Aggressive Defense Against Drug Charges And Related Offenses
DiLorenzo & Rush provide aggressive defense representation for individuals charged with felony money laundering and conspiracy charges often included in narcotics charges. Prosecutors may add the charges as a means of obtaining a prison sentence if the drug charges, themselves, are reduced or dismissed due to chemical dependency or lack of physical evidence.
What Is Money Laundering?
The law prohibits engaging in any financial transaction using money obtained from any “specified unlawful activities.” This does not restrict the transaction to drug crimes. A money laundering charge also includes the specific requirement that the individual intended to hide the source of the money or other assets from Authorities. It is a mistake to think that felony money laundering charges must meet a minimum threshold of dollars involved. Prosecutors have the option of charging a felony no matter how minor the amount may be, if they feel there is criminal intent involved.
Prosecutors seeking a conviction, therefore, must prove multiple activities:
- Where, how and when the financial transaction actually occurred
- The assets used in the transaction were obtained as a result of an illegal act
- The person(s) making the transaction knowingly worked to hide the source of the money or other assets
What Are Conspiracy Charges?
State and federal prosecutors may charge a person with criminal conspiracy anytime they believe an individual was involved with another person to commit a crime. To be charged with conspiracy in narcotics cases, a person does not have to be caught with physical evidence in their possession. Penalties for a conviction on conspiracy charges are typically directly tied to the level of the felony crime committed.
To be convicted of a conspiracy charge, prosecutors need to 1) prove the individual had fore-knowledge of the criminal act; and 2) jointly assisted or participated in the act. For narcotics charges, this often means prosecutors charge the person they perceive to be a middle-man with conspiracy, even when no physical evidence is found.
If You Have Been Charged, Get Aggressive Defense
Money laundering and conspiracy charges are often complex and require an understanding of technical issues such as laws regarding mail and wire fraud. If you’ve been charged, get an experienced criminal defense team on your side right away.
Call DiLorenzo & Rush at 201-212-4027 (Hackensack) or 718-537-9885 (Bronx) or contact us by email to arrange a consultation with one of our defense attorneys right away.