Leesburg Federal Crime Attorney
Federal criminal law is enforced by a variety of government agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). These agencies pour vast resources into the investigation and prosecution of federal drug crimes, weapons offenses and white collar crime. The accused faces teams of top prosecutors, and the federal courts have strict sentencing guidelines which impose lengthy prison sentences and enormous fines upon conviction, while also seizing your property under asset forfeiture laws. Contact our Leesburg federal crime attorneys for more information or help.
Against this onslaught, you can rely on Leesburg federal criminal defense attorney Caleb Kershner and the legal team at Simms Showers, LLP to protect your constitutional rights, ensure a fair trial, and provide you with a strong, effective defense of the charges you are facing. Our team includes a former U.S. Attorney who knows the federal criminal justice system inside and out and understands the important differences when defending a case in federal court.
Our federal crimes team can help if you have been charged with any of the following types of offenses in the federal system:
- Drug charges – Drug offenses are often duplicated by state and federal governments, and the “double jeopardy” clause of the U.S. Constitution does not necessarily keep you from being tried in state and federal court for the same act. Federal drug laws carry severe penalties and huge fines and are zealously prosecuted by federal agencies.
- Weapons offenses – Federal law imposes a five year minimum sentence if a weapon is simply carried in any violent crime or drug trafficking offense. These minimums increase to seven years if the weapon is “brandished” and ten years if a firearm is actually discharged. We defend people charged with weapons offenses or other crimes where a weapon was involved.
- White collar crime – Tax fraud, securities fraud, pyramid schemes and other offenses accomplished through means of deception rather than force are intensively investigated by agents hoping to make their careers off of a high-profile case. We look out for you at every step, from pre-indictment questioning to trial.
- Interstate crimes – When any aspect of an alleged offense crosses state lines, the FBI and other agencies step in and take over. Kidnapping, drug trafficking and human trafficking (pimping or prostitution) are common interstate offenses.
- Internet and computer crimes – The federal government puts its vast resources behind the investigation of hacking, identify theft, child pornography, and other computer and Internet crimes. Simply being in possession of a naked picture of anyone below 18 years old, if considered to be “sexually suggestive,” is enough to get you prosecuted for child pornography, with sentences ranging up to life in prison.
Lying to a federal officer – the Government’s Secret Weapon
Federal law enforcement agencies may spend months or years building a case before they make any arrests, and during that time you may be approached for questioning by federal agents. A federal law, found at 18 U.S.C. 1001, makes it illegal to knowingly and willfully make any materially false statement to a federal agent or regarding any matter under federal jurisdiction. Penalties include fines and up to five years in prison, or even eight years in certain situations. The authorities do not need to prove any criminal intent on your part in order to convict you of this offense.
Federal agents are expertly trained to get you to make a false or contradictory statement, just so they can hang this offense over your head and force your further cooperation or get you to plead guilty to some offense you might otherwise have a good defense against. Whether you have been arrested or approached for questioning by a federal agent, be very careful about what you say. Not only are you helping the police build their case against you, but you could find yourself charged with additional offenses that are very difficult to defend against.
Talk to a Leesburg Federal Crime Attorney before You Talk to the Police
If you have been arrested for a federal crime or approached for questioning by federal agents, contact Caleb Kershner in Leesburg for a no-cost confidential consultation about your case with an experienced Virginia criminal defense attorney.
