When you are facing criminal charges in Charlotte, North Carolina, there are many different challenges that you may encounter. Every case is different, and the severity of your charges will impact the complexity of your defense. You will want to invoke your right to remain silent upon arrest, and reach out to the Charlotte, North Carolina, criminal defense attorneys at Remington & Dixon. Even if you have not yet been arrested, but suspect that you are being investigated, it is wise to reach out to a skilled attorney to ensure that your rights are protected.
You Have Options Whether You Are Being Charged with a Misdemeanor Crime or a Felony Crime
Regardless of whether you are facing a misdemeanor charge or a felony charge, you will want skilled legal advice and
representation. However, it is important to understand that felony charges can come with much more severe penalties and life altering consequences than misdemeanor charges. For this reason, if there is any way to get a felony charge reduced to a misdemeanor charge, you want to pursue the path that will lead you in this direction.
In some cases, you may be able to get your charges dropped altogether, or you may be able to benefit from a program that allows you to complete certain tasks in an effort to have the charges dropped. In other cases, you may be able to accept a plea bargain, in which you plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for avoiding the possibility of conviction for the more serious charge if the case goes to trial. The prosecution is often willing to offer plea deal because they also do not want to face the potential risk of not succeeding in their case. It saves everyone time, money, and risk when the prosecution and defense can come to an agreement outside of court.
There are many different types of criminal charges in Charlotte that you might be facing, and any of them could involve misdemeanor charges or felony charges. For example, drug crimes can be misdemeanors if it is your first offense, if it involved simple possession of a small amount of drugs, or if it involved nothing more than paraphernalia. On the other hand, if you had a significant amount of drugs in your possession, if there is evidence of manufacturing or intending to distribute, if you provided the drugs to minors, or if you have prior drug convictions, then a very similar crime could involve a felony charge.
When Your Criminal Charges in Charlotte, North Carolina, Involve a Federal Crime
When it comes to charges that are considered to be federal offenses, you are more likely to face severe consequences. For one thing, the federal criminal justice system has a higher rate of conviction than the state criminal justice system. For another, federal offenses are typically more serious with harsher penalties. You are more likely to face federal charges if your alleged crime involved crossing state borders, whether it was a drug crime, a crime spree, a fraud crime, or a kidnapping charge, for example. When you are suspected of committing a federal crime, the FBI is often involved in the investigation, and there is likely to be a substantial amount of evidence against you when you face these charges. Make sure that you have skilled and experienced legal representation from the Charlotte, North Carolina, criminal defense attorneys at Remington & Dixon. We can represent you and defend you against any charges that you may face at the state or federal level of the criminal justice system.
When You Are Facing Conspiracy Charges in Charlotte, North Carolina
There are many situations where you might end up facing conspiracy charges in Charlotte, North Carolina, and this may occur at the state level or the federal level. This is especially common in cases that involve fraud, tax evasion, drug crimes, and any other criminal activity that involves cooperation between multiple persons. In many cases, where conspiracy is suspected, the prosecution will try to get the different people who are suspected of being involved to turn against each other. They may offer deals, such as reduced charges, if one person agrees to testify against the other. This can be particularly harmful for someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time or ended up wrapped up in criminal activities by being manipulated by others. In such cases, the manipulative person is likely to turn against their co-conspirators and make it appear that you are the one who led them into the criminal action, when in reality, it was the other way around. In any event, if you are being charged with conspiracy to commit a crime in Charlotte, North Carolina, you will benefit from the guidance of an attorney.
It is important to be aware that you can be convicted of conspiracy crimes even if you were not involved in the criminal actions, yourself. If you are found to have been guilty of helping to plan the crime or make the crime possible, then you could end up with the very same charges as those who actually committed the criminal act. In some cases, a person may be accused of conspiracy because they had discussed the crime, prior to it taking place, even if they did not think the discussion was serious. There are even scenarios in which no crime was actually committed, but someone reported that the crime was being planned. Those who planned to commit the crime can be held accountable even if they never actually had the opportunity to follow through with their plans. For example, if two individuals were planning to commit a robbery, but a third person overheard and reported this, then law enforcement may get involved before the robbery occurs. They will seek out evidence of the conspiracy to commit the crime in the form of witness statements and any other available proof. If one of the conspirators recently purchased a weapon or had been researching the intended victims, this might be relevant.
Having said that, it can be much more difficult to prove that someone intended to commit a crime if they never actually took steps to do so. When one person accuses you of something, it is very possible to argue against what the person believes or perceived as suspicious. The best thing that you can do for yourself when being accused of or investigated for a conspiracy crime is to contact a Charlotte, North Carolina, criminal defense attorney to discuss your charges and your options. At Remington & Dixon, we have the experience and skills necessary to help you get the best possible outcome in your criminal case.
