Andrew Olesnycky, Esq.

Criminal Defense Lawyer Andrew Olesnycky, Esq.

Andrew Olesnycky, a former supervisor-level assistant prosecutor at the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, represents individuals and organizations facing criminal charges and investigations in federal, state, and municipal courts. Mr. Olesnycky has served as lead attorney representing defendants in federal and state cases alleging multi-million dollar fraud conspiracies, money laundering, complex multi-defendant drug distribution conspiracies, arson, sexual assault, child pornography, interference with custody, domestic violence, invasion of privacy (i.e. revenge porn) and more. A list of representative cases can be found below.

Mr. Olesnycky is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Certified Criminal Trial Attorney, a designation obtained by fewer than 1% of attorneys state-wide.

Mr. Olesnycky maintains a robust federal criminal defense practice and has been appointed by the District of New Jersey to serve on the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Private Attorneys. He has represented professionals and accused leaders of criminal enterprises in diverse federal prosecutions including wire fraud, public benefits fraud, bank fraud, drug trafficking, computer crimes, and child pornography.

During his nearly five-year tenure with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Mr. Olesnycky tried numerous felony cases involving robbery, aggravated assault, gun possession, narcotics offenses, large-scale theft, and fraud. His trials and prosecutions have been covered by media outlets including the New York Times, CBS This Morning, NBC4 New York, the Associated Press, the Boston Globe, NJ.com, the Star Ledger, and ESPN. Through diligence, creativity, and aggressive litigation, he has secured a number of excellent outcomes for his clients.

Mr. Olesnycky is also one of very few criminal trial attorneys in private practice who has served as a domestic violence supervisor in a county prosecutor’s office, and represents those accused of domestic violence in criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings, as well as victims of domestic violence seeking restraining orders in family court.  As a supervisor, Mr. Olesnycky bore ultimate responsibility for the investigation and prosecution of every complaint of domestic violence in Union County. As a supervising assistant prosecutor in Union County, Mr. Olesnycky was responsible for training new assistant prosecutors; supervising all investigations, indictments and trials within the Domestic Violence unit; coordinating rearming decisions for police officers accused of domestic violence; administering a 24-hour on-call domestic violence hotline for police officers; and training police officers in domestic violence law.

As a certified domestic violence law instructor at the John H. Stamler Police Academy, Mr. Olesnycky has lectured on criminal law to new recruits as well as experienced investigators from law enforcement agencies throughout the state. He has served as a moderator of a statewide domestic violence symposium and attended domestic-violence specific training at state and national conferences.

A cum laude graduate of the Rutgers School of Law in Newark, Mr. Olesnycky served as a law clerk to the Honorable Rudy B. Coleman (retired) in the Appellate Division of New Jersey Superior Court, and as an intern for the Honorable Joseph A. Greenaway in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. During law school, Mr. Olesnycky worked as a summer associate at Latham Watkins in Newark and as an intern in the legal department of the New Jersey Highlands Council.

Mr. Olesnycky served as a member of the District VC (West Essex) Attorney Ethics Panel.

