Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Peoria, IL Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Today.
A federal offense is any act that violates federal law. The Noll Law Office is a firm of seasoned attorneys that have litigated federal criminal defense cases for many years. White Collar charges, sex offenses, and drug cases are some of the types of cases the Noll Law Office has handled over the years. When working with the Noll Law Office on your case, you will be working with attorneys who have experience with all parts of the process – from the initial investigation through the trial. You will also benefit from their vast network of experts, including forensic accountants and private investigators, who can bring the necessary experience to defend your case.
When charges are brought in federal court, they are typically more serious or more complex than those tried on the state level. Most cases involve larger quantities of drugs, higher amounts of fraud, or complex sex crime investigations. If you are facing charges or you believe you are being investigated by federal authorities, it is important to speak to the experienced attorneys at Noll Law Office.
The Noll Law Office represents clients on all charges in federal court in Peoria, Illinois including:
Bank Fraud
Under federal law, bank fraud is defined as defrauding a bank or other financial institution or obtaining funds under the control of a bank or financial institution by fraudulent or false practices. Bank fraud has very harsh consequences for those convicted, which include up to 30 years in the Bureau of Prisons, a maximum fine of $1 million, or both. Cases involving bank fraud require a significant amount of paperwork, and they often become quite complicated. The Peoria, IL, federal criminal defense attorneys at the Noll Law Office have the necessary knowledge of banking operations to successfully help their clients.
Child Pornography
The United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of Illinois is known for investigating and prosecuting more cases of child pornography than anywhere else in the country. The prosecution takes an aggressive approach to these cases, so it is imperative to work with a federal defense attorney who has the necessary experience with these cases.
The attorneys at the Noll Law Office have a long track record of defending clients against child pornography charges. The attorneys at the firm will review the evidence against the accused which could include videos, police reports, cameras, computers, and information and data located on electronic devices. The Peoria federal criminal defense lawyers at Noll Law Office have a working knowledge of computer forensics and will reach out to computer experts to determine how an image was stored on a computer or whether another person was downloading the images using someone else’s IP address if needed. If any of the evidence was obtained through an illegal search or seizure, the Noll Law Office will ask the court to “suppress” the illegally obtained evidence.
The penalties levied after a conviction of federal child pornography charges carry significant mandatory minimums. Ultimately, the penalties depend on what charge the person was convicted of as well as the ages of the minors depicted in the material, the number of images, and the nature of the images shown.
Federal Drug Crimes
Many people think that drug offenses are largely charged at the state level. However, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois pursues many federal drug charges. The majority of these cases focus on cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. Drug crimes are usually heard in federal court when the quantity of drugs involved in the case is far greater than charges at the state level or when the accused has a significant number of previous criminal offenses.
Drug crimes in federal court may carry substantial mandatory minimum sentences The experienced attorneys at the Noll Law Office can determine if a search or seizure was illegal. In addition, they understand the federal sentencing guidelines so they can advise if a defendant is safety valve eligible.
Embezzlement
It is a federal crime to embezzle, steal, or misappropriate money or property that belongs to the United States. The penalties for a conviction of an embezzlement charge include up to 10 years in federal prison. If you are a director, officer, or employee of a bank or other financial institution and you have been charged with embezzlement, the penalties increase to a maximum of 30 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. A maximum fine of $1 million is also a potential penalty. If you have been accused of embezzlement, it is critical that you speak with a Peoria, IL, federal criminal defense attorney at Noll Law Office so you have experienced legal representation against the accusations.
Fraud
There are many types of fraud charges on the federal level. Mail fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax fraud are some of the most common. All of these charges fall under a larger umbrella term of white-collar criminal offenses. The Peoria federal criminal defense lawyers at the Noll Law Office have the necessary knowledge of illegal search and seizures, pending investigations, and the federal sentencing guidelines to give anyone facing fraud charges the best chance of a positive outcome.
Tax Fraud
Tax fraud, also commonly called tax evasion, occurs when an individual or business entity knowingly includes false information on their tax return in an attempt to lower their tax liability. Essentially, a person commits tax fraud by submitting a fraudulent tax return so they can ultimately pay fewer taxes. While tax fraud cases are typically investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), federal prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office prosecute these charges.
Tax fraud is usually carried out by failing to report the full income one earned in a year, claiming fraudulent deductions, underreporting cash earnings, and using the business for personal expenses. The maximum penalty is up to five years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a maximum fine of $100,000, and potentially additional fees for the court and prosecution.
Federal law requires an overt act for tax fraud to be charged as a felony. This means that when a person has simply forgotten to file their tax return, a misdemeanor charge will likely apply. Still, federal prosecutors will look for patterns of unreported income or a series of false tax returns to determine the type of charge.
Wire Fraud
Federal law defines wire fraud as stealing money or property through any artifice or scheme that defrauds another person or entity using wire, radio, or television. The penalties for a wire fraud conviction include a maximum of 20 years in the Bureau of Prisons, a maximum $1 million fine, or both.
