Washington County Conspiracy Lawyer
In Maryland, it is possible to face criminal charges for a planned criminal act, even if the act never actually occurred. This is known as conspiracy, which is when at least two people agree to commit an illegal act. Fighting against conspiracy charges can be an exceptionally complex endeavor, especially without the guidance of a seasoned attorney. You need aggressive legal counsel by your side to help you understand your rights, options, and the elements of your case.
Speaking with a Washington County conspiracy lawyer should be your top priority when you are under investigation for conspiracy or have already been charged with such an offense. Once retained, your defense attorney could work tirelessly to secure a favorable outcome for your case and minimize the impact of these harmful accusations.
What Qualifies as “Conspiracy” Under State Law?
Several actions must occur consecutively for someone to be charged with and convicted of criminal conspiracy in Washington County. First, a group of two or more individuals must be involved in a criminal scheme. Next, there must be an agreement between all the involved parties to either commit an illegal act or accomplish something otherwise legal through illicit activity.
Finally, one group member must make some “overt act” in furtherance of the conspiracy, meaning they must do something that meaningfully advances the agreed-upon plan in some way. If all these components are present, every member of the group in question may be charged with and convicted of criminal conspiracy, regardless of how close or far they were to actually completing the planned criminal act.
Furthermore, prosecutors sometimes try to argue that a meeting between all conspiracy members to plan an eventual criminal act counts as an “overt act” furthering the conspiracy, even if no further steps towards criminal activity are taken. A Washington County conspiracy attorney could discuss what may or may not constitute furtherance of a conspiracy to commit a crime in more specific detail during a confidential consultation.
Possible Consequences for a Conspiracy Conviction
There are virtually no limits on what type of criminal activity may warrant conspiracy charges during the planning stages, although most charges of this nature stem from plans to commit felony-level offenses and/or drug-related offenses. As such, the sentence that someone convicted of criminal conspiracy might receive depends entirely on what offense they allegedly planned on committing.
The only hard and fast rule with regard to sentencing following a conspiracy conviction is set out in Maryland Code, Criminal Law §1-202, which states that the sanctions passed down for a conspiracy conviction cannot exceed the maximum punishments allowed for the conspired crime. Once again, a conspiracy attorney in Washington County could provide guidance on a case-by-case basis about what kinds of consequences could result from a conspiracy charge in a particular situation.
Rely On a Washington County Conspiracy Attorney Today
For various reasons, criminal cases for conspiracy charges are unlike any other proceedings in a criminal court. Without a thorough understanding of how state law addresses this kind of offense and a strong strategy for defending your best interests, you may have difficulty avoiding substantial criminal sanctions such as time in prison.
Do not leave your future up to chance. Allow a Washington County conspiracy lawyer from our firm to take the lead with your case and confidently guide you through the legal process ahead. To schedule a confidential consultation, call our firm today.