California Criminal Defense Attorney Blog

An accountant from Burbank who has served on hundreds of political campaigns is being held on federal fraud charges for her work with a state Assembly member, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Charges of fraud in Orange County are serious because they can not only be charged in the state court system, but prosecutors have the option of charging a defendant in the federal court system instead, which typically comes with more serious penalties and different rules of evidence.

Consulting with an experienced Santa Ana Criminal Defense Attorney as soon as you know or believe you are being investigated for a crime is critical because the sooner you try to attack the charges against you, the better you can begin to prepare a defense.

Typically, fraud charges require sifting through stacks of paperwork and records that can be agonizingly complex. That's why it is advantageous for the defendant if the attorney gets started quickly. It also allows the attorney to be able to speak with investigators and prosecutors as soon as charges are filed.

According to the newspaper article, the single count of mail fraud -- a federal charge that alleges she used the United States Postal Service in committing a crime -- is based on transactions involving a member of the state Assembly. The investigation is continuing.

The accountant has worked on the accounts of many Democratic politicians, including state and local representatives, senators and Los Angeles City Council members. Two Santa Ana politicians -- State Sen. Lou Correa and Assemblyman Jose Solorio -- were notified by the FBI that their accounts may have fallen prey to embezzlement. Both said they were shocked by the news.

Embezzlement is a fancy word for stealing from a person's company, but in plain language it is theft. In these highly complicated cases involving hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, authorities sometimes jump to conclusions that the money was stolen and not simply misplaced or spent recklessly.

Especially when you're dealing with political campaigns, money is coming in as quickly as it's going out and it can be difficult to keep track of those funds.

Under the U.S. Code, mail fraud is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. It is a serious crime and must be fought aggressively. That includes attacking the government's theory of guilt and aggressively questioning its witnesses to find out the truth.

An experience lawyer will also file motions to keep key evidence and statements by the defendant and even witnesses from being introduced at trial. There are many aspects of this complex area of law that must be addressed in order to ensure the defendant has a fair trial and a strong defense. Don't leave it up to someone without the knowledge and experience to get you through it.