Top Baltimore, MD RICO Lawyers Near You
Fed Trouble? Free Consult. Former Prosecutor & Team Former Federal Agents. Call/Text 24/7. Immediate Response Guaranteed!
Se Habla Español
Free Consultation
Virtual Appointments
Baltimore Premier Criminal Defense Firm, Handling both Federal and State Cases for over 33 years, including Internet Sex Crimes.
Free Consultation
Experience Matters When So Much Is On The Line. Representing Clients In All States For Federal Criminal Defense
Se Habla Español
Free Consultation
Virtual Appointments
Our nationwide team of defense lawyers includes a former U.S. Attorney, four former Federal Prosecutors, two former FBI agents and two former Army JAGS.
Free Consultation
Virtual Appointments
1435 Sulphur Spring Road, 1st Floor, Baltimore, MD 21227
Other Nearby Offices
Get assistance for your RICO issue in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Law Offices of Charles L. Waechter can help.
Free Consultation
100 Light Street, 26th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202
111 S Calvert St, Suite 2000, Baltimore, MD 21202
250 W Pratt St, Suite 2200, Baltimore, MD 21201
400 East Pratt Street, 8th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202
6914 Holabird Avenue, Suite A, Baltimore, MD 21222-1747
100 International Dr, Suite 700, Baltimore, MD 21202
1201 Wills St, Suite 320, Baltimore, MD 21231
2200 Defense Highway, Suite 301, Crofton, MD 21114
210 Allegheny Ave, Towson, MD 21204
120 East Baltimore Street, Suite 2500, Baltimore, MD 21202
210 West Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 400, Towson, MD 21204
100 International Drive, Suite 2300, Baltimore, MD 21202
901 Dulaney Valley Road, Suite 500, Towson, MD 21204
100 Light Street, 19th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202-1643
100 Light Street, Suite 1350, Baltimore, MD 21202
145 West Ostend Street, Suite 600, Baltimore, MD 21230
100 W Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 10, Towson, MD 21204
400 Redland Ct, Suite 204, Owings Mills, MD 21117
111 S Calvert St, Suite 2805, Baltimore, MD 21202
750 East Pratt Street, Suite 900, Baltimore, MD 21202
233 E Redwood St, Suite 1000C, Baltimore, MD 21202
100 East Pratt Street, Suite 2440, Baltimore, MD 21202-1031
107 Ridgely Ave, Suite 9, Annapolis, MD 21401
1501 Sulgrave Ave, Suite 311, Baltimore, MD 21209
Baltimore RICO Information
Lead Counsel independently verifies RICO attorneys in Baltimore and checks their standing with Maryland bar associations.
Our Verification Process and Criteria
Ample Experience
Attorneys must meet stringent qualifications and prove they practice in the area of law they’re verified in.Good Standing
Be in good standing with their bar associations and maintain a clean disciplinary record.Annual Review
Submit to an annual review to retain their Lead Counsel Verified status.Client Commitment
Pledge to follow the highest quality client service and ethical standards.
What Is a RICO Violation?
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act was enacted in 1970 to address organized crime. Under RICO laws, anyone associated with the criminal group could be charged, including organization leaders who ordered or oversaw the criminal activity without directly taking part. RICO also provided for civil remedies and triple damages to recover unlawful gains.
How Do I Get a RICO Charge?
A RICO charge generally involves participation in a “criminal enterprise” with a “pattern of racketeering activity.” To get a RICO charge, the prosecutor must suspect you were involved in a criminal gang or group and the criminal activity involved more than a one-time event. Initially, RICO was used to go after organized crime and the Mafia. However, since the law went into effect, it has been used to indict a number of alleged criminal enterprises, including street gangs, motorcycle gangs, corporations, and police departments
The RICO Act also makes it a violation to conspire to commit racketeering offenses. Conspiracy to violate RICO charges means that someone can be charged and convicted even if the crime was never carried out. A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime, with some overt act towards furthering the offense.
What Does the RICO Act Cover?
A “pattern of racketeering activity” requires at least two qualifying acts, within a period of ten years. The RICO Act has included several crimes that qualify as racketeering activity, including state and federal offenses. Acts of racketeering can include:
- Illegal gambling
- Murder
- Kidnapping
- Extortion
- Arson
- Robbery
- Bribery
- Dealing in obscene matter
- Drug offenses
- Counterfeiting
- Theft
- Embezzlement
- Fraud
- Witness tampering
- Human trafficking
- Money laundering
- Murder-for-hire
- Loan-sharking
- Terrorism
- Mail fraud
- Wire fraud
- Securities fraud
How Serious Is a RICO Charge?
A RICO charge is a serious criminal offense that carries the possibility of jail time, fines, and seizure of assets. RICO charges are federal felony charges that include imprisonment for up to 20 years or more. In addition to prison penalties, there are severe financial penalties, which include forfeiture of any interest, security, or property derived from racketeering activity.
There are also civil penalties under RICO. A violation of the RICO Act could include ordering the defendant to turn over financial or business interests, restrict future activities, and break up organizations. Civil remedies can also require restitution to any victims of the criminal offenses.
How Do You Beat a RICO Case?
When federal prosecutors charge someone with RICO offenses, the penalties can include years in federal prison and loss of your financial assets. However, you may have a strong legal case to beat RICO charges. Legal defenses may include challenging the prosecutor’s case to show there was no criminal enterprise and no pattern of criminal activity.
Even if you were involved in criminal activity, it has to be a pattern of racketeering. If there is only evidence of one crime, the defendant should not be convicted under RICO. Alternatively, committing a crime on your own without participation in a criminal organization may be another defense strategy.
Prosecutors may rely on the seriousness of RICO charges to get the defendant to plead guilty to other charges instead of facing the increased RICO penalties. However, before you plead guilty to criminal charges, you should consider talking to a criminal defense attorney for legal advice.