DC Criminal Lawyer Blog

A woman was raped in northwest DC near Washington Circle early on the morning of October 7th near the Embassy of Spain, police have confirmed. Police have not identified a suspect in the sexual assault, but have released a description of the woman's attacker.

The woman was forced into an alley at a location on the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue just prior to the assault. The alley in which the woman was assaulted provides access to a garage entrance to the Spanish Embassy, so several closed circuit security cameras were operating in the vicinity of the attack. Officer Istmania Bouilla told press that police were called to the scene just before 2 a.m., but did not say whether the incident or the suspect were caught on camera.

The rape occurred near George Washington University, but law enforcement officials did not disclose whether the rape victim is a student at the school. Officials at George Washington University sent out a campus alert later that day to warn students about the attack.

Police say the woman's attacker is a Hispanic male, weighing between 135 and 145 pounds and standing at around 5 feet, 9 inches tall. The suspect has short black hair and wore a black jacket and blue jeans. Authorities say the man was not acquainted with the victim prior to the attack. Anyone with information regarding the incident or about the suspect is urged to call police at 202-727-9099.

This article is presented by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, serving Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC. For more information, please visit our Maryland Criminal Attorney and Washington DC Criminal Lawyer websites.

An accusation of sexual crimes in the District of Columbia is a serious matter and can result in significant consequences for a suspect. Hard-working and knowledgeable DC criminal lawyers are experienced in dealing with sex offense accusations and are well-informed in properly handling matters of this nature. A DC criminal lawyer understands that an accusation alone, regardless of the outcome, carries potentially disastrous social ramifications. Such are the circumstances of a recent case in Washington DC where a Catholic priest was removed from his position after allegations of sexual misconduct with young girls surfaced.

Father Michael Schapfel served as a Catholic chaplain of a girls' movement abroad during the 1980s and 1990s. Once through with the movement, he moved back to the United States and worked as a priest at a Catholic church in Washington, DC. However, multiple sex crime allegations against Father Schapfel arose in the past month, prompting civil authorities from abroad to call Father Schapfel back for trial. Foreign officials stated that when they released Father Schapfel to the United States in 2004, they were unaware that the girl was a minor.

These sexual allegations against Father Schapfel come as a surprise to many. According to a letter from the Diocese of Mainz, the priest had no known criminal background, nor any prior behavior that would make him appear to be unfit to be around children. On the contrary, Father Schapfel attended a child protection training program and signed a contract agreeing to uphold its policies. Investigations are ongoing in both the United States and abroad.

Facing accusations of engaging in a sex crime in DC or internationally is a traumatic experience for one to go through. Enlisting the services of a hard-working and experienced legal defense to protect your personal liberties and freedoms can help mitigate the impact of these or similar charges. Contacting a practiced DC criminal defense lawyer immediately will ensure the highest quality legal advice and defense against accusations of this magnitude.

This article is presented by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, representing clients in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Maryland Sex Crime Attorneys and Virginia Sex Offense Lawyers websites.

Throughout the legal career of an experienced Washington DC criminal lawyer, it is common to represent a number of individuals who have been accused of a variety of criminal charges. This becomes an increasingly complicated and delicate situation when the accused person has an influential or very public occupation, such as a celebrity, politician, or police officer. In a recent case with similar circumstances, a woman is currently claiming that she was raped numerous times by a Washington DC police officer wearing his uniform the entire time.

The thirty-five year-old woman maintains that the law enforcement official not only intimidated her, but sexually assaulted and raped her several times while he was on duty. The admitted drug addict and prostitute phoned 911 in late February after she believed she was wrongfully evicted from her home. As her story goes, the officer accused of DC sex offense charges is the one that responded to her call. Allegedly, the policeman offered to help her keep her home, but informed her that not only was her house under surveillance, but she was required to become a drug informant.

What happened during the DC police officer's repeated trips to the woman's home is the central topic of the internal investigation being currently conducted. Although the woman contends that she complied with the sexual acts out of fear, because of her background in drugs and prostitution, the question of consent will weigh heavily upon the results. If any wrongdoing is determined, the officer in question could face suspension from the force, or potentially lose his job. Currently, he has been moved from active duty to behind a clerical desk while the investigation continues.

This article is presented by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, representing clients in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Maryland Criminal Attorney and Virginia Criminal Attorney website.

Practicing law in a metropolitan area, it is common for an experienced Washington DC Criminal Defense Lawyer to represent a number of individuals who have been accused of criminal charges, namely sexual crimes. Some of the most scandalous of all sexual crimes are the relations occurring between a teacher and student. Although educator-pupil sexual relationships are taboo and illegal throughout the country, Washington DC currently has no laws barring it, as long as the student is over the age of sixteen.

