Westminster, California

Westminster, covering 10 square miles in the northern part of Orange County, California, is home to roughly 90,643 people. It is considered safer than about 8% of all cities in the country with roughly 250 violent crimes and 2748 property crimes, including arson and vandalism, each year. The Orange County courthouse in the city, which handles DUI and other criminal cases, was built in 1967 and holds 16 courtrooms. If you were charged with a crime, you should call seasoned Westminster criminal defense attorney William M. Weinberg. Mr. Weinberg has almost 30 years of experience defending those who have been charged.

Although prosecutors need to establish a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, they have a number of factors on their side. The state typically has far more resources and access to information than an individual does. If you were charged with a crime, it important to get legal representation to minimize your chances of developing a serious record. Your past criminal convictions and record can play a role in the severity of sentences you face for later convictions, so it is important to ask for advice early on.

Mr. Weinberg is a seasoned attorney for those accused of violent crimes. These crimes involve serious threats or injuries, and they sometimes involve a deadly weapon. Violent crimes include murder, mayhem, rape, sodomy, oral copulation, lewd acts on a child under age 14, attempted murder, and carjacking. Judges must apply an enhancement if you are convicted of a violent or serious felony; therefore, punishments for these charges are often harsh.

Factors that will be considered in determining your sentence would include your criminal history, age, mental illness, the victim’s age, and the extent of a victim’s injuries.

In 2021, 63% of property crimes in California involved larceny, 21% were auto thefts, and 16% were burglaries. Property and theft crimes include:

• Larceny
• Trespass
• Vandalism
• Arson
• Burglary
• Robbery
• Auto theft

Prosecutors in the Westminster area can bring property crime charges against you if they believe you damaged property without an owner’s consent. Theft crimes involving taking property or goods away from an owner. Simply going onto someone else’s property can be charged as trespassing. However, certain malicious activities related to property are punished more severely. Malicious activity involves acting intentionally to do harm or to act with the illegal intent of injuring or annoying someone.

Sex crimes convictions can carry significant consequences including jail time, loss of civil rights, fines, and the requirement that you register as a sex offender for the rest of your life under Megan’s Law. Sex crimes include:

• Rape,
• Sexual battery,
• Childhood sexual abuse,
• Lewd and Lascivious,
• Sexual Misconduct,
• Aggravated Sexual Assault,
• Sexual Abuse,
• Child Enticement and Solicitation,
• Child Molestation.

Sometimes there is overlap between violent crimes and sex crimes. Penal Code section 1192.7(c) provides that violent sex crimes are sentenced under “one strike,” “three strikes” or habitual sex offender statute.”

We know that arrests sometimes happen because of false accusations, misunderstandings, for improper reasons like revenge, or mistaken identification. It is crucial to have a seasoned lawyer by your side if you are accused or charged with a sex crime.

White collar crimes are nonviolent crimes characterized by concealment or deceptive behavior to gain an advantage or avoid the loss of money. These crimes include embezzlement, securities fraud, money laundering, corporate fraud, insider trading, counterfeiting, and securities fraud. When these crimes are committed by organizations dedicated to illegal activity, they’re known as racketeering. Significant penalties are imposed for these crimes.

William Weinberg is a trustworthy attorney who develops strong defenses for people in Westminster who are fighting criminal charges. In some cases, that requires him to negotiate a client’s entry into a diversion program, while in other cases, taking a trial to verdict may be appropriate. He has experience defending “every crime in the book” and can put his knowledge to work for you. Call our firm at (949) 474-8008 or fill out our online form to set up an appointment.