DC Federal Bribery Penalties

Federal bribery offenses can have serious consequences including exorbitant fines and prison time. If you face DC federal bribery penalties, consult a knowledgeable federal bribery attorney that could help. A skilled lawyer could work tirelessly to mitigate those penalties and build a solid defense for you.

Common Scenarios Where Federal Bribery is Alleged?

It is fairly rare for a member of the US Congress to be prosecuted for bribery. There are certain cases where high-ranking officials in federal agencies are charged with bribery. But the most common scenario for federal bribery is at a lower level. It is not someone heading a department but a rank-and-file employee at a federal agency that has a decision-making power with regard to some action on behalf of the federal government.

Most often, this is an inspector, someone who has contact with the public or is part of policy-making that can negatively affect individuals and their businesses. The most common scenarios are individuals in agencies working for the federal government or the DC government that have the authority to approve or deny people’s business dealings. Often it is these individuals who end up facing DC federal bribery penalties.

Common Illegal Gratuity Scenarios

Illegal gratuity scenarios are similar in the sense of bribery as far as the individuals involved. For example, licensing authorities who make decisions about to whether to grant or deny a license. After granting the license, they receive a monetary gift or something of value that clearly appears to be based on their decision. Those cases occur in DC and the prosecutors vigorously pursue those cases.

Facing Federal Charges in Court

When someone is a public official in federal office, in DC government, a juror in a federal case, or an individual trying to influence one of those categories, they can be charged with bribery in federal court if the government can prove they offered or gained anything of value to influence an act or decision by that public official. Most commonly, bribery involves the promise to exchange money for some act or decision. It does not have to be money, but money is the most easily transferrable item.

Theoretically, someone can attempt to bribe an official by promising to give them a new car or send them on a nice vacation. The bribery statute does not require that the transaction actually takes place. It covers situations where someone offers to give something of value to a public official. It covers a situation where a public official solicits or demands something of value in exchange for the performance of their duties. It does not require that the bribe succeed and for someone to be charged with a bribery statute.

Penalties for Federal Bribery and Illegal Gratuity Convictions

Someone who is convicted under the federal bribery statute can be imprisoned for up to 15 years in the federal penitentiary or can be fined up to $250,000 or three times the amount of the bribe’s value, whichever is greater.

The penalties for a federal illegal gratuity conviction are up to two years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. DC federal bribery penalties

Aggravating Factors in Federal Bribery Cases

An aggravating factor can be the amount involved when the prosecutor or judge decides what penalties to seek or impose. Another aggravating factor is the length of time the bribery was going on; whether it was a one-time act, or there was a long history of bribery. Those situations are viewed differently. The reason for the bribery is important regarding the expected outcome.

For example, bribing a housing inspector to overlook violations of safety codes that result in the death of multiple people due to a fire is viewed harshly when compared to bribing a public official to vote a certain way on renaming a street. One has negative consequences for many people. Many people can be hurt when a safety inspector, fire inspector, or health inspector is bribed. The specifics of the action or decision that was the target of the bribe come into play. They can influence how strongly a prosecutor goes against the person charged with bribery, how severely a judge sentences that person, and how severe the DC federal bribery penalties might be.

Are People Charged with Bribery Considered a Flight Risk or a Danger to the Public?

People charged with bribery are not necessarily considered a flight risk or a danger to the public. When someone is charged with a superior court or a federal court bribery case, the judge makes a decision as to whether the person is released from custody. The primary decision points are whether the person is a flight risk or danger to the public.

Bribery is not a violent offense and does not involve weapons unless the person comes up with some extremely creative situation. Bribery is not necessarily a danger to the public. One could imagine a situation where an individual accepted a bribe, failed to take some action, and as a result of that bribe, many people were injured or killed. The analysis changes in that situation.

When the judge considers the issue of flight risk, they evaluate the person’s situation. They consider the person’s ties to the community, whether they have a criminal record, their employment, and whether they are local or are likely to try to flee the jurisdiction to avoid prosecution.

Consulting a DC Federal Bribery Attorney

A federal bribery lawyer could be an invaluable asset in your case. The public corruption unit at the United States Attorney’s Office in DC works vigorously to identify and prosecute individuals involved in bribery. They prosecute these cases most harshly. Anyone being investigated or charged with a bribery case in federal court needs to seek qualified legal counsel as soon as possible. A skilled federal bribery attorney could mitigate the DC federal bribery penalties, that a person may face.