60-Year-Old Woman Avoids Prison Term After Violating House Arrest

Previously, attorney Erika Valcarcel represented a 60-year-old woman from Sarasota County after being charged with a 2nd-degree felony leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury. This prior case resulted in house arrest and probation instead of prison; however, she was recently charged with violating the terms of her house arrest by leaving her home. With this sort of violation, a person is typically unlikely to receive a bond allowing them out of jail pending trial. Considering the lack of bond and the seriousness of this new charge, the woman was facing a lengthy prison sentence, so she again called upon the legal services of criminal defense attorney Erika Valcarcel.

The client’s court date was originally scheduled for a month away, but Attorney Valcarcel secured an earlier court date to avoid any unnecessary time in jail and argued that mitigating circumstances relating to her violation should be considered. Specifically, her client had not left her home for a frivolous reason, rather she was needed at work at an unscheduled time. The court took this fact into account and resolved the issue by issuing that the client return to house arrest with the added condition of an electronic ankle monitor. The client was pleased to return home instead of spending considerable time in prison.

The outcome of an individual case depends on a variety of factors unique to that case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any similar or future case.