FEDERAL CRIMES INVOLVING DRUGS

Drug trafficking and other crimes related to the possession, manufacturing, or distribution of illegal substances are often charged at the federal level, particularly when the charges relate to substantial quantities of drugs or extensive criminal organizations. Federal law also prohibits import and export of controlled substances. One of the most powerful tools at the disposal of federal prosecutors is the ability to charge defendants with being part of a conspiracy, which greatly expands their potential criminal liability. Any of these charges come with a risk of substantial fines and long terms of incarceration. Many defendants in federal drug cases face mandatory minimum sentences of either 5 or 10 years in prison, based on the type and amount of drugs at issue. Thus, it is imperative to seek the counsel of an experienced criminal defense attorney as early in the process as possible. In some cases, a lawyer can help you avoid being charged altogether by assisting in the pre-charge investigation process.

Many of the defenses commonly available in federal drug cases revolve around how federal law enforcement agencies obtained the evidence that they are trying to use against you. Officers must generally have a reasonable suspicion to believe that you committed or are committing a crime in order to stop you on the street or pull over your car. They usually need to have probable cause – a higher level of suspicion – if they want to search your car or home without a warrant. Federal investigators often employ additional techniques such as the use of confidential informants and wiretaps, which require adherence to numerous technical rules. Although there are some exceptions to these rules, officers that do not follow them are likely to find that the evidence that they obtained as a result of an unlawful search and seizure will not be considered by a court.

WHITE COLLAR OFFENSES PROSECUTED UNDER FEDERAL LAW

The United States Attorney’s Office prosecutes significant fraud cases and other white collar crimes in federal court. The term ”white collar crime” generally refers to offenses involving some sort of fraud related to a business operation or a commercial transaction. These include mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, securities fraud, and tax evasion. Other examples include money laundering, counterfeiting, telemarketing schemes, and identity theft.

Most of these cases require prosecutors to prove that the person charged with the crime intended to defraud the victim or otherwise knew what they were doing at the time. Writing a check for more money than you have in your account or using someone else’s personal information by accident is not enough. Prosecutors need to show that these actions did not happen by mistake. They also need to show more than just that false statements were made; they have to show that those statements had a material impact on the victim’s decision to part with money of property. The burden remains on the prosecutor at all times to prove each element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, including any intent or knowledge element.

Successfully defending these cases requires a profound understanding of the relevant statutes and caselaw, the ability to review, organize and understand complicated and document-intensive fact patterns, and a familiarity with the prosecutors, judges and system. The federal white collar lawyers at Black Law have been deeply immersed in these cases for years and can draw on a great well of experience and knowledge to help you take advantage of every potential weakness in the Government’s case.

RETAIN A FEDERAL CRIME LAWYER IN THE SEATTLE AREA TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS

Our team of attorneys has a strong track record of helping our clients fight all types of federal charges. In addition to those discussed above, we have achieved favorable results for clients charged with firearms offenses, immigration offenses, kidnapping, copyright infringement, robbery, extortion, child pornography, child sex trafficking, and many others. Every case starts with us giving you an honest assessment of your case. We do not try to scare you or make promises of unrealistic results. We handle each and every case aggressively, leaving no stone unturned in investigating the case and building a meticulous defense to the charges against you. Our firm’s significant experience working with immigrant communities helps us devise strategies to protect the status of citizens of other countries who have been charged with a crime in the United States. Our Seattle federal crime attorneys represent people in Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Kent, Bellevue, and other cities in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. Call (206) 623-1604 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation if you need a fraud attorney or representation in another federal prosecution.