Top Running Springs, CA RICO Lawyers Near You
161 N. Clark Street, Suite 4200, Chicago, IL 60601
44 Montgomery St, Fl 41, San Francisco, CA 94104
301 Grant Street, One Oxford Centre, 41st Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
818 Pecan Blvd, McAllen, TX 78501
1050 17th Street, Suite 2400, Denver, CO 80265
2 William St, Suite 302, White Plains, NY 10601
633 W Fifth St, Suite 5000, Los Angeles, CA 90071
1201 Demonbreun St, Suite 1000, Nashville, TN 37203
853 New Jersey Ave SE, Suite 231, Washington, DC 20003
1201 West Peachtree Street, Suite 4900, Atlanta, GA 30309
201 North Franklin Street, Suite 2150, Tampa, FL 33602
277 South Rose Street, Suite 6000, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
2 North Central Avenue, Suite 2100, Phoenix, AZ 85004
4403 Oleander Dr, Suite C, PMB 195, Wilmington, NC 28403
345 E Market St, York, PA 17403
400 Union Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501
111 East South River Street, Appleton, WI 54915
901 Saint Louis Street, Suite 1200, Springfield, MO 65806
235 North West Street, Waukegan, IL 60085
975 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004
100 Westminster Street, Suite 1400, Providence, RI 02903-2393
525 Okeechobee Boulevard, Suite 1250, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
660 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1600, Newport Beach, CA 92660
138 West Gay Street, West Chester, PA 19380
4112 Station Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127
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.