Have you been accused of bribery as a public official? It is crucial that you seek the guidance of an experienced Atlanta criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Allegations of public corruption can immediately affect your life and have a life-long impact on your career and personal life.
At Wallack Law, we approach each situation by helping our clients maintain a positive public image while fighting the charges they have been accused of. We aim to help our clients achieve the best possible outcome, no matter the complexity of the situation or severity of the charges. Our experienced and understanding criminal defense team at Wallack Law knows what is at stake for you with these public corruption allegations and we will not back down until the situation is handled.
An investigation of public corruption does not necessarily mean a crime was committed or that a prosecution is inevitable. Your attorney will sit with you to discuss the details of the situation and assess the investigation. After discussing all current findings, they will make a decision on whether or not a formal response should be made to inquiries from the news media.
Public corruption and racketeering cases can arise throughout the U.S. at all levels of government. Unfortunately, many of these cases wind up in federal court if the prosecution decides to “make a federal case out of it.” Public corruption cases, subject to federal laws, are often ambiguous, imprecise, and unfair to anyone being charged with a crime.
The federal bribery statute 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1)(A) states that it is a crime for someone to corruptly promise, offer, or give something of value to a federal public official if it is done with the intention of influencing the official to commit fraud or perform an official act. Additionally, this goes for anyone appointed as a public official. Anyone found to accept the payment or bribe is also accused under the federal bribery statute.
The public corruption laws criminalize a payment or gift, known as “illegal gratuities”, given for an official act. There is a subtle difference between bribery and an illegal gratuity. Bribery is referred to as a “quid pro quo” and carries a jail sentence of up to 15 years to be served in a federal prison. On the other hand, an illegal gratuity has no such requirement and carries a maximum of two years in jail.
A common difficulty that public corruption cases face is that allegations are often accompanied by publicity. On one hand, the general public has the right to be informed if a job is not being done correctly by an appointed official. However, facts are often skewed when matters are made public, which is extremely unfair to the officials whose names have been linked to a prosecution or an investigation.
If you have been charged with a public corruption case or have already been found guilty, you deserve an experienced criminal defense lawyer knowledgeable in handling Atlanta law and federal sentencing guidelines. The legal team at Wallack Law knows which methods are needed to achieve the best possible outcome for your bribery case. Contact us today using our online contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your public corruption case.
