San Diego Criminal Attorney Blog

A research study conducted by the Automobile Club of Southern California's Steven Bloch revealed that the number of young female drivers involved in serious substance-related crashes has risen steeply since 1998. Bloch said that in San Diego County, intoxicated drivers between ages 21 and 24 saw the largest increase in fatal and injury crashes, up 124% from 1998.

In one 2007 case, a 23-year-old woman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine in a head-on crash that killed four people. She is currently awaiting trial on four counts of murder in connection with the crash.

Most people do not know that when the police have a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed and that there was a DUI for drugs or a DUI because alcohol might have been involved they may demand that you take a chemical test to determine if you were under the influence at the time you were driving. If you refuse, then the DMV may suspend your license for one year. An attorney from Pro Law Partners may be able to attack the refusal on several grounds. If, after a hearing, the DMV believes that in fact there was not a "valid" refusal, then your license will not be suspended.

Emily Dowdy, 24, was struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver Saturday night in Pacific Beach. Mabrey, the driver, left the scene to get something to eat at Burger King before returning to turn himself in. Empty beer cans were found in the truck and the driver told authorities he had been out drinking pitchers of beer before the accident.

Mabrey was booked on felony drunk driving under the influence and hit-and-run charges, as well as misdemeanor charges of driving on a suspended license. San Diego police Sgt. Jeff Fellows said authorities will additionally seek to have gross vehicular manslaughter charges filed against him. Mabrey is being held on $500,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon.

Continue reading "San Diego Police Seek Gross Vehicular Manslaughter Charges in Pacific Beach DUI Case " »

With Colombian cartels in shambles, the Mexican cartels stepped in to fill the void. While the Colombian cartels still control most of the production of cocaine and heroin, the more profitable part of the trade - transport to the US, and distribution there - has come under control of various Mexican cartels.

Last week authorities arrested more than 50 people who allegedly work for the Sinaloa cartel. The Department of Justice revealed the arrests made were part of a 21-month operation by U.S. and Mexican officials which has resulted in the seizure of $60 million in cash, 24,000 pounds of cocaine, 1200 pounds of methamphetamine, plus other drugs, assets, and weapons.

Despite huge enforcement actions on both sides of the border, the Mexican cartels' trade is more robust and brazen than ever, law enforcement officials say.

Continue reading "San Diego Agencies Taking on Mexican Drug Cartels " »

Stephanie Crowe, 12, was stabbed to death in the bedroom of her Escondido home in January 1998. Her brother and two of his friends were arrested. The case collapsed on the eve of trail after drops of the girl's blood were found on clothes worn by a transient seen in the neighborhood the night of the slaying.

The transient was eventually charged in the case and convicted of voluntary manslaughter. An attorney representing the Crowe family brought a false-arrest lawsuit against the San Diego authorities after hiring one of America's most famous and controversial forensic pathologists, Dr. Cyril Wecht.

In Dr. Wecht's latest book, "A Question of Murder" he openly challenges the conduct of the police and prosecutors in the Crowe case. Dr. Wecht said he was disturbed by "the way the cops zeroed in on the victims brother and the two others without conducting a meaningful, encompassing investigation." He further stated, "That case cries out to anybody who is interested in ethical conduct in our criminal-justice system. Police and prosecutorial bias, incompetence - those kinds of things happen with greater frequency than most of us want to acknowledge."

Continue reading "San Diego Homicide Case Exposed in New Book " »

Defendants Jordan Arnold, Christopher Black, and Jessica King pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking of Children, and one count of Coercion and Enticement of a Juvenile into Prostitution. In their pleas, the defendants admitted to being members of a 2007 conspiracy by recruiting, persuading, and employing juveniles to perform acts of prostitution.

Two of the defendants admitted that they took photographs of the juveniles wearing lingerie and in provocative poses, which were then placed in ads posted on the "Craigslist" website. Defendants admitted that they drove the juveniles to and from hotels in the Mission Valley and Sports Arena areas of San Diego, where the juveniles performed the pre-arranged acts of prostitution.

Continue reading "Prostitution of Children in San Diego Hotels " »

Police have charged two U.S. sailors for allegedly attacking two prostitutes in Tijuana. The men rented rooms at a Zona Norte Hotel where they met the prostitutes. One woman was stabbed, the other was choked and a hotel employee was stabbed.

Both men are being held at the La Mesa prison and they will not be offered bail. One of the men worked for the U.S. Navy and the other was training to be a Navy SEAL.

Continue reading "San Diego Men Charged for Attacking Prostitutes " »

The would-be robber who was killed in a shootout after he tried to rob an employee and shop owner at gunpoint had a criminal record that included drug and gun offenses. Court records show Michael Watkins Jr., 26, had been convicted of three felonies and spent much of his time in jail, on probation or in drug rehabilitation.

Continue reading "Robber Killed in San Diego Shootout Had Prior Offenses " »

San Diego County's domestic violence hotline reported a 20% increase in calls in January compared to a year earlier. Worried about the rise in reports, San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced new funding by the district attorney's office and other local agencies.

The campaign focuses on how to help children who are exposed to domestic violence. Officers will now be required to list any children involved in a domestic violence incident, directly or indirectly, so the children can receive counseling.

