The Umansky Law Firm

The legendary Red-Headed Stranger himself, Willie Nelson, was arrested last week in Sierra Blanca, Texas for possession of six ounces of marijuana. The arrest came after a border patrol agent allegedly smelled marijuana coming from Nelson's tour bus at a checkpoint. Nelson and two others on the bus were arrested after the marijuana was found. He was released on a $2500 bond.

Nelson faces a felony count of drug possession if Texas prosecutors do not reduce the charges. In Texas, this means a minimum of 180 days in jail and a maximum of two years, plus a $10,000 fine.

Nelson has a history of arrests due to drugs, and according to at least one California attorney, jail time may be inevitable for the 77-year-old.

In 2006, Nelson was arrested with a pound and a half of marijuana and three ounces of hallucinogenic mushrooms on his tour bus. He was arrested in Waco, Texas in 1997 when a joint was found in his ashtray.

While Nelson may reportedly face jail time, it's hard to forget that perennial party girl Paris Hilton was given a slap on the wrist for cocaine possession in Las Vegas, Nevada. It's good to remember that no matter what state you are in, being convicted with a crime has consequences.

If you have been charged with marijuana possession in Orange County or Orlando, Florida, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm for an initial case consultation.

According to media reports, actor Wesley Snipes has had his final court appeal turned down on tax evasion charges and must surrender to authorities to begin his sentence. Snipes was found guilty two years ago in an Ocala, Florida court.

The 48-year-old star of such movies as the Blade Trilogy and White Men Can't Jump was convicted of three misdemeanor counts of willfully and unlawfully failing to file tax returns in 1999, 2000, and 2001. This resulted in a tax debt of over $7 million in back taxes.

While Snipes' attorney says they are shocked about the events, but U.S. District Judge Terrell Hodges said in his ruling that Snipes "has had a full, fair and thorough review of his conviction and sentence by the Court of Appeal; and he has had a full, fair and thorough review of his present claims, during all of which he has remained at liberty."

There is no word when Snipes plans to turn himself in to begin his sentence, and has not received a date or facility to report to.

Everyone, including the rich and famous, must pay their taxes. If you don't and you get caught, you may wind up in prison, just as Wesley Snipes will. What can help you is hiring a criminal defense attorney who understands the law.

If you have been charged with a crime in the Orange County or Orlando, Florida area, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm today.

A former MIMA
orthopedic surgeon must return $96,000 to DePuy Orthopedics, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, for services he billed for but never performed.

A Newark, New Jersey
federal judge also fined the ex-surgeon $30,000 and placed him under house arrest for the next six months after the man pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against DePuy Orthopedics. The incident occurred between January 2004 and November 2005. He was also ordered to perform 520 hours of community service within the next two years and is on probation for the next five years.

In the initial hearing, the ex-surgeon admitted to receiving between $70,000 and $120,000 in consulting fees from DePuy for services, including training sessions and operating room sessions that were never performed. He faced a maximum fine of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, plus restitution.

The Florida Department of Health has not made a determination if they will take action against the ex-surgeon by restricting or pulling his medical license. According to a spokesperson for the department, fraud is considered a top priority, or "priority one," allegation which will be looked at closely by the state surgeon general. The case will be reviewed to see if there is an immediate threat to the public health.

If you have been charged with fraud in the Orange County or Orlando, Florida area, please contact the experience criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm for a confidential case consultation today.

One of the stars of MTV's Teen Mom, Amber Portwood, has been formally charged by Anderson, Indiana police for attacking her ex-fiance and father of her two-year-old daughter. The 20-year-old is facing two felony counts and one misdemeanor count of domestic violence and battery. If Portwood is convicted, she faces up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Authorities began a criminal investigation almost two months ago after an episode of Teen Mom aired which showed Portwood attacking her ex-fiance. He was hit, slapped and choked on at least three separate occasions – all of which were caught on tape. Authorities used both aired and unaired tape to build their case.

These attacks were allegedly committed while the couple's infant was watching nearby.

Portwood has been very open about her "tantrums" and says she is currently taking medication for anxiety and depression. She currently has full custody, but agrees with many that her daughter should live with the child's father.

Domestic violence wrecks entire families, not just the individuals who were actually involved in the incident. The tapes may be indisputable, but at least Portwood has acknowledged she needs help. This is a good step and hopefully the judge will see that she has no business being locked up in prison away from her daughter.

If you have been charged with domestic violence in Orange County or Orlando, Florida, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm today.

Police arrested 15 baggage handlers at Miami International Airport on Wednesday, November 17, because they allegedly accepted cash from travelers to check in extra or overweight bags without notifying anyone. What's the big deal, right? Well, according to the authorities, the scam created security risks and added unreported weight to aircraft.

The arrests come after a nine month investigation involving Miami-Dade police airport district detectives, state prosecutors, and American Airlines security.

