Hollywood movies often give the impression that a computer crime must always involve a “hacker” — a shadowy figure who works behind the scenes, breaking into government servers and stealing national secrets. As with most things, the reality is quite a bit different. While there are certainly hackers who target governments, there are many different types of computer crimes and you don’t have to be a hacker to be charged with a computer-related offense. If you are charged with a computer-related crime, you should contact a skilled federal criminal defense attorney with experience handling … [Read more...]
What You Need to Know About Suspicious Activity Reports
If you pay attention to the news, you may have noticed recent discussions about “suspicious activity reports.” Sometimes abbreviated SAR, a Suspicious Activity Report is a report that banks and other financial institutions must file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) if they have reason to believe someone has engaged in white-collar crimes like money laundering or fraud. SARs are also useful for federal law enforcement agencies attempting to detect sources of terrorist financing. If something looks suspicious, the bank has a duty to report it under federal law. … [Read more...]
Forced to Commit a Drug Crime: The Defense of Coercion in Federal Drug Cases in Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and Sherman, Texas
Former federal prosecutor and experienced criminal defense lawyer John Helms explains how a defendant in a federal drug case can prove innocence due to being forced to participate in a drug crime. What happens if drug traffickers threaten to harm a person’s family if the person does not transport drugs for the traffickers? What if the trafficker threatens to kill the defendant right then and there if the defendant does not do as he is told and transport drugs? The law that applies to federal drug trafficking and distribution cases in Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and Sherman, Texas … [Read more...]
Federal Drug Cases In Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and Sherman, Texas: How Can You Trust A Federal Agent or Prosecutor?
In federal drug cases, cooperating with the Government is often the best way for a defendant to reduce their sentence. Many defendants, however, have difficulty cooperating with the Government because they simply do not trust the Government. Experienced criminal defense lawyer John Helms explains in this article why trusting the Government should not be a barrier to cooperating. In the federal criminal justice system in Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and Sherman, Texas, defendants accused of drug trafficking or distribution face potentially severe penalties if they are convicted, including … [Read more...]
If A Grand Jury Would Indict A Ham Sandwich
Experienced federal criminal defense lawyer John Helms explains what indictments are and why they can make a difference in federal drug trafficking and distribution cases in Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and Sherman, Texas. It is sometimes said that a federal grand jury would indict a ham sandwich. This makes indictments sound almost trivial, but they can make a big difference in federal drug trafficking and distribution cases in the Northern District of Texas and the Eastern District of Texas, which includes Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and Sherman. This is because the way a case is indicted … [Read more...]
Why Federal Sentences for Distributing Methamphetamine are Disproportionately Longer Than for Cocaine or Heroin, and What Can Be Done About It
It would probably surprise most people to learn that, in practice, in many federal courts, a sentence for distributing 1.7 kilos of methamphetamine will be about the same as if the defendant had distributed 450 kilos of cocaine or 90 kilos of heroin. Why is methamphetamine treated as SO much more serious than cocaine or heroin? There are two main reasons. Both have to do with the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which recommend a range of months in prison, depending on the crime and the defendant’s criminal history, and both have to do with the Guidelines’ outdated approach to meth. First, … [Read more...]
Why RICO Is Such a Serious Federal Crime in Dallas
Penalties for a federal crime in Dallas are significant, and anyone charged with these criminal offenses must take it seriously and secure an experienced legal team. Federal crimes involve violations of federal statutes, so the trial of anyone charged with these crimes would be in a federal court. It also means that anyone convicted of a federal crime faces often harsh federal sentencing guidelines that judges tend to follow. This is especially true if an individual or organization is charged with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, a federal law … [Read more...]
