Defending White Collar Criminal Charges in Utah
Many “white collar” crimes in Utah are charged at the felony level. The District Court in Farmington, Utah typically handles white collar cases filed in Davis County.
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What qualifies as a “white collar” crime?
Property crimes that do not involve violence and generally do not require heavy lifting are sometimes classified as white collar crime. They typically involve financial losses, transfers, or payments rather than physical objects. Many white collar crimes also involve fraud, deception, or dishonest communications.
Utah’s White Collar Crime Registry
Pursuant to Utah Code 77-42-101 et seq., the Utah Attorney General’s Office maintains a registry of individuals convicted of specific offenses that are considered to be “white collar” crimes. Not all white collar crimes require registration. Convictions that do require registration include:
- securities fraud;
- theft by deception;
- unlawful dealing of property by fiduciary;
- insurance fraud;
- communications fraud;
- mortgage fraud;
- money laundering; and
- unlawful pattern of activity.
To require registration, a conviction for any of the above-listed charges must be at the second-degree felony level. Further, a pattern of unlawful activity conviction only requires registration if at least one of the crimes used to establish the pattern is one of the other listed offenses.
Penalties for a Conviction
The offense level for most white collar crime is based on the value of or amount of the loss to the victim. Values over $1500 typically typically trigger felony charges at the third-degree level. If the value exceeds $5000 the severity of the charge increases to the second-degree felony level.
Finding the Right Attorney
Defending white collar crime requires real attention to detail. Not every financial loss is the result of criminal activity. Hiring the right defense team to protect your rights is important.
Contact us today to see how we can help you.