Case Result Categories

Soliciting Prostitute Charge Dismissed For Man Going Through Citizenship Process

Our Columbus Luftman, Heck & Associates office recently helped a 28-year-old foreign man in Dayton who was charged with soliciting a prostitute and possession of criminal tools. The man responded to a prostitution ad posted by police and was caught in an embarrassing circumstance.

Our client installs fiber optics on cell phone towers and was in Dayton on business. As a legal resident, he was still going through the citizen application process. It was imperative that he had a clean record to be accepted. Attorney Joseph Kunkel took the responsibility of his case and fought his charges. After working with the prosecutor on this case, Kunkel successfully got the solicitation charge dismissed in exchange for a guilty plea to the possession of criminal tools. Our client paid $200 in fines plus court costs but was otherwise let off quite easy and will see no solicitation charge on his record.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. Individual results may vary based on the facts, injuries, jurisdiction, venue, witnesses, parties, and other factors. The results and client testimonials provided are not necessarily representative of the results obtained by all clients or their satisfaction with the firm’s services.

Columbus Man Charged with Improperly Handling A Firearm In A Motor Vehicle Found Not Guilty

A Columbus man in his late 20s was charged with a felony improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and having a weapon while under disability. Because our client had been previously convicted of a robbery he could not legally possess a firearm. In this case, he was driving his fiancées car while drunk, with her gun in between the two seats. With these charges stacking up on him, he asked the attorneys at Luftman, Heck & Associates to represent him. Facing about four and a half years in jail if convicted, attorneys with LHA set out to make sure that did not happen.

We took his case to trial and argued that his client did not knowingly possess the weapon and it was not his. Because the weapon was in between the seats, it was unlikely that he even knew it was there. Based on this strong argument, our client was quite relieved to receive a not guilty verdict at the completion of this case.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. Individual results may vary based on the facts, injuries, jurisdiction, venue, witnesses, parties, and other factors. The results and client testimonials provided are not necessarily representative of the results obtained by all clients or their satisfaction with the firm’s services.

Misdemeanor Carrying Concealed Weapon Charge Dismissed

The Columbus criminal attorneys at Luftman, Heck and Associates are often hired to represent clients on OVI / DUI and criminal cases throughout Ohio. On the recommendation of a former client, a young man contacted attorney Ben Luftman for advice about a misdemeanor carrying concealed weapons charge in Guernsey County. The situation sounded peculiar and the young man said he wanted an out of county attorney who was going to fight the charges and try and get them dismissed. The attorneys with LHA have represented many clients in Cambridge Municipal Court on OVI / DUI and criminal cases.

After reviewing the discovery, we set the case for a motion hearing and was fully prepared to litigate the case. The arresting officer spoke with the prosecutor and was expected to attend the suppression hearing and testify about his traffic stop and circumstances finding the weapon in the vehicle. The police officer did not show up at the suppression hearing and the prosecutor dismissed the case.

The dismissal and subsequent expungement or sealing of the record of the case will completely remove the charge from our client’s background. He was grateful to LHA for their willingness to come and fight for him under the circumstance.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. Individual results may vary based on the facts, injuries, jurisdiction, venue, witnesses, parties, and other factors. The results and client testimonials provided are not necessarily representative of the results obtained by all clients or their satisfaction with the firm’s services.

Engineer Avoids Felony Drug and Weapons Charges

An engineer who was having an admittedly poor personal time in his life had been traveling through Ohio when he attracted the attention of a police officer while in a store parking lot. After further investigation, the officer found cocaine and a handgun in the engineer’s vehicle. He was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle. His case was ultimately indicted and came to be heard in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

For a professional, this was a worst-case scenario. Felony convictions would make him unemployable. A felony drug conviction carries a mandatory 6 month to 5-year license suspension. Both offenses carried the potential of prison. For a military veteran and person who had lived his life in a law-abiding manner, it was an almost overwhelming situation. It was under these circumstances that he reached out to attorney Ben Luftman. After speaking with attorney Luftman, the Columbus Criminal Defense team was hired to represent him and most importantly, to try and keep 2 felony convictions off his record.

