Eleven New York residents arrested on charges of tax fraud
Criminal Defense
Eleven New York residents have been arrested and charged with tax fraud. According to the New York State Department of Taxation, nine “clients” and two tax preparers were arrested on charges of claiming exaggerated refunds and filing false tax returns. Officials say that the two tax preparers allegedly attempted to defraud New York State by…
New York man sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison for child pornography
Criminal Defense
A New York man was sentenced March 21 to 262 months — almost 22 years — in federal prison for receiving and distributing child pornography. Prosecutors said that the man, Kenneth Burghardt, was released from prison on similar charges just seven months ago. Court documents show that Burghardt served 87 months in prison previously, after…
White-collar sentencing guidelines modified despite DOJ pushback
Criminal Defense
Late last year, the U.S. Sentencing Commission revised its sentencing guidelines for financial crimes in recognition, in part, of the declining value of the dollar. Last updated over a decade ago, the guidelines steer judges in financial crime cases toward prison sentences that vary based on the dollar value of ill-gotten gains. Opinions on the…
Does a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction strip you of your right to own a gun?
Criminal Defense
State and federal lawmakers and gun control advocates have long tried to strengthen gun restrictions for those convicted of domestic violence and other offenses. In many cases, those efforts have not been successful. And the mismatch between federal and state laws can create confusion. First, let’s cover federal law. Anyone convicted of a felony, other…