Los Angeles County Criminal Lawyer Blog

Two drive-by shootings on the night of December 18 and early December 19 resulted in the deaths of two people and a total of eight injured victims. Law enforcement is currently investigating the incidents which targeted two separate parties in South Los Angeles, according to The Los Angeles Times. Police believe both are gang-related crimes and may possibly be linked to one another.

The first incident occurred around 7:20 pm on East 81st Street and resulted in five people being hit by gunfire, with one 23-year-old man dying as a result. The second incident occurred at about 2:25 am on West 84th Street and left four partygoers injured and one man dead. The drive-by shootings are currently under investigation by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department homicide bureau officials who are accepting anonymous information on the identities of the shooters.

Drive-by shootings are prosecuted as murder under California Penal Code Sections 187 and 189. Section 187 defines murder as "the unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought." Under Section 189, "any murder which is perpetrated by means of discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle, intentionally at another person outside of the vehicle with the intent to inflict death, is murder of the first degree."

Those convicted of first degree murder face penalties that are harsher than almost any other single crime that can be committed in the United States. First degree murder can be punished by death, life imprisonment, or a prison sentence of 25 years to life in state prison.

Murder charges can result in devastating penalties for those found guilty. If you or a loved one are facing such charges in California, the skilled Los Angeles murder defense lawyers at The Law Offices of Daniel Kann can help. Our law team is devoted to protecting the rights of those facing criminal charges in California and can help reduce or even dismiss your charges. Call us today at (310) 954-9356 for a consultation on your case.

Sources: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/12/man-killed-drive-by-shooting-southeast-la.html; http://law.onecle.com/california/penal/187.html; http://law.onecle.com/california/penal/189.html; http://law.onecle.com/california/penal/190.html

During the most recent leg in an extensive ongoing police offensive named "Operation Simple Green" targeting the Vagos motorcycle gang, twelve individuals have been arrested and over 300 weapons have been confiscated throughout seven counties in Southern California. In total, in part of an 18 month examination headed by the California Department of Justice, 37 individuals have been arrested for an assortment of alleged drug offenses.

Over 40 pounds of cocaine and eight pounds of methamphetamine were found and confiscated, as were droves of firearms (all discovered at a house in Alhambra) and a rocket launcher, according to reporting by the Associated Press. This past Thursday (October 6), police delivered a massive 52 search warrants in a county wide raid spanning from Santa Barbara to the north down to the Imperial counties in the south. Police claimed that the gang has approximately 500 affiliates around the world, and select members were associated with a wide-ranging drug sale syndicate. Up to fifty accusations are pending for illicit drug sale, illegal weapon possession, soliciting for murder, and rape.

In a comparable effort five years ago, federal and state officials arrested over 24 alleged Vagos members, among them seven chapter heads. And in 2004, a state initiative helped with the arrest of 26 individuals and the confiscation of over $125,000 in cash, illicit substances, and weapons. Have you been arrested for criminal activity affiliated with a gang in Los Angeles or its surrounding areas? Call criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles Daniel Kann at 310-593-2435 for a free case review.

The arrest of 22 defendants on gang charges in Ventura County targeted alleged members of the Colonia Chiques, an Oxnard street gang, the Los Angeles Times reported.

While more than 1,400 street gangs exist in Southern California, the Colonia Chiques gang is Ventura County's largest and dates to the 1970s. As such, there are many, many juveniles and young adults who are either members, friends of members, or acquaintances of members. What young defendants and their parents too often fail to realize are the legal consequences of being associated with a gang. Once so associated, gang enhancements can increase the penalties for all types of crimes. And strike crimes can follow a young person into adulthood. Being photographed with a known gang member or even wearing the wrong color clothing may be enough to bring gang-related criminal charges. In each case, such charges should be handled by an experienced Ventura criminal defense lawyer.

The Ventura drug trafficking charges in this case allege members distributed methamphetamine, heroin and crack cocaine. Twelve defendants face federal criminal indictments. Fourteen others face state charges through the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Two of the defendants face life sentences because of prior convictions. Most of the others face 5 to 40 years in federal prison if convicted.

The Ventura County Star reported the effort was part of a larger crackdown on gang activity in Southern California. Five dozen members of the 38th Street gang were arrested in Los Angeles in February and 14 members of the Riverside street gang were taken into custody in December on drug trafficking and other criminal charges.

Participating law enforcement agencies included the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Ventura, Simi Valley and Santa Barbara police and sheriff's departments.

Continue reading "Gang Cases allege Drug Trafficking in Ventura County" »