Las Vegas Criminal Defense Blog

Last weekend in Gardnerville, a forty-one year old man allegedly drove drunk through a red light and crashed into a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper's car. The trooper didn't sustain serious injuries. The suspect was arrested for the Nevada crime of DUI and other charges, and he remains out on nearly $3,000 bail.

The Nevada crime of DUI occurs when someone operates a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police who spot drivers that may be committing DUI may pull them over, question them, order them to submit to a preliminary breath test, and insist they perform field sobriety tests. Depending on how the driver performs on these tests, the cop may arrest the driver and insist he/she submit to a breath or blood test.

Penalties for the Nevada crime of DUI depend on the suspect's history and the severity of the incident. A first time DUI with no injuries is a misdemeanor, and the judge usually suspends the jail sentence. But a third-time DUI, or a first-time DUI with serious injuries, is a felony carrying potentially several years in prison.

To read more about this story go to: http://www.rgj.com/article/20120220/NEWS01/302200032/NHP-trooper-injured-Saturday-crash-alleged-DUI-driver

To learn about the court process for Las Vegas DUI cases, watch our informational video:

Last week authorities arrested a North Las Vegas man for allegedly holding himself out as a doctor and sexually assaulting patients under sedation. Among the reported victims are a fifty-year-old woman, a twenty-seven year old woman, and a five-year-old boy. Police claim that the crimes all transpired in the suspect's residence in North Las Vegas.

The Nevada crime of sexual assault Nevada crime of sexual assault (or "rape") is when someone has sex with someone else against that person's will or when that person doesn't have the capacity to consent. Sexual assault includes not only forced sexual intercourse but also any type of forced sexual act that involves penetration. Common defenses to this crime are false allegations, lack of proof, or that the person consented.

The base punishment for the Nevada crime of sexual assault is life in prison. Whether the defendant gets the possibility of parole and for how long depends on the victim's age, the suspect's criminal history, and whether the incident resulted in substantial bodily harm. Depending on the case, some rape charges may be pleaded down to battery or open or gross lewdness.

For more on this story go to: http://www.lvrj.com/news/man-accused-of-posing-as-doctor-then-sedating-sexual-assaulting-victims-140180693.html

To learn more about the Nevada crime of sexual assault, watch our informational video:

Earlier this month a thirty-three year old women was charged with the Nevada crime of DUI causing death for a fatal accident on Rainbow and Wigwam in Las Vegas. That same day at twenty-six year old man was arrested for the Nevada crime of DUI causing injury for allegedly plowing into a fifteen year old boy at a bus stop at Spring Mountain and El Camino in Las Vegas. Last year in Nevada there were about 20,000 DUI arrests total.

The Nevada crime of DUI causing death occurs when a driver who's under the influence of alcohol or drugs causes an accident which kills someone other than the driver. People suspected of this crime are required to submit to a blood test, not a breath test. The typical defense to DUI with death charges is that the victim was more to blame for the crash.

The Nevada crime of DUI causing death is a category B felony carrying two to twenty years in Nevada State Prison and maybe a fine of $2,000 to $5,000. If the defendant was driving a fourteen year old or younger at the time of the accident, the judge will consider it as an "aggravating factor" when deciding the final sentence. A criminal defense attorney would try to get the charge reduced to vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving causing death, misdemeanor DUI, or a full dismissal.

To read more about this story go to: http://www.8newsnow.com/story/16689550/deadly-weekend-on-southern-nevada-roads

To learn more about when a DUI suspect may consult a lawyer, watch our informational video:

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police have been conducting an undercover operation for fourteen months that resulted in sixteen locals getting arrested last week for selling stolen property. Police disguised themselves and worked at stores where suspects allegedly sold stolen property. During the course of the investigation police seized nearly thirty vehicles, over twenty firearms, and narcotics.

The Nevada crime of possession of stolen property is when someone possesses, buys or receives property that he/she knows is stolen or should know is stolen. In Nevada, courts presume a defendant has committed the Nevada crime of possession of stolen property if he/she has three or more of the same item with their serial numbers erased. This is a separate crime from larceny, which is the act of stealing as opposed to having property that is already stolen.

Penalties for the Nevada crime of possession of stolen property depend on the value of the property. If it's under $250, it's a misdemeanor carrying up to six months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines, and restitution. If it's at least $250 but less than $2,500, it's a category C felony carrying one to five years in prison, maybe up to $10,000 in fines, and restitution. Otherwise it's a category B felony carrying up to ten years in prison, maybe up to $10,000 in fines, and restitution.

For more on this story go to: http://www.lvrj.com/news/stolen-property-sting-yields-16-arrests-139142334.html

To learn how a Nevada criminal case may be dismissed, watch our informational video:

Last weekend a twenty-six year old woman was arrested for allegedly crashing her car into a bus, resulting in a fifteen-year-old boy sustaining substantial bodily harm. The woman was not hurt in the crash, which occurred in Las Vegas on Sprint Mountain Road close to Torrey Pines. She will likely be charged with the Nevada crime of felony DUI causing injury.

The Nevada crime of felony DUI causing injury is when a driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol causes an accident which results in someone else getting seriously injured. People suspected of drunk driving will be ordered to perform field sobriety tests and submit to a blood test. Typical defenses to this crime include that the driver didn't cause the accident or that the driver commenced drinking only after the accident.

Even a first charge of the Nevada crime of felony DUI causing injury is prosecuted as a category B felony. The possible prison sentence is two to twenty years and maybe a $2,000 to $5,000 fine. The judge will likely order a harsher sentence if the driver was transporting a child fifteen years old or younger.

For more information on this story go to: http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/138817014.html

To learn more about the Nevada crime of felony DUI causing injury, watch our informational video:

A former Clark County Deputy District Attorney who was charged with violating Nevada drug law is avoiding trial by accepting a plea bargain. The prosecutor pleaded guilty to felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance not for sale. The judge will agree to drop three felony charges. His plea stems from his arrest last year for allegedly buying crack. The former prosecutor will be sentenced later this month.

Nevada drug law includes dozens of different crimes including possession, possession for sale, sale, and trafficking. Possession is typically the least serious, whereas trafficking is the most serious. Typical defenses to drug allegations include that the drugs didn't belong to the defendant, or that the police performed an illegal search to find the drugs.

The majority of crimes in Nevada drug law are felonies. But in many cases, first offenders are permitted to complete Drug Court and rehab in exchange for a dismissal of the charges. And sometimes a felony may be plead down to a misdemeanor drug charge, which can them be cleared from the defendant's record only two years after the case is closed.

To learn more about this story go to: http://www.lvrj.com/news/judge-approves-plea-deal-in-ex-clark-county-prosecutor-s-drug-case-138798509.html

To learn about Nevada drug law, watch our informational video: