Federal prosecutors have added six defendants to an earlier indictment for drug trafficking and money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office on Wednesday.

A total of 15 people are charged for an alleged drug conspiracy operating between Alaska and Southern California from 2007 to February 2011.

The defendants are accused of sending methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana from California to sell in Alaska. The drug money was then laundered through financial transactions and sent back to California, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

The latest Anchorage residents to face indictments are 26-year-old Richard "El Toro" Lose, 50-year-old Steven J. Hanson, and 26-year-old Derland "Yogi" George, according to the updated federal indictment.

California residents Ines Gutierrez Gaspar, 48, also known as "El Camaron" or "The Shrimp," 56-year-old Panfilo Morales Gonzalez, and Antonio "Perico" Perez, 57, the "Parakeet."

The indictment also includes the forfeiture of $262,000 in cash seized by federal agents and another $720,000 that was allegedly laundered.

The defendants could each face sentences of 10 years to life in prison, fines of as much as $4 million, and supervised release for the rest of their lives.

The Federal Government takes drug and laundering crimes very seriously and a person charged may face up to $500,000, or double the amount of money that was laundered, whichever is greater. The court is also authorized to sentence the defendant to a term of 20 years in federal prison.

If you or a loved one is charged with federal drug crime you need a skilled, experienced, and aggressive criminal defense attorney to be your advocate.

Contact Hedding Law Firm, Los Angeles, CA for a free face to face confidential consultation and we will discuss all your options and work with all diligence to contest the evidence presented against you.

Marvin Mercado, 37, the co-founder of the Asian Boyz gang was sentenced on Wednesday March 30, 2011 to life imprison without parole in connection with at least eight slayings and ten shootings in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.

Some History

The Asian Boyz gang grew out of a meeting between Mercado, the shot caller, and fellow Cleveland High School student Sothi Mehn. Their circle grew over the years and by the mid 1990s the Asian Boyz were 200 strong with the bulk of the gang members in Southern California and affiliates in Northern California and Texas.

The gang initially participated in property crimes but their downfall began when they started targeting rivals which turned into robberies, burglaries, shootings, and killings.

Mercado was living in the Philippines under an assumed name when he was arrested in 2007 and brought to Los Angeles to face justice.

Mercado was convicted of first-degree murder in the slayings of:

-- Armando Estrada and Miguel Limon, two rival Latino gang members who were shot numerous times after being ambushed at an apartment complex on Valerio Street in Van Nuys on April 14, 1995.

-- Cheng Peng, Paul Vu and Ben Liao, who were mistaken for members of a Taiwanese-based gang. They were followed by three carloads of Asian Boyz gang members as they left a Peck Road cafe, got on the westbound San Bernardino (10) Freeway and then attacked near the Temple City Boulevard offramp in El Monte on Aug. 1, 1995.

-- Oscar Palis, who was killed on Aug. 26, 1995, at Woodman Avenue and Devonshire Street in the Mission Hills area as he and others were heading home from a video arcade.

-- John Gregory, who was fatally shot during a Sept. 20, 1995, home-invasion robbery in Reseda.

-- Tony Nguyen, who was killed with a shotgun the prosecutor said was fired by one of Mercado's accomplices.

Jurors also convicted Mercado of 10 counts of attempted murder involving attacks between April 1995 and September 1995, but acquitted him of an 11th count of attempted murder. They deadlocked on a home invasion  robbery charge.

Additionally, jurors found that the crimes were gang-related and that Mercado had personally used a firearm in some of the attacks. The panel also found true a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, which made Mercado eligible for the death penalty.

Mercado now is sentenced and required to serve eight consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole in addition to 200 years to life.

At Hedding Law Firm we understand that a situation like this may seem hopeless and we are here to fight for you and help you.

If you have been charged with a violent crime such as murder, burglary, robbery, battery, assault, etc., contact the  Hedding Law Firm at (818) 986-2092 today!  Our skilled legal team will investigate the facts surrounding your case, contest evidence presented against you, and place every effort into your defense. 
At the Hedding Law Firm, we are dedicated to our clients and their cases.

Owner of South Los Angeles Business Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Medicare Fraud Scheme

Marlon Oslvaldo Palma, 40, the co-owner of South Los Angeles Santos Medical Supply company that fraudulently collected nearly $2 million from Medicare for unneeded electric wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment was sentenced on March 28, 2011 to five years in prison.  

Palma and five other people arrested along with him faced charges of conspiracy and Medicare fraud. Palma pleaded guilty in March 2010 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He admitted to bilking the Medicare program by submitting claims for $5000 power wheelchairs and other medical equipment along with other fraudulent schemes (patient information, bogus prescriptions) and submitted nearly $3 million worth of  fraudulent claims to Medicare which paid out $1.8 million.

