Montgomery County Criminal Defense Lawyer

Montgomery County is the largest county in Maryland in terms of population, with over 1 million residents. While Rockville is the county seat and the largest incorporated town, Germantown is actually the most populous town in the county. Other large census designated areas include Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, Takoma Park and Bethesda. The population is steadily increasing and it appears crime is increasing as well. In 2022 there were over 33 thousand reported crimes, which represents a significant 9 percent increase from 2021. The crime statistics do not include jailable traffic citations such as DUI, driving on suspended license and fleeing or eluding police. Due to the large number of major highways in Montgomery County such as 495, 270, 29 and 370, police write thousands of citations each year to residents and out-of-state visitors each year.

The Montgomery County Police department is the largest law enforcement agency in the county with over 1,100 officers, but the Maryland State Police and the Rockville Police Department are also responsible for a large portion of the arrests and citations each year. If you have been charged with a crime or issued a traffic citation call Montgomery County criminal defense lawyer Benjamin Herbst anytime for a free consultation. Benjamin has extensive experience defending clients at the Rockville and Silver Spring district courts as well as in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County. He is available 7 days a week at 410-207-2598 to discuss which defenses may be available in your case. Benjamin specializes in assault charges and violent offenses such as robbery and attempted murder, and is also an experienced juvenile criminal defense lawyer.

Digging deeper into the crime statistics, the county reported that from 2021 to 2022 there was a 7.2% increase in crimes against person, which includes assault, rape and aggravated assault. In total there were over 6,500 reported crimes against person in 2022, with simple assault being the most common. Simple assault is legally defined as second degree assault in Maryland, and is a misdemeanor that carries a ten-year maximum sentence. It is one of the most common offenses in all jurisdictions across the state. Second degree assaults are commonly domestically related, and any conviction for a domestically related crime can have serious consequences for the defendant. Benjamin is a Montgomery County domestic assault lawyer who understands that these cases are often motivated by revenge, retaliation and even child custody issues. When domestic relationships make a turn for the worst things can spiral out of control, but an aggressive lawyer can make sure your rights are protected at all stages of the legal proceedings.

Property crime numbers also increased from 2021 to 2022 in Montgomery County, with almost 25 thousand incidents in 2022. The most common property crimes were shoplifting, motor vehicle theft and destruction of property. Burglary and robbery had some of the largest increases from 2021 to 2022, and these crimes are taken seriously in the district and circuit courts. Benjamin has successfully handled hundreds of theft, burglary and robbery charges and is standing by to fight for you in and out of court. He has experience in more complex theft charges such as embezzlement, bribery and fraud, and has the skill and dedication to take on the state or federal government in these cases.

Drug cases are generally decreasing across the state due to the legalization of marijuana, but there will still likely be hundreds of narcotics arrests each year going forward. In addition to narcotics charges such as possession and distribution, police will continue to enforce the state’s strict gun laws. There was a 50 percent increase in weapons violations in Montgomery County from 2021 to 2022, and arrests for gun possession crimes including wear, transport and carry, possession of a handgun by a minor and possession of a firearm by a disqualified person are on the rise. Benjamin Herbst is a Montgomery County criminal defense lawyer who specializes in gun crimes and he is available anytime for a free consultation.