Sacramento Criminal Defense Attorney

Client was facing life in prison for attempted murder after a shooting on a bus where the jury found the client acted in self-defense.

Mr. Donato covinced the District Attorney that his client was protected under the Medical Marijuana Laws as a legal caregiver, and all felony charges regarding possessing marijuana for sale were dismissed.

Client had previously been to prison for multiple DUI’s and was arrested again for DUI. We got client into treatment and persuaded the court (over the prosecutor’s objection) to sentence him to rehab instead of prison. Mr. Gerber is now a successful (and sober) project manager in the Bay Area.

Client was a military veteran that was accused of embezzlement from his employer. Mr. Donato was able to get the employer and DA to drop all charges and dismissed the case.

Charged with possession of a concealed firearm inside of a car, our client was facing special criminal enhancements. Not only did the gun have an illegal high-capacity magazine, our client allegedly possessed the gun in association with a gang.  Mr. Donato fought this case at trial and hung the jury 9-3 for not guilty. But the District Attorney elected to re-try the case. Mr. Donato responded by taking the case to trial again, this time returning with a full not guilty verdict.

Client was arrested for domestic violence after boyfriend called the police and lied about a fight he in fact started. We showed the prosecution our client’s medical records documenting her significant injuries in contrast to her boyfriend’s minor injuries and the prosecution dismissed against our client to pursue charges against her boyfriend.

With a client facing life in prison on sexual assault charges, our office decided to take this case to trial. After fighting to expose the holes in the Prosecution's case, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on all counts.  Our client was released from custody the same day.

This battery case was ultimately dismissed after our office conducted investigation and found independent witnesses who stated that the victim lied to police and actually started the fight.  The DA agreed to dismiss the case and Ms. August was able to maintain her clean record.

With a client facing charges for possession of methamphetamine for sale in addition to firearm enhancements, even the judge questioned Mr. Donato as to why he was taking the case to trial. In the end, however, the jury had very few questions to ask, as it took them less than an hour to return their not guilty verdicts for Mr. Donato's client.

Private Retained Counsel in Sacramento County; client was charged with felony child abuse and the DA offered prison time for plea bargan, Mr. Donato obtained the opinion of a child abuse expert and was able to get the DA to dismiss the case in the interest of justice.

Our client faced charges for felony domestic violence and misdemeanor child abuse.  Mr. Donato showed the jury at trial that Mr. Hillman's spiteful ex-girlfriend had lied about the facts.  Mr. Hillman walked into trial facing 10 years in prison, but he walked out a free man.

Dismissed Client was charged with brandishing a firearm when he had a confrontation with his daughter’s boyfriend in his own home. We effectively fought to get this case dismissed on the eve of trial.

Charged with robbery and felony assault resulting in great bodily injury, our client was facing multiple strikes and significant time in prison. Mr. Donato took this case to trial, earning not guilty jury verdicts on both charges. Mr. Escobar walked out of court a free man, holding his young daughter in his arms.

Client was charged with multiple felony assaults and unlawful discharge of a firearm with gang enhancements and looking at life in prison. Mr. Donato was able to get a full acquittal.

Our cient's DUI was dismissed after we obtained the officer's in car camera video which revealed the officer had fabricated major portions of the report.  Thanks in part to Mr. Donato's discoveries, the officer in this case was arrested and eventually plead guilty to numerous counts of perjury and obstruction of justice.  The officer was ultimately sentenced to prison.

With our client charged with felony vehicle theft and evading law enforcement, Mr. Donato sought out the necessary investigation to show that his client was actually not the driver of the vehicle. The DA dismissed all charges.

Client was charged with several felonies including attempted murder and was acquitted of this charge by means of self-defense.

Client was a group home employee and was accused by one of the (minor) group home residents of sexual misconduct. Our office successfully showed the complaining witness was lying about the allegations, and the jury unanimously acquitted Ms. Roberts of all charges after deliberating for only a few hours.

Our client was facing felony charges of cultivation and possession of marijuana for sale.  After successfully having the case dismissed, Mr. Donato also negotiated with the District Attorney to return the $20,000 in cash that was seized from our client.

Our client's drug case was dismissed after Mr. Donato proved to a judge that the officer's only basis for conducting a probation search in this case was for harassment purposes in violation of his client's 4th Amendment Rights.