White collar crimes generally refer to misdemeanors or felonies which are committed in a business or financial or monetary setting of some kind. Some of the most common examples of white collar crimes include embezzlement, fraud, including construction fraud, as well as credit card fraud and even money laundering.
The consequences of a conviction of a white collar crime can be significant. First, most white collar crimes or what are referred to as crimes of moral turpitude, which include lying, cheating or stealing crimes which affect or reflect on a person’s good reputation and/or character. If you’re convicted of a charge of that nature, in many cases it’s difficult to maintain employment or to secure employment in the future. In addition – because many of these charges are misdemeanors or even felonies – there can be large fines as well as active jail time imposed if you’re convicted.
Due to the severity of these consequences, it is crucial for a person to contact a criminal lawyer in Manassas, specifically a Manassas white-collar lawyer, who can use their experience in similar cases in the area to prepare the strongest defense possible.
What a prosecutor has to prove when a person is charged with a white collar crime is going to depend entirely on what the crime is since every kind of white-collar crime has certain elements which have to be proven. At the minimum, the prosecution is going to have to prove that an individual did some kind of prohibited act and did so with some specific type of intent. In order to find out exactly what must be proven or the best way to defend the case, a person has to consult with a Manassas white-collar lawyer in reference to the particular charges.
A prosecutor may be willing to provide a reduced sentence or a plea deal under two primary kinds of circumstances or under both. The first is any time that a strong defense has been developed and there is some risk to the prosecution that they may not prevail in their case, and this will make them more likely to offer a plea agreement or to reduce the charge. In addition, if there is mitigating evidence, in other words, evidence which shows why a defendant is more sympathetic or more deserving of a break, that’s another circumstance where a prosecutor might be willing to reduce, or even dismiss, the charge.
The difference between state and federal white collar crimes is whether the alleged conduct violates the United States Code or the code of a particular state. There are a number of kinds of crimes where there is what’s called concurrent jurisdiction, meaning that the behavior can violate the law of both state and federal statute, which is all the more reason to contact a white collar lawyer in Manassas right away. Whether a person’s charge is state or federal will depend on which agency was investigating, which agency may be taking the lead, and what the nature of the charges are.
High profile cases are more likely to prompt charges from both state and federal law enforcement agencies. In addition, if the same set of events trigger prosecution under different kinds of laws, it may well be that there are some state laws that are better suited to the conduct and there are federal laws which are better suited to other parts of the conduct. In these cases, state and federal authorities may work together to prosecute one series of events.
If a person is charged with a white collar crime, they are facing very serious consequences, just based on the fact that conviction on these kinds of cases can have far-reaching consequences for employment or future employment. In addition, a person could be looking at jail or prison or many fines. With that much at stake, this is simply not the kind of thing that a person can handle on their own, and, therefore, they need to get help from an attorney who has experience handling white collar cases.
It’s crucial to hire a Manassas white collar attorney when charged with a white collar crime. Most white collar crimes are going to be in the felony category, so that means there are going to be significant penalties if a person is convicted. This can include not being able to get a job in the future, receiving large fines, and even serving significant prison sentences.
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