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Houston Hitman Scams

hitman scams threaten woman, herman martinez explains and advises

Hitman Scams have been shaking up Houston. A startled woman was shocked when she received a text message to her phone notifying her that she was being watched and that a hitman was paid to kill her. According to the report on KHOU, the woman received an unsettling message on Sunday which essentially said “someone paid me to kill you. I will spare you if you pay me $5,000 in two days.” The victim was told that if she notified the police then she would die. The hitman also warned the victim that she was being monitored. Despite the warning, the victim quickly reported the cryptic text message to the police.

When the woman reported the incident, she was told that she had already received several complaints about similar threatening messages. The FBI has also been getting complaints about texts of this nature. The authorities have determined that this is a “hitman scam” that is taking place at present in the United States. The scammers locate numbers and fabricate hitman situations in order to get money. The messages normally come from foreign numbers and ask the recipient to respond to anonymous e-mails.

The death threat scam can affect individuals in any location. Scammers have resolved to use this tactic because they believe that it can evoke a serious emotional response in the victim and they will get their money as a result. If you want more information about hitman scams, then you need to talk with a lawyer today. If you have been accused of participating in a hitman scam of this nature, you could face serious penalties if convicted. You may be charged with sending death threats as well as participating in a scam. If you need to discuss defense for one of these crimes or something similar, then contact a Houston criminal defense attorney with the Martinez Law Firm today to learn more.

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Houston Police Dogs Discover Cigarette Thief

Cigarette Thief - herman martinez criminal defense lawyer

A 23-year-old Houston cigarette thief has been arrested after Houston police dogs discovered the man who has stolen thousands of dollars’ worth of cigarettes in recent months. He stole these cigarettes from a discount store located in Northwest Harris County, and then led police on a 25-mile chase as they pursued him to recover the goods. The suspect has been charged with felony evading and felony theft. The deputies claim that the offender smashed the windows of a dollar store in the middle of the night and stole the cigarettes in addition to some other merchandise.

Deputies were responding to the emergency call about the burglary when the suspect drove by. Police took off, attempting to stop the cigarette thief, but he sped away. With the help of search dogs, the police were able to locate the offender and bring him to justice. While search dogs can be a helpful tool in police work, they can also make mistakes. The animals may detect a scent erroneously, leading to the arrest of an innocent suspect. If you have been arrested for a crime you didn’t commit because of police dog error, then contact a lawyer at the firm today for more information. The Martinez Law Firm has a host of attorneys who are willing to help you with your Houston criminal defense case!

 

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D.C. NAVY YARD SHOOTING SUSPECT WAS FROM TEXAS

<span><p>Herman Martinez reports that the D.C. Navy yard shooting suspect from this morning, was from Texas. In the early morning hours, a former Navy man launched an attack in a building at the Washington Navy Yard. The offender shot office workers in the cafeteria and then rushed into a hallway. Thirteen people were killed in the exchange, including the gunman. Authorities write that they are looking for a second possible attacker who may have been in a military-style uniform.</p>
<p>Investigators say that they have not established a motive for the shooting which happened less than four miles from the White House. The Navy Yard is heavily guarded, so many are wondering who the offenders managed to get in the building in the first place. This is the deadliest shooting at a U.S.-based military institution since the Fort Hood shooting in Texas. The offender in that case, Major Nidal Hasan was sentenced to death last month. That shooting took place in 2009.</p>
<p>The FBI has already taken charge of this investigation and identified the gunman who died in the midst of the attacks. His name is Aaron Alexis, a 34-year-old from Texas. He died after running in a gun battle with the police. A federal law enforcement official says that the shooter most likely got into the Navy Yard using someone else’s identification card. The FBI is still trying to determine if the person with the identification was an accomplice or was unaware of the danger.</p>
<p>About 3,000 people work at the Navy Yard, and many of them are civilians. The Navy reports that Alexis was a full-time reservist from 2007 to 2011 and then left as a petty officer in third class. The FBI is still trying to gather information on why he left his position with the military. Prior to the shooting, Alexis was working with a fleet logistics support squadron in Fort Worth, Texas.</p></span>

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Houston Death Row Defendant Wins Appeal

A Houston local who has been on death row for 20 years recently won a federal court appeal allowing him to pursue claims that he is mentally impaired and therefore does not qualify for the death penalty. This shocking ruling may have saved the individual’s life. The verdict was decided in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday, September 3rd.

