Bristol County Lawyers for RICO Crimes

Federal Racketeering Defense for Fall River, New Bedford & Taunton

RICO charges are among the most serious federal offenses a person can face. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act carries penalties that can include decades in federal prison, massive fines, and the forced seizure of assets built over a lifetime. Defending against these charges demands counsel with real federal court experience, not just general criminal defense knowledge.

At Law Office of Frank D. Camera and Associates, P.C., Attorney Frank Camera brings more than 25 years of criminal defense experience and has tried hundreds of cases in both state and federal court throughout Massachusetts. Together with Of Counsel Attorney Kathryn Blythe, who contributes more than 10 years of criminal defense experience, our team carries over 35 years of combined experience to every case. We serve clients throughout Bristol County, including Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton, and we operate exclusively as a private law firm. Free consultations are available for those facing racketeering charges.

Contact us today by calling (877) 444-1098 to learn more about how we can help with your case.

What Is a RICO Crime in Massachusetts?

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act of 1970 is a federal law that prohibits individuals from participating in or profiting from activities associated with organized crime. More specifically, individuals may not be involved in an enterprise that operates through racketeering activities such as extortion, bribery, fraud, money laundering, and other illegal activities, often involving weapons or drugs.

Elements the Government Must Prove

To secure a RICO conviction, federal prosecutors must prove five elements beyond a reasonable doubt: the existence of an enterprise, that the enterprise’s activities affected interstate commerce, that the defendant was employed by or associated with the enterprise, that the defendant knowingly participated in conducting the enterprise’s affairs, and that the defendant engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity on the enterprise’s behalf. A pattern of racketeering activity requires at least two predicate acts within a 10-year period connected to that enterprise.

Federal law designates 27 federal predicate crimes and 8 state predicate crimes. Commonly charged federal predicate acts include mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, drug trafficking, extortion, bribery, and murder-for-hire. Critically, a defendant can be convicted of a RICO crime without personally committing any of the underlying acts. Proving affiliation with or leadership of a criminal enterprise engaged in racketeering is sufficient for conviction.

Penalties for a Racketeering Conviction

Because RICO is a federal statute, these cases proceed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts rather than in Bristol County Superior Court. The penalties upon conviction are severe. Each racketeering count carries up to 20 years in federal prison, or life imprisonment when the underlying predicate offenses carry that penalty. Fines can reach $250,000 or double the amount of gain or loss associated with the illegal activities, whichever is greater. A conviction also triggers mandatory asset forfeiture. This allows the government to seize property, businesses, real estate, and bank accounts connected to the criminal enterprise, as well as mandatory victim restitution and a period of probation or supervised release following imprisonment.

Why Bristol County Residents Choose Law Office of Frank D. Camera and Associates, P.C. for RICO Defense

RICO cases are built on layers of evidence assembled by federal investigators over months or years. Challenging them demands counsel who understands how federal prosecutions are structured and where the government’s case may be vulnerable at each layer: the alleged enterprise, the defendant’s participation, and the pattern of predicate acts.

Attorney Camera is well-known among local district attorneys and judges throughout Bristol County and has spent decades building professional relationships that can matter when navigating a case from arraignment through trial or negotiation. His Super Lawyers listing and recognition among the Top 100 Lawyers reflect a track record earned across hundreds of cases in state and federal court. Our firm is exclusively private, which means clients receive dedicated attention from attorneys who chose to take their case, not attorneys managing a court-appointed docket.

• Federal court fluency: We handle cases in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, where federal RICO charges are prosecuted
• Predicate act analysis: We examine each alleged predicate act for evidentiary weaknesses, procedural defects, and constitutional issues
• Asset forfeiture defense: We work to challenge forfeiture claims and protect property connected to our clients
• Collateral consequence counseling: We help clients understand the full scope of what a conviction means beyond the sentence itself