When charged with a federal crime, it is critical to have experienced lawyers by your side who will defend you aggressively against federal agents such as the DEA, FBI, Homeland Security, the Secret Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office. The Peoria, IL, federal criminal defense lawyers at the Noll Law Office have defended many cases in federal court and are fully prepared to represent you if you have been charged with wire fraud in the Central District of Illinois.
Money Laundering
Money laundering occurs when a person or business obtains funds illegally and uses a scheme to make it appear as legitimate income. In most cases, money laundering charges are brought in conjunction with other offenses. The most common of these include bank fraud, wire fraud, other white-collar crimes, and drug distribution.
The attorneys at the Noll Law Office have a thorough understanding of the tactics used by federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA, Secret Service, and Homeland Security, as well as the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, to deal with the complicated issues that arise in cases involving white-collar crimes. If you believe you are under investigation for money laundering or you have been charged, call the federal criminal defense lawyers at Noll Law Office.
Weapons Offenses
Many different types of weapons offenses are investigated and prosecuted by federal prosecutors. The majority of cases involve the Possession of a Weapon by a Felon or the possession of firearms in connection with drug dealing or drug conspiracies. If you believe you are being investigated or have been charged with a weapons offense in federal court, it is critical that you contact the Noll Law Office as soon as possible. A Peoria federal criminal defense lawyer can advise you on how the Federal Central District of Illinois operates and will aggressively defend you against charges for a weapons offense.
Conspiracy
A conspiracy is defined as an agreement, whether express or implied, between two or more people to commit a criminal offense. Even if the goal of the conspiracy is not successful, federal conspiracy charges may still apply. In order to secure a conviction, federal prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a conspiracy was in place and that the accused joined the conspiracy with the intent to advance the scheme. Conspiracy charges are complicated and take a thorough understanding of the federal justice system. The knowledgeable attorneys at Noll Law Office can help you through the process and give you the best chance of beating the charges.
I’ve Never Hired a Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Before. How Do I Find the Best
Peoria, Illinois Federal Criminal Defense Attorney?
It is important to ask questions. You should be comfortable with the lawyer and have confidence that they will act in your best interest. Furthermore, you should specifically ask them how many federal criminal jury trials they have done. Many lawyers talk a good game about being trial lawyers – few are. Make sure that the lawyer you hire has the skills necessary to take your case all the way through a jury trial. You do not want a lawyer who will quit on your case because they are scared to go in front of a jury.
Some important questions to ask a federal criminal defense attorney are:
- How long have you been practicing law?
- How much of your practice is devoted to criminal law?
- How many federal criminal jury trials have you taken to a verdict?
- How long ago was your last federal trial?
- How many similar cases to mine have you handled?
- Do you practice regularly in federal court?
- What types of outcomes have you had on like cases mine?
- Are you a public defender?
- If so, what is the difference between your representation of clients as a public defender
- vs. a private attorney?
- When was the last time you had a case like mine?
- Have you ever appeared in front of the judge assigned to my case?
- Are you familiar with the federal sentencing guidelines?
- What are they and how will they apply to my case?
- What are they like?
- What is your fee?
- How is the fee structured (hourly v. flat fee)?
- Are there any other fees I should expect?
- How often is court?
- Will I need to be there?
- Will you represent me or will it be another attorney?
- How long will my case take to resolve?
- Will you review the discovery in my case with me?
- What legal issues do you see in my case?
- What factual issues do you see in my case?
- Do they guarantee any results? (If yes, RUN AWAY)
How Can the Noll Law Office Help Me on My Federal Case?
The Noll Law Office has earned a reputation in Central Illinois for providing aggressive advocacy, compassionate counsel, and real results. They vigorously defend each client they represent in federal court and provide them with honest, well-reasoned legal opinions. Their attorneys treat their clients and families with respect no matter the charges against them.
If you retain the Noll Law Office, they will:
- Speak to you about your case;
- Review the discovery for any factual defenses which may exist in your case;
- Review the discovery for any suppression issues or other legal defenses which may exist in your case;
- Calculate your advisory sentencing guideline range using the Federal Sentencing Guideline Manual;
- Help obtain favorable mitigating evidence which may exist;
- Speak to the prosecutor about any acceptable resolutions to your case prior to trial;
- Take the case to trial if needed; and
- Always act in your best interests.
If you or your loved one needs a federal criminal defense attorney in Peoria, Illinois, contact the Noll Law Office today at (217) 414-8889
Call the Peoria, IL, Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers at the Noll Law Office for a Free Consultation
Regardless of the federal charges you face, the Peoria, IL, federal criminal defense lawyers at Noll Law Office have the expertise and knowledge of the federal system to help you beat them. Call us now at (217) 414-8889 or fill out our online form to schedule a free review of your case.