Conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime at some time in the future. For conspiracy to be a crime, it needs to be followed by an overt act in furtherance of that agreement. The act (actus reus) is a continuing one and parties may join the plot later and conspiracy can be charged.
Conspiracy is most commonly related to fraud or narcotics. When two or more individuals have an agreement, premised on dishonesty, to deprive a person of something which is or could be his or to hurt or injure or deprive a person of his health, liberty or movement, there is conspiracy to commit a crime. Conspiracy could turn into a federal crime if the overt acts involve interstate lines or international physical or virtual borders. Here are the crimes that may be attached to conspiracy and make a serious state or federal crime.
- Conspiracy to commit a Violent Crime
- Conspiracy to commit Bank Fraud
- Conspiracy to commit Counterfeiting of money or merchandise
- Conspiracy to commit Drug Trafficking
- Conspiracy to commit Embezzlement
- Conspiracy to commit Extortion
- Conspiracy to commit Gambling fraud
- Conspiracy to commit Kidnapping
- Conspiracy to commit Mail fraud
- Conspiracy to commit Money Laundering
- Conspiracy to commit Securities Fraud
A federal grand jury is responsible for returning an indictment charging a defendant with conspiracy. This could be for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, heroine, or morphine. Conspiracy could also be for the purpose of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
Federal conspiracy charges could be brought even if the accused was in possession of a small amount of oxycodone. Forging a doctor’s prescription to obtain oxycodone pills could carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence.
Conspiracy or an agreement of two or more individuals to import, traffic, and distribute illegal drugs can carry mandatory sentences of up to life in prison and most of the time there are mandatory minimum prison sentences under federal guidelines.
Fortunately, there are many effective defenses that could be presented on behalf of a defendant in a major federal drug case that could significantly reduce the sentences for our client, even if at first glance it appears that the evidence is strong against our client.
One may be arrested and charged with conspiracy and trafficking charges for mere possession of drugs or possessing of medicine without proper prescription. There are federal guidelines as to how much prison time one must get for each specified drug type depending on the weight of the drugs seized.
Marijuana is treated somewhat differently in that trafficking will be established if there is sufficient evidence that greater than a certain number of marijuana plants were cultivated or possessed.
Department of Homeland Security may initiate a federal drug trafficking investigation. Homeland Security Investigators may use the assistance of the state Police Department and other Human Trafficking Task Forces. Various methods and techniques help the authorities such as using wiretaps and informants and undercover agents who lead the traffickers into staged drug sales or operations. In utilizing all investigative tools, the investigators must adhere to strict rules to avoid violation of civil rights. Upon completion of the investigation, a federal prosecutor usually referred to as Assistant U.S. Attorney will file the charges.
If you have been accused of or arrested for conspiracy or federal drug trafficking charges in Los Angeles County, contact us so that an experienced criminal defense attorney with proven success record will defend you in federal court and protect your rights at every stage of the court proceedings.
If you are under investigation by the local law enforcement or the FBI, it’s best to contact us so that our Federal Court Criminal Defense Attorneys can assist you in the process.
We have handled many federal conspiracy charges including trafficking, manufacturing, possession and distribution of large quantities of all types of drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, PCP, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs like Hydrocodone or Oxycontin.
Other than attempting to get a dismissal of the federal charges we could assist you in obtaining the lowest possible sentence in spite of harsh federal rules and guideline. We are trained in negotiating with federal prosecutors and could get you suspended or alternative sentences. To achieve these results we must fight these serious drug charges aggressively in court.
If you or someone close to you is facing drug trafficking or conspiracy charges in California, contact the Law Offices of Tony M. Seyfi now for a free case analysis and consultation.
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Criminal prosecution can affect your health, freedom, employment, and social life. You need help and you need the best criminal defense you can get. At the Law Offices of Tony M. Seyfi, with the state of the art computerized legal research tools and forensic techniques, we will focus on identifying the defenses you may have and will develop numerous challenges to any crime possible.
Our goal is victory for our clients and to keep them from going to jail, and we are confident of our defense strategies. If you would like to discuss your case, call us today for a FREE CONSULTATION and case analysis.