Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog

Yesterday, as you may know, was the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. It is known as a day of atonement and many Jews, including this one, fast during the holiday. Perhaps it was because of the day’s lack of food that brought my attention to this particular news story.

Antonio J., 35, of Worcester (hereinafter, the “Defendant”), was apparently quite hungry on August 12, 2009. It was, after all, about 6:45pm, which is around dinner time.

The Defendant happened upon a man who was sitting under a tree eating hot dogs in the park. According to the police, the Defendant mumbled something incoherent to the man. He then made his desire known. “Eat that other dog?” the Defendant asked.

“Yes,” the man replied.

“I’m going to eat it,” the Defendant corrected him as he lifted up his shirt and revealed what appeared to be a handgun.

Continue reading "Theft Of Hot Dog Leads To Armed Robbery Charges And Plea Hearing" »

Renowned film director Roman Polanski says he intends to fight efforts to extradite him to the United States on charges that he had sex with a minor in 1977. The 76-year-old filmmaker was apprehended in Switzerland last Saturday where he had arrived to accept a lifetime achievement award that the Zurich Film Festival was going to bestow upon him.

Polanski has been living in exile from the US since he left the country rather than be sentenced for pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a minor. Samantha Geimer, then 13, had accused the director of giving her champagne and a portion of a Quaalude pill before raping her. Although initially indicted on six felony counts, the other charges (which could have resulted in a lifetime prison sentence) were dropped after he entered his guilty plea.

Polanski served 42 days in prison and underwent an evaluation. Despite agreeing on a sentence, allegations have been made that the judge tried to go back on the plea agreement. Polanski then fled the country.

Geimer, now 45, has publicly forgiven Polanski. Earlier this year, Geimer submitted a a formal request to prosecutors that they drop the charges against the filmmaker. She and her family don't want to keep reliving the assault every time the media reports on the incident.

While France does not extradite its citizens, Switzerland does not provide such protections from international warrants. This was not, however, Polanski’s first visit to Switzerland. He owns a ski residence in Gstaad. California authorities reportedly have been engineering the filmmaker’s arrest ever since discovering he was going to the festival.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner is asking that Polanski be granted bail. Swiss authorities say that as long as Polanski agrees to stay in the country, he could be released on bail. France and Poland are in an uproar over Polanski’s arrest.

Roman Polanski's victim Samantha Geimer, now 45, 'got over it long ago,' New York Daily News, September 28, 2009

Polanski's Attorney Says He Will Fight Extradition to U.S., Washington Post, September 28, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Roman Polanski, IMDB

Polanski's arrest could be his path to freedom, AP, September 27, 2009

Continue reading "Roman Polanski Says He Will Fight US Extradition for Sex with a Minor Charge" »

There are still many people out there in Boston and environs who think that it is possible to be “arrest proof”. “After all”, they reason, if I do not commit a crime, I have nothing to worry about, right?” Let an experienced attorney tell you…wrong.

Let’s look at the possibility of drug charges for example.

You are going out for a crime-free evening of seeing a movie with a friend. Sounds safe enough, right?

Your friend comes by and picks you up and, as you drive to the movie, you see blue lights flashing behind you and there is the disturbing sound of a screaming siren.

Surely they cannot mean you.

They do.

Continue reading "Drug Charges In Boston – Can You Be At Risk?" »

The first signs of the investigation came several weeks ago. The FBI showed up at a local social club in Stoughton and surprised members by pulling two flat-screened televisions from the wall, checking the serial numbers on the back, and then taking them away. Now, it turns out that the Boston federal investigators may be granting certain local law enforcement officials the chance to get to know some criminal defense attorneys in a professional setting.

According to today’s Boston Globe, the afore-mentioned televisions, allegedly stolen, were seized as part of an ongoing federal grand jury investigation into allegations of theft and corruption involving Stoughton police officers.

“The feds aren’t just looking at receiving stolen goods,’’ said an anonymous source allegedly familiar with the investigation.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the FBI’s Boston office will only say, “We can neither confirm nor deny whether there is or is not an active investigation into anything in Stoughton.’’ A spokeswoman for the US attorney’s office also declined to comment.

