Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog

Georgia man needs criminal defense against kidnapping charges

Published on: June 2, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Most people go through some emotionally challenging times at some point in their lives. Sometimes it takes a strong person to remain in control during these periods. However, some people are not that strong and end up doing things they may regret later. One man in Georgia may have found himself in this predicament and is now in need of criminal defense.

The man was recently arrested in late May following a chase with police officers. Apparently, the police officers used a stun gun in order to finally capture the man and put him under arrest. The man is now being charged with kidnapping his own 5-year-old daughter. The suspect said that he had been upset about his wife taking his daughter away from him.

The 45-year-old suspect is also being charged with aggravated assault, cruelty to children, attempting to elude authorities and illegally possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon. He was also charged with possessing a firearm while committing a crime. The man is currently being held in county jail without bond. The suspect was also charged last November on drug charges and tampering with evidence, to which the man had entered a plea of not guilty in February.

Tax Fraud: Woman has emotional breakdown in trial in Georgia

Published on: May 20, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Tax Fraud: Being charged with a serious crime can be an emotionally challenging experience for many people. This is particularly true if a conviction can result in significant time behind bars. This seems to be what one woman is experiencing during her recent trial surrounding state tax fraud charges in Georgia. (You can be charged at the state level or the federal level for these type of charges, although it is more commonly charged at the federal level)

According to reports by the media, the woman appeared visibly upset before the court proceedings began. The woman required removal from the courtroom and was later brought back in.

A judge recently decided to push back the trial following the woman’s outburst in court. The trial will address multiple counts of tax fraud and other related crimes that the woman is now facing. The woman had allegedly been operating a tax preparation business when arrested for a tax fraud scheme in which she had allegedly filed thousands of fraudulent tax returns in order to obtain larger tax return payments for her customers.

Identity Theft: Two face insurance fraud charges in Georgia

Published on: May 6, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Identity Theft: People do what they think they need to do to make ends meet. However, if a person commits a crime, even a non-violent crime, he or she may end up in serious legal trouble. This can even result in significant time behind bars. This is what one woman and her brother are facing after being arrested for insurance fraud in Georgia.

The woman was working as an insurance claims adjuster and is being accused of abusing her position at the insurance company for which she was working. The Georgia Insurance Commissioner announced that the woman was arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from her former employer. The woman’s brother was also arrested for his role as a suspected accomplice.

Both of the suspects are charged with seven counts of theft, seven counts of insurance fraud and three criminal counts of identity theft. Apparently, the woman was producing fraudulent accident claims using her brother’s name and then issuing him settlement payments, according to the latest reports. Investigators claim that the woman’s brother received almost $80,000 between 2011 and 2012.

Tax Fraud: Tyrone Brooks Jr. pleads guilty in Georgia

Published on: April 21, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Tax Fraud: Elected public officials are an integral part of democracy in the United States. Typically, these individuals are held to higher ethical and legal standards. However, even elected officials can make mistakes which can result in legal problems. This is what is happening with former Georgia State Rep. Tyrone Brooks Jr. who was charged with various white collar crimes.

Brooks was charged in federal court with filing false tax returns, tax fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud. He was indicted in May 2013. The representative had been accused of misappropriation of funds which were supposed to go to charity. Instead, the man allegedly used the funds to pay for family and personal expenses.

Reportedly, he had allegedly solicited over $1 million worth of contributions during the period between the mid-1990s and 2012. He told individual and corporate donors that the funds would be used to help combat illiteracy in under-served communities as well as various other causes. The allegations involved the defendant’s relationship with a tax-exempt charity which Brooks had founded in 1990. Also, the allegations involved his role as president of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials.

Sex Crimes: Police officer faces statutory rape charge in Georgia

Published on: April 7, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Sex Crimes: Police officers are traditionally looked upon as role models in the community. Nevertheless, police officers are only human and are prone to making errors and misjudgments, just like the rest of us. Even police officers can find themselves facing legal problems, and one police officer in Georgia is now facing a statutory rape charge.

The police officer was recently arrested and jailed with regard to sex crimes he allegedly committed in February. However, the details surrounding the arrest have been kept under wraps by local authorities. Little information concerning the incident has been released to the public. The arrest happened one morning in early March.

The police officer is now facing a single count of statutory rape. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has confirmed the few details surrounding the incident that have been reported. The local city police department and city manager are now reviewing the police officer’s employment status. At last report, the man remained incarcerated in a local county detention center.

