Category: Drug Charges

As of January 1, 2018, California courts are offering pre-plea diversion in certain drug cases.  The benefit to this pre-plea diversion, over the more traditional “formal” diversion, is that the defendant never enters a plea and, thus, is never actually convicted of anything.  They can earn a complete dismissal of the charges without suffering a conviction on their record.

Prior to this change, and for about the last 10 years, California offered a diversion called deferred entry of judgement or “DEJ.”  In the older DEJ diversions, the defendant had to plead guilty, sentencing was continued for 18 months, and the defendant would complete a drug-treatment program.  If the defendant successfully completed a drug-treatment program and had no other arrests for the diversion period, the defendant could withdraw his plea of guilt, enter a not-guilty plea and the court would dismiss the case.

There was, and still is in cases not eligible for pre-plea diversion, devastating consequences for some defendants.  First off, the federal government does not recognize diversions as a dismissal.  Thus, for purposes of your FBI criminal background, even if your case was ultimately dismissed after successful completion of DEJ, the federal government still views that as a conviction.  If you are an immigrant who is here illegally, or have limited status in the country, the conviction under federal law means that you are subject to deportation, denial of naturalization or exclusion from re-entry into the country.  Additionally, people who hold certain licenses or security clearances could lose their jobs and/or licenses as a result of this conviction.

All for a minor possession charge.

With the availability of a pre-plea diversion, there is no longer any conviction on your record.  The defendant simply waives his right to a speedy trial for up to two (2) years and the case remains “pending” while the defendant completes a drug-treatment program.  After completing the program, paying court fees and avoiding any new arrests, the case is dismissed and the defendant walks away without any conviction, ever, on his or her record.

If you have been charged with a drug crime, contact attorney Ross Erlich to talk about your rights and options with the court.  You might be eligible for pre-plea diversion, veteran’s court or a mental health diversion.

Ross Erlich handles drug charges in all courts throughout southern California, including the Airport Court, CCB Courthouse, Pasadena Court, Burbank Court, Van Nuys Court and the San Fernando Court.

A Santa Clarita man was caught with 88 pounds of meth, kicked his way out of a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s patrol car, ran across a freeway and evaded arrest for more than a day before being arrested on Thursday.

The suspect’s car was stopped on Interstate 5 in Santa Clarita Valley when Sheriff’s Deputies discovered the large quantity of meth.  After being arrested and placed in the back of the patrol car, the suspect kicked out the rear window and ran across the freeway.  He was eventually spotted walking in the area and found hiding in an empty water tank.

If you have been arrested for a drug-related crime, it is important to hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.  Having representation at the earliest stage in the case can help prevent damaging statements from being made to law enforcement and, in certain situations, lead to the reduction in charges actually filed or even a dismissal.

If you have been arrested in Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley for possession for sale of a controlled substance, sale or transportation of a controlled substance or manufacturing drugs and narcotics, contact attorney Ross Erlich today for a free case consultation and evaluation.  Keep in mind that many drug-related felonies are punishable by time in the California State Prison system.  Attorney Ross Erlich will be able to contact the law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction over your case before your court date and get information about the investigation.

A key tool used by law enforcement in drug-related arrests is the use and reliance on confidential informants, anonymous tips or other questionable sources of probable cause to obtain search warrants.  Because of questionable reliability of these sources, there are, often times, the need for criminal defense attorneys to file suppression motions in court attacking the constitutionality of the search based on the lack of probable cause.  If theses motions are granted, typically that means that the search, and therefore the drugs, must be suppressed from the prosecutor’s case and this often means a dismissal based on their inability to proceed.  These motions must take into account the source of tip or information, the procedures used by law enforcement, how they made an arrest.

There are many other factors to consider when dealing with a drug-related offense and it is important to make sure that law enforcement has done their job correctly and according to the laws on the books.  Drug diversion, or treatment options are available alternatives to jail or prison time in the right circumstances and with the right lawyer.

If you have been charged in Los Angeles with drug possession, possession for sale, drug transportation, drug manufacturing or any other drug offense, contact our office 24/7 for a consultation.  Drug crimes are heard in the downtown Criminal Courts Building (CCB), Airport Court, Pasadena Court, San Fernando Court, Van Nuys Court and the East Los Angeles Court.

The rapper “2 Chainz”, who was arrested last June for possession of a controlled substance, entered a not guilty plea last week in court.  The rapper was arrested for possession of codeine after he was removed from a flight at LAX when marijuana and a bottle of promethazine with codeine was found in his checked bag by airport security.

Codeine is a main ingredient used in the cocktail “sizzurp” which has been made famous by many southern rappers in recent time.  Sizzurp is a mix of the drug with cough syrup and sometimes also mixed with Sprite.

2 Chainz is facing one felony count and up to three years in prison if convicted and sentenced to the maximum.

Many felony drug possession cases at the Airport court are those where people were possessing drugs in their baggage at LAX.  If you have been charged with felony drug possession, possession of codeine or possession of promethazine, it is important to contact attorney Ross Erlich as soon as possible.  Under certain circumstances, simple felony drug possession may be something that attorney Ross Erlich can have completely dismissed from your record upon successful completion of the PC 1000 program.

In California, the PC 1000 formal drug diversion program allows those charged with possession of a controlled substance for personal use (without any allegations of violence) to have their criminal proceedings suspended for 18 months while they complete a state-approved drug rehabilitation program that consists of at least 20 hours of education and/or treatment.  If the defendant successfully completes this program, and does not pick up any new arrests during the 18 month diversion period, the court will dismiss the felony possession charge.

This diversion program is seen frequently in cases involving possession of cocaine, possession of heroin, possession of ecstasy, possession of methamphetamine and possession of prescription medication.

There are other requirements and factors that are considered, but that is something attorney Ross Erlich can speak to you about during your free case consultation.

If you have been charged with drug possession in the Airport Court, drug possession in CCB, drug possession in Pasadena Court or drug possession anywhere in Los Angeles, contact attorney Ross Erlich today.

An Encino doctor being accused of illegally selling prescription drugs pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in Los Angeles’ Downtown Criminal Courts Building.

The doctor, an internal medicine specialist, runs an urgent care clinic and has been charged with 11 felony counts of unlawfully prescribing drugs, including many popular narcotic painkillers.  The doctor was, allegedly, prescribing these drugs to patients, and undercover agents from the California Medical Board, without performing required exams first.

Essentially, it is being alleged that this doctor sold and prescribed these drugs to undercover agents for no medical reason.  It is not against the law for doctors to prescribe these drugs, but the prescription needs to be for a legitimate medical purpose.

The doctor was released from jail on $80,000 bail and faces more than 7 years in state prison if convicted on all counts.  Furthermore, the doctor faces administrative proceedings and the possible loss of his medical license from the California Medical Board.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a crime and holds a professional license with the state, it is important to contact an attorney as early as possible.  You can expect to get a notification from the licensing agency saying they are aware of some incident and, in all likelihood, pursue their own disciplinary proceedings.  In other words, you will have to fight in court and with the state licensing agency.

For doctors, lawyers, nurses and other state-licensee’s, losing your license or having a disciplinary matter on your record can have a severe impact on your professional and ability to earn income.  Contact attorney Ross Erlich as soon as possible so that he create good lines of communication between you and the state agency in an effort to prevent any professional implications.

If you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony in Los Angeles, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Santa Monica, Pasadena or anywhere throughout the county, contact Ross Erlich 24/7 for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Federal prosecutors are no longer going to seek “mandatory minimum” sentences for many low-level and nonviolent drug offenders.  U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder plans to announce this major shift in the United States criminal drug offender policy today.

Holder cites the years of explosive growth in the federal prison population and the ballooning costs associated with this increase in incarceration.  Holder further stated that too many people go to too many prisons for too long, and, a lot of times, for “no good law enforcement reason.”

Under Holder’s new policy, prosecutors would send fewer drug offenders to federal prison for long terms and send an increasing number of these offenders to drug treatment and community service programs instead.  This change in policy also addresses a long-standing goal of civil rights groups who say that long prison sentences disproportionately hurt low-income and minorities.

The “war on drugs” that started in the 1980s brought about strict federal laws that required judges to impose long prison sentences on anyone caught with certain amounts of illegal drugs, regardless of the circumstances.  The public’s demand for these long sentences has decreased recently as stories of unfairness and skyrocketing costs have become more apparent.

In other words, drug offenses look to be much more manageable in the near future.  With the policy shifting on federal drug offenses, local offenders will also likely see more non-custody options associated with disposing of their case such as Deferred Entry of Judgement (DEJ), PC 1000, and Proposition 36.  With the help of a skilled and knowledgeable attorney, many of these options can be made available to you and, if needed, effective substance abuse programs and rehabilitation.

If you have been charged with drug possession, drug transportation, possession for sale or with the intent to sell, contact attorney Ross Erlich before you go to court and before you make any statements to law enforcement.  It is important to have a skilled attorney help you in the Airport court, CCB, Downtown Courts, Pasadena Court and all Los Angeles County courts.

Rapper “2 Chainz” was arrested on Tuesday at LAX, according to reports.  In fact, he was actually taken off a plane waiting to depart the airport after a TSA search of checked baggage showed the presence of marijuana and promethazine.

Reports state that the marijuana was less than 1 ounce, a misdemeanor, while the possession of promethazine got Chainz a felony narcotics possession charge.  Promethazine is commonly mixed with codeine and juice or soda to create a very intoxicating drink known as “sizzurp” in the hip-hop community.

2 Chainz will likely be booked and then released on bond and given a date to appear at the Airport Courthouse for the felony and misdemeanor drug possession charges.  While having a felony drug possession charge against you is serious and something that should not be taken lightly, there are favorable ways to resolve these cases which may even involve a dismissal of the charges.

If you have been charged with felony drug possession in California, you are most likely eligible for Deferred Entry of Judgment (DEJ) or what attorneys refer to as PC 1000 (California Penal Code section 1000).  There are certain requirements that must be met before someone is eligible for DEJ.  First of all, the charged violation must be for simple drug possession only and not for possession for sales or transportation and the crime must not involve any violence or threatened violence.  Secondly, you must not have had any prior drug-related convictions, had you parole revoked without successfully completing your terms and conditions, completed DEJ in another case within 5 years of your current charges and you must not have had any felony convictions in the 5 years preceding the current charge.

If all of these elements are met and you are eligible for DEJ, you can enter a plea of guilty to the charges and have your criminal proceedings suspended for, typically, 18 months.  During this 18 month time period, you must enroll and successfully complete a county-approved PC 1000 class, which is typically 20 hours of drug education to be completed within the first 6 months.  After completion of the DEJ class, the court gives you the remaining 12 months to stay out of trouble and not suffer any new arrests, after which time your plea of guilty is withdrawn, a plea of not guilty is entered, and your case is then dismissed.

If you have been charged with drug possession, possession for sales, transportation or manufacturing, you need to speak to an attorney as soon as possible.  A lot of times law enforcement is looking to catch the “bigger fish” and can put unfair pressure on you to talk and make incriminating statements.  Do yourself a favor and tell law enforcement to talk to your lawyer and that you have nothing to say to them.

Attorney Ross Erlich handles drug-related charges in the Airport Court, CCB (Criminal Courts Building), East Los Angeles, Pasadena and all over Southern California.  If you have been arrested on drug charges in Los Angeles, Hollywood, Beverly Hills or LAX, contact our office today.

The United States Supreme Court has given legal immigrants a break when it comes to convictions for possessing a small amount of marijuana.  The Court has ruled that a conviction for this offense is no longer an “aggravated felony” that leads to deportation or removal from the country.  The Justices said that the government must show that the defendant either sold the drugs or possessed a “significant quantity” for the crime to be considered an “aggravated felony.”

The term “aggravated felony” as used in this context is a classification used in immigration proceedings and does not always correspond to an aggravated felony in criminal court, as possession of a small amount of marijuana in California is a misdemeanor.

Under current immigration law, any non-citizen who is convicted of an “aggravated felony” is eligible, and most often proceedings are brought against them, for deportation.  This occurs regardless of how long this person has lived legally in the country or how productive they have been.  The problems started when legal immigrants were being deported for, what many consider to be, minor non-serious drug possession offenses and long-time residents and families were being broken up.

One of the biggest problems that we see is when a suspect has been in custody for a couple days, are transferred to Los Angeles County Jail and an immigration hold is placed on them.  Thus, even if the criminal charges get dismissed, the person is still being held in custody by immigration officials and facing deportation proceedings.  The best course of action is to contact attorney Ross Erlich while your friend or family member is at the local jail and get them out as soon as possible.

If you are a non-citizen, regardless of your current status, it is crucial for your future to consult attorney Ross Erlich if you have been arrested and charged with a crime, any crime.  With the firm’s criminal defense experience, as well as the expert immigration resources, attorney Ross Erlich is in the best position possible to prevent the harsh immigration consequences that are so often a result of being arrested.  Whether you have been charged with a DUI, petty theft, shoplifting, domestic violence, assault or hit-and-run in the Metro court, Airport Court, Downtown Criminal Court or Burbank court, these may have potential immigration implications.

Contact attorney Ross Erlich today for a free consultation on the criminal and immigration consequences of your arrest!

So Cal Drug Take Back Day

For those of you who are looking to do some Fall cleaning, all Southern California residents will be able to take your old prescription medication to nearby local government buildings or police departments this Saturday, 10/29/11, for disposal.

A large percentage of drug abuse cases, drug arrests and accidental drug-related incidents come from unused prescriptions from family or friends that lay around the house.

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times noted that, according to The Partnership for a Drug Free America, estimates that 2,500 U.S. teens each day use prescription drugs to get high for the first time.

To find you local take back collection site, visit the Drug Enforcement Agency’s website.

Possession prescription drugs without a valid prescription, can subject you to criminal charges under both the Penal Code and Health and Safety Codes. Because Los Angeles City and County are serious about enforcing drug-related offenses, they take these charges seriously.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a drug-related offense, it is important to contact an attorney immediately.

Contact Attorney Ross Erlich at (818) 783-5700 for a free consultation and for other drug-diversion resources.