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Federal Crimes Blog

Common Federal Offenses in the Central District of CA

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Jul 09, 2025 | 0 Comments

The Central District of California, which encompasses major urban areas such as Los Angeles, serves as a hub for a wide range of federal criminal activities. Understanding the most common crimes can provide insight into the federal legal system's priorities and challenges in Southern California. ...

Kovel Agreement in Taxpayer Communications

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Jun 14, 2025 | 0 Comments

A Kovel agreement extends the attorney-client privilege to communications between a taxpayer and an accountant when a lawyer hires the accountant to assist in providing legal advice to the client. This means that communications and work product from the accountant....

What Are Non-Fungible Tokens Scams?

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Jun 09, 2025 | 0 Comments

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique digital assets that represent ownership of a specific item, whether it's digital art, video, music, or other objects. Each NFT is unique, meaning that no other token of the same type, such as Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, can replace....

Trial Tax In the Criminal Justice System

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | May 29, 2025 | 0 Comments

Under the United States legal system, every criminal defendant charged with a serious offense is entitled to a trial by a jury of their peers. It's a process that's clearly weighted in favor of the defendant, based on the idea that numerous guilty people should go free...

What are Federal Conspiracy Charges?

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | May 26, 2025 | 0 Comments

Federal conspiracy charges can be brought against someone accused of conspiring to commit any crime against the United States. To prove guilt, the prosecution must show that the defendant had an agreement or “contract” with at least one other person to commit a crime....

What are Money Flipping Scams?

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | May 23, 2025 | 0 Comments

Money-flipping scams involve fraudsters making false claims to the victim that they have a secret method for making money or that they can double their money in a short period of time. ‍The scams can take many different forms, but they all have one thing in common....

The Role of Shell Companies in Fraud Crimes

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Apr 24, 2025 | 0 Comments

Shell companies are often used for illicit purposes, especially for money laundering schemes. Such enterprises without real operations can be set up either in the United States or in other countries. For example, even though all states have laws that regulate the establishment of...

When is Insider Trading Legal?

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Apr 21, 2025 | 0 Comments

Insider trading is the practice of buying or selling a company's securities based on material, nonpublic information. It has long been a controversial issue in financial markets. While the term 'insider trading' often brings people images of corporate executives secretly profiting from inside kno...

18 U.S.C. § 2322 - Chop Shops

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Dec 21, 2023 | 0 Comments

Under federal law, a “chop shop” is generally described as a business receiving, concealing, destroying, or illegally obtaining motor vehicles to sell their parts. This law is codified under Title 18 U.S. Code 2322 Chop Shops, found within 18 U.S. Code Chapter 13, Stolen Property, and other related federal laws. The United States...

18 U.S. Code § 842 - Explosive Materials

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Dec 15, 2023 | 0 Comments

Section 842 has several provisions addressing specified unlawful acts and includes new provisions implementing the "Plastic Explosives Convention." Explosive materials could be a significant risk to the public, which is one of the main reasons why there are strict federal laws regulating them. Title 18 U.S.C. 842, “unlawful acts,”...

Mistakes to Avoid in Federal Child Porn Prosecution

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Dec 05, 2023 | 0 Comments

If you or a loved one is charged with possession, distribution, or production of child pornography at the federal level, you want to get a criminal defense attorney right away. The first common mistake is that people do nothing.  They bury their hand in the sand and hope for the best.  Then they find themselves in a position...

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Federal Bail Hearing

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Dec 04, 2023 | 0 Comments

For those people who have been recently arrested in a federal case, especially in the Central District of California, whether that be in Los Angeles, Riverside, or Orange County, you're going to want to get an attorney right away. I think the first common mistake is thinking that a bail on a federal case is similar to a state case...

Is Lolicon Illegal in the United States?

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Nov 29, 2023 | 0 Comments

There are strict federal laws designed to protect minors from sexual exploitation, child pornography, and other sexual-related offenses. This includes watching animated depictions of children engaged in sexual activity, which is a form of child porn. In other words, lolicon is illegal in the United States. In Japan, lolicon (loli) is a...

What to Do When Facing Federal Criminal Charges

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Nov 21, 2023 | 0 Comments

Criminal cases allegedly violating federal laws must be handled in federal district court, such as drug offenses, mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, and conspiracy. Federal prosecutors could pursue criminal charges on an individual or an entity. Most federal criminal cases begin discreetly...

18 U.S. Code § 247 - Damage to Religious Property

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Nov 17, 2023 | 0 Comments

Title 18 U.S. Code 247 damage to religious property; obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs is an essential law for the freedom of religious expression in the United States as it protects churches and religious institutions from deliberate damage. Under the Church Arson Prevention Act...

18 U.S. Code § 2313 - Sale or Receipt of Stolen Vehicles

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Nov 01, 2023 | 0 Comments

Federal laws make it illegal to sell, receive, possess, conceal, store, or dispose of a stolen vehicle crossing state lines or United States borders. 18 U.S.C. 2313 applies to motor vehicles, vessels, and aircraft. All states have separate laws making vehicle theft a crime when it occurs within their borders. Once stolen vehicles...

49 U.S. Code § 32703 - Odometer Fraud

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Oct 06, 2023 | 0 Comments

It’s common knowledge that cars with lower mileage will typically sell for a higher price on the used car market. Suppose you decide to tamper with an odometer to reduce the displayed mileage. In that case, you may have committed a federal crime. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says...

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