Continue reading "Federal Investigation Targets Local Police Department, The Source Facing Charges Of Drugs And Violence" »

In Waltham District Court, Police have filed a complaint against a 13-year-old who is accused of shooting four students with a BB gun. The shooting incident happened in Newton, Massachusetts on Friday afternoon at the F.A. Day Middle School. The teenager faces four juvenile counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

According to Newton police, the suspect started shooting the BB gun at a group of students who were waiting for a bus by the Gath Pool. The shooter’s shirt was covering the gun. The four teenagers who claim they were hit had visible welts. However, none of the boys opted to receive medical attention for their injuries.

Police went to the suspect’s home. They confiscated a KWC BB gun and a bag that was holding several hundred plastic BB’s. Meantime, the principal of his school, Gina Healy says that the 13-year-old will be seriously punished for his actions.

In Massachusetts, it is against the law for a minor to possess a BB gun in a public area unless he or she has a special license or is with an adult.

Contrary to common belief, a person does not have to be accused of using a gun or a knife to be charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon in Massachusetts. Almost any item that can be used as a weapon will do. This is a serious criminal offense in Massachusetts that can result in serious punishments—whether you are charged in adult court or as a juvenile. A conviction for a felony crime could prevent a boy or girl from getting an education, living a normal life, and later deprive him or her of certain professional and personal opportunities.

Each Massachusetts juvenile crimes case is unique and the motivations for and the circumstances surrounding what happened is never black and white. An experienced Boston criminal defense lawyer can fight for the best outcome possible for your child’s Massachusetts juvenile crimes case.

Newton boy charged in BB shooting of 4 students, Boston.com, September 23, 2009

Newton student charged with BB shooting of schoolmates, Boston Herald, September 23, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Chapter 269: Section 12B. Air rifles; possession by minors; shooting, The General Laws of Massachusetts

Juvenile Court Department, The Massachusetts Court System

John K.,27, of Malden (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is going to have to come up with a lot of money if he wants to go home…unless his lawyer puts in for a bail appeal. Last week, the Taunton District Court judge ordered that be held on $500,000 bail on charges stemming from a Rehoboth home invasion last week.

The Defendant is charged with a collection of charges, including home invasion, assault with a dangerous weapon, armed kidnapping, unlicensed possession of a firearm and masked robbery with a firearm a bit over a week ago in Taunton.

While the details of the incident have been sealed by Judge Richard Savignano, an unusual move in itself, the police have disclosed some information. They claim that the Defendant broke into a home . on Friday at about, bound and robbed a female resident at gunpoint and then drove off in her car.

Rehoboth Police Chief Stephen Enos said the incident appeared to be a random crime. Apparently, however, the spree did not end there.

Continue reading "High Bail Set ForHome Invaision Defendant Facing Assault, Kidnapping and Driving Charges In Two States " »

A recent Boston courtroom battle that hosted various law-enforcement characters, both past and present, has come to an end. When the jury returned, the verdict was “Not Guilty”.

Wayne A., (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) was a firefighter on trial for assaulting police officers in 2008. The setting was Roxbury Municipal Court. The complainants, of course were the officers whom he had allegedly assaulted and resisted arrest from. The defense attorney, Neil S. Tassel, was a former prosecutor himself.

The police had said in their police report that the Defendant had been shaking his girlfriend and shouting in her face when they arrived to investigate. They went to arrest him and, according to them, he violently resisted.

At trial, both the Defendant and said girlfriend testified that they had simply had a verbal argument, but that the Defendant was not even near her when police arrived. Apparently, the Defendant further testified that he did not even know that the police were there and they simply knocked him out during the incident.

Continue reading "Boston Arrested Firefighter Acquitted Of Assaulting Police" »

Paul Shanley, 78, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is a defrocked priest who was sentenced in 2005 to 12 to 15 years for raping a 6-year-old boy in a Boston suburb parish in the 1980s. Now, his attorneys are challenging the conviction.

Most of the testimony by the complainant against the Defendant was said to be based on previously repressed memories. The Defendant is now challenging the notion of repressed-recovered memories, or dissociative amnesia.

During the Defendant’s trial, the then 27-year-old, victim testified that he did not remember the abuse until 2002 when news reports of other men accusing the Defendant of sexual assault. He claimed that it was these accusations that triggered his own memories. The memories included the Defendant pulling him out of Sunday school over a six-year period to rape and grope him in the bathroom, the confessional and the pews.