The rest have all pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charges and three are still awaiting sentencing.

In the United States, Medicare fraud is a general term that refers to an individual or corporation that seeks to collect Medicare health care reimbursement under false pretenses. There are many different types of Medicare fraud, all of which have the same goal: to bilk money from the Medicare program. The Medicare program is a target for  fraud because it is based on the "honor system" of billing.

Fraud (Medicare, mail, identity theft, forgery, embezzlement, etc.) is a serious criminal offense and we at Hedding Law Firm understand that a situation like this can be a nightmare and turn your life upside down.

We have been involved withFederal cases in Los Angeles that involve hundreds, thousands and even millions of dollars.

Contact  Hedding Law Firm in Los Angeles, California today for skilled and experienced criminal defense attorney to aggressively defend these charges for you.

The 26 year old Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Mario Henderson was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm without a permit the morning of March 24 ^th  in Fort Myers, Florida.

He was originally pulled over by police for a noise ordinance violation. His black Chevy Impala was allegedly playing music too loud.

According to the police report, Henderson's windows also had a dark tint and three passengers in the vehicle failed to wear seat belts.

There was a gun in the vehicle. The gun in question is a Smith and Wesson 9 millimeter, which was wedged between the driver's seat and center console according to the report.

He did not have a permit for the weapon.
Henderson has not made any comments.

A significant number of illegal weapons possessions charges result from illegal searches and other violations of individual's rights. A weapons charge can become very complicated and the type and severity of the charges one can face has a connection to personal circumstances (i.e. where you were, whether the gun was loaded, whether it was concealed).

A weapons charge derives not only from a possession/ownership of a firearm but also from items such as stiletto, ballistic knife, switch blade, any double edged bladed knife, a slingshot, brass knuckles, etc.

If you or a loved one is dealing with a weapons charge it is crucial and imperative that you choose a skilled, experienced, and persistent criminal defense attorney to challenge all the incriminating evidence against you.

Contact  Hedding Law Firm today for a free face to face consultation. 

What is Conspiracy:

Title 18 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 371

If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner of for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years or both. 

If however, the offense, the charge of which is the purpose of the conspiracy, is a misdemeanor only the punishment for such  conspiracy shall not exceed the maximum punishment provided for such misdemeanor.

The actual crime is not necessary to prosecute a conspiracy case - only the stated intent to break the law. This means that even if the ultimate crime was not committed, the conspirators can be prosecuted under federal law.

So what must the prosecution show beyond a reasonable doubt is:

1. An agreement.
2. An unlawful object (ie, a criminal offense).
3. Knowledge and intent.
4. An overt (obvious) act in furtherance of the conspiracy.

As to overt acts, acts to further the conspiracy, the Government may misconstrue or take out of context and our goal as defense attorneys is to show that the defendant did not engage in any act to further the objectives of the conspiracy.

The best defensive argument for a conspiracy charge is to show a lack of agreement. The prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was an agreement and that each person to the agreement knew that the objective of the agreement was to commit a crime.

Another effective and strong defense to the crime of conspiracy is to convince the court that the defendant withdrew or abandoned from the conspiracy.

To make the defense of withdrawal or abandonment, a defendant must satisfy the following conditions:

1. A defendant must take some positive action to withdraw from conspiracy;
2. A defendant must make a timely communication of the withdrawal with the co-conspirators;
3. A defendant must make the withdrawal prior to completion of conspiracy's object;
4. A defendant must prove that there was a sufficient interval between the withdrawal or abandonment and commission of the conspiracy.

A conspiracy charge is a serious crime. A knowledgeable criminal defense attorney will explore the charges and explore the options in fighting for the defendant.

If you or a loved one has been charged with the crime of conspiracy contact  Hedding Law Firm for a free face to face consultation. Our staff is well seasoned and experienced and we will fight your case for you by giving careful attention and care to your needs. 

On Tuesday March 22, 2011 authorities reported that Federal officers detained ropes and cords weighing 20 pounds saturated with cocaine at Los Angeles International Airport.

The ropes and cords were brought in March 15 by two U.S. citizens from Panama City, the Department of Homeland Security said.

Both men, ages 20 and 21, said they had bought the items from the swap meet and that they were planning to use the ropes on the fishing boat.

Both were arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance.

Authorities reported that the ropes and cords tested positive for cocaine.

At Hedding Law Firm we understand the seriousness of drug related offenses. Contact Hedding Law firm if you or a loved one is facing drug charges. We understand the penalties involved with these charges are rigorous and our skilled Los Angeles  criminal defense attorneys at  Hedding Law Firm will gather and contest evidence against you and place every effort in your defense.