Because of their non-violent nature, the general public does not tend to think of white collar crimes as being particularly serious. Of course, neither the state of Ohio nor the U.S. federal government shares this view. When one of these bodies convicts an individual of a white collar offense, they almost always punish them severely.
So, if you have recently been arrested in relation to a white collar crime, you would be wise to do everything in your power to try to prevent your charge from becoming a conviction. A skilled Cincinnati white collar crimes lawyer, like those here at Suhre & Associates, LLC, can help you do just that. Contact us today at (513) 333-0014.
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How Our Law Firm Can Help You Fight Back Against Your White Collar Criminal Charges in Cincinnati, OH.
Our Cincinnati criminal defense lawyer here at Suhre & Associates, LLC, believes that every Ohioan who is charged with a white-collar crime should receive a vigorous defense. When you hire us to help you with your case, we will:
Guide You Through Your Case
Individuals who are facing criminal charges often feel lost, confused, and anxious. These feelings often stem from the fact that they are not familiar with the criminal justice system and do not know what to expect at each stage of their case.
When you work with our lawyers in Cincinnati, we will help you to feel more comfortable with the legal process by explaining it to you in detail. Should you start to feel worried or disoriented as you make your way through your case, you can count on us to be by your side to provide you with the guidance you need to get back on track.
Work with Experts Who Can Help Your Case
As part of their efforts to convict you, the assistant prosecutor will almost certainly enlist the help of a wide range of experts. These experts will help them to gain a better understanding of your alleged crime. They may also help the prosecutor locate evidence that they can use against you at a later date.
When you hire the Suhre & Associates, LLC, legal team, we will fight back against the prosecution’s efforts by working with our own team of experts. Our experts will help us to analyze your case and search for issues with the prosecution’s arguments or evidence.
Negotiate a Plea Bargain Deal with the Prosecution
In the early stages of your white collar criminal case, the assistant prosecutor may offer you a plea bargain agreement. Unfortunately, the penalties on offer in their initial deal are likely to be quite harsh. To convince them to put forward a more lenient agreement, some negotiation will almost certainly be necessary.
Fortunately, having spent many years honing their craft, the attorneys here at Suhre & Associates, LLC, are well-versed in the art of negotiation. When you hire us to help you with your case, we will work night and day to try to land you a favorable plea bargain deal.
Would you like to have one of our experienced white collar crimes lawyers help you fight back against your criminal charge? Then please do not hesitate to reach out and set up an initial consultation at our Cincinnati law offices.
Commonly Charged White Collar Criminal Offenses in Ohio
Ohio residents can be arrested and charged with white collar criminal offenses by both the state and federal governments. However, the lists of crimes that these two bodies investigate and prosecute are quite different:
A brief list of some of the state white collar offenses that Ohio residents are frequently charged with would include:
Identity Fraud
Section 2913.49 of the Ohio Revised Code states that it is unlawful for someone to use, possess, or obtain the personal identifying information of another individual without their consent for the purposes of:
- Holding themselves out to be the other individual
- Representing the other individual’s personal identifying information as their own
A short sampling of some of the identifying information that is covered by this statute would include:
- Names
- Addresses
- Driver’s license numbers
- Social security numbers
- Employee identification numbers
- Credit card numbers
- Bank account numbers
In Ohio, identity fraud is generally classified as a felony of the fifth degree. However, it may be upgraded to a higher felony level if the victim is elderly, disabled, or an active duty service member, or the value of their loss is greater than $1,000.
Extortion
Section 2905.11 of the Ohio Revised Code explains that an individual may be charged with extortion if they carry out any of the following actions to obtain a valuable item or induce another party to commit a crime:
- Threaten to commit a felony
- Threaten to commit an act of violence
- Expose or threaten to expose another person to ridicule, hatred, or contempt
- Damage or threaten to damage another person’s personal or business reputation
- Impair or threaten to impair another person’s credit
Extortion is almost always classified as a felony of the third degree in the state of Ohio.
