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

Why is mail fraud so serious?

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jan 11, 2022 | Government Fraud

When a person thinks of federal crimes, it is highly likely that the bigger and flashier crimes typical of Hollywood blockbusters often come to mind first and foremost. However, a crime does not need to be a big, flashy production in order to fall under federal jurisdiction. In fact, mail fraud actually falls under this category. But why is mail fraud such a serious crime? What does mail fraud entail? The Department of Justice looks into mail fraud as a federal crime. Mail fraud falls under this category due to the fact that it involves the use of a government-sanctioned system, i.e. the...

Write This Down: The Facts Of Florida’s Laws Against Forgery

by Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Jan 11, 2022 | Criminal Charges, Criminal Law, White Collar Crimes

Forgery in Florida is a serious offense. Many Floridians have been victimized by forgery crimes, and the cost to Floridians of forgery runs into the tens of millions of dollars each year. What follows is a brief overview of the laws prohibiting forgery in Florida. History Despite the public misconception, the history of the term “forgery” has nothing to do with a blacksmith’s forge. “Forgery” comes to Modern English via the Anglo-French verb forger, which means the act of falsifying. Forgery has long been a part of English common law, and today it is a crime in every American state and...

Take A Second To Learn About Second Degree Murder In Florida

by Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jan 6, 2022 | Capital Murder, Criminal Charges, Criminal Law

Florida law classifies the unlawful killing of another person into several degrees. While the most serious is first degree murder, Florida’s laws on second degree murder come into play on a regular basis. Following is what you need to know about second degree murder in Florida. History The first American jurisdiction to divide murder into degrees was Pennsylvania in the late 18th century. Initially the push to divide murder into degrees was prompted by the desire to penalize murder with some punishment less severe than the death penalty. Gradually American states adopted the practice by...

Officials may add RICO charges to securities offenses

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Jan 3, 2022 | White Collar Crimes

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act covers offenses related to an ongoing pattern of unlawful activity. As described by the Wall Street Journal, federal officials first used RICO to indict individuals purportedly involved in organized crime. The unlawful activities often included drug trafficking. The U.S. Department of Justice notes that federal prosecutors may file RICO charges against individuals allegedly engaged in mail, securities or wire fraud. Indictments under the RICO Act may result in harsher penalties than charges covering only white collar offenses....

Get Your Hands On The Facts Surrounding Shoplifting In Florida

by Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Dec 30, 2021 | Criminal Charges, Criminal Law, White Collar Crimes

Shoplifting is a crime of significant concern in Florida. Although individual cases tend to involve very little value, in the aggregate retailers lose tens of billions of dollars each year to shoplifting. The following is what you need to know if you find yourself charged with shoplifting in Florida. History There has been shoplifting as long as there has been retail shops. The first instance known to English common law was prosecuted in the 16th century by individuals known as “lifters” (women who shoplifted were known as “Amazons” or “roaring girls”). The following century saw shopkeepers...

Get Your Sights On Florida’s Gun Control Laws

by Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Dec 21, 2021 | Criminal Charges, Criminal Law

Gun control laws in Florida is a highly contentious subject, especially over the past several years. Many misconceptions persist about Florida’s gun control laws, and this article will address some of those misconceptions as it covers the basics of gun control laws in Florida. Illegal Firearms Florida law prohibits several different types of firearms and accessories for firearms. In general, firearms and firearms accessories that have a high rate of fire, are difficult to track, and are particularly dangerous are illegal in Florida. Illegal firearms and firearms accessories include...

Are counterfeit goods becoming a problem?

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 17, 2021 | White Collar Crimes

If you are somebody who sells products as part of a business, you want your goods to be authentic and not imitations. Selling counterfeit goods is against federal law and could result in legal penalties. Additionally, if a customer buys a counterfeit product from you and gets hurt from using it, it could lead to litigation against you. The rise of online shopping is exposing more customers to the risk of buying counterfeit goods without knowing about it. CBS News recently reported on how this increased risk is unfolding. The problems with overseas shipping Overseas sellers are becoming a...

Attorney Bjorn Brunvand Interviewed by Brianna Keilar on CNN New Day

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 16, 2021 | Firm News

Attorney Bjorn Brunvand spoke with CNN New Day anchor Brianna Keilar on December 15th, 2021 regarding client Robert Scott Palmer. Watch the full interview Read the video transcript at https://transcripts.cnn.com/ Full post on Facebook Video freeze frame from Bjorn on CNN New Day.

The Nuts And Bolts Of Being Arrested In Florida

Brunvand Wise, P.A. | Dec 14, 2021 | Criminal Law

Being arrested is never fun. Although an arrest by itself isn’t necessarily a life-altering event, it is usually an event fraught with fear and uncertainty. However, a little knowledge may help to make being arrested in Florida a little less frightening. Here’s what you need to know if you find yourself under arrest in Florida. Detention Versus Arrest Under Florida law, a law enforcement officer may conduct a detention, which is not the same as an arrest. Often known as a “stop and frisk,” in a detention an officer may ask you to identify yourself and explain why you are where you are....

Consequences of paying for sex in Florida

On Behalf of Brunvand, Wise & Farinella Law Group | Dec 6, 2021 | Sex Crimes

In Florida, just like in most other jurisdictions, people who give their bodies for sexual activity for hire are not the only people who can face criminal charges for prostitution. So too can people who solicit or pay for sexual activity. The penalties for paying for prostitution services in Florida depend largely on the number of prior convictions for a similar offense a defendant has on his or her record. A judge in a prostitution case may also use his or her discretion to dole out additional consequences. Statutory penalties for paying for prostitution services According to FindLaw,...