Recent Posts in Sex Crimes Category

Federal prosecutors announced that they had broken up a major online international child pornography ring that at its peak had more than 1,000 members trading millions of sexually explicit images.  The investigation was kept secret for years in order to avoid tipping off suspects. 

Investigators were able to infiltrate the ring after taking over the online profile of a member who was arrested in Alabama as part of a separate case.  More than 50 people have been arrested in several states since the 2008 start of the investigation.  Prosecutors said 35 ring members have been convicted of various child pornography distribution charges. Some of them have received sentences of up to 20 years in prison.

Besides Indiana and Louisiana, suspects came from California, Alaska, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, Virginia and Florida.  The government is also working with police in several countries, including France, Germany and England, to investigate other suspects. Investigators also believe the group had members in Asia, Africa and South America.

The U.S. is working to extradite the group's alleged ringleader, Delwin Savigar, who is serving a 14-year prison term in England for sexually assaulting three underage girls.  Savigar created and ran a password-protected website from which members could access collections of sexual images - some including as many as a million files - share their fantasies about having sex with children and give advice to each other about how to build their collections and avoid getting caught.

If you are under investigation or have been charged with possession of child pornography in either state or federal court contact criminal defense attorney Robert M. Bernstein for a free consultaion.

Los Angeles Police arrested 63-year-old Calixto Marcellana Nitro in connection with six sexual assaults in Westwood near the UCLA campus, spanning from March 8 through April 7.  Nitro was allegedly caught just as he was about to strike again and arrested immediately. Police Officers observed Nitro reach out and touch someone and took him into custody without incident.

Nitro was booked on one misdemeanor count of sexual battery and was released on his own recognizance. He is due in court on May 12. Between now and then investigators will be working on connecting him to the six previous sexual attacks which occurred on or near the UCLA campus.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a sex crime, contact Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert M. Bernstein today.

A Westminster, CA Police Detective, Anthony Orban, and a CA Corrections Officer, Jeff Jelinek, have been charged in the alleged rape and kidnapping of a 25-year-old female restaurant worker.

The victim was walking to her car in the parking lot of Ontario Mills Mall when she was confronted by the two men.  Jelinek stood by as Orban allegedly got into her car, pointed a gun at her and forced her to drive to a commercial complex in Fontana, where he raped her in the parking lot.  The woman managed to escape after about two hours and contacted police.  Orban had left his service revolver in the victim's car, allowing authorities to connect him to the crime.

In the felony complaint, Orban is charged with kidnapping, rape, forced oral copulation, penetration with a foreign object, forced sodomy and making criminal threats.  Jelinek is charged with kidnapping, rape, and being an accessory after the fact.  Even though Jelinek did not rape the woman, his actions aided the crime, and he can therefore be charged.  If convicted, both men face 25 years to life in prison on the rape charge alone.  

If you or someone you know has been charged with a sex crime, contact Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert M. Bernstein for a free consultation today.

A former teacher at David Starr Jordan Middle School in Burbank who admitted that she had sex with a 14-year-old, pleaded no contest on Thursday to charges of unlawful sex with a minor.

Amy Beck now faces up to two years in state prison as part of her plea deal.  She'll also have to register as a sex offender because of the unlawful sex with a minor conviction. Ms. Beck was originally charged with four counts of unlawful sex with a minor and one count of oral copulation with a minor, yet all but one of these charges were dropped through the plea deal.

The former middle school teacher turned herself into the Burbank Police earlier this month for allegedly having sex with one of her students.  She is expected to return to the Superior Court on May 7 for her sentencing.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a sex crime, contact Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert M. Bernstein today.

A 20-year-old man from Yorba Linda has been charged with raping three women - two of whom he had met on MySpace. Jason Erpinar allegedly invited an 18-year-old MySpace "friend" to a party where he raped her in a bathroom after she became too intoxicated to resist. Three weeks later he met another 22-year-old MySpace "friend" at a Newport Beach motel. She was also raped by Erpinar once she was too intoxicated to defend herself and woke up to find scratches on her face as well as a chipped tooth. The third victim is Erpinar's ex-girlfriend who came forward as a result of the investigation, and claims he raped her several times throughout the course of their relationship.

