White Collar Crimes

White-collar crimes, like fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation, or mishandling sensitive information, can have serious consequences. You may incur fines or serve jail or prison time. If you have been charged with a white-collar crime, or are under investigation for a white-collar criminal act, you need an experienced Texas white-collar criminal defense attorney. Statements you make at any stage of a criminal prosecution can be damaging to your defense.

At the law office of  Calehr & Associates , in Houston, Texas, we represent persons charged with all types of white-collar crimes. We handle white-collar criminal defense throughout the Houston area, including Richmond and the Woodlands, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Harris counties.

Protect yourself when charged with a white-collar crime. Contact [link to contact page] the Houston, Texas, white-collar criminal defense attorneys at the law offices of Calehr & Associates to schedule a free initial consultation. Evening and weekend hours are available by appointment.

If you are facing a criminal charge for a white-collar offense in federal or state court, you need experienced white-collar criminal defense attorneys.  Contact us  to schedule a free initial consultation.

White Collar Crime - An Overview

Crimes that do not involve physical violence, and that relate largely to financial matters, are often called "white-collar crimes." White-collar crimes involve most of the same legal principles as do other crimes, and people charged with white-collar crimes have the same rights and protections as defendants accused of other crimes. On the other hand, white-collar offenses are often very complex, and involve numerous complicated legal and factual issues. The possible penalties include fines, prison sentences, and criminal forfeiture. If you have been charged with a white-collar crime, it is essential that you seek legal counsel from an experienced criminal defense attorney at once so that you can preserve your rights and protect your future.

White Collar Criminal Investigation

The investigation of a white-collar crime can be a long, involved process, and may go on for months or years. A person may be one of the targets of a criminal investigation, and not know it until formal charges are filed. Defense lawyers should become involved in the matter as early as possible, as soon as a person suspects he or she may be involved in an investigation, even as a witness. The complex nature of a white-collar criminal prosecution means that a person's potential exposure may not be clear in the early stages of the investigation. Many white-collar criminal defendants have had their cases damaged by something they said or did in the early stages of an investigation, before they were targeted or suspected. A defense lawyer should certainly be consulted before any meeting, however innocuous it may seem, with law enforcement.

Criminal Defense Attorneys Can Negotiate Plea Agreements

Sometimes, after a person is charged with a crime, the charges will be dropped as a result of the defense attorney's negotiations with the prosecutor. In other cases, the prosecutor will agree to drop more serious charges if the defendant agrees to plead guilty to lesser charges, or to cooperate with an ongoing investigation. The criminal defendant always has the final word, however, on whether to accept a plea agreement.

If the defendant is convicted of a crime, he or she may receive probation, have a fine imposed, be ordered to perform community service, be ordered to make restitution or pay back the losses caused by the criminal acts, be sentenced to a term of years in prison, or be sentenced to some combination, depending on the severity of the crime. An experienced white-collar criminal defense attorney can work with the prosecutor to negotiate a deal that provides for the least severe punishment or, if no deal is worked out, the defense lawyer can zealously represent the defendant in court, attempting to prove to the jury that the prosecutor cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime.

Conclusion

Being accused of a crime is a frightening and stressful event. A charge of a white-collar crime imposes extra stress, since a person's professional or business integrity are often at issue. It makes sense to secure competent and knowledgeable counsel who can help streamline the criminal justice process, provide zealous representation, and minimize the impact on the criminal defendant's life. If you or someone you know has been charged with committing a white-collar crime, do not delay in contacting an experienced white-collar criminal defense attorney.