Monthly Archives: October 2012

Ohio teen charged in drug ring will serve jail time

An 18-year-old Ohio teenage boy will be sentenced to jail for his three-year involvement in a major drug ring in the Cincinnati community. Local authorities consider the teenager to be one of the most prolific drug dealers in the area, and they aggressively prosecuted him for the alleged drug crime. The judge presiding over the teenager's case reacted similarly, believing that the teenager should be sentenced to significant jail time.

Police say that the Ohio teenager was involved in a serious drug distribution ring. As previously reported on this blog, the authorities allege that the boy sold nearly $20,000 worth of marijuana per month to high school students in his local community as a part of a drug ring. The teenager was actually a sort of middleman. Several adults, aged 20 to 58, worked above the teen while he allegedly oversaw six other teenagers. When authorities finally uncovered the ring, they seized about 600 marijuana plants and found approximately $6,000 in cash in the boy's bedroom.

The teenager's family, neighbors and employer apparently did not suspect that the boy was involved with drugs, much less in a drug ring. They made pleas to the judge overseeing the case to help reduce the boy's sentencing. His employers at an Italian restaurant said that the teen is reliable and hardworking. Neighbors and friends claim that he is just a normal teen and a good student, earning mostly As and Bs. While the judge noted the positive weight of such attributes, he ultimately ruled that the seriousness of the drug crime warranted substantial jail time. Now, the teenager will face anywhere between six months and three years in juvenile prison.

The sentence could be educational for other Ohio teenagers. It demonstrates that a defense that highlights significant positive traits cannot always prevent jail time when a serious crime is at issue. Nevertheless, positive attributes like reliability, a hardworking nature and being a good student can reduce charges and sentencing. For instance, in the "little czar's" case, it may lead to him only having to serve six months in prison instead of three years.

It is important for a criminal defense to be creative. Any and all details about a teenager's life become relevant in the prosecution of a crime. This can be especially true when drug charges are at issue and serious consequences like jail time may be the penalty. As we also previously reported, this teen may have reduced the length of his prison sentence by participating in an intensive drug treatment program, demonstrated a comittment towards not repeating his behavior.

Source: Cincinatti.com, "Teen who helped run Ohio drug ring will serve time," Amanda Lee Myers, Oct. 22, 2012

Victims of White Collar Crime Should Pay Attention When Man Who Ran Ponzi Scheme Goes to Prison

An Ohio man was sentenced to 131 months in prison in Federal Court in Cincinnati for defrauding dozens of investors in a ponzi scheme.  This is another example of the continued focus by federal prosecutors and investigators on white collar crimes.

Jasen Snelling, along with another co-conspirator, ran the scheme from a Queensgate office.  Victims in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky suffered losses in excess of $5 million.

The United States Attorney’s Office described this as a “classic Ponzi scheme” in which “early investors were paid interest or return of capital payments, which were not generated by investment earnings, but rather by monies solicited from later investors.”   The federal charges arose because the conspirators created fake trading statements.  Federal authorities also brought tax evasion charges, on the theory that the conspirators failed to report some embezzled funds as income.

The scheme offered investors the opportunity to benefit from a sophisticated day trading operation.  Investors were guaranteed 10 percent to 15 percent return.  Payments were made to early investors from money obtained from later investors.  These payments helped to prevent discovery of the scheme by providing the initial investors with the belief that the investments were successful.  The payments also encouraged the initial investors to tell recruit other victims, including their families and friends.

Instead of investing the money, the investors took a large portion of it for their own benefit.  The prosecutor alleged that the money was spent on personal expenditures, including a vacation home, private school tuition, and a boat.

A person who is being investigated for white collar crime should, of course, contact an experienced defense attorney as soon as possible.  The earlier a criminal defense lawyer is involved in the process, the higher the likelihood the person can reach a positive resolution to the charges.

Victims of white collar crimes, including Ponzi schemes, also should not hastate to contact an attorney.  If a person suspects that an investment opportunity is too good to be true – such as by offering high guaranteed returns for risky investments – it probably is.  In many cases, the attorney may be able to work directly with the investigators and prosecutors to help obtain restitution.  In addition, by working through an attorney, a victim may be able to avoid some embarrassment and negative publicity – after all, nobody wants to think of themselves as a victim.

 

Ohio woman held on $2 million bail for murder charge

When a person is accused of committing a serious crime in Ohio, immediate and serious penalties can follow. This is particularly true in instances of a murder charge. In addition to facing lengthy criminal proceedings, an individual arrested of such a crime will face instant sanctions, like being taken into custody and subjected to seemingly unaffordable bail.

Recently, one 21-year-old Ohio woman was subject to such harsh penalties. Police found the woman at her 29-year-old boyfriend's apartment. Police say that the woman shot her boyfriend multiple times, ultimately killing him at the scene. When police arrived at the apartment, they arrested the woman. She has been charged with murder. However, police continue to investigate motives for the killing. In the meantime, authorities are holding the Ohio woman in custody on $2 million bail in light of her arrest.

In Ohio and other states, bail is the process by which officials set an amount of money that a person in police custody must pay in order to get released during criminal proceedings. Bail and custody can be just as overwhelming as the criminal charges a person faces. Often, criminal suspects get arrested and do not appreciate the early-stage arguments that can be made to assist their defense, particularly in regards to bail and in releasing them from custody.

Court officials set bail by looking at a host of factors, including the seriousness of the crime, injury to others, the individual's criminal record, the danger that individual may pose to the community and the individual's local ties, like family and employment. Essentially, the criminal justice system is evaluating whether the criminal suspect will return to court for the relevant proceedings and pose any sort of danger to the community in the meantime.

A good defense recognizes the factors that the court evaluates and helps individuals protect their rights and avoid the harsh conditions and penalties that come with early custody and high bail.

Source: Cincinatti.com, "Women held in death of Highland Hts. man," Jason Williams, Oct. 13, 2012