Tax Fraud: Married couple faces tax fraud charges in Georgia

Published on: March 26, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

The United States tax system is designed for the benefit of all citizens and taxpayers. The funds collected from taxes help to pay for many social services and the infrastructure necessary to maintain society. There are a number of laws aimed at maintaining the integrity of the tax system, and violating tax laws can result in criminal charges. This is what one couple is facing after they were charged with tax fraud in federal court inGeorgia.

The two defendants, a man and his wife, were accused of conspiring to commit wire fraud by filing fraudulent tax returns during the period beginning in Jan. 2011 and ending in Feb. 2013. The 44-year-old man and his wife were charged with one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Federal prosecutors indicated that the couple filed more than 1,100 fraudulent tax returns electronically.

The couple allegedly obtained nearly $1.2 million in funds from fraudulent tax refunds. The authorities have determined that 114 calls were made to the Internal Revenue Service from the wife’s cell phone. Both of the defendants are now facing as many as 20 years behind bars and fines of as much as $250,000. Both defendants have decided to plead guilty to specified charges, likely in hopes of obtaining some leniency at sentencing.

Man faces drug charges for pharmaceuticals in Georgia

Published on: March 13, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

For various reasons, certain types of drugs are illegal, while other types of drugs are legal, and some types of drugs are only legal under certain circumstances. For example, if a person is caught in Georgia with legal prescription drugs without a proper prescription, he or she can find him or herself being arrested by law enforcement. This can result in a person having to face drug charges that can carry serious consequences.

One man is facing exactly this type of situation after he was recently arrested. The incident occurred one evening in early March. The 60-year-old man was found with three types of prescription drugs, according to reports released to the public by authorities. The man reportedly possessed diazepam, oxycodone and alprazolam.

See this blog for more discussion on drug charges

Criminal defense: No-knock warrants in Georgia being debated

Published on: March 11, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Criminal defense: Can the police enter your home unannounced if they have probable cause and a warrant? That is the issue being debated by legislators in Georgia. New legislation allows police officers to use a no-knock warrant only if they have probable cause and a judge signed their warrant.

A no-knock warrant gives the police permission to enter a suspect’s home without any notification. This legislation has led to a serious debate by legislators and the public. Questions surround the legislation, including if a no-knock warrant violates a suspect’s privacy, and if the police should be allowed to enter someone’s home without any notification.

The Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee recently passed a bill that would prevent police officers from using no-knock warrants. In addition to this bill, legislators in the state have proposed several bills to limit or restrict the use of these warrants.

Drug charges filed in Georgia after search for murder suspect

Published on: February 24, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Unexpected things can happen during a raid by law enforcement. Many times when the police are investigating one crime, they unintentionally find evidence of another crime instead. This seems to have been what what happened in a recent incident in which law enforcement were looking for a murder suspect. Instead, they ended up arresting two individuals on drug charges in Georgia.

The incident happened when U.S. Marshals were attempting to find a murder suspect. However, the authorities ended up making another major find instead. Apparently, while searching for the murder suspect at a residence, the marshals found illegal drugs, as well as drug paraphernalia. This resulted in the arrest of two men on drug charges.

The man for whom the marshals were originally looking is wanted for a murder committed in 2014. The authorities have still yet to find the man for whom they were originally looking, according to the latest reports released to the public. Therefore, the search is likely to continue for the murder suspect.

Student could need criminal defense attorney for art project

Published on: February 11, 2015 | By Conaway & Strickler, P.C.

Terrorism is a serious threat to the safety and security of people around the world. There is no denying the fact that there are those who would go to virtually any lengths to cause death and destruction, which has led lawmakers and law enforcement agencies to approach threats to public safety in a very serious manner. That said, there are cases in which the effort to ensure safety infringes on the rights of Georgia residents to live normal lives. An example is found in a University student who may be in need of a criminal defense strategy following a college art project.

The case centers on a suspicious device observed on an Atlanta bridge. The device was constructed from an aluminum Pepsi can covered in duct tape. There were two small steel pipes mounted on the can, and four electrical wires were visible on the top of the unit. The device also had a note attached, which identified the unit as a slow motion camera, and asked observers to please refrain from moving the device. The Atlanta bomb squad was called to the scene, and determined that the device was not a pipe bomb.

At some point it became clear that the device was part of an art project assigned to students at Georgia State. Participants were told to mount the homemade cameras in areas that received a high level of bright sunlight. According to the University, several students selected public locations, although efforts have been made to remove those devices. A statement has been released to suggest that the art student who placed the camera on the bridge could face criminal charges of reckless conduct.