Tampa Aiding/Abetting Attorney

Our Former Prosecutor Is Prepared to Protect Your Rights

Aiding and abetting occurs when a person helps another in the commission of a crime. This is defined under Florida Statutes §220.905 as the aiding, counseling, and conspiring with another person to partake in a willful or fraudulent act (§220.901) or a willful failure to pay over (§220.903). Should a person be found guilty, they will face the same penalties as the actual perpetrator of the crime in question.

If a person is accused of helping someone who committed a crime, they can face criminal charges as well. This is true even if the person did not commit the crime but played a minor role. A person who partakes in any element of a crime can be charged with aiding and abetting because the law views assistance as a “joint effort.” People who assist with a crime or who are aware of a crime but don’t report it may be labeled accomplices.

Have you been accused of aiding and abetting? Talk to an attorney about your rights by calling The Law Offices of Jeff Paulk at (813) 321-7323 for a free initial consultation. 

In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time?

Simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time is not a crime. Witnessing a crime and not doing anything to stop it is not itself a criminal act. Usually, you cannot be convicted if you are present at the scene of a crime or even have knowledge of a crime but did not participate in committing the offense. 

However, there are a series of principles regarding criminal liability that can be applied to people who know about a crime without actually participating in it. For example, you can be charged with the felony crime of misprision if you have prior knowledge that a crime will be committed and don’t report that crime to authorities. You can also be charged with being an accessory after the fact if you assist a criminal after a crime has been committed, thereby hindering officers in apprehending that person. 

When Multiple Parties Are Involved in a Crime

If you’ve watched the Ocean’s Eleven movie series, you probably noticed how the heists involved multiple actors—and we’re not referring to the kind in Hollywood. In these fictitious schemes, the criminal actors each played key roles in pulling off some of the biggest heists in American cinema history. The Ocean’s movies are art, but like many crime movies, they closely mirror real-life crimes, which brings us to the subject of aiders and abettors in Florida.  Who are they? What role do they play in crimes? And how are they punished under Florida law?  

We’ll get that to a minute, but first, a little more on the latest of the Ocean’s movies.

In 2018’s Ocean’s Eight, one of the all-women team members was a fashion designer, one pretended to have a catering company, one was an actress, one was a hacker, and one even pretended to be an attendant in a women’s restroom. Still, they all played a role in a sophisticated jewelry heist at an annual Met Gala in New York City. While it only took one woman to steal the $150 million Cartier necklace off actress Anne Hathaway’s neck, it took eight women working as a team to pull it off the entire heist. 

Talk to Our Aiding & Abetting Lawyer in Tampa

Not every instance of aiding and abetting involves a sophisticated heist, like the ones carried out in the Ocean’s movies. In fact, you can be charged with aiding and abetting for something as simple as hearing someone’s offhand comment about committing a crime and failing to report it to the police—even if you didn’t think that person was serious. You could also face charges for letting someone stay at your house after they’ve committed a crime, or for planning to commit fraud with someone but ultimately changing your mind.

Accomplices who are charged with aiding and abetting may face serious consequences in the form of jail or prison time, fines, and other penalties. As such, it is crucial to speak with a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. At The Law Offices of Jeff Paulk, we’re standing by to help.

If you are facing charges of aiding and abetting in Tampa or anywhere in Florida, reach out to our firm right away to discuss how we can help. Led by Attorney Jeff Paulk, we provide dedicated, one-on-one legal representation to those facing serious criminal accusations. We know what’s at stake, and we’re prepared to fight for you.

Contact us online or call (813) 321-7323 for a free, confidential consultation.