While many crimes in the Los Angeles area are prosecuted by local prosecutors in Superior Court, some crimes fall within the jurisdiction of the United States Federal Court. If you are charged with a Federal Crime, it is critical that you are represented by a Federal Criminal Defense Attorney who understands how to effectively fight cases in Federal Court. Michael Kraut is a former Deputy District Attorney who has aggressively fought Federal charges in districts throughout the United States.
Federal Court CompositionThe United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for the prosecution of Federal crimes which are often investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“F.B.I”) or other Federal law enforcement agencies. Certain crimes, such as possessing or selling narcotics, can be prosecuted either at the State or Federal level.
The Federal Court System is divided into 94 judicial districts. Each state has at least one judicial district and California has four different judicial districts composed of 14 separate Federal Court branches.
Federal criminal cases are governed by the United States Code and people convicted of crimes in Federal Court are subject to the sentencing guidelines set forth by the United States Sentencing Commission. As a result, sentences for criminal convictions in Federal Court can be much more severe than convictions for similar offenses occurring in State Court. People convicted of crimes in Federal Court can be sentenced to serve time at a prison facility operated by the United States Bureau of Prison. In many cases, a person may be sentenced to serve time at a facility in a state far from their home.
What Crimes Are Handled in Federal Court?Some criminal offenses are exclusively prosecuted in Federal Court. Crimes such as Federal tax evasion or tax fraud, mail fraud using the United States Postal Service, criminal immigration matters and money counterfeiting crimes are all cases in which Federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
Federal Courts also have jurisdiction over criminal offenses that involve interstate commerce or may be committed in multiple state jurisdictions. This includes offenses such as bank robbery, drug trafficking and healthcare fraud. In some of these types of cases, it is not unusual for both state and Federal authorities to be involved. In some cases, a criminal investigation or prosecution may start out in state court only to be filed in Federal Court. Many local law enforcement agencies have joint task forces which work hand in hand with Federal law enforcement to target crimes spanning several different jurisdictions. Typically, Federal authorities are more likely to become involved in serious cases, such as multimillion-dollar fraud offenses or largescale drug trafficking. Federal authorities will also investigate and prosecute offenses that occur on airplanes, cruise ships, Federal parks and military bases.
Federal investigations may extend for years and a person may not even know that he or she is under investigation until an indictment is unsealed against them and they are arrested by United States Marshals and brought before a Magistrate in Federal Court.
If you or a loved one are under investigation for a Federal criminal offense or have been charged with a crime in Federal Court, it is absolutely critical that you speak with an experienced Federal Crimes Defense Attorney immediately. Michael Kraut is a former prosecutor who has represented clients on major Federal matters in districts throughout the United States.
For more information about Federal Crimes, contact Michael Kraut at the Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. located at 6255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1520, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Mr. Kraut can be reached 24/7 at (323) 464-6453.