Being arrested for a crime may be one of the most stressful experiences you will ever have to face. Suddenly, you find yourself in handcuffs and being led into the backseat of a police car, on your way to the station to be booked and possibly held in jail. How has this happened to you? Maybe you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Perhaps you have been falsely accused. Maybe you made a serious mistake in the heat of the moment. It could even be that you have been the subject of an ongoing investigation. However it happened, there is one thing you must now do: hire a Hawaii criminal defense lawyer.

Come to the Law Office of Steve Cedillos now for a confidential consultation. With more than 20 years of experience working in the criminal justice system as a lawyer in Hawaii, I am prepared to guide you through this situation and fight to defend your rights. You cannot safely discuss the case with anyone but your lawyer - statements you make to law enforcement could be later held against you as evidence - but anything you tell me will be held in confidence under the attorney-client privilege. You can tell me your side of the story, you can explain why you are innocent, or you can even confess to me if you so choose. Based on the information you provide, I will then go about developing a strategy to clear your name and help you avoid the serious consequences you face.

My firm is prepared to assist you with any of a wide variety of different types of charges. Clients choose me for help with first-time DUI offenses, traffic violations, domestic violence, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and shoplifting, as well as serious felonies including sex crimes, burglary, white collar crimes and violent crimes. When I accept a new client, I take into account all of the issues that may be involved in the case, such as if the charges against you may expose you to the risk of being selected for deportation. Furthermore, I represent servicemembers in military criminal defense cases at summary, special or general courts martial.

Overall, crime rates in Hawaii are falling, with a decrease of 4.9% in 2011, according to the State of Hawaii Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division. Even so, there are still a large number of offenses committed every year, and people from all walks of life find themselves in handcuffs and facing the harsh consequences of a conviction. The Hawaii Department of the Attorney General reports that in 2011, the most recent year for which statistics are available, there were a total of:

• 21 murders
• 353 rapes
• 994 robberies
• 2,098 assaults
• 8,165 burglaries
• 31,240 theft crimes
• 4,469 motor vehicle thefts

Although Honolulu has only 28% of the statewide population, the city accounts for the vast majority of all the crimes committed throughout Hawaii. As a percentage of the statewide total, the number of crimes committed in Honolulu amount to:

• 66% of murders
• 57% of rapes
• 82% of robberies
• 63% of assaults
• 65% of burglaries
• 70% of larcenies
• 72% of motor vehicle thefts

As a Hawaii criminal defense attorney, I have first-hand experience representing clients on a wide variety of charges, ranging from petty misdemeanors to serious felonies and federal crimes. Whether you have prior convictions on your record or have never previously been involved in the criminal justice system, I am ready to guide you through the process and fight to keep you from ending up as another statistic. Contact me now for a free case evaluation to discuss your legal options and begin working on a strategy for defending your future.