Most crimes result in state prosecution. The location where the crime occurs determines which state prosecutes the person accused of breaking the law. Crimes ranging from theft offenses to violations of controlled substances laws usually result in state-level prosecution.
However, most of the things that are illegal under individual state laws are also crimes at the federal level. In certain scenarios, individuals facing accusations of criminal conduct may undergo criminal proceedings in the federal courts rather than the state courts.
An assortment of different complicating or aggravating factors could contribute to the likelihood of federal prosecution. Traveling from one state to another is a common reason for federal charges.
Interstate crimes can lead to federal prosecution
People accused of minor criminal offenses might assume that they are free from risk once they cross the border into another state. An individual accused of shoplifting in Michigan, for example, may not expect law enforcement professionals to pursue them if they travel into Indiana.
Contrary to what people might assume, traveling to another state does not necessarily protect them from criminal prosecution. It may even open them up to a more serious federal charge instead of the state charge they may have faced if the offense only involved one jurisdiction.
In scenarios where people shoplifting from retail establishments take a road trip that crosses multiple states, they may eventually end up facing federal charges because of their multi-state criminal activity instead of separate criminal charges in each state where offenses occurred. When law enforcement agencies discover that crimes occurred in multiple jurisdictions, they may contact federal agencies to handle the case.
Physically crossing state lines isn’t always necessary for federal prosecution. Many fraud offenses and similar white-collar crimes may involve people in other states. Communicating with others via mail, phone or the internet while misrepresenting the situation for financial gain could lead to federal charges as well. Anyone accused of a crime that occurred in multiple states or targeted people in another state could lead to federal prosecution.
Those facing federal criminal charges likely need support evaluating the state’s case and developing a reasonable criminal defense strategy. Working with an attorney familiar with crimes that cross state lines can be of the utmost importance for those facing allegations of a federal criminal offense.