How a California Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help Your Case
If you’ve been contacted regarding a federal crime in California, hiring an experienced California federal criminal defense attorney should be first on your to-do list; indeed, there is no time to waste, as these things will not go away. Federal crimes are prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office, which means the prosecution is going to put in the time and resources necessary to do the job. What’s more, federal prosecutors pick and choose the cases they take to court, which means they’ve been investigating this for a while before you were even contacted. If they chose this case, you should be taking it no less seriously than they are.
What Are Federal Crimes?
California federal criminal defense attorneys have a very specific area of expertise that includes familiarity with federal rules of evidence, criminal and trial procedure, sentencing, recent and pertinent Supreme Court rulings, the U.S. Attorney’s office, the investigating agency (the FBI, Drug Enforcement Agency, etc.), and the federal court system—obviously a lot more than a state attorney is required to know.
These crimes can include:
- Anti-trust cases
- Arson
- Bank robbery
- Identity theft
- Bankruptcy fraud
- Child pornography
- Counterfeiting
- Drug or human trafficking
- Money laundering
- Wire fraud
- Conspiracy
- Gun law violations
- Espionage
- Terrorism
- Fraud, including healthcare, mortgage, mail, tax, or passport
- Computer crimes
- Extortion
- Perjury
What Will My Attorney Do?
Once you hire a California federal criminal defense attorney, he or she will:
- Determine if you’ve been contacted by federal authorities as a witness or a subject.
- Advise you on how to answer questions so as not to incriminate yourself. Federal prosecutors are very experienced, and it can be easy to fall into a trap. (Martha Stewart, if you recall, was acquitted of any crime but did time for perjury.)
- Advise you to plead the Fifth Amendment, if appropriate.
- Be present during questioning or even serve as liaison between you and the investigators.
- Use your cooperation to negotiate preferential treatment.
- In certain cases, get a letter of declination, which formally acknowledges that you won’t be prosecuted for this offense.
- If you’re detained, negotiate bail, perhaps getting it reduced or waived.
- If you’re arrested, explain the charges, your defense options, and possible plea bargains.
- Prepare a detailed and analytical case.
- Keep you informed so that you always know what to expect.
- Aggressively and loyally defend you in court.
Federal crimes generally involve more serious offenses than state crimes and therefore carry stiffer penalties—prison, hefty fines, a criminal record—that severely affect quality of life if one is convicted. This makes it all the more imperative that you get an experienced California federal criminal defense attorney on your side; if you’d like to speak to one, please fill out the form on this page.
Contact a California Federal Criminal Defense Attorney
If you or someone you care about has been arrested or charged for any federal crime, please consult with an experienced California federal criminal defense attorney who is well versed in defending federal cases. At Daniel V. Cota & Associates, P.C., Attorney Cota will build a personalized defense for the specific facts of your case. To schedule a free consultation with a dedicated and experienced California federal criminal defense attorney, contact Daniel V. Cota & Associates, P.C. toll free at (800) 351-6860.