According to those involved, the suspects allegedly used the MIA exceptions for waiving fees on wheelchairs, strollers, and bags belonging to military personnel to check unreported baggage and then pocketed the cash instead of giving it to the airline. It is alleged that unaccompanied bags were also sent to Latin American countries, which is a violation of federal transportation regulations for international flights.

The baggage handlers have been charged with participating in an organized scheme to defraud and grand theft.

If you or a love one has been charged with theft in the Orange County or Orlando, Florida area, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm for an initial case consultation.

A 24-year-old Brevard County Kindergarten teacher and her 31-year-old boyfriend have been charged with allegedly trafficking drugs and running a counterfeiting operation. Palm Bay, Florida police allege that the two conducted illegal activity out of their apartment.

The Kindergarten teacher and her boyfriend have been charged with several felonies including counterfeiting, trafficking controlled substance, possession of controlled substance, and more. Specifically, law enforcement officers state they found $220 in counterfeit bills, mostly twenties, counterfeiting equipment, trafficking amounts of Oxycodone, and other drug-related paraphernalia.

The boyfriend of the school teacher has a criminal history. Police believe that the school teacher not only knew about this, but participated in illegal activity. However, they say that there is no evidence any illegal activity took place on school grounds.

If convicted, this will sadly end the young teacher's career. It will also make gaining future employment difficult. In addition to employment, she faces time in prison, fines, loss of friends and family, and more.

The consequences for this will impact everything she does for the rest of her life – if she is convicted. One important thing everyone in her situation should do is contact an experienced criminal defense attorney. You are more likely to have the charges reduced or even thrown out if you are represented by someone who understands the law.

If you are facing drug charges in Orange County or Orlando, Florida, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm for a free and confidential case consultation.

According to federal authorities, 44 pounds of cocaine were delivered every week into the Denver metro area by car and truck. The drugs were then allegedly sold by gang members. Federal authorities have arrested 35 people who they claim had ties to this drug ring. Included in the arrests are a retired Denver firefighter and an assistant baseball coach at Regis University. In addition to this, the drug network allegedly has ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. However, the US Attorney for Colorado, John Walsh, states "This is not a case where we are alleging violent crimes. This is about drug trafficking."

The arrests took place last Friday and involved 150 law enforcement officers from 20 different agencies. Twenty-three metro area individuals were taken into custody, five were arrested in other states, and six are still at large. Three of the indicted are allegedly in the US illegally. Those accused of dealing cocaine have ties with the Tre Deuce Crips and the North Side Mafia, two "homegrown criminal operations."

The suspects include men and women, some as young as 20 and as old as 56 years old. Each faces ten years to life in prison and up to $4 million in fines.

Colorado may seem far away from Florida, but the criminal consequences for dealing drugs are just as severe in this state if you are convicted.

If you have been charged with a drug offense in Orange County or Orlando, Florida, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm for an initial case consultation.

Three people were charged with possession of cocaine in Holly Hill, Florida after a neighbor complained to law enforcement about a disturbance with possible drug activity. The three people included one person from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one person from Daytona Beach, Florida, and a resident of the apartment.

According to police, an officer responded to an apartment complex shortly after 9:00 on October 18 and met with neighbors who directed him to an apartment where they suspected drug activity was going on. The officer went to the apartment and saw through an open window three individuals standing by a dresser in a front bedroom. Another officer arrived and they knocked on the door and identified themselves.

The three came to the door and agreed to speak with the officers. The resident of the apartment agreed to let the officers in when they asked for permission. The officers allegedly spotted a small white, waxy substance on the dresser the three were standing around in plain view. It allegedly tested positive for cocaine.

The three told the officers they had used cocaine in the past, but that the alleged drug on the dresser didn't belong to any of them. They told police it could have been left by someone, or possibly a previous resident.

The three were arrested and sent to Volusia County Branch Jail where bail was set at $1500 each.

If you have been charged with drugs in the Orange County or Orlando, Florida area, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm for a free confidential case consultation.

The 28-year-old son of Orange County, Florida mayoral candidate Bill Segal was arrested on a felony charge of possession of cocaine. Law enforcement reports that Segal was observed stopped in the middle of the street in a high-crime area. A deputy observed a man leaning into the front window of the car, and the deputy believed the two were allegedly involved in a hand-to-hand drug transaction.

After searching the vehicle's tags in a database, the deputy found they had expired in the middle of October. He then turned on his lights and sirens and stopped Segal's vehicle. The deputy said Segal appeared to be very nervous and was digging around in his vehicle "as if he was looking for something or trying to hide something." The deputy noted Segal's driver's license had expired and asked him if there was anything illegal in the vehicle, and Segal said he didn't know.

When a narcotics K-9 unit searched the vehicle, they found what appeared to be crack cocaine hidden in the driver door pocket. An on-scene test was conducted that indicated the substance might be cocaine.

Segal was arrested and charged with the felony, but bonded out of Orange County Jail.

If you have been charged with drug possession in the Orange County or Orlando, Florida area, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm for an initial free case consultation today.