menacing, criminal mischief and assault charges. The menacing charge carries a prison sentence of up to three years.

During the jail term, Sheen would be released during the day so he can work at Theatre Aspen. He could leave the jail for work at 8 a.m. and would have to return by 8 p.m. "He's being sentenced to jail, and he's being released for work, thereby, it's work," Galanter said.

Paige Price, the theater's artistic director, said Sheen had agreed to work for free. His duties would include teaching a class for professional actors and possible fundraising for the nonprofit.

"We think it is community service in that it is a nonprofit," Price said. Brooke Mueller Sheen approved the deal, Galanter said. She previously asked prosecutors to drop the charges against Sheen, but they refused, according to the lawyer. He said prosecutors had offered a deferred sentence, whereby Sheen would plead guilty to a felony and charges would be dropped after two years, which is similar to the way other cases are resolved in Colorado.

Sheen has taken anger management classes and will present evidence showing he has completed a 36-hour course. "They're both adults, and they have two beautiful babies together. I know they're working on it. I can tell you that no matter what happens, Charlie and Brooke will always be good friends," he said. On Christmas Day, Brooke Mueller Sheen told police the actor had threatened to kill her after she told him she wanted a divorce. She said he straddled her on a bed with one hand on her neck and the other holding a knife.

Charlie Sheen told police he and his wife had argued but denied threatening her. He told officers they slapped each other on the arms and that he had snapped two pairs of her eyeglasses in front of her, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Sheen told police he was upset by the divorce threat. He previously went through a bitter divorce and custody battle with his previous wife Denise Richards. Within a week of his arrest, Sheen and his wife both said they wanted to reconcile. In February, they hugged in an Aspen courtroom after a judge modified a restraining order that had kept them from contacting each other. Since the incident, both have completed alcohol rehab programs, and Galanter has said they've been sober for months.

It's not the first run in with the law for Sheen, the star of films such as "Platoon," "Wall Street" and "Hot Shots!" who agreed last month to return to "Two and a Half Men" for two more seasons. In December 1996, he was charged with attacking a girlfriend at his Southern California home. He later pleaded no contest and was placed on two years' probation.

In 1998, his father turned him in for violating his parole after a cocaine overdose sent him to the hospital. He was ordered to undergo a rehabilitation program.

Domestic violence is considered to be any act of aggression against another which results in some harm to a wife, husband, children, or any other individual in the home. Although many families have the outward appearance of normalcy, there are often underlying domestic issues that can lead to accusations of  or actual domestic violence.

Acts of domestic violence are taken very seriously by the Los Angeles Police, and the courts. Being convicted could bring about harsh punishment which could end up in jail time, fines, loss of your children and mandatory counseling. Whether you are the victim of domestic violence or accused of it, it is in your best interest to contact a knowledgeable Los Angeles Domestic violence defense attorney to represent you under these circumstances.

Foremost for anyone knowing of or being involved in some form of domestic abuse or violence should be to report the matter to the police.  The safety of yourself or your family should be your top priority.  With the assistance of our well trained legal staff, we can then prepare a restraining order against the party involved in the abuse or violence to prevent them from approaching you or your family.  On the other hand, if you have been falsely accused of domestic violence, you will definitely need our services to dispute and defend you against these charges.

At Marks and Brooklier, attorney's Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have successfully defended their clients since 1976 in all types of domestic violence crimes including: spousal abuse, spousal battery, child abuse, molestation, rape, Lewd and/or lascivious acts, exposure to controlled substances, battery, kidnapping, custody interference, restraining order, order of protection, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, intimidation, stalking, elder abuse, criminal trespass, assault & battery, harassment, reckless endangermant, violation of restraining orders, sexual assault, spousal rape, stalking, and false imprisonment.

If you have been accused of domestic violence, contact the Law Offices of Marks & Brooklier for an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Long Beach police made eight arrests in connection with at least 12 gang-related shootings, two of them homicides.

