Florida Criminal Defense Blog | Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group

What should you know about mail fraud?

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jul 29, 2022 | White Collar Crimes

Mail fraud is a form of fraudulent activity that can come with heavy repercussions. It can potentially ruin someone's career, finances, or even their entire life. Though some people may engage in it without understanding this, it is important to know the penalties tied to this federal crime. Why is it a felony? The U.S. Department of Justice discusses mail fraud. This act involves attempting to part someone from their money, assets, or right to honest service through means that enlist the use of the mail system. A classic example involves fraudulent postcards soliciting someone to send money...

A Quick And Dirty Overview Of Federal Money Laundering Laws

by Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Jul 27, 2022 | Criminal Charges, Criminal Law, White Collar Crimes

Money laundering is one of the more common white-collar crimes charged in Florida. Although there are statutes on the books in Florida that prohibit money laundering, there are also Federal statutes that may come into play in a money laundering prosecution in Florida as well. Following is a discussion of Federal money laundering laws and what you need to know about them if you should happen to find yourself charged with money laundering in Florida. Basics Money laundering is a process by which an individual attempts to hide or obscure the source of funds derived in the course of a crime....

Don’t Get Trapped By Florida’s False Imprisonment Law!

by Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Jul 20, 2022 | Criminal Charges, Criminal Law

False imprisonment is a crime that is commonly misunderstood in Florida. It is a serious crime nonetheless, and a conviction of false imprisonment carries serious consequences with it. What follows is a discussion of Florida’s false imprisonment law and what you need to know if you ever find yourself charged with it. Basics Florida law defines false imprisonment as forcibly, by threat, or secretly confining, abducting, imprisoning, or restraining another person without lawful authority and against his or her will. Although false imprisonment closely resembles kidnapping, there are important...

Are you facing drug trafficking charges?

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jul 19, 2022 | Drug Charges

Drug trafficking by definition is the sale, transport or import of controlled substances or illegal drugs. In a court of law, drug trafficking also goes by the name of distribution. Many trafficking cases involve drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone, cocaine and heroin. The penalty for distributing these drugs will often have high, far-reaching and long-lasting impacts. Defining drug trafficking The Florida Statutes discuss how to handle drug-related crimes such as this. In the state, it is illegal to deliver controlled substances, sell them, manufacture them, or process them with an intent to...

Defenses To First Degree Murder In Florida

by Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Jul 14, 2022 | Criminal Charges, Criminal Law

First degree murder is a serious charge with serious consequences in Florida. Defense attorneys have several ways to defend against a first-degree murder charge, which makes it of vital importance that you enlist the services of the best defense attorney available if charged. Following are several of the more common defenses to first degree murder used by defense attorneys in Florida. Wrong Defendant Perhaps the most common defense to first degree murder in Florida is the SODDI defense – “some other dude did it.” A common tactic in a SODDI defense is to introduce evidence of an alibi...

When does a Florida drug charge become a federal crime?

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jul 7, 2022 | Drug Charges

In many cases, the state handles drug crimes. If you commit a drug crime in Florida, you will likely face a misdemeanor charge. However, certain factors can put you at risk for a federal drug charge. The distribution Drug trafficking charges, which are federal charges, come into play when drugs cross state lines. You can also face a drug trafficking charge if you use the mail system to transport drugs, even if the mail only travels within Florida. The type of drug The Controlled Substance Act (CSA) is a policy that details how various groups of drugs are federally regulated. There are five...

The danger of insider training

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jul 5, 2022 | White Collar Crimes

In terms of white-collar crime, some crimes can come with heavy penalties that can potentially change a business owner's life. One of these white-collar crimes is insider training. What is insider training? Illicit insider training involves buying and selling a security while an individual or corporation has nonpublic information. To commit illegal insider training, the individual breaches his or her fiduciary duty. Material information is all information that affects an investor's decision when it comes to buying or selling security. Non-public information is all information that only a...

Don’t Get Caught In Federal Drug Trafficking Laws!

by Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Jul 5, 2022 | Criminal Charges, Criminal Law, Drug Charges, Drug Crimes

Drug trafficking is a serious offense in Florida. Both Florida and Federal laws prohibit drug trafficking, so an arrest for it in Florida could result in multiple charges by both jurisdictions. Following is what you need to know about drug trafficking and the Florida and Federal laws surrounding it. Basics In general, drug trafficking is more than just possessing a small quantity of drugs. Drug trafficking is selling, importing, or transporting illicit drugs and usually involves more than what may be considered a “personal” amount of illegal drugs. Drug Scheduling Among the more commonly...

Vandalism In The United States: What You Need To Know

by Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Jun 30, 2022 | Criminal Charges, Criminal Law

Vandalism in Florida is a crime that costs both the government and private landowners millions of dollars each year. Sometimes the perpetrators are caught, oftentimes they are not, and sometimes law enforcement collars people who are not guilty of vandalism and charges them with the crime. Here’s what you need to know about the crime of vandalism in Florida. In a nutshell, vandalism is the willful destruction, alteration, or defacing of property belonging to another. Frequent methods include spray painting, indelible markers, eggs, and keys. The property need not be totally destroyed. Every...

What, exactly, is a target letter?

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jun 22, 2022 | White Collar Crimes

The government takes federal crimes as seriously as a heart attack. Agents pursue investigations with bulldogged persistence. The Department of Justice or an agency related to a case must inform targets that a review is underway. If you become one of these subjects of interest, expect a notification to arrive by mail. What is in a target letter? Getting a target letter may confuse you, as you have likely never seen one before. It is not junk. You are not heading to jail at this moment. That said, the contents are of great importance. Target letters tend to be short. Such correspondence...