After a night out with some friends turned into a scuffle outside of a local club, the police were called and charged a 21-year-old man with misdemeanor offenses of obstruction and disorderly intoxication when he attempted to flee the scene. The young man was already on probation for a previous battery conviction and these new charges would constitute a probation violation. If convicted of these new charges, he could potentially serve a one-year sentence for the earlier battery case, in addition to the 14-months he faced for the obstruction and disorderly charges. Nervous about such a lengthy sentence, he knew that he needed strong legal representation and retained the services of Erika Valcarcel, Criminal Defense Lawyer, P.A..
Attorney Erika Valcarcel consulted with her client and it became clear that the young man was a hard worker with two jobs and came from a loving family, but his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues directly contributed to his legal troubles. Valcarcel began discussions with the prosecutor’s office and arranged for her client to participate in counseling as well as drug and alcohol treatment. Then attorney Valcarcel negotiated to have the probation for the prior battery conviction lifted. This removed the fear of the probation violation and the client agreed to a new 12-month probation period to cover the new charges. This was an outstanding result for the client, who was free to get the genuine help he needed to treat his illness without worrying about serving time.
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"Erika Valcarcel, Criminal Defense Lawyer, P.A. is the best you will find. Erika Valcarcel is completely honest and straightforward. She took a huge burden off my shoulders many times during difficult periods of my life knowing that she was doing everything that that could and should be done. Her knowledge is extensive and her advice has always been right on the mark. She is worth every penny of the fee she charges. You cannot go wrong securing her services."
Joni A. | Sarasota County
Domestic Violence Charges Dismissed in 10 Days
When a client was arrested for battery after an altercation with his girlfriend, he immediately contacted attorney Erika Valcarcel. The client was adamant that the entire situation was a misunderstanding, but nevertheless he was looking at a domestic violence conviction and potentially up to a year in jail. We acted fast on his behalf and discussed the situation with the State attorney’s office. We informed the prosecutor that our client's girlfriend did not want to proceed and highlighted the weaknesses in their case. Once they were aware of these developments, we successfully arranged to have the charges dismissed. This was all before our client's first court date and impressively all done within 10 days of the initial arrest.
