Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Attorney

Former Prosecutor, Now A Fierce Defender of the Accused

If law enforcement notified you that you are the subject of a criminal investigation or if charges have already been filed against you, it’s critically important to consult with a highly credentialed criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. At this difficult juncture in your life, taking action to protect yourself should be your top priority. A criminal conviction could have serious implications for your future. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be facing stiff fines, long periods of probation, loss of driving privileges, enrollment in a court ordered treatment program, or a lengthy jail or prison sentence. You’ll also incur a criminal record, which can be a huge detriment to your reputation and hinder your ability to obtain a job, housing, or financial aid.

Aggressive Criminal Defense in Fort Lauderdale Area:

The legal team at Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense can help you understand what’s at stake and chart a course forward aimed at preserving your freedom and clearing your name. Regardless of the crime you’ve been accused of committing, you are entitled to the strongest defense possible.

Call Today 954-400-5000 to Schedule a Free consultation

The firm’s founder, Leah Mayersohn, is one of the most sought after criminal defense lawyers in South Florida. Ms. Mayersohn has built a distinguished and solid reputation for providing cutting edge criminal defense strategy and personalized, compassionate service for those she represents.

For over two decades, clients have benefitted from her savvy legal acumen, passionate advocacy, meticulous preparation and tireless pursuit to achieve the most favorable outcome in every case. Day in and day out, she operates with the highest ethical and professional standards and fosters an environment that encourages honest and open communication.

Perhaps the single most important asset Ms. Mayersohn brings to the table is her experience as a former state prosecutor. Having served five years as an Assistant State Attorney with the Broward County State Attorney’s office, she gained extensive trial and litigation experience, handling countless jury trials, nonjury trials and appellate matters. She knows how the opposition thinks and can leverage this “insider” knowledge to your advantage — whether it’s negotiating with the prosecution to reduce your sentencing or getting the charges against you dismissed altogether.

Ms. Mayersohn’s firm is 100% focused on criminal law matters and can effectively defend charges ranging from a first time DUI to a violent murder to a corporate crime involving millions of dollars.

Accolades

• AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Named a Top Lawyer, and her firm a Top Law Firm, for 2013, 2015 & 2016 by the South Florida Legal Guide

Admitted to Practice in Following Courts

• Ms. Mayersohn is admitted to the United States District Court for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida
• The United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida
• The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit as well as some federal district courts outside of Florida

See A List Of Our Criminal Defense Practice Areas Here.

White-Collar Criminal Defense:

White-collar crime is an umbrella term used to describe a category of criminal activity involving deceit or fraud to achieve financial gain. Also referred to as corporate crime, most white-collar crimes take place in a business environment and are committed by professionals or government/public officials. Though non-violent in nature, these crimes are enormously destructive and known to cost the United States over $300 billion every year.

New technology also emerged, including powerful databases, big data, and precise analytical tools, making it even easier for law enforcement to identify, track and prosecute white-collar crimes. As a result of these intensified investigative and regulatory efforts, more and more business executives and other professionals are finding themselves in the crosshairs of criminal investigations.

Protecting Your Reputation and Rights During A White Collar Investigation

If you believe the government is investigating you for a white-collar crime or you’ve already been investigated by Florida authorities but are now worried that the feds may get involved, you need to contact an attorney who can take swift and decisive action to protect your rights.

Whatever you do, do not make a statement to law enforcement. Even though your natural inclination might be to explain yourself, anything you say can be taken out of context and end up being used against you later. You have the right to remain silent and the right to request a lawyer to be present before you comment on the investigation. Furthermore, you can refuse to consent to a search of your property. An officer may want to look at personal documents or browse the files on your computer, but they cannot do so without a valid search warrant or subpoena.

The state and federal governments have extensive resources at its disposal and will attempt to inflict the toughest penalties possible. Some of these penalties may include steep fines and restitution, years of probation, forfeiture of assets, and lengthy jail or prison sentences.

At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we represent Florida professionals of all different occupations and industries who have been accused of a white-collar crime. We know that the stakes are high, and your reputation, career and future may be on the line. Fortunately, white-collar crime attorney Leah Mayersohn is well-equipped to provide a solid defense. As a former prosecutor, she has thorough knowledge of the laws, rules, regulations, and enforcement policies that govern white-collar crimes.

