Federal Charges

Adam Burke is a Columbus Criminal Defense Attorney and a committed advocate for men and women in need of federal criminal defense in the Federal Court in the Southern District of Ohio.

Burke represents clients facing a variety of federal offenses including:

• White Collar Crime\Columbus Criminal Attorney in Federal Court
• Fraud & Money Laundering
• Ohio Fraud & Financial Crime
• Federal Drug Offenses
• Federal Drug Penalties Introduction
• Possession Penalties
• Conspiracy Penalties
• Trafficking Penalties
• Mistake of Fact Defense
• Columbus Federal Criminal Defense

Federal Court Cases are generally felonies. Most cases begin as investigations by a federal agency such as the FBI, IRS, DEA or SEC.

Many of these investigations begin as civil rather than criminal investigations. In these parallel civil proceedings, many of the protections afforded criminal defendant’s are not available. Because of this, many people incriminate themselves by trying to resolve the civil investigation. If you are the target of any federal investigation, it is important to seek the counsel of a federal criminal defense lawyer.

At some point, the Justice Department may criminally prosecute the investigation may .

As a skilled Columbus Criminal Attorney, Adam Burke will bring his knowledge, passion and trial skills to your case. After speaking with Burke, you will understand the charges against you, and the keys to your defense strategy. Discuss your case with experienced Columbus Criminal Attorney practicing in federal court.

As a dedicated Columbus Criminal Attorney, Adam Burke offers several advantages in federal court:

• Understanding of Federal Criminal Cases and Procedural
• Practice Focused on Federal Criminal Defense
• Expertise in Identifying and Arguing Legal Challenges and Defenses
• 2004 Excellence For the Future Award Winner in Criminal Law
• Expertise on Criminal Cases with Parallel Civil Proceedings
• Zealous Advocate For the Rights of the Accused
• Passion for Helping Clients and Delivering the Best Possible Results
• Understanding of the United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
• Federal Columbus Criminal Attorney
• Columbus Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Adam Burke’s Law Offices are conveniently located in the heart of downtown.
• Adam Burke understands that every case is different. He will listen to your story and take the time to help you understand how the law applies to your unique circumstance.

From there he will explain your legal options and work with your goals to develop a defense strategy and fight for your future.

Adam Burke focuses on criminal cases. He will challenge the prosecution and law enforcement by placing the burden back where it belongs, squarely on the government. He will aggressively challenge every piece of evidence, every witness and every aspect of the government’s handling of your case until your legal defense goals have been reached.

Columbus Federal Charges Attorney

If the federal government suspects that you have committed a federal crime, then you may have to face federal charges – it’s as simple as that.

A federal crime comes under the federal jurisdiction, as opposed to the state jurisdiction. A federal crime is charged in a federal court, in other words, a national court. Sometimes a crime can be charged in both state courts as well as federal courts.
To be charged by the federal government is a rare occurrence, and these cases are generally difficult to contest and involve the interpretation of often very complex laws.

Some of the crimes that are commonly charged in federal courts are drug trafficking, frauds and illegal immigration offenses. The penalties imposed are much harsher as compared to state imposed penalties, and, if you are convicted, you can face lengthy prison terms and large fines. An experienced lawyer, an invaluable asset when facing federal charges, can, at the very least, significantly reduce any sentencing you may be given and thereby help salvage your reputation to a large degree.

Adam Burke is a talented lawyer who has waged many successful legal battles over the years. He is a well-respected and seasoned attorney in federal criminal defense. He is known for the outstanding legal representation he provides to a broad spectrum of clients for a reasonable fee. You can call 614-280-9122 for a free consultation with him to discuss your case with him with absolutely no obligations on your part.

Federal Criminal Charges Categories

Most federal offenses fall into one of the following categories:

Federal Charges for White Collar Crime:

Corporate & Business Crimes
Computer and Cyber Crimes
Identity Theft
Money Laundering
Bribery
Public Corruption
Asset Forfeiture
Embezzlement
Tax Evasion

Federal Racketeering (RICO) Offenses Including:

Sports Bribery
Counterfeiting
Embezzlement from Public Pension and Welfare funds
Extortion
Credit Extortion
Obstruction of Justice
Witness Tampering
Federal and Interstate Gambling Offenses
Money Laundering
Murder for Hire

Federal Fraud Offenses Including:

Bank Fraud and Financial Institution Fraud
Business Fraud
Financial Fraud
Internet Fraud
Business Opportunity Fraud
Health Care Fraud
Medicare and Medicaid Fraud
Mortgage Fraud
Real Estate Fraud
Tax Fraud
Securities Fraud
Credit Card Fraud
Insurance Fraud
Identification Fraud
Mail and Wire Fraud
Citizenship or Naturalization fraud

Federal Drug Offenses Including:

Conspiracy
Drug Distribution and Manufacturing
Drug Possession
Drug Trafficking
Drug Importation
Drug Possession With Intent to Distribute
If you are facing federal charges, you may be suspected of having committed one of several offenses. What follows is a brief description of federal charges that a citizen can potentially be charged with – one of which you may be facing.

Federal White Collar Crime

White Collar crimes: crimes committed for financial gain through lying, cheating and stealing. These crimes usually involve large scale frauds, and may be committed by independent businessmen and government professionals, and sometimes by whole corporations (the term “white collar” refers to high status).
The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) investigates such crimes. It reports that such crimes cost the country a staggering $300 billion annually.

Infamous for wiping out entire hard-earned savings and destroying homes, the government imposes harsh penalties on anyone charged and convicted of committing such a white collar crime.

If you are charged with committing a white collar crime, you may be facing penalties such as home detention, community confinement, restitution, fines and imprisonment, as well as others that are uniquely suited to your case. To get a lowdown on the unique circumstance you are facing, it’s best if you talk to a competent lawyer as soon as possible.

Federal Fraud and Money Laundering Charges

Fraud and money laundering are increasingly becoming crimes we witness everywhere in the country today. At the federal level, they carry the strictest of penalties. According to federal law, when someone uses a trick or a scheme to falsify information to achieve material gain, it is fraud.

For example, you deposit a sum with a person who claims to be able to double the money in 10 days. The man, of course, can do nothing of this sort, and he does not return your money to you and vanishes. He has committed fraud. One may also commit fraud to damage another individual – not only for material gain.

Money laundering, on the other hand, is the process of concealing the source of the money gotten through criminal activities. In simple words, money laundering is making “dirty” money legitimate. Large drug deals, arms sales, frauds, embezzlement, etc. generate a large amount of money for the people involved in the activity.

To hide the source of these funds, so that it can’t be traced back to them, the people involved engage in money laundering. Money laundering is defined by federal law as knowingly conducting a financial transaction involving criminal proceeds, concealing criminal proceeds and (or) ignoring federal reporting requirements.

Often fraud and money laundering are carried out together. Fraud carries heavy penalties. If convicted, you may face 5 years in prison (8 years if you were considered to have been involved in terrorist activities) and a fine as deemed necessary by the judge. For money laundering, the penalty is much stricter. You may face a 20-year prison term, as well as fines of more than $500,000.

Federal Fraud and Financial Crime Charges

Fraud often involves financial crime. Financial crime committed through fraud may involve credit card embezzlement, credit card fraud, wire fraud, internet fraud, mail theft, identity theft, securities, fraud, mortgage fraud, medical and health care fraud, stealing government checks, split-deposit schemes and counterfeiting, among others.

Minor financial crimes are usually handled by the state government in a state court.

The federal government is likely to get involved when there is an organized element behind the financial crime operating over a large area.

Penalties for financial crimes include a lengthy prison term, fines and asset forfeitures.

Federal Drug Offenses

A large number of cases (estimated 29%) that appear in federal court involve drugs in one way or another. The federal government classifies drug offenses into three major categories.

Federal Drug Possession (Possession of a controlled substance): If you are carrying in full awareness a drug that is defined as a “controlled substance”, then you are guilty of drug possession. A controlled substance is a substance that is harmful to the human body in large quantities. Marijuana and hashish are examples of controlled substances.

Federal Drug Trafficking: If you willingly manufacture or distribute, or in the possession of a drug and want to distribute it, then you are guilty of drug trafficking. When large quantities of drugs are involved, the federal government may feel the need to step in – otherwise, drug trafficking may be treated as a state crime.

Federal Drug Conspiracy: A drug conspiracy, as the name suggests, is an agreement to violate drug laws. You must have knowingly and intentionally participated in the conspiracy to be accused of having committed a drug conspiracy.