The 50-year-old defendant is a former member of the Mexican mafia who was convicted of his crime in 1992 and has been in a federal prison ever since. He was convicted of murder after stabbing his 70-year-old neighbor 25 times during a home break-in. The defendant was on parole at the time that the crime occurred and had already been serving time for another home break-in where he sexually abused a pregnant woman.

The defendant’s attorneys argued that he deserved a court review because a psychiatrist who was present at his previous trial gave a questionable testimony and was later questioned for his methodology and credibility. If a questionable witness was a part of your trial, and you are now seeking an appeal, then you will want to hire a reliable and hardworking attorney to assist you.

Oftentimes the court will reconsider a sentence if a professional witness is proven to be inaccurate or questionable. At The Martinez Law Firm, Attorney Martinez is a former U.S. Chief Prosecutor. This means that he understands both sides of the law, and also understands what types of witnesses are most effective in a case. He can help you to contact the accurate and trusted witnesses that you need on your case to possibly even win an appeal. Learn more by contacting the firm for a free case evaluation today!

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ATT. GEN. HOLDER – ANNOUNCES END TO MANDATORY MINIMUMS

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that required mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses would be coming to an end. These highly controversial minimum sentences would no longer be required for nonviolent, low-level drug offenders. This signals a major turning point in state and federal sentencing policy and should have a massive impact on the growing federal prison population.

These mandatory minimums were heavily implemented in the 1980s, although the “war on drugs” dates back to the Nixon era. They were a way for politicians and lawmakers to show that they were tough on crime, but decades later it is difficult to prove that the mandatory minimums did anything more than increase the state and federal prison population. Since the 1980s, federal prison population has increased 800 percent.

Holder noted that shifting policy in this direction has become a bipartisan issue, citing officials from “red” and “blue” states advocating for an end to these minimum sentences for drug offenders. Just about half of the federal prison population is comprised of inmates sentenced for drug-related crimes. Many of these thousands of individuals were sentenced for nonviolent and low-level offenses.

Our attorney general and many others hold to the belief that harsh sentences for these types of crimes do little to keep our communities safer, but actually perpetuate a cycle of incarceration that is far too much the norm in urban areas, particularly among low socioeconomic classes. As an alternative to mandatory minimums, the federal government plans to implement drug rehabilitation and community service programs. In turn, they hope this will help manage our overcrowded prisons while simultaneously helping offenders avoid recidivism.

Some states have already begun to reverse these harsh sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, such as Texas and New York. Even California recently amended its “Three Strikes Law” so it only applies to third violent felony offenses, rather than all third felony offenses. All state prisons in the United States are under court order to reduce inmates, a total reduction of 10,000 prisoners nationwide.

“By reserving the most severe penalties for serious, high-level or violent drug traffickers, we can better promote public safety, deterrence and rehabilitation, while making our expenditures smarter and more productive,” Holder said.

The United States imprisons a greater percentage of its population than any other country in the world. Our country holds five percent of the world’s population, and yet nearly a quarter of the world’s total prison population. Holder and others are advocating for massive sweeps in sentencing changes so that the punishment more appropriately fits the crime.

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GUNMAN KILLS 4, INJURES 4 IN NORTH TEXAS

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 A gunman in North Texas used an explosive device in an attack at two different residencies near Dallas in a revenge rampage that took four lives, a recent report by Reuters explains. The police believe that the attack was a domestic violence situation.

The gunman was hoping to get revenge on his ex-girlfriend. While his name has not yet been revealed, various sources report that the man was a former special education teacher who was angered when his girlfriend broke up with him. The FBI is investigating the situation to get further details, but reports show that the shooting began at a home in Dallas and ended at another home about seven miles away.

The victims have not been identified as of yet. Two boys ages 11 and 13 were also shot and survived. They are now being treated in local hospitals. Two other wounded victims have been injured and unidentified at present. Sources say that the gunman was a special education teacher that resigned on his own accord. He was never terminated from his position. The individual will most likely be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, and murder if he is confirmed as the shooter.

If you have been accused of these very serious crimes, the most important decision that you will make is the lawyer that you will hire to represent you in your case. If you hire an attorney that is only adequate, then you will have a lower chance of reducing your charges or avoiding penalties. Instead, you need to hire a dedicated, experienced, successful lawyer who will do that entire he or she can to work in your favor. At The Martinez Law Firm, a Houston criminal defense attorney will do everything possible to fight and win your case. Hire one of our excellent lawyers today.