| 13 entries found. Viewing page 1 of 1. |
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| June 02, 2010 |
| West Scranton Underage Drinking Charges |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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| The Times-Tribune reports today that police cited twenty kids from West Scranton High School for underage drinking at a post-prom party in Wayne County over the weekend. All were charged as juveniles.
Juvenile charges mean that the consequences for having broken the law will likely focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment. Whenever you are accused of any juvenile crime, whether underage drinking or something else, you should speak with an experienced Scranton criminal defense lawyer who specializes in the juvenile criminal justice system.
A Scranton criminal defense attorney from Rogan Law can advise you about what to do to protect your rights and to look out for your own best interetsts as your charges are resolved.
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| January 25, 2010 |
| Old Forge Gunman Arrested |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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| The
Times-Tribune reports that Old Forge schools were shut down and several local roads closed this afternoon while police worked to apprehend an alleged gunman roaming in and out of the woods in a residential and business neighborhood near West Oak Street Cemetery.
Thank goodness, Old Forge pizza production appears to have remained unaffected.
In all seriousness, a man with a gun trying to escape police capture in a neighborhood where people are living and working, possibly unaware of the danger, is no laughing matter. This man is going to have a lot of explaining to do. He should not hesitate at all before contacting an
Old Forge criminal defense lawyer.
If you are facing Old Forge weapons charges or any kind of criminal charges in NEPA or the Poconos, then you should immediately contact an
Old Forge criminal defense attorney at Rogan Law. The initial consultation is free, and we can help you to really understand and make good choices about your legal options.
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| December 13, 2009 |
| Scranton Juvenile Felonies Attorney |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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| "Juvenile" and "felony" are two words nobody wants or expects to see used together in a newspaper article, but in yesterday's Times-Tribune, we learned that ten young boys aged fourteen through fifteen from the Scranton area have allegedly committed a series of crimes that include robberies, armed robberies, burglaries and auto thefts over the last four months. Police say more arrests are likely to follow.
Each of these kids is going to need an experienced Scranton felonies attorney who is also a premier Scranton juvenile crimes attorney. The parents of these kids should remember that success rates are much higher in criminal cases where the defendant has an experienced and dedicated criminal defense lawyer as an ally.
Juvenile defendants may easily fall victim to overzealous prosecutors and law enforcement officers fighting for a case win. A child may even be charged as an adult, as seems to be the case with at least one of the Scranton kids in this article, and if convicted then could face incarceration in an adult jail or prison.
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| September 27, 2009 |
| Poconos Juvenile Crime Decline Reported |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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| The Pocono Record reported yesterday that juvenile probation placements have decreased by 20 percent in the Poconos, and that home foreclosure rates might have something to do with the change.
Though there is currently no measurable evidence to support the claim, Monroe County's Chief Probation Officer recently told the Monroe County Commissioners that the he believes the county's negative growth - and specifically it's loss of newly arrived young people - has positively impacted the local crime rate.
I am interested in learning whether the probation officer's observations and assessment turn out to be accurate. In the meantime, I will continue to provide high quality legal counsel to juvenile and adult defendants in criminal cases throughout the Pocono Mountain region of Pennsylvania.
In a region that often seems to blame its newest arrivals for the challenges it faces, an experienced lawyer who has your rights and interests at heart will prove indispensable to your case. By providing you with the personalized service you need, I can develop a legal strategy tailor made to fit your unique needs.
Contact Rogan Law for a free consultation today.
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| September 27, 2009 |
| District Attorney Investigates Wyoming County School Crime |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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| Another incident at a local high school football game, this time involving students from Dallas Area High School, has grabbed news headlines.
The Times-Tribune reports that the Wyoming County district attorney's office is investigating reports that members of the Dallas High School football team urinated on the tennis courts at Tunkhannock High School during halftime at a recent game.
Tunkhannock's district superintendent reportedly supports the investigation, rejecting the idea that the two districts could resolve the situation informally via conversations between the schools' principals and athletic directors. In fact, he intends to take things a step further, contacting the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) to see if they, too, will take action against the students.
Without condoning the alleged activity (yuck - what were you thinking?), I wonder whether this incident really requires getting these kids involved with the courts.
I know that if my kid were being investigated, I would hire a lawyer immediately.
Don't wait until things get totally out of hand. Contact Rogan Law today to speak with a Wilkes-Barre criminal defense lawyer who has extensive experience in the juvenile criminal justice system. Let us put our expertise to work for you.
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| September 16, 2009 |
| South Scranton Heroin Arrests |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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| The Times-Tribune reports that two young Lackawanna County men were arrested yesterday after police found them in possession of over three dozen packets of heroin. The young men, from Carbondale and Archbald, were charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America calls heroin "a highly addictive drug" that "affects the brain's pleasure systems and interferes with the brain's ability to perceive pain." Though the news reports don't state whether the police suspect that the young men in question were users as well as dealers, one has to wonder at the power that heroin had over those young men's lives, which will be forever changed.
