Post-Conviction Relief! Health and Safety Code § 11351.5 “Possession for Sale of Cocaine” Felony Offense Vacated Per Penal Code § 1473.7 Motion and Charge Renegotiated to an Immigration Neutral Plea!

Recently, in Los Angeles County at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse our office was successful at litigating a Penal Code section 1473.7 motion arguing that our client did not meaningfully understand and knowingly accept the immigration consequences that would result from his 1993 Health and Safety Code section 11351.5, “Possession for Sale of Cocaine” felony offense.

In 1993, our client pled guilty to the Health and Safety Code section 11351.5 offense and was sentenced to serve 180 days in the county jail. At the time that our client pled, he was unaware that by pleading to this offense he was subjecting himself to mandatory and permanent deportation, denial of naturalization, and exclusion from admission. Our client was not aware that the offense he was pleading to was a categorical crime involving controlled substances which would cause permanent and mandatory negative immigration consequences. After being advised by his immigration attorney of the serious and dire immigration consequences resulting from his conviction, the client retained our office to seek post-conviction relief on his behalf.

After investigating and evaluating the case, we believed that our client had a meritorious motion pursuant to Penal Code section 1473.7 to seek to vacate the offense. According to the transcript of the plea proceedings for this matter, our client was only advised at the time of his plea that his plea “can” result in his deportation, denial of citizenship, amnesty, or reentry into the United States. However, according to subsequent appellate court decisions on the issue, our client should have been advised of the accurate immigration consequences that would result from pleading to this offense – i.e., permanent and mandatory deportation, denial of naturalization, and exclusion from admission. Thus, we filed the Penal Code section 1473.7 motion to vacate the conviction arguing that, based on this advisement, our client failed to meaningfully understand and knowingly accept the immigration consequences of his plea.

The prosecution agreed to submit on the motion and allow our client to plea to a Penal Code section 32, “Accessory After the Fact” offense.

This is a great result for our client and he will no longer suffer adverse immigration consequences as a result of his 1993 plea and conviction!

We can help you now! Call now for a free telephonic consultation at 626.577.7700!

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The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only, and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice from Escovar Law, APC or the individual author, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this Post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction. The information on this website is a communication and is for informational purposes only. The facts of every case are unique and nothing on this page or on this website should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. The information on this website is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship and viewing of this information does not create an attorney-client relationship. The result portrayed in this advertisement was dependent on the facts of this case. Results will differ if based on different facts.

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