Posted on September 16,2024 in Criminal Defense

As the world began understanding the debilitating effects that the COVID-19 pandemic was having globally, the U.S. Government got to work creating economic support for people whose finances were harmed. Unemployed individuals, small businesses, and companies received hundreds of billions of dollars to encourage the economy and keep it from collapsing. This aid was set aside for people who needed it, but over $8 billion in relief fraud was discovered, triggering the creation of a federal task force to address it. To date, over 3,500 people have been charged and over 400 civil lawsuits filed about this. Unfortunately, given the motivation to stop COVID fraud, many innocent people who truly needed economic relief have been caught in the middle and are facing charges, too. Since COVID fraud includes federal offenses like wire fraud, bank fraud, and disaster assistance fraud, the consequences can be severe. If you have been accused of COVID fraud, ask a qualified Naperville, IL criminal defense lawyer for guidance.

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 Posted on September 12,2024 in Criminal Defense

Gun laws can be difficult to keep track of. Many legal measures are in place to protect American citizens’ right to bear arms, which was established in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. There are other protections in place aimed at restricting people’s access to guns for the sake of public safety. Not only is it confusing because these two objectives tend to be at odds with each other, but laws in both directions keep changing. That means that you might find yourself facing criminal charges without realizing you did anything wrong. In 2022, President Biden signed a gun safety law that has recently taken effect. Recent numbers claim that over 500 cases of federal weapons charges have resulted. If you want to learn more about the implications of gun law development, speak with a knowledgeable Naperville, IL criminal defense lawyer.

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 Posted on August 28,2024 in Criminal Defense

Counterfeiting is a serious crime that involves the creation or distribution of fake items, such as currency, documents, or goods, with the intent to trick others into thinking they are real. These actions are not only illegal but can also lead to severe consequences, especially when federal laws are violated.

If you or someone you know is facing state or federal counterfeit criminal charges, it is crucial to get help from an attorney as soon as possible. Contacting a knowledgeable Naperville, IL federal criminal defense attorney is the first step in protecting your rights and building a strong defense against these charges.

What Behaviors Can Lead to Counterfeiting Charges?

Counterfeiting covers a wide range of activities that can lead to criminal charges. Some of the behaviors that can result in counterfeiting charges include:

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 Posted on August 21,2024 in Criminal Defense

In 2010, Illinois passed a new law called the Home Repair Fraud Act that is intended to work hand-in-hand with the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act to help homeowners targeted by allegedly dishonest contractors. Consumers who say they paid for poor-quality work, work they never received, or work that was only partly completed can pursue action against the responsible person and that person can face serious penalties. If you are a contractor, repairman, tiler, concrete layer, or any other home repair professional and are accused of unfair or illegal behavior, hire an Illinois criminal defense attorney right away.

What is the Home Repair Fraud Act? 

The Home Repair Fraud Act covers a wide variety of the most common contractor and home repair practices that are considered fraudulent or unfair. People violate the Act and engage in home repair fraud when they knowingly enter into a contract or agreement, whether orally or in writing, and:

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 Posted on August 15,2024 in Sex Offenses

AI technology is developing and spreading fast. There are so many computer-generated images out there that it can be hard at times to know what is authentic and what is not. A fairly recent trend involves using "deepfakes" to create pornographic content. That means that a real person’s voice and face are manipulated to seem like they are engaged in sexually explicit behavior when they are not.

With questions arising about consent, privacy, and freedom of expression, emerging laws are criminalizing some of these practices. If you use AI technology to produce videos and images, make sure to contact a knowledgeable Naperville, IL criminal defense attorney who can explain developing laws and help you avoid accidentally violating them.

What is the DEFIANCE Act?

A fairly new act has been introduced to regulate how manipulated images, or deepfakes, are used in pornographic content. Known as the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024, or the DEFIANCE Act, this piece of legislation is focused on criminalizing the production, distribution, and possession of deepfake pornography if the person depicted in it has not given their consent for their likeness to be used in it.

