Tampa Federal Crimes Defense Attorney

Our Federal Crimes Defense Team Is Ready to Fight for Your Future

A federal crime is any criminal act that is deemed illegal by the United States Federal Government or that takes place on federal property. When a federal crime is committed, it is usually investigated by government agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Unlike local or state crimes, federal crimes tend to involve lengthy investigations by aggressive authorities who will do everything possible to obtain convictions.

Once a person has been charged with a federal crime, they will need to work with a skilled criminal defense attorney who has successfully handled prior federal cases. Without representation from an experienced criminal defense lawyer, the accused risk being convicted and face severe legal consequences.

Get the help of a Tampa federal crimes defense lawyer for fight for your future. We’re ready to answer your questions at no cost when you call (813) 321-7323.

What Makes a Crime Federal?

Most criminal offenses are charged as state crimes and are prosecuted in a state’s court system. However, if a person breaks a federal law they’ll likely receive federal crimes charges. Federal laws are passed by Congress and frequently involve issues that are related to a national issue.

Federal jurisdiction exists when a crime:

• Takes place on federal land
• Involves federal officials
• Crosses state lines
• Involves immigration of customs violations such as human or drug trafficking

In some instances, a crime can be charged at the state and federal level. For example, a person can receive state and federal charges for committing the crime of bank robbery. This is because the act is outlawed federally as well as at the state level. For some cases, a person might even face separate sentences from state and federal courts.

Involvement of the FBI

One of the most prominent factors of a federal case is that it will be investigated not by a local authority, but rather by the FBI. According to the FBI, their duty is "to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats and to enforce the criminal laws of the United States." This means that they have jurisdiction over 200 categories of federal law and work tirelessly to help ensure that they are enforced.

This includes the following:

• Terrorism (international and domestic)
• Counterintelligence
• Cyber crimes (online predators, piracy, identity theft, etc.)
• Public corruption (government and election fraud)
• Civil rights (hate crimes, human trafficking, etc.)
• Organized crime (crime involving gangs and mafias)
• White collar crimes (such as bankruptcy and mail fraud)
• Violent crimes & theft (robbery, cruise ship crime, etc.)

The FBI, however, is not responsible for deciding on guilt or working as a prosecutor. While they maintain close relationships with U.S. Attorneys, they are simply involved with gathering evidence and information during investigation; they may also be responsible for taking someone into custody.

Federal Crimes are also handled by the following authorities:

• U.S. Border Police
• U.S. Customs
• Military Security Forces
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife
• U.S. Park Police
• U.S. Postal Police & Inspectors
• Veteran Affairs Police

What Does a Charge of Conspiracy Mean?

Conspiracy occurs when two or more people agree to partake in a criminal act in the future. When two or more people plan to break the law, and they then commit a crime together, they can be charged with the criminal offense they committed as well as conspiracy. In some cases, even if the people do not commit the crime they are planning, they can still be charged.

Conspiracy charges can involve any criminal offense, including:

• Murder
• Kidnapping
• White Collar Crimes
• Theft Crimes

According to Florida law, a conspiracy to commit a crime is only ranked one level below conviction for the crime itself. There are, however, some crimes where the conspiracy is listed separately and may be considered as severe as had the crime be committed. For example, it is considered to be just a serious to conspire as to commit a crime related to drug trafficking, bookmaking, murder, or causing aggravated abuse to cattle or horses.

These are considered "inchoate" offenses, meaning they are not fully developed, but may be punished as if they had been fully completed. Inchoate means that something has just begun or is not fully developed. When a criminal act is planned extensively, someone can receive conspiracy charges.

While prosecutors can use conspiracy charges to convict a person of a crime, they’ll also use them to extract more information from someone in a case.

For example, if someone is accused of a committing murder but a prosecutor needs more evidence against them, they might charge someone suspected to be associated with the crime with conspiracy. Doing this can help a prosecutor give a person who might have information about a crime incentive to share it in exchange for a modified sentence.

Why A Person Needs a Tampa Federal Crimes Defense Lawyer

If you’re facing charges of federal crimes, you need the help of an attorney who is ready to handle your case with the urgency and experience it deserves. Federal crimes generally carry harsher punishments than state crimes. Even minimum sentences for a federal crime can have similar severity than a harsh state crime penalty.

At Thomas & Paulk, P.A., we’re prepared to fight for your future. We know that federal prosecutors are aggressive, and we refuse to allow them to intimidate us from defending clients. Our team has helped thousands of people facing serious criminal accusations, and we’re ready to us our experience to pursue to most favorable outcome possible for your case. Best of all, consultation with our team is free because we want to make it simple for you to discover your options.

Call Thomas & Paulk, P.A. today at (813) 321-7323 for help from a Tampa federal crimes defense attorney.