What Are the Penalties for White Collar Crimes in Texas?

 Posted on August 22,2024 in Criminal Defense

Crimes such as assault, homicide, kidnapping, robbery, and drunk driving typically end with the perpetrator in jail, paying heavy fines. But what about crimes that do not involve violence or any other kind of direct physical harm to anyone? 

These kinds of crimes are typically referred to as "white collar crimes"; they are non-violent and are usually done for financial gain. White collar crimes involve complicated planning and execution and are most often done by professionals with the kind of education and access to the systems that allow this kind of crime to be committed. Private citizens, businesses, and even government officials have been convicted for white collar crimes.

Because white collar crime often involves enormous amounts of money, Texas aggressively pursues people accused of these crimes, sometimes with the help of the federal government. If you have been accused of a white collar crime, take it seriously and hire a Texas criminal defense attorney, even if you believe you are innocent or there is no evidence against you. A conviction could impact your life forever.

What is a White Collar Crime in Texas? 

"White collar" is not a technical term under the law, but it is consistently used to describe certain criminal behavior. This includes, but is not limited to: 

• Fraud, including mortgage fraud, healthcare fraud, securities fraud, and corporate fraud
• Money laundering
• Bribery, kickbacks, and other types of corruption
• Extortion 
• Cybercrime

Successful white collar crimes often result in enormous financial losses for companies and families, wiping out savings accounts, investments, and company holdings. When white collar crimes involve activity in multiple states and countries, they become federal crimes, and the FBI and even the Department of Homeland Security can become involved.

What Happens if You Are Convicted of a White Collar Crime? 

Punishments for white collar crimes vary widely, especially because investigators will often make attractive offers for plea deals in exchange for information about other people involved in a crime. However, penalties for common white collar crimes are harsh; as the seriousness of the crime and the number of people affected by it increases, so too do the penalties.

If you are convicted of a white collar crime, you may face time in state or federal prison, large fines, probation, restitution, and community service. In addition to the penalties enforced by the law, you will likely also suffer serious personal difficulties, including harm to your reputation, difficulty getting a job, strained relationships with family and friends, and even divorce.

Are There Any Defenses Against White Collar Crime? 

Because white collar crime is often sophisticated and complex, it can be very difficult to defend against without the help of an aggressive, proven criminal defense attorney who can create a custom defense for your case. Depending on the particulars of your case, a criminal defense attorney may use any of the following defenses: 

• Insufficient evidence - Perhaps the most common defense against white collar crime, this strategy tries to show that the prosecution simply does not have the evidence they need to convict you. A great criminal defense attorney will work to plant seeds of doubt in the jury’s mind, making it difficult for them to come to a unanimous guilty verdict. 
• Lack of intent - This defense strategy will argue that, despite the fact that you may have committed some of the actions of which you are accused, you did not mean to commit a crime. Your attorney could argue that what you did was a mistake or was done with honest intentions. 
• Entrapment - Although entrapment cases are relatively rare, police do sometimes try to get people to commit crimes as a sneaky way of catching networks of criminals. If you would never have committed the alleged crime if a law enforcement official had not pressured or induced you, you may be able to convince a jury that you are not guilty. 

Call Our Plano, TX White Collar Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you have been accused of a white collar crime of any kind – even if you are simply being investigated but have not yet been charged or arrested – you need a Collin County, TX white collar criminal defense attorney right away. White collar crimes are prosecuted aggressively in Texas, especially if evidence points to behavior that falls under federal jurisdiction. At The Crowder Law Firm, P.C., we have proven experience winning great results in even the most serious criminal cases. Call us today at 214-544-0061 to schedule your initial attorney meeting for free.