![]() ![]() To convict one or more defendants facing RICO charges, prosecutors have the burden of proving the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt: Prior to the passing of the RICO Act, federal prosecutors had to try suspects of the same illicit enterprise individually rather than collectively, but after the Act passed, prosecutors could try all suspected RICO violators at once. The RICO Act allows the federal government to prosecute various types of racketeering activity connected to an enterprise. What Must Be Proven To Convict A RICO Defendant? The RICO act prohibits a total of 35 state and federal racketeering offenses including but not limited to: Have you been arrested for violating the RICO act? Call Peter Barrett today at (214) 307-8667 or contact us online to start your defense! What Racketeering Offenses Does The RICO Act Prohibit? “Enterprise” includes any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, as well as any union or group of associated individuals. Under RICO, it is unlawful for anyone employed by or associated with any enterprise engaged in interstate or foreign commerce to conduct or participate in the enterprise’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity or collection of unlawful debt. Our attorneys have extensive experience helping our clients navigate RICO and associated charges, and we’re prepared to help you.RICO stands for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which was passed in 1970 to combat organized crime in the United States. The team at Greco Neyland is ready to help. ![]() If you face RICO charges, you’ll need an experienced federal criminal defense attorney. In addition, the RICO statute expressly states that it is unlawful for any person to conspire to violate any part of the RICO act, which means the government does not have to prove that you agreed with every other alleged conspirator, knew every other alleged conspirator, or had full knowledge of all the details of any alleged conspiracy. Unfortunately, being charged with RICO while innocent can be just as devastating as being charged while guilty. The federal government often does this to force these individuals to testify. We’ve even seen people swept up on RICO charges which were barely affiliated with the organizations in question. They’ve used the RICO sentencing enhancement to push people into making plea deals that should have gone to trial instead. For example, the government has used RICO to intimidate political enemies. Officials have used the RICO Act in problematic ways in the past. A criminal RICO charge can add at least 20 years to the sentence for any crime covered under the Act. The primary goal of The RICO Act has always been to give law enforcement a tool they can use against organized crime. The defendant committed at least two acts of racketeering activity occurring within ten years of each other.įederal law enforcement uses RICO laws to target any number of organizations, including:.The defendant engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity.The defendant was either associated with the enterprise or employed by it.The enterprise was involved in interstate commerce.An ongoing criminal enterprise existed.To prove that someone is guilty of a RICO crime, a federal prosecutor must prove the following beyond a reasonable doubt: ![]()
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