Missouri Criminal Lawyers Blog

In a recent bit of news unlikely to be trumpeted by the state's tourism office, Missouri earned the sad distinction of being home to the most meth labs of any state in the country in 2012. The statistics are compiled each year by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency which monitors the number of meth incidents that occur across the country. Sadly, this isn't the first time Missouri has come in at number one.

The figures from 2012 reveal another big year for meth manufacturing in Missouri. The data shows that when broken down by county, Jefferson County, MO actually has the second greatest number of meth labs out of all the counties in the United States. Missouri as a whole was found to have 1,825 meth labs in 2012. That's actually down from the record breaking 2,075 meth labs discovered in 2011, but hardly a sign of tremendous law enforcement success.

According to data on a county-by-county basis, Jefferson County came in second with 472 meth lab busts in 2012. Not far behind was St. Charles County, MO, which saw 311 meth incidents in 2012, enough to place fifth in the country. St. Francois, Jasper, Greene, Jackson, Franklin and St. Louis counties each had more than 100 incidents apiece. Though these numbers are enormous, Tulsa, Oklahoma was the clear leader, with a total of 979 separate meth incidents last year.

In Missouri it is illegal to possess, sell, make or attempt to make meth, though the law says that it is more serious to sell meth near a school or within a motel or vehicle. Chapter 195 of Missouri Revised Statutes deals with drug regulations and it says that possession of methamphetamine is classified as a Class C Felony, carrying up to 7 years in prison and fines reaching $5,000.

Beyond making and possessing actual methamphetamine, Missouri law also limits the amount of meth precursor chemicals (such as pseudoephedrine) a person is allowed to possess. Missouri law says that individuals are permitted to buy up to 9 grams of pseudoephedrine every 30 days. That equals roughly two 15-dose boxes of Claritin D. It is illegal in Missouri to possess any methamphetamine precursor substance with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Having only 24 grams of pseudoephedrine in your house can be enough to violate state law.

A Missouri methamphetamine possession charge has the potential to seriously damage your life. It doesn't matter if this is your first time using the drug or if you have a history of problems, either way, you could face severe legal penalties. Our Firm has extensive experience handling methamphetamine cases in Missouri state courts and in the Federal District Court of Eastern District of Missouri.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a Missouri criminal defense lawyer capable of aggressively protecting your interests, contact our St. Louis criminal defense law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Missouri Leads the Nation in Meth Labs (Again), Jefferson County Second Highest In Country," by Jessica Lussenhop, published at RiverFrontTimes.com.

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Proposed legislation before the Missouri House could change the state's longstanding statutes of limitations with regard to civil and criminal claims against those suspected of committing child sexual abuse.

Currently, the law in Missouri, found in Missouri Revised Statutes 537.046, says that victims of child sexual abuse have a 10-year limit to file civil claims, those actions seeking damages for the harm they suffered. Missouri Revised Statutes 556.037 says that there is a 30-year statute of limitations for prosecution to take place against those who engaged in child sexual abuse. The clock begins running when the child who was abused turns 18.

These laws are set to change should House Bill No. 247 pass. The new legislation would completely abolish the statute of limitations for both civil and criminal claims. This would mean victims could file civil suits for damages decades into the future and prosecutors could unearth cases as far back as victims can still be found to testify.

Missouri Representative Brand Ellington says that he proposed the changes because he believes victims often wait until after the statute of limitations has run out before coming forward with information about their own abuse, when it's too late to hold the wrongdoer accountable for their actions. A representative of Missouri Kids First testified before a Missouri House committee considering the legislation that child sex crimes are by far the least likely to reported, with an estimate of only 25% of all sexual abuse crimes against children ever making their way to authorities. Moreover, when these child sex crimes are reported, they are the most likely to be reported after the statute of limitations has run out, given the time it takes for many people to come to grips with what happened to them.

Some have worried that if the legislation passes there could be a huge influx of claims against suspected child abusers, but advocates for the measure insist that existing criminal and civil legal protections will ensure that innocent individuals in Missouri are not falsely accused of such heinous crimes.

If the changes were to take effect it would serve to bring the statute of limitations with regard to child sex abuse into line with those regarding sexual abuse among adults. Missouri remains one of the few states that do not have a statute of limitations for the crime of rape. Missouri Revised Statutes 556.036 clearly states that: "A prosecution for murder, forcible rape, attempted forcible rape, forcible sodomy, attempted forcible sodomy, or any class A felony may be commenced at any time."