Federal Drug Penalties

Federal drug penalties are assigned after referring to United States Code (USC) and the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG). The penalties for drug possession, drug trafficking, and drug conspiracy can be very harsh, depending on the exact facts surrounding the case. Repeat offenders, for example, are unlikely to escape with nominal fines. The higher the quantity of drugs involved, the stricter the penalty imposed.

Generally, penalties may range from a few days in prison to as many as 20 years in prison, along with hefty fines.
Being convicted of a federal crime can devastate your life and your career. It is important to reduce your sentencing as much as possible so that you can have the hope of a better future. If you are innocent, it’s vital that you put up a convincing defense, which will involve the interpretation of some very complex laws.

Federal Penalties for Possession of a Federally Controlled Substance: It is important to make sure that the evidence collected against you wasn’t obtained illegally. In such a case, it’s possible to rule evidence inadmissible, based on a filed and argued motion for the same.

In cases when the drug in your possession was a negligible amount and not very harmful, and you were charged with a simple possession charge, you can face a prison term of 0 to 3 years, depending on whether you were charged before, and fines of up to $5,000. If the drug was especially harmful, you could be facing 5 to 20 years in prison.

Federal Penalties for Drug Trafficking: Drug trafficking penalties depend on whether it was a first or second offense, what schedule drug was trafficked, whether someone was harmed because of your actions and the quantity of the drug trafficked. The penalties may be unusually harsh for repeat offenders trafficking schedule I drugs. Depending on your case, you may be facing a 10 to 30 year, or even a life term in prison. Fines may also surpass the million dollar mark, or even the $10 million mark.
The federal sentencing laws, however, in most cases instruct federal courts to limit penalties. This means, you are only responsible for the drugs that you personally handled or sold, as long as you are not guilty of committing a drug conspiracy.

Federal Penalties for Drug Conspiracy: The federal penalties for drug conspiracy usually are similar to drug trafficking penalties. They can include sales of drugs and quantities of drugs that you may not have seen or handled directly, but nonetheless were responsible for in some degree.

So, you will face penalties for the sum total of drugs involved in the conspiracy, not just for the drugs you handled.

The evidence is the deciding factor in any case. Adam Burke’s thorough understanding of federal law and sentencing guidelines will help you present your evidence in a way as to substantially reduce its impact in court. Mr. Burke runs a practice that has a strong focus on criminal defense.

Mr. Burke has received the Excellence for the Future Award in Criminal Law. He is known for working on each and every case with a driven passion and zeal. He is a great choice if you are faced with any case, simple or difficult.

Federal Criminal Defense – Mistake of Fact Defense

Sometimes, despite the clear evidence against you, you can use the mistake of fact defense to be let off the hook. While ignorance of law cannot be used as a defense in any court, it’s possible that you were unaware that you were committing a crime. In such a case, when you were in no mental state to commit the crime and did not have any intention of committing a crime, you could claim the mistake of fact defense.

Mistake of fact defense can only be used only if you can offer a reasonable doubt that you were unaware of what you were doing. This defense does not apply to involuntary manslaughter – shooting someone with a gun you thought was unloaded is still punishable by law-, sexual intercourse and lewd conduct with minors, aggravated kidnapping of minors and selling or giving narcotics to minors.

Facing Federal Criminal Charges

If charged with committing a federal crime, it is important that you don’t panic and remain aware of your rights. It’s best to consult with a qualified legal representative as soon as possible with whom you can discuss your legal options.
The internet cannot match an attorney who has real-life experience on his side. A good attorney can help you explore options that you previously thought unavailable to you.

Federal Practice and Federal Criminal Defense

Adam Burke is a responsible and committed advocate based in the Southern District of the state of Ohio. He excels in handling criminal cases, whether at the state or at the federal level. He runs a dedicated federal practice that treats each case as a unique case. Adam Burke is committed to defending men and women to the best of his ability. He brings to bear an intimate understanding of law when fighting a case.

His federal criminal defense services include, but are not limited to, defense against federal white-collar crimes such as corporate crimes, business crimes, computer crimes, identity thefts, money laundering, bribery, public corruption, embezzlement, asset forfeiture and tax evasion. He can help you fight federal fraud offenses like bank frauds, tax frauds, credit card frauds and internet frauds. He can also help you fight drug possession charges, drug trafficking charges, drug importation as well as drug distribution and manufacturing charges.