Being arrested and facing criminal charges in Fort Worth, TX, is a frightening experience for anyone. Facing a charge for a white collar crime can make things even more complicated, as the criminal statutes for these actions are complex, and they often carry significant penalties.
Fortunately, our skilled Fort Worth criminal defense lawyers can help you in this situation. With six decades of combined experience, the legal team at Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers has helped countless clients navigate various types of charges. We’re here to provide support and trusted guidance and protect your rights throughout the process.
Contact our law firm at 682 777 3336 to schedule a confidential consultation with a Fort Worth white collar crimes lawyer.
How Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help If You Were Arrested for a White Collar Crime in Fort Worth, TX
If you’ve been arrested for a white collar crime, working with an experienced lawyer is one of the most important decisions you can make.
Here’s how our Fort Worth criminal defense attorneys can help you:
- We will listen to your side of the story to get an idea of what happened, as your perspective may differ drastically from what the prosecutor is claiming.
- We will review all evidence provided by the state and conduct our own investigation to gather as much evidence as possible to prove your innocence.
- Our attorneys will negotiate with the prosecutors to try to come up with an appropriate plea deal, which generally leads to lesser charges and/or lenient sentencing when compared with being convicted after trial.
- If the case can’t be resolved through a plea or other alternative sentencing options, we are prepared to fight for you at trial.
For help with your white collar crime charges in Fort Worth, Texas, we’re always here for you. Contact Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers to speak with an attorney.
Overview of White Collar Crimes in Texas
In Texas, white collar crimes include a variety of different offenses, generally referring to crimes that involve illegal financial activities. These nonviolent crimes are executed through deceit and motivated by financial gain, and violence is not a factor.
Here’s an overview of some of the most common white collar crimes:
Insider Trading
Insider trading involves trading a public company’s stock or other securities based on material, non-public information about the company – an act deemed illegal and unfair to other investors who lack access to this information.
Embezzlement
Embezzlement occurs when someone who has been entrusted with money or property appropriates it for their own use. This means the person has legal access to the property but uses it in impermissible ways.
Money Laundering
Money laundering is the illegal process of making sums of money through criminal activity, such as drug trafficking or terrorist funding, and making it seem as if it came from a legitimate source. The “dirty” money is processed through legitimate businesses and made “clean.”
Bribery
Regulated under both state and federal legislation, bribery generally refers to the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of anything of value with the intent to influence an official’s action in office. It is a serious offense that undermines public confidence in the government and can result in severe penalties.
Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting entails forging currency or goods with the intent to defraud by passing off the fake item as genuine. In the context of white collar crimes, counterfeit products typically include money and documents, like passports.
Tax Evasion
Evading taxes is illegally avoiding paying taxes, usually by misrepresenting one’s actual financial state to the IRS. Tax evasion can involve faulty declarations such as understating income, inflating deductions, or not reporting cash transactions.
No matter what kind of white collar crime you’re charged with, it should be taken seriously, as penalties can be quite severe.
What Are the Potential Penalties For White Collar Crimes in Texas?
If you’ve been charged with a white collar crime, it’s essential to understand the potential penalties you’re facing. The exact sentence will depend on a variety of factors, including the crime, the amount of money involved, and your criminal history. Typically, you face the following:
Jail/Prison
Penalties vary greatly, with more minor offenses potentially resulting in short jail terms (180 days). Serious felonies can lead to long-term imprisonment, depending on factors like the severity of the crime and the monetary value involved.
Fines
Financial penalties for white collar crimes can reach thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The fines are typically set to reflect the economic damage caused by the crime or, in some cases, to strip away any profit derived from criminal activity. High monetary penalties act as a deterrent and signify that financial misconduct carries serious consequences.
Probation
Rather than – or in addition to – serving time behind bars, individuals convicted of white collar crimes may be sentenced to probation. This is a supervised period during which they must comply with specific court-ordered obligations.
Restitution
Often accompanying other forms of punishment, restitution involves the convicted individual repaying their victims for financial losses suffered due to the crime. Restitution is enforced by a court order and aims to compensate victims and remedy some of the damage done by the crime.
The severity of the penalties varies, and the best way to make sure your sentence is as lenient as possible is to work with a criminal defense lawyer in Fort Worth, TX.
What Defenses Can Be Raised If I’m Arrested for a White Collar Crime in Fort Worth, Texas?
While it’s a scary prospect to face criminal charges relating to a white collar crime, you should never assume that there’s no hope – there are always ways to fight back.
Some of the most common legal defenses to these types of crimes include the following:
No Intent
In many white collar crime cases, demonstrating that there was no intent to commit a crime can serve as a strong defense. The defendant must prove that any alleged wrongdoing was a result of a mistake rather than a willful act. This can include showing a genuine belief that their actions were legal or that they acted based on a misunderstanding of the law.
Entrapment
Entrapment occurs when law enforcement induces a person to commit an offense they would otherwise not have committed. In such cases, the defendant can argue that they were coerced into committing the crime by a government agent, thus challenging the charges.
Duress
When a defendant commits a crime under pressure of threats or violence, they may raise the defense of duress. This requires evidence showing that the defendant had no reasonable alternative to committing the crime without suffering serious harm.
Constitutional Violations
In some cases, a defendant’s lawyer may be able to challenge the charges by arguing that constitutional violations occurred. For instance, if law enforcement officers searched and seized evidence without a warrant, it’s possible that this evidence could be suppressed. This could weaken or destroy the prosecutor’s case, leading to a dismissal of charges or an acquittal.
This is not an exhaustive list of options, and the exact defense that should be used will be determined by your defense attorney.
Facing any kind of criminal charge is an intimidating experience, and white collar crimes are no exception. Fortunately for you, we’re here to help. We will do everything we can to make sure your freedom and future are protected. Contact Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers to speak with a Fort Worth white collar crimes attorney.
