A grand jury investigation into female genital mutilation has expanded to three more states — including Illinois — as federal agents identify additional Doctor suspects. The new targets of the investigation reportedly live in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Female genital mutilation is defined as the intentional injury or alteration to female genitals for […]
Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney Michael J. Petro provides a useful map for analyzing murders in Chicago neighborhoods in 2016. In the chart below, Mike analyzes how Chicago neighborhood gun crime correlates with murders committed in the City of Chicago. Summer is a bittersweet time for Chicago. The city celebrates the beautiful lakefront, the Taste of […]
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 […]
U.S. v PFEIFFER, Case No. 04 CR 793, U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois, Eastern Division. (Editor’s note: This is a District Court decision NOT 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.) April 7, 2016 In 2007, Brian Pfeiffer pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, Ecstasy. Pfeiffer now moves to expunge the records […]
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, v. LESHAWN STANBRIDGE, No. 15-2686. LeShawn Stanbridge appeals his conviction for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The drugs had been found in Stanbridge’s car after police in Quincy, Illinois, detained him on the ground that he committed a traffic offense by not signaling continuously for 100 feet before pulling alongside the curb […]
People of the State of Illinois v. Eduardo Lerma, No. 118496. Editor’s Note – This is an Illinois Supreme Court Opinion. The issue is whether, in light of the specific facts and circumstances of this case, the circuit court of Cook County abused its discretion when it denied defendant’s motion to allow expert testimony concerning […]
(Editors Note: Chicago Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Michael J. Petro represented Mr. Sanchez in the District Court and in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.) Acasio Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and cocaine, 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and was sentenced below the guidelines range to […]
PRESS RELEASE (Chicago). On December 9, 2015 Chicago Federal Defense Attorney Michael J. Petro filed a brief in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of his client Charles Thomas. US v. Charles Thomas, 15-1142. In sum, Mr. Thomas states that the district court erred in applying the United States Sentencing Guidelines Section 3C1.1 […]
PRESS RELEASE (Chicago). On December 4, 2015, Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney Michael J. Petro won a trial in a Bridgeview court room. Before trial, the Cook County State’s Attorneys’ Office was forced to admit that a key Chicago Police Officer witness was fired because the officer was convicted of a crime! Despite this incredible change of […]
PRESS RELEASE (Chicago). On December 15, 2015, Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney Michael J. Petro won a Fourth Amendment Motion to Suppress Evidence in a Chicago courtroom. At the hearing, Mr. Petro proved that the Chicago Police illegally stopped and search his clients vehicle. At the hearing, a passenger in the vehicle testified that there was no reason to stop and […]