South Carolina Criminal Lawyer Blog

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, nine defendants were detained for a conspiracy involving more than a kilogram of heroin. Authorities confiscated approximately 10,000 bags of heroin from a vehicle on May 15, 2011. This evidence was vital in the court's decision to detain the individuals. Each of the defendants faces differing mandatory minimum sentences for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy.

The sentence that each of these individuals will receive depends on the amount of drugs involved, past criminal involvement, and each person's overall role in the conspiracy. The best way in understanding this type of indictment is through the United States Sentencing Guidelines. However, the amount of alleged drug activity specified in the indictment will rarely be the only amount in determining how much prison time an individual will be exposed to during sentencing. Basically, each defendant will receive a presentence investigation report ("PSR") which gives a detailed calculation of past criminal history and any illegal activity relating to the crime listed in the indictment. The PSR will use those factors to calculate an approximate sentence under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

It is often very difficult to interpret the United States Sentencing Guidelines and calculate the amount of prison time that an individual may be facing. As such, it is important to hire an experienced federal criminal defense lawyer to advise you on the best approach to take in your case. A defense attorney should be knowledgeable about the United States Sentencing Guidelines to inform you about any possible enhancements, adjustments, or departures.

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According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Columbia, Thomas True of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina has been charged in an extortion conspiracy involving a six-count indictment. The indictment alleges that from June 3, 2010 through June 8, 2010 Mr. True conspired and attempted to obtain property from the victim with the use of threats consistent with the crime of extortion. This case is being handled by the District Court in Charleston, South Carolina and it is unknown on the amount of individuals that may be indicted in the future under this indictment.

The crime of extortion is the gaining of property and/or money by some type of force or threat. While it is similiar to theft, it is quite different from a robbery charge. The term robbery is used when there is an immediate physical danger to the victim. These definitions often are confusing within the state and federal system and some defendants are unaware of the seriousness of their actual charges.

In such an instance, it is important to seek the advice of a federal criminal defense attorney in order to determine the necessary steps one must take in this situation. Depending on the circumstances involved, it may be wise to accept a plea offer from the government. On other occasions, trial may be the best and only logical option. These questions may be difficult and too stressful to handle without proper legal advice. Our criminal defense attorneys in Charleston, South Carolina are very experienced within the federal system and can assist you with your case.

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The future of the Guantanamo Bay detention center is being positioned to be shut down in the coming year. The center is used to house individuals charged with alleged acts of terror against the United States. The facility is placed outside of the United States becuase many of the activites conducted there are completely unconstitutional. Now, with the plan to shut it down, these detainees will have to be housed in another location. Most European countries will not allow a facility of this type, so it must be placed in the United States.

The Charleston Naval Weapons Station has been used in the past to hold enemy combatants that are awaiting prosecution or possible freedom. Many of these individuals that are being held do not have any pending federal charges. There is no federal detention center in South Carolina, so federal defendants are held in local jails pending trial. The Charleston Courier and Post has reported that Sentor Graham is opposed to using Charleston Naval brig as a holding facility. Graham has stated that the detainees should be housed in a facility designed for detaining such suspects. The problem here is that Guantanamo was never designed to hold prisons of war or alleged terror suspects. The big fear about having these suspects here in the United States is that they will have better access to the courts and their lawyers if they can get one.

Our federal defense attorneys in South Carolina have previously attempted to represent several of the suspects in Guantanamo to no avail. The lawyers that are representing many of these individuals are approved by the United States Justice Department prior to being allowed to represent the defendants. Many defendants are being released and allowed to return to their respective countries. Finding a good federal criminal defense attorney is very important to any federal indictment.

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