Today, the DC Council considered passing emergency legislation that would require the metropolitan public schools to fire all teachers who have been accused of DC sex crimes with a student, regardless of the pupil's age. This bill, brought forth by Councilman Kwame Brown, is in response to the impregnation of an eighteen year-old special needs student by a teacher. Although the unidentified teacher was fired in October for his actions, because the impregnated student was over the age of sixteen, no criminal charges will be brought against him.

The head of the DC office of the American Civil Liberties Union, Art Spitzer, noted that similar laws are already in place. In Washington DC, it is a crime for hospital, nursing home, or group home workers to have sexual relations with patients--the addition of school officials to that list would not present a significant problem. However, the legislation would have to be specifically focused on educators who have direct supervision and interaction with the students they have sex with.

This article is presented by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, representing clients in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Maryland Criminal Lawyer and Virginia Criminal Lawyer websites.

During the legal career of an experienced Washington DC criminal lawyer, it is likely to help a number of individuals who have been accused of criminal charges, including assault or abuse. Cases of clients represented are similar to the recent DC abuse charges booked against four school teachers.

After DC schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee told a local magazine that of the two hundred and sixty-six educators fired last fall, some were let go because they were abusive or engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with students. The massive firings were done in response to approximately two hundred incidents filed against DC teachers during the 2008-2009 school year, with complaints ranging from corporal punishment to verbal abuse. From that, sixty-nine cases were referred to the Washington DC Police and warrants were issued for DC abuse charges against four teachers.

Washington DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier is downplaying the numbers, however. She commented, "They kept a log, essentially, of anytime someone said, 'Hey, he pushed me.' So it was a log of incidents reported to them. Not all those were criminal cases. Not all of those cases were even sustained incidents." Despite the large number of logged incidents, a vast majority have been tossed or discounted due to a lack of evidence--usually, it is one person's word against another. Because of the ambiguity surrounding the misconduct incidents, these cases become increasingly harder to prosecute. "...attorneys have to make the decision whether they can prosecute the case..." Lainer concluded.

This article is presented by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, representing clients in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Virginia Criminal Attorney and Maryland Criminal Attorney websites.

Individuals charged with sex offenses are among the clients who frequently seek legal defense at our DC criminal lawyer firm. Of the individuals that come into the office, rarely is a story like the Catholic priest who sexually assaulted a young boy. Details regarding the sex offense charges are continuing to surface, however this much is known: Reverend Alejandro Flores, 37, was charged on seven felony counts of child molestation by a county court alleging that he engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with a teenage boy. The sex offenses continued over a five-year period, beginning in January 2005 when the boy was eight years old.

The sexual abuse and sex offenses allegedly began when Flores was assigned to the Catholic Church that the young boy attended. Law enforcement officials also claim that inappropriate sexual contact occurred between Flores and the teen at the boy's home and in Flores's vehicle Additionally, the boyfriend of the abused teen's mother testified that he thought he saw the boy and the priest engaged in sexual contact on
multiple occasions.

Upon hearing of an investigation regarding alleged sexual contact between himself and the teenager, Flores hurled himself from from the balcony of a Joliet church. He jumped approximately twenty feet and landed on some pews. When police officers investigated the scene, they found "a jacket, cell phone, glasses, large knife, and a bottle of liquor" in the balcony where Flores jumped from. The apparent suicide attempt landed him in a Joliet-area hospital for the injuries he sustained in the fall, where he was kept away from children and monitored closely at all times. After his release from the hospital, law enforcement officials arrested Flores.

This article is presented by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, representing clients in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Maryland Criminal Attorney and Virginia Criminal Attorney websites.

Because a Washington DC criminal attorney practices law in a metropolitan area, it is common to represent individuals accused with a variety of criminal charges including sex offenses. However, it is important to take into consideration who the accuser really is--as seen by the example of two small town police officers determined to tarnish each other's names through a string of accusations of criminal charges.

Small-town police chief Michael Meissner was arrested this past September following accusations that he was sending graphic text messages to underage boys, trying to lure them to sex parties. Investigating officer, John Hoskins, discovered over 5,000 inappropriate text messages in which Messiner allegedly attempted to entice young boys to his home with alcohol, drugs, and a video camera. Hoskin's cell phone warrant also discovered that Meissner has received nude pictures of boys under the age of eighteen.

However, a week afterwards, Messiner walked out of the jail a free man. The seven charges and $1.5 million bail against him have been dropped. Hoskins is shocked at the release, while Meissner denies sending any of the messages. Additionally, he believed that Hoskins has trumped up the accusations to attack him personally.

