Category: News

On November 21, 2015, Chicago criminal defense attorney Michael J. Petro successfully suppressed the admission of a gun in a Chicago courtroom.  Mr. Petro presented one witness and cross examined a ten year veteran Chicago Police Officer.  Mr. Petro expects this will lead to the dismissal of all eight criminal charges by the Cook County State’s […]

PRESS RELEASE (Chicago) – On November 18, 2015, Chicago Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Michael J. Petro will argue in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.  US v. Acasio Sanchez, 15-1356.  In his brief, Mr. Petro argues that the district court improperly sentenced Mr. Sanchez by applying the “stash house” enhancement in the United States Sentencing Guidelines.  This error […]

U.S. v. Richarson, No. 14-1901 In this case, due to a federal detainer the defendant was indicted on a felony charge of being in possession of both firearms and illegal possession of a submachine gun following receiving time served on state charges. United States v. Richardson, 780 F.3d 812, 814 (2015). The defendant motioned to […]

US v. Herberto Pulgar,  No. 14-3503 . Drug-distribution conspiracies hold a unique position in our legal sufficiency jurisprudence. In these special cases, we will overturn a conviction when the plausibility of a mere buyer-seller arrangement is the same as the plausibility of a drug-distribution conspiracy. See United States v. Johnson, 592 F.3d 749, 755 (7th Cir. […]

United States v. Townsend. No. 13-2677. Background. Louis Townsend pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon and was sentenced to 71 months in prison. He challenges his sentence on several grounds, but the government questions whether the appeal is timely. Townsend’s deadline for filing a notice of appeal was July 22, 2013. On […]