Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

will i recieve a reduced sentence if i confess to money laundering charges that i feel are imminat .

I have a felony conviction for tax evasion , i recieved a 18 month prison sentence for this . I have finished my parole and paid all my fines .

I am now being investigated for money laundering [ $ 550,000] If i confess now , will i get a reduced sentence


Asked on 5/16/10, 5:05 am

3 Answers from Attorneys

Lyle Johnson Bedi and Johnson Attorneys at Law

You should either retain an attorney to represent you or contact the public defender for an attorney. If you are arrested request an attorney and say nothing to the police. Confessing now would take away any bargaining power you may have. There should be no penalty for pleading not guilty until your attorney can work out a plea agreement. Courts often reduce the sentence if the person admits guilt. But you must have a plea agreement in place before that occurs. Your need to retain counsel with federal court experience to advise you in this matter, cannot be over emphasized. Talking to the police or law enforcement is a mistake that many people make. In the majority of cases the most damming evidence is given to the police by the defendant. .

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Answered on 5/21/10, 9:42 am
Terry A. Nelson Nelson & Lawless

That is a question you can only ask your attorney, who is familiar with all the facts, issues, laws, charges, evidence, witnesses, attitude of the DA, etc. My uniformed speculation is of no value to you, If you're just looking for sympathy, that is also of no value to you. Now, if you are serious about hiring counsel to help you, feel free to contact me. Upon learning all the above things, I'll be able to give you an opinion and seek an actual offer and plea bargain, if that is your goal. If you simply go in and plead guilty by yourself, you are going to be sentenced to the statutory penalty for the crime. Why would you think the DA and court would do anything other than that?? And, why would you risk doing so??

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Answered on 5/21/10, 11:15 am
Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Get a lawyer. She will help you decide whether to plead guilty and will negotiate on your behalf for a reduction in the charges and/or a recommendation for a lenient sentence. If you simply confess on your own you are *very* unlikely to get such concessions.

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Answered on 5/21/10, 1:43 pm


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