Punishment

Published on: November 22, 2012

4 Curious Facts about Holiday Theft and Shoplifting in Los Angeles

As the Yuletide season approaches, retailers are going to be on high alert for Los Angeles petty theft and similar crimes. If you’ve unfortunately recently been arrested for pilfering electronics or clothing — or participating in a larger scale Southern California grand theft crime syndicate — you may need to take decisive, strategic action to protect your freedom and minimize punishments. Here are five germane (and somewhat surprising) facts about Los Angeles petty theft to keep in mind as you research and structure your defense:

1. Petty theft and fraud cost American businesses over $35 billion every year – or approximately 1.4% of all total sales.

Unsurprisingly, the velocity and diversity of theft crimes in Los Angeles spikes during the holiday season.

Published on: November 19, 2012

Los Angeles Petty Theft Conviction Nets Octogenarian Six-Year Jail Sentence!

by Michael Kraut

In case you are under the false belief that your recent Los Angeles petty theft charge would result, at worse, in a metaphorical “slap on the wrist,” think again.

82-year-old Doris Ann Gamble recently pled guilty to Los Angeles petty theft… and netted a six year jail sentence!

Why on Earth would prosecutors bring down the hammer so hard on an octogenarian? The answer has to do with Ms. Gamble’s history.

Published on: November 15, 2012

Los Angeles Medicare News: Gynecologist Convicted of Seven Healthcare Fraud Counts

by Michael Kraut

If you think that your Los Angeles Medicare fraud charges are serious, consider them in context to the charges leveled against 63-year-old Jonathan Agbebiyi, a gynecologist in Livonia who was just gobsmacked with a 5-year jail sentence and nearly $3 million in forced restitution.

Agbebiyi faced six allegations of healthcare fraud and one allegation of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. His supposed scheme mostly involved billing Medicare for unneeded neurological tests; it siphoned $5.4 million from government coffers.

The evidence against Agbebiyi was diverse and powerful. Court documents showed that employees at his clinics administered tests without training. Patients were recruited to the clinic not by referring physicians but rather by less savory means. They were lured by promises of prescriptions for narcotics, cash, and even fast food. Clinics also billed Medicare for diagnostic tests that were never needed.

Published on: November 13, 2012

Santa Barbara Police Officer Acquitted of Southern California Lewd Conduct Charges

by Michael Kraut

After a highly publicized trial, former Santa Barbara police officer Brian Sawicki, has been acquitted by jury on charges of lewd conduct in Southern California and illegal electronic peeping.

Sawicki was convicted of two misdemeanor counts – resisting evidence and destroying evidence – however, the jury found him not guilty of trying to expose himself to two 13-year-old girls on Refugio State Beach in 2010.

The story is a little bit crazy.

Published on: November 7, 2012

Los Angeles Petty Theft Defendants: What You Can Learn from Theft of Amy Winehouse’s Wedding Dress

by Michael Kraut

You’ve been recently arrested and booked on charges of petty theft in Los Angeles. Whether you pilfered a few bottles of Tide from a CVS or Walgreens or stole a small piece of jewelry to pawn or give away as a gift, you may or may not be taking your legal situation seriously.

On the other hand, you understand that you’re in trouble. If convicted of a misdemeanor theft crime in Southern California, you could face disaster if you ever get arrested and convicted again. Just two convictions of Los Angeles petty theft – even separated by years! – allows prosecutors to hit you with a felony, which could land you behind bars for over a year.

In the short-term, you could also face substantial and immediate problems, such as a steep fine, public humiliation, and even jail time. And that’s not even counting the indirect fallout. For instance, perhaps you stole from your employer, in which case you’ll likely get fired. If it takes you another three months to find a new job, that means that you’ll “miss out” on three months worth of wages – which could add up to thousands of dollars and indirectly lead to even more problems, such as credit card debt, creditor harassment, and on and on.

Published on: November 1, 2012

Got Arrested for Petty Theft in Los Angeles? 3 “Egg Theft” Cases Indicate That Your Case May Not Be So Original, After All…

by Michael Kraut

You’ve recently been arrested for petty theft or grand theft in Los Angeles.

Not only are you sweating the potential legal ramifications — you don’t want to go jail or pay thousands of dollars in fines and restitution — but you’re also concerned that your case might be “one of a kind.” Perhaps you stole something “weird” for a fluky reason. Or maybe the events that occurred before, during, or after the theft were very quirky. As a result, you fear that even the best Southern California criminal defense lawyer might not know how to assist you.

Odds are, however, that your case is far more “normal” than you realize.

Published on: October 30, 2012

Examples of Lewd Conduct in Los Angeles (and Elsewhere) Illustrate the Profound Extent of Your Challenge as a Defendant

by Michael Kraut

If you’ve been accused of a sex crime or lewd conduct in Los Angeles – even for something relatively “minor” – the consequences for your future could be dire and permanent.

Not only could you face jail time and a criminal record, if you’re convicted, but you could also find the “sex offender” label permanently affixed to your name. This designation will make it more difficult for you to find work, find a place to live, find friends, and generally live your life. Even if the wrong you committed was only on a small scale – i.e. you didn’t assault or harm anyone – you could still wind up with a sex offender label.

Here are two cases to illustrate the severity of your trouble.

Published on: October 25, 2012

Did You Accidentally Violate Los Angeles Medicare Fraud Laws? (And What To Do If You Did…)

by Michael Kraut

Many people believe that most Los Angeles Medicare and medical fraud defendants “knew what they were doing.”

In other words, when you crack open the Los Angeles Times and read about some executive or ambulance administrator who allegedly “bilked” the federal benefits program out of millions of dollars, you might assume that the suspect had organized an intricate operation – had behaved, in sense, like a criminal mastermind.

Indeed, there are individuals who fit this description, more or less. However, they are in the minority. In fact, a lot of Southern California white collar crime, insurance fraud and healthcare fraud cases are far more ambiguous. Indeed, perfectly innocent mistakes can get you into serious legal hot water.

Published on: October 18, 2012

Medicare Fraud Strike Force Scores Victory: Ambulance Admin Submitted Over $1.7 Million in False Claims

by Michael Kraut

On October 16th, 31-year-old Okechukwu Ofoegbu pled guilty to charges that he had tried to bilk Medicare out of over $1.7 million. His arrest, prosecution, and guilty charge showcase the seriousness with which the Medicare Fraud Strike Force has been cracking down on crimes like Los Angeles healthcare fraud.

Back in May, Ofoegbu was indicted along with 106 other people, including nurses, doctors, and medical specialists of all types, for allegedly trying to falsely bill Medicare for over $452 million. The Medicare Fraud Strike Force – the group that organized the investigation and indictments – has charged nearly 1,500 defendants since the spring of 2007. Collectively, these people have been accused of trying to steal ~$5 billion from Medicare’s coffers.

Ofoegbu’s plea arrangement will net him a restitution fine of over $550,000, and he could face up to a decade behind bars. He will be sentenced in January 2013.

Published on: October 12, 2012

4 Weird Examples of Los Angeles Petty Theft

by Michael Kraut

Whether you’ve been arrested for Los Angeles petty theft for stealing Tide detergent from a local grocery store or for swiping human hair from the garbage bins of a salon, you might be shocked to know that you are not alone – not by a long shot.

Indeed, bizarre theft crimes in Southern California are actually surprisingly common. Here are 3 weird items that are regularly pilfered.

1. Tide Detergent