Federal Target Letter Attorney

Is It Guaranteed That I Will Be Indicted if I Receive a Target Letter?

No. Even while there is a good chance that someone will be charged, it is not guaranteed. It is not always possible for prosecutors to compile enough evidence to indict their targets. An accomplished wfederal target letter attorney may occasionally be able to convince the prosecution to end an inquiry or reclassify the defendant as a witness.

The specifics of your situation will determine whether this is doable. Read our blog post on “Targets, Subjects, and Witnesses in Federal Criminal Investigation” to discover more about the distinctions between targets, subjects, and witnesses.

Is It Necessary for the Government To Send Out Target Letters?

Target letters are not often needed to be issued by the government. They are actually less often than you may imagine. The majority of the time, the government does not want targets to be aware of their status out of concern that they would impede the investigation or run away. Most people who are indicted by the federal government never get target letters.

Am I Allowed To Submit a Motion To Dismiss the Target Letter?

Regrettably, no. The prosecutor’s own judgment of your place in his criminal investigation is conveyed in a target letter. A federal judge lacks the authority to consider it since it has not been filed with the court. Yes, the grand jury that will ultimately decide whether to examine the government’s request to indict you is subject to court supervision. It does not, however, have the same level of oversight over the government’s overall inquiry. Therefore, a “Motion to Dismiss Target Letter” does not exist.

How Soon After Sending Me a Target Letter Can the Government File Charges Against Me?

There isn’t a defined amount of time. You have a legal and constitutional right to a prompt trial if you are accused in federal court. Target letters are not subject to such laws. You might have a long wait since government investigations frequently take years to complete.

Is It Necessary for the Government To Let Me Know When I Am No Longer a Target? Dare I Ask?

If the government determines you are no longer a target, it is not compelled to notify you. The government may choose to inform you in specific circumstances, but it is not necessary.

You are, of course, free to get in touch with the authorities and inquire about your continued target status, but should you? The best course of action might be to avoid being seen as it is impossible to predict what the authorities will infer from your enquiry. We frequently tell our clients that getting in touch with the authorities to find out where they stand in an inquiry is not in their best interests.

How Should I Respond to a Target Letter?

You will have the best chance of getting a favorable outcome if you hire a capable federal criminal defense attorney early. In some circumstances, a federal target letter attorney might be able to convince the prosecutors to end their inquiry into you. Even if a criminal indictment is unavoidable, your federal target letter attorney might be able to gain early discovery, review the available evidence, and possibly get in touch with the prosecution to work out a good pre-indictment plea deal.

There may be more possibility for negotiation than in cases where the grand jury has already delivered an indictment with specific counts because the prosecution may not have expended a considerable amount of time and resources investigating the case at this point.

It’s crucial to understand what to avoid doing after receiving a target letter. Discover the usual errors and how they can worsen your situation by reading the information below.

Should I Interact With the Investigators?

No. Consider receiving a target letter informing you that the FBI is looking into you. It’s scary right now. You might be tempted to get in touch with the detectives to ask them questions. You might want to explain everything to them and let them know how you got involved, but this is usually a bad idea.

Your words could come back to haunt you. The agents aren’t there to help you; they’ve been thoroughly trained on how to take advantage of this circumstance. Please use your attorney to speak with the government only. Even though the impulse is great, you should hold off contacting the authorities until you have retained the services of an accomplished federal defense attorney.

Your federal target letter attorney may then suggest that you speak with the authorities if doing so would be to your advantage after thoroughly examining your situation. This can entail, for instance, participating in a proffer conference with prosecutors and agents or giving grand jury testimony while being granted immunity. However, your federal target letter attorney needs to explain the guidelines and restrictions to you in detail.

Is It Acceptable To Speak With Additional Parties Involved in the Investigation?

No. As with conversations with agents, your conversations with other people can be used against you if those individuals are subpoenaed at trial or before the grand jury. How may these discussions be put to use? One is that the prosecution is adept at twisting even harmless talks to its detriment. Furthermore, the prosecution could be able to charge you with obstructing justice if the people you communicate to are possible witnesses in the case.

What about relatives? Or, if you have to miss work for court appearances, what do you tell your employer? We understand that these circumstances can be challenging, especially when questions begin to arise from your spouse, parents, children, co-workers, or employer. The safest course of action is to speak with an attorney who can advise you as to what you should and should not discuss with such people. After considering all the facts and circumstances, your attorney can give you clear guidance as to topics and issues you can and cannot discuss, and advise you on how to deal with people close to you.

Should I Cooperate With the Government?

Possibly. This is a central question for many people targeted by the federal government, and the answer depends on the specific facts of the case. An experienced federal criminal lawyer can help you weigh such factors as your chances of winning at trial, your probable sentence if you lose at trial, and the advantages of cooperating with the government. You should not cooperate until these and other aspects of your case have been carefully examined.

What Else Should I Be Aware Of?

You should be aware of the law enforcement techniques the government is using or may use to investigate you. The federal government has vast investigative powers such as the power to tap your phone or search your home or place of business. It is also possible that people you know may be working as informants for the government without your knowledge.

The point is simple: do not do anything without consulting with your attorney. Under no circumstances should you get rid of evidence or tell anyone to lie.

How Should I Go About Hiring a Lawyer?

You should hire a federal target letter attorney who has significant experience in federal criminal cases. To learn more about how to find and hire the best criminal defense attorney, read out page on the subject here.

Although it may be tempting to reach out to a trusted attorney who handled your divorce or real estate closing, this is usually a mistake. That person may be an excellent lawyer, but his or her lack of experience in federal investigations will likely hurt your case, and there is simply too much on the line.

Protect Yourself, Get an Experienced Federal Target Letter Attorney

Federal cases are complicated, with difficulties in understanding federal sentencing guidelines, strict deadlines, and more written pleadings than are usually required when defending a case in state court.

Federal criminal defense cases require additional expertise and years of experience on the part of an attorney in the Federal Court. Consequently, it’s imperative that anyone charged with a federal crime engage an attorney who has tried cases in federal court.

Federal Crimes – Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer in Texas

Texas Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer Heath Hyde is dedicated to providing aggressive and ethical representation to individuals and businesses charged with criminal offenses including:

• Financial Fraud – White Collar Crime
• Healthcare Fraud
• Pharmacy Fraud
• Healthcare compliance
• Computer Cyber Crimes – Hacking
• Tax Fraud / IRS Crime
• Drug Possession & Trafficking
• Child Pornography and Sex Crimes
• Forfeiture Cases
• Securities / Broker Fraud
• PPC Loan Fraud
• EIDL Loan Fraud
• Capital Murder
• Federal Murder Case
• Federal Agriculture disputes
• Eminent Domain Settlements
• Grand Jury Subpoenas
• USDA APHIS Investigations
• IES Investigations
• OIG Investigations
• SEC Investigations
• ATF Investigations
• High Stakes Super Criminal State Cases
• Qui tam FCA defense
• Federal Public Corruption Defense
• Local Counsel in all Districts in Texas

Heath Hyde has handled hundreds of federal criminal cases, not only in Texas but also in Federal Courts throughout the United States.

He has 30 years of combined experience defending cases in federal court – based in Texas. Despite the fact that the conviction rate in the Federal Court is approximately 90-95%, Heath Hyde has won approximately 90% of his Federal cases at trial.

Heath Hyde has represented defendants charged with virtually every kind of federal case. See Heath Hyde Results and Client Testimonials.