If you’ve been arrested for a Federal Crime In Jacksonville, Florida the smartest thing you can do is contact an experienced federal crimes attorney. Federal charges come with a strong breadth of evidence against you, thanks to federal investigations that may have been ongoing for days, weeks, or even months before you were arrested.

 By contacting a lawyer like those at Smith & Eulo, you’re giving yourself the best chance of minimizing the penalties of these charges. 

Federal crime in Jacksonville

What are federal crimes?

Federal crimes are those acts that are prohibited on a national level by federal statutes. If you commit these acts anywhere in the US, you can be charged anywhere–they don’t have the same geographical restrictions as local laws do. Some examples of Federal crimes include:

  • Crimes where offenders themselves cross state lines, i.e. transporting stolen property
  • Crimes that cross state lines, i.e. drug trafficking 
  • Crimes committed on federal land or against federal law enforcement officers, i.e. assault against a government agent
  • Immigration and customs violations, i.e. human trafficking
  • Fraud
  • Child pornography
  • Computer crimes
  • Drug possession, distribution, and trafficking 
  • Coercion
  • Tax crimes

What are the penalties for federal crimes?

As mentioned previously, federal charges are usually the result of a federal investigation. Because federal institutes are well funded and they employ the work of experienced professionals, like those at the CIA, FBI, and DEA, these investigations wield a large amount of evidence that can be used against you gathered using various surveillance techniques. 

Additionally, you can be charged for federal crimes in local state courts as well, since there’s usually an overlap in local and federal statutes. You can expect a harsher punishment from Federal courts though. They use the following measures to decide upon penalties:

  • The seriousness of the offense. 
  • Adjustments for specific offense characteristics, like if a firearm was involved in the crime.
  • Further adjustments for general factors. Perhaps more than one victim was involved or the offender only aided and abetted the actual crime. 
  • Personal adjustment factors, like other convictions on top of the most serious ones.
  • Acceptance of responsibility at the judge’s discretion
  • The offender’s criminal history

The court is allowed to deviate from these guidelines, but only when there is a unique or seriously aggravating factor in the case; the judge is required to explain in writing why they deviated from the guidelines

Protect Your Future With Smith & Eulo

When it comes to federal charges, you should contact an attorney as soon as you’re aware you could or will be arrested for a federally prohibited act. 

One of the best defensive strategies is to get involved in the investigation against you early. This way your attorney can analyze the surveillance techniques and various procedures used to charge you, to pinpoint any moment in which your rights were violated, thus delegitimizing any charges against you.

At the very least, an attorney can help minimize any penalties that may be handed down to you because of federal charges. Smith & Eulo has 100+ combined years of experience, and we’re confident that we can help you in your federal case.

If you or your loved one find themselves in a situation where you are being accused of federal crime? Call us right away at 904-714-4405 to speak with a qualified legal professional or fill out the contact form on this page. We’re available 24/7, we offer free initial consultation and payment plans. In addition to our Jacksonville office, we have offices in the following cities across the state of Florida:

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