Federal Crimes in Boston

Federal Crimes in Boston

Federal crimes are no joke, let me tell you. If the feds are after you, you better lawyer up quick because they don’t mess around. Being charged with a federal crime is way more serious than a state crime. The penalties are harsher, the rules are different, and good luck trying to win at trial – the feds have like a 90% conviction rate!

So what kinds of federal crimes are we talking about here in Boston? Well the big ones are drugs, fraud, weapons, and organized crime. Let’s break them down:

Drug Crimes

If you’re moving serious weight across state lines, the DEA and FBI will take notice. I’m talking kilos of cocaine, hundreds of pounds of weed, massive amounts of heroin or meth – enough to supply whole cities. The feds don’t care about small time dealers on the corner, they want the big fish moving major product and making real money. Get caught with a trunk full of drugs on the Mass Pike and you can kiss your freedom goodbye.

Some of the main federal drug statutes they’ll hit you with include 21 USC 841 – possession/distribution, 21 USC 843 – prohibited acts, 21 USC 846 – drug conspiracy, and 21 USC 848 – continuing criminal enterprise (being a drug kingpin). Penalties start at 10 years and go up from there. Get busted three times and it’s mandatory life in prison. Yikes!

Fraud Crimes

The feds love going after white collar financial crimes involving millions of dollars. If you’re an executive cooking the books, running a Ponzi scheme, committing massive tax fraud, money laundering, or ripping off shareholders – you better believe the FBI and IRS will be on you. Some of the main federal fraud laws are 18 USC 1341 – mail fraud, 18 USC 1343 – wire fraud, 18 USC 1344 – bank fraud, 18 USC 1956 – money laundering, and 26 USC 7201 – tax evasion. These crimes carry major prison time and massive fines – we’re talking millions of dollars.

Weapons Offenses

The ATF loves busting people for federal gun crimes. Prohibited persons like convicted felons caught possessing firearms, making illegal straw purchases, or engaging in illegal arms trafficking across state lines are prime targets. Some of the most common charges are 18 USC 922 – unlawful acts involving firearms, 18 USC 924 – penalties, and 26 USC 5861 – prohibited acts involving NFA weapons like machine guns or silencers. These cases are no joke – there are mandatory minimums as high as 25 years just for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Organized Crime

The FBI loves using RICO and Continuing Criminal Enterprise statutes to take down entire mafia families and street gangs. If they can prove you’re part of a criminal organization involved in a pattern of racketeering activity over an extended period of time, you’re screwed. We’re talking stuff like murder, kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking – serious crimes committed by groups like the Italian mob, Irish mob, biker gangs, Latin Kings, MS-13, Crips, Bloods, you name it. RICO cases often involve massive takedowns with dozens of defendants. See ya later, it’s been nice knowing you.

Other Federal Crimes

There are also a ton of other federal laws that get broken here in Boston and Massachusetts in general. Bank robbery – don’t mess with the federally insured banks, that’s FBI territory. Immigration crimes – ICE and the Department of Homeland Security will get you for smuggling or harboring illegal aliens. Cybercrime – hacking, identity theft, computer fraud. Counterfeiting – don’t try passing fake currency or trafficking in knockoff goods. And of course federal corruption charges like bribery, extortion, and embezzlement. The list goes on and on.

Penalties for Federal Crimes

Like I said earlier, the penalties for federal crimes are no joke. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Long prison sentences – we’re talking years and decades in prison even for first time offenders.
• Massive fines – most federal crimes have fines up to $250,000 for individuals or $500,000 for organizations.
• Forfeiture – they can take your property and assets even before you’re convicted.
• Supervised release – you get probation after prison called supervised release.
• Loss of rights – no more voting, jury service, gun ownership if convicted of a felony.

And if you have a prior record, forget about it. Mandatory minimums and sentencing enhancements will bury you. The federal system also has no parole – you serve at least 85% of your sentence, no exceptions.

Federal vs. State Court

There’s a bunch of key differences between being prosecuted in federal court versus state court:

• Rules of evidence are different – federal court tends to allow more evidence.
• Grand juries are used more frequently.
• Prosecutors have way more resources and high conviction rates.
• Federal judges are appointed for life whereas state judges are elected.
• Federal prison sentences tend to be much longer.
• No parole in the federal system.
• Federal prisons can be located anywhere in the U.S.

So as you can see, you definitely don’t want to mess around when it comes to federal charges. The key is getting an experienced federal criminal defense lawyer on your side immediately. Don’t say anything to investigators without counsel present – it can only hurt you. A good lawyer can analyze the case against you, protect your rights, negotiate with prosecutors, and defend you in court if necessary. Your freedom and future are on the line so make that call today!