Ms. Mayersohn has defended people in a variety of white-collar crime predicaments that you may find yourself in. Perhaps you exercised bad judgment and made an uncharacteristically rash decision; maybe you were simply following the direction of your supervisor but got tangled up in something that escalated out of your control; or maybe your were just unaware of the rules or were falsely accused. The point is, just because you behaved in an unfortunate manner doesn’t necessarily mean what you did was criminal.

White-Collar Defense Strategies:

In most white-collar crimes, the key element a prosecutor has the burden of proving is criminal intent. They have to demonstrate that you knowingly, willfully, and intentionally committed the crime. This gives the defense leverage to claim that you did not know your conduct was illegal and therefore there was a “lack of intent” and “lack of knowledge” of wrongdoing.

Another key defense strategy is proving that you were a victim of entrapment. This would apply if a law enforcement officer used coercion tactics to have you commit a crime you otherwise would not have committed. To prove an entrapment defense, one must provide evidence that but for the repeated efforts of the third party or law enforcement officer, they would not have engaged in the alleged conduct.

If law enforcement oversteps their bounds in other ways, such as conducting an illegal search and seizure to gain access to evidence, that evidence would be considered inadmissible in court and charges would most likely be dropped.

Types of White-Collar Crimes We Handle:

At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we represents individuals in a wide array of white-collar investigations and prosecutions involving

Fraud:

• Healthcare Fraud
• Mortgage Fraud
• Insurance Fraud
• Securities Fraud
• Real Estate Fraud
• Immigration Fraud
• Mail and Wire
  • Insider Trading
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • RICO Violations
  • Antitrust Violations
  • Forgery
  • Bribery
  • Extortion
  • Embezzlement
  • Money Laundering
  • Tax evasion
  • Computer Crimes
  • Compliance
  • Corporate Criminal Investigations
  • Grand Jury Investigations and Indictments

State and Federal Authorities Involved in White-Collar Crimes

Depending on the specific details of your case — including the nature of the crime, the size of financial losses, and the number of victims involved — you will be investigated and/or prosecuted by the local State District Attorney, state regulatory agencies, the U.S. District Attorney or the federal government.

There are several different investigative bodies or agencies involved in white- collar crime investigations, some of which may be applicable to your case. These include:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• The Department of Justice (DOJ)
• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
• U.S. Department of Treasury
• U.S. Postal Service
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service
• Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

What To Expect in a Grand Jury Investigation

White-collar crime investigations are often performed in secret. In fact, it’s possible that by the time you learn you are being investigated, law enforcement has already spent months, or even years, in the throes of an investigation.

Federal investigations are incredibly sophisticated and involve techniques previously reserved for organized crime investigations. Today it’s considered routine to utilize wiretapping, surveillance, informants, sting operations, and more in order to find proof of criminal conduct and criminal intent. In addition to utilizing traditional investigatory tools, federal prosecutors most often will employ a grand jury to investigate and gather information about an alleged white-collar crime.

In order to proceed to trial with a federal criminal case, a prosecutor must first gain an indictment from a grand jury.

In the course of an investigation, a prosecutor and grand jury will either refer to you as a witness, subject, or target. If they consider you a witness, then they believe you can provide helpful information relevant to the investigation but you are not under any real suspicion of wrongdoing. As a witness, they may try to use you to “nail the target.” If you’re designated as the target, this means they have substantial evidence linking you to the crime and will pursue an indictment. If they consider you to be a subject, you’re not necessarily in trouble but they may think it’s worth looking into your conduct.

How Will I Know If I’m Being Investigated?

Some of the first formal signs that indicate you are being investigated may include the following:

• A federal enforcement agency contacts you. It’s not uncommon for agents to visit you when you least expect it — at your home or workplace
• You receive a grand jury subpoena requesting your business records
• You are presented with a search warrant for your business records
• You receive a target letter from the Department of Justice informing you that you’re under investigation

It’s vitally important that you contact us the moment you suspect you are being investigated. White-collar attorney Leah Mayersohn can guide you through the grand jury process and respond quickly to subpoenas and other request for information from the government on your behalf.

The sooner you involve a lawyer, the better your chances are of negotiating an early settlement with the U.S. Attorney or closing the investigation altogether. However, if you do end up being indicted, Ms. Mayersohn will defend you through trial and on to appeal if necessary.

