Recent Wins

Vehicular Manslaughter: Following an arrest by the California Highway Patrol, early intervention by our legal defense attorneys ended with the District Attorney deciding not to proceed with the filing of formal criminal charges against a client. (Placer County Superior Court, CHP report #2013030012)

Misdemeanor home monitoring: In a case involving allegations of assault with intent to commit rape, burglary with intent to commit rape, false imprisonment and a prior criminal strike, the prosecution originally offered life in prison for a client. But after our attorney's defense investigation and rigorous pre-trial motions, the prosecution eventually agreed to a plea bargain for a low level misdemeanor without electronic home monitoring and house arrest. Additionally, a court protective order was set aside mere days after being issued. (Glenn County Superior Court #12NCR09190)

Armed robbery: In a case where a client was accused of that crime as well as attempted burglary, a thorough development of mitigation evidence — including forensic psychological evaluation and an extensive support plan — caused a potential prison case to have a happy result for the client. The client was able to keep his job and his family intact. (Sacramento County Superior Court #12F03329)

Arson: In a case where a Marysville juvenile was wrongly accused of arson, key alibi evidence coupled with a polygraph test conducted at the behest of the defense convinced prosecutors they had the wrong guy.

Mortgage fraud: Felony charges were reduced to a mere misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace following extensive defense investigation, including the use of a key handwriting expert. What started as a case with a potential jail sentence ended with no jail time and the client keeping his job. (Stanislaus County Superior Court #1400359)

Robbery with a firearm: This case could have netted a client more than a decade in state prison, but extensive defense investigation forced prosecutors to offer a plea deal involving mere home monitoring. (Sacramento County Superior Court #09F06016)

Felony identity theft: A defense mitigation strategy ended with a client staying in school and retaining their job. (Placer County Superior Court #62-117025)

NO CHARGES FILED! INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES CAFÉ raided in Oxnard, California. Presentation of defense forensics to the prosecution convinces them not to file charges. (Oxnard Police Citation 12-08909)

BOATING UNDER INFLUENCE reduced to "DRY RECKLESS"! Prosecution witnesses wilted during cross-examination at hearing on defense Motion to Suppress, forcing a favorable plea deal. (Sacramento County Municipal Court #10M04194)

MISDEMEANOR & HOUSE ARREST on FELONY SMUGGLING CONTRABAND INTO PRISON! Protracted negotiations were aided by extensive mitigation evidence developed by the defense, which finally yielded a result that kept our client working and out of jail. (Sacramento County Superior Court #11F08353)

MISDEMEANOR and 30 days of work project for possession of almost 2 pounds of marijuana – without a doctor’s recommendation! Originally arrested for FELONY possession for sale of marijuana and FELONY transportation of controlled substances. (Sacramento County Superior Court # 12F05440)

DISMISSAL of all FELONY DRUG charges! (El Dorado County Superior Court #P12CRF0024)

DISMISSAL of CONTEMPT FOR FAILURE TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT! Defense Motion to Dismiss prevails – all charges dismissed! (El Dorado County Superior Court PFL 20100840)

CHARGES DISMISSED! (POSSESSION FOR SALE of MARIJUANA) (Humboldt County Superior Court #CR1101389)

CERTIFICATE OF REHABILITATION GRANTED on ASSAULT W/ DEADLY WEAPON! (Sacramento County Superior Court #11F01088)

CINDY SHEEHAN ACQUITTED!  Found not guilty after trial in Solano County on trumped-up charges meant to silence legitimate political protest. (Fairfield)

HOUSE ARREST FOR ARMED ROBBERY!  Extensive defense mitigation, including expert psychological evidence, utilized to keep our client out of prison, and out of jail for armed robbery in Sacramento! (People v. Cooper)

ASSET FORFEITURE VICTORY!  Clients money seized after a narcotics arrest in Sacramento returned after our attorneys convincingly prove the forfeiture was wrong!  (People v. Vallejo)

NOT GUILTY by jury of all charges (assault causing serious bodily injury) People v. Garcia

NOT GUILTY by jury of kidnapping, robbery, assault w/ a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, domestic violence, amongst others, in "Three Strikes" trial where client was looking at 275 years to life in prison. Convicted of only two misdemeanors and given credit for time served and released from custody. People v. Jackson

NOT GUILTY by jury of all charges (assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and enhancement of causing great bodily injury) People v. Lockling

NOT GUILTY by jury of all charges (assault with a deadly weapon/knife and causing great bodily injury enhancement) People v. Harris

NOT GUILTY by jury of serious charges of pimping a minor and lewd acts with a minor. Convicted of only a lesser offense, received probation and avoided registration as a sex offender. People v. Rivera

HUNG JURY on charges of assault on police officer and prior "strike." People v. Hendrix

NOT GUILTY by jury of all charges (possession of weapon by inmate) People v Soliai

ALL CHARGES DISMISSED! Possession of controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia charges dismissed. People v. Lindae (Yolo County)

ALL CHARGES DISMISSED! Domestic violence and brandishing a firearm charges in Yolo County dismissed after defense investigation guts the D.A.'s case. (People v. Ghaffar) .

