Attempted Capital Murder, Armed Robbery (2 counts), Aggravated Malicious Wounding (2 counts), Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony (4 counts), Client faced charges in Prince William County and Fairfax County for a series of violent armed robberies with DNA, fingerprint, and video surveillance evidence. Successfully negotiated a multi-jurisdictional plea agreement that locked in a known sentence and reduced client’s exposure that included multiple possible life sentences. A co-defendant received a sentence of 98 years with 45 years suspended.
Strangulation, Breaking and Entering, Drug Possession, Petit Larceny, Assault and Battery. All charges dismissed prior to preliminary hearing.
Abduction with Intent to Defile, Rape: Jury Trial: Not Guilty. Client charged with Rape and Abduction with Intent to Defile teenaged alleged victim. Complex jury trial with DNA evidence. Successfully argued for and received funds for a DNA expert. Jury returned verdict of Not Guilty
Juvenile client, Aggravated Sexual Battery and Sodomy: Case dismissed. Child, age 11, held in Juvenile Detention Center and charged with Aggravated Sexual Battery and Sodomy. Successfully argued Motion challenging competency and reliability of testimony of young alleged victim. Case dismissed based on Uncorroborated Confession.
Murder: young female client charged with Second Degree Murder and 2 counts of Malicious Wounding, faced a total of 80 years in prison for a fatal stabbing of a 17 year old female and injuring 2 adult males. Successfully demonstrated self defense argument to prosecutor and negotiated reduction of charge from premeditated murder to Voluntary Manslaughter. Client received a 10 year sentence, leaving her 5 years to serve at time of sentencing.
Lynching Deemed Murder: Young female client charged with murder and multiple serious felonies for her role in a drug robbery that resulted in a fatal shooting. Client faced over 60 years incarceration. Sentenced to 6 years total (most of which she had already served at the time of sentencing.
Drug Possession and Drug Distribution Felony charges dismissed at preliminary hearing based on our cross examination of the officer ( the Commonwealth’s only witness) and subsequent motion to dismiss.
Breaking and Entering while Armed, Abduction with Intent to Defile, Object Sexual Penetration: Several charges dismissed. Guilty Plea to two charges. Successfully argued for a sentence well below the sentencing guidelines. Client received 10 years on each of two offenses. Client charged with multiple counts of stalking women, Breaking and Entering while armed with a Firearm, Abduction with Intent to Defile, Object Sexual Penetration. Client did not wish to proceed to trial. At client’s request, a plea agreement was negotiated. Several charges were dismissed. There was no agreement as to sentence and the Virginia Sentencing Guidelines called for lengthy incarceration. Client faced multiple life sentences.
Rape, Object Sexual Penetration, Domestic Assault and Battery, Abduction. Grand Larceny: Dismissal of all Felony Sexual Assault charges. Plea on Abduction and 2 misdemeanors. .Client charged with 2 sexual assault felonies with possible life sentences, as well as felony abduction and felony larceny. Negotiated this result just before trial. Sexual offenses with life sentences dismissed.
Federal Weapons Charge: Case “No Papered”/ dismissed. Representation initiated within minutes of arrest at federal building. Successfully advocated for pre-arraignment release on lesser charge than officer initiated at arrest. Successful Pre- arraignment presentation of mitigation and negotiations with law enforcement personnel and with Assistant United States Attorney resulted in charge being “no-papered”
Malicious Wounding and Gang Participation: Client faced 30 years incarceration and received 4 years 11 months.
Malicious Wounding: Charge Reduced to misdemeanor assault and sentenced to time served.
Murder, Accessory to Murder, Malicious Wounding, Malicious Wounding by Mob, Use of Firearm to Commit Murder: Dismissal of all charges but Malicious Wounding. Sentenced to Time Served, released at sentencing.
Attempted Malicious Wounding, Discharge of a Firearm in Dwelling, Brandishing, Domestic Assault: Charges Dismissed.
Sodomy, Object Sexual Penetration, Indecent Liberties: All charges dismissed and record expunged for stepfather falsely accused of multiple counts of felony sexual assault
Juvenile, Aggravated Malicious Wounding, Avoids Certification as Adult: Negotiated a resolution that allowed the teen’s case to remain in juvenile court and avoided transfer to adult court, guilty pleas entered as a juvenile to two reduced felonies, child pornography and firearm charges dropped.
Juvenile client, Carjacking with Firearm: Convinced judge to use “blended sentence” option, allowing client to serve sentence entirely in a juvenile facility and avoid adult prison for a 16 year old client charged with Carjacking and Use of a Firearm during a Felony. Child certified to Circuit Court to be tried as an adult. Successfully negotiated an agreement with the prosecutor and compiled extensive mitigating evidence and argument to present to the sentencing judge to avoid an adult prison sentence for this young man.
