Augusta Criminal Defense Blog

Drug trafficking: Harsh penalties await those who are convicted

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal drug charges on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

Drug trafficking is one of the most common kinds of drug crimes. You can be accused of drug trafficking if you have drugs in your vehicle and cross state lines, transport drugs between cities or even if you're only in possession of drugs but are in a moving vehicle. To be accused of this crime, you usually have to have a large amount of an illegal or controlled substance.

Georgia applies mandatory minimum penalties for trafficking offenses using the federal standards. Since that's the case, there is a real chance that you could face substantial time in prison if you are accused and convicted of trafficking drugs.

Personal digital criminal legacies harm white collar offenders

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal white collar crimes on Wednesday, November 27, 2019.

In an interesting study by the University of Portsmouth, it was found that digital media has a damaging impact on those who have committed white collar crimes and who are now trying to reintegrate into society. Part of the reason for that is that they are often negatively affected by the labels attached to them online.

These labels, referred to as personal digital criminal legacies (PDCLs), can disrupt their family lives and make it hard to find work. This is particularly interesting since white collar crimes have long been considered unnewsworthy. In the past, those who committed white collar crimes may not have had much adverse publicity.

Police chief's wife arrested for heroin possession in Georgia

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal drug charges on Thursday, November 21, 2019.

Federal drug charges have a lasting impact on your life, whether you're arrested and released or end up convicted. There is the media that will pick up the story, and your reputation that could take a hit because of how you're treated.

Sometimes, drug busts happen to involve people you wouldn't expect. Take, for example, a case out of Georgia that involved a police chief's wife. She was charged with heroin possession, according to the Nov. 14 report.

Are you facing conspiracy charges for drug crimes?

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

If you are facing drug charges, you should understand the challenges ahead. It is likely that authorities have been building a case against you for some time, and they feel they have enough evidence to go to trial. Drug charges alone carry stiff penalties, but it is often easy for prosecutors to add other charges that could severely increase the length of any sentence if a court convicts you. One of those charges is conspiracy.

Conspiracy is a complex offense that has many components. Since it involves the agreement of two or more people to commit a crime, it is often an easy offense with which to charge someone who is under investigation for drug crimes.

Man facing execution in Georgia launches appeal

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal crimes on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

Federal crimes can land you in prison and lead to long sentences. Sometimes, people are wrongfully accused and convicted of crimes they didn't commit. In worst-case scenarios, they face execution.

In a case in Georgia, a man who is being sentenced to death has launched a last-ditch effort to appeal his case and support his claim of innocence. He has asked a federal judge to stay the execution and order DNA testing on evidence collected at the crime scene.

Identity theft: A growing crime in America

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal fraud charges on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

Federal fraud charges are financial crimes that have an impact on individuals, businesses and the United States' economy. Since there are so many issues that can be caused by fraud, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) takes a strong stance in investigating cases as they arise.

There are many kinds of fraud including:

Embezzlement
Securities fraud
Racketeering
Mortgage fraud
Bribery
Identity theft
Money laundering
White collar crimes
Tax evasion
Tax fraud

2 face federal charges after 4-month investigation concludes

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal drug charges on Thursday, October 31, 2019.

When you face charges, you're looking at a future that is uncertain. It can be difficult to know what to expect in court, and the prosecution may be pushing hard for you to be penalized far more than you think is fair.

Federal penalties are particularly daunting since they often come with the threat of imprisonment. If you face them, it's important for you to develop a defense with the help of your attorney.

What should you do if you're accused of tax evasion?

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal white collar crimes on Friday, October 25, 2019.

Tax evasion is a federal crime, which means that the penalties you could face for a conviction are significant. It's true that there are mistakes that you could make on your taxes that might look like tax evasion. However, making a mistake is different from intentionally defrauding the government.

When you attempt to defraud the government by avoiding taxes or assessments, then you could face penalties. Some common examples of tax evasion include:

Failing to declare all your income
Trying to avoid detection by failing to file tax returns
Overstating your expenses or deductions

Safety valve brings relief but also risk

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law on Tuesday, October 15, 2019.

Mandatory minimum sentences have been a controversial subject for years. If you are convicted of certain crimes, the courts have little choice when it comes to imposing sentences for those offenses. This can mean a person with a conviction for a non-violent crime, such as a drug crime, may face decades in prison, separated from family and friends. For many families, this can be a hardship they have no means to overcome.

Some of those families have worked hard to bring reform to federal sentencing guidelines. Fighting for fair penalties for those facing federal drug charges, groups like Families Against Mandatory Minimums have succeeded in bringing the need for sentence reform to the eyes of lawmakers in the federal government. One of those reforms is the exception to the mandatory minimum called "the safety valve."

3 face charges after alleged GoFundMe scam

On behalf of of J. Pete Theodocion, Attorney at Law posted in federal crimes on Monday, October 14, 2019.

If you ever go online, you've probably seen the site GoFundMe. When used correctly, it's a way for people to seek and collect donations. Unfortunately, some people take advantage of the platform to commit fraud.

Take for example this case where a 40-year-old individual has been charged with fraud and money laundering in a $400 GoFundMe scam. It's claimed that the man scammed donors out of over $400,000 by making up a story about a homeless veteran. He has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.