In my practice, I see time and time again lives destroyed by heroin abuse. Depending upon the amount of heroin involved in the alleged drug offense, and upon your criminal record, a conviction for a heroin drug crime could mean time in jail or prison, fines of up to many, many thousands of dollars, probation, and drug rehabilitation or counseling.
If you have been charged with a drug offense involving heroin, then you will need to speak with a Scranton drug crime attorney. A Scranton drug crime lawyer from Rogan Law will provide you with the legal assistance and support you need to have a chance at overcoming your heroin charges.
Contact Rogan Law for help with your Scranton heroin charges today. |
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| September 04, 2009 |
| Increased Police Presence at Scranton High School Football Game |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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Have you seen WNEP's report about the increased police presence scheduled for tonight's football game at Scranton's Memorial Stadium? The report states that the number of police working the game will more than double, and that rowdy students and recent gang activity are the reasons why.
The school superintendent reportedly believes that policing the games more intensively will yield no harm, and has stated, "We want to send a message. We are not going to tolerate any nonsense at the games and we expect everyone to be on their best behavior." Parents agreed, saying that they valued the increased protection.
The school superintendent and the police are sending a message, apparently with public support. But is it the right message?
According to the ACLU, the numbers of children being arrested for minor disciplinary actions - things schools used to handle without police - are growing. Kids of color and students with disabilities comprise a disproportionate number of those caught up in this "school-to-prison-pipeline." Such arrests significantly increase the likelihood that students either will drop out of school or will fail academically.
Treating our kids - especially black and latino kids and kids with special needs - like criminals unnecessarily moves them toward the criminal justice system and away from academic success. I don't know about you, but I call that harm.
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| September 04, 2009 |
| Economics, Education and Crime in Northeast Pennsylvania |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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Today's Times-Tribune reports that at least ten preschools in Lackawanna, Wayne and Susquehanna counties have either remained closed or are on the verge of closing due to the state budget impasse.
The article also discusses new research which suggests that kids who attend preschool are only half as likely to wind up in prison as kids who do not.
The article then segues back to economics, with the Scranton Police Chief pointing out that, "It costs more today to have somebody in state prison than it costs to send someone to college at Penn State University for one year."
What struck me about this article was the seamlessness of the transition among the three topics: economics, education, crime.
If research showed that preschool made no difference - or worse yet - that former preschoolers inordinately comprised the prison population, then would we value education less? Does education have no inherent value?
Similarly, if the financial cost of imprisoning our young people remained less than the cost of college, then would we be happy to keep sending them to prison?
I fear we are becoming a culture in which the majority would say that education is only as important as the income it generates, and that the value of everything - even freedom - can be measured in dollars and cents.
That, to me, is as scary as the scariest crime statistic out there.
Keeping people who should not be in prison out of prison is a big part of my job. It means something - something more than money - to the people I serve. Check out some of my client testimonials to see what I mean.
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| August 12, 2009 |
| Stroudsburg, PA Criminal Defense Lawyer |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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In this morning's Pocono Record, I saw that the organization is having an ongoing event at Borders in Stroudsburg. Through September 7th, customers can purchase books at the store and donate them in support of a local children's reading program.
This is just one service that the Kiwanis Club provides. Globally, the organization works with UNICEF to eliminate iron deficiency disorders, the leading preventable cause of mental retardation. Locally, the Kiwanis Club provides holiday gifts and food baskets as well as other services to families in need, and involves young people with community service and leadership projects.
What does this have to do with a Stroudsburg, PA criminal defense lawyer? Over and over again in my work, I see how the environment in which people are raised impacts their ability to behave responsibly and make good decisions. I am grateful for organizations like the Kiwanis Club that act upon a sense of shared responsibility for the social challenges that exist in our communities and our world, and work to instill that sense in our young people.
Sometimes, learning about responsibility becomes intensely personal. When someone has been arrested or is facing criminal charges, it may feel like the walls are closing in.
In such a situation, regardless of whether the accusations are true, you need to take immediate responsibility for your future. That means reaching out to a Stroudsburg, PA criminal defense attorney who can help you decide what decisions you should make next.
At Rogan Law, we are happy to offer a free case evaluation to discuss your options and to explore the rights you have.
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| July 06, 2009 |
| Monroe County Juvenile Crimes |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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This post about Monroe County juvenile crimes is really an addendum to an earlier entry.
I recently wrote about two students from Monroe County who were accused of weapons charges. While the news media contained details about the first offender, it said little about the second, as he was 15 years old, and therefore subject to the juvenile criminal justice system.
When juveniles under the age of 18 commit a crime they may be punished (treated) accordingly under juvenile law, which was founded upon the premise that young people (minors under the age of 18) are fundamentally different than adults, both in terms of level of responsibility and potential for rehabilitation. So, instead of being sentenced to jail like an adult would for committing the same crime, the juvenile may be ordered into juvenile detention or home arrest under strict probation. The purpose is to rehabilitate the offender.
