Criminal Defense Case Results in Houston, TX

Charge

Discharge of a Firearm

Location

Harris County, 185th DC

Allegations

Police were dispatched after reports of shots in a residential parking lot. Responding officers later located a firearm inside a parked vehicle and collected a few spent casings, but there were no injuries or property damage and no indication anyone was targeted. We obtained and reviewed bodycam, the 911 audio, and evidence logs, highlighting gaps about who actually witnessed the discharge and the timeline from report to contact. With the firearm secured on arrival and no testing suggesting impairment, we leveraged those issues to negotiate deferred probation.

Charge

Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon

Location

Harris County, CC1

Allegations

Stopped for an expired plate while driving a recently acquired vehicle, the client was detained after an officer claimed to smell marijuana. Without consent, the officer searched the car, reporting a handgun and only trace marijuana. We dug into the body camera and discovery, challenged the basis for the stop and search, and highlighted proof issues, including car ownership and whether there was a usable amount. Rather than litigate a suppression challenge, the state agreed to an alternative resolution. After a gun safety class and forfeiture of the firearm, the case was dismissed.

Charge

Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon

Location

Harris County, County Criminal Court at Law No. 4

Allegations

Following a traffic stop, our client told the officer there was a firearm secured in the glove box. The officer searched the vehicle and recovered it, leading to an unlawful carrying charge. We challenged the basis for the stop and the scope of the search, noting the weapon was stored out of immediate reach and that there was no body camera audio to confirm key instructions. We reviewed the dash video and documented gaps in the evidence. After sustained pressure and suppression arguments, the prosecution dismissed the case.

Charge

Evading Arrest or Detention With Prior Convictions (State Jail Felony)

Location

Brazoria County, 149th District Court

Allegations

The case began after officers tried to stop a car leaving a shopping area. The driver took off, later jumped out, and our client moved into the driver’s seat and drove a short distance before stopping. She was arrested for evading in a vehicle, and the State sought an enhancement based on older convictions. We pressed for dash and body camera footage and nearby surveillance and raised questions about who initiated the flight, while assembling a mitigation packet showing the client’s caregiver responsibilities. After sustained negotiations, the State agreed to deferred probation.

Charge

Civil Asset Forfeiture - Vehicle Seizure

Location

Harris County, 189th District Court

Allegations

After a highway stop where officers alleged street racing, the client’s car was seized and a civil forfeiture suit was filed. We obtained the seizure file, requested the dash and body camera footage, and reviewed the property inventory. We pressed the State on the lack of a solid nexus between the allegation and forfeiture, and raised proportionality concerns under the excessive fines clause. Confronted with these evidentiary and constitutional issues, the State dismissed the forfeiture action.

Charge

Criminal Trespass (Misdemeanor)

Location

Montgomery County, CCL5

Allegations

Police were called after a resident reported someone on an ATV in an open tract near a neighborhood. Our client had become stuck in a muddy drainage area and, when told to leave, tried but could not get the ATV out. He was detained and cited for criminal trespass along with another charge. We obtained the bodycam and 911 audio, surveyed the location, and reviewed property and plat records. With no clear fencing or signage, and video showing his attempts to depart, we challenged the elements. The prosecutor dismissed the trespass.

Charge

Disorderly Conduct - Class C

Location

Fort Bend County, Stafford Municipal Court

Allegations

Police issued a Class C disorderly conduct citation after a neighbor reported the client urinated near his residence. There was no arrest, only a ticket. We obtained the report and other discovery, and assembled proof of residence along with mitigation the client provided. We emphasized that the spot was tucked away and that he tried to avoid being seen, calling into question whether the elements of the offense were met. After firm negotiations and making clear we were prepared to try the case, the prosecutor dismissed it.

Charge

Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon

Location

Galveston County, 212th District Court

Allegations

After a bar altercation, the client left, retrieved a pistol from a vehicle, and briefly showed it from outside, which led to a felony assault charge. We pulled the full evidence file and found no photo or video of a gun, only several witness statements. Those accounts conflicted on key details, including the size and color of the firearm, and there were no images of anyone holding a weapon. We pressed these gaps with the prosecution, and the case was reduced to a lesser offense.

Charge

Theft (Class C)

Location

Brazoria County, JP4-1

Allegations

Store security detained our client as they exited with low value merchandise, and an officer issued a Class C theft citation. The client had no prior history and the property was recovered. After reviewing the citation and incident details we engaged the prosecutor early, presented mitigation showing full recovery and a clean record, and made clear we were prepared to fight the charge. The state agreed to drop it, and the case was dismissed without any plea or probation.

Charge

Failure to Stop and Render Aid Involving Injury

Location

Harris County, 262nd DC

Allegations

After a rear-end collision, the client panicked and tried to leave, contacting another vehicle a short distance later. Officers arrived quickly and found the client outside the car. A felony charge followed, alleging failure to stop and render aid with injury. We pulled body-cam, reports, and dispatch logs to reconstruct the brief timeline between the two impacts. We challenged the state’s ability to prove an intentional failure to stop or render aid. Faced with those proof issues, the prosecution dismissed the case.

Charge

Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon

Location

Montgomery County, CCL4

Allegations

The case began after a minor traffic incident led to a DWI investigation. Officers found a handgun in a bag and added an unlawful carrying count, based solely on the claim the client was engaged in criminal activity. We obtained the reports, 911 audio, and bodycam, and highlighted weak intoxication indicators, including conflicting notes about alcohol odor and the timing of any drinking. We also emphasized there was no evidence the firearm was misused or displayed. Faced with these problems, the state dismissed the UCW.

Charge

Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon

Location

Montgomery County, 359th Judicial District Court

Allegations

The case began after a dispute outside a bar where a shot was allegedly fired into the air, and a former partner identified our client. We demanded and reviewed all discovery, monitored the state’s efforts to secure the complaining witness, and prepared for trial. Prosecutors repeatedly had no contact with that witness and offered no new corroborating evidence. With their key witness unavailable and our trial posture clear, the prosecution dismissed the case.