Top Running Springs, CA RICO Lawyers Near You
14 Washington Place, Hackensack, NJ 07601
10801 W Charleston Blvd, Suite 500, Las Vegas, NV 89135
20120 Rte 19, Suite 200, Cranberry Township, PA 16066
1101 Johnson Avenue, Suite 300, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
100 SE 2nd St, Suite 2222, Miami, FL 33131
401 10th St, Suite 500, Huntington, WV 25701
445 North Blvd, Suite 800, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
2211 Michelson Drive, Suite 1100, Irvine, CA 92612
71 Raymond Rd, West Hartford, CT 06107
1925 Century Park East, Suite 1900, Los Angeles, CA 90067
100 Park Avenue, Suite 2000, New York, NY 10017
2001 M Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036
1350 Columbia Street, Suite 600, San Diego, CA 92101
One Market Plaza, Spear Tower, Suite 2200, San Francisco, CA 94105
3912 Prospect Avenue East, Cleveland, OH 44115
14643 Dallas Pkwy, Suite 635, Dallas, TX 75254
1749 S. Naperville Road, Suite 105, Wheaton, IL 60189
6723 N. Northwest Highway, Chicago, IL 60631
2049 Century Park East, Suite 2900, Los Angeles, CA 90067
310 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301
2010 Main Street, Suite 500, Irvine, CA 92614
K&L Gates Center, 210 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
PO Box 3227, Lafayette, LA 70502
2055 L Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036
420 Lexington Ave, Suite 2005, New York, NY 10170
Running Springs RICO Information
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What Is a RICO Violation?
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act was enacted in 1970 to address organized crime. Under RICO laws, anyone associated with the criminal group could be charged, including organization leaders who ordered or oversaw the criminal activity without directly taking part. RICO also provided for civil remedies and triple damages to recover unlawful gains.
How Do I Get a RICO Charge?
A RICO charge generally involves participation in a “criminal enterprise” with a “pattern of racketeering activity.” To get a RICO charge, the prosecutor must suspect you were involved in a criminal gang or group and the criminal activity involved more than a one-time event. Initially, RICO was used to go after organized crime and the Mafia. However, since the law went into effect, it has been used to indict a number of alleged criminal enterprises, including street gangs, motorcycle gangs, corporations, and police departments
The RICO Act also makes it a violation to conspire to commit racketeering offenses. Conspiracy to violate RICO charges means that someone can be charged and convicted even if the crime was never carried out. A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime, with some overt act towards furthering the offense.
What Does the RICO Act Cover?
A “pattern of racketeering activity” requires at least two qualifying acts, within a period of ten years. The RICO Act has included several crimes that qualify as racketeering activity, including state and federal offenses. Acts of racketeering can include:
- Illegal gambling
- Murder
- Kidnapping
- Extortion
- Arson
- Robbery
- Bribery
- Dealing in obscene matter
- Drug offenses
- Counterfeiting
- Theft
- Embezzlement
- Fraud
- Witness tampering
- Human trafficking
- Money laundering
- Murder-for-hire
- Loan-sharking
- Terrorism
- Mail fraud
- Wire fraud
- Securities fraud
How Serious Is a RICO Charge?
A RICO charge is a serious criminal offense that carries the possibility of jail time, fines, and seizure of assets. RICO charges are federal felony charges that include imprisonment for up to 20 years or more. In addition to prison penalties, there are severe financial penalties, which include forfeiture of any interest, security, or property derived from racketeering activity.
There are also civil penalties under RICO. A violation of the RICO Act could include ordering the defendant to turn over financial or business interests, restrict future activities, and break up organizations. Civil remedies can also require restitution to any victims of the criminal offenses.
How Do You Beat a RICO Case?
When federal prosecutors charge someone with RICO offenses, the penalties can include years in federal prison and loss of your financial assets. However, you may have a strong legal case to beat RICO charges. Legal defenses may include challenging the prosecutor’s case to show there was no criminal enterprise and no pattern of criminal activity.
Even if you were involved in criminal activity, it has to be a pattern of racketeering. If there is only evidence of one crime, the defendant should not be convicted under RICO. Alternatively, committing a crime on your own without participation in a criminal organization may be another defense strategy.
Prosecutors may rely on the seriousness of RICO charges to get the defendant to plead guilty to other charges instead of facing the increased RICO penalties. However, before you plead guilty to criminal charges, you should consider talking to a criminal defense attorney for legal advice.