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a Missouri criminal defense lawyer capable of aggressively protecting your interests, contact our St. Louis criminal defense law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Proposal would lift statute of limitations on child sexual abuse," by Mike Lear, published at MissouriNet.com.

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It's been several decades since the last update was done to Missouri's criminal statutes but it looks like the public won't have to wait much longer for changes to be implemented. A substantial overhaul of the state's existing criminal justice system is planned by legislators who recently floated a new bill before the General Assembly that would make several important changes.

The bill currently before members of the Missouri House was drafted with significant input from a committee that had been formed years ago by the Missouri Bar to study the state's existing laws and recommend much needed changes.

The committee spent four years batting around ideas and coming up with the final draft language that has just been released to legislators and the public alike. The committee spent time combing through the state's statutes, recommending changes and tweaks as the case may be. Changes were proposed to a wide variety of individual offenses, ranging from littering to domestic assaults.

One of the biggest changes contained in the legislation, known as House Bill No. 210, is the addition of a new class of felony. Currently, Missouri Revised Statutes 557.016 lists four classes of felonies in Missouri: A, B, C and D. The new legislation would add a fifth, Class E, to the list. The goal is to close some of the currently large gaps in the existing four categories. A good example of the problem is found in Missouri Revised Statutes 558.011 which says Class C felonies carry a maximum prison term of seven years, while class B felonies come with between five and 15 years behind bars. To help make the transition between these felony gradations less jarring, the bill proposes creating a Class E which would allow for a better distribution of sentencing times.

Class E felonies would require a prison term not to exceed four years. This would mean that Class C would change to a term of between three and ten years while Class D felonies would not exceed seven years in prison. Additionally, misdemeanors would also be given a new category, Class D, for similar gap-closing reasons.

Though there were many changes contained in the new legislation, it did not contain all of the recommendations of the committee formed by the Missouri Bar to study the criminal code. One suggestion that the committee agreed should be included in the legislation, but which was ultimately left out is that those arrested for first time possession of marijuana should only be subject to a fine.

This would change existing state law which allows for the possibility of jail time. The committee hoped that such a change would reduce the heavy burden on state jails by directing such low risk criminals away from the penal system and instead subjecting them only to fines. It would also help alleviate pressure on the overstretched public defender system given that individuals not facing jail time would no longer be entitled to a public defender's help. Sadly, the existing laws will stay in place which means that those arrested for first time marijuana possession in Missouri will be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, a crime which is punishable with up to a year in jail.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a Missouri criminal defense lawyer capable of aggressively protecting your interests, contact our St. Louis criminal defense law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Missouri's Criminal Code May Soon See New Class of Felony, Misdemeanor," by Jennifer Davidson, published at KSMU.org.

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According to a recent article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a rash of older vehicle car thefts has occurred in the city over the past several months. The reason, surprising as it may be, might be found in a recent change to Missouri law.

The newspaper report traces the recent rise in older model car thefts to a change that took place in Missouri statutes back in August of 2012. The revised law made it easier for car thieves to cell certain cars for scrap. Specifically, the law makes it easier to sell nonfunctioning cars that are 10 years old or older for scrap. The measure, known as House Bill No. 1150, says that those seeking to sell the cars for scrap do not need to have a valid title to do so. Prior to passage of the measure, the only cars that could be sold for scrap in Missouri without proper title were those that were more than 20 years old.

Critics of the measure say that by continually strengthening laws against scraping other metal, especially copper, the newly relaxed car scrap legislation has served as an invitation for petty thieves to focus their energies on old vehicles they can easily flip for several hundred dollars profit. The legislator who pushed the bill through the General Assembly, Representative Kevin Engler, says that the change was never intended to cause a spike in old car thefts. Instead, the measure was meant to allow those living in rural areas to sell their dilapidated cars more easily. The hope was that people could more easily clean up their property and get a little cash in the process.

Police say that while the matter may not seem like such a big deal, after all, who is really concerned about the disappearance of broken down clunkers, the thefts actually spell other trouble for residents of Missouri. For one thing, insurance rates depend, at least in part, on the rate of vehicle theft. There's no distinction between thefts of old cars versus late model vehicles and the recent spike in incidents could result in serious across the board increases.