Now, the Defendant’s lawyers assert that jurors never should have heard the victim's tearful account because the psychiatric community itself cannot agree on whether repressed memories truly exist.

Continue reading "Appeal Of An Infamous Rape Conviction In Boston's Supreme Judicial Court" »

A gentleman from Plymouth began his week on Monday behind bars, looking for a criminal defense attorney. He stands charged with performing the type of deed that has been in the news lately connected to the death of pop icon Michael Jackson.

Sean D. (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) is now being held without bail. He is charged with spiking drinks for his wife and 18-month daughter with a sleep-aid.

The investigation began when the Defendant’s wife called police after she found her daughter ill, according to police. Their investigation found that he had allegedly been putting sleep aids into the mother and daughter's drinks on more than one occasion, police said.

The Defendant was arrested Sunday night at the family's home. He has been charged with distributing food with a harmful substance, was held at his arraignment on Monday, and is said to be returning to court today for a dangerousness hearing.

Continue reading "Massachusetts Dad arrested for Domestic Drugging" »

Police say that the 18-year-old Hofstra University student who says she was gang raped by five men in a campus dorm has admitted that the sex was consensual. The four men who were arrested and each charged with five counts of first-degree rape are to be released from police custody. Last night, the criminal charges against them were dropped.

The alleged victim had said that suspect Jesus Ortiz, 19, asked her to dance and took her cellular phone from her. He then allegedly used the phone to get her to accompany him to the Easterbrook dorm where Rondell Bedward, another Hofstra student, met them. Bedward allegedly had a rope with him.

The woman accused the men of making her go into a stall and forcing her to engage in sexual activity. She said that three other men raped her before she was set free.

Bedward is the only one of the four suspects who studies at Hofstra University. Police say that he was the one who invited the other suspects to the dormitory and, per dorm protocol, all of them were signed in.

The other two men who were arrested and arraigned for the college campus crime are Kevin Taveras, 20, and Stalin Felipe, 19. Police had been looking for the fifth alleged rapist.

Meantime, in another university-related crime, police continue to investigate the murder of Yale graduate student Annie Le. The 24-year-old pharmacology student’s body was discovered on Sunday, which was supposed to be her wedding day, in the basement wall of a medical research building located off-campus.

Video surveillance footage shows her going into a lab located some 10 blocks from campus. The medical examiner’s office announced today that Le was strangled.

Raymond Clark, a Yale employee, was released from custody after providing authorities with DNA samples. The 24-year-old employee was brought in after police got a search warrant for his residence and a body warrant for the samples.

Over 150 people have been interviewed. Some 150 pieces of evidence have been collected. Police don’t believe that Le’s murder was a random act.

Hofstra Student Admits She Lied About Gang Rape, Long Island Press, September 16, 2009

Four Men Arrested, Fifth Sought in Connection With Rape of Hofstra University Student, Fox News, September 15, 2009

Yale student strangled, medical examiner's office says, CNN.com, September 16, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Yale University

Hofstra University

Colleges, Community Colleges, & Universities in Massachusetts, USA, UnivSource.com

Continue reading "Hofstra Gang Rape Victim Admits Sexual Encounter was Consensual" »

The parents of three of the six boys charged with severely beating a 30-year-old Guatemalan illegal immigrant are appealing school suspensions that have been imposed on their kids over the alleged Massachusetts assault incident. In Massachusetts, school principals are allowed to suspend a student who has been charged with a felony crime.

The boys, in addition to two others, are accused of throwing bricks, rocks, and bottles at Damian Merida while he slept near railroad tracks in Lynn last July. Merida sustained serious head injuries, including a traumatic brain injury.

The charges against the boys include attempted murder, civil rights violations, and assault with intent to maim. Five of the boys have been released from custody for now but are required to wear electronic monitoring bracelets. Police claim that the boys attacked Merida because of his ethnicity.

Because of the boys’ ages, their names have not been made public. Four of the boys are members of the Pop Warner football teams. One boy is a soccer star who came from West Africa.

Five of the boys are younger than 14 and therefore won’t be tried for the alleged assault crime in adult criminal court. Instead, their cases will have to be pursed in Massachusetts juvenile court. However, the boys could end up in the Department of Youth Services until their 18th birthdays if they are found guilty. The 14-year-old suspect could end up in DYS until his 21st birthday. The Essex district attorney’s office is considering whether to try the oldest boy's Lynn, Massachusetts criminal case in adult court.

