Virginia Federal Public Corruption Lawyer
Federal laws aim to prevent public corruption by imposing penalties both on public officials as well as on individuals and businesses who are involved in wrongdoing. Public corruption cases can be very complex cases and it is important to have a Virginia federal public corruption lawyer to provide legal representation if you are accused of any involvement with a scheme involving a public official or a scam related to your official position.
Benefits of a Virginia Federal Public Corruption Lawyer
Public corruption cases often arise as a result of the mere appearance of improprieties. Circumstantial evidence is sometimes put forth by prosecutors seeking to secure convictions against public employees or against those involved in transactions or negotiations with elected officials or other public workers.
A Virginia federal public corruption lawyer can carefully review any evidence a prosecutor seeks to use against a defendant in order to determine if the evidence was collected legally and if the evidence can be undermined. Unless corruption can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, there should be no conviction. The job of a public corruption lawyer is to try to present an alternate theory, make the jury doubt the veracity of the evidence, or raise questions about whether the alleged corruption occurred.
The mere accusation of public corruption can be detrimental to elected officials and can affect business brands. An attorney can work hard to resolve allegations quickly when possible to clear your name. Your Virginia federal public corruption attorney can also help you to negotiate plea agreements for reduced charges or minimal penalties in situations where you do not wish to actively fight charges.
Public Corruption Offenses
There are a wide variety of statutes under which federal authorities seek to punish those accused of public corruption.
18 U.S. Code Section 1951 imposes a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment for obstructing, delaying, or affecting commerce by extortion or attempted extortion.
18 U.S. Code Section 216 also imposes a maximum penalty of one year in prison (or five year in prison for a willful violation) for a variety of offenses including situations where a member of congress or other officer asks for, receives, agrees to accept, or accepts something of value related to the performance of government duties (like making a ruling or making decisions in official proceedings. 18 U.S. Code Section 203. The same penalty is imposed for those who pay or offer to pay such compensation. Paying someone to run for office, or accepting payments in exchange for running for office is also one of the offenses for which penalties found in Section 216 apply.
A defendant could also be charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, extortion under color of office, paying or accepting illegal kickbacks in government health programs, and a huge variety of additional criminal acts. Because there are so many ways that a person could be accused of defrauding the government or engaging in corruption, there are many federal statutes under which someone could be indicted. A Virginia federal public corruption lawyer can explain the charges and possible penalties a defendant faces based on the accusations being made.
Get Help from a Federal Public Corruption Attorney
Whenever you have been charged with a public corruption offense, call a Virginia federal public corruptions lawyer as soon as possible for assistance. A Virginia federal public corruption lawyer can help you to determine how best to respond to the serious accusations so you can resolve the matter as quickly, quietly, and effectively as possible and move on with your life.