Erpinar is charged with two counts of using drugs to commit rape and one count of forcible rape, with a sentencing enhancement for sex crimes against multiple victims. If convicted of all charges, Erpinar faces a 45-year-to-life prison term. He is currently being held at the Orange County jail on $1 Million bail.

Don't let a conviction for a sex crime ruin your life and destroy your future. If you, or someone you know has been arrested　or is under investigation for a sex crime,　Contact Los Angeles sex crimes defense lawyer Robert Bernstein for a free consultation. As a former prosecutor, Attorney Bernstein has the experience with both sides of the criminal process to provide you with most effective, aggressive representation　in all aspects of your criminal case.

Russell Otis, a 46 year old boys' basketball coach and athletic director at Dominguez High School in Compton, California has been found guilty at trial of misdemeanor child molestation. He originally had been charged with one felony count of meeting a minor for lewd purpose and a misdemeanor count of child molestation. Both charges reportedly involve the alleged use of text messages of a sexual nature to a 16 year old boy. Otis was previously charged and acquitted in 2001 on similar charges of child molestation, sodomy and oral copulation with a minor.

Otis was also charged with four more felony counts of embezzlement, forgery and grand theft. The other charges alleged that Otis misappropriated a $15,000 check from Nike to the Compton Unified School District, depositing the money into his personal bank account in November 2007.

At trial, a jury found him not guilty on the felony theft and forgery charges, however, he was found guilty of misdemeanor child molestation.

If you or someone you know is facing sex crime charges, your reputation and liberty are on the line. It is essential to hire an aggressive defense attorney who will fight for your rights. Los Angeles Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer Robert M. Bernstein has the experience and skills to defend these serious criminal charges. Call today for a free consultation.

A former Santa Barbara County psychologist was convicted of sexual exploitation and other felony sex crimes and pleaded guilty Wednesday to a new felony allegation of sexual exploitation by a psychotherapist or drug abuse counselor.

Fernando Cordero, 66, was convicted by a jury last month on four felony counts, including Sexual Battery, Sexual Exploitation by a psychotherapist or drug abuse counselor and two counts of attempting to dissuade a witness from reporting a crime after he had been released on bail following his arrest in November 2007.

Cordero has lost his license to practice psychology, as the California Board of Psychology obtained a license suspension for him in January 2008.

Los Angeles sex crimes lawyer Robert M. Bernstein knows that being accused of a sex crime is a terrifying experience with serious, life changing implications. Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Robert M. Bernstein is an experienced, aggressive and knowledgeable legal professional who provides the highest level, of legal defense for individuals who have been accused, or are under investigation for  sex crimes or sexually based offenses in Los Angeles and throughout California.

The newest teen fad sweeping across the country at the moment has put many teenagers and young adults in life altering positions over the last few months.  This new fad involves sending explicit photos of themselves or other teens via text messaging or email and has been given the term "sexting".  Under both Federal and State criminal law, anyone sending or receiving elicit photos or videos of persons under the age of 18, may be guilty of possession, distribution and production of child pornography, even if they themselves are under the age of 18.

For example, a 15-year-old Pennsylvania girl is facing child pornography charges for sending nude photos of herself to other kids.  A 19-year-old Florida man got thrown out of college and has to register as a sex offender for 25 years because he sent nude pictures of his girlfriend to other teens.  In Alabama, authorities arrested four middle-school students for exchanging nude photos of themselves.  And in Rochester, N.Y., a 16-year-old boy is now facing up to seven years in prison for forwarding a nude photo of a 15-year-old girlfriend to his friends.

Being accused of a sex crime can be a terrifying experience for anyone, let alone teens who are mainly guilty of bad judgment. Child pornography charges may permanently change your life and place your future and freedom at stake.  It takes a truly skilled and experienced criminal attorney to defend a client who is charged with any type of sex crime and achieve the best possible result.

The consequences for a sex crime conviction may range from probation to a lifetime in jail in certain circumstances. Additionally, almost any conviction will include mandatory lifetime sex offender registration, a label that will govern where you are able to live and work. Being labeled a sex offender carries with it serious social consequences - friends, business associates and even family members may no longer want to be involved in your life.

Don't let a conviction for a sex crime ruin your life and destroy your future. If you, or someone you know has been arrested or is under investigation for a sex crime, Contact Los Angeles sex crimes defense lawyer Robert M. Bernstein regarding your case to defend your rights.