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Investigation of Virginia Conspiracy Charges

The law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of conspiracy charges are typically limited to local law enforcement. Law enforcement has every level of investigator from street officers to detectives and everything in between. The government must have proof that some communication took place and there was an agreement between two or more people. If they do not have evidence of that they cannot even get past probable cause to charge conspiracy.

They are usually well-equipped to investigate conspiracy allegations. Authorities investigate conspiracy cases by interviewing other co-conspirators to identify the other parties. If the authorities believe a conspiracy took place but nobody is talking, they might examine phone records, email records, or other ways to document communication between the people they believe committed the conspiracy crime. A skilled conspiracy lawyer can help protect your rights after accusations.

Investigation Tactics

When conducting an investigation of conspiracy charges, the government must compile evidence against multiple people to sustain the conviction because conspiracy by definition involves more than one person. The government tries to get one person to testify or provide information against another person or a group of other people to substantiate the claims that a conspiracy took place. Almost every other type of criminal investigation involves only one defendant. Therefore, the government may not have to cut deals or break the other people to sustain their investigation. A conspiracy must involve multiple people. The prosecutors could be in a position where they need to make deals with somebody to prove their case against others.

Contacting Employers

The timing of law enforcement contacting a person’s employer depends on the nature of the investigation. If the conspiracy involves a person’s job, it is possible that law enforcement might talk their employer. However, if the conspiracy does not involve the person’s job, it is not likely that law enforcement contacts their boss.

Prosecution

Virginia prosecutors treat conspiracy as leverage. Prosecutors tend to add as many charges as possible against the person to get them to plead guilty to one or more offenses. A conspiracy charge can enhance a level of punishment to which a person is exposed and the government uses that as leverage to scare the person into pleading guilty.

Arrest and Release

When a person is arrested, the court considers whether to release that person pending the outcome of the case. One of the primary concerns of the court is whether the person poses a risk to the community while they are out on the streets. If the person’s charge involves a crime of violence or a conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, the court might deem the person is a danger to the community or to certain individuals within the community. It is possible the person might not be released on bail or their own recognizance.

However, if the conspiracy involves a financial type of crime and the person has no prior criminal history and no prior failures to appear in court, it is just as likely the person might be released on bail or on their own recognizance.

The primary elements that a court must consider when determining whether a person is eligible for bail are whether they pose a risk to society or to individuals within the society, and whether they present a risk of flight or failing to appear at future court proceedings.

Contact an Attorney

Law enforcement is thorough with their investigation of Virginia conspiracy charges. It is vital that work with an attorney that is just as thorough in their defense of you. Contact a determined defender that can provide you with the legal counsel you deserve.