Chicago Federal Criminal Lawyer

The most important thing you can do when being investigated by an agency such as the FBI, DEA, IRS, or Department of Homeland Security is to hire a criminal defense attorney who can provide you with a defense against any charges that you may face. Your lawyer can contact federal agents or prosecutors to determine the nature of the investigation and the potential criminal charges you may be facing, and they can advise you of your rights and help you determine the best defense strategy against any federal charges.

There are a variety of criminal penalties that may be imposed if a person is convicted of a federal crime, including large fines, time in prison, house arrest, supervised release, forfeiture of money or property obtained through criminal activity, and paying the costs involved in prosecution. A person may also face civil penalties, such as being required to pay restitution to anyone who suffered financial harm due to the crimes committed.

You should ask an attorney about their experience defending clients in cases similar to yours, as well as their rate of success, including the number of cases in which they helped clients avoid prosecution or obtained not guilty verdicts or dismissals of charges. You will also want to discuss the specifics of your case and determine the approach that your lawyer will take, including how they will communicate with investigators or prosecutors and what steps they will take to minimize charges or avoid prosecution.

Federal prosecutors have a great deal of discretion about when they will or will not pursue criminal charges against a defendant. These decisions may be based on the information uncovered during an investigation, the extent of the alleged criminal activity, and the likelihood of receiving a guilty verdict. By working with an attorney who is experienced in defending against federal charges, a person who is the subject of a federal investigation can determine how to avoid being charged by a federal prosecutor or how to mount an effective defense.

White collar crimes such as mortgage fraud, healthcare fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, computer crimes, or money laundering may be prosecuted in federal court if they involved violations of federal laws, if the alleged victims were located in multiple states, or if they involved large amounts of money. Smaller-scale white collar crimes, such as embezzlement or identity theft, may be prosecuted at the state level if the criminal activity was limited to a single state.