Case Results

We successfully defended a client facing charges of bank fraud involving card skimming devices. These advanced tools steal bank information from the magstripe or microchip on credit and debit cards, often using hidden cameras on ATMs to capture customers’ PINs. Due to our dedicated defense, the client received credit for time served and was sentenced to just one year of supervised release. (Read a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and a news article about the case.)

We recently helped a private school in San Jose, CA, win a major victory against government overreach. During COVID restrictions, Cal/OSHA sought a search warrant based on a flimsy, anonymous complaint – the staff wasn’t wearing masks. With the warrant in hand, Cal/OSHA inspected the entire school.

For nearly 3 years, we challenged the legality of the search warrant, arguing it violated the school’s 4th Amendment protection against unreasonable searches. And we won! The appellate court not only dismissed all the evidence Cal/OSHA obtained, but also strongly criticized them for misleading the judge who issued the warrant in the first place.
[Read the Court’s Decision Here]

Law enforcement carried out an extensive undercover operation lasting several months, which revealed large-scale marijuana cultivation at various sites in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Initially, the prosecutor’s office demanded a prison sentence. However, following negotiations, our client was granted probation and served his sentence under house arrest, allowing him to stay with his family.

After a month-long federal trial in Washington, D.C., a jury convicted our client of conspiracy and obstructing an official proceeding—the joint session of Congress to certify President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.

Prosecutors claimed that our client, along with others including a retired police chief, used social media to plan their trip to Washington, D.C., for the “Stop the Steal” rally announced by then-President Trump. They alleged that our client shared a Telegram post about transporting guns, ammunition, and “lots of gear,” including medical kits, radios, bear spray, knives, flags, plates, goggles, and helmets. Court documents also showed a selfie he posted wearing a bandolier of shotgun ammunition over his shoulders. During the trial, the prosecution tied him to the “Three Percenters” militia group.

The prosecution argued that our client acted as part of an organized effort to disrupt the election certification and block the peaceful transfer of power. However, we argued that he intended to protect rally attendees from potential violence by Antifa members and had no criminal intent.
Despite our defense, the jury found our client guilty on all charges.

To learn more about the case, read news articles from the LA Times, AP News & Yahoo News.

After a careful review of the police reports and video surveillance footage, we were able to establish that our client was almost shot as he tried to de-escalate the confrontation between his friend and one of the victims. We were then able to resolve his case for probation with 275 days of jail time.(Click to read San Bernardino Sun and ABC 7 news articles about this case.)

Members of the Sheriff’s Department and the DEA executed a search warrant at a house where they found 45 lbs. of methamphetamine, 6 lbs. of fentanyl, 5 lbs. of heroin and 29 lbs. of marijuana. We were able to resolve our client’s case for 1 year in jail followed by supervised release.

We successfully negotiated a favorable plea deal, reducing the charge to a misdemeanor for “disturbing the peace.” This outcome protected the Captain’s career, allowing him to move forward without the burden of a more severe conviction.

With the expertise of a highly skilled forensic psychologist, we successfully persuaded the prosecutor to reduce the charge to an offense that did not require sex offender registration. Additionally, we secured a sentence of house arrest instead of jail time, allowing our client to avoid incarceration and maintain stability at home. This not only protected our client’s future but also minimized the long-term consequences of the case. (Click here to read Press Enterprise news article about the case.)

After nearly 10 months of legal wrangling, the case was thrown out after we were able to convince the prosecutor that the religious service did not constitute a criminal offense, nor did the pastor violate the city’s code because his religious service did not meet the legal definition of a “Permit Required” event.(Click to read the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times articles about this case)

After more than a year of negotiations with the government, all charges were dismissed, except one felony count of obstructing police officers during a civil disorder. In a show of remorse and acceptance of responsibility for his actions on January 6th, our client accepted an invitation to speak with investigators working for the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee which was tasked with investigating the attack on the United States Capitol.

(Click here to read Yahoo News article about this case.)