Our Boston juvenile crimes lawyers are aware of the serious ramifications that can result when a juvenile is charged with committing a Massachusetts crime. These consequences can become even more serious when a child is charged as an adult.

The outcome of a Boston juvenile crime case could irrevocably alter your child’s future.

Lynn suspects file appeals, Item Live, September 15, 2009

‘Look how they left him’, Boston.com, September 11, 2009

6 Mass. boys accused of beating sleeping immigrant, Salon, September 8, 2009

Related Web Resources:
The General Laws of Massachusetts

Juvenile Crimes In Massachusetts (PDF)

You know, sometimes it just does not pay to have a conscience! I mean, some Commonwealths just cannot accept an apology without forcing you to get a lawyer.

Take, for example, the case of 31-year-old Juan C., a New York gentleman (hereinafter, the “Defendant”). Saturday night, he was in Lowell when he had a...disagreement with a gas station clerk. Well, it became a bit of a heated disagreement.

Okay, he allegedly pulled a knife and threatened the clerk with it.

Well, ok, that does not look so good I admit. However, the Defendant actually returned to the gas station on Sunday to apologize for his behavior.

The clerk had an interesting way of showing forgiveness...he called the police.

Continue reading "Apologetic Knife-Wielding New Yorker Arrested For Assault With A Dangerous Weapon" »

Beth G., 23, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) simply got confused. It can happen when academic pressures mount up. After all, she had been inundated with the legal system of the United States. Now, due to said confusion, she is about to get a first-hand lesson on Boston Criminal Justice. It’s not a free lesson, mind you, because she will need to provide an attorney. It should be decent experience though.

You see, on August 30th, there was a party in Allston to which the police were dispatched. The neighbors were complaining about loud noise at approximately 3:53 a.m. One might assume that the party-goers, upon seeing the police presence, would have decided it was time for the party to end.

Not this time.

According to law enforcement, the officers were met with resistance. The party’s host and the resident, the Defendant, saw things differently. When asked to quiet the party-goers, the Defendant reportedly proclaimed, “I don’t have to do anything you say. I’m a law student.”

At that point, perhaps figuring that the Defendant must be right (she was, after all, a law student), two men (hereinafter, the “Rambunctious Duo”) approached the officers and told them that they were not going anywhere.

Continue reading "Boston Law Student And Friends Are Arrested For Assault And Disorderly Conduct" »

23-year-old Michael R, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) had a bad time of it in Cambridge last night. According to the Commonwealth, he was involved in a robbery, before which he fired his gun off. It was an interesting approach, for which he has earned his place in the Boston-area blog and a lawyer.

Of course, law enforcement does not look too kindly upon armed robbers. Even when the treasure sought is so irresistibly valuable as in this case ( an IPhone). They tend to be even less accepting of them when their weapon of choice is a gun and that gun goes off.

The complainant, a 21-year-old Cambridge man, is said to have been drafting a text message on his IPhone when the Defendant approached him from the opposite side of the street. According to the complainant, the Defendant demanded the IPhone.

When the complainant refused to hand over his phone, the Defendant apparently crossed back over to the other side of the street, all the while screaming expletives, The complainant says he then heard two loud bangs, which he believed to be gunshots.

Continue reading "Arrested For Armed Robbery Outside Boston, The Accused Has No Gun" »

First of all, allow me to establish that I am an ardent Beatles fan. Second, let me confess that I have been imbedded in the criminal justice system for about a quarter of a century. As such, there is a certain type of “ear” that I have developed over the years to pick up criminal-justice-related tidbits.

Yesterday, there was a lot of Beatles activity…pretty impressive given that the band disbanded almost 50 years ago. Topping the list of newly released items were a video game and a box set of all the original releases on remastered cds packaged together with video “mini-documentaries”. Naturally, I played the part of consumer. Then, as I contemplated the weekly “Attorney Sam” feature of this daily blog, some of the Beatles’ lyrics came back to me.

There are obvious crime-related Beatles songs. “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is such an example. In it, a handful of murders are conducted by our young hero with the aid of his trusty silver weapon which he manages to smuggle in everywhere, including school, court and the local police station. Of course, on the other side of the law, there is “Lovely Rita”. Here, the singer is courting (no pun intended) a meter maid.