  • Federal, State and Municipal Criminal Law
  • White-Collar Crime
  • Sex Crimes
  • Domestic Violence Law
  • Final Restraining Order Hearing and Restraining Order Violations in Family Court
  • Administrative Disciplinary Actions
  • 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
  • Client charged with conspiracy to distribute 1.5 kilograms of heroin in federal court. Charges dismissed.
  • Client was charged with federal bank fraud conspiracy in District of New Jersey. Charges dismissed.
  • Client charged in federal court with transporting 5 kg of heroin. Sentencing advocacy resulted in below-guidelines sentence of 27 months.
  • Client was target of multi-million dollar federal pharmaceutical fraud investigation. Case resolved before charges filed through non-prosecution agreement.
  • Wealthy client accused of knowingly transmitting an STD to victim, who pursued a criminal case in parallel with a civil case seeking millions in damages. Retained expert to dispute the medical basis of State’s theory of transmission. Criminal case dismissed by the State.
  • Client falsely accused of assaulting wife, who sought a final restraining order in family court. Client charged with third-degree aggravated assault in parallel criminal case. After successful cross-examination of wife in family court, wife was found not credible and judge dismissed the case. Criminal case dismissed by prosecutor.
  • Client massage parlor owner accused of promoting prostitution arising out of large-scale human trafficking investigation by New Jersey State Police. Case resolved through diversion with no admission of guilt.
  • NFL athlete charged with possession of marijuana. Case dismissed.
  • Former NFL athlete charged with drug offense. Case dismissed.
  • Celebrity client was the target of an extortion attempt. Coordinated investigation with state authorities to bring the perpetrator to justice.
  • President of charitable organization charged with multiple counts of falsification of records. Case resolved through diversion without an admission of guilt.
  • Client was accused of a benefits fraud in federal court with over $100,000 in losses. After a guilty plea Client was spared prison time due in part to sentencing advocacy that focused on a gambling addiction.
  • Client indicted in $3.5 credit card fraud and money laundering conspiracy prosecuted by New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
  • Client, a female teacher at a school affiliated with a drug treatment facility, was charged with second-degree sexual assault for engaging in sexual relations with an 18-year-old patient at the facility and additionally charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor for allowing a 17-year-old student to view pornography on her phone.  Each crime carried a mandatory State Prison sentence and Megan’s Law registration. Following a successful motion to dismiss the indictment attacking the legal basis for some of the charges, as well as the provision of an expert report providing mitigating evidence, the client was pleaded guilty to fourth-degree charges and was sentenced to probation, without Megan’s Law registration.
  • Client, a 17-year-old, was accused of inappropriately touching a child and sought for questioning. After an independent investigation revealed weaknesses in the case the matter was resolved without any charges being filed.
  • Client, a grocery store owner, charged with failure to collect excise taxes on tobacco products. Charges dismissed.
  • Represented a salesperson charged with theft and burglary for allegedly stealing customer lists from his former employer. The client was permitted to enter into the Pre-Trial Intervention program without an admission of guilt.
  • Client, a non-citizen victim of domestic violence, was accused by her abuser of assault and faced deportation if convicted. Case dismissed.
  • Client, a victim of domestic violence, was criminally charged with third-degree interference with custody based upon complaints filed by her abuser.  All charges were dismissed following a motion to the assignment judge.
  • Client, a victim of domestic violence, was criminally charged after using pepper spray in self-defense to avoid an attack by her abuser. Charges dismissed.
  • Client, a victim of domestic violence, was charged with the indictable offense of cyber-harassment based upon complaints filed by her abuser.  All charges were dismissed.
  • Client was charged with third-degree domestic violence assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly striking victim with a car during an argument. Case dismissed after we investigated the matter and provided exculpatory information to the prosecutor.
  • Client faced criminal domestic violence contempt charges for violating a restraining order when found sleeping on the porch next door to the residence from which he was barred. Case dismissed based upon legal argument demonstrating that order had not been violated.
  • Client faced domestic violence contempt charges for allegedly burglarizing house of former girlfriend. Case dismissed after we demonstrated fatal weaknesses in State’s theory.
  • Client faced over 40 years in prison for first-degree domestic violence charges, including attempted murder. An independent investigation and aggressive negotiation resulted in a plea to a second-degree charge and prison term in the second-degree range of five to ten years. Following the guilty plea, successfully avoided an unreasonable restitution demand of over $10,000 in unsubstantiated damages to a business.
  • Client was charged with third-degree aggravated assault for allegedly hitting victim with car. After an independent investigation proved that the victim fabricated the story, the charges were dismissed by the prosecutor.
  • Client charged with trespassing for breaking into residence. Successful mental health defense resulted in dismissal of charges.
  • Client charged with second-degree identity theft in Union County Superior Court for attempting to board plane with fake identification. Through negotiation with prosecutors, case resolved without imposition of criminal charges. Administrative civil suit brought against client dismissed.

SuperLawyers Rising Star Andrew Olesnycky

  • Certified Criminal Trial Attorney – New Jersey Supreme Court
  • Selected as Super Lawyer Rising Star – 2018
  • Recognized and inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for Criminal Defense: General Practice – 2023

* Information about prior cases is intended to educate the potential client about the type of matters that the attorney has handled and should not be interpreted as a guarantee or expectation of success in a future case. Every case is different and outcomes are fact-dependent.

Education

Rutgers University School of Law, Newark, New Jersey

  • J.D. cum laude – 2009
  • Honors: Order of the Coif, Chief Justice Richard J. Hughes Prize, Dean’s Scholar
  • Honors: Moot Court Board, National Moot Court Team Member

Lehigh University, Bethlehem,Pennsylvania

  • B.A. – 2004
  • Honors: With High Honors
  • Honors: Dean’s Scholar, Presidential Scholar, College Scholar, Rodale Scholar
  • Honors: Williams Prize, National Merit Scholar

Bar Admissions

  • New Jersey, 2010
  • New York, 2011
  • U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 2010