What Is A Federal Target Letter And How To Deal With Getting One
If you are part of the federal criminal investigation, you are regarded as a witness, target, or subject. Therefore, you are likely to receive a target letter from the Department of Justice or federal prosecutor notifying you that you are the target of an investigation. There are different things you should know about handling this letter. Read on to learn what a Federal Target Letter is and how to deal with getting one.
What Is A Federal Target Letter?
A federal target letter serves the specific purpose of notifying the recipient that they are a target of a criminal offense and are under federal grand jury investigation. The federal prosecutor or the department of justice sends the target letter to the individuals suspected of committing mainly white-collar crimes. The people who are also targets for grand jury investigation will also receive the letters. If the US attorney believes you have substantial evidence linking you to the commission of the crime, you will receive a target letter.
A target letter normally asks you to take a specific action that can help in the case. When you receive this letter, it does not necessarily mean that you are guilty of the alleged offense. All you need to do is cooperate with the investigating officers and avoid showing arrogance. There are different measures you can consider to respond to a target letter.
Seek Legal Advice
You must immediately contact a professional defense lawyer if you receive a federal target letter from the Department of Justice in the US. The advantage of hiring a federal criminal defense attorney is that they will provide legal advice and guide you through the federal criminal process. Experienced attorneys have the requisite expertise to communicate and negotiate with federal prosecutors.
You should not make the mistake of trying to deal with the issue without seeking legal counsel from the best criminal defense attorney in your area, since all the information you provide the investigators can be used against you. You need to discuss the matter privately with the lawyer to get helpful legal advice before proceeding with the case. It is a good idea to allow your attorney to handle everything for you instead of trying to contact the federal agents or prosecutor by yourself. A prosecutor aims to build a case against you and secure a conviction and nothing else. Therefore, never think you are dealing with a friend when talking to a prosecutor.
Do Not Ignore A Target Letter
When you receive a target letter, it means that you are facing criminal charges and are under criminal investigation. This letter also serves to inform you that you may be called to testify in the federal grand jury. It describes the alleged crime connected with the investigation, and it has a deadline you should meet for contacting the government. You could face harsh consequences if you miss the deadline given. Therefore, you should never ignore this letter once you receive it. Instead, there are different steps that you should take to deal with the letter.
Take No Action
You can choose not to contact federal law enforcement and wait for the grand jury indictment if there is one. If you choose this path, then you will get the opportunity of retaining a federal lawyer who will help you fight the charges you are accused of. This will save you money from hiring a criminal defense attorney. If you choose this path, ensure you are willing to cooperate with the defense counsel. Do not falsify any information since this can work against you when the case goes to trial.
Additionally, you can choose to cooperate with the federal prosecutors and agents in their investigations. They can set up an interview that is also called “proffer,” where you negotiate with them to reduce the charges filed against you. You can do this with the help of your attorney, who has good negotiation skills and also has legal knowledge about dealing with such a case. Do not communicate with the prosecutors in the absence of an attorney. This is meant to protect you from further harm in case you may provide incoherent statements.
As you can observe, a target letter primarily aims at informing the recipient that they are targeted for criminal investigation or that they should testify in the federal jury. Once you receive this letter, you should carefully read it and understand its contents. You should respond to the letter within the stipulated deadline to avoid harsh consequences. The best way to deal with a target letter is to hire an experienced attorney to handle all the communications on your behalf.