The Beatles’ rock ‘n roll view of romance is particular interest. “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road” comes to mind, for example. It could, I suppose be simply walking and whistling a happy tune that the fad four are suggesting, but most people think they are talking about something a bit more sexual in nature. Clearly not a good suggestion. Assuming that one survived the oncoming traffic, one would soon be arrested and prosecuted for a host of criminal acts which fall under the purview of the sexual offender registry. Of course, speaking of which, the song “Little Child”, wherein the singer, who is “sad and lonely” asks a young thing to “take a chance” on him would also interest many prosecutors. Of course, he is suggesting that they only dance…!

I can see the Commonwewlth's sexual assault expert now testifying that "things like 'dancing' are simply a ruse used by the offender who gains the child's trust...!"

Continue reading "Attorney Sam's Take: Can The Beatles Get You Arrested For Domestic Violence Or Other Crimes?" »

This past weekend was a bad one for 20-year-old Vernon C. of New Bedford (hereinafter, the “Defendant”). He was arrested on Sunday and charged with multiple felony charges which have brought him incarceration and a lawyer.

According to the Commonwealth, the Defendant was at a party late Friday night when he demanded a chain necklace from one of his fellow party-goers.

He did so at gunpoint.

21-year-old Scott M. (hereinafter, the “Deceased”) tried to intervene. He was shot for the attempt. He was pronounced dead Saturday afternoon. In a Boston-area hospital.

Continue reading "Murder Suspect Arrested On Multiple Charges Involving Assault And Battery With A Dangerous Weapon" »

Yesterday’s Boston Herald signaled the end to the saga of former sportscaster Bob Gamere’s (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) in federal court which was co-hosted by federal prosecuting attorneys.

Apparently, he is expected to plead guilty to child pornography charges.

The Defendant was charged last October with two counts of transporting child pornography videos and one count of possessing child pornography. Specifically, he is accused of using his home computer to send multiple people e-mails with child pornography videos attached.

The trial had been scheduled to begin tomorrow in U.S. District Court. However, a change-of-plea hearing has been scheduled for today.

The evidence against the Defendant had included the alleged prohibited materials as well as statements that the he is said to have made to law enforcement. The materials were seized from his apartment in 2007. Attempts to suppress their seizure have failed.

Continue reading "Child Pornography Arrest To End In Guilty Plea In Boston Federal Court " »

The criminal defense attorney for Shawne Merriman, the star linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, says that the domestic violence allegations against his client are unmerited. Merriman, 25, was arrested early yesterday on suspicion of restraining and choking Tila Tequila, the former MTV star of the popular reality dating series "A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila.”

Police reportedly were responding to a call by a woman who said she’d been choked and restrained. The woman, who identified herself as Tila Nguyen (Tila Tequila), identified Merriman as the person who choked her when she tried to leave his home.

Nguyen, 27, signed a citizen’s arrest, and Merriman was brought in on suspicion of false imprisonment and battery. Even though police did not see any injuries on her, she asked to be taken to a hospital.

Merriman’s attorney, however, says that Merriman was in fact trying to protect Tequila, who was very “intoxicated and inebriated,” from leaving. The NFL football player wanted to make arrangements so that she could get home safely. The lawyer says that Merriman never assaulted the reality star and did not restrain her against her will. Merriman’s attorney says that there were witnesses at the football player’s home who can corroborate his client’s account of the incident. Later Sunday, Merriman was released from jail.

Meantime, Nguyen posted on her Twitter page that she was not drunk and is actually allergic to alcohol despite her famous celebrity name.

Domestic Violence
Allegations of domestic violence disputes are taken very seriously in the state of Massachusetts. You don’t have to be a husband or the wife to be charged with a domestic violence crime. People in domestic partnerships, boyfriend-girlfriend relationships, former spouses, and family members can be arrested for domestic violence involving alleged physical assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, and other forms of violence.

Boston police must arrest anyone accused of Massachusetts domestic violence. Even if you are not guilty, becoming a suspect of domestic violence can taint your reputation and cause damage to your career or personal life.

