San Diego Criminal Lawyer Blog

A 33-year old man named Steven Richardson was arrested in Evanston, Illinois on August 21st in conjunction with a series of rapes and sexual assaults in San Diego and Illinois.

Prior to making the Thursday arrest, San Diego crime detectives working in conjunction with local police pooled their resources -- including fingerprint evidence, eyewitness testimony, and DNA evidence. According to the reported allegations, Richardson committed five rapes in Southern California between 2000 and 2001 as well as other assault crimes in his native Illinois. All told, he now faces 23 counts, including allegations that he is the “A.M. Rapist,” a sexual assailant who’s M.O. was to break into women’s homes early in the morning and brutalize them.

If convicted of all charges, Richardson faces up to 225 years in prison. The accused is a former Navy officer who was discharged in 2000 after acting “mentally unstable.” Navy officials at the time did not believe he was an imminent threat to anyone. Richardson has a wife and young son; as of this time, his wife has made no public comment regarding the allegations.

Sexual assault, battery, and rape are extremely serious crimes in California and can result in lengthy jail sentences and even theoretically life in prison and/or capital punishment. If you stand accused of a crime in San Diego that carries strict punishments, you need a good lawyer to represent your interests. For over 20 years, San Diego defendants have entrusted Steven R. Brodsky and his legal team. Find out what sets Attorney Brodsky apart from the pack here at www.criminalattorneysandiego.com, or get a free consultation about your case right now by calling 1-800-GOOD-ADVICE (toll free). All initial consultations are 100 percent free and confidential.

On June 22nd, R&B superstar Chris Brown arrived in Los Angeles Superior Court for a preliminary hearing regarding Brown’s widely-publicized altercation with pop-singer Rhianna prior to the Grammy Awards in February. Brown allegedly beat up the 21-year-old Rhianna while heading to a Grammy party in a rented Lamborghini. Rhianna’s brutalized image proved fodder for paparazzi and celebrity gossip purveyors like TMZ.com, US Weekly, and People Magazine.

Although the Superior Court Judge did not permit cameras in the courtroom to observe the proceedings, reporters could listen in via a closed-circuit broadcast. In preliminary hearings of this kind, prosecutors need only establish “probably cause” to get the go ahead to proceed to trial. Assuming the Brown-Rhianna matter does in fact move on to trial, the prosecution will then face a much stiffer burden of proof and will have to demonstrate Brown’s guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Whether you've been accused of a crime in San Diego that’s vaulted you unexpectedly into the spotlight, or you’re simply overwhelmed by the criminal charges pending against you, the law entitles you to a sound defense. Trust the Law Offices of Stephen Brodsky to provide excellent counsel and deliver results. Find out more about one of San Diego County's most highly-regarded criminal defense attorneys today at www.CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com.

On May 6, 2009, a 36-year-old California man named John Burgess pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from the death of a 19-year-old pre-med student at San Diego State University named Donna Jou. Burgess--a convicted sex offender who had served jail time for failing to register as such--faces five years.

According to the defendant's admissions in court, he had met Ms. Jou after answering an advertisement she'd put up on Craigslist.com for students to tutor. On the night of June 23, 2007, he brought Ms. Jou back to his house and injected her with a mixture of cocaine and heroine known colloquially as an "eightball." The drug cocktail sadly proved lethal. The next morning, Burgess awoke to find that Ms. Jou had died during the night. Burgess then panicked and--instead of contacting the police--took Ms. Jou's body out onto his sailboat and dumped her into the Pacific Ocean.

For over a year following her death, Burgess laid low... or at least tried to. He was actually arrested in Florida in the interim for different charges. But the law finally tracked him down and arrested him on involuntary manslaughter charges (as well as on charges of providing drugs and alcohol to a minor).

Burgess's case drew national media attention and fueled a growing debate over the obligations of services like Craigslist.com to patrol their message boards for predators, pedophiles, and scam artists. In the wake of the trial, Craigslist.com has revised its guidelines. The site now requires individuals to pay to advertise in its "adult services" section, and its curators promise to vet future postings to ensure their accuracy.

California criminal cases can be complex, both legally and emotionally. If you or a family member faces criminal charges in San Diego, you need a determined, veteran attorney in your corner. Look to Stephen Brodsky and Associates. To arrange a free consultation now, go to www.CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com.