Through witness descriptions and surveillance footage, authorities were able to identify Ruhani Bustamante, a 28-year-old Latino, as the main suspect in connection with the October 2009 death of Esaul Villagrana and the January 2010 death of Jonathan Cordova.

On May 20, search warrants were served and Bustamante, a Long Beach resident and known member of the East Side Longo street gang, was arrested.

He has since been charged with two counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder, three counts of discharging a firearm and one count of possession of narcotics by a felon, according to the felony complaint provided by the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

One of the fatal shootings he is alleged to have committed occurred last year on Oct. 26. Esaul Villagrana, identified by the coroner as a 23-year-old white man, was driving near 20th Street and Cedar Avenue when he stopped his car and exited. Police allege that Bustamante shot Villagrana as he got out of the vehicle.

Villagrana was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:10 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

On Jan. 30, Jonathan Cordova, an 18-year-old Latino, was standing at East 15th Street and Stanley Avenue when Bustamante allegedly approached him, pulled out a gun, and opened fire.

Long Beach police said an 18-year-old man was injured in the incident, but his injuries were not life-threatening. Cordova was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:49 p.m., according to coroner's records.

Bustamante is currently being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic.

His next court appearance is scheduled for June 9 at the Long Beach Superior Court.

If you have been accused or charged with homicide, it is important that you obtain a highly qualified Los Angeles homicide criminal attorney immediately to begin planning of your criminal defense. A conviction for murder can result in a lifetime sentence in a California penitentiary or even the death penalty.

Los Angeles Police will conduct an intensive and thorough investigation following a murder. Therefore, if you are charged, you will need an experienced homicide attorney from Marks & Brooklier. Attorney's Donald Marks and Anthony Brooklier have been representing clients for murder charges since 1976 and have the experience necessary to provide you with an exceptional criminal defense. It takes a dedicated legal team to fight a homicide charge, and with our firm you can feel condifent that we will provide you with the highest quality criminal defense team possible. We will conduct our own thorough investigation of the facts and study all evidence obtained against you in order to present a strong defense. Our Los Angeles Murder criminal lawyers are aggressive and are well-versed in a court room setting and look forward to assisting you with your case. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7.

A 75-year-old former Santa Monica resident with a previous child-sex conviction is expected to plead guilty in Los Angeles federal court to traveling to Cambodia to have sex with boys.

Jack Louis "Dad" Sporich, most recently a resident of Sedona, Ariz., was arrested by Cambodian national authorities in February 2009, after two 12- year-old boys told of being repeatedly molested by the man, according to a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

According to an affidavit in support of the charges, witnesses alleged that Sporich drove a motor bike through the streets of the city of Siem Riep, dropping Cambodian currency as a way to attract children. Last summer, Sporich was expelled from Cambodia and brought to Los Angeles, where he was arrested pursuant to a warrant in the case.

Sporich is facing a statutory maximum of 120 years in federal prison, but his plea agreement states that prosecutors are instead recommending a term of 10 years behind bars and a lifetime period of supervised release. The document also states that as part of his deal, Sporich will pay an amount up to $30,000 to be deposited in a fund for the education of the boys he had sex with.

In 1987, Sporich was convicted in Ventura County of lewd acts with a child under 14 years of age and sentenced to 18 years behind bars, according to court papers.

The defendant was charged as a result of operation "Twisted Traveler," an ongoing effort by federal law enforcement to identify and prosecute "sex tourists" who travel to Cambodia to engage in illicit sex with children, a U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman said.

If you have been charged with a federal sex crime, you will need the services of a federal sex crimes criminal defense lawyer who has the special knowledge of this area of the law. At Marks & Brooklier, we have qualified Los Angeles and Beverly Hills federal sex crimes attorneys to represent you. You will need the over 33 years of experience that our law firm can provide you with. Our legal team has handled high profile cases involving federal sex crimes with great success and can do the same for you. Having represented alleged mafia bosses as well as organized crime defendents, we are well-versed in this area of the law. Contact us for a free consultation, 24/7, strictly confidential.