Federal Crimes

Mail theft, under federal law, is a serious offense. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a federal agency, and as such, any theft or tampering with mail violates federal statutes. Specifically, 18 U.S. Code § 1708 outlines the illegality of stealing, taking, or by fraudulent means obtaining mail from various sources such as mailboxes and post offices. This statute implies that any unauthorized interference with mail, regardless of the method, can be subject to…

Identity theft, the act of stealing someone’s personal information to commit fraud or other crimes, is a federal crime in the United States. This was not always the case; the increasing prevalence of this crime in the late 20th century, spurred by the rise of the internet, led to significant legal developments at the federal level. From a criminal defense standpoint, facing federal identity theft charges is serious. These cases carry severe penalties, including prison…

The Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office arrested 31 suspects involved in an undercover online child sex crimes operation as part of “Operation Deja Vu.” These suspects, ranging from ages 20 to 80 and coming from 5 different counties, reportedly engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with people who they believed were minor children. As a result of the undercover operation, 33 cell phones, 10 vehicles, drugs, champagne, lubricants,…

In 2016, the Ohio legislature passed HB 523, legalizing medical cannabis. The state intends to have a fully functioning medical marijuana distribution system up and running by September of 2018. Cole Memo Repealed However, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions threw a wrench into legalized marijuana systems in Ohio and other states last week when he repealed an Obama-era policy—known as the Cole memo—of leaving law-abiding marijuana businesses alone in those particular states. Federal prosecutors are…