Ahn Quang Ho, 54, was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman at a Moreno Valley nail salon, according to this news report in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Riverside County Sheriff’s officials have booked him on rape and sexual battery charges after a woman accused Ho of forcing himself on her while they were inside the suspect’s workplace, Creative Nails Salon on Perris Boulevard.

In the State of California, a person can be charged with rape if they had sexual intercourse with a person who could not give legal consent because they were drunk, drugged, unconscious or did not have the mental capacity to give legal consent. A person may also be charged with rape if they physically force another person to have sex with them.

An important factor in a sexual assault or rape case involving two adults is whether the accused rapist knows the victim. In such cases, the issue of whether the victim agreed to have sex with the accused rapist becomes all important. Police investigators will usually question the victim about the alleged rape. The Sexual Abuse Response Team (SART) will also give the alleged victim a medical exam to see if there is any physical evidence of rape.

A sexual assault conviction usually results in severe punishment including a lengthy jail sentence. It is very important to have an experienced and knowledgeable Riverside rape defense attorney on your side, who will examine the evidence, conduct an independent investigation and listen to your side of the story. If you have been charged with a Riverside sex crime, please call the Law Office of Stephen R. Brodsky for a free consultation.

Riverside police arrested seven men on suspicion of solicitation during an undercover sting, according to this news report. The men reportedly approached undercover police officers who were in the guise of prostitutes. Police conducted the sting after residents and business owners in the University Avenue corridor complained of prostitution activity in that area.

Police impounded the suspects’ vehicles. One of suspects was also arrested on suspicion of driving without a license and another was booked on suspicion of attempted robbery after he allegedly threatened an undercover officer.

Prostitution or solicitation crimes are usually misdemeanors. These types of sting operations are a concerted effort on the part of police departments that deploy female officers to attract the attention of unwary male motorists driving by an area where there is a high incidence of prostitution. Once these undercover officers lure a man and get them to agree to a sex act for money, they would direct them to a location, typically a hotel parking lot where the man would be placed under arrest for solicitation.

An experienced San Diego prostitution defense lawyer will be able to evaluate your interaction with the undercover female decoy and determine if an entrapment defense can be a successful defense for you. If you have been charged with prostitution or solicitation, please call the Law Office of Stephen Brodsky for a free and completely confidential consultation. Whether you decide to enter a plea or fight your charges, we will remain on your side and respect your decisions.

Robert Rogelio Salas, a 28-year-old Banning man, pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting his friend’s 11-year-old daughter, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Salas has been charged with sexual penetration with a foreign object causing bodily injury and committing lewd acts against a child under 14.

The alleged assault reportedly occurred Sept.1 or Sept. 2 in the home of the young female victim, whose father has been a friend of Salas’ for about 16 years. On the night of the alleged assault, Salas had gotten intoxicated at a bar near his friend’s home. He asked his friend if he could spend the night at their home. The man agreed saying that he and his wife wouldn’t be home, but Salas could sleep in his son’s room. Salas reportedly entered his friend’s daughters’ bedroom in the middle of the night and sexually assaulted one of the girls.

A child sex abuse accusation is extremely serious. Even if you are a first time offender, a child molestation or sexual assault conviction in Riverside will result in a lengthy state prison sentence and require the defendant to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In many child sex abuse cases, we see that false accusations are made against innocent people. Prosecutors and law enforcement officials influence the minds of young children who think they have allegedly been abused. This has especially been true in cases where friends or close relatives have been accused of these horrible sex crimes.

If you or someone you know has been accused of a child sex crime in Riverside, you need the best sex crime defense attorney, who has years of experience fighting for the rights of those who have been wrongfully accused of crimes they did not commit. Call the Law Office of Stephen R. Brodsky for a free consultation.

A Santa Ana high school music teacher has been sentenced to 90 days in jail and has been ordered to register as a sex offender for child annoyance involving a 16-year-old student in his campus office during school hours, The Orange County Register reports. An Orange County jury convicted 40-year-old Bijon Savero Watson in May of three misdemeanor counts.

