Skilled Criminal Attorney Fights Texas Racketeering Charges

San Antonio lawyer represents defendants in RICO cases

Federal and state anti-racketeering laws are intended to punish organizations that support or benefit from criminal activity. If you are charged under the federal or Texas Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), you need an experienced lawyer who understands the complexities of the law. At Kevin L. Collins, P.C., I am ready to take on your RICO case, no matter how complex, and to defend you zealously.

What is a RICO violation?

RICO laws are among the most powerful tools in federal and state prosecutors’ arsenal. The federal RICO law lists criminal acts deemed racketeering activities and defines a pattern of racketeering as two or more such acts within a 10-year period. The law prohibits:

• Using proceeds from a pattern of racketeering activity or collecting an illegal gambling debt to acquire, invest in or maintain an interest in any enterprise, formal or informal, engaged in interstate commerce
• Using such an enterprise to engage in a pattern of racketeering activities or for collection of illegal gambling debts
• Conspiring to do any of those things

The Texas RICO statute outlaws engaging in organized criminal activity, which is defined as occurring when a defendant both:

• Intends to establish, maintain or participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination or as a member of a criminal street gang
• Commits or conspires to commit any of a number of specified crimes, even if only once

If you are charged with violating either federal or state RICO law, you need a skilled and experienced criminal defense attorney. My decades of work as both a prosecutor and defense counsel give me not only a deep knowledge of the law but also keen insights into assembling an effective defense and dealing with the prosecution. This includes contesting federal charges that you were involved in a RICO enterprise or state charges that you were part of a criminal organization or had knowledge that you were furthering its nefarious purposes.

What penalties can I face for a RICO violation?

If you are convicted of a RICO violation, the punishments can be severe. Each federal RICO violation is punishable by up to 20 years in prison or even life imprisonment if the underlying crime, such as murder, is punishable by a life sentence. The government can also seize any property that is proved to be proceeds of a violation. Under the Texas RICO statute, each RICO offense is punished more harshly than the most serious crime underlying the charge, and conspiracy to violate RICO is punished as harshly as the most serious crime. I will pursue a defensive strategy designed to avoid the most severe penalties, including a plea bargain to a lesser offense. I may also be able to obtain a reduced sentence by presenting evidence that you voluntarily withdrew from and/or tried to prevent the commission of the underlying offense.

Contact a San Antonio RICO defense attorney for more information

If you are charged with or under investigation for violating federal or state RICO laws, reach out to Kevin L. Collins, P.C. in San Antonio, Texas, either by contacting me online or by calling me at 210-598-8629.