Cleveland Criminal Law Blog

Fraud is a crime that is taken seriously because it affects many. Faking a signature could result in a check being cashed, for example, that then empties someone's bank account. It could be the falsification of documents that help you receive property that isn't yours and wasn't intended for you. You don't hear about fraud often in Ohio, but when you do, it's normally a fairly serious offense. Take, for example, this case involving fraud on Center Ridge Road.

An officer began investigating a situation that was occurring at a local Huntington Bank. There, a man and three others were arrested after they allegedly passed bad checks and forged signatures.

One internet crime that can quickly lead to an arrest is cyberstalking. Like stalking a person in real life, cyberstalking is when a person uses the internet to harass a person through email, on social media accounts and in other ways. Cyberstalking is a criminal offense that can lead to harsh penalties.

What's scary to some people about cyberstalking is that it can be a threat from anyone. Even in cases where a person has never met the alleged stalker, they could believe that the individual is stalking them.

Punishments related to a federal embezzlement conviction could involve many years in prison. In fact, some defendants accused of this crime are surprised at just how lengthy jail sentences can get. The fines associated with the offense can also be extremely high.

Here are the federal punishments associated with different versions of this crime:

Crystal meth is a highly addictive form of methamphetamine. Many Ohio residents are struggling with a crystal meth addiction that they can't get under control no matter how hard they try. When a crystal meth addiction causes you to get in trouble with the law -- or to lose your job -- it could serve as a wakeup call to get the help you need.

Sometimes, as a result of the legal process -- or due to the policies of an employer -- an Ohio resident will have to undergo drug testing. If you have used meth in the past, you'll probably want to know how long this drug stays in your system before undergoing a test. Here's how long various types of meth tests can detect this drug in your system after use:

• Urine testing: A urine test will show the presence of methamphetamine for up to four days after normal levels of use. However, if someone is a heavy and chronic user of the substance, meth could remain in the urine for as many as seven days.
• Blood testing: Blood tests will show the presence of meth for between one to three days after use.
• Saliva testing: Saliva tests will show meth in the system for one to four days following use.
• Hair follicle testing: The hair follicle test is the one that offers the longest range and it could show that someone used meth up to three months into the past.