DISMISSED | CREDIT CARD FRAUD – (Maricopa County Superior Court No. A693743CR): Mr. G. was accused of trying to use a stolen credit card at a local grocery store. He was also accused of using that credit card to purchase numerous gift cards at a Home Depot. We were able to work out a civil compromise with the alleged victim, and all charges were dismissed.
DISMISSED | AUTO THEFT – (Maricopa County Superior Court No. 0100166CR): Mr. B. borrowed a vehicle from a friend of his. The person he borrowed the vehicle from misunderstood the amount of time that he would be borrowing the vehicle, and made a stolen vehicle report. During the interview process, the alleged victim admitted that he may have been intoxicated when he filed the report. Mr. B. was released from custody and all charges were dismissed.
DISMISSED | FRAUDULENT SCHEMES/FORGERY – (Maricopa County Superior Court No. 1996-003152CR): Mr. S. was accused of writing 8 checks which totaled approximately $8,000.00. We were able to bring in a handwriting expert who showed that the handwriting on the checks was not Mr. S.’s. In addition, the videotape of the bank surveillance was inconclusive as to the identity of the person cashing the checks. We were able to have the case dismissed in its entirety.
DISMISSED | TRAFFICKING IN STOLEN GOODS – (Maricopa County Superior Court No. 871244CR): Mr. D. was accused of selling a ring to a jewelry store that had previously been stolen. Because Mr. D. had left the state and changed his name, several years passed before it was discovered there was a warrant out for his arrest. We were able to quash the warrant and explain to the prosecutor that the person they had on videotape was not Mr. D. The case was then dismissed “in the interests of justice.”
DISMISSED | CREDIT CARD THEFT / FRAUD – (Maricopa County Superior Court No. 9901994CR): Mr. S. was accused of credit card theft and fraud. We were able to work out a civil resolution with the alleged victim, and all charges were dismissed.
DISMISSED | THEFT OF MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION / EMBEZZLEMENT – State v. Ms. S., (Maricopa County Superior Court No. 020561CR): Ms. S. was a bookkeeper for a local construction company. She was given permission by the owner to pay certain personal expenses and to purchase a jeep as part of her payment package. Eventually, the owner had a falling out with Ms. S. and claimed she had embezzled funds and stolen the jeep. After extensive financial reviews (which included forensic reviews of the checks and the memo sections of each check) the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office agreed to dismiss all charges.
REDUCED | THEFT – (Maricopa County Superior Court No. CR2006-177298): Mr. D. was stopped for a minor traffic violation when police found that he had an outstanding traffic warrant. Upon searching him, they found a firearm. When police ran the serial numbers on the gun it came back as stolen. Mr. D. told police he had obtained the gun from his cousin, who was currently in prison for theft and he may have had an idea that the gun could have been stolen. We were able to convince the prosecutors that this was not a true felony, and Mr. D. plead to a misdemeanor with no days in jail. He was initially facing years in prison.
DISMISSED | SEXUAL ASSAULT & KIDNAPPING (Maricopa County Superior Court No. CR2006-172515): Mr. R. was at a bar when a young woman began “hitting” on him. They went out to his vehicle, and they engaged in consensual oral sex. The girl had been drinking heavily, then went back inside. When confronted by her friends, she said she was forced into having sex with Mr. R. The police came, contacted Mr. R. in the parking lot, and questioned him. He initially denied any sexual conduct (because he was married), then finally told them he had engaged in consensual sex. We were able to show that the police had lost audio and video recordings (and thereby destroyed evidence), combined with the alleged victim now claiming she was drunk and didn’t remember much of the incident at all. Ultimately the State moved to dismiss all charges just prior to trial. Mr. R. had been facing potentially over 30 years in prison.
REDUCED | SOLICITATION OF SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR – State v. Mr. T. (Maricopa County Superior Court No. CR2006-007868) (DMC No. 6987): Mr. T.’s wife had died several years earlier, and he began drinking and having mental problems. He ultimately approached his daughter, and began soliciting her for sexual conduct. We were able to have a psycho-sexual risk evaluation performed on Mr. T., and he also began receiving alcohol and mental health counseling, and was put on medication. He was originally facing years in prison, but we were able to negotiate a deal to probation with no jail.
REDUCED | POSSESSION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY State v. Mr. L. (DMC No. 3901) (Maricopa County Superior Court No.: 2003-005553CR): Mr. L. was a student at ASU who lived in a dormitory. He discovered a website which rewarded people listening to music by giving them points which could be redeemed for prizes. Mr. L constructed a computer program which allowed numerous people to listen to music while he would personally accumulate the point. During the course of this site, child pornography was received on this website and distributed. He was subsequently arrested and charged with ten (10) counts of possession of child pornography. The mandatory minimum he was facing was 100 years in prison. We were able to show the prosecutor the innocent intent of this website, combined with Mr. L’s youth, in order to obtain a plea to attempt (the lowest level felony). Although Mr. L had typed in certain requests which could be construed as a solicitation for child pornography, he did receive probation with one (1) years of jail time with work release. The norm on these cases is ten (10) years in prison.