Augusta Criminal Defense Blog

Operation Gunsmoke ends in arrests in Georgia, South Carolina

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal crimes on Friday, March 22, 2019.

Operation Gunsmoke has been implemented in South Carolina, and it is having an impact in Georgia as well. Did you know that committing a crime in one state and fleeing to another may not do anything to prevent law enforcement from arresting you? With over 150 local, federal and state agencies working together on this operation, even those who fled from South Carolina to Georgia were taken into custody.

The operation was aimed at gang violence, cracking down on what some police say are links to the Bloods. Those being indicted ranged in age from 20 to 56 years old, and they are accused of felonies ranging from selling drugs to selling firearms.

Federal Bureau of Investigation: Investigating white collar crime

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal white collar crimes on Thursday, March 7, 2019.

"White collar crime" is terminology that refers to any fraud committed by business or government officials. Usually, these crimes aren't violent, and they're most prominent due to affecting the public.

Some kinds of white collar crimes include:

Public corruption
Mortgage fraud
Money laundering
Health care fraud
Securities fraud

Lawmakers consider legalizing marijuana cultivation, sales

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law on Monday, March 4, 2019.

In 2015, Georgia lawmakers approved the use of low-THC marijuana oil for people suffering from several debilitating disorders. However, it remains illegal to buy, sell or transport the drug in the state.

A new proposal in the legislature hopes to change that by allowing medical marijuana to be grown, manufactured and distributed in the state.

Let your defense attorney protect you in court

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal crimes on Friday, March 1, 2019.

No matter what kind of crime you're accused of doing, it is extremely important to make sure you have a good defense.

Defense attorneys have many jobs. One is to help make you look more relatable to the judge and jury. How do they do this? There are a few simple ways.

Fraud case results in doctor losing practice

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal fraud charges on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

Federal fraud case has forced a doctor, her husband and children to move after a SWAT team raided her office in Florida. According to the news story, the obstetrician and gynecologist is waiting for a verdict in a trial for insurance fraud, but she has already lost much as a result of the raid on her clinic.

Her attorney argues that the government put her out of business by raiding her office with an armed SWAT team, scaring many of the physicians in the area. The 48-year-old woman has been charged with 29 counts of scheming to defraud the government. She could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Rapper with felony overstays visa, faces deportation

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal drug charges on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Sometimes, familiar faces are arrested by the police for surprising crimes. Take, for example, the rapper 21 Savage, who is now in federal immigration custody over claims that he overstayed his visa and has federal drug charge convictions.

Since he has a role in the public, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) spokesman said that he was arrested in a targeted operation and is actually a British citizen who has overstayed in the country. The man's attorney claims that they are working to clear up misunderstandings about the man's status and to get him out of detention.

Man reroutes mail, faces federal charges

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal white collar crimes on Friday, February 8, 2019.

Federal crimes can take place anywhere in the United States and will be tried in a federal court. One example of a federal crime is tampering with the U.S. Postal Service's services or deliveries. It is against the law to impact the postal service negatively in any way, including rerouting mail that doesn't belong to you.

Take, for example, this case in Chicago, where a former UPS Inc. worker rerouted mail that was intended to go to Atlanta to his apartment. He now has pleaded guilty to mail fraud for his actions.

The laws and the penalties for white collar crimes

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law on Monday, February 4, 2019.

The news recently has been inundated, perhaps more than ever, with stories of professionals committing high level crimes like embezzlement and fraud. These types of crimes do not cause direct injury in the way an armed robbery might, but they are still serious violations of the law.

Some people may know that these types of crimes are called white collar crimes. In most cases they are nonviolent and financially motivated. Most times they are committed by high level business professionals, politicians or government workers or other individuals with high social capital.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation inspector convicted of fraud

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal fraud charges on Wednesday, January 30, 2019.

If you commit fraud, you could face state and federal charges. Here's a short news report about a woman who is facing penalties in state and through the federal government for actively misusing her government-issued credit card.

A Georgia Bureau of Investigation inspector is in hot water after being accused of, and found guilty of, racketeering. She, a 46-year-old woman, pleaded guilty to four counts of mail fraud including over $60,000 in charges she placed on the credit card provided to her by the government.

Does the kind of drug you possess matter to the court?

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal drug charges on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

Drug trafficking is a serious offense that can lead to federal charges. When you face federal charges, you need to know that the penalties can be much more significant than in cases with misdemeanor charges. They are also likely to be more serious than state charges.

With drug charges, there is always a risk of the prosecution attempting to obtain more serious charges than a person deserves. For example, someone who possesses drugs for themselves but who has a high quantity could end up with trafficking or intent to distribute charges. In those cases, an attorney can help you defend your actions and attempt to have the charges against you reduced.