Tag Archives: Criminal Charges

Gun owner charged in accidental shooting death

Posted on by

55-year-old Todd Conrad Francis is being charged with three felony counts: involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and criminal storage of a firearm.

Francis’ 9-year-old daughter was playing with her neighbor Eric Klyaz in the garage on June 4. They were handling Francis’ 9 mm pistol when it apparently went off, killing Klyaz. At the time, the children were being babysat by the girl’s 14-year-old brother.

Francis surrendered at the police headquarters on Tuesday and was released after posting $100,000 bail. He will be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. on June 25 in San Diego Superior Court.

This is a tragic situation, and our hearts go out to the family of all of those involved.

 

FBI arrests 14 in connection with international gambling ring

Posted on by

The FBI staged raids on Wednesday during which they arrested 14 people, one of whom may be a manager in an international gambling ring. This violent ring, which has been operating for a decade, is alleged to have taken millions of dollars in illegal sports bets.

The FBI launched a full-scale investigation into the case, sending undercover agents to become part of the organization in 2011, and setting up wiretaps.

The organization, called Macho Sports International, may have been led in part by 37-year-old Amir Mokayef, who was one of the people arrested on Wednesday. Agents spent the day confiscating items from his home. They also froze his assets, as they may have all come from his illegal dealings.

Mokayef will return to federal court on Friday for a detention hearing.

Attempted murder suspect arrested

Posted on by

Police arrested an attempted murder suspect in Vista on Tuesday, eight hours after he went on the run.

Kenneth Wayne Welch, 42, allegedly beat his girlfriend, then left the scene in his pickup truck with their 5-month-old son. Welch left the unharmed child with a relative.

Welch’s girlfriend said that he hit her on the head and tried to run her over with his truck. Luckily, the girl’s injuries were not life-threatening.

After spotting a police car, Welch crashed his truck on Mar Vista Drive and attempted to run, but gave up and surrendered to the deputies.

Welch has a criminal record that includes prison time for robbery, domestic violence and vehicle theft.

 

Las Vegas couple pleads guilty to fake insurance scam

Posted on by

Michael and Melissa Woodward pleaded guilty Wednesday to state tax fraud and other charges. The Woodwards were charged with 11 counts each, including grand theft, tax fraud, residential burglary, theft from an elder and selling insurance without authorization.

The couple are alleged to have scammed 240 to 250 elderly people in San Diego County and 150 to 200 more people in the rest of California with fake insurance plans. In total, the victims lost about $3.6 million to the Woodwards. Other victims have been identified in Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, and Texas. Their crimes span 10 years.

Michael faces 11 years in jail, followed by parole and pay restitution. Melissa is looking at a year in jail and five years of probation, as well as payment of restitution.

Evidence from hidden camera was properly authenticated, court ruled

Posted on by

An Ohio doctor was charged with sexual misconduct after his inappropriate sexual comments were secretly taped by one of his patients. Larry Lee Smith argued before the Court of Appeals that the hidden camera violated his due process rights, but the court found that the secret tape was proper and did not violate any of his rights.

When a female patient of Smiths complained to the local police that he had given her drugs so he could make sexual advances toward her, they gave her a secret camera to try and capture some evidence. She visited him three more times, managing to capture inappropriate and suggestive sexual language.

 

Ex-CIA Edward Snowden is source of leaked NSA reports

Posted on by

29-year-old Edward Snowden, a former technical assistant for the Central Intelligence Agency, provided information to journalists about the secret U.S. electronic surveillance program.

He revealed his identity voluntarily in a video interview on the U.K. Guardian‘s website. Snowden is currently residing in a hotel in Hong Kong. It remains to be seen whether or not he will be sent back to the U.S. Though Hong Kong and the U.S.  have an extradition treaty, which states that each will surrender people wanted for prosecution or imposition of a sentence, it may be up to China whether or not that treaty is honored in that case. Since China has sovereignty over Hong Kong, they have the power to refuse the transfer if it relates to their defense and foreign affairs. Even if the extradition happens, it could take months or years to go through all the necessary legal processes. It is incomprehensible that basic Constitutional guarantees and elementary civil rights are being violated on an unheard of and unrestricted basis in the name of curbing terrorism.

 

Auto theft sting operation results in 64 arrests

Posted on by

After eight months of investigation, 64 people were arrested on Tuesday in connection with a network of North County auto theft rings.

“Operation Perfect Storm” had undercover detectives begin to infiltrate multiple unrelated operations starting in August, California Highway Patrol Commander Scott Parker said. The officers then proceeded to set up a storefront to buy stolen property.

92 stolen vehicles were seized during the operation, as well as 10,000 rounds of ammunition, nine guns, and drugs. Some stolen military gear was also recovered.

The 64 defendants were accused  in 30 separate cases back in May, with over 90 witnesses testifying in front of the grand jury. Over 50 arrests were made this past Tuesday, with 14 people remaining at large. Among those arrested were seven Marines and a sailor.

 

Supreme Court Ruling Allows DNA Samples After Arrest

Posted on by

The US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that it is legal for the police to take a DNA sample at the time of an arrest for a serious crime.

The ruling came about after a court in Maryland said it was illegal for a police to take Alonzo King’s DNA. King was arrested for felony second-degree assault. When his DNA was checked, it matched the DNA connected to a rape and robbery case from 2003. King was then convicted of rape and received a life sentence.

As well as setting the policy for DNA swabs, the Supreme Court’s ruling reinstates King’s rape conviction, which was overturned when the Maryland court said that his DNA should not have been taken in the first place, since he was arrested for unrelated reasons.

The court was nowhere near unanimous on the issue, with five judges in favor and four dissenting.

 

Sex offenders, criminals allowed to be counselors

Posted on by

The lax credentialing system in California has allowed convicted sex offenders and people with substance abuse problems to work with clients.

California is one of only two states that does not require background check on people who are registering to become substance-abuse counselors. No criminal background check is run, and in fact applicants are never asked to disclose any past trouble with the law.

An investigation run by the Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes revealed that, since 2005, there are 23 sex offenders who have been registered or certified to work as substance-abuse counselors.

 

National City father of injured baby arrested on abuse charges

Posted on by

A man has been arrested for child abuse after police discovered the man’s baby had fractured rigs and bleeding on the brain. The 5-month-old was taken to the hospital by paramedics after someone reported the child was having difficulty breathing and was possibly having a seizure.

At the hospital, doctors discovered numerous rib fractures and several injuries on the brain that led to bleeding. Police in National City went back to the home and arrested the father after interviewing both parents. He has been booked into jail on felony child abuse charges.

Ratings and Reviews

BBB 10.0Samuel Eugene Spital
Samuel E. SpitalClients’ ChoiceAward 2021 Samuel Eugene SpitalClients’ ChoiceAward 2020
avvo rated 10/10 in Criminal Defense avvo rated 10/10 in Juvenile Law avvo rated 10/10 in Licensing
avvo rated 10/10 in Personal Injury Top ContributorAward 2012Samuel Eugene Spital Samuel Eugene SpitalReviewsout of 207 reviews