Another issue, according to law enforcement officials, is that the law does not provide enough support to ensure junkyards are actually checking for the necessary photo ID before buying the car or even ensuring that the vehicle is inoperable. HB 1150 contains no requirement that the scrap dealer perform any sort of certification that the vehicle is nonfunctioning; they simply take the word of the person selling it.

Police in St. Louis County have said that they've seen a 37 percent increase in thefts of older-model vehicles since the new law took effect. The recovery rate for stolen vehicles has now fallen below 50%, representing a drop of more than 10% in less than a year.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a Missouri criminal defense lawyer capable of aggressively protecting your interests, contact our St. Louis criminal defense law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Car thieves now covet your old junker," by Christine Byers, published at STLToday.com.

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Class Action Suit Filed Against Officer Who Made Fake DUI Arrests

A shocking lawsuit was recently filed by citizens of Utah against a state highway patrol officer and her superiors after it was revealed that the trooper filed false DUI charges against potentially dozens of innocent drivers.

The officer, Lisa Steed, was fired by the Utah Highway Patrol at the end of last year for misconduct related to her professional duties. Attorneys suing the woman and her employer say at least 40 people have come forward thus far claiming that the officer wrongfully arrested them on DUI or drug possession charges. Plaintiffs' attorneys are claiming that the class action suit will show that there's a culture of corruption in the department that has been tolerated by higher-ups for many years.

One of the victims was a man who was pulled over for alleged speeding. His wife was in the car at the time and says her husband was going maybe 50 or 52 miles per hour. Steed said she clocked him going 73. The man was ultimately arrested and charged with DUI, though the charge was reduced to having an open container after a blood test proved he was not intoxicated. Despite his innocence, he ended up having to fork over almost $3,000 in fines before he was able to get his car back.

Yet another outrageous incident was caught on camera when Steed pulled a woman over in 2011. The woman was forced to participate in a series of field sobriety tests, all of which she passed. Despite having passed the tests, Steed arrested the woman for drunk driving. Thankfully the charges were later dropped after a blood test found no alcohol in her system.

Just what role Steed's superiors played in the mess has not yet been determined. To everyone's horror, Steed had been named "Trooper of the Year" in 2007 for making more than 200 DUI arrests. The extent to which Steed was pushed by her bosses to continue cracking down on suspected drunk drivers is not yet known.

So far Steed has not issued a statement regarding the suit and the Utah Highway Patrol has said through its spokesperson that it does not comment on pending litigation. It doesn't look good for the officer; the FBI has revealed it has launched an investigation against Steed. Many criminal defense attorneys in Utah believe her actions may have opened a can of worms. As it stands now a number of her previous convictions are now in danger of being overturned as Steed's credibility has essentially been destroyed.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a Missouri DWI defense lawyer capable of aggressively protecting your interests, contact our St. Louis DWI law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Fired Trooper Accused of Faked DUIs," by John Schriffen, published at News.Yahoo.com.

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It must be true what they say; one man's trash is another man's treasure. Though it may not sound particularly tragic, St. Louis is evidently gripped by an odd crime wave. The number of scrap metal thefts has skyrocketed across the city and thieves have their eyes on one very common piece of scrap: trash bin hooks. Police say that criminals are searching alleys across St. Louis looking for the metal hooks, something that is costing taxpayers thousands of dollars to fix.

The incidents of trash bin hook theft have jumped especially over the last few months. The problem not only costs money to replace the hooks, but also leads to delays collecting garbage, as the dump trucks are unable to latch onto the trashcan to properly empty it. Though the problem might not seem like such a big deal, such metal theft rings have grown enormously in recent years. The bad economy and rising commodities prices have forced many people to consider stealing metal for even the little amount of money it can bring it.

The treasured bit of metal is made up of two triangle-shaped steel plates with two teeth on the ends that are bolted to the sides of the 30,000 trash, yard waste and recycling bins across the city. The arms of the dump trucks grab the hooks and are then able to lift the bins into the truck to empty them. If the hooks are missing the trash will pile up until repairs have been done to attach new hooks.

The director of trash operations in St. Louis says the recent rash of metal thefts have risen enormously. In a typical year about 100 trash bin hooks are stolen. So far this year the number is over 1,100. Police have said they believe a handful of people are responsible for the vast majority of the thefts and they suspect they are moving around the city with specialized tools to remove the bolts connecting the hooks to the bins.

