Criminal Defense Attorney in U.S. Federal & Florida and Illinois Courts

“God Forgives, Outlaws Don’t.” Federal Criminal Forfeiture 101

US v. Joshua N. Bowser.  Appeal of:  Bradley W. Carlson.  No. 15-2258.       This appeal involves the government’s efforts to seize personal property bearing the insignia of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club (the “Outlaws”), and the effort of a representative of the Outlaws to intervene to prevent those forfeitures. The forfeiture actions stemmed from criminal cases brought against…

Writ of Coram Nobis – Boilerplate Rules You Need to Know!!

US v. Brian Wilkozek, No. 15-1537.    In 2003 Brian Wilkozek pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud for his participation in a mortgage-fraud scheme. By the time the third-party lenders uncovered the scheme, all they could do was foreclose and sell the properties. They suffered losses of more than $700,000.     After Wilkozek was caught and…

28 U.S.C. § 455 – Judge’s Failure to Recuse Himself Leads to REVERSAL

US v. Jose Herrera-Valdez, No. 14-3534 Jose Gustavo Herrera-Valdez was prosecuted for illegal reentry after being deported. Before trial, he filed a motion to disqualify the District Court Judge from presiding over his prosecution because the judge served as the District Counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) at the time Herrera-Valdez was deported.  Because we…