Continue reading "San Diego County Officers Receive Domestic Violence Training" »

A drug-sniffing dog found more than 68 pounds of cocaine stashed inside the back seat and in the rear bumper of a Volkswagen Jetta. The seizure occurred when a border patrol agent pulled over the Jetta near the agency's highway checkpoint.

While questioning the driver, the agent smelled an excessive amount of air freshener in the car, a common trick of drug smugglers to mask the odor of drug in a vehicle. Agents began searching the car when the drug-sniffing dog indicated there were narcotics in the car.

This is the fourth Border Patrol cocaine seizure along this stretch of I-15 in February 2009. The agency said the route is popular with traffickers bringing drugs from Mexico.

Continue reading "Border Patrol Agent Intercepts Cocaine on San Diego Freeway Checkpoint" »

Andrea Ramirez, 20, was arrested Saturday night in Coronado for drunk driving. The BMW driven by Ramirez slammed into another car, sending one of the cars up onto the sidewalk. Four or five pedestrians were hit and suffered significant injuries.

The San Diego Police Department is investigating the accident and more charges may be filed.

Continue reading "San Diego Driver Hits Pedestrians " »

A nationwide sweep by federal authorities resulted in 750 arrests, the seizure of $59 million in drug money and an estimated 23 tons of narcotics. The investigation, known as Operation Xcellerator, was a 21-month operation aimed at cracking down on the cartel's U.S. distribution networks.

As a part of the operation, authorities made arrests in San Diego's Imperial County resulting in the seizure of almost $10 million dollars. Local prosecutors said the operation dismantled six separate organized crime cells that were bringing in tons of illegal drugs across the U.S./Mexico border. Six suspected drug dealers now face terms of 20 years-to-life, if convicted.

Continue reading "Nationwide Drug Sweep Results in Arrests in San Diego's Imperial County" »

Mark Kaczmarczyk, 57, was arrested in Taipei at the request of the FBI. San Diego authorities have worked with the Taiwanese government to bring Kaczmarczyk back to the United States to face child-molestation charges. Kaczmarczyk and his wife, who operated a day-care business in San Diego, are accused of molesting 6 children.

In 2007, San Diego police were notified when parents from the day care brought their 2-year-old daughter to the hospital and learned she had been sexually assaulted. San Diego police conducting the investigation found five other children from the day care suffered physical injuries. The couple's two children were placed in protective custody with a foster family.

False accusations of sex assault or sexual abuse are quite common, particularly in domestic disputes and custody battles. A false accusation of sexual assault can be devastating. Penalties frequently include prison time and sex offender registration. If you have been accused of sexual abuse or forced touching, it is essential to contact a criminal defense attorney right away. An experienced sex crimes attorney like those at Pro Law Partners may be able to help you avoid conviction of an offense that requires sex offender registration.

Oceanside authorities arrested more than 30 people, many of them gang members, after a six-month undercover investigation. Oceanside detectives and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) special agents went undercover to purchase crack cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and marijuana from street dealers.

The arrests resulted in the seizure of 500 ecstasy pills, more than a half-pound of crack cocaine, several pounds of marijuana and two ounces of methamphetamine. Oceanside police Chief Frank McCoy initiated the probe after receiving complaints about drugs being sold in downtown Oceanside. The people arrested are suspected of being violent gang members. Ralph Patridge, a special agent with the DEA's San Diego office, said six of those arrested have been charged with federal crimes. The others are being prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office.

Continue reading "San Diego Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Investigation in Oceanside" »

Chula Vista police impounded 28 vehicles from people without valid licenses and arrested 11 suspected drunk drivers as a result of a checkpoint on the island side of the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.

Officers from Chula Vista, Coronado, National City, and San Diego participated in the crackdown, as did sheriff's deputies. In addition, three people were booked on suspicion of possessing marijuana.

Continue reading "DUI Checkpoint on San Diego-Coronado Bridge Leads to 11 Arrests" »

Four defendants charged with kidnapping for extortion charges will be tried for less serious crimes relating to the alleged abduction of a 14-year-old girl in San Diego who was driven to an Oceanside motel where she posed for nude photographs that were posted on the Internet.

The Vista Superior Court Judge said the evidence did not support the extortion charges because the girl willingly went with the defendants and left when the defendants were asleep. Addtionally, he said, a major element of the kidnapping for extortion charge - that it be done to gain reward or ransom - did not appear to apply to the case. 

The defendants were bound over for trial at the conclusion of a three-day preliminary hearing on other felony charges, including human trafficking of a victim under the age of 16, pandering of a victim under 16, employment of a minor to perform prohibited acts and robbery. The defendants could face at least 10 years in prison if convicted of all the remaining counts.

Continue reading "Charges Reduced in San Diego Abduction Case " »

Police and prosecutors are receiving substantial funding from special interest groups devoted to the cause of domestic violence. As domestic violence case funding increases, the cases are more aggressively prosecuted today than ever before.

San Diego officers are required to arrest a husband or wife or a boyfriend or a girlfriend, if one or the other has any visible injury upon them. The arresting officers rarely conduct a detailed investigation, assuming  the non-injured person is the only domestic abuser.

Continue reading "San Diego Domestic Violence Case Receive Funding From Special Interest Groups" »