Each hook costs around $50, but the city has saved money by repairing damaged bins with hooks left over from old trash bins that had been removed in recent years. Despite this saving, the city estimates that the thefts cost about $50 per hook in labor. An even more expensive alternative would be to pay a welder to weld the hooks to the sides of the trash bins. Though it would prevent the petty theft, the time and labor involved would be significant.

The police say that the payoff for the criminals is small, but that apparently hasn't worked to deter the crime. Each hook weights 22 pounds and would fetch the thief a little more than $2 at a scrap yard.

In response, the police have begun patrolling alleys, checking surveillance cameras and generally keeping a closer eye on scrap yards to see if they can catch those responsible. A new law was passed in January which some hoped would help with the problem as it required those selling scrap metal to show identification. The ordinance will eventually require scrap dealers to create a database of all transactions which will be made available to police. In the mean time, police will be busy keeping a watchful eye on the city's garbage.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don't hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Trash bin hook thefts skyrocketing in St. Louis," by Joel Currier, published at STLToday.com.

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Reports from the University of Missouri-St. Louis reveal that two not-so-esteemed students have been charged with library theft, a felony, after campus police say they stole about 70 books from the student library. Before you get excited thinking the two simply had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, it's important to note that they stole the books so they could later sell them on the Internet.

Larry McCoy, 39, and Danielle Campbell, 28, were charged last week and their bail set at $15,000 each. The scheme came to light when a physics professor at an entirely different university, Western Illinois, called the dean of the library in St. Louis to let them know that he had purchased a book on eBay that appeared to belong to the school. Campus police then launched an investigation which revealed that the book was in fact owned by the school. They then tracked the address of the sender to Campbell and began to close in on the students.

The two stole and ultimately attempted to sell 71 books on eBay. Campbell checked out 32 of the books under her student ID while McCoy checked out the remaining 39. The two were finally cornered by the police and confessed to checking out and then selling all but 15 of the books online.

Police have said that the total value of the stolen books was about $7,100. According to Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 570:

"A person commits the crime of stealing if he or she appropriates property or services of another with the purpose to deprive him or her thereof, either without his or her consent or by means of deceit or coercion."

Police are making the case that's exactly what happened here and the value of the stolen books means that the two face potentially serious trouble. Missouri law stipulates that in any case where the value of the stolen property exceeds $500 but is less than $25,000, a Class C felony has occurred.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don't hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "University of Missouri-St. Louis students arrested after selling library books on eBay," by Christine Byers, published at STLToday.com.

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A convenience store in the St. Louis area recently pled guilty to seven criminal charges involving the sale of illegal drugs and was assessed the largest criminal fine ever handed down to a corporation in the area. The incident also marked the first time that such a criminal fee was paid by a corporation in St. Clair County.

The company at the center of the incident is the Midwest Fuel Center Inc. of East St. Louis, which also does business as Crown Food Mart. The convenience store chain was ultimately fined $100,000 due to its violation of criminal laws dealing with illegal drugs.

The seven charges the corporation pled guilty to involve synthetic drugs sold at three of its East St. Louis stores. All three locations were raided by police in April of this year after reports surfaced about illegal drugs being sold from the stores. Though the initial focus of the investigation was on synthetic drugs, the investigation also revealed that the company was in possession of other drugs such as Viagra and Cialis without a license to prescribe or dispense such drugs. The three stores were located on Collinsville Avenue, State Street at 83rd Street and River Park Drive.

The corporation pled guilty to unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession with intent to deliver a look-alike substance, unlawful possession with intent to deliver a legend drug, or prescription drug, offering for sale a misbranded article, drug paraphernalia sale, permitting the unlawful use of a building and maintaining a public nuisance.

The investigation was conducted by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department's Drug Tactical Unit and resulted from a desire to target criminal activity linked to violent crimes in East St. Louis. Prosecutors said that the conviction represents the first in that county under the state's Controlled Substance Analog law which was passed in 2011 and meant to target those producing and distributing synthetic drugs.

The prosecution was meant to serve as a kind of warning to other companies who might be inclined to turn a blind eye to criminal activity taking place on their premises. The funds will go towards the county's police department and will be used to improve enforcement against other violators. The St. Clair County Sheriff's Drug Tactical Unit's Drug Asset Forfeiture Fund and the St. Clair County State's Attorney's Drug Asset Forfeiture Fund will each get about $18,000. The newly formed Metro East Police District will get $54,000.

