Penalties in Bribery Cases

Penalties for white collar crimes could range from very expensive fines to long prison sentences. Even if the most common punishment is time in minimum-security prisons, there’s no reason it can be something even harsher, especially if substantial amounts of money are involved. White collar crimes like tax fraud, credit card fraud, insider trading and fraud against the government are harshly punished and sometimes even handed over to federal prosecutors. For bribery charges, depending on their seriousness, and whether the crime is classified as a misdemeanor or a felony is detailed in their individual statutes in Kentucky Revised Statutes.

Take bribery offenses and allegations seriously and get professional legal representation in an expert local bribery lawyer as soon as possible to see to your case.

Misdemeanor

A misdemeanor is a crime punishable by less than a year in prison, and sometimes there are only heavy fines involved, probation, or other sentences less harsh than with felonies. The consequences for someone guilty of a bribery crime punishable by a misdemeanor are;

• Class A misdemeanors – 90 days to 12 months jail time, including a monetary fine that can cost up to 500 dollars , and
• Class B misdemeanors – up to 90 days jail time, including a monetary fine up to 250 dollars

Nonetheless, they are a stain on your permanent record and can change your life for the worse, which is why you need the best bribery attorney you can get. A competent bribery defense attorney can get your case dismissed, charges filed against you dropped, or fight for an expungement of your misdemeanor conviction altogether.

Felony

A felony is the most serious type of crime, and hence, they offer the most serious punishments, with years in prison. They are divided (like misdemeanors as well) into classes. The imprisonment terms for each class of this offense are;

• Class A – 20 to 50 years, or even life imprisonment,
• Class B – 10 to 20 years,
• Class C – 5 to 10 years, and
• Class D – 1 to 5 years

All serious crimes, except murders (they have their own punishments), are classified as felonies.

It’s also important to point out that former convictions of this degree matter. If district court investigations and records show you are a “persistent offender,” then it’s very likely you’ll be facing a longer prison term vs someone guilty of the same crime without records of a prior felony conviction. (Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 532.080 (2019 ).). If this is the case, it is advised for you to share this information with your bribery defense lawyer at the earliest.

A person found guilty of a felony in states like Kentucky will also need to pay a fine costing between 1,000 dollars and 10,000 dollars. Or, if it applies, double any gain from committing the offense. In the event that it does, the district court usually orders whichever amount is greater to be paid (Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 534.030 (2019 ).).

It’s difficult facing offenses as serious as this alone, especially since these have long-lasting consequences on a person’s life once convicted. Which is why hiring expert bribery defense attorneys with adept insights and resources are essential. It’s also good advice to hire bribery lawyers who pay close attention to create a great working attorney client relationship with the people and cases they take on. Experienced bribery attorneys will know what to expect including with the best way to protect your rights, or avoid a conviction altogether.

Federal

In the United States, more than other crimes, white collar offenses are usually prosecuted by federal authorities. The FBI is responsible for processing those accused of federal white-collar crimes. Federal white-collar charges result when they transpire on or against federal property and institutions, but they are mostly a federal offense because they normally involve financial institutions and businesses across several states. Some of these offenses include, but are not limited to, money laundering, tax evasion, election law violations, embezzlement, and several types of fraud, like mortgage, bank, health care, mass marketing, securities, and commodities, and corporate fraud. People in business or government are the vast majority of those arrested for white collar crimes. These are not victimless crimes.There can be billions of dollars at stake, along with the livelihoods of thousands of people. The penalties for white -collar crimes can range from a simple fine to jail time of a few years. The punishment will depend on the extent of the money involved, people affected, and even the social implications of your crime. You will immediately need a federal bribery lawyer if you are facing bribery charges in Kentucky or anywhere else.

You need an experienced lawyer that specializes in criminal defense

All of our criminal bribery attorneys at Cooley Iuliano Robey, PLLC are members of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers as well as the Kentucky Bar Association, with decades of experience in matters of bribery charge and bribery defenses or other practice areas. We value the best interest of every client, above all, and with our insights about law, we can create new defense opportunities in your case, no matter how minor. When it comes to bribery crimes, you need bribery  attorneys who will fight for your constitutional rights, and start by doing an evaluation of every evidence and detail of your case content, no matter how inconsequential they may be. We will then create the best defenses in your trial and strive to avoid the harshest sentence or any penalties at all.

Free Consultation & Case Review from our experienced bribery lawyers

At CIR Legal, our bribery attorney’s bribery defense services include offering free consultation and case review to potential clients or otherwise. Our bribery attorneys have fought and will always strive to fight for the rights of every defendant in the state of Kentucky, no matter the type of offense. Call our law office at 859-636-6803 or fill out our form for a free consultation, no matter if it’s pm or am.