subject: The Vast Scope Of Federal Crimes [print this page] When a crime goes federal, penalties are automatically compounded. Any violation that crosses state lines becomes a federal offense. A crime that occurs on U.S. federal property is a federal offense. As well, any violation that has been stipulated to be a federal crime is a federal offense. Even if youve never left the city of Chicago, charges against you could well be federal charges if any of the above conditions apply. A Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyer is well-versed in federal law, as well as local dynamics that could have an impact on the charges you face.
While most people think of military and government crimes when federal law comes to mind, there are numerous other crimes that can fall under federal prosecution. Mail, bank, wire, and securities fraud; tax evasion; money laundering; bank robbery; computer crimes, including the transmission of child pornography; kidnapping; racketeering; and drugs and weapons charges. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but is a good representation of the most common crimes that can have federal implications. The services of a criminal defense lawyer are merited in any of these situations.
Any violation that crosses state lines becomes a federal offense.
The advent of the Internet has opened the door to increased instances of federal charges. As the Internet provides worldwide access, crimes that are committed online will almost always involve crossing state lines, therefore adding federal charges. While transportation and the postal service were once the main vehicles for the commission of crimes across state lines, the Internet has grown that possibility exponentially.
A crime that occurs on U.S. federal property is a federal offense.
Crimes that would otherwise fall to state law become federal when they are committed on federal property or at a location of a federal agency. The local post office, federal buildings, military bases, even the local social security office are all examples of federal property, as would be the National Wildlife Refuge System and other federally protected areas.
Any violation that has been stipulated to be a federal crime.
Though some laws vary from state to state and fall to the state court system, federal laws apply everywhere and are tried in the federal court system. Any law listed in the U.S. Constitution is a federal law and supersedes state law. Some crimes are punishable under both state and federal law, however. Hate crimes are an example of a federal crime, as well. When a victim is targeted because of their social, racial, or gender group, as well as other identifications and affiliations, the act committed against them becomes a hate crime and may be federally prosecuted.
Federal crimes can range from illegally downloading music to hijacking an airplane full of passengers, but no matter how minor the infraction may seem, the fact that it qualifies as a federal offense ups the ante considerably. Chicago residents have access to local criminal defense lawyers who have every tool needed to effectively fight federal charges.
