What Are The Common Types Of Federal Cases That You Handle?

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The federal criminal code covers a lot of different crimes, and I have experience defending most of them. For example, I’ve represented many people charged with what’s commonly referred to as federal white collar crimes, which include any type of financial crime, such as forgery, embezzlement and theft. I’ve also handled lots of federal fraud offenses as well, including fraud committed against banking institutions, Medicaid or Medicare fraud, and mortgage fraud. Having a Criminal Defense attorney in Illinois representing you creates better opportunities for your case.

I’ve handled federal weapons cases, including possession of weapons by felons, gun running, and possession of machine guns or dangerous devices. There still are a lot of federal arrests for narcotics, and I’ve represented persons charged with possession, trafficking and conspiracy to deliver almost every type of illegal drug, including cocaine, heroin, marijuana and ecstasy.

Sex crimes are often also charged as federal offenses, especially if they involve interstate commerce (Interstate commerce just means that some aspect of the crime involved crossing state lines). And I’ve represented people charged with possession and distribution of child pornography. I’ve also represented federal criminal cases involving crossing state lines for the purpose of engaging in a sexual act with a minor.

These examples that I have listed here are just a small sample of the federal criminal cases I have successfully defended. If you have questions about a type of case that you don’t see listed, feel free to give me a call. Our Criminal Defense attorneys in Illinois will be happy to help you.

Who Does The Investigation And Prosecution In A Federal Case?

The Department of Justice has several federal law enforcement agencies that can investigate crimes and make arrests. The most common federal policing agencies are the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). However, there are many other federal agencies that can investigate crimes, such as the postal inspector and the Department of Homeland Security. It really just depends on the nature of the offense in terms of which particular agency is going to do the investigation.

How Do People Know That They Are Under Investigation For A Federal Crime?

A federal investigation is a lot different than an investigation by a local police department on the state level. At the state level, generally the police will contact or arrest someone early in the investigation to interrogate them about the case. The police will use that interview of the suspect as part of their way of developing the case. If a federal agent knocks on your door or contacts you, the likelihood is they’ve already been investigating you for a long time and probably have the case more or less put together, which means they have already collected evidence and witnesses to use against you in court. When federal authorities contact you, they’re just really coming to let you know about it or put you under arrest for it. So that’s the big difference. If you’ve been contacted by federal agents, this is not the beginning of the investigation; this is the end of it, which is the opposite of what you would encounter in the state system.

When Would Be The Right Time To Retain An Attorney For A Federal Case?

The sooner the better. You can’t really prevent an agency from investigating a crime, but the sooner you get yourself the protection of an attorney, the better. Early intervention by an attorney frequently makes a huge difference in the case. If you have any information that you may be under investigation, do not hesitate to get representation. Our Federal criminal offenses attorney in Illinois is willing and prepared to represent you to the very best outcome.

A Step-By-Step Breakdown Of The Federal Criminal Process

Any federal crime will start with an investigation. Like I said, usually they don’t come and talk to the individual until towards the end of their investigation. If the person makes a statement or gives any incriminating interview, that’s just icing on the cake for the federal authorities. Once a person is arrested, they would appear before a magistrate to determine what, if any, bail is required in the case. I often obtain OR bonds for my clients. This means that they are released on their Own Recognizance and do not have to pay anything to get out of custody.

From there the government has to turn over all the evidence in the case, which is called discovery. So they have to provide the defense attorney with all of the evidence that they’re going to use in the case, and that’s how I evaluate what the potential defenses are and options are available to my client. From there we decide what our strategy will be. Are going to take the case to trial? Are we going to file a motion to suppress evidence, or are we going to file a motion to suppress statements? Are we going to try and negotiate a plea agreement? All of that would come after we’ve reviewed all of the evidence in the case.

For more information on Common Federal Crimes In Illinois, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling our Federal criminal offenses attorney in Illinois at (708) 218-0947 today.