How an Illegal Immigrant Walked Away With Reduced Charges?
If you drive with a suspended license or without a valid driver’s license in Pennsylvania, you are just one routine traffic stop away from trouble! However, if the same happens with an illegal immigrant, it may lead to multiple criminal charges. Moreover, such a complex legal battle would obviously require the services of experienced counsel. That’s where a dedicated Pittsburgh criminal lawyer saves the day.
Now, let’s take a look at this blog, where our recent case involving a client (an illegal immigrant), who was facing numerous charges for driving without a license, got his charges reduced, and walked away freely.
What Charges Was Our Client Booked With?
The first and foremost thing about our client was that he was an undocumented immigrant from Turkey! He was cited not just for operating a vehicle without a license, but also for eight different summary and misdemeanor charges. These violations included the following-
- Driving without a license
- Failure to display an inspection sticker
- Multiple counts of operating a vehicle without required financial responsibility (auto insurance).
The consequences of these charges could be severe in Pennsylvania. Driving without a valid driver’s license is a summary offense. But it can quickly escalate to become a third-degree misdemeanor for repeat offenses. And misdemeanors carry the potential for jail time, significant fines, and a lasting criminal record.
Crucially, a conviction on other serious charges, such as driving without insurance, often results in the suspension of the driver’s license, which creates a deeper legal issue for the client. Considering our client’s immigration status, any criminal conviction could trigger serious deportation proceedings. This was far more than a simple traffic ticket conviction, and a top Pittsburgh criminal lawyer was needed to navigate this situation.
How Did We Help Mitigate the Charges?
When our client approached us at the Logue Law Group, we understood that we had to proceed with a two-fold strategy. First, we had to mitigate the criminal charges. And second, we had to avoid any outcome that could have jeopardized our client’s immigration status. Therefore, our defense was solely focused on reducing the charges.
Our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers argued that a punitive conviction on all eight counts was not necessary. And through careful negotiation with the prosecution, we achieved a remarkable result. We successfully had seven of the eight criminal charges withdrawn and dismissed outright. Our client only pleaded guilty to a single, minor summary offense- a single count of driving without a license. As a result, our client successfully got saved from imprisonment, hefty fines, and a long-term suspension of his driver’s license. This outcome avoided the severe collateral consequences that other convictions would have triggered. But thankfully, our skilled Pittsburgh criminal lawyers, with their years of expertise, handled the situation quite well.
Hence, if you or a friend is facing multiple citations, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at the Logue Law Group. We understand how to leverage every legal tool available and ensure a favorable outcome for our clients. Not just that, but our professionals possess strong work ethics and can also guide you at every step in the legal process to make sure that there are no faults from your end. So, no matter how complicated the case, just call us at 844.PITT.DUI and schedule a free consultation with our expert Pittsburgh criminal lawyers today.