Criminal Defense Case Results in Houston, TX

Charge

Prohibited Substance in a Correctional Facility

Location

Galveston County, 405th DC

Allegations

After a traffic stop, the client was arrested and booked into jail. Although an initial search had been done, officers later reported finding a small amount of marijuana in the client’s clothing at the facility, triggering a felony contraband charge. We obtained the body and intake videos and scrutinized the reports, pressing the state on how multiple searches missed the item and on chain-of-custody and intent issues. With sustained pressure in negotiations, the felony was reduced to simple possession with credit for time served.

Charge

Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon

Location

Montgomery County, CCL4

Allegations

The client was pulled over for alleged extreme speeding. Officers removed the driver, handcuffed them, and placed them in a patrol car, then searched the vehicle without asking for consent, locating a handgun in a backpack on the back seat. We secured the dash and body camera footage, which showed no consent to search, minimal questioning before detention, and jurisdictional problems with the stop itself. We built a suppression strategy around those defects and pressed the prosecution. Facing those issues, the state dismissed the unlawful carrying case.

Charge

Possession of THC (State Jail Felony)

Location

Montgomery County, 221st DC

Allegations

Officers said the client was speeding, immediately detained them, and searched the car without consent. A tiny container of THC wax was seized, but no admissions were taken and the dash video showed no radar or lidar, only pacing. We obtained the footage and reports, challenged the stop and the timing of the lights versus jurisdiction, and highlighted chain of custody and the lack of lab testing for the trace residue. With a suppression motion ready and the state facing proof problems, the prosecution dismissed the felony possession case.

Charge

Criminal Trespass (Misdemeanor)

Location

Fort Bend County, County Court at Law 4

Allegations

After a night out, our client and a friend walked from a nearby store, took a wrong turn, and ended up in a residential area. A homeowner reported two people near her car and officers stopped our client at the neighborhood entrance, then filed a criminal trespass case. We obtained the reports and video, mapped the timeline, and compared the complainant’s statements with the officers’ narratives. The accounts conflicted and there was no clear evidence of any notice to leave or restricted area. We presented those problems to the prosecution, and the case was dismissed.

Charge

Possession of a Fictitious or Fraudulent ID

Location

Fort Bend County, County Court at Law 4

Allegations

After a neighborhood trespass complaint, officers detained our client while walking home. During booking, a wallet search uncovered a fake ID, and the client made statements on camera about it. We obtained the reports and body camera video, examined Miranda and the custodial process, and highlighted inconsistencies in the trespass allegation. We pushed the state to dismiss trespass and to treat the ID case as the proper misdemeanor rather than the initial felony flag. The prosecution agreed, and we finalized a reduction with credit for time served, avoiding probation, fines, and community service.

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

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, 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

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

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

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.