Los Angeles Juvenile Gang Crime Lawyers
It doesn’t take much for a troubled teen to fall into the wrong crowd. Street gang activity is a serious problem in Los Angeles and the rest of Southern California. So, prosecutors typically come down hard on all gang- related crimes. Additionally, juries typically have an inherent bias against anyone believed to be in a gang. Therefore, it is crucial for anyone facing such a charge in Southern California to contact the law offices Takakjian & Sitkoff, LLP to ensure their legal rights are preserved.
Enhanced penalties
The penalties juveniles face in Los Angeles for a crime may be enhanced when a gang is involved. For example, a typical shoplifting charge may result in probation, but a gang-related shoplifting charge might result in incarceration. A skilled juvenile crime defense attorney will work to have the gang-related charges dropped and the criminal charges to be lessened or thrown out. There are far too many cases of young criminal offenders being charged for these crimes when they aren’t actually involved in street activities. Having the right defense attorney can make all the difference.
Handling wrongful accusations
California has enhanced laws that increase the penalties enforced upon a criminal offender if he or she is believed to be in a gang. The law is vague in its description; so many people are charged with gang-related activity simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Juveniles charged with a crime may face inappropriate gang-related charges if they wear the wrong color clothes, if they are a minority if they have friends who may be in a gang or even because of their appearance such as having a shaved head. Accepting these charges may forever label an offender as a member and that stigma can be difficult to erase.
Common charges
There are many crimes that may be charged as gang-related if police suspect the offender is in a gang.
- Drug Charges: All juvenile drug charges may carry increased penalties if a gang is involved. Possible drug charges include possession, “intent to sell,” cultivation and drug trafficking.
- Assault and domestic violence: Violence is a serious problem in many Southern California communities. Any time a gang is suspected of being involved in an attack, prosecutors may crack down harder on the juvenile involved.
- Theft offenses: Crimes ranging from intent to steal to petty or grand theft are all prosecuted differently when the young offender charged with the crime is suspected of being in a gang. Theft crimes that are gang-related may result in incarceration.
Protecting teens and children from a criminal record
Many misdemeanor charges become felonies when gang activity is involved. A skilled Los Angeles defense attorney will aggressively seek to have the gang-related charges thrown out. The juvenile crime defense lawyers at Takakjian & Sitkoff, LLP also carefully examine the details of our client’s arrest to determine if any constitutional rights have been violated. If your child has been charged with committing a gang-related offense in Los Angeles, please call our offices today for a free consultation – (888) 579-4844.