Melissa is an experienced trial attorney and has successfully defended a wide range of criminal matters for individuals and businesses since 2005. She practices in both state and federal courts and handles cases at all stages of the proceedings – investigatory and grand jury, pre-trial, trial, and (less frequently) post-conviction. Melissa has taken on criminal matters throughout the United States and represented individuals located all over the world. She has conducted defense investigations in the United States, Europe, and Central America.

Melissa is skilled at managing complex white collar matters which are often paper-intensive and can require navigating parallel civil and administrative proceedings, privilege issues, sensitive business and personal relationships, and other challenges. In addition, since 2014, Melissa has been on the Central District of California’s Criminal Justice Act Panel where she takes a limited number of serious felony cases, including capital cases, on behalf of indigent clients.

Below are some representative cases Melissa has worked on.

 

    WHITE COLLAR CRIMINAL DEFENSE

    • Physician was charged with twelve felonies for alleged federal misbranding and importing and exporting unapproved drugs. At trial he faced an additional twelve strict liability misdemeanors which were lesser included offenses. After a five day jury trial, Melissa’s client was acquitted of all charges.
    • Attorney charged in workers compensation fraud case in Orange County Superior Court with alleged kickbacks and illegal referrals. After years of litigation, Melissa secured a complete dismissal of all charges.
    • Former Los Angeles City Planning Commissioner was charged with conspiracy, bribery, mail and wire fraud in a multi-count, multi-defendant case. Melissa wrote a motion for severance which was granted. She then successfully negotiated a federal diversion which resulted in all charges being dismissed.
    • Physician was charged with federal misbranding offenses. After Melissa wrote motions to suppress and dismiss, including a motion to dismiss based on prosecutorial misconduct before the grand jury, the case was resolved with a federal diversion which resulted in all charges being dismissed.
    • Banker was being investigated for theft and fraud related to misappropriating client funds. Melissa negotiated the first pre-indictment CASA disposition in the Central District of California, Western Division, allowing her client to obtain needed drug treatment and avoid incarceration.
    • Bitcoin trader was being investigated for violations of money laundering, structuring, and bank fraud. Melissa was able to resolve the case without any charges being filed.
    • Businessman was charged by indictment with felony conspiracy and evading airport security requirements. Melissa negotiated a federal misdemeanor disposition and her client was sentenced to a year of federal probation.
    • Businesswoman was charged in Ventura County Superior Court with workers compensation fraud for failing to pay over $2 million in premiums. Melissa was able to settle the case so that her client was sentenced to probation and no jail time.
    • Businessman was a Subject/Target in a federal bribery investigation related to a high profile public corruption case. Melissa was able to negotiate a resolution to avoid her client being charged.
    • Businessman was charged with money laundering in federal court in the Eastern District of New York. Melissa wrote a motion to transfer venue to the Central District of California which was granted. After the case was transferred, Melissa wrote a motion arguing that the law in the new jurisdiction precluded prosecution. The case was settled with a misdemeanor.

    GENERAL CRIMINAL DEFENSE

    • Client was charged with first degree murder, a potential capital offense, for assaulting a fellow inmate in federal custody. After a jury trial, Melissa’s client was acquitted of first degree murder and convicted of the lesser offense of second degree murder thereby avoiding a life sentence.
    • Client was charged with drug offense that carried a mandatory minimum ten year sentence. Melissa obtained a sentence of probation.
    • Client was charged with felony criminal threats in Los Angeles Superior Court. After a jury trial, Melissa’s client was acquitted of the charges
    • Client, a businessman, was accused of domestic violence after an altercation with his wife. Melissa negotiated a dismissal of the charges.
    • Alleged head of international crime family was extradited to the United States and charged with RICO conspiracy and drug trafficking. Melissa wrote a motion arguing that the doctrines of dual criminality and specialty had been violated, resulting in multiple overt acts being stricken from the indictment.
    • Client had prior strikes and was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of illegal narcotics. Melissa wrote a motion to suppress evidence and after an evidentiary hearing the evidence was suppressed leading to a complete dismissal of the case.
    • Client was charged with resisting arrest and went to trial. After the prosecution rested, Melissa argued for an acquittal and the judge agreed, finding her client not guilty.