Coral Gables Extortion & Bribery Lawyers: How They Can Help
Overview of Florida Extortion and Bribery Laws
Florida statutes define extortion as malicious threats to harm a person or their property in order to compel them to do something against their will. This can encompass threats of violence, reputational damage, criminal accusations, and more. Extortion is a felony charge punishable by up to 30 years in prison in Florida[1].
Bribery charges involve offering, soliciting, or accepting benefits as a means of influencing official duties or actions. Under Florida law, bribery of a public servant is a third-degree felony with up to 5 years in prison. Federal bribery charges can lead to fines of up to $250,000 and up to 10 years imprisonment per violation[2].
Related white-collar offenses like money laundering, racketeering, fraud, and embezzlement often accompany extortion and bribery cases. Prosecutors may pile on charges to pressure defendants into accepting plea deals.
Why Coral Gables Extortion & Bribery Lawyers Are Essential
Defending complex financial crime allegations requires an attorney with specialized skills and experience. Extortion and bribery cases rely heavily on documents, financial records, surveillance, and other evidence that must be meticulously scrutinized. Identifying procedural mistakes, evidentiary weaknesses, and unconstitutional investigatory practices can lead to charges being reduced or dismissed.
Additionally, the lawyer must understand the complex sentencing guidelines and typical plea bargain offers in these cases. Their negotiation skills can make the difference between a few months of probation versus years in federal prison. It is not uncommon for experienced attorneys to get initial extortion or bribery charges dropped down to minor misdemeanors.
For these reasons, retaining a seasoned Coral Gables extortion and bribery lawyer with relevant case experience maximizes the chances of the best possible outcome.
Recent High Profile Coral Gables Extortion & Bribery Cases
To appreciate the severity of potential penalties, we can examine recent prominent local extortion and bribery prosecutions:
United States v. Jesus, Diana & Bruno Pons
Jesus Pons was the Chief Information Officer for Miami-Dade County Public Schools[3]. He and his wife Diana Pons were accused of leveraging his position to defraud the county out of $12 million dollars via rigged contracting deals. Charges included racketeering, organized fraud, bribery, extortion, embezzlement, and money laundering. Jesus faces over 100 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Florida v. Ignacio Cortina
Cortina was an executive at South Florida fencing company American Fence Corp that bribed purchasing agents at the Miami VA Hospital. They secured multiple contracts worth over $7 million dollars through these bribes. Cortina was convicted of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, and obstruction of justice. He received over 5 years in federal prison.
United States v. Robert Kilpatrick, et al
As mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick headed a massive racketeering conspiracy involving extortion, bribery, and fraud to steer $127 million in city contracts to his friend Bobby Ferguson[4]. Numerous city officials were implicated in this “pay-to-play” scheme. Kilpatrick was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison, one of the longest corruption sentences for a major US public official.
As demonstrated in these cases and many others, South Florida public servants face extensive prison time for leveraging their positions for financial gain or other favors. Even peripheral figures involved in such conspiracies can get sentenced to years behind bars.
Typical Defenses in Coral Gables Extortion & Bribery Cases
Skilled lawyers employ various techniques to dispute extortion and bribery charges, for example:
Duress Defense – Arguing that any perceived threats or coercion stemmed from dangerous outside forces rather than the defendant themselves. This may entail placing blame on intimidating co-conspirators.
Entrapment – Asserting that the offenses only occurred due to overly aggressive encouragement and inducement by undercover law enforcement.
Statute of Limitations – Many bribery and extortion charges must be prosecuted within 5 years of occurring. If the statute of limitations has expired, charges may be dismissed.
Lack of Criminal Intent – Demonstrating the defendant did not possess the requisite criminal intent or malice to be guilty of extortion or bribery. At minimum this can reduce penalties.
Discovery Violations – Many complex white-collar cases hinge on extensive pre-trial evidence disclosure. If prosecutors fail to turn over exculpatory evidence in a timely manner, charges can potentially be dismissed due to due process violations.
Sentencing Mitigation – Presenting evidence of extenuating personal circumstances, charitable works, lack of criminal history, and other mitigating factors to the judge when advocating for minimized sentencing.