Albany Enterprise Corruption Defense Attorney

Typically, when someone is accused of multiple crimes, those charges are treated separately. They can be tried and sentenced at the same time, but they are not lumped together as a single accusation. If, however, the authorities believe that there was a larger goal to these crimes, defendants can be accused of enterprise corruption.

At The Kindlon Law Firm, PLLC, we have years of experience defending the Capital Region and surrounding areas. Since 2014, Albany residents have relied on our skill and knowledge to help preserve their innocence.

If you a facing enterprise corruption charges in the Capital Region, call our office today at (518) 444-4428. You can speak directly with one of our attorneys, day or night.

Defining Enterprise Corruption

Enterprise corruption is a complicated charge. It assumes many things, and there are several requirements for a conviction.

• The accused must be found guilty of three or more crimes, and those crimes must have been committed to benefit a criminal organization.
• The criminal organization must have been active during the time of the alleged crimes.
• The accused was aware of the organization’s existence at the time, and they intentionally committed those crimes to benefit that organization.
• The defendant was directly associated with or employed by the criminal organization.

If you’ve been accused of working for a criminal organization, the complicated nature of this charge can work in your favor. All the above conditions must be met. Otherwise, the charges must be handled individually. For instance, we can help prove that your actions were not in service of an organization. Perhaps you simply knew some people within the group, but you were not directly affiliated with it.

There are many ways to challenge an enterprise corruption accusation. Tell your story to our team. If there are discrepancies in the prosecution’s case, we may be able to locate them and help defend you.

“Criminal Enterprise” Is a Broad Term

When we imagine a criminal organization, we often picture deep-rooted networks of organized crime. Legally, however, this is not always the case. According to New York law, any two or more people can comprise a criminal organization. Therefore, if two people stole a car and used illegal guns to rob a liquor store, they could be accused of operating for a criminal enterprise. Car theft is the first crime; possession of the guns is the second; and robbery is the third. Minor street gangs accused of petty crimes could also meet these conditions.

The authorities should not use technicalities to charge someone, nor should they elevate crimes to create steeper penalties. If prosecutors are combining individual accusations to create a harsh case against you, contact our firm today. We can help demonstrate that you were not in service of a crime family, and we can work on a defense for each allegation.

Authorities Must Show Intent

Reviewing the definition of enterprise corruption, you will find that intent is a fundamental part of the allegation. Someone must be willingly, knowingly working in service of a criminal organization to be charged.

Authorities can make assumptions when building a case. If they, for instance, observe you spending time with members of a criminal organization, they can connect you to that group. Afterward, they charge you with three petty crimes. Because they’ve already connected you to a gang, police make a logical leap, associating your alleged offenses with that organization. You need a steady, reasonable legal team like ours to help prove that your actions were not connected to any criminal organizations. Furthermore, we can help defend you against these individual accusations.

Members of organized criminal enterprises are known to manipulate others. It’s easy for them to trick someone into committing a crime, keeping that person unaware of the crime’s benefit to their gang. The prosecution must show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that you were directly working for a criminal enterprise. If you were not affiliated with any such group, you can use our services to help argue this point in court.

For a grounded defense against criminal enterprise corruption in Albany, contact The Kindlon Law Firm, PLLC. Any time of day, someone is here to help. Our number is (518) 444-4428, and you can contact us online.