Georgia Criminal Defense Blog

The wrdw.com website reported in an article on March 13, 2009 that Richmond County investigators were searching for one suspect who committed armed robbery in Georgia. Police say that they were able to apprehend one of the suspects, Maurice Overstreet who is now in jail.

According to police investigators, the crime scene was Jack’s Grocery at 4630 Padgett Highway just after 9:30 p.m. Investigators say Maurice Overstreet and Johnny Mack went into Jack’s Grocery asking for cartons of cigarettes, money, and they also carried a duffel bag which they filled with beer. Two customers and two employees were in the store at the time of the robbery.

A most foolish mistake was committed by Overstreet as he was chased into the woods by one of the customers and dropped his bag that contained a luggage tag with information on it. Investigators later recovered the bag with the stolen cartons of cigarettes and beer. With the information on the bag the police were able to track him down.

Police are still searching for Mack and are charging Overstreet with armed robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Georgia.

Continue reading "Augusta Armed Robbery Nets One, One Wanted" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Theft Crimes , Weapons Charges

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The nydailynews.com website reported in a story on February 10, 2009 that Dr. Richard Lucente, 37, had been arrested on charges that he illegally sold steroids to bodybuilders. Lucente is also the main doctor involved in a steroid scandal involving NYPD officers. Lucente operated the New York anti-aging and wellness center in W. Brighton, Staten Island. He was one of the principal doctors writing prescriptions for police officers and high school athletes. Lowen’s Pharmacy in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn was also indicted.

Charles Hynes, Brooklyn District Attorney said, “He gained a reputation as someone who would sell to any bodybuilder, weightlifter or athlete.”

According to the authorities, Lucente wrote a prescription for Joseph Baglio, a bodybuilder who had just recently had a heart transplant because of steroid use. Police believe Baglio’s death is connected to steroid use. New York homicide charges were not placed on Lucente because medical examiners could not be absolutely sure that the steroids were the cause of Baglio’s untimely death. Therefore Lucente was charged with reckless endangerment.

Hynes said, “Dr. Lucente knew he had a heart transplant. He had no business giving him any kind of steroid.”

Continue reading " Staten Island Drug Charges Against Dr. Arrested For Prescribing Steroids" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Drug Defense

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The nydailynews.com website reported in an account on February 10, 2009 that Vincent Pastore, 62, known as Sal Bonpensiero on the HBO television series called The Sopranos, had agreed to settle out of court for being accused of domestic violence in New York. Exact details of the settlement were not disclosed. Pastore’s former fiancée Lisa Regina accused him of assaulting her. Regina and Pastore walked out of court together after settling a $5.5 million court battle.

Pastore said, “I think I just wanna say, thank God it’s over. How can anybody be happy about something like this?”

According to court reports, Pastore is accused of hitting Regina in the head in 2005. Regina was exchanging screams with Pastore when she then pulled down Pastore’s pants on a street in little Italy.

As Regina walked out the courtroom she said, “That would have been America’s funniest videos, right?

Continue reading " New York Domestic Violence Case of Soprano’s Vincent Pastore Settles Out Of Court" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Domestic Violence

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A report from nydailynews.com stated that a convicted NYPD cop killer may have to go back to prison to finish his remaining 25 to life sentence for violating his parole. Albert Victory, 68, was convicted in 1968 for the murder of NYPD officer, John Varecha, outside a disco located in Manhattan. A judge took mercy on Victory; and he was lucky to have been released from prison in 1999, even after previously breaking out of prison. Victory was put on parole since his release and was ordered to stay away from bars and alcohol and to follow strict curfew hours remaining in his Brooklyn apartment between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Victory was observed going down the wrong direction on a one way street in Brighton Beach at about 5 a.m. Upon approaching Victory, officers came across an overwhelming stench of alcohol. Victory was taken into custody after he declined to take a field sobriety test. If convicted of drunk driving in New York, he could face a year in jail

Continue reading "New York DWI Of Cop Killer May Go Back For Life " »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Violent Crimes

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The nydailynews.com website reported in an article on February 9th, that a woman who described herself as the mother of New Jersey officer Martin Abreu, 25, was placing the blame of the car accident on the dead female victim and the other pedestrian who was seriously injured. Abreu is accused of driving under the influence in New York behind the wheel of a Toyota Camry when he ran over the pedestrians as they returned home to Battery Park City from a night of dancing shortly after 3:30 a.m.

Abreu’s mother claimed that the couple was crossing West St. against the light. She said, “It was her (the dead victim’s) fault.”

Police refused to declare whether the couple had crossed against the light or not in this New York violent crime. Having no shame, the women continued with her absurd statements saying, “So my son went out and had a couple of drinks. He deserves to have a good time now and then.”

Continue reading "New York DWI Manslaughter Leaves One Alive " »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , DUI Defense , Violent Crimes

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The nydailynews.com website reported in an account on February 10th that today’s modern crooks are the leaders of our financial institutions who have sent the economy into a downward tailspin, thrashing the American way of life with their New York white collar crimes. These glutinous people include types such as incompetent CEO’s and malicious scammers.

Now these government bailed out business are upset that they can only pay their top executives $500,000. They claim that they will not be able to attract top talent. It may behoove them to retract this statement. After all, it took them just a matter of years to bring down corporations and lose many hundreds of billions of dollars, if not more.

According to reports, some of the money was used on executive jets, sumptuous bonuses, and fancy offices.

Continue reading "New York White Collar Crimes, Modern Crooks “Never Steal Anything Small”" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Law & Information , White Collar Crimes

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The nydailytimes.com website reported in a story on February 11th, that Manual Gaspar Latuna Sanchez, a cargo van driver, inadvertently struck and picked up a body that had already been hit, dragging it for 17 miles. According to police reports an SUV first hit a man trying to cross at 108th St. in Corona, Queens and ended nearly an hour later when someone finally was able to get the van driver’s attention.

Smelling something burning Sanchez did pull over to check the van but did not notice anything wrong. Raymond Kelly, police commissioner, said that the driver continued driving for nearly an hour until finally waved down in Brighton.

Kelly said, “People were signaling him to stop the vehicle. That’s when the body is discovered under his car.”

Continue reading "Man's Body Dragged Through Queens and Brooklyn" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Violent Crimes

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A nydailenws.com report from February, 11th stated that Rosario Prestigiacomo, 64 was killed with a knife while inside his apartment in Ridgewood on Green Ave. According to police reports, Prestigiacomo was the landlord there and family relatives said that he owned the apartment. Police were investigating and did not know if Prestigiacomo knew his killer.

Rosa Adele was distraught in her Florida home and said, “It is a real big shock.”

Aggravated assault is a crime in which a person illegally attempts to and is able to commit violence against another individual. Listed below are some examples of crimes which may constitute assault:

• Assault with a deadly weapon
• Assault with intent to cause serious physical pain
• Physically attacking an individual
• Threatening to cause physical harm
• Causing fear in others by threats or endangerment
• Intention to commit battery

Continue reading "Queens Violent Crime Kills Landlord" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Violent Crimes

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The nydailynews.com reported in a story on February 10, 2009 that Russell Harding, housing czar during Rudy Giuliani’s governor term, is fighting court attempts to place his name and address in a New York state wide registry of sex offenders for life. More than 27,000 names can be found on the list for offenders of sex crimes in New York.

According to court documents, Harding is upset that federal prosecutors recently turned over documents detailing damaging chats he had online.

Harding wrote, “As the court knows these chats were not the basis for any charge brought against me either in the original or amended indictments. They were never used as evidence as they had no evidentiary basis for the crime of possession of child pornography in this particular case.”

Harding has just finished serving a five year sentence for embezzlement of city funds and possession of child porn. Harding pleaded guilty in 2003 to stealing $400,000 from the city’s Housing and Preservation Development Corp. and using it for lavish vacation and car.

Continue reading "New York Sex Crime Offender Russell Harding Fights To Stay Off Sex Offender List " »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Sex Crime Defense

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The nydailynews.com website reported in an article on February 11, 2009 that two men began shooting at each other outside the entrance to the Gun Hill Rd No. 5 train station located at the busy intersection of DeWitt Pl. and East Gun Hill Rd.

Occurring just before 9 a.m., the sidewalks were full of people who scrambled for cover when the shooting erupted. According to the police, an unidentified woman was shot in the arm while an unidentified man was slightly grazed by a bullet in the leg in this violent crime in New York.

Mohammed Hayan, manager of the Best Stop Deli on Gun Hill Rd. said, "A lady came in holding her arm [and] said she was shot. She kept saying 'Call an ambulance, call an ambulance - I'm shot, I'm shot.’ We gave her the phone...I didn't see any blood [but] she was holding her arm."

Continue reading "Bronx Violent Crime Shooting On Sidewalk Injures Pedestrians" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Violent Crimes

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The nydailynews.com website reported in an article on February 10, 2009 that a NYPD police officer who just graduated from the police academy had shot and wounded an 18 year old Brooklyn man, Akeem Harvey. According to police and witness reports, the incident happened outside an R&R grocery store in Brownsville at around 2:30pm. Officers from the 67th precinct stopped Harvey who they say was acting nervous, fiddling with his waistband then dashing north on Winthrop St.

An unidentified woman said, “The cops were searching the boy outside the store and he started running. The Police started chasing after him. I heard a shot. And he was down around the corner. I started crying and praying.”

Harvey was running home when a .357 magnum revolver fell from his body and he picked it up and pointed it at the police. One police officer responded by firing one shot hitting Harvey in the face. Police then found the unloaded gun under Harvey’s body.

Continue reading "Brooklyn Weapon Carried By Teen Results In Cop Shooting Him" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Weapons Charges

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The nydailynews.com reported in an account on February 10, 2009 that an undercover sting operation resulted in the arrest of parolee Kirkland Smith, 58, for selling methadone to an undercover police officer. Due to a slip up, either by the NYPD or the district attorney’s office, they botched up the drug test results and were unsuccessful in meeting a deadline to indict Smith; therefore, he walked out of jail. According to police reports Smith poured $20 worth of methadone into a water bottle and sold it to the undercover cop in this New York drug crime.

Feeling untouchable, Smith decided to take two women hostage for six hours. Police were finally able to talk Smith into surrendering without incident. Smith claimed to have been upset because he was getting evicted, although no evidence of this could be found.

Parole officials will wait to see if they will charge Smith with violating his parole until the drug case is settled.

At Conaway & Strickler, P.C. their drug offense and parole violation attorneys aggressively defend the rights of clients throughout New York and Georgia, and are nationally recognized for their successful case outcomes. Each of their attorneys has a deep, personal knowledge of the courts, judges, and other courthouse personnel in the courts in which they practice on a regular basis. For more than a decade, the Georgia and New York criminal defense lawyers have successfully defended clients charged with various felony and misdemeanor charges, and they may be able to help you in your time of need. Please call 1-800-536-1740 for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Drug Defense

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A nydailynews.com report from February 10, 2009 stated that an SUV fled the scene after running down a family crossing the street. Following their mother, Ralph Nicholas was struck as he was holding his sister Sade’s hand at the intersection of Avenue H and Utica Ave in Brooklyn.

Sade Nicholas, 11 said, ‘We was getting off the bus and crossing the street. No cars was coming.”

All of a sudden an SUV going at high speed appeared from behind a stopped car and ran the stop light, running over the family. Flashing headlights was the only thing Sade remembers seeing.

Sade said, “I got up and went to my mother. She couldn’t get up.”

Her younger brother Ralph was flung onto a cab and then landed on the street with blood coming from his head.

Sade said, “I think he flew because he was all the way on the other side of the street.”

Continue reading "Brooklyn Hit And Run Critically Injures 2" »

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Posted In: Criminal Defense , Violent Crimes

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