The Crime of Forgery

Forgery is a serious offense and it is punishable as a felony in all fifty states. In most cases, it is penalized as a federal offense; and is defined as the crime of making, altering, use, or possession of false writing in order to commit a crime or fraud – especially, if a person fakes another individual’s signature or imitates handwriting on important documents.

When a person commits forgery, the person must intentionally alter a document in a dishonest way; which means not only faking signatures, but can also be altering existing writing if the changing of the material affects a person’s legal rights. Deleting, adding, or changing significant portions of a document can also be considered an illegal or forged alteration.

In order for false writing to be considered forgery, the writing must have apparent legal significant. For example, if a person forges a passport, driver’s license, or government-issued document then this will constitute forgery. A document need not necessarily be a legal or government- issued document. It simply needs to affect a person’s rights and obligations in order to be considered fraud.

In order to be guilty of forgery, the defendant must intend to defraud someone or some entity; as a federal law, it is punishable by a fine and up to fifteen years in prison. Federal law also prohibits forms of falsification such as counterfeiting money, or faking immigration documents and military discharge certificates.

If you want to learn more about forgery crimes, or if you have been charged with forgery and now want assistance in your case, then contact a lawyer at The Martinez Law Firm today. With the right attorney there to help you, you will be able to tackle your case with confidence and may be able to avoid serious penalties associated with forgery.

Texas Crimes: Racketeering

In the state of Texas, it is illegal to commit any offense that qualifies as racketeering. Essentially, racketeering is the federal criminal act of engaging in an illegal business act or running an illegal or illegitimate business. RICO is the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organization Laws which make it particularly illegal to profit from an illegal business. The goal is to stop the flow of income to criminal organizations that ultimately use the profits to fund their illegal activities.

If you are accused of racketeering in Texas, there are a variety of defenses that you may be able to use to argue your side of the case. For example, if you can prove that you are not a member of the criminal organization that you were affiliated with, then you may be able to avoid any punishment. Also, if you can prove that you didn’t have any knowledge that your actions were furthering the agenda of a criminal organization, then you may be able to avoid penalties. For example, if you were deceived into thinking you were working with a legal organization when you were really working for a criminal operation, you may be able to prove that you were mistaken.

If you are convicted of racketeering in Texas, you will typically be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. In some cases individuals can be charged with a felony, even a first degree felony depending on the nature of the organization. Racketeering can sometimes be an additional crime. For example, if you are affiliated with an organization that supplies hit-men to those wanting to commit a murder, and you commit the murder, then you will be charged with both murder and racketeering. Learn more about this crime by talking with a Houston criminal defense attorney. With the right lawyer on your side you may be able to avoid serious penalties. Contact the firm today if you want to learn more!

Woman Accused of Hair Extension Theft

Hair extension theft is an unusual charge that a few women were recently charged with in Houston. People can steal virtually anything and be arrested for theft crimes. Recently, four women were captured on camera stealing an unlikely target: hair extensions. The women tried to use social media websites to sell the stolen products and were arrested as a result. The offense was captured on a surveillance camera on September 16^th at a shop called Mr. Indian Hair. The shop’s owner says that he was probably the victim of the hair extension theft because they are extremely high in demand due to the desire for thick, volumized hair.

The human hair extensions sold at the shop cost between $150-$200 and the average woman purchases three separate pieces in order to add to her full head of hair. The surveillance video shows the four women walking into the store and talking with the one clerk inside. The women asked the employee about a piece of hair that was only stored in the back and the clerk went back into storage to get the piece. At this time, the women grabbed several hangers of hair and a fourth woman ran out to get the getaway car ready.

The store owner says that the women stole about $15,000 to $20,000 worth of hair from the store. He couldn’t identify the thieves using the surveillance video, but there was a break in the case when some individuals informed the man that his products were being sold on the street and vie an Instagram shop.

This tip helped the police identify the four suspects right away. All of them face a felony theft charge for their crime. If you have been arrested for shoplifting theft, then talk to a Houston criminal defense attorney today to learn more. With the right lawyer on your side, you will be able to seek defense in your case and possibly avoid serious charges.

Police Searching for Vandalism Offender Targeting Disabled Marine

A disabled marine was saddened when he found his car had been targeted by vandals in Houston over the weekend. The individual says that he has battled Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) since coming home from the war, and relies on his service dog to help him manage all kinds of stress.

It did not help his stress levels when he discovered that his car was heavily vandalized. The 28-year-old disabled Marine veteran who served in Iraq says that he woke up to see graffiti all over his car. There were racial slurs, spray paint vulgarities, and inappropriate words strewn all over the car. The veteran says that the mirrors were also painted black and the bumpers were busted off of the car. The veteran says that he suffered extreme embarrassment after he found his car so damaged.

The veteran currently lives off of his disability checks. He says that he did his best to clean up his ’96 Ford Escape after the incident but was not able to remove all of the grafitti. Neighbors say that other cars in the Houston area have also been vandalized, reportedly by the same group of delinquent teenagers. The Marine believes that without his service dog, he may not have been able to handle the frustration of the vandalism.

Vandalism of an automobile is a serious offense, and those who are charged with this crime in Houston can face grave penalties if convicted. Oftentimes the Texas courts will charge vandalism as criminal mischief, depending on the extent of the damage, the crime can either be a misdemeanor or a felony. Felony vandalism holds state jail time. Because most car vandalism cases cost thousands of dollars in repairs, they are typically considered state jail felonies. If you want more information contact a Houston criminal defense attorney today!