Racketeering

Although the State as well as the Federal Government has anti-racketeering statutes they very rarely use it. The Federal Government does use it and it greatly enhances the sentences of those convicted of a violation. We have achieved an outright acquittal in one extremely high profile racketeering case but, there are not many of them indicted.

The statute is sometimes used to coerce a plea agreement to a lesser charge from the defendant. If such an indictment is imminent a potential defendant must act quickly because it requires permission of the Attorney General of the United States to both charge it and dismiss it. There are some gambling violations that come under the general heading of racketeering and although they are serious they are not nearly as serious as the basic racketeering laws.