In a major trial victory, Sullivan & Brill partner, Steven Brill, successfully defendend a purported Latin King associate in a RICO Conspiracy indictment involving the Newburgh Latin Kings.  After a 5 week trial, jurors found Mr. Brill's client not guilty of the RICO conspiracy, the Narcotics Conspiracy, as well as the Weapon Conspiracy.  In the end, the client, a 28 year old relative of some of the top crowns of the Latin Kings, was found guilty of one count of Drug Distribution - a non-conspiracy, substantive count.  The client, who was facing a potential mandatory minimum of 20 years is now exposed to significantly lower jail sentence.  

Sullivan & Brill's client, who was deemed a "career offender" under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines was facing a sentence of 360 months - life.  Federal Criminal Lawyer Steven Brill was able to persuade the Federal Judge to sentence their client to a lesser term given the client's age and medical condition.  This is another example of the Criminal Lawyers at Sullivan & Brill developing mitigation factors so that a sentence below the Federal Sentencing Guidelines can be rendered.

Criminal Defense Attorney, Steven Brill, was able to convince a court that his client, the Upper East Side dog walker convicted of stealing from two of his clients, should be sentenced to the minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years.  The client was facing a maximum of 15 years.  Even though the client was a dog walker who had permission and authority to enter his clients' apartments, the jury convicted him of burglary.  The New York Criminal Appeals Attorneys at Sullivan & Brill intend on filing an appeal with New York's Appellate Division arguing that the burglary conviction should be reversed.  To read about it, click this link from NYPost.com.  http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/dog_walker_collared_in_ues_jewel_TKfQk1dNXqpi9Nzs3t10PP

Client was U.S. Citizen from Nigeria who was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for Conspiracy to Import and Distribute approximately 500 grams of Heroin.  The DEA conducted surveillance and wiretaps in order make the arrest.  Federal Criminal Attorney, Steven Brill, from Sullivan & Brill, argued to the Justice from Federal District Court of the Eastern District of New York, that given client’s lack of criminal history and other familial mitigation factors, a sentence of time-served was warranted. The Judge agreed and the client was released on the same day he was sentenced.

On April 13, 2012, a pro se client, represented by Steven Brill as stand by counsel, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for his conviction of Securities Fraud, Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud.   The client was exposed to a guideline sentence of 121-151 months.  This sentence was based, in large part, by the government’s argument that the client caused an intended loss between 7 and 10 million dollars.  The client, however, successfully argued that the Court should use a loss amount of approximately 1.5 million – far less than the government requested.

In addition, the client argued that he was entitled to a departure from a guideline sentence due to his documented diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) The U.S. District Judge agreed and reduced his sentence 2 guideline offense levels.   

After close to two years since his accident and arrest for Manslaughter in the Second Degree and Vehicular Manslaughter, Sullivan & Brill's client, an Iraqi Vet, was sentenced to time served and five years of probation. S&B's client was deployed and then re-deployed to Iraq from 2004-2005 – perhaps the bloodiest and most violent era of the Iraqi war. Sullivan & Brill's Client suffered from Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder, which manifested itself in alcohol and drug abuse and, was argued, was the proximate cause of the S&B's client's conduct on the night of the accident. Further supporting that the S&B's client's Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder played a major role in the accident, S&B also argued that the actions of S&B's client on the night of the accident, was inconsistent with his behavior and judgment prior to this tours in Iraq.

 

Client was a young, construction worker who was stopped by Port Authority Police as he was pulling into the toll plaza at the Queens Midtown Tunnel.  When the police saw ketamine bottles inside our client’s car, our client was arrested and charged with driving while impaired on drugs – an A misdemeanor.  After several months of plea negotiations with the Queens District Attorney’s Office, a plea agreement was negotiated where the client would plead to a lesser charge Driving while Impaired (by alcohol) – a traffic infraction, not a crime.  The client was sentenced to short-term license suspension (90 days) and a small fine.  Most importantly, the client will have no criminal record

The client, a New York City Corrections Officer, was charged with Reckless Endangerment in the first degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd degree for allegedly firing three shots at another correction officer. Following the client's testimony and a detailed re-enactment of the shooting in front of the jury, the client was acquitted of all charges. He was also reinstated with full benefits and back pay to his post as a corrections officer.

Client was charged with engaging in the rape of a stepdaughter. The stepdaughter was 22 years old and had come to live with the client's family from her native country in order to gain legal status in the United States. Client claimed that the sexual relationship was purely consensual and that the only reason that the complaining witness made a rape accusation was because she did not want anyone to think that she was having a consensual sexual relationship with her stepfather. Ultimately, Sullivan & Brill, LLP continued to negotiate with Bronx County and in the end the Bronx County District AttorneyÕs Office agreed to dismiss all charges.

In this highly publicized and tragic case, the Client adopted a baby boy in 1980 when the baby was three days old. Several months later, the boy's biological father sought custody of the child claiming that he never consented to the adoption. When the child was 15 months old, the client, along with her husband, maintained custody of the baby, against a court order, and traveled to New Mexico where they lived and raised the baby until he was 22 years old. Facing indictment in New York for taking the baby and exposed to 25 years in prison, Sullivan & Brill represented the adoptive mother and negotiated a plea bargain where the she was sentenced to six months prison and five years probation. With a credit for good time and her eligibility for early release, the client was released in 45 days.  Please read the following links highlighting the media coverage of this case.

Media Reports

Our Client Pleads Innocent