Federal Fraud Crime Defense in Houston, Texas

Houston Federal Fraud Crime Attorney

In criminal law, fraud is defined as intentional deception that is committed for the purpose of personal and often financial gain or to cause damage to another person. Other uses of the term include the adjective "fraudulent" and the verb which is to "defraud" someone.

With today's computer technology, fraudulent schemes are abundantly committed here on U.S. soil and oversees, common types of fraudulent crimes include:

• Bankruptcy fraud
• Tax fraud or tax evasion
• Insurance fraud (as the patient or the health care practitioner)
• Identity theft
• Mail fraud
• Check fraud
• Credit card fraud
• Securities fraud
• Wire fraud
• Telemarketing fraud

Fraudulent activities almost always include certain elements to the crime such as a false statement, a misrepresentation of facts, or another form of deceitful conduct.

Violations of the United States Code

Federal fraud crimes are generally charged as felony offenses; however, there are circumstances where a misdemeanor conviction may be obtained depending on the facts of the case. Felonies are distinguished from misdemeanors due to the fact that a felony has the potential to involve a prison sentence of a year or more, whereas a misdemeanor conviction can result in a maximum jail term of one year.

There are a wide range of penalties associated with a federal fraud crime conviction and the potential sentence for a federal fraud conviction can vary significantly depending on the facts surrounding the case. Other factors are the specific law violated and the defendant's criminal history.

Federal crimes are enumerated under the Code of Laws of the United States of America, otherwise abbreviated to the United States Code, or U.S.C. This is a compilation and codification of the permanent federal laws of the United States. The main edition is published every six years by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives.

The federal fraud laws can be found under the United States Code, as well as the corresponding penalties. A federal fraud crime conviction may involve incarceration in a federal prison, fines, restitution and probation. For example, under 18 USC § 1344 – Bank Fraud, when someone knowingly attempts to or executes a scheme to defraud a financial institution, they face up to $1,000,000 in fines, or imprisonment for no more than 30 years, or both.

The Law Against Fraud

Under 18 USC § 1341 – Frauds and Swindles, anyone that devises or intends to devise a scheme to defraud, or obtain money or property by false or fraudulent pretenses shall be fined no more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned for a maximum term of 30 years, or both. On the other hand, the federal penalties for health care fraud includes fines and a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, or both. 

If the violation resulted in bodily injury, then the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. It's apparent that the penalties for a federal fraud crime have the potential to be severe; therefore, in the face of federal fraud charges, it's essential that you enlist the services of a knowledgeable and experienced federal crime lawyer to protect your rights. 

Protect Your Rights. Call Guy L. Womack & Associates, P.C.

There are a number of government agencies that may get involved with a fraud crime and these include any one of the following: the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Department of Insurance, the Texas Department of Banking, the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, the Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending, the Texas Real Estate Commission, and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs among others.

As state, federal and military defense lawyers, the federal fraud attorneys can handle fraud cases in Houston and all throughout the state of Texas and nationwide. When your future and your freedom are on the line, you need a lawyer that is well-versed in federal law and who has extensive experience representing clients in federal court.