Though a $100,000 fine sounds bad enough, that's likely not the end of this story. Prosecutors said chargers are still pending against individuals involved the sale of illegal drugs, this deal only involved the corporation's responsibility.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don't hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Judge fines East St. Louis convenience store company $100,000 in drug case," by Carolyn P. Smith, published at BND.com.

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A recent case before the U.S. Supreme Court will result in a clarification regarding rules of double jeopardy in the criminal justice system. The case involves a man, Lamar Evans, who was acquitted of burning down a vacant house after the judge presiding over his trial incorrectly required prosecutors to prove more than they had to.

The Supreme Court must now decide whether Evans can be tried again for the crime following the botched first attempt. A decision will likely have to wait until the end of June, but it could be an important one, creating an exception to what has been a steadfast rule against suspected criminals being tried twice for the same crime.

When the hearing was conducted earlier this week, the justices appeared torn over how to balance the protection afforded by the double jeopardy rule against the danger of setting guilty people free by refusing to allow prosecutors to try the case a second time.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that he always understood the rule to require that prosecutors get one fair shot to convict someone. However, he said, "It does seem to me that if they had been thrown out of court because of a legal error, it's not a fair shot." Justice Elena Kagan asked whether the defense attorney's client might have gotten a "windfall" through a wrongful acquittal. "Your client walks away the winner when he shouldn't have," she said.

In Evans' case, two officers in Detroit caught him in 2008 running with a can of gasoline away from a burning house. Investigators later found that gas had been poured across various rooms to accelerate the fire. Evans' lawyer at the time pushed for the judge to instruct prosecutors to prove that the house was a dwelling at the time of the fire, even though state law did not require such evidence. The government was unable to meet the burden of proof and the judge then said that Evans was acquitted.

The Michigan Supreme Court later ruled 4-3 that Evans should be retried because the original acquittal was based on an error of law that did not address the facts of the specific crime. Because the problem was a legal one and not a factual one, the Michigan Court said there was no double jeopardy problem.

Evans' lawyers appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying that legal errors do not prevent an acquittal from being a final ruling on a case, thus closing the door to a future second trial. Defense attorneys from around the country have voiced support for Evans' appeal saying that double jeopardy has acted as an ironclad rule for more than a century and should be upheld.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don't hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Supreme Court weighs limit on double jeopardy rule," by Jonathan Stempel, published at Reuters.com.

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A man in St. Louis is now facing felony animal abuse charges after police connected him to a crime involving a dog that was shot 12 times, strangled with an electrical cord and thrown into a dumpster.

The man, Ron Jackson, was arrested earlier this week by the mayor's new Animal Cruelty Task Force (which we previously wrote about here). The crime was uncovered back in September when an employee of the city found the dog and called a rescue center given the obvious abuse it had suffered.

The dog's back legs are now paralyzed thanks to a bullet lodged near his spine, yet despite the injuries he has made a remarkable recovery The dog was given a donated cart to use so he can still walk and is currently living with the shelter's founder.

The Animal Cruelty Task Force has trumpeted the news of the arrest saying that bringing to justice the abuser of the poor dog proves that the task force is making the city safer. The recent arrest is far from the only one initiated by the task force. Numbers released indicate that the task force has averaged one arrest per week since it was created in late September.

The task force was created in large part due to an animal abuse case earlier this year that received significant media attention. The case involved Darick Dashon Stallworth mutilating, starving, and ultimately killing five dogs. After pleading guilty to three felony counts of animal abuse and two misdemeanor counts of animal neglect, Judge Margaret Neill sentenced Stallworth to four years for three felony animal abuse counts to be served concurrently and 15 days for two misdemeanor animal neglect counts to be served concurrently, really throwing the book at Stallworth for his animal abuse.

While officials say that animal abuse can be a strong indicator of other criminal behavior, it is of some concern the way that law enforcement officials broadly paint those accused of animal cruelty with a broad, criminal brush. If you or someone you care about is being investigated or has been charged with animal cruelty you will need an experienced Missouri criminal defense lawyer to protect your legal rights. Animal cruelty charges can carry serious penalties including jail time, heavy fines and a permanent criminal record.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don't hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Man Arrested for Shooting Dog Twelve Times," published at StLouis.CBSLocal.com.

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News reports indicate that a St. Louis, Missouri woman, Chrice Shunta Combs, 32, was recently sentenced to a whopping 16 years in federal prison for robbing three cash advance stores in 2010.

