Recently, a Sarasota County man faced allegations regarding a New England home posted on a rental site. He allegedly rented out the home to a customer of the rental service and accepted their money, which totaled around $2,600. After the rental service customer realized the home was still up for rent, she contacted the authorities, who later traced the money to the man’s account. Realizing the trouble he was in for this offense – which was classified as grand theft – and a potential scam that included similar offenses, the man knew he needed a skilled criminal defense lawyer to help him with his case. This is what brought him to Erika Valcarcel, Criminal Defense Lawyer, P.A..
Though the client was a first-time offender, the state was aiming to sentence attorney Erika Valcarcel’s client to six months in jail. Wanting to avoid this result for her client, attorney Valcarcel immediately got to work negotiating with the prosecutor, making the argument that jail time for her client would mean the rental service customer would not receive any of her money back. After paying the full amount he owed back to the woman, attorney Valcarcel’s client was placed on 18 months of probation with no jail time. In addition, the man received a withhold of adjudication. This means he can get his record sealed, and that he is not considered a convicted felon.
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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.
