Handling The Complexities Of Federal Criminal Defense

Becoming ensnared in a federal criminal case, whether as a target of an investigation, a witness or a defendant, is a life-altering event. Federal prosecutors have extensive resources, support and the potential penalties are significant. An attorney’s knowledge of the federal system is critical in ensuring a favorable outcome for his client.

The lawyer at William W. Swor, PC, has represented clients charged with every sort of federal crime contained in the United States Code and has been practicing in the federal courts all over the country for decades. He has represented targets of federal criminal investigations – including those who have had their homes and offices searched by the FBI – which resulted in no charges being brought. He has represented defendants charged in some of nation’s most notorious federal criminal cases and gotten acquittals, dozens of non-custodial sentences and even gotten some federal cases dismissed, either voluntarily by a prosecutor or upon a motion to the court.

Focused On Winning Federal Cases

Attorney Swor’s experience is largely in the area of criminal defense. He has always represented individuals. Clients retain him to defend them and to win trials. His firm is retained to turn a bad situation into a much better one. Because of his decades of experience in federal cases, which includes exhaustive investigation and trial preparation, he succeeds. His advocacy produces results which benefit his clients.

Strategic Advocacy For Federal Sentencing

Federal sentencing is also much different than a state sentence: the United States Sentencing Guidelines is a complex, multi-volume treatise filled with many opportunities for a downward departure or downward variance – a sentence lower than that which is called for in your plea agreement or estimated by the government upon conviction after trial. Mr. Swor has made countless such motions for downward departures and variances at federal sentencing and won them – and received praise from federal judges for our presentations, one of whom stated on the record that his submission was “a model of an effective sentencing memorandum.” Advocacy at a federal sentencing is an art unto itself and an application of the sentencing factors contained in 18 U.S.C. § 3553 (a) as well as downward departure decisions throughout the federal courts in the country should be thoroughly considered.

Representation Beyond Criminal Defense

William W. Swor, PC, also has represented clients in parallel related, civil proceedings including actions before the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”).

The Intricacies of Federal Criminal Investigations

Federal investigators, including those from the FBI, DEA, ATF, and ICE (immigration), to name a few, often invest an incredible amount of time, money and resources into building a criminal case. The federal government uses a vast array investigative techniques to build their case(s). This includes using:

• Data-mining – using government or private (banks and insurance companies, for example) databases to identify financial transactions associated with drug dealing, money laundering, or fraud, e.g., examining billing records for anomalous billing practices
• Federal grand jury subpoenas to compel the production of documents, i.e., bank records, emails, texts
• Federal grand jury subpoenas to compel witness testimony
• Search warrants to search and seize evidence of a crime
• Physical surveillance
• Court-authorized electronic surveillance (sometimes called “wiretaps”) of conversations, telephone calls, emails, texts
• Confidential informants and cooperating witnesses, including jail house informants, to gather information and consensually record conversations/interactions
• Undercover operations
• Promises of immunity or plea bargains to induce the cooperation of witnesses
• Witness/subject interrogations, interviews and testimony

Battling Skilled Prosecutors

The federal government relies on highly-skilled prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to enforce and prosecute federal criminal cases. In addition to being smart and capable trial attorneys, typically, federal prosecutors (more formally known as assistant U.S. attorneys or AUSAs) also benefit from practicing exclusively in a highly-specialized area of the law: federal criminal law.

Federal prosecutors also wield an incredible amount of power known as prosecutorial discretion.  This means that they can, within the parameters of the law, DOJ policy and their own guidelines, pick and choose what charges to levy and what deals to make with witnesses and the accused. Because Congress has passed some of the harshest criminal laws in the world, federal prosecutors often leverage the threat of long-term incarceration both to force witnesses to cooperate with their investigations and to force the accused to plead guilty rather than face the threat of a potentially longer prison sentence.

Facing Embezzlement Charges

Embezzlement is a kind of property theft. It occurs when a defendant, who was entrusted to manage or monitor someone else’s money or property, steals all or part of that money or property for the defendant’s personal gain. The key is that the defendant had legal access to another’s money or property, but not legal ownership of it. Taking the money or property for the defendant’s own gain is stealing; when combined with the fact that this stealing was also a violation of a special position of trust, you have the unique crime of embezzlement.

Embezzlement can occur in a variety of circumstances. For example, a bank teller has legal access to client money, and is trusted to handle but not take that money. Officers and employees of companies can also embezzle funds belonging to the company, as can family members caring for a relative, professionals like lawyers or board members who handle client or investor money, or anyone in a position of trust with regard to someone else’s money or property.

Take Control Of Your Future – Contact The Firm Today

If you have been charged with a property theft or embezzlement-related offense, consult William W. Swor, PC. While the penalties and consequences of property theft charges are governed by statutory law, the Swor team can tell you how strong the case against you appears to be, and how cases like yours tend to be handled by prosecutors and judges in your courthouse.

Mr. Swor can also advise you as to possible alternatives to criminal punishment, such as paying back the money involved, along with court fees and other costs, or some other alternative that your judge might consider. Whether you’re a target, witness, or defendant, his firm is here to turn a daunting situation into a manageable one.

Don’t wait – secure the experienced legal representation you deserve. Call the firm now at 313-499-0182 or schedule a consultation online to discuss your case and explore your options. Your future is too important to leave to chance.