The robberies occurred in Illinois at several locations of "The Cash Store." Combs was armed with a handgun and a knife when she robbed branches of the payday loan company over a four month time period. Beyond simply serving time, Combs was ordered to repay the $10,125 she stole from the stores.

Combs was charged and ultimately pled guilty over the summer to three counts of interference with commerce by violence in the commission of a robbery as well as one gun charge.

18 USC § 1951 is the section of federal law that deals with such crimes and it says that:

"Whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires so to do, or commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both."

In this instance, prosecutors successfully sought both jail time and a fine. Prosecutors made their case by bringing forward employees of the stores who described the terrifying experience of being robbed at gunpoint. Some said they would never be able to forget the fear they felt and others mentioned how they worry every time a new customer walks through the door.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don't hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "St. Louis woman gets 16 years for three robberies," by Robert Patrick, published at STLToday.com.

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A St. Louis alderwoman has begun pushing a new law which will require that people get a prescription for cold and allergy pills containing pseudoephedrine, a decongestant commonly used to make methamphetamine.

Democrat Jennifer Florida has said that a recent discovery of two meth labs in her district prompted her concern. While these labs are typically found only in rural areas, the city of St. Louis increasingly is facing problems associated with meth manufacturing. Florida co-sponsored a similar measure back in 2010 but it never even received hearing. Now, times have changed and approximately 70 Missouri communities currently require prescriptions for pseudoephedrine products. Despite this movement, state lawmakers have so far failed to pass a statewide prescription-only law.

The issue of increased meth lab activity was highlighted recently after two fires occurred in Franklin County, Missouri. The fires happened at the end of last month and were the result of meth labs. One fire erupted at a motel in Stanton, forcing the entire complex to be evacuated. The lab was tiny, consisting only of one pot found in a freezer in the room. One man connected with the lab was arresting but charges have not yet been filed. Only a week later a fire ripped through a vacant home in Labadie, Missouri and investigators later discovered a one-pot meth lab that was deemed responsible.

As other street drugs become harder to get, homemade small meth labs are springing up across Missouri and police are anticipating increased meth raids in the future. If the men involved in the recent incidents have no yet retained an experienced criminal defense attorney, they need to do so immediately. The charges against them are very serious and the penalties they will now be facing are severe. Their defense should not be left in the hands of inexperienced attorneys, but instead the capable hands of skilled criminal defense professionals.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don't hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "St. Louis alderwoman wants anti-meth law," by The Associated Press, published at SacBee.com.

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According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, the FBI is on the hunt for a serial bank robber thought to be responsible for heists in eight states, most recently two in Columbia and St. Louis, MO.

The man has been dubbed the "Bucket List Bandit" after he passed a note to a teller claiming he had only months to live. Law enforcement officials have said the specific wording of the note is not known because the bandit took it back. It wasn't clear if the bandit wanted the money for medical care or for spending money during the course of his final few months of life.

Thankfully, no one has been hurt in any of the robberies and officials are keeping quiet about how much money the man has gotten away with. Turns out before embarking his bank-robbing spree, the man should have stopped to consult with the economists at the Royal Statistical Society and American Statistical Association. The two groups recently published a study on the economics of bank robbery and determined the crime doesn't pay off in the end.

The researchers looked at the average loot from a bank robbery in the U.K. over a three-year period and found it came to only $31,786. Maybe not terrible, but not much given the risk associated with the crime. The researchers went further; determining that there were on average 1.6 robbers involved in each heist, which meant the total per robber came to only $19,865.

The numbers were even worse for American criminals, with the average robbery netting criminals only $4,330. Going one step further shows just how bad a decision bank robbery actually is. The group says that a full one third of attempted bank robberies failed, often resulting in lengthy prison terms, thus further diminishing any expected payout. The conclusion is clear: you're better off sticking with minimum wage jobs and avoiding the terrible cost of losing your freedom.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a crime in the St. Louis area contact our St. Louis Criminal Defense Firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "'Bucket List Bandit' Sought By FBI," by Jim Salter, published at HuffingtonPost.com.

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According to recent and very troubling report out of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, drug cases in the area are met with a 6-8 month delay in the lab. The county lab is located in Clayton and services every police department in the county, a few federal agencies, and the Major Case Squad. The problem appears to be too much work and too few resources to handle it.