Protect Your Interests With Corporate Investigation and Customized Compliance Program

In the wake of an increasingly vigilant and regulatory environment that includes strict enforcement statutes and financial incentives for whistleblowers, it’s imperative for corporations to take a proactive approach towards reducing the risk of misconduct by investing in strong compliance systems.

At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we conduct thorough investigations and audits to ensure your company’s policies and protocols are up to code and in full compliance with government regulations. Based on our findings, we can implement internal safeguards and offer a list of best practices/crisis management for detecting, preventing and reporting suspicious activity. We can integrate reporting systems, employee training programs, and financial and accounting controls to minimize risk of exposure from regulators and government agents.

Facing Charges of Fraud?

Fraud is intentionally deceiving someone for personal or financial gain.

Insurance Fraud: Insurance fraud in Florida refers to any action a person takes to fraudulently obtain payment from an insurance company. Fraudulent insurance claims can come from various sectors of the insurance industry – car insurance, health insurance, homeowners or property insurance, or life insurance.

Insurance fraud is a crime that affects state and federal governments and is prosecuted heavily. Having an effective insurance fraud attorney by your side can help to defend against the following insurance fraud actions:

• Intentionally and knowingly falsifying an insurance claim in order to obtain payment or damages that you were not entitled to
• Staging a motor vehicle accident in order to collect a large personal injury settlement
• Conspiring with a physician or patient to falsify an insurance claim
• Insurance agent who improperly denies or delays a policyholder or health care provider a benefit that they are entitled to
• Destroying a home or property via arson or other means and then making a false claim in order to recover property insurance

Healthcare Fraud: We represent physicians, employees, directors and authors in the healthcare industry who investigated or charged with healthcare fraud. We defend clients accused of falsifying records, kickbacks, upcoding and unbundling fraudulent billing, etc.

Pyramid/Ponzi Scheme: A pyramid scheme is an investment fraud crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the SEC and usually occurs via a digital medium. An operator or “schemer” will typically send an email promising recipients a high return on investment in a short period of time if they contribute to a new business venture.

Recipients proceed to put money into the scheme and then recruit others to join. As more people are recruited, the amount of money in the scheme grows. However, the operator ends up taking money from new investors to pay the old ones instead of paying with proceeds from actual growth. No matter how many people continue to join a pyramid scheme, 88% percent of members at the bottom will end up losing their money.

If you are accused of operating a pyramid scheme, you could face state or federal charges. A state charge may result in a sentence of imprisonment up to one year, but a federal charge under the securities fraud statute could be up to 25 years in prison.

Mail Fraud: Mail fraud involves using the United States Postal Service or interstate carriers like UPS or FedEx to engage in a fraudulent scheme designed to obtain money or property.

Wire Fraud: Wire Fraud refers to using electronic communication devices such as a computer, phone, or Internet to defraud someone of money or property.

Mail fraud and wire fraud are federal crimes that have stiff penalties under federal sentencing guidelines, including a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

Credit Card Fraud: Credit card fraud has skyrocketed in the Broward County area in recent years. Under Florida’s State Credit Card Crime Act, it is illegal to use someone else’s credit card without their consent. Because of this definition, credit card fraud is closely aligned with identity theft. Credit card fraud can cover a broad range of offenses, which may include:

• Calling a bank or other lending institution and impersonating a cardholder in order to transfer money into their account
• Buying or selling stolen or forged credit cards
• Counterfeiting or altering credit cards
• “Skimming” or using a hidden illegal card reading device to skim the data on a card’s magnetic strip. “Skimmers “can be installed on a gas pump or ATM machine.

In state court, credit card fraud penalties may include probation, county jail or state prison time. If losses exceed $50,000, it would most likely be considered a federal crime and penalties would increase.

Antitrust Violations

Antitrust Laws such as the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, and the Federal Trade Commission Act were put in place to protect consumers from unfair business practices that stifle competition.

At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we represent individuals, corporations, and associations accused of the following types of antitrust violations:

• Market allocation
• Bid rigging
• Price fixing
• Mergers
• Attempt to monopolize or monopolization
• Restraints of trade
• Market division
• Exclusive dealing contracts

Violating antitrust laws can have serious consequences. This is especially true for individuals and businesses that engage in price fixing and bid rigging, which are violations of the Sherman Act. The Sherman Act is a criminal law, which means that the Department of Justice can prosecute those in violation of it. Criminal penalties for individuals may include fines up to $1 million, and up to $100 million for corporations.

