Uncover Hidden Charge Factors In Successful Plea Deals

Successful plea deals often hinge on uncovering hidden charge factors—like sentencing enhancements, prior convictions, drug quantity thresholds, or firearm allegations—that can dramatically increase exposure even when the base charge looks minor. Prosecutors frequently rely on these add-ons to raise leverage, while early defense review can identify weaknesses, negotiate reductions, or avoid mandatory minimums. This article explains common hidden factors, how they affect plea terms, and strategies to use them to secure a better deal.

Ray Hrdlicka – Host – Attorneys.Media

“Depending upon the type of case, is where it’s more difficult or less difficult to approach the situation with a plea bargain?”

Spencer Freeman – Criminal Defense Attorney – Pierce County, WA

“Yeah. I think that’s probably true.”

Ray Hrdlicka – Host – Attorneys.Media

“The hardest…and you just alluded to that…the hardest is gang related?”

Spencer Freeman – Criminal Defense Attorney – Pierce County, WA

“Well, you don’t want to say ‘hardest’. I’ve just noticed that when you are talking about gang related crimes, the prosecutors tend to have less room or less ability or less desire to negotiate and mitigate circumstances so that there is some sort of lesser jail time or no jail time served. From a societal standpoint you can create the argument…from one viewpoint it’s probably correct. But I don’t think that it often takes into account how these defendants…where they were raised. How they were raised. Their life circumstances. And I don’t want to take anybody’s responsibilities away from decisions that they make in their life. But certainly, I didn’t grow up in those circumstances. The prosecutors didn’t grow up in those circumstances, and I do think they should be taken into account. And I don’t think the legislature took them into account when they, one, passed the laws and two, passed the sentencing guidelines.”