If you are a minor and are under investigation for a crime in Monroe County, or if you are the parent of a child who has been arrested for a criminal offense in Monroe County of elsewhere in northeast PA or the Pocono Mountain region, then you should speak with a Monroe County criminal defense lawyer at Rogan Law.
An experienced defense attorney will be able to advise you about what actions to take and will explain the juvenile criminal justice system to you so that you are fully aware of what is going on at all times. Your lawyer will make sure that your rights are protected and that your best interests prioritized as your charges are resolved.
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| July 05, 2009 |
| Monroe County Weapons Charges |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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| This past June, two students from the Monroe County Pleasant Valley School District were accused of weapons charges.
An 18-year-old student was accused of bringing a .38-caliber handgun to the high school and leaving it in a parked car.
During a metal detector search, a 15-year-old student was allegedly found with a 7.5 inch knife.
Though neither student committed an act of violence or even of threatened violence, both face serious criminal weapons charges, in addition to school expulsions under Act 26, which prohibits PA students from bringing weapons onto school property and requires administrators to notify law enforcement and to expel the offender, in most cases.
What should you do if you or someone you know is being investigated for a weapons offense or gun violation in Monroe County or elsewhere in northeast PA or the Poconos? Find representation from an experienced criminal defense lawyer right away. Contact a Monroe County criminal defense attorney at Rogan Law.
In order to build an effective defense strategy for your case, your lawyer will need adequate time to prepare. The sooner you consult with an attorney at our firm the better off your case will be. The longer your lawyer has to find information and gather evidence, the greater the odds that he or she will be able to find a defense to your weapons charges, which is why you should act immediately.
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| June 22, 2009 |
| Northeast PA Criminal Conspiracy |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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| Our local news is unfortunately loaded with stories about people involved or allegedly involved with northeast PA criminal conspiracies.
Early this month, the Lackawanna County SWAT team arrested two men in Clarks Summit for "felony charges of criminal conspiracy and possession of heroin and crack with intent to deliver," and one woman for "felony conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility and a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of children." ( The Times-Tribune, 6/3/09)
In Luzerne County, a former county president judge recently pled "guilty to tax fraud and conspiracy for accepting $2.6 million in kickbacks in connection with county juvenile detention contracts." ( The Times-Tribune, 6/10/09).
Even more recently, in an alleged murder plot, a Moscow, Lackawanna County man pled guilty to "criminal conspiracy to commit simple assault and corruption of minors," ( The Times-Tribune, 6/18/09) and a Honesdale, Wayne County teen was charged with "two counts of conspiracy and criminal solicitation of murder." ( The Times-Tribune, 6/12/09)
One thing you might notice about all these cases is that conspiracy charges seldom come alone. Because conspiracy is typically linked with other criminal offenses, you may be charged with both conspiracy and whatever other crimes were intended to be committed - even if only one overt act is carried out by any single member of the criminal conspiracy.
If you or someone you know is investigated for or charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, then you need help from an experienced northeast PA criminal defense attorney. A criminal defense lawyer from Rogan Law can help prevent your facing heightened penalties from multiple offenses.
Contact Rogan Law today.
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| May 21, 2009 |
| Providing Quality Juvenile Criminal Defense in Pennsylvania |
| Posted By Patrick M. Rogan |
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Rogan Law dedicates significant resources to providing quality juvenile criminal defense to the children of northeast Pennsylvania and the Poconos. We do this not only because we strive to provide the best possible defense for each of our clients, but also because we understand that effective legal advocacy on our children’s behalf strengthens our legal system and makes our communities safer.
Other leaders on juvenile criminal defense agree. In October 2003, the American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Center and the Juvenile Law Center in collaboration with the National Juvenile Defender Center and the Northeast Juvenile Defender Center published “Pennsylvania: An Assessment of Access to Counsel and Quality of Representation in Delinquency Proceedings.”
This publication reports that the variable quality of criminal defense for juveniles statewide compromises our legal system and our public safety, and that many attorneys representing delinquent children do not meet the quality standards experts recommend.
The recent debacle in Luzerne County, in which the rights of hundreds of young people were violated for the profit of a corrupt few, illustrates the report’s findings perfectly.
Minors accused of crimes in Pennsylvania need a lawyer who will act quickly and expertly. All Pennsylvania juvenile criminal defense attorneys are not the same, and they will not provide you with the same service and results that we will.
Rogan Law provides juveniles in northeast Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountain region with the highest quality defense. Throughout Lackawanna County, Monroe County, Luzerne County, Pike County, Wayne County, Susquehanna County and Wyoming County, in Scranton, Stroudsburg, Wilkes-Barre, Milford, Honesdale, Montrose and Tunkhannock, families in need should call Rogan Law.
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| 13 entries found. Viewing page 1 of 1. |
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