In The News

A criminal record can have a detrimental impact on both your present circumstances and your future opportunities. Any past charges and convictions listed on your criminal record have the potential to damage your social relationships and limit your employment and educational opportunities. Fortunately, as of October 29, 2018, Ohio is expanding its expungement laws under ORC § 2953.32. An expungement serves as a legal pardon that seals away specific charges and convictions from your criminal record. While the record still exists, you can legally claim the sealed offense never occurred. Your criminal history won’t even show up on background checks unless you’re applying for a government position or a caregiving role. According to ORC § 2953.32, you may be able to permanently expunge certain nonviolent and nonsexual misdemeanors and/or felonies. Per the new law, you may be able to: Expunge up to five fourth and fifth-degree felonies Expunge unlimited misdemeanors However, the following exceptions may limit your expungement options: Your convictions can’t be violent or sexually-oriented felonies Your misdemeanor offenses can’t be violence-related You can’t have any first, second, or third-degree felonies This is very exciting news for people with criminal records and criminal defense attorneys! Anyone with prior convictions related to theft and drugs can now have a second chance at life without being haunted by the deeds of their past. However, if your record isn’t eligible under the new law, you can still benefit from older expungement laws. It’s important to discuss your case with a seasoned criminal defense attorney to learn which options best benefit your circumstances. Schedule a Consultation At Gounaris Abboud, LPA, we are thrilled for the many opportunities this new law provides our fellow Ohioans. If you have any questions about ORC § 2953.32, your eligibility, or the expungement process, contact our Dayton criminal defense attorneys today. Call Gounaris Abboud, LPA at 937-222-1515 to schedule a consultation.

Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Nicholas Gounaris of Gounaris Abboud, LPA in Dayton, Ohio has been retained to serve as defense counsel in an ongoing case involving contractors and the Air Force. Gounaris’ client, Mr. Brett O’Halloran, is facing charges for allegedly lying to Air Force investigators regarding an F-22 program contract out of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Another individual, Mr. Joshua Deaville, has also been charged with the same crimes alongside O’Halloran but has not retained Gounaris for counsel. Both defendants were employed by Intelligent Decisions (ID) and have been accused of intentionally giving false information to investigators in regards to an awarded contract and the number of workers assigned to it. Gounaris has discussed securing a fair plea deal for O’Halloran in the light of evidence brought forth by the government and prosecution, headed by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Clemmens. If accepted, the client will plead guilty to a single count of false statements in order to face reduced sentencing. Plea deals are often used in complex federal cases such as this one to not only protect defendants from potentially extreme penalties but to also save the government time and money by more or less expediting the case. Attorney Gounaris further explained that he was working towards a plea deal that would not actually include a permanent conviction of a crime. If his client is able to meet all agreement requirements and proposed diversions, it might be possible to keep the mark off his criminal record, improving his reputation and employability in the future. Deaville is also believed to work towards a similar plea deal offer. For more information regarding this ongoing case, Dayton Daily News recently published a full article that can be read by clicking here. If you require a Dayton criminal defense attorney for a case of your own, including one involving serious federal charges, you can turn to Gounaris Abboud, LPA. Our team is backed by more than half a century’s worth of criminal defense experience and an impressive list of satisfied client testimonials. Discover the difference we can make for you today by contacting us now and adding a free consultation to your calendar.