Your criminal defense lawyer in Fort Worth can help you to understand the federal sentencing guidelines for white collar crimes.

Potential Criminal Penalties For White Collar Crimes

There are various criminal acts that are considered “white collar.” These can include fraud, theft, and embezzlement. They fall under the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG). The relevant section for white collar crimes is 2B1.1. This section is connected to common economic crimes. The accompanying penalties will be based on a points system. They include the following:

Base Points.

For every criminal charge there are a certain number of points automatically assessed. These are the base points. For example, if the charge is standard fraud, there will be six or seven points.

Points Enhancements.

This is contingent on the amount of economic loss that was the result of the criminal acts. The amount will have an influence on how much the points enhancement will be. There will be more points for a crime that led to the loss of $50,000 in comparison to a crime that led to the loss of $10,000. There are other factors that will be considered such as abusing a position of trust and using sophisticated means to commit the crimes.

Aggravating Circumstances.

The point total might be raised depending on the situation. If minors took part in the crime or if the victims were elderly, there can be aggravating circumstances.

Mitigating Factors.

The penalties can be lessened if your participation in the crime was minimal or if you take responsibility for it. Once all the aspects of the crime have been tallied, the number of points will hinge on the various factors. Then an offense level will be determined. The judge will look at the points total as well as your history to come to a range for your possible sentence to decide how long you might have to serve.

Call An Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer In Fort Forth

For help understanding white collar crimes sentencing guidelines, call (877) 208-3382 to speak to Bryan Hoeller, criminal defense lawyer in Fort Forth.