Felony Assault on a Police Officer: Client charged with Assault on Police Officer, a Felony with a mandatory minimum sentence of 6 months in jail. Charge reduced to misdemeanor Trespass, case continued one year to be Dismissed conditioned upon good behavior for 12 months.
Appeal to Virginia Court of Appeals: Hugo Sanchez v. Commonwealth, 41 Va. App. 319 OUTCOME: Reversed and Remanded. Researched and wrote Appeal Brief and presented Oral Argument to the Court of Appeals of Virginia of Sanchez’s conviction for failing to stop after an accident, felony hit and run. Argued that defendant stated a particularized need for additional funds for a DNA expert, and that it was error for the trial court to deprive him of those funds, and that the evidence was insufficient to support a conviction, and that the probative value of evidence of a carjacking was substantially outweighed by the danger of undue prejudice.
Commonwealth v. Sanchez 268 Va. 161 OUTCOME: Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals, 2 Justices dissented, agreeing with the Court of Appeals and my argument. Briefed and presented Oral Argument to the Supreme Court of Virginia after successfully arguing for and receiving a Reversal and Remand at the Court of Appeals. Commonwealth appealed to the Supreme Court
DUI w/ elevated BAC : Client faced a DUI conviction and mandatory jail time with high BAC. DUI reduced to Reckless Driving, NO mandatory jail and DUI conviction avoided. Successfully preserved Security clearance for a 30-year federal employee and military veteran with no prior record.
Felony Animal Cruelty & Reckless Discharge of a Firearm: reduced to misdemeanor county code with a fine. Successfully preserved gun rights for Military Veteran and firearms expert who had to euthanize his own elderly dog.
Felony child neglect : Charge dismissed for mom of non-verbal, special-needs pre-schooler who was able to unlock multiple locks for first time, during nap time. Charge subsequently successfully expunged.
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor , 2 counts : Both charges dismissed.
Sexually Violent Predator civil commitment petition PW Circuit Court: successfully argued against commitment. Client granted conditional release to probation at first hearing.
Motion to Remove from Sex Offender Registry: Granted. Client came to me previously convicted as a juvenile of a sexual act with same-age peer. Client hired me to try to get him removed from the Sex Offender Registry. Motion to Reconsider juvenile’s placement on the Virginia Sex Offender Registry granted, Circuit Court removed client from registry.
Juvenile Robbery and Use of a Firearm in a Felony: Juvenile avoids certification as adult, deferred disposition on Robbery for dismissal and Felony Firearm reduced to misdemeanor brandishing.
Sodomy, Aggravated Sexual Battery: Charges dismissed.
Assault and Battery Jury Trial, juvenile client: Not Guilty
Grand Larceny, juvenile client: Not Guilty
Carjacking Jury Trial: Not Guilty
Aggravated Sexual Battery Jury Trial: Not Guilty
Felony Child Abuse “Shaken Baby” case Jury Trial: Not Guilty
Rape Jury Trial: Not Guilty
Contributing to the delinquency of a minor Charge dismissed for active duty military parent whose child walked to bus with neighborhood children.
Assault and Battery: Substitute teacher accused of assaulting student. Charge dismissed.
Contributing to the delinquency of a minor: Charge dismissed for parent whose child accidentally left home after figuring out how to unlock door for first time.
Malicious Wounding and Felony Child Abuse: Charges dismissed.
Domestic Assault x 2: Charges dismissed for Police Officer client.
Strangulation and Domestic Assault: NOT GUILTY
Brandishing Machete: NOT GUILTY
Domestic Assault: NOT GUILTY
Making False Statement to Police: Trial, Not Guilty for a Juvenile charged with making false statement to law enforcement.
Strangulation, Abduction, Destruction of Property, Domestic Assault, 2 counts Protective Order Violation: Client charged with multiple serious felonies after a domestic altercation. Immigration concerns were also a factor. Successfully negotiated a deferred disposition that led to the dismissal of all charges and no adverse immigration consequences.
DUI: charge deferred for 1 year, then dismissed upon completion of terms and conditions.
Drunk in Public, Disorderly Conduct, Obstruction of Justice: Charges Dismissed
Hit & Run: charge dismissed
Lynching Deemed Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Attempted Robbery: young client faced decades of prison time for Murder during an armed robbery. Negotiated Plea with a cap of 8 years, successfully argued for and received 6 years (close to time served) at sentencing hearing.
Murder: 22 year old female client charged with Second Degree Murder, 2 counts of Malicious Wounding and 1 count of Aggravated Malicious Wounding.
