An insurrection is a violent uprising against an authority and/or the government. The January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. brought insurrection to the forefront of the national discussion. Those involved in the January 6th breach of the Capitol have faced a wide range of criminal charges. More than…
Immigrants make important contributions to our culture, our economy, and our country. According to data provided by the Pew Research Center, immigrants account for more than 13 percent of the U.S. population. While there are a number of different paths to immigrate to the United States, there are strict rules and regulations in place for…
Drug crimes are among the most common charges in our state. According to data from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), the statewide arrest rate for all drug types was 406 per 100,000. The drug crime arrest rate is significantly higher than the state average in a few counties in Northern Illinois, including Cook…
Mail fraud and wire fraud are terms that are used to describe the use of physical means (mail) or electronic means (wire) in an effort to carry out a fraud scheme. This raises an important question: What are the penalties for mail and wire fraud in Illinois? The answer depends on a number of different…
Bank fraud is an unlawful attempt to gain money, assets, or other property that is owned by a financial institution or by the depositors of a financial institution. Bank fraud is a very serious criminal offense. It can be charged as either a state crime or federal crime depending on the circumstances. In recent years,…
Federal prosecutors are sharp and determined, and they are extremely aggressive. If you were arrested and charged with a federal offense, you must be fully prepared for the possibility that you will be convicted — either through a verdict or a plea agreement. In most federal criminal cases, a guilty verdict or guilty plea is…
COVID-19 has affected virtually every community on the planet. Since the virus was first identified in our state more than two years ago, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed more than 3.05 million cases of COVID-19. Federal, state, and local governments put a lot of public resources toward combating the outbreak along…
Embezzlement is a white-collar criminal offense that occurs when a person abuses a position of trust to illegally convert (steal) property or assets. Most often, embezzlement charges are filed against employees. Though, that is not a legal requirement. Any person who takes advantage of a position of trust to deprive another of money or property…
According to data cited by Drug Policy Facts, there were nearly 1.7 million drug-related arrests in the United States in 2020. Most of these arrests were made by state or local authorities—and the resulting charges were filed under state law. However, a drug offense could be a federal crime. The United States Sentencing Commission (USSC)…
Common Federal Crimes Under United States law, the prosecution of crimes is handled at both the federal level and the state level. While the majority of criminal cases fall under state law and are heard in state courts, there are also a wide array of different allegations that may be brought by federal prosecutors in…