Year: 2019
White collar crimes, like fraud, are extremely complicated to investigate and often demand multiple federal agencies and heavy sentences. This month, seven defendants pleaded guilty to a series of offenses linked to the fraudulent sale of dietary supplements by a Dallas company. The Dallas Morning News noted how USP Labs claimed its products were derived…
Do you know your rights? As a citizen, resident or visitor to the United States, you have certain rights under federal law. While most people learn about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in school, it’s always good to refresh your memory when it comes to understanding your legal rights under the law. The…
Hit-and-run is a serious crime in Texas. This month, a driver was accused of killing three people on an interstate near Dallas and fleeing the accident scene. Dallas police sought Jesus Chavarria-Vasquez, 32, after three men were killed and two were injured on March 10. Investigators said Chavarria-Vasquez abandoned his 12-year-old son at the scene…
White collar crimes are viewed as serious felonies. Is forgery considered a white-collar crime and how is it charged and punished in Texas? When you hear someone mention a white-collar crime, your first thoughts probably wander to someplace that involves embezzlement or money laundering. The most serious white-collar crimes, at least the ones we read…
No-knock raids by police are a controversial and dangerous practice, nowhere more so than in Texas where police and homeowners have been killed in recent years. In January, two people in Houston were shot dead in a disastrous no-knock drug raid by police. A few weeks later, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo announced he intends…
Corporate fraud is a complex area of law. Here’s what you need to know about corporate fraud crime, along with answers to the most commonly asked questions. No business, no matter how large or small, is exempt from the risk of corporate fraud. Crimes in this category happen on both large and small scales and…
Texas set up a new jail system a quarter of a century ago intended to keep low-level drug offenders out of the state’s overcrowded prisons. Lawmakers sought to give inmates convicted of non-violent drug offenses less time behind bars than in state prisons. Instead, they would receive rehabilitative services on probation and be supervised to…
Social media has changed just about everything about life, including the way people carry out crimes. Before the internet and social networks, committing a crime required legwork. These days, however, it’s possible to engage in crime without ever leaving the house. In some cases, people don’t realize that the activities they do online could land…
Most people have a basic understanding of double jeopardy. Generally, the double jeopardy clause, which is found in the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, states that a person can’t be prosecuted more than once for the same crime. However, there are several exceptions to the double jeopardy doctrine, and it’s not as straightforward as…
Some people make mistakes when they are young. In Texas, a serious mistake as a teen can mean decades behind bars. The criminal justice system has a reputation for being tough on young offenders and has treated those 17 or older as adults. A new bill filed in the Texas House by Rep. Joe Moody,…