Prosecutors alleged that Watson, director the jazz program at the Orange County School of the Arts, knew the girl when she was 12 and worked to gain her and her family’s trust over the years. While appearing to be sympathetic to her, Watson kissed and fondled the girl, sent her sexually suggestive text messages and then tried to force her to perform sex acts, prosecutors said. Watson was not charged with felonies because the girl was 16 at the time of the crimes and because sexual conduct with a girl who was at least 16 is not considered “substantial by law.”

Sex crime charges – even misdemeanors as in this particular case – can be extremely serious. Consider what happened to this teacher. He not only got 90 days in jail, but he must register as a sex offender wherever he goes for the rest of his life. The stigma of a "sex offender" follows you for the rest of your life.

That’s why you need an experienced and skilled criminal defense attorney, who will find inadequacies in the prosecution’s case. A lot of times, child sex abuse cases are spurred by wrong accusations and misunderstandings. If you have been accused of a child sex abuse crime, please call the Law Office of Stephen Brodsky to schedule your free and confidential consultation today.

A teacher in the Corona-Norco Unified School district was arrested and charged with having sex with a 17-year-old boy, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported. Wendie Estrada Fernandez, 45, is accused of having unlawful sexual intercourse and oral sex with the high school boy and has also been placed on administrative leave.

The article also reported that Fernandez has been married to her husband 24 years and that they have four children. Her biography suggests that Fernandez was an accomplished student and teacher. It is quite obvious that a conviction in a sex crime case will not only jeopardize her job, but her entire career. If convicted, she may not only face jail time, but also be required to register as a sex offender and may not be allowed to work with children ever again.

Anyone who has been charged with a sex crime needs to retain an experienced and knowledgeable Riverside criminal defense lawyer who has what it takes to get them an acquittal. Sex crime cases are often complex. They often involve young “victims” who must be treated tactfully and sensitively. A defense attorney needs to find the balance between aggressive questioning and sensitivity in order to be convincing before a jury.

If you or a loved one has been accused of a sex crime, please call the Law Office of Stephen R. Brodsky to find out how you can build a successful defense, clear your name and get your life back. Don’t let a false accusation ruin your life. Call us today for a free consultation.

A 58-year-old Indio man, who police say molested young girls, has been arrested on child sex charges. Richard Robert Frescas has pleaded not guilty to committing lewd acts on a child under 14 and penetration by force, according to an article in the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Frescas allegedly molested at least two girls several times between 2006 and 2007 when they were at his home. Prosecutors also allege that he used force to molest the girls, who attempted to get away.

Riverside district attorney’s investigators reportedly arrested Frescas in the Mexican state of Sonora. Frescas was one of several to be placed on Riverside County’s “most wanted list.”

Next to serious violent crimes, child molestation carries the greatest risk for state prison sentences – be it first-time offenders or repeat offenders. A child molestation conviction also means registering as a sex offender for the rest of your life. Child sexual abuse also carries a greater risk for false accusations, which result in criminal prosecutions.

If you or someone you know has been accused of a sexual crime involving children, your first order of business should be to find an experienced, competent and skilled criminal defense attorney who can thoroughly investigate the case, listen to your side of the story and poke holes in the prosecution’s case. If you have been charged with child molestation in San Diego call the Law Office of Stephen R. Brodsky for a free consultation. We will help you get an acquittal or get your charges reduced. Our goal is to keep you out of jail. Call us today.

A high school geography teacher in La Mesa has been arrested on suspicion of having sex with a 16-year-old girl in a hotel room, according to a news report in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Gary Wilcox, 43, who was also the girl’s soccer coach at Helix High School, has taught at the school for almost 13 years and has been put on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the La Mesa sex crime, the newspaper reports.

Wilcox is said to have had sex at least once with the girl, who is now 18 and still a student at the high school, the article states. School officials reportedly released a statement saying they were shocked at the allegations. Wilcox is being held on $70,000 bail and reportedly admitted to having sex with the girl to officers. A third person is said to have reported the incident to officials.

In this case, the teacher reportedly admitted to “committing the crime,” which here is child sex abuse charges. Admitting to these alleged offenses can spell the end of a person’s career, especially for a teacher who is all the time interacting with minors. If convicted of this crime, Mr. Wilcox will lose his job, possibly face jail time and will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

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