EXPERIENCED RACKETEERING (“RICO”) FEDERAL CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
The Racketeer and Corrupt Organizations Statute §§ 1961-1968, commonly referred to as the “RICO” Act, is used by federal prosecutors to charge individuals who are members of organizations, that acquire a business through illegal activity, operate a business with illegally derived income, or use a business to commit illegal acts. Historically, the federal government has targeted complex organized criminal organizations such as the Mafia for racketeering cases, but in recent years the government has used this law to prosecute inner city gangs. This law has also been used to target big corporations that have engaged in bribery or other similar white-collar offenses. The RICO Act details certain “predicate” offenses that are covered under the RICO Act. A conviction for racketeering under the RICO act can vary from twenty years for each count of racketeering, up to life imprisonment for certain predicate acts such as murder.
For a person to be found guilty of racketeering the government must prove:
- That an enterprise existed which affected interstate or foreign commerce.
- That the defendant participated in the operation or management of the enterprise; and
- That the defendant conducted, directly, or indirectly, in the conduct of the enterprise, two or more “racketeering” acts
PREDICATE RACKETEERING ACTS
The government must prove a pattern of racketeering activity, involving at least two incidents of the following type of activity:
- Drug trafficking
- Gambling
- Murder
- Extortion
- Kidnapping
- Robbery
- Arson
- Narcotics
CHOOSE AN EXPERIENCED RACKETEERING (“RICO”) CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
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Make sure the attorney has prior experience handling a RICO case
It is important that you hire an attorney that has previously handled a RICO prosecution. RICO cases are notoriously complex. The government must show a “pattern” of criminal activity for you to be found guilty. A defendant does not necessarily have to commit a criminal act to be found guilty in a RICO case. RICO cases are broad and complex, and your liberty is too valuable to hire an attorney that has no prior RICO experience. -
RICO DEFENSES
You want to hire an attorney that knows what the government must prove to find you guilty. Potential defenses to a RICO charge include showing a jury that you were not a member of the conspiracy and/or your acts were not criminal. Another potential defense in a RICO trial is to argue that the government has failed to show a “pattern” of racketeering activity, or that you were not acting on behalf of a criminal enterprise.
CONTACT FEDERAL CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY IN WASHINGTON D.C. & MARYLAND
If you are a defendant in a RICO case, contact me immediately.
Connect with me at 202-321-0549 or via email to schedule a free consultation. I am available 24/7 to assist you in any way possible to help obtain a favorable outcome.