While we previously discussed conspiracy laws in California, we have not discussed the federal version of these charges, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, better known as RICO. If you have been charged with this serious crime, or believe you may be, please call Vista federal lawyer Peter M. Liss as soon as possible.
RICO charges may be brought up at the state or federal level and are largely the same as conspiracy laws. Essentially, if you are part of a group that has made plans to break the law or has already broken the law, you can be charged with a crime.
Under the federal RICO statutes, you can be charged if you are a member of a group that committed any two crimes (from a list of 35 specific offenses listed below) within a ten year period. While it sounds relatively straight forward, RICO charges are notoriously complex and require a top Vista federal attorney with experience handling these cases. Offenses that can be applied towards the law include: gambling; murder; kidnapping; arson; robbery; bribery; extortion; dealing drugs or illegal chemicals; dealing in obscene matter as defined by the state; counterfeiting; theft; embezzlement; fraud; obstruction of justice; drug trafficking; racketeering; slavery; money laundering; operating a murder-for-hire; embezzlement of union funds; aiding illegal aliens in entering the country for a profit; and acts of terrorism.
If you are convicted for violating the RICO Act, you can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and the government can seize any money and property they believe you obtained through violation of the law. As you can see by the penalties, these charges are very serious and should only be approached with the aid of a top Vista criminal lawyer with experience in the federal court system.
Anyone who has been charged with or believes they may be charged with RICO charges can schedule a free initial consultation with Vista federal defense attorney Peter M. Liss by calling (760) 643-4050.