Domestic Violence Charges Dismissed! Our attorneys gather the information necessary to convince the prosecution their case has no legs. People v. Bouchez (Sacramento County)

SACRAMENTO CRIMINAL CASE AND CHARGES DISMISSED!!! People V. Omar, Sacramento Superior Court Case Felony domestic violence and making terrorist threats, Dismissed!!!! Hard work by the office got these charges, where client was facing 12 years, dismissed!!

SACRAMENTO CRIMINAL CASE reduced charges to house arrest!!! People v. Sebastien, Sacramento Superior Court Case No. Client facing counts of serious sexual misconduct; many years in prison. Lots of hard work got case reduced to a few months house arrest!!!

June 11, 2010: DISMISSED!!! Assault, reckless driving. People v. Vincent, Sac Superior Court Case 09M04784. Victim made up the story of Mark's client engaged in "road rage" and trying to kill the victim with his car, physically assaulting the victim and then driving away almost hitting small children playing in the street. Mark and Joe Patterson with Nighthawk Investigations pounded the pavement, knocked on doors and found out the true story of police complicity in a "big lie." Bad police investigation in police reports almost cost this client a serious conviction and prison time. DISMISSED!

May 12, 2010: FEDERAL CIVIL CASE DISMISSED!!! Engel v. Loustaunau, 09 CV-3177 LKK; complaint for damages for assault and slander against Mark's civil client dismissed by federal judge after evidentiary put on by Mark showing client could not be brought to trial for this claim. Complete dismissal!!

GIANT WHITE COLLAR FRAUD VICTORY!!!!! People v. Thomas, Sac Superior Court Case No. 04F07002, DISMISSED! In a high profile raid with television news cameras and press conferences, in 2004 the Department of Insurance raided chiropractor offices, taking all computers and seizing all files. Charges filed and office manager arrested at home. After 4 different lawyers, preliminary exams, appeals, and the matter finally being set for trial, 4 years later Ms. Thomas hired Mark this February. In April, the District Attorney dismissed all charges. Free to go!!!

Felony Charges Dismissed - Four felony criminal charges and one misdemeanor for drug trafficking dismissed following investigation. People v. Bali, Sac Superior Court Case No. 07F11879

Bank Robbery Charges Dismissed - People v. Mondragon No 08 F 09411. Sacramento Superior Court. October 1, 2009. Check it out on the court website!. Client charged with bank robbery and also with receiving stolen property, a gun found in his house. After extensive investigation by the Law Offices of Mark Reichel, the case was dismissed. No "plea to misdemeanor."

Felony Grand Theft Charges Dismissed - August 20, 2009: People v. Reyes, Sacramento Superior Court 08F10261, P.C. 487 Grand Theft . Our lawyers successfully persuade the police and the DA that their client was innocent. The Deputy District Attorney took a closer look at the case and after all offers were taken off the table, the case was dismissed.

Not Guilty of Lewd Conduct With a Minor Under Age of 14 - August 6, 2009, Sacramento Superior Court: People v. Marin, 08M09255, Lewd Conduct With a Minor Under Age of 14. Client charged with crime he did not commit, but the district attorney went to trial. If convicted, client faced lifetime registration as a sex offender under Penal Code Section 290. Would lose his job, never be employed again, and not be able to go to his children's baseball and soccer games or school events. Client turned down offer of misdemeanor 415 p.c. disturbing the peace and no jail time. After a four-day jury trial, the client was acquitted and found not guilty. As a result, the client was able to keep his job and his normal life. Click here to see the verdict

Felony Charges Dismissed - July 25, 2009: Felony charges dismissed and reduced to a single day "time served" for disturbing the peace, with no probation term and no fine. People v. Fitzpatrick, Sac Superior Court case No. F 07- 015

Felony Assault Charges Dismissed - January 12, 2009: People v. To, Sacramento Superior Court Case No Felony 08F07311. Felony assault charges dismissed prior to any preliminary examination. Staff investigator Bob Storey found a key witness to the alleged assault who law enforcement had not interviewed. A report which was given to the District Attorney's office which proved our client's story and proved that the alleged victim and the other eyewitness had given the wrong story to the police.

Terrorist Threats Case Dismissed - People v. Venegas, Sacramento County Superior Court. P.C. 422 terrorist threats; case dismissed following motions by Mark to dismiss the charges following prosecution delay.

Federal Criminal Case Dismissed - USA v. Hodges, Eastern District Sacramento Federal Case. Money Laundering charges dismissed. 20 counts of money laundering, both 18 U.S.C. 1957 and 18 U.S.C. 1956, dismissed by the court over the objections of the prosecutor. Our motion showed the law required "money laundering" to be an attempt to hide the "profits" of a criminal enterprise, not simply "money" involved in an alleged crime. Tore out the heart of prosecution\'s case in this extremely large white collar fraud case.

The legal information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice. Any results set forth here were dependent on the facts of that case and the results will differ from case to case. Please contact Mark Reichel for legal advice specific to your situation. To continue reading this disclaimer, click here.