Merriman Denies Allegations, Washington Post, September 7, 2009

Tila Tequila denies being drunk during Merriman incident, CNN, September 7, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Massachusetts Law About Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence, Justia

Continue reading "San Diego Chargers Linebacker Shawne Merriman Arrested During Alleged Domestic Violence Dispute with Girlfriend Tila Tequila" »

In Suffolk County, an Allston man has been arrested for beating and raping a 66-year-old woman. Jose Sariano Gonzales pleaded not guilty to the charges of rape, resisting arrest, and the assault and battery of a victim over 65. The 20-year-old is also accused of punching the woman in the neck and face and obtaining stolen property. A stolen credit card was found on his person when police apprehended him.

The alleged rape incident occurred on August 27. The victim says that she had gotten up early that day to look for cans that she could turn in for cash when she says that a man approached her, directed her to a place where she could obtain more cans, and then proceeded to beat and rape her.

Yesterday, the woman identified Gonzales to police when they spotted him close to the site where she was assaulted. Police say that he tried to get away when they ran to pursue him but they managed to apprehend him.

Gonzales, who is an El Salvadorean, has been ordered to turn his passport over to law enforcement officials. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement wants Gonzales to stay in custody so they can figure out if he should be deported. This means that even if Gonzales posts the $250,000 bail, federal officials would still keep him in custody.

If you have been charged with a crime in Massachusetts, you are entitled to representation from an experienced Boston criminal defense law firm. Even if you are not an American citizen, you have certain legal rights.

A Massachusetts sexual crimes lawyer can make sure that your legal rights are protected and defend you against the charges. Conviction for a sexual crime in this state comes with serious penalties. It is important that you retain the services of a legal representative who has the resources and experience to secure the best outcome possible for your criminal case.

Allston man charged with sexually assaulting 66-year-old woman, Milford Daily News, September 4, 2009

Allston man charged with sexually assaulting 66-year-old woman, The Milford Daily News, September 4, 2009

Sex Offender Registry Board, Mass.gov

General Laws of Massachusetts

The are many theft-related crimes for which one can get arrested in the Boston area. Among the most serious are those of Robbery and Burglary. Both are generally regarded as crimes of violence. Both carry heavy potential prison terms. For both, you had best get an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you at the first possible moment.

The crime of Robbery is basically the taking of someone’s property through use of force. The force can come from a gun, a knife or even a fist. It can be the words “I am going to beat you to a bloody pulp”.

Continue reading "Attorney Sam’s Take: Arrest for Burglary / Arrested for Robbery – What’s The Difference?" »

On Monday, we began the week discussing a case out of Quincy in which we had a dead woman discovered on Saturday and a man arrested in connection therewith the same day. We talked about it being a potential domestic violence matter and it became a general posting about homicide investigations and the need to get an attorney right away.

Well, the case has remained in the news and has only gotten more grisly.

Relatives and friends are still offering support to the “neighbor who would shovel your walk”, 52-year-old Joseph B. (hereinafter, the “Defendant”). He has now pleaded not guilty to the assault and eventual murder of 33-year-old Mary B. (hereinafter, the “Deceased”). According to the prosecution, the Defendant choked the Deceased into unconsciousness, had sex with her, then killed her.

We have also learned a bit more about the Defendant’s background. Apparently, according to his supporters, he has a history of mental illness.

He has been held without bail for the crimes which are now alleged to have occurred last Friday.

Continue reading "Follow up Blog on Quincy man charged with killing girlfriend in domestic violence rage" »

Albert G., the 28-year-old gentleman from Miami (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) who had been charged with being a computer hacker agreed to plead guilty in Boston's federal court last week. His attorney, however, still disagrees with prosecutors about his role in the hacking.

Yesterday, his attorney still insisted that he was not the “ringleader” in the, now nationally
known, scheme which has been described as one of the largest payment-card thefts in recent history.

The Defendant has agreed to plead guilty to charges that he helped engineer the theft of more than 40 million card numbers from retailers like TJX Cos Inc and BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. Of course, that’s just in Boston. Last month, in New Jersey, the U.S. Justice Department charged him and two others with conspiring to steal another 130 million payment card numbers, the most ever.

Both cases put the Defendant at the center of the action -- especially bold conduct since authorities say he was a Secret Service informant earlier this decade.

Continue reading "Computer Hacker Pleads Guilty To Credit Card Fraud In Federal Court" »