Sentence Enhancement for Gang Related Crimes

Gang related crimes are a serious problem for Orange County. The state and law enforcement have acted by imposing "sentence enhancements" for any crimes that are committed in accordance, to the benefit or in affiliation with a gang. District attorneys and prosecutors will look to tie street crimes with gang activity. If they can prove a crime was committed under the order or direction of a gang, then you can be charged with gang affiliation, which is a sentence enhancement that can tack on ten additional years to your prison sentence.

Gang related crimes and activity are already serious felonies under California and Federal law. Certain felony offenses when committed in connection with or to benefit a gang can be punishable by a life sentence. Some gang related crimes and activities include:

• Assault and battery
• Criminal threats
• Weapons charges
• Graffiti/Property crimes
• Drug crimes
• Prostitution
• Sex Crimes
• Robbery

Murder

• Assault with a deadly weapon
• Arson
• Any other violent crimes

Minors are Subject to Three Strikes

If your child is under eighteen and committed a violent gang related crime, they are now subject to California's three strikes law. Even if your child is not a member of a gang, the district attorney may try to prove that your child committed the crime while pretending to be a member of a gang, for example by using hand signals or wearing gang colors in order to intimidate their victims.

If you or your child has been charged with a gang related crime, it's critical that you get early intervention from a skilled and knowledgeable Irvine gang related crimes attorney at Apkarian and Zalewski. We will challenge the truthfulness of the statements against you and seek to reduce or dismiss the charges so you don't have to suffer the consequences of sentence enhancements due to gang related crimes.

Contact a Irvine Gang Related Crimes Lawyer at our firm today for a free consultation.