Criminal Defense

New Texas Bill May Make Stealing Packages a Felony

Published: Mar 22, 2019 in Criminal Defense, Theft Crimes

Thanks to the internet, hundreds of thousands of packages are delivered quickly and inexpensively every day to people across the country. To make deliveries on time, many carriers don’t even ring your doorbell, let alone wait for a signature – they simply leave the package and move on to the next delivery. Many of these packages are delivered during business hours when people are at work. As a result, there has been a noticeable rise in “porch piracy, ” which is stealing packages left on porches, front steps, and driveways….

Consequences of Having Child Porn on Your Phone

Published: Mar 01, 2019 in Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes, Sex Crimes Involving Children

If you get caught with child porn on your phone, you could be charged with possession of child pornography. If convicted of this felony offense, you could spend years in jail, pay thousands of dollars in fines, and have your personal and professional lives ruined by the collateral consequences of a sex crimes conviction. For this reason, you should contact an experienced Houston child pornography lawyer if you are being investigated for this criminal offense. To schedule a free and confidential consultation of your case, contact The Law Offices of…

What is Sextortion?

Published: Feb 27, 2019 in Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes

A Texas man was recently sentenced to 35 years in Illinois state prison for soliciting nude photos of underage girls from across the county. The defendant, 36-year-old Mark Barnwell of Whitehouse, Texas, would create fake Facebook profiles and then contact young women, posing as a modeling agent. He would persuade the girls to submit compromising pictures with the promise of large cash payments. Once he had the photos, he would threaten to post their photos online if they did not continue to provide him with pictures. Sextortion and related crimes…

Can Bartenders Be Charged in Houston DWI Cases

Published: Feb 20, 2019 in Criminal Defense, DWI

You may have read about the tragic accident that occurred in December when a drunk driver killed a 23-year-old woman. The driver, 19-year-old Erick Hernandez, had been drinking at a bar for approximately six hours, and the crash occurred within five minutes after he left. Hernandez has been charged with second-degree felony intoxicated manslaughter, and is facing up to 20 years in prison. In a somewhat surprising development, five of the bar’s employees are also facing criminal charges as a result of the accident. Criminal charges related to drunk driving…

Five Things That Should Change in Texas’ Justice System

Published: Feb 15, 2019 in Criminal Defense

Lawmakers are expected to address several issues in Texas’ justice system in the 2019 legislative session. With decades of experience, Houston criminal defense attorney Ned Barnett knows the justice system’s various shortcomings and will be watching these developments closely. He hopes that any changes to the law will bring about a system that is more just for criminal defendants in Texas. If you’ve been charged with a crime in the Houston area, The Law Offices of Ned Barnett can help. Call (713) 222-6767, or reach out online to schedule a…