Forgery
Section 2913.31 of the Ohio Revised Code states that it is unlawful for a person to take any of the following actions with the purpose of facilitating a fraud:
- Forge the writing of another individual without their permission
- Forge writing that purports to be genuine when it actually is spurious
- Utter any writing that they know to have been forged
This statute also explains that it is illegal for a person to:
- Forge an identification card
- Sell or otherwise distribute a forged identification card
Forgery is usually classified as a misdemeanor of the first degree. However, the state of Ohio may upgrade it to a felony if the victim is elderly, disabled, or an active duty service member, or the value of their loss is greater than $1,000.
Mail Fraud
According to 18 U.S. Code § 1341, it is illegal for a person to use the United States Postal Service in furtherance of a scheme to defraud another party. This statute also makes it unlawful to use any other private or commercial interstate carrier for the same purpose.
Laundering of Monetary Instruments
18 U.S. Code § 1956 states that it is unlawful for a person to knowingly conduct or attempt to conduct a financial transaction involving the proceeds of unlawful activity (such as drug trafficking):
- To promote that carrying on of that unlawful activity
- To conceal the nature, location, or source of the funds
- To avoid state or federal transaction reporting requirements
This offense is more commonly known as money laundering.
Securities Fraud
According to 18 U.S. Code § 1348, an individual may be charged with securities fraud if they knowingly execute or attempt to execute a scheme that is designed to:
- Defraud another person in connection with a commodity for future delivery or any option on a commodity for future delivery
- Defraud another person in connection with a registered security
- Fraudulently obtain any money or property that is connected to the purchase or sale of a commodity or security
The criminal defense lawyers here at Suhre & Associates, LLC, have years of combined experience in the legal field. As such, we have a detailed understanding of both state and federal criminal law. If you would like to take the first step toward having us help you fight back against your white collar charge, all you need to do is pick up the phone and set up a free consultation at our Cincinnati law offices.
Penalties for White Collar Criminal Convictions
The criminal penalties doled out to individuals who are found guilty of white collar offenses are dependent on the jurisdiction in which they were convicted:
Punishments for Ohio White Collar Criminal Convictions
Individuals who are convicted of a state white collar offense are typically penalized in accordance with the following guidelines:
- Misdemeanors of the First Degree: A fine of up to $1,000 and up to 180 days in jail.
- Felonies of the Fifth Degree: A fine of up to $2,500 and between 6 and 12 months in prison.
- Felonies of the Fourth Degree: A fine of up to $5,000 and between 6 and 18 months in prison.
- Felonies of the Third Degree: A fine of up to $10,000 and between 1 and 5 years in prison.
- Felonies of the Second Degree: A fine of up to $15,000 and between 2 and 8 years in prison.
- Felonies of the First Degree: A fine of up to $20,000 and between 3 and 11 years in prison.
Punishments for Federal White Collar Criminal Convictions
Offenders who are found guilty of a federal white collar offense are punished in accordance with the federal sentencing guidelines. These penalties are generally much harsher than those doled out by the state of Ohio.
For instance, an individual who is convicted of mail fraud may be fined up to $1,000,000 and sentenced to as long as 30 years in federal prison. Similarly, someone who is found guilty of securities fraud can be sent to prison for up to 25 years.
Do you need a Suhre & Associates, LLC, white collar crime attorney to help you battle to avoid the penalties outlined above? If so, please give us a call or contact us online to set up a free consultation with a member of our experienced team.
Need a Cincinnati White Collar Crimes Lawyer? Contact Our Law Firm Today
The attorneys here at Suhre & Associates, LLC, have been assisting the people of Cincinnati with their legal issues for many years. If you need help fighting back against your white collar charges, we will be there for you as well. When you are ready to get started, just reach out and set up an initial consultation at our law office in Cincinnati, OH.
