FEDERAL CRIMES

The vast majority of all people who are charged with federal crimes end up being convicted. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, there were 160,696 cases referred to federal prosecutors in 2010. Out of these, 91,047 led to charges being filed against the defendant, and 81,934 of these people were convicted on the charges. This figure represents a 93 percent rate of conviction. If you have been charged with a federal crime, it is absolutely vital that you hire an attorney who is ready to fight to clear your name and help you avoid the serious consequences you face. Failure to take action makes a conviction all but certain. Contact the Law Office of Christopher DeCoste, P.A. for a free, honest and confidential consultation.

Types of Federal Cases we handle:

• Antitrust Violations: Federal law in the United States serves to regulate the organization and conduct of certain types of businesses with the purpose of ensuring that the marketplace remains free and open to competition. Antitrust laws exist to prevent the formation of monopolies that crush would-be competitors.
• Asset Forfeiture: Under certain circumstances, a criminal suspect may have his/her assets seized by federal law enforcement agencies such as the U.S. Marshals. Such assets may be put up for auction and sold off to the highest bidder.
• Conspiracy Cases: You can be charged with a crime, sentenced and punished even if you never actually committed the underlying offense. This is possible in light of the fact that federal conspiracy laws make it a crime to plan to commit a crime in cooperation with others, and the co-conspirators are liable to prosecution even when they did not participate in executing the plan.
• Counterfeiting: Under investigation for counterfeiting? Chapter 25 of Title 18 is devoted to various types of crimes involving counterfeiting and forgery. They range from counterfeiting currency to financial instruments and postage stamps. Whatever the nature of the crime, you need dedicated legal defense.
• Cyberstalking: With the proliferation of the internet over recent years, a number of new types of crimes have made it on to the books. One of these is cyberstalking, which involves using the internet harass or stalk another person, whether it occurs through email, social media or other means.
• Domestic Violence: Domestic violence may be charged as a federal offense when it involves crossing state lines in order to commit the offense. It is also important to note that a domestic violence conviction on the state or federal level will result in the individual being prohibited from possessing or owning a firearm.
• Drug Trafficking: According to statistics provided by the United States Sentencing Commission, 29 percent of all federal criminal convictions in 2011 involved various types of drug-related offenses. Penalties for crimes such as possession of drugs are serious enough, but if you have been accused of involvement in a drug trafficking operation, your future is at stake.
• Fraud: There are various forms of fraud, many of which are classified as white collar crimes. Many fraud crimes such as identity theft, bank fraud, wire fraud and securities fraud are not only criminalized under federal legislation but are also investigated heavily by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
• Insider Trading: The subject of insider trading has received widespread attention in the news over recent years, with major scandals involving high-profile public figures. Not everyone who is charged with insider trading is famous, however. If you find yourself being investigated for this crime, you can come to our firm for help.
• International Extradition: It has long been a last-ditch strategy for people who face the threat of arrest and prosecution to flee the country and seek refuge in a foreign nation. In today's increasingly globally connected context, however, it is become more and more difficult to use this tactic, since governments will frequently cooperate to carry out international extradition.
• Internet Sex Crimes: Because of the scope and reach the Internet offers most of our online activity, Internet sex crimes often attract the attention of federal prosecutors. These serious allegations can result in significant fines, prison time, and registration as a sex offender. If you have been accused, contact our firm today to start exploring your legal options.
• IRS Violations: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has the power to prosecute you for tax crimes that carry severe punishments for a conviction.
• Medicare Fraud: Medicare fraud is typically committed by physicians and health care organizations in an attempt to collect money for services that were not medically necessary or services that were not rendered. A felony conviction for health care fraud can exclude a physician from Medicaid for 5 to 10 years or permanently with two prior convictions.
• Mortgage Fraud: When a borrower, loan officer, real estate agent, appraiser, title or escrow agent provides any type of false information on a loan application with the intention of defrauding a financial institution, it is categorized as mortgage fraud, which can involve up to $1,000.000 in fines and up to 30 years in prison.
• Public Corruption: Our firm represents clients from all walks of life, and if you are an elected official of public servant and are being accused of some type of corruption, you can come to us for help. Not only do you need dedicated representation in the courtroom, but you also need an attorney to defend you in the court of public opinion.
• Tax Evasion: The penalty you can receive if convicted of tax evasion depend on the severity of the alleged offense. If you are accused of not paying only a small amount in taxes, you can expect to get off easier than if you have been withholding tax payments for many years and on a large scale. In either case, you need to avoid a sentence and a future with a criminal record.
• Trade Secret Theft: Businesses in Miami and nationwide are fiercely protective of their proprietary technologies and trade secrets, because such information can make the difference between success and failure on the marketplace. Corporate espionage and violations of nondisclosure agreements can lead to criminal charges.
• Federal Criminal Appeals: Even if you are convicted on the charges you face, it may still be possible to avoid the consequences and turn the situation around by filing an appeal. Appeals are not new trials, but instead they are a request to have a higher court conduct a review of the decision of a lower court.
• Federal Criminal Trials: More than 90 percent of all criminal charges do not proceed to trial. The vast majority of people who face criminal prosecution choose instead to enter a guilty plea in hopes of getting a lighter sentence in a plea bargain with the United States Attorney. Our firm, however, has a long and successful track record of fighting for our clients at trial.
• Grand Jury Representation: Before a federal prosecutor can file criminal charges against a suspect, it is necessary to take the case before a grand jury which has the task of reviewing the situation to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to file an indictment. By hiring an attorney at this early stage, it is often possible to avoid an indictment and arrest.
• Failure to File Cash Transaction Reports (CTRs): When a bank or other financial institution does not comply with the requirement to file a currency transaction report for a transaction of more than $10,000, the party responsible for the failure may be liable to criminal charges and prosecution.
• International Crimes: In addition to representing clients in cases involving state and federal criminal charges, we also handle cases where our client is facing prosecution for an international crime. Such cases are typically complex, since they involve overlapping jurisdictions, matters of extradition and the necessity of engaging in skilled negotiation with officials in the other country.