In addition to federal violations, individuals and companies are held accountable under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Illegal behaviors under the law include deceptive marketing practices/misleading tactics to enhance sales; engaging in false advertising; trade libel, etc. Willfully engaging in deceptive practices may result in a fine of $100,000 for each violation. The type of penalties incurred from these behaviors will vary depending on the industry in which the deceptive practice was used.

In a highly regulated environment, businesses and individuals are more vulnerable than ever before and require sophisticated antitrust counsel. Call Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense today at 954-400-5000 to learn what your legal options are.

Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Act legally permits a corporate insider – an officer, director, or employee to trade stocks in their own company as long as they report the transaction in the company’s shares to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Insider trading becomes illegal, however, when you make security trades based on proprietary information that is not available to the general public. This is considered a breach in fiduciary duty and a violation of trust. It is also illegal to disseminate or sell information to a third party or someone outside the company.

The SEC has become extremely sophisticated in the way they detect insider trading, but they also rely on self-regulatory organizations (SRO) to monitor unusual activity in the nation’s securities markets. These systems can detect and flag incidences of unusual or abnormal trading in the nation’s securities markets.

If you are the subject of an insider trading investigation, you will most likely receive a phone call from an SEC attorney. If this happens, politely decline to speak with them until you consult with your attorney.

The line between legal and illegal insider trading isn’t always clear-cut. At, Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we understand the laws and regulations that govern insider trading and can build a strong defense to beat the charge against you.

Money Laundering Charges in Fort Lauderdale

If you are accused of money laundering in Florida, it is being alleged that you conducted financial transactions as a means to hide, conceal, or disguise money you earned through some type of illegal criminal activity. Illegal activities often associated with money laundering include selling or trafficking drugs, bribery, extortion, tax evasion, and embezzlement.

Law enforcement will attempt to prove that you knowingly funded legitimate channels with “dirty money” through gifts, loans, sales, purchases, investments, wire transfers, etc. State prosecutors in Florida are especially vigilant of money transferred to overseas accounts to the Caribbean Islands.

Penalties for Money Laundering:

Money laundering may be charged in either a federal court or a Florida state court. The penalties assessed for money laundering depends in part on the amount of money involved as well as any underlying charges involved. For instance, if the prosecutor believed you obtained money from a drug trafficking operation, you would be facing drug charges on top of money laundering.

Under the Florida Money Laundering Act:

Financial transactions over $300 but less than $20,000 – 3^rd Degree Felony: punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine

Financial transactions over $20,000 or more but less than $100,000 – 2^nd Degree Felony: punishable by up to 15 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine

Financial transactions over $100,000 or more – 1^st Degree Felony: punishable by up to 30 years in the Florida Department of Corrections facility and a $10,000 fine

A conviction in Federal Court, could result in up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the value of the financial transactions, whichever is greater.

At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, there are many defense strategies we can employ to fight money laundering charges.

Charges similar to money laundering include embezzlement, racketeering, bribery, and extortion:

Embezzlement: involves misappropriating money or property that was entrusted to you. It is a white-collar crime typically charged in Federal court, but it is seen in state court as well. In Florida, embezzlement charges are prosecuted under Florida’s property theft statute. Depending on the amount of money or property taken, you may be charged with petit theft or grand theft.

Those who face embezzlement charges are often employees who steal funds for their own benefit and then “jimmies” the books to cover it up. This can happen in any industry, but most often in situations where professionals have direct access to funds, such as in banking where a teller, cashier or accountant can falsify a check or use another person’s identity to withdraw money.

Embezzlement is punished harshly in Florida and can include not just a lengthy prison sentence but paying substantial restitution to the victim.

Racketeering: sometimes referred to as “organized crime”, occurs when multiple individuals operate a criminal business or scheme (a racket) in order to make a profit. If you or your business is being investigated for an alleged pattern of criminal activity, it’s in your best interest to contact an attorney immediately.

The Federal government prosecutes racketeering under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, otherwise known as RICO. Originally created to bring down the mafia and drug cartels, RICO has now evolved to encompass a broad category of criminal offenses including bribery, extortion, embezzlement, fraud, child pornography and violent crimes.

The consequences of a conviction under the RICO act are devastating and includes a prison sentence up to 20 years as well as a forfeiture of any illegally obtained money or property that emanated from illegal racketeering activity.

