Our partner, John LoTurco, secured a dismissal of Burglary charges without our client, “Steven,” ever having to appear in court.
Steven, a teacher in New York, was detained at Newark Airport in March 2026 pursuant to a Suffolk County arrest warrant related to a 2024 charge of Burglary in the Third Degree. His family contacted Mr. LoTurco on Sunday, March 29th at approximately 10:00 p.m., and he immediately recognized the urgency of the situation.
At the time of his detention, Steven was en route to Italy with his girlfriend, intending to propose. Instead, he was taken into custody and transported to the Essex County Jail, where he faced imminent extradition to New York on the outstanding warrant. The extradition hearing was scheduled just two days after his detention.
In the interim, Mr. LoTurco obtained compelling documentation from Steven’s family establishing that Steven was the victim of identity theft and had not been in Suffolk County for over a decade. He promptly provided this information to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, which agreed to vacate the arrest warrant, thereby terminating the extradition proceedings in New Jersey.
Remarkably, within four days of Steven’s detention, Mr. LoTurco further persuaded the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office to dismiss all charges in Suffolk County Court. Steven’s appearance was fully waived by both the Court and the District Attorney’s Office.
Although Steven endured three days in custody in New Jersey, he was deeply grateful that the matter was resolved so swiftly, sparing him a prolonged incarceration pending extradition. Steven is now actively pursuing civil remedies arising from his wrongful arrest and detention, including claims for damages related to his incarceration, legal expenses, and the significant mental anguish he suffered as a result of this incident.