The two men have a feud extending a number of years. Both men are law enforcement officials who have a nomadic career history--Meissner has worked at eighteen different agencies in twenty years. And since 1999, Hoskins has had fourteen separate appointments, never lasting over five months. Although neither man has a perfect reputation among officers, their dislike of one another is well-known.

In 2006, both men applied for the chief of police position a small town of almost two hundred and twenty-five people. Meissner got the job, and hired Hoskins to work for him later. Shortly into his employment under Meissner, Hoskins began investigating whether his boss watched pornography with a minor on a city-owned computer. The investigation hardly began, however, as Hoskins was fired shortly afterwards. Since, the two men have been on a mission to tarnish the other's reputation. Meissner has allegedly called around to various police agencies to either get him fired or prevent him from being hired in the first place. Hoskins has fired back by making a website insulting Meissner and relentlessly investigating the police chief.

Many in the local law enforcement community feel the same way about Meissner as they do about Hoskins, and the accusations they fire against one another. Because it is common knowledge that they are rivals, it is difficult for other officers and investigators to take allegations seriously--portions of the story could be exaggerated or fabricated to spite the other. According to George Spurgeon, an eighteen year police veteran who worked with Meissner and is familiar with Hoskins, "Most of the officers I know would say we'd probably be better off in the law enforcement community if both of them were not police officers." The general dislike of both officers could be a reason why they are both professionally nomadic, and charges against Meissner have been dropped.

This article is presented by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, representing clients in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Maryland Sex Crimes Lawyer and Virginia Sex Crimes Lawyer web pages.

As a Washington DC Criminal Defense Lawyer, it is common to represent clients who have been accused of sexual offense charges. However, it is rare to come across a case where the attorney is the one in custody--such as the case of the metropolitan attorney who has recently been charged with being a sex offender. According to reports, the attorney has been accused of having sexual contact with a fifteen year-old boy.

Forty-six year-old Aaron Biber met the young boy when he was just eleven years old. According to the sex offender charges, Biber had sex with the boy as well as providing him alcohol at his home. Additionally, Biber also sent the teen sexually explicit text messages on numerous occasions. Police finally caught up with Biber, after they learned of the sexual offense. On December 9th, police arranged a taped phone call between the boy and Biber. During which the attorney described his previous sexual relations with the boy, and even asked to meet with him later that night. When Biber drove to meet the teen, police intercepted him.

Aaron Biber has been charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and solicitation of a child to engage in sexual acts. If he is convicted as a sex offender, he faces up to thirty-three years in prison. Bail for Biber was set at $500,000 with the stipulations that he cannot break the law, and must stay away from the victim and his family at all times. Additionally, he is not allowed to have any contact with children under the age of eighteen, except his own children.

Biber's sex offender attorney has called the bail amount "absurd." As stated in court, she believes that Biber's stature and presumed financial status have played a factor in the absorbingly high bail amount.

This post is presented by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, representing clients in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Maryland Criminal Lawyers and Virginia Criminal Lawyers websites.

Throughout the career of an experienced DC criminal lawyer, it is common to represent clients who have been accused of sexual crimes. Conviction of these crimes will place that person on a national registry of sex offenders. Being on that list can have life changing consequences, as seen in a recent crackdown on internet sex crimes.

Several thousand metropolitan sex offenders have been from two major social media sites: Facebook and MySpace. The Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act (e-STOP), passed in 2008, provided for the massive sweeping of all sex offenders registered on social media sites. Under the new law, all convicted sex offenders must register all of their personal information with the state including: online profiles, and home, web, and email addresses. Of the thousands of registered sex offenders, just over a quarter have complied with the e-STOP legislation.

Over 3,500 sex offenders have been kicked out of these social media sites as a wake-up call to for everyone, including parents, young adults, law enforcement agencies, as well as the sites themselves. Additionally, the names of those taken from the sites were reported to the state Division of Parole. This was done to make sure that none of the people with sex offense charges have violated their early release provisions while using the social networking sites. The fact that so many sex offenders were booted from Facebook and MySpace displays a clear message that there is a patrol in the cyber world. Popular social media sites make create an easier environment for sex offenders to connect with people.

Many of those kicked out of Facebook and MySpace sites committed recent sex offenses. One rejected member was convicted of sexually assaulting a fourteen year-old boy, while another was convicted of raping a two year-old girl. State officials felt that this information was important to be public knowledge, and has made it available to the social media sites that want it.

This post is provided by The Law Offices of David Benowitz, representing clients in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. For more information, please visit our Virginia Sex Crimes Lawyer and Maryland Sex Crimes Lawyer web pages.