Syracuse Criminal Law Blog

When a young individual in New York faces charges for criminal activity, there are certain practices that are undertaken by the judicial system to protect that person so that the activity does not follow them for the rest of their life. For example, under current New York law, when an individual aged 15 or younger is accused of participating in a crime they usually are handled in the family court system. They are not ever formally charged, and the outcome is not considered a conviction. The records are then sealed which means they are kept private and are not easily reopened.

A recent case is making New York lawmakers reconsider the current legislation that seals juvenile records of criminal activity involving sexual offenses. In this case, a 29-year-old man is currently awaiting trial for criminal charges involving raping a 10-year-old and killing a librarian. The man had a juvenile record, but when he was arrested in January the details of his juvenile crime were not known. It was only when a woman came forward a few months later and told authorities that she was allegedly the victim of a sex-related offense involving the man when he was 15-years-old, that the man's juvenile record was brought to light.

It is a common occurrence for residents of Syracuse to go out with their friends to have a good time. Sometimes these festivities involve the consumption of alcohol. What drivers need to keep in mind when consuming alcohol is that if they drink too much and get behind the wheel of their car to drive somewhere, they may be charged with DWI. Although drivers may not feel like they have had enough alcohol to impact their driving, that may not truly be the case. It is the drivers' blood alcohol content level, not the way they feel, that determines whether they will be charged with drunk driving.

An 88-year-old man was recently charged with DWI after he crashed into some scaffolding while driving his vehicle. His wife was shocked when she heard the news as she thought he was just spending time with a friend. The man was driving through Rockefeller Center around 4:00 in the afternoon when he allegedly struck another vehicle and then swerved into some scaffolding.

The crimes of larceny and theft include a broad category of criminal activities that involve the taking of another person's property without that person's permission. While larceny has been merged into general theft statutes in most states, New York has codified larceny under article 155 of the penal law and other theft offenses under article 165 of the penal law. Due to the many types and various degrees of larceny and theft, resulting penalties for a conviction can vary dramatically.

According to a recent news report, two teenagers in Syracuse are facing various charges, including grand larceny. According to authorities, officers spotted the teenagers driving a vehicle near the intersection of Almond and Adams Streets that matched the description of a truck that recently had been reported stolen. The arresting officer signaled the vehicle to stop, but the driver allegedly refused. The chase ended when the truck crashed into a guide rail and a light pole near Brighton Avenue.

When an individual is facing criminal charges, it can be a scary and lonely time. In cases involving alleged criminal activity, the prosecution is gathering information to build a case against the accused. However, it is often not only the prosecution that is building this case but also the media and society. In situations like this it is very important for a defendant to have a strong criminal defense. This is especially true in the case of accusations involving sex crimes against children and can be particularly damaging to the reputation of a defendant.

One Syracuse man is currently facing felony charges for allegedly soliciting sex from underage girls. According to reports, the man believed he was texting a 14-year-old girl. He allegedly promised the young girl that he would give her marijuana, alcohol, money and clothes in exchange for sex. Reports state that the man also asked the 14-year-old girl to bring a 6-year-old girl with her. In actuality, the man was texting with an undercover police officer.