When the American Mafia was in its heyday, prosecutors were having difficulty keeping track of every separate crime allegedly perpetrated by associates of the many organized crime families scattered across the country. Each perpetrator would have to be tried for individual crimes, which hardly allowed the government to make a dent in the Mafia’s activities. So, a solution: Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Read More

The right to privacy of all citizens in the U.S. is the foundation of many civil liberties. Protection against unreasonable search and seizures is codified in the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. A keyword in the amendment is “unreasonable.” Over the years, the law interpreting the meaning of the word has identified situations in which police do not necessarily need a search warrant to search your person or Read More

Before the late 1800s, plea bargaining was almost non-existent in criminal cases. As the courts started to become overwhelmed with the amount of charges the government was bringing against defendants, prosecutors began using this tool more. Today, the vast majority of criminal charges are settled through plea bargains; in fact, only 2% of federal charges make it to a jury trial! Gathering evidence in a Read More

When you are booked into jail for a crime in State court in Florida, there will be a flurry of emotions for you and your loved ones. The top-of-mind issue for you will be: How do I get out of jail and back home? The purpose of a bail bond is to ensure your return to court to answer the charges. The prosecution may be arguing that you present a risk of flight or danger to the community if you are released from Read More

On December 20th, 2018, inmates across the country had a reason to smile as President Trump passed the first major reform to the criminal justice system in over a decade. Known as the First Step Act, this new law set out to reform sentencing and make it easier for inmates to transition back into society. But what exactly is the First Step Act and how does it affect the prison system? Here is everything you need to Read More

Crimes come in all shapes and sizes, from complicated money laundering and embezzlement schemes to various drug offenses, theft, assault, etc. Law enforcement officers typically use special programs and methods to track and pin down these offenses. However, in some cases, they may use deceptive methods to trick individuals into incriminating themselves in an ongoing investigation. When this happens, you have the Read More

White collar crimes are criminal activities committed by an organization or individual to gain money or property through deception. The crimes are non-violent, with the primary intent mainly to enrich its perpetrators. Such crimes include wire fraud, health care fraud, securities fraud, bribery, public corruption and money laundering. Recently, the incidence of white collar crimes has increased thanks to Read More

There is a Latin term, “mens rea” which often comes into play when proving the guilt or innocence of a person charged with a white collar criminal offense, such as fraud or money laundering. The term literally means “guilty mind” and is an essential element of a prosecution. It is necessary to establish that the defendant not only broke the law, but they also did so willfully and intentionally. There are several ways Read More

A wrong move during a federal criminal investigation can easily land you in hot water. Once you are involved, it would be naïve to assume that you are on the safe side just because you believe you have not done anything improper. There are several labels applied to the various people involved in a criminal case. No matter what you are considered by the investigating authorities, it’s important to have legal counsel Read More

Being the Defendant in a criminal case is one of the most stressful, nerve-wracking experiences an individual will ever endure. Attending a court session and being called “The Defendant” is in and of itself a  daunting experience. Now imagine that your case cannot be resolved before trial, and you have to defend yourself before a jury of your peers. One of the most significant discussions you will have with your Read More