Federal Criminal Charges
Don't make a Federal Offense out of it! We have heard it on television hundreds of times. Within the realm of criminal charges, federal charges are the most intimidating. The Government of the United States has virtually unlimited money and resources to pursue its charges. It may take years to build a case against you.
Once you learn that you are under "federal investigation," it is a virtual certainty criminal charges will be brought against you. By the time you are indicted, the FBI, DEA or other federal investigative agency will have tried to build a substantial case against you. Due to their limitless resources, the evidence against you may even include electronic surveillance (think wiretap, closed circuit video, GPS).
Even though the "feds" can charge you with any violation of federal law, they usually concentrate efforts on white collar crimes, narcotics, and computer crimes. Christopher Johnson, former Senior Litigation Counsel for the United States Department of Justice, spent 11 years in the Organized Crime Strike Force, a total of 14 years with DOJ, and has 25 years of practice in Federal criminal law, on both sides of the table. Although he may lack the infinite resources of the federal government, his significant experience can help you "level the playing field."
The best time to consult your defense attorney is when you are initially made aware that you are a target of a Federal Investigation. Even though you may not be a "target," or "person of interest," you still need to seek and receive competent legal advice from an experienced federal practitioner if federal agents ask to speak with you for an "interview."
If you have not yet been charged, my first task is to try to intervene, help to explain the situation, and hopefully prevent Federal Criminal charges from being filed against you. There are a variety of specific techniques, that an experienced federal practitioner knows, that might be used to your advantage.
With 25 years of federal criminal practice, in cases ranging from complex white collar financial crimes, murder-for-hire, espionage, money laundering, RICO and narcotics cases, shouldn't you put the extensive experience of Christopher Johnson on your side?
