What Should You Do if Federal Agents Raid Your Home or Business?
Former Prosecutors. Free confidential consultation. We can help when you need us most.
What Should You Do if Federal Agents Raid Your Home or Business?
Last week, a New York man made news by sitting on the edge of a skyscraper window as the FBI raided his apartment.
Perching somewhere dangerous is an example of what not to do when federal agents raid your home or business. But what should you do?
Ask for a Warrant
Page Contents
It’s rare for federal agents to show up without a warrant, but you should ask for one anyway.
If they don’t have one, don’t let them in, and don’t consent to a search. If they force their way inside anyway, your lawyer can challenge their right to use every piece of evidence they find.
If they do have a warrant, you should read it thoroughly. Every warrant lists what the government is searching for and where the judge has given them the right to look. If law enforcement does the opposite, your defense lawyer can challenge that evidence too.
Call a Lawyer
You may not be arrested yet, but you’re already in big trouble. The FBI generally does not raid homes or businesses without a great deal of investigation in advance. Local and state police may jump the gun at times, but the feds have the resources to conduct their investigations for years if they want to.
You’re looking for a criminal defense attorney with extensive experience handling federal cases (like us).
You want to have a professional on speed dial from here on out.
Invoke 5th Amendment Rights
If the agents ask you any questions, say, “I respectfully decline to answer and assert my 5th Amendment right to remain silent.”
If you don’t assert your rights, the prosecution can use your silence against you later.
Don’t get nervous. Don’t start talking. There is nothing you can say that will stop the process. You won’t suddenly convince federal law enforcement you’re innocent. The only thing you can possibly do is incriminate yourself, so remain silent.
Get Help Today
Once you’ve retained an attorney, your lawyer can reach out to federal prosecutors to get a sense of what might be going on with your case and can begin crafting a legal strategy to protect you and your rights.
You will not get through a federal investigation without help. Contact us to schedