Recently, the Department of Justice has focused its attention on the use and criminal misuse of Cryptocurrency in a very public way. On October 6, 2021, the Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco announced the launch of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team...
Chicago Criminal Law Blog
Fraud Charges Against Tech Company
There are times when only the most experienced, aggressive legal representation will be able to adequately defend you against criminal charges. When the charges and potential penalties are severe, and when the evidence is powerful, you must work with an attorney with...
When is a straw weapons purchase a felony?
Purchasing weapons for people who are not authorized to own them can have dangerous consequences. Currently, a Chicago woman faces charges related to purchasing guns for people not permitted to have them, and prosecutions are happening at the federal level all over...
Should the Supreme Court revisit whether felons can have firearms?
A felony conviction can carry more penalties than prison time and fines. While the prison time will end, consequences like losing the right to carry a firearm can last forever. This week, rapper Lil Wayne was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon....
Dozens of people arrested in West Side drug bust
The federal government takes drug crimes seriously. They have virtually unlimited resources to prosecute these crimes and aggressively prosecutes serious drug crimes. If a person is facing federal drug crimes charges, they can be scared and stressed over the...
Forensic fire investigation often riddled with problems: Part II
In our last post, we began a discussion about the problems of forensic fire investigation. It is one of numerous types of forensic testing that is far less reliable (or scientifically sound) than the general public tends to believe. Problems with burn-pattern analysis...
Forensic fire investigation often riddled with problems: Part I
Procedural dramas like “CSI” have convinced Americans that forensic science is equivalent to pure, unassailable fact. After all, tests and evidence don’t lie, even if people do. But sadly, this belief in the infallibility of forensic science is misplaced and made all...
Pair accused of identity theft and fraud
If you drive about 18 miles southwest of Chicago, you will arrive in the Village of Homer Glen. A pair of men were recently arrested there after a two-year investigation on charges of identity theft, fraud and forgery-related crimes, the Will County Sheriff's Office...
Former Chicago police officer gets early federal prison release
The pandemic has had a negative effect on the lives of the vast majority of people. One of the few exceptions is former Chicago narcotics officer Glenn Lewellen, who was convicted of kidnapping and robbing drug dealers. Lewellen was recently released from federal...
DeVos redoes sexual assault allegation rules in campus cases
A decade ago, many believed that sexual assault allegations were too often given scant attention by colleges and that accusers were routinely discouraged from reporting attacks. The Obama administration tried to correct that approach, but many believed it...