The Attorneys of LHA represented our client on the case. After multiple court dates, we were able to negotiate the dismissal of the felony drug charge and the reduction of the felony drug charge to a misdemeanor. Our client received no fine and no probation. In one year, we will return to court on his behalf and file a motion to seal or expunge the record of the conviction, which if granted will completely remove this case from his criminal background.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. Individual results may vary based on the facts, injuries, jurisdiction, venue, witnesses, parties, and other factors. The results and client testimonials provided are not necessarily representative of the results obtained by all clients or their satisfaction with the firm’s services.

Military Serviceman’s Felony Drug Possession and Firearms Convictions Avoided

An Army serviceman in his mid-20s was on leave and visiting family in Columbus. He was pulled over by a Columbus Police Department officer for a minor traffic violation. That was the beginning of a very long road for the young man. During the traffic stop, the officer questioned the driver and the questioning revealed both a gun and cocaine in the vehicle. The driver was arrested and charged with felony drug possession; improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and carrying concealed weapons. His case was ultimately scheduled for arraignment in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

The young man searched frantically online and spoke to a number of attorneys about his situation. He knew that a felony conviction of any kind would wipe out his military career and would cause him extreme hardship in getting a civilian job. After speaking with attorney Ben Luftman, the Columbus Criminal Defense team was hired to represent him on the felony drug possession and firearms case.

Attorneys with LHA represented our client on the felony drug possession and firearms case. We thoroughly reviewed all of the discovery available and provided it to our client to review, as is our policy with every case. Our client, for his part, enrolled in an Army substance abuse program and successfully completed it.

After many court dates and working to convince the prosecutor of the evidentiary and mitigating issues, the prosecutor agreed to dismiss both the felony drug possession and carrying concealed weapons charges and reduce the improper handling of a firearms charge to a misdemeanor. This was as good a negotiated result as our client could have hoped for. Additionally, the young man did not receive any probation from the judge, meaning that in one year, we will return and file a motion to seal or expunge his record and this very unfortunate incident will be permanently removed from his criminal background.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. Individual results may vary based on the facts, injuries, jurisdiction, venue, witnesses, parties, and other factors. The results and client testimonials provided are not necessarily representative of the results obtained by all clients or their satisfaction with the firm’s services.

Man Found Not Guilty of Weapons under Disability and Improper Handling of a Firearm

A young man decided to go out to pick up his friend and go to a local bar one evening recently. He borrowed his girlfriend’s van to drive. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to him, she had a gun in the vehicle. He had not driven that vehicle in quite some time. He went with his friend to the bar and proceeded to drink entirely too much. He dropped his friend off at home and on his way back home, fell asleep in his vehicle. The police came to the vehicle and tapped on the window to wake him up.

After he woke up, the police could tell very clearly he was drunk. After performing the roadside field sobriety tests, he was arrested and charged with first offense OVI / DUI.  When the police searched the van, they found the gun. They questioned the driver and he explained to the officers that it was not his vehicle, it was not his gun, and he did not know the gun was there. He was nonetheless charged with improper handling of a firearm of a motor vehicle  and weapons under disability. His case was scheduled in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

The driver went through the majority of the court process with a different attorney, and the offer from the prosecutor was for him to serve prison time. He knew he was not guilty and decided to make a change. After meeting with attorney Ben Luftman, the Columbus Criminal Defense team was hired to represent him on the OVI / DUI, improper handling of a firearm, and weapons under disability case.

Attorneys with LHA represented the young man and after a number of court dates, a jury trial was set. After conducting the trial, the jury returned a not guilty verdict on the OVI / DUI, improper handling of a firearm, and weapons under disability charges. The young man felt vindicated and naturally was extremely grateful for us standing up for him and our skill in the trial.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. Individual results may vary based on the facts, injuries, jurisdiction, venue, witnesses, parties, and other factors. The results and client testimonials provided are not necessarily representative of the results obtained by all clients or their satisfaction with the firm’s services.