Extortion: refers to when one person attempts to gain something of value from another person, usually money, property, or favors through some form of coercion –the use of threats, intimidation, character assassination, even force. Crimes of extortion often include bribery, blackmail, and ransom.

Someone who commits extortion may threaten to do the following to another person:

• Physically harm them
• Ruin their reputation
• Accuse them of a crime
• Expose a damaging secret

Extortion is considered a second-degree felony in Florida and is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Bribery: If you are a public official in Florida and accepted a bribe or gift from someone in the community, you may face corruption charges.

Likewise, if you are someone who tried to coerce or influence a public official you face corruption and bribery charges as well.

Bribery can be prosecuted as a state or federal crime depending on the circumstances. Federal authorities have jurisdiction over bribery charges when it involves the bribing of the following public officials:

• Members of Congress
• Federal employees
• Agents acting on behalf of the U.S. government
• Bank officials – penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million
• Members of a federal grand or petit jury
• Witnesses under oath in a federal proceeding

Bribery can also be considered a federal offense when it involves circumventing port security or a sporting event that affects interstate commerce.

If you are accused of bribing a public official or accepting a bribe, you are facing consequences that could destroy your personal and professional life. The willful bribery of a public official carries a penalty up to 15 years in prison and a fine up to three times the amount of the bribe.

Are You Being Investigated for a Computer Crime?

As a digital society, we’re more interconnected than ever before. A simple Internet connection from anywhere in the world enables us to conduct business and make financial transactions.

Increased time spent online has opened the door to a variety of security concerns, including data breaches, identity theft, fraudulent solicitations, and cyber-bulling.

As a result, the federal government is active in tracking down those who commit crimes online. In fact, the FBI now considers cybercrime to be just as big a threat as terrorism and espionage. To illustrate the magnitude of the problem, computer crimes generated $2.3 billion dollars over the last two years. Since January 2015, there was a 270% increase in reported incidents.

Computer crime is a category of crimes that involves using a computer, computer system, or computer network to conduct illegal activity. At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we are well-equipped to provide a fierce defense to those who have been accused of a computer crime. Our thorough knowledge and understanding of computer technology and the law will work to your advantage no matter what charge you are facing.

According to the Florida Computer Crimes Act, the following acts constitute a computer crime:

• Modifying, destroying, or stealing data, most often in correlation to trade secrets and other intellectual property
• Planning or executing schemes to defraud or obtain property through a computer or computer network
• Storing data that is unlawfully obtained, such as child pornography

Cybercrimes prosecuted by Federal Government fall under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act:

• Computer Fraud or theft
• Electronic espionage
• Intentionally browsing in or affecting a government computer
• Transmitting dangerous programs
• Extortion threats to protected computer

Hacking/Unauthorized Access: Computer hacking is considered a crime under the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and refers the practice of gaining unauthorized access to someone else’s computer system in an attempt to commit fraud or cause harm to date or property.

Violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the motivation behind the misconduct. In Florida, a conviction for hacking can be punishable by up to five years in prison. If the illegal activity caused damage in excess of $5,000, sentencing could reach up to 15 years in prison.

Installing Malicious Software: It is illegal to deliberately “implant” harmful malware or a virus into someone else’s hard drive without the owner’s consent. When you disseminate a virus, it can result in the destruction of intellectual property as well as personal and business assets.

Phishing : A phishing scam involves sending an electronic message under false pretenses via a fictitious email account or a compromised/hacked email account to impersonate a bank, online vendor or merchant. The goal is to have the person on the receiving end “bite” on an “offer” to receive a reward.

Cyber stalking or Cyber bullying: It is illegal to stalk, threaten or harass a person, organization, or group online.

Child Pornography: It is illegal to knowingly possess, transmit, distribute, or manufacture child pornography using a computer. Child pornography is any visual depicting of minor children engaged in sexual conduct.

Child pornography is one of the most serious allegations a person can face in Florida. A third degree felony conviction is punishable by up to five years in prison for each photo in your possession. Sharing a pornographic image can lead to 15 in prison while promoting or producing an image can land you in jail for up to 30 years.

Were You Arrested For Drunk Driving in Ft. Lauderdale?

Drinking under the influence (DUI) is one of the most common criminal offenses Floridians face. Law enforcement in Broward County enforces strict penalties for a DUI, including suspension or revocation of driver’s license, probation, mandatory attendance in and completion of DUI program, installation of an interlock device for your vehicle, stiff fines, and jail or prison time.

