What is a Federal Crime?

There is a great deal of confusion regarding federal crimes. Federal crimes are any number of criminal activities investigated and prosecuted by federal courts and judges. The charges, against anyone in New York, can come from any number of federal organizations. The process of being held and prosecuted for federal crimes is very different from local criminal processes. The potential for being held for long periods of time without a charge and being given extremely long jail sentences and other punishments for the crimes is very real. If you or someone you love is facing a federal criminal charge contact our office immediately for free legal advice.

Most federal crimes in New York are primarily investigated by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) though many other organizations can also be involved. If the charge is against a crime that took place on federally owned property then it can fall under a federal crime. If the crime took place in more than one state, such as Internet crimes, it can be prosecuted as a federal crime as well. If the crime involved some amount of interstate commercial activity it also falls under federal jurisdiction. Finally, if the crime involved a federal government employee then it is also prosecuted in federal court.

Many federal crimes fall under “white collar” types of legal infractions. These include tax fraud, antitrust activities, accounting fraud, bankruptcy issues, money laundering, securities fraud and mortgage fraud. In addition many sex crimes, terrorism charges, firearms charges, child pornography, and drug related crimes can constitute federal crimes. The federal crime category of crimes against the person includes murder, kidnapping, extortion, and robbery if the crime included several different states.

Because of the nature and scope of federal agencies following September 11, 2001, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people detained and charged with federal crimes. New Yorkers have been detained in federal institutions without being charged with any crime for long periods of time. Businesses have come under closer scrutiny than ever before because of the increase in funding into federal crimes investigations.

Having a New York federal crimes attorney on your side as soon as you are aware of any investigation or charge can alleviate a lengthy federal criminal process, however. An effective federal crimes lawyer can often stop the process before it even begins, especially since many federal crimes charges are not even being brought in a timely manner. A successful New York federal crimes attorney can help you avoid being detained without charges, face years of imprisonment and potentially millions of dollars in fines.

Conaway & Strickler has years of experience with the complex process of federal crimes. Our law firm is one of the few full service federal crimes legal office offering free consultations for any potential case in New York. Please call or contact us as soon as possible. We can begin working on your case immediately and look forward to representing you or your business.