On Friday, the parents of two young boys who authorities allege tried to trade their children for money, or possibly drugs, have entered a plea of no contest to charges of felony attempted child abandonment. Lancaster residents Vincent Calogero and Sarah Nilson, the parents of two toddlers, were reportedly under…
The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
Woman Fighting Charges for DUI on Horseback Loses Custody of Animal
A Florida woman caught allegedly riding her horse while highly intoxicated in early November is now facing additional charges, and the loss of custody of her horse when a judge deemed she was unfit to provide proper care for the animal. Donna Byrne was celebrating her 53rd birthday on November…
Mother Attending Christmas Dinner Locks Child Out of House for Hours
A single mother of four in North Carolina is facing charges after locking the door to her house with while she attended a Christmas gathering while her 10-year-old son was unable to get into the home. The boy had allegedly spent near five hours outside in the time she was…
Fight over Consumed Cookies Leads to Battery Charges
In Port St. Lucie, Florida, a man who was furious that there were no chocolate chip cookies left in the house reportedly vented his anger by punching his girlfriend in the face. On December 14, 31-year-old Richard Anthony Hessic confronted his girlfriend, whom he has been with for three years,…
Elderly Couple on Christmas Road Trip Caught with 60 Pounds of Marijuana
A Clearlake Oaks, California, couple driving across the country to deliver Christmas presents to family members are now facing felony charges, when the gifts they were planning to hand out were allegedly identified by police as packages collectively containing 60 pounds of marijuana. 80-year-old Patrick Jiron accompanied by his wife,…
Teen who Shared Provocative Photo on Snapchat Facing Child Pornography Charges
In Minnesota, a teenage girl is facing criminal charges for distribution of child pornography when she shared a racy selfie with a male friend on a popular smartphone-based social media application. The case has caught the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota (ACLU) who are lending their…
Father-in-Law with Frightening Toupee Facing Felony Charges
A New York man has been accused of harassing his son-in-law by instigating him with his hairpiece, which the victim believes holds a great resemblance to a cartoon character he has feared since childhood. Mazen Dayem, a Staten Island man, has a self-proclaimed lifelong phobia of the Loony Tunes licensed…
Man Arrested as Suspect for More Than 20 Package Thefts in Irvine
On Tuesday, December 19, police arrested a man who they believe participated in 20 or more package thefts throughout several Irvine neighborhoods. As reported by the Irvine Police Department, after home video surveillance cameras picked up footage of a man stealing delivered packages off doorsteps in Irvine, authorities released photos…
Student Recants Previous Refusal to Report Alleged Sex with Teacher
A Beaumont, California teacher is facing charges for allegations that she had sexual relations with a student on various occasions. She was also reported to have supplied alcohol for the encounters. Samantha Ciotta began working as an English teacher at Beaumont High School in 2015. In August this year, a…
Mothers Boyfriend Accused of Beating Child for Opening Christmas Present Early
An Oklahoma man who was left to care for his girlfriend’s child as she ran errands on Saturday is suspected of causing injuries to the boy by striking him as punishment for opening a Christmas present early without permission. Bridgette Payne enlisted her boyfriend, Wesley McCollum, to babysit her 5-year-old…