Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Pennsylvania Is A Hot Spot For Xylazine Overdoses
The answer to the question “What makes the opioid overdose epidemic so scary?” has been changing over the years. First it was the pill mills that flooded the community with opioid pills that had technically been legally prescribed. Then it was the abrupt cutoff of that supply, leaving the many thousands of people who… Read More »
Mother And Daughter Plead Guilty To Defrauding Pennsylvania Department Of Education Out Of More Than $2 Million
Fraud can take many forms, from the email scams where the defendant plays on the victim’s sympathies and convinces them to send the defendant money for a purported emergency to deceptive business practices where the false advertising is so egregious that it crosses over into illegal territory. In a substantial portion of fraud cases,… Read More »
You Still Need A Defense Lawyer, Even If You Are Already Serving A Prison Sentence For Something Else
The three main characters of the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou have escaped from prison, confident that they can get home to their families without getting caught. In one scene, where it appears that they have been recognized as escaped prisoners, John Turturro’s character Pete lashes out at the others, saying that he… Read More »
Yes, You Can Get A Prison Sentence For Failing To Register Paperwork
A man goes to prison because he did not file a form that he was supposed to file. It sounds like a nightmare out of Kafka’s imagination, but it can happen right here in Pennsylvania. For example, you can get criminal penalties for failing to file an income tax return, but most of the… Read More »
Man Who Sold Counterfeit Percocet Pills To Overdose Victim Sentenced To Prison For Involuntary Manslaughter
In the 1990s and 2000s, when pharmaceutical companies led doctors and patients to believe that it was safe for most patients to take prescription opioids long term, and that these drugs were freely available, there were plenty of dangers. Many thousands of people in Pennsylvania and other states became addicted to opioids, and some… Read More »
Chester Springs Man Pleads Guilty To Hacking College Computer Networks
Data breaches are a nightmare for businesses. When someone hacks into the computer network of a company and steals the personal identity information, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers stored on computers belonging to the network, the financial losses can be enormous. The customers and employees whose data got stolen can sue the… Read More »
Voting Rights In Pennsylvania After A Criminal Conviction
Loss of voting rights is one of the consequences of a felony conviction, but each state has its own laws about the procedure for restoration of voting rights for people convicted of felonies after they have completed their sentences. Pennsylvania puts up fewer obstacles than some other states with regard to restoring citizens’ right… Read More »
“Return To Sender” Conspirator Pleads Guilty After Chartering Private Plane To Transport Drugs From Houston To Pittsburgh
Transporting drugs in private planes is practically a cliché. How many movies show the protagonists going from rags to riches in the drug trade and then traveling by private plane? How many times have you seen a private plane in a music video and inferred that it was meant to be the site of… Read More »
Allegheny County Man Gets Prison Sentence For Traveling While On Supervised Release
Supervised release, in which defendants get to live in their own homes while still technically serving their prison sentences, is better than mass incarceration, but it still means that law enforcement is constantly in your business, and any minor mistake can land you back behind bars. Supervised release and probation are not the same… Read More »
Federal Court In Pittsburgh Sentences Woman To Prison For Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
When you buy illegal drugs on the Internet, you cannot be sure of the ingredients, but at least they have a return address. By contrast, if you buy drugs in a street corner drug deal or shady motel room meetup, you have no idea of the drugs’ itinerary before they reach you here in… Read More »