Being pulled over for drunk driving is a nerve-wracking experience but even if you blew over the legal limit of .08 percent or performed poorly on the roadside field sobriety tests, all hope is not lost. There are a number of effective DUI defense strategies that can be applied to your case. DUI defense attorney Leah Mayersohn will fight to preserve your driving privileges and keep you out of jail.

To beat a DUI charge, we will:

• Challenge the traffic stop – did the police officer have probable cause to pull you over?
• Challenge the accuracy of the breath test – do you have any medical conditions that may have caused an erroneous BAC reading; was the breathalyzer properly administered and calibrated?
• Challenge the accuracy of the blood tests –were the vials mishandled in the lab or during custody transfer?
• Rising Blood Alcohol Content argument – alcohol is not fully absorbed into blood stream until 30-90 minutes after consuming a drink. It’s possible that your BAC was lower at the time you were driving vs. when you took the test.

In addition to the criminal implications of having a DUI, your driving privileges are also at risk.

Act Now! You Have 10 Days To Keep Your Driver’s License

When you were arrested, the police officer should have given you a DUI citation which serves as a temporary driver’s license for the first 10 days of your arrest. In order to maintain your driving privileges, prior to the expiration of the temporary permit, you’ll need to contact the Division of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and request a Formal Review Hearing. This needs to be done well ahead of time as we need time to both request discovery and have DHSMV sign subpoenas for witnesses to appear for a formal review hearing and have them served with subpoenas.

The hearing gives you the opportunity to contest the suspension and apply for a hardship license. Failure to request a hearing within 10 days or losing at the hearing could result in you not being able to drive for a minimum of thirty days up to the remainder of your life depending on your circumstances. DUI Attorney Leah Mayersohn can attend the hearing with you and advocate on your behalf.

Drug Crime Defense

Florida has some of the harshest drug penalties in the country including mandatory minimum sentencing for certain charges. Even a minor offense like possession of a marijuana joint can result in a two-year driver’s license suspension enforced by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we represent individuals charged with the possession, sale, distribution, or manufacturing of illegal substances. Illegal substances can be a street drug such as Cocaine, Ecstasy, Heroin, or LSD or prescription medication such as Oxycontin or Valium that was obtained without a valid prescription.

Factors that may contribute to the severity of punishment may include the type and amount of drug.

Florida doesn’t discriminate between possession and sale of drugs. For example, if you were in possession of 10 grams of painkillers, you would be sentenced the same way as someone who sold 10 grams of painkillers.

Violent Crime Defense

When violence is used to inflict bodily injury or death onto another person, the consequences are severe. This is especially true in the state of Florida, which imposes minimum mandatory penalties for certain violent crimes. For instance, according to the 10/20/Life Rule, if you possessed a firearm while committing a violent crime, the minimum sentence is 10 years in prison. If you fired your weapon, you’re looking at a minimum of 20 years in prison.

At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we offer smart, tough representation to those accused of committing violent crimes, some of which include:

• Murder, Manslaughter, Attempted Murder, Capital Murder
• Assault and Battery, Aggravated Assault, Assault with a Weapon
• Forcible Rape
• Carjacking
• State and Federal Weapons Charges
• Hate Crimes
• Home Invasion

Potential Violent Crime Defense Strategies

Criminal defense attorney Leah Mayersohn assists you at every step of the criminal justice process from your initial arrest and booking to posting bail, to your arraignment through hearings and at trial.

At Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense, we conduct our own thorough investigation of your case. We scrutinize police reports, analyze forensic and DNA evidence, interview witnesses, and much more. We make sure to exhaust every possible defense strategy that may exonerate you or reduce your charges and sentencing.

Here are some of the defenses we can argue:

• You acted in self defense or in defense of others
• Eyewitnesses were mistaken in identifying you as the perpetrator
• DNA evidence does not directly link you to consensual contact or point to you as aggressor in a fight
• Police performed an illegal search or seizure to gather evidence therefore the evidence is inadmissible in court

Your Trusted Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Lawyer

To learn more about Leah H. Mayersohn; her experience, qualifications and her ratings can be viewed here:

If you have been charged with a crime, you owe it to yourself and to your future to obtain the best defense possible. Call Leah Mayersohn today to discuss the specifics of your situation: 954-400-5000