In 2009, the St. Louis lab tested 716 drug cases. This year, so far, they've analyzed 2,989 cases. That represents an alarming jump, and the year is only slightly more than halfway done. The influx of cases can partially be tied to increasing enforcement by police who are interested in cracking down on drug crimes. Also, the staff of the lab has been cut due to budget issues which is putting strain on those left behind.

Though increasing the staff is the long-term goal, in the meantime, officials have asked prosecutors to only order tests on cases they actually plan to prosecute. Previously, every suspected drug confiscated by local law enforcement would come through the lab, this despite the fact that prosecutors typically do not pursue charges in 40% of the cases. The wasted tests represented an enormous and unnecessary expenditure of both time and money.

Officials have said they are also considering field test kits for police. Lab tests would still be needed, but a field test would be enough probable cause to go forward with charges while they wait for confirmation from the lab. This would allow defendants to get into treatment or discuss a plea bargain in the meantime, rather than be held in limbo while out on bond.

The problem is unfortunately not just a local one. The Bureau of Justice Statistics recently released the results of a 2009 national survey of publicly funded crime labs. Their findings were very worrisome for those whose future rests on the results of the tests:

• During 2009, the 411 federal, state, county and municipal labs operating that year received over 4 million requests for a wide range of forensic services. • At the end of 2009, the nation's publicly funded crime labs had an estimated backlog of 1.2 million requests for forensic services, which was relatively unchanged from the backlog at yearend 2008. • Of the 1,153,700 backlogged requests at the end of 2009, "forensic biology" (mostly DNA) was the main driver, with 494,400 offender/arrestee samples waiting to be processed, and 399,300 backlogged requests relating to investigating criminal cases. That's 77.5% of crime lab backlogs attributed to "forensic biology." Controlled substance testing registered the third largest portion of the backlog, with 121,800 pending requests.

The problem is a big one as defendants have a constitutional right to a speedy trial and if an accused person cannot afford to post bail, long delays in processing evidence lead to a protracted period waiting in jail for a trial. Defendants whose rights are compromised by a long wait to process evidence may even feel compelled to plea bargain and accept responsibility for crimes they did not commit, just to hurry the process along and get out of jail sooner.

In circumstances like these, individuals accused of crimes need the advice of an experienced criminal defense attorney. If you find yourself in need of a Missouri criminal defense lawyer capable of aggressively protecting your interests, contact our St. Louis criminal defense law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Crime Lab Backup Hinders Missouri Drug War," by Christine Byers, published at Officer.com.

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Missouri teenager Eric Bogard, of Creve Coeur, now faces two charges related to the alleged use of a laser pointer during Monday night's St. Louis Cardinals baseball game against the San Francisco Giants.

Bogard, a 17-year-old Ladue Horton Watkins High School student, was charged with disturbing the peace at an athletic event and violating the harassment section of an ordinance regulating possession and use of lasers. Bogard was a member of the school's lacrosse team.

Bogard's attorney has come forward and said there was no criminal intent, that the incident was only one of a bunch of young men doing immature things. Bogard is now paying the price for his immaturity, and was arrested after being personally identified by the Cardinals' Manager Mike Matheny as the person responsible for shining the green laser at the opposing team's pitcher. Bogard was released after posting $150 bail shortly after 1:20 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The teen was sitting in a private suite owned by Mercy Health where police said they encountered resistance while trying to investigate the incident. Most of the occupants of the box were teens.

Matheny said Tuesday he was shocked by what he witnessed. The Giant's pitcher was winding up when Matt Holliday saw a laser on his jersey. The umpire quickly called a timeout while a few people searched the crowd for the culprit. Play was resumed a few moments later. Not content with just joking the one time, Bogard apparently started up again, resulting in the whole dugout jumping up and looking for the perpetrator.

Matheny eventually spotted Bogard, making eye contact with the teen. Once he'd been caught, Matheny says the boy laughed, waved and pointed the laser back on the field yet again.

Matheny said the incident was likely one of boys being stupid, but pointed out that it's impossible to know whether it was a prank or a shooter in a crowded stadium. "It's a crazy world right now," Matheny said. "You start seeing lasers and big crowds. I don't think the kid knew the severity of what he was really doing. But there were a couple things that could have really gone bad there."

In addition to the criminal charges which have been filed against Bogard, the Cardinals said the incident will be raised with the suite owner, which could face a revocation of privileges.

If you've had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a Missouri criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don't hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.

Source: "Laser-pointing incident at ballgame leads to fan's arrest," by Christine Byers, published at STLToday.com.

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