Charges of public corruption can be extremely damaging, both for a person’s reputation and because of the possible penalties that come with a conviction for this behavior. There is a wide range of situations that can be considered for charges of public corruption that will be discussed in detail below, but above all, it is important to understand that working with an experienced federal criminal defense attorney is one of the most important steps to take in this situation. Your case deserves to be represented by an aggressive and trustworthy legal defense team who will be able to identify all possible avenues towards a resolution while ensuring that your rights are upheld every step of the way.
Read more below to learn about some examples of public corruption charges, and contact our team as soon as possible to request an initial consultation with the Law Office of Vikas Bajaj, APC. During your initial consultation, you will be able to speak with our team about the charges that you are facing, and get a better understanding of how we can give you the legal support that you need through this process. Our history of success with a variety of federal criminal charges will be an enormous asset to your case, and we will be happy to discuss how we can work together during your case.
What Is Public Corruption?
When a public official is given a position, they are granted a degree of trust that they will use their official powers for the good of the community that they are appointed to represent. When a public official is alleged to use these powers in order to benefit themselves or others in ways that do not align with their public role and responsibility, they can be charged with public corruption along with a variety of additional allegations and charges depending on the specifics of their actions.
Some common examples of public corruption are as follows:
Accepting Illegal Bribes
Bribery is the act of an official accepting payment in order to turn a blind eye to some sort of illegal activity that they should be in charge of policing and discouraging. This could be something like a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officer willingly allowing a shipment of drugs to pass through a port or a border in exchange for some sort of financial compensation, or a judge dismissing a case in exchange for payment.
Campaign Finance Law Violations
When an individual is running for public office, they have a variety of laws that they must adhere to in terms of the donations that they can accept, how they allocate funds that they receive as donations, the type of financial information that they are required to disclose, and more. Charges of campaign finance violation can be serious allegations that can have significant impacts on the official’s campaign, reputation, and can come with serious legal penalties.
Federal Extortion
Extortion is commonly known as a “shakedown,” and it involves someone using their power as leverage in order to elicit benefits from another person who is in a vulnerable position. In terms of public corruption, extortion could take many shapes, such as blackmailing someone (threatening to release compromising information unless the person takes certain actions such as paying the blackmailer) or other forms of coercion for an undeserved benefit.
Penalties for a Public Corruption Conviction
As you can imagine by the range of forms that public corruption charges can take, the penalties for this type of conviction can be equally as diverse. The important thing to recognize if you are facing any sort of public corruption charges is that you will also be subject to the “Court of Public Opinion” that can take a serious toll on your reputation regardless of the outcome. Therefore, it is very important that you begin working with an aggressive defense team immediately so we can establish your defense and start working towards a resolution as quickly as possible.
Contact us now in order to request an initial consultation so that we can discuss your situation in detail and begin to understand how we can effectively work together towards a reasonable outcome.
