Swansea Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

Federal Criminal Defense Attorney in Swansea, IL

Facing federal charges can be intimidating. Federal cases usually involve lengthy investigations that can span months or years before formal charges are ever filed. By the time you know about the investigation, prosecutors likely have months or years’ worth of bank statements, surveillance footage, and recordings. If the federal government is prosecuting you, having an experienced Swansea federal criminal defense lawyer is absolutely essential.

Types of Federal Criminal Charges

Some examples of federal criminal charges are drug trafficking, firearms violations, white-collar crimes like wire fraud and embezzlement, conspiracy, immigration offenses, and certain internet-based crimes. Drug trafficking and fraud charges are probably the most common types of federal crimes.

Just like with state charges, every federal criminal case has different statutes, elements, and types of evidence that prosecutors must prove. White collar crimes typically focus on documents and financial transactions. Drug trafficking cases may involve wire taps and confidential sources.

In total, 66.8% of all sentences were less than five years, 17.4% were five years or more but less than ten years, and 15.5% were ten years or more, not including life in prison.

Federal Cases vs. State Cases

Federal cases are different from state cases because they’re governed by their own set of laws and procedures. Federal criminal defense laws include the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Sentencing guidelines can help you understand what penalties you might be facing if convicted. In many cases, you’ll face a longer sentence if convicted in federal court than you would in state court for a similar crime.

Federal criminal cases also usually start out with a trip to a grand jury. Depending on the offense, prosecutors may be required to present evidence to the grand jury to secure an indictment. A grand jury will decide whether prosecutors have enough evidence to charge you with a crime.

Grand jury hearings are not open to the public. In most instances, a grand jury hearing won’t allow your legal counsel to offer evidence in your favor. Instead, the prosecutor will ask the grand jury questions to prove that there’s probable cause to charge you with a crime.

Hire a Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

Federal investigations can be complex and give rise to a variety of issues on how the government obtained information. Search warrant issues, digital privacy, and illegal search and seizures can all affect how your case unfolds. What may seem like a minor violation to you can have a major impact on your criminal defense case.

You should hire a federal criminal defense lawyer if you want to avoid the harsh penalties of a federal prosecution. Federal charges require an understanding of federal court procedures and sentencing guidelines. They also require you to know what to expect at every stage of the process.

Federal investigations happen both before and after formal charges are filed. The same goes for federal court proceedings. From start to finish, you should know what to expect when facing federal charges. If you are facing federal charges, The Law Office of Jessica Koester, LLC can help. Contact us today for more information. We understand federal criminal defense laws. A Swansea federal criminal defense attorney at our firm can help.