Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog
Being accused of a federal offense in Georgia or elsewhere certainly causes immediate and potentially long-lasting changes in one’s life. Depending on the length of an investigation and the various proceedings and meetings required as the case makes its way through the legal system, persons charged with federal crimes may spend quite a bit of time in court. Many people facing such charges choose to rely on experienced criminal defense attorneys to guide them through the process.
A recent case involved what federal authorities have identified as an apparent “food stamp trafficking” scheme. There seems to be a black market that involves buying food stamps and paying cash back to the seller on the dollar. Federal agents say that in the process of their investigation, they seized hundreds of thousands in cash, as well as a man’s home and a store he owned.
The 49-year-old man reportedly ran the fraud scheme by paying 60 cents on every dollar in food stamps that customers would sell to him. He is said to have profited around $6 million over a period of time. The man was recently tried and convicted in a federal court.
He is now slated to serve more than four years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $5 million in restitution. After he has served his sentence, he will then be on a 3-year probation. When an individual is found guilty in federal court, the proceedings move on to the sentencing phase. The attorney’s focus at that time is to convince the court to impose a sentence toward the lower end of the federal sentencing guidelines. Anyone accused of such serious federal crimes in Georgia is advised to secure experienced legal representation before facing the charges in court.
Source: watchdog.org, “Food Stamp Fixer”, Larry Bensen, March 28, 2016
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