When you’re charged with a white-collar crime, you might be tempted to get through the process as quickly as possible. As a result, you may be considering taking a plea deal without fully assessing your criminal defense options.
But that can be a costly mistake. After all, the consequences of a criminal conviction are often wider reaching than initially realized. Let’s take a closer look at the true impact of a white-collar crime conviction so that you know what’s at stake before taking a plea deal in your case.
The collateral consequences of a white-collar crime conviction
While a criminal conviction can result in incarceration, sometimes even for a significant period of time, there are other penalties that you can face, and that the prosecution probably won’t tell you about them. They includes:
- Loss of your professional license.
- A mar on your criminal record that may make it hard for you to find meaningful work.
- Difficulty securing desirable housing.
- Lost time with your children if your criminal history is relied upon by the other parent to seek a custody modification.
- Immigration issues.
- Damage to your reputation and standing in the community
Keep in mind, too, that you’ll probably be ordered to pay restitution. This can leave you facing financial devastation.
How can you protect your interests in your white-collar crime case?
To protect yourself as much as possible in your white-collar crime case, you need to know your criminal defense options and how to exploit them to your advantage.
You might be able to suppress the prosecution’s evidence, attack witness reliability, or provide contradictory evidence that prevents the prosecution from proving the necessary elements of their case.
So, as you head into your white-collar crime case, be diligent, be thorough, and be aggressive in fighting to protect your future.