Federal Crimes

If you are facing fraud charges related to an alleged Ponzi scheme, it is a serious situation indeed. These fraudulent investment schemes promise to yield high rates of return — impossibly high, in fact.  Yet, they depend on the money from new investors in the Ponzi...

Many people are very outspoken about how they feel about the federal government. Speaking out against the government is protected by the First Amendment. However, some people take it a step beyond just speaking out. When a person is trying to act against the federal...

Some offenses result in charges at the federal rather than state level. Federal agencies investigate these crimes and defendants must appear in federal court. Review common offenses that fall under the jurisdiction of U.S., not Texas, law. Drug trafficking Traveling...

Though definitions vary from state to state, manslaughter essentially involves the unlawful killing of one individual without any malicious aforethought by the offender. In other words, a person commits manslaughter when he or she accidentally takes the life of...

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act is a federal law meant to allow easier prosecution of criminal organizations, but these laws may also apply to other types of suspected criminal conspiracy. Many states, including Texas, have also enacted their...

The federal criminal justice system is quite comparable to the state system. The main difference is that within the federal system there is more money for prosecuting cases. This can help move cases along more quickly as well. The FBI explains that all criminal cases...

In Texas, mail fraud is a serious subject with hefty consequences. But mail fraud is also complex, with specific laws addressing it.  If you are facing charges related to mail fraud, you must understand what you are working with. You need to know how the law views...

Most people have heard the term “money laundering,” but what does it really mean? In short, money laundering is a scheme to make the proceeds from criminal activity seem like proceeds from a legitimate business.  New technology sometimes complicates financial matters....

Charges of committing a computer crime can produce drastic consequences in the life of a person. Depending on the severity of the charge, someone may go to prison for a long time and have to pay large amounts in fines. Because computers are an essential part of...

The purpose of state and federal laws against child pornography seems clear: to prevent adults from victimizing children and young teenagers. But does it make sense to apply the same laws when the accused individual is a teenager themselves? The rise of smartphones...