Our client had over 22 prior criminal convictions, all related to his 19-year habit of abusing meth. He then got charged with two felony First Degree Drug Charges, but due to an empathetic Judge, was released to an inpatient treatment center at his second court appearance. While in treatment, he turned his life around, finally obtained the treatment he so badly needed, eventually became employed, reconnected with his children and ex-wife, and fulfilled the promise he made the Judge when he was released to treatment. The Minnesota sentencing guidelines recommended 96-month prison commitment on the first case and 125-prison commitment on the second case. At sentencing, the prosecutor recommended a 125-month prison commitment.
Our criminal defense team wrote a motion and a lengthy memorandum of law, which included letters from his family and children, and convinced the sentencing Judge, who stated on the record that she had never in her entire career departed on a similar case, to grant our motion for a departure and impose no further jail time. Instead of walking into prison for a decade, our client walked out of the courthouse a free man.