A federal criminal trial consists of several different stages. The below will analyze a ONE defendant trial. But, more often than not, trials can consist of multiple defendants at trial. This just augments the time needed for each stage. Jury Selection also known as Voir Dire Jury selection is one…
Articles Posted in federal criminal defense
Gautam Adani and 5 others charged with Bribery and SEC fraud in the EDNY
A five count indictment was unsealed this past week in the United States District Court of the Eastern District of New York. The federal court in Brooklyn charged Gautam S. Adani, Sagar R. Adani and Vneet S. Jaain, executives of an Indian renewable-energy company, with conspiracies to commit securities and…
Recent Computer Hacking Cases in the News
Recently, Robert Purbeck of Idaho, also known as “Lifelock,” and “Studmaster,” was sentenced to ten years after pleading guilty to federal charges of computer fraud and abuse. He hacked into the computer servers of the City of Newnan, Georgia and a Griffin, Georgia medical clinic, and then targeted at least…
P2P Applications and Child Pornography
As we explained in our prior post about federal child pornography laws, the consequences of a child pornography or CSAM (“Child Sexual Abuse Material”) conviction are severe and life-altering. And the collateral consequence of being on the sex offender registry can be devastating. Early on, Conaway & Strickler defended cases…
Paycheck Protection Program Enforcement Continues
As discussed in our prior blogs, the Department of Justice has already been prosecuting cases of larger-scale, outright PPP fraud. In August 2022, President Biden signed two bills into law that give the Department of Justice and other federal agencies more time to investigate and prosecute Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and COVID-19 Economic…
The Truth Behind the TikTok “Free Money Hack” Trend: What You Need to Know
In the age of social media, viral trends come and go at lightning speed. Some are harmless and fun, but others can lead people into serious legal trouble. One of the most alarming trends recently circulating on TikTok is the so-called “free money hack.” This trend falsely promises easy money…
Acceptance of Responsibility at Sentencing
Acceptance of responsibility is a concept in that appears in many federal criminal cases. It refers to the idea that a defendant acknowledges their culpability for the offense they are charged with. This is not just admitting guilt, but also demonstrating remorse and a willingness to cooperate with authorities. The…
Arrested at the Airport: What’s Next?
Airports are high security environments with strict rules enforced through law enforcement, federal agents, TSA checkpoints, drug-sniffing dogs, US Marshals aboard flights, and more. Being arrested at an airport is overwhelming, scary, and often times, completely unexpected. However, the consequences of these arrest can be serious and long-lasting. An arrest…
Early Termination of Federal Probation
Under 18 U.S.C. § 3564(c), a federal court may modify or terminate a term of probation, or supervised release, that has been previously imposed. For a federal misdemeanor, a term of probation can be modified or terminated at any time. For felonies, however, the defendant must have completed at least…
Basics of Tax Evasion
By Maya Fouad Tax evasion is the most common federal tax crime and involves the failure to report taxes, reporting taxes inaccurately, or failing to pay taxes. Federal law defines the crime broadly; 26 U.S.C. 7201 states, “[a]ny person who willfully attempts in any manner to evade or defeat…