Federal conspiracy charges are generally extensive in scope. Consequently, participants in a conspiracy to commit a federal crime can face mandatory minimum sentences of years in prison even if the offense did not occur and they took no action to carry out the crime.
Given the severe penalties that may result from a federal conspiracy conviction, those who are facing conspiracy charges may wish to contact an Alabama federal conspiracy lawyer for assistance. An accomplished federal criminal attorney might be able to help you develop the most effective defense strategy for your situation and pursue a positive outcome in your case.
Federal Conspiracy Charges in AlabamaAs stated by 18 United States Code §371, conspiracy occurs under federal law whenever two or more individuals work together to violate any federal law or attempt to defraud the federal government. It should be noted that other federal statutes provide for conspiracy crimes related to specific offenses, such as conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit robbery of any item in interstate commerce, and conspiracy to commit mail or wire fraud.
The required elements of any federal conspiracy charge include:
These elements do not require that a federal crime actually occurs, or that the co-conspirators ever meet in person to plan the crime or have any direct contact with one another, for persons to be charged with a federal conspiracy offense. Alternatively, it is sufficient that the defendants knowingly participated in a conspiracy to commit a federal crime and that a minimum of one of the co-conspirators took some step toward furthering the plot. For anyone facing federal conspiracy charges, consulting an Alabama attorney may be advisable.
Potential Penalties for Federal ConspiracyUnder 18 U.S. Code §371, a conviction on federal conspiracy charges could result in a prison sentence of up to five years, and a fine of up to $250,000 or $500,000 for organizations, or both. However, if the alleged conspiracy offense was a misdemeanor offense, the penalties for the conspiracy conviction cannot be more than the maximum potential penalties for the underlying misdemeanor offense.
If the conspiracy resulted in a federal crime being committed, the co-conspirators could face separate charges for the conspiracy and for the crime itself. As an example, if charged with a conspiracy to commit a drug crime, the alleged co-conspirators may face the same penalties they would have if they had they committed the drug crime.
It should also be noted that all that is required to prove a drug conspiracy is evidence of an agreement to commit the crime. There is no requirement that any participant in the drug conspiracy commits an overt act to carry out the offense.
All these factors could make providing a federal drug conspiracy far simpler for federal prosecutors. A seasoned federal conspiracy lawyer in Alabama may be able to develop a strong defense in response to federal conspiracy and other federal criminal charges.
Call an Alabama Federal Conspiracy Attorney for Legal AdviceThere are various ways that you could defend yourself against federal conspiracy charges. You might not have agreed to commit a crime, or perhaps no party to the agreement took any action to carry out the offense. Whatever the circumstances may be, an Alabama federal conspiracy lawyer could work to defend your interests and work toward a favorable resolution of the criminal charges that you are facing.
When you are accused of conspiracy to commit a federal crime, you may benefit from getting legal advice right away. It may be crucial that you quickly hire an attorney who could prevent you from making any inadvertent missteps that incriminate you or prejudice your case, so speak with legal counsel as soon as you realize that there is an ongoing investigation.