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 Posted on August 07,2024 in Criminal Defense

Rights groups in Illinois say that domestic violence deaths increased more than 110 percent in 2023 compared to 2022 and that other types of domestic violence are increasing as well. In response, rights groups are pushing a law that would allow a judge to issue an Order of Protection in response to domestic violence accusations that come along with a search warrant, giving police officers four days to search someone’s house and take that person’s weapons. In light of a recent Supreme Court decision allowing similar laws to be upheld, this law, if passed, would further restrict gun ownership in addition to the other restrictions people under Orders of Protection commonly deal with.

If you are served with a protective order in response to accusations of domestic violence, you should have an Illinois criminal defense attorney on your side as soon as possible. Even if you think you may get in even bigger trouble if you fight the charges against you, having an attorney in your corner fighting for your rights could give you more options than you realize.

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 Posted on July 31,2024 in Juvenile Offenses

A conviction and even an accusation of juvenile crimes can impact a minor for the rest of his or her life. While some crimes that juveniles commit may be nothing more than petty offenses, other crimes can result in major legal consequences and convictions on your child’s record. An experienced Illinois juvenile criminal defense attorney can help you understand the next steps if your child has been charged with a crime.

Common Juvenile Crimes

It is important to note that juvenile crimes are those committed by individuals under the age of 18, even though a minor under 18 can potentially be tried as an adult for particularly severe crimes.

The most common types of crimes that juveniles are arrested for in Illinois include the following:

• Theft – This includes shoplifting, also known as retail theft, and theft crimes can easily increase in severity from misdemeanors to felonies if the stolen property is valuable or the juvenile used force or a weapon while committing the crime.

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 Posted on July 29,2024 in Criminal Defense

While checks are not often used in today’s modern world, people still pay for items with checks from time to time. The practice of writing a bad check, meaning one that is written when there are insufficient funds in an account or a bank account is closed, can be considered a crime in Illinois. Depending on the value of the check, serious legal consequences like jail time may apply.

If you are facing charges after writing a bad check, you will need the assistance of a skilled Illinois deceptive practices defense attorney.

Bad Checks and Deceptive Practices – What to Know

Writing a bad check may happen by accident sometimes, but when a person knowingly writes bad checks with the intent to avoid paying for items, he or she may be found guilty of deceptive practices. In Illinois, deceptive practices are typically considered a type of white-collar crime, which is one that is done for financial gain, and you can face criminal charges for writing bad checks.

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 Posted on July 20,2024 in Drug Offenses

While marijuana is legal in Illinois for both recreational and medical purposes as of 2020, growing marijuana around your home may still lead to legal consequences. Depending on how much marijuana you are growing and whether or not you have a medical cannabis card, you may face serious penalties for growing marijuana in Illinois.

An experienced Illinois marijuana criminal offense lawyer can help you understand your rights if you are facing charges for growing marijuana around your home or apartment.

Growing Marijuana in Illinois – What is Legal?

In Illinois, people who have a medical cannabis card and are 21 years old or older can grow marijuana on their property. With a valid card, you can grow up to five marijuana plants that are five inches or taller within your home or apartment, provided you keep the plants in a locked room and out of sight of the public.

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 Posted on July 08,2024 in Criminal Defense

Probation is a common penalty for people who have committed low-level crimes to remain under the supervision of the criminal justice system in Illinois without physically being in prison. For many, probation is preferable to time spent behind bars, but that does not mean you can do whatever you want while on probation. In fact, there are often very strict terms and conditions you must follow during probation.

Violating your probation can lead to serious legal consequences, and you will need a skilled Illinois probation violation defense lawyer if you are facing probation violation charges.

Common Probation Conditions

When you are placed on probation, you face a certain set of conditions that you must adhere to. These conditions are often tailored to the nature of the crime committed, and you may be required to follow special probation terms in addition to the following basic conditions of probation.

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