Federal Crimes Archives

Cooperating Plea Agreement in Federal Criminal Cases

Just the other day, "Bridgegate" cooperator and former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official David Wildstein, was sentenced in federal court to probation. The two defendants that he cooperated against were sentenced to 24 months and 19 months in federal prison. Despite the fact that Wildstein pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy for his role in the offense, and faced several years in prison, the sentencing judge granted the government’s downward departure motion for a much more lenient sentence – in this case probation.

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2022-06-08T21:05:53-04:00July 13th, 2017|Plea Bargaining|0 Comments

What is a Plea Bargain or Plea Agreement?

A plea agreement is the negotiated resolution of a criminal case between the government and the defense when the client decides to plead guilty rather than fighting the charges at trial. The benefit of a plea agreement is that the plea is usually to a lower offense or a limited number of charges rather than to the most severe charge(s). In most instances, a defendant is rewarded in some fashion for pleading guilty rather than going to trial.

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2023-10-02T19:15:40-04:00May 31st, 2017|Plea Bargaining|0 Comments

The War On Doctors

There is an alarming trend towards aggressive investigations by state and federal authorities on physicians. Whether it is by the state medical boards, DEA or federal or state prosecutors, doctors’ practices are subjected to heightened scrutiny. While this may be traced to the war on drugs, recent deaths related to the abuse of prescription opioids, and the criticism the DEA has faced for its failure to develop measureable results in its enforcement efforts; the genesis is less important than the trend itself for those subjected to the harsh spotlight of scrutiny.

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2021-05-25T18:15:04-04:00October 24th, 2016|Drug Crimes/Trafficking, Medicare and Medicaid Fraud, Parallel Investigations|0 Comments

How can a sex crime in New Jersey lead to federal charges?

Violating a state law in New Jersey does not, normally, expose someone to the possibility of federal criminal penalties. This is not, however, the situation if the state crime is a sex offense requiring that a convicted person register as a sex offender.

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2021-05-25T18:15:05-04:00September 12th, 2016|Sex Crimes|0 Comments

What is the definition of a conspiracy?

Any time that the alleged commission of an illegal act involves more than one person, it is possible if not likely that they will be charged with a criminal conspiracy. But what exactly is a conspiracy, and how do prosecutors attempt to prove it in court?

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2021-05-26T10:26:19-04:00September 12th, 2016|Conspiracy|0 Comments

Federal plea bargaining: an overview

Many crime drama television programs feature scenes of contentious negotiations between prosecutors and defense attorneys as the latter attempt to find a way to reduce the charges or the possible punishment against their clients, commonly known as plea bargaining. But how does this concept work in actual practice when one is faced with federal charges?

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2021-05-25T18:15:33-04:00September 12th, 2016|Plea Bargaining|0 Comments

Due process in criminal cases: The 4th Amendment

In an earlier post we introduced the subject of how the concept of due process interacts with the criminal justice system. Although not all of the amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution are related to procedural due process, the 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th Amendments are directly connected to it. We will briefly cover each of these amendments going forward, starting with the 4th Amendment.

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2021-05-25T18:15:33-04:00September 12th, 2016|Due Process, Fourth Amendment|0 Comments

How many federal felonies have you committed today?

The plethora of federal laws and regulations that apply to you is probably not something that you give much thought to on any given day. But perhaps you should, for you might not realize that you may be committing criminal violations practically all the time and not even be aware of it - until someone from the federal government agency accuses you of having committed a crime, at which point it is too late to avoid it.

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2021-05-25T18:15:33-04:00September 12th, 2016|Felony|0 Comments

How the federal government defines a hate crime

If you have watched the news in the past few months, you have most likely heard the term “hate crime” being used. This is a phrase that is often used injudiciously to describe any scuffle between people of different races or religions. Yet, the United States government has specific parameters that give a solid definition of “hate crime.”

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2021-05-25T18:15:33-04:00September 12th, 2016|Hate Crimes|0 Comments

What is due process in criminal defense?

Sometimes you may hear about "due process" in connection with your rights in the criminal justice system. But what exactly does that mean, and what are its sources of authority? In this and some of our future posts we will address due process generally as well as its core opponents.

By Robert G. Stahl, Esq.|2021-05-25T18:15:33-04:00September 12th, 2016|Due Process|0 Comments