Most Common Federal Crimes With Examples [2024 Updated]

By W. James Payne Law Firm

Understanding the basics of federal crimes can be crucial for anyone, even if you never expect to have any run-ins with the law. While state laws govern most criminal activities, certain offenses under federal jurisdiction can be difficult to understand. By knowing these most common federal crimes, with examples, you can avoid violating a law unexpectedly.

If you find yourself facing federal charges, a skilled federal criminal defense lawyer can provide the guidance you need.

White-Collar Crimes

White-collar crimes are an important category of federal crime because these offenses are non-violent, so there can be a high potential for an individual to break one of these laws unknowingly, depending on their business dealings. Although these offenses are non-violent, this does not mean that they have no victims.

When done deliberately, individuals or corporations commit these crimes for financial gain, typically at the expense of the economy or unsuspecting individuals. These offenses have far-reaching consequences and typically fall into one of these groups: fraud, embezzlement, or tax evasion.

Fraud

Fraud is the act of intentionally deceiving others for financial gain. The wide range of schemes to deceive people can include:

• Wire fraud uses electronic communication to defraud victims.
• Mail fraud is when someone uses the postal service to execute fraudulent schemes.
• Securities fraud includes manipulating the stock market or providing false information to investors.
• Healthcare fraud involves acts such as submitting false claims to a government healthcare program.

Embezzlement

With embezzlement, an individual is responsible for misappropriating certain funds or property. Often occurring within businesses or organizations with access to financial records or resources, this crime can be difficult to track. It can go on for a long period unnoticed. Additionally, many cases that look like embezzlement can be improper record-keeping or a compounding of many mistakes over time.

Tax Evasion

Tax evasion is the deliberate act of avoiding paying taxes to the government. This crime can involve underreporting income, claiming false deductions, or concealing assets. Like other white-collar crimes, tax evasion is not victimless because the government uses taxes to provide services like road repairs, so evading taxes can be detrimental to the local community.

Drug Crimes

While many drug crimes do not fall under federal jurisdiction, some more heinous or wide-ranging offenses do. If you receive any of these charges, it is important to seek help from an experienced legal professional immediately to protect your rights and build the strongest defense for your case. Common drug-related federal crimes can include:

• Drug trafficking. When someone receives an accusation of importing, manufacturing, or distributing controlled substances, this is a drug trafficking charge. Smaller-scale operations can receive severe punishments, even without an intention to become a larger-scale distribution network later.
• Drug possession. Federal charges can arise, even if you only possess small amounts of illegal drugs. Depending on the situation, you can even receive an intent to distribute charge when suitable paraphernalia is nearby.
• Conspiracy to distribute. This charge can apply even if you are not directly involved in the manufacturing or moving of the controlled substance. Agreeing to commit an act seen to be a drug crime can be punishable by federal law.

Cybercrimes

The digital age has brought new crimes to the forefront of federal law. These technology-based crimes can seek to exploit people or vulnerabilities in systems for financial gain or personal satisfaction. Common examples of cybercrimes include hacking, identity theft, copyright infringement, and cyberstalking.

Committing acts like unauthorized access to a computer network or stealing someone’s personal information can result in more severe punishments than many people expect. While it may seem like a victimless assault while committing these crimes, the negative impact that these decisions can have on the integrity of the digital world is enormous.

Other Federal Crimes

In addition to the categories stated before, several other offenses fall under federal jurisdiction, including bank robbery, kidnapping, many firearms offenses, and immigration offenses. Understanding all these federal crimes is important if you hope to avoid them in your daily life. Similarly, SEC investigations into violations of securities laws, such as fraud, insider trading, and market manipulation, are also crucial to understand in order to avoid legal pitfalls related to financial regulations.

FAQs

What Are the Most Common Federal Criminal Charges?

The most common federal criminal charges are unrelated, but some involve attempting to extort or exploit individuals. When understanding federal criminal charges, it is important to know the difference between offenses with state jurisdiction and those with federal jurisdiction.

It can be crucial to seek legal representation to help you understand federal criminal charges if you are facing such allegations.

What Is a Real-Life Example of a Federal Crime?

A real-life example of a federal crime is embezzlement, which occurs when someone misappropriates funds or property entrusted to them. Crimes of embezzlement are breaches of trust and inflict severe consequences on victims.

It is an offense to have access to financial records and resources and use them in ways that are not authorized. Having an accusation of a federal crime means that you need strong legal representation immediately to protect your rights.

Are Federal Crimes Worse Than State Crimes?

Federal crimes frequently bear harsher consequences than state crimes, but this is not directly correlated to federal crimes being worse than state crimes. The severity of a crime, regardless of whether it is a federal or state crime, depends on the specific offense and its circumstances.

Federal and state crimes differ in jurisdiction, penalties, and resources surrounding law enforcement agencies’ investigations. It is important to know that some actions can violate both federal and state laws.

What Is the Number One Crime in America?

There is no exact number one crime in America, but there are federal crimes that are more common than others. Some of the most common federal crime categories include drug offenses, fraud, immigration offenses, and firearms offenses. It is important to know that the amount of crime in an area can change depending on economic conditions, law enforcement priorities, and other factors.

Help With Understanding Federal Crimes

Understanding the basics of federal crimes is crucial for every resident of the United States. While state laws govern many criminal activities, federal laws require careful consideration. Familiarizing yourself with common federal offenses, such as white-collar and drug crimes, cybercrimes, and other federal violations, can ensure that you can protect yourself, your assets, and your legacy. Contact us for help with understanding federal offenses.