Federal Conspiracy

When federal agents and prosecutors seek to convict a group of people, one of the most successful tactics is to turn the suspects against each other. Depending on one’s level of involvement and the evidence at hand, a charge of federal conspiracy may result in a conviction when other charges might be beyond the government’s ability to prove. The prosecutors take this leverage and use it to encourage one or more of the accused to testify against the others in exchange for an advantageous plea bargain. The appeal of a reduced sentence can be enough to push many hardened criminals into providing evidence and testimony. When a person becomes unintentionally entangled in criminal activity, this tactic by prosecutors is even more effective. Testimony given in this manner is invaluable to the United States Attorney’s Office, and they therefore rarely hesitate to bring conspiracy charges. Conspiracy charges are complex, but Tim Bower Rodriguez, PA will fight to bring your case to the best possible conclusion. Whether that is an acquittal, a dropped charge, or a mitigated sentence, depends on the details of the case.

What is a conspiracy and what does federal law say about conspiracy?

While 18 U.S. Code § 371 specifically addresses conspiracy, many other statutes have conspiracy clauses included in them. A common thread in all conspiracy charges is that they include two or more people coming to an agreement or understanding to willingly pursue some unlawful or illegal activity. Put more simply, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime. The agreement must be between at least two people that are not law enforcement officers, federal agents or confidential informants in order to stand up in court. The crime to be committed is called the object or purpose of the conspiracy, which could be literally any crime. Conspiracy charges are most often brought at the federal level in cases involving fraud and drug trafficking. A lower level buy / sell relationship between a supplier and purchaser of drugs is not enough to prove a conspiracy charge. Penalties for conspiracy charges depend upon many factors, primarily the type of crime as well as a defendant’s criminal history.

If you’ve been accused of federal conspiracy, we can help.

If you have been indicted on federal conspiracy charges, you are going to need an attorney with the experience and knowledge to effectively fight for you. Tim Bower Rodriguez, PA will fight aggressively on your behalf to build an effective, strategic defense. Contact us to request your free initial consultation today.