Case Summaries

While I can't possible list the literally hundreds of cases I have handled over the years, the following is an overview of some matters I have handled.

Detailed Case Summaries - Follow the links to learn more.

  • Successful Defense of Federal Drug Trafficking Charges
    The client was a member of a drug trafficking organization that supplied multi-kilograms of cocaine to Jacksonville. Approximately 136 kilograms of cocaine were transported from Texas to Florida over a one year period. The client personally transported 16 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the wheels of his car, along with over $30,000 which was siezed from him. The client was captured in Mexico and extradited to the US for prosecution, where he faced a minimum of 10 years. After exposing a number of discrepancies and weaknesses in the case, the client was eventually sentenced to time served (28 months) and released. (September, 2018)

  • Successful Defense of Possession with Intent to Sell Controlled Substances (Cocaine and Marijuana): Car Stop
    The client, an African American male, was stopped on the highway at night traveling from Florida to Georgia in a white Cadillac Escalade. The police claim to have stopped him because he had "several items" hanging from his rearview mirror creating a hazard and obstructing his view. The client had a valid driver's license and registration…along with long Rastafarian dreadlocks. The police asked if they could search the client's automobile; he refused to grant them permission.
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  • Successful Defense of a Violation of Probation
    The client was a 32 year old man who was successfully employed by an oil and gas drilling company out of state. The only problem was, he skipped out on his felony probation a month after he was released from jail in 2010 (he had been convicted of DUI and Possession of a Controlled Substance), failed to attend DUI School, and moved out of State without telling his Probation Officer. He absconded in 2010, couldn't get a driver's license and had a capias (a court ordered warrant) for his arrest. He wanted to clear up this violation so that he could get a driver's license and get on with his life.
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  • Successful Defense of Obtaining Controlled Substances by Fraud (Prescription Drugs)
    The client was a young man who worked in an urgent care clinic. He was also a part time student studying to become a physician's assistant. Over the course of two years, he was diverting (that is, taking without permission) a large number of prescription pain medications from the clinic, including Oxycodone, Demerol, Vicodin, Percoset, Dilaudid and Demerol. He was accused of falsifying the records of the clinic to make it appear as though clinic patients were receiving the medications. He was arrested by Special Agents of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
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  • Federal Conflict of Interest Defense
    The client was a successful aerospace engineer who had worked for the Government in charge of servicing Navy fighter jets. He got an offer to work for Boeing, which was the Company that the Navy was outsourcing the lucrative jet fighter servicing business to. Because he had control over the work being performed by Boeing, Government lawyers told him he would need the Government's clearance and permission before going to work for Boeing.
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  • Potential Grand Theft and Civil Theft Prosecution
    The client was a respected supervisor at a large travel agency in Jacksonville. A big customer of the agency began falling behind on his payments and convinced the client to keep booking travel for him even though he owed the agency money. The client did so and did not tell the travel agency that the big customer was in arrears.
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  • Possession and Manufacture of Cannabis
    The client, a painter from St. Augustine, had a hidden area in his home where he grew marijuana. The area was equipped with grow lights, irrigation and outside ventilation. One evening, the police came to the client's door and asked if he had just been out driving his car and also asked him who he'd been with.
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  • Federal Conspiracy to Manufacture More Than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine
    The client was a woman who lived in St. Augustine and had been making methamphetamine in her detached garage to make ends meet. She fell in with a motorcycle gang who was in the business of selling methamphetamine. She was reputed to be one of the best methamphetamine 'cooks'.
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  • Not Guilty verdict in a DUI Case with a Car Accident Read More

Significant Cases:

  • Represented a former NFL (and Jacksonville Jaguar) player charged with conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. Case was tried in Federal Court in 2016. (USA v. Broomfield, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville).

  • Represented a young man charged with vehicular homicide (he was drag racing and struck and killed a pedestrian crossing the street). The case went to trial. Jury Verdict, Not Guilty of Vehicular Homicide, guilty only of misdemeanor reckless driving. (State of Florida v. Lavonte Northern, Duval County, 2016).

  • Represented a man charged with possession and distribution of child pornography in Federal Court. He was facing a range of 151-188 months in prison - sentenced to 60 months. (USA v. Reeves, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville, 2017).

  • Represented a design executive charged in a kickback scheme in which she supposedly received monies over the years from a number of vendors who had design work farmed out to them by the accused, who work for the giant Kraft/General Foods. The scheme went on, unnoticed, for years, enabling the accused to purchase a ranch in Arizona, prized quarter horses, cars and the like. All told, the accused received some seven million dollars over the years. This matter was eventually resolved with a plea bargain. While the client did have to spent some time in jail, she did not pay any restitution, nor lose any of home or any of her assets. (People v. Cattell et al., Westchester County, 1996)
  • Represented a retired couple in a civil forfeiture action that had been poorly advised by a stockbroker how to invest large cash proceeds in the stock market by purchasing money orders from local post offices and then giving those money orders to the stockbroker to invest for them. The scheme, as suggested by the stockbroker, was clearly illegal and was intended to have the cash 'laundered' through the purchase of postal money orders. After months of painstaking negotiations, the couple had to give up some of the proceeds of the structuring and money laundering scheme, but were ultimately charged with no crimes. United States v. Trainer (Eastern District of New York) 1997.
  • In the late 1990's, John Gotti, Jr., along with a number of others, were charged with a number of crimes in Federal Court. I represented Michael Sergio, an alleged Gambino family associate, who was charged with racketeering, extortion and conspiracy to commit murder. Sergio had allegedly infiltrated the nightclub "Scores" on the upper east side of Manhattan and was siphoning off money illegally from the club. He was also caught on tape bragging to another "I've made my bones", a reference to the fact that he had killed at least one individual for the "family". Sergio was facing life in prison. The government was unable to determine exactly who, if anyone, Sergio had supposedly killed. As is true with many organized crime cases, the matter was overcharged by the Government; ultimately, a plea bargain was struck and I was able to have Sergio released from prison in less than three years. United States v. Gotti, et al. (Southern District of New York) 1998.
  • I represented a commercial waste hauling company that supposedly had ties to organized crime. The company and it's president were indicted for unlawful dumping and forgery of documents that were submitted to the City of New York. The president of the company was facing jail time and significant fines. Ultimately, the president pled guilty to only a misdemeanor; no fines were assessed against the company. People v. Swift Sanitation et al.,(Bronx County) 1998.
  • I represented a stockbroker charged with enterprise corruption (the state version of RICO) and various schemes to defraud investors in a multi-million dollar stock fraud case. My client was a stockbroker who had been caught on tape (by a client) discussing illegal policies of the brokerage house and how certain high net worth individuals were given preferential treatment. The matter took years to litigate; most of those prosecuted served jail time and paid substantial fines. My client eventually plead guilty to a felony, but served no jail time and paid no restitution. People v. D.H.Blair et al. (New York County) 2000.
  • I represented an elevator constructor who was a member of The Local One Elevator Constructors labor union. He was alleged to have accepted bribes from building owners in exchange for not enforcing the strict overtime pay schedules of union workers. He was charged with labor racketeering and extortion in Federal Court and faced in excess of five years of jail time along with significant restitution. A thorough investigation led us to believe that the Government would not be able to locate a significant witness against the accused. The client plead guilty a much lesser criminal count, spent six months in a local federal facility and paid no restitution. USA v. Charles Novak et al.,(EDNY).
  • I represented a German national charged in a Federal Indictment with computer fraud and theft involving her position as a travel consultant for Expedia.com. The accused used her company password and identification to defraud the company of money because of her financial problems. Facing both jail time and restitution, a disposition was worked out whereby the client was able to make restitution, but avoid jail time. A thorough knowledge of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines helped this client stay out of jail. USA v. Speck, (EDNY) 2005.
  • I defended a business agent of the Local Eight Roofers labor union charged with Enterprise Corruption (state RICO) and bribery in a labor kickback scheme involving millions of dollars. This matter was further complicated because of it was alleged that the client was associated with the Genovese organized crime family; as a result, a civil forfeiture action was begun at the same time as the criminal action. Following a two month trial, the client was acquitted of all the major counts of the Indictment and convicted of only one count of bribe receiving. Initially facing more than 10 years in jail, the client was sentenced to one year of jail time, of which he served six months. The forfeiture action against him was later dismissed; the client paid no fines or restitution. People v. Barbado et al., (New York County) 2005-06.
  • I represented an executive at a major health care company investigated for receiving money from outside vendors in exchange for recommending those vendors to get multi-million dollar contracts with the health care company to provide. The kickback scheme was ultimately not charged by the Government. The client plead guilty only to one count of Federal tax evasion with no jail time. I am currently representing this client on the civil tax matter in order to get her tax liability reduced. (civil case pending, some name withheld at client's request).
  • I have also successfully represented many individuals charged with drug trafficking and drug possession crimes (large scale sale of oxycodone and marijuana) in both State and Federal Court.

Additional Cases:

Defended a producer of methamphetamine charged in a large scale drug conspiracy in St. Augustine, USA v. Walker et al., Middle District of Florida. Client faced 25 years imprisonment-plead guilty to a lesser count and was sentenced to 24 months.

Defended businessman in eight week long, multi-million dollar money laundering and drug conspiracy case, United States v. Sabbagh et al. (District of Maryland) 1992.

Defended design executive charged with theft (kickback scheme) of seven million dollars from Kraft General Foods, People v. Cattell et al. (Westchester County) 1996.

Defended retired couple in civil forfeiture action involving charges of structuring and money laundering, United States v. Trainor (Eastern District of New York) 1997.

Defended Gambino family associate charged with racketeering, extortion and conspiracy to commit murder, United States v. Gotti et al. (Southern District of New York) 1998.

Defended commercial carter charged with unlawful dumping and forgery; allegations of ties to organized crime, People v. Swift Sanitation et al. (Bronx County) 1998.

Defended stock broker charged with enterprise corruption in a complex securities fraud case, People v. D.H. Blair et al., (New York County) 2001.
Defended member of the Local One Elevator Constructors Labor Union in labor racketeering/extortion case, United States v. Charles Novak et al., Eastern District of New York, 2002.

Defended businessman charged with defrauding investors of $1.2 million through internet solicitations, United States v. Templin, Southern District of New York, 2003.

Defended German national in computer fraud/theft case involving Expedia.com, United States v. Speck, Eastern District of New York, 2005.

Defended business agent of the Local Eight Roofers Labor Union charged with enterprise corruption in a multi-million dollar bribery and kickback scheme, People v. Barbado et al., New York County, 2006.
(Acquitted of Enterprise Corruption and Grand Larceny by Extortion - convicted of lesser counts - client faced a possible 10 year jail sentence - served 5 months).

Jacksonville Criminal Defense
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