On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Drug Charges on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Drug convictions can have devastating, life-long consequences. In St. Cloud, and across the Midwest, people who are facing drug charges must consider all the consequences of a potential conviction, including financial costs and career aspirations, when weighing the choice to accept a plea from the prosecution.
Even when a person is not guilty of a crime, they sometimes accept a plea agreement to end to avoid future embarrassment and financial obligations to the court or to their legal representation. A person may also accept a plea to avoid jail time, and in some cases, this is the best option.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Drug Charges on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Federal authorities are ramping up their efforts to seize synthetic drugs since Minnesota instituted a statewide ban last summer. These drugs are commonly referred to as "plant food" or "bath salts," and they mimic the effects of other illegal drugs. Recent efforts to stamp out the distribution and possession of synthetic drugs have put many individuals in a legal gray area.
One Minnesota man was recently sentenced to one year in jail for drug possession after police discovered he possessed and used synthetic drugs. The man's attorney expressed his discomfort with the outcome of the case, because the man purchased bath salts when they were still legal in Minnesota. If the man hadn't been incarcerated on other charges, his defense team probably would have challenged the charges as a violation of his constitutional rights.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Criminal Defense on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The news has been filled with the ongoing trial for Amy Senser, wife of former Minnesota Vikings player Joe Senser. According to the prosecutors, Senser is guilty of committing hit-and-run vehicular homicide. However, Senser and her criminal defense team insist that she is not guilty, because she did not know she hit anyone until long after the incident occurred.
After suffering the effects of a severe headache, Senser left her daughter with her friends at a concert. Eventually, she decided to turn around and pick the girls up, so she exited the highway in order to turn around and go in the opposite direction. As she was driving her on the off-ramp during the late hours of the evening, she thought she hit a pothole or traffic cone. In reality, she struck and killed a man who was attempting to refuel his stalled vehicle on the side of the road.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Sex Crimes on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
More than any other criminal activity, sex crimes seem to garner the most attention from the media. Those convicted -- or merely accused -- of committing sex offenses often have a very difficult time reintegrating into society. As a result of this, and pressure from the public, many individuals convicted of sex crimes receive are sentenced to by civilly committed. This practice is particularly prevalent in Minnesota.
The original intent of civil commitment programs was to rehabilitate those who were convicted of sexual offenses. States expanded these programs during the boom years of the 1990s in order to take a stronger stance on crime. Minnesota is one of 20 states with such programs. Now that the state faces budgetary challenges, the overwhelming cost of the programs has led many to question its effectiveness. On average, civil commitment costs four times as much as imprisonment.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Tuesday, April 17, 2012
There is no doubt that domestic violence cases within central Minnesota families are immensely complicated. Disputes that escalate to the point of a physical altercation clearly involve a lot of emotion and often very little rational thought. These types of scenarios can lead otherwise level-headed individuals to do things entirely out of character, yet they may still face very serious domestic assault charges.
One Minnesota county is taking action to prosecute those accused of domestic violence in an expedited fashion. According to law enforcement officials, most domestic violence cases take a year or more to move through the courts, but they wish to speed up the process in order to protect the defendants.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Internet Crimes on Wednesday, April 11, 2012
As online social networking tools become a growing presence in our everyday lives, they are also becoming increasingly prevalent in the legal arena. A recent case of supposed extortion involving Minnesota Twins pitcher Carl Pavano is a prime example of how online activity interacts with the law.
A 36-year-old man is now facing the possibility of criminal charges for trying to extort the baseball player for money and an SUV in exchange for silence. Reports allege that the man contacted Pavano's sister with a Facebook message. In the note, the man said he had a book deal that would detail an intimate relationship he and Pavano had when they were high school classmates, but he would keep quiet if he was paid and received an apology from the baseball player.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Drug Charges on Monday, April 2, 2012
Most life-time criminals tend to be a product of an underprivileged lifestyle. It appears as though well-respected and privileged individuals are never involved in serious crimes.
However, many people fail to realize that anyone can be accused of an offense. Even if you are a valued teacher, doctor, politician or lawyer in your community, you can inevitably experience a run-in with the law. For example, a respected pillar of the Minneapolis community is currently confronting serious drug offenses related to the possession and sale of methamphetamine.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Drug Charges on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
During the 1980s, El DeBarge filled central Minnesota radio waves with his hit songs. Shortly after that time, the singer developed serious addiction issues. At that time, he was arrested and convicted on drug charges. In 2009, DeBarge was ready to stage a major comeback with a Grammy-nominated album and drug-free lifestyle. He seemed at peace with his past and ready to continue building his musical legacy.
Unfortunately, the R&B singer apparently fell back into his old habits as he was arrested by law enforcement officials for possession of drugs with the intent to sell. According to police reports, DeBarge and another man were seen "acting suspiciously" while law enforcement officers were conducting an investigation nearby. Soon, narcotics officers found drugs in an area where the singer had been and he was quickly arrested on suspected drug charges. He has since been released on bail, but faces a court date in the coming month.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Criminal Defense on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Recently, a Minnesota man was charged for stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a local retailer. Most people would assume that he stole electronics or other highly-valued goods, but he has been charged with a felony for stealing a large amount of Tide laundry detergent over the course of several months.
According to local law enforcement, a retail store contacted them after they had noticed that a significant quantity of their brand-name laundry detergent had gone missing. After some investigation, store security personnel claim that they saw footage of the man pushing cartloads of Tide out of the store. In total, the man has been accused of stealing around $6,300 worth of laundry soap.
On behalf of Charles M. Schiff, Attorney at Law posted in Sex Crimes on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Law enforcement officials take allegations of sex offenses committed against children very seriously. This is why it is no surprise that law enforcement officials quickly acted on a tip that a Minnesota man was potentially guilty of distributing child pornography with his e-mail account. After police confronted the man, he admitted to having pornographic images of minors on his computer. He is now facing 12 very serious counts of possession of child pornography.
The man, who works as a staff member in the Minnesota House of Representatives, was suspected of the sexual offenses when his internet service provider tipped off law enforcement officials. Police then obtained a warrant and searched the man's house.
