My name is Glen Obedin. I’m a criminal defense attorney and I specialize in federal criminal defense and I’d like to talk to you for a few moments about something that a lot of people have heard of but may not understand exactly what it is and that’s the Federal RICO Statute.
The RICO Statute is a very effective tool that federal prosecutors use in any cases involving “organized crime”. That doesn’t simply mean what many people think of traditionally as organized crime, meaning the mafia. The RICO Statute is very effective in prosecuting gang related crimes as well, and that’s a big topic out here on Long Island.
There are a lot of gangs and there’s a lot of gang activity, and federal prosecutors have been prosecuting gang members under the RICO Statute. If you are connected or have a loved one who is connected to one of the gangs out here on Long Island, you could quite easily find yourself entangled in a federal Rico indictment.
The way that a Rico indictment is proven is the government shows that a member of a gang commits a crime to enhance or further their position within the gang, and that simply is enough to prove a RICO Statute.
So if you are or have a loved one who’s associated with a gang, any gang activity that’s committed, the government will try and prove that that improves the standing of the defendant within the gang itself, promotes his position within the gang. It doesn’t have to be money, and oft times it’s not monetary, it’s simply promoting your position within the gang and that is enough to entangle you in a RICO Statute that could include everything from a conspiracy to commit a robbery to a conspiracy to commit a murder, even if you’re not the one who actually committed the crime.
So if you have a loved one or you yourself are a member of a gang and you’re aware that some other people around you have been arrested and charged in a federal prosecution, it might behoove you to speak with a federal defense attorney and understand and be able to protect yourself against the possibility of being charged in a RICO indictment. If you have any further questions about this please give me a call at the number below.
You can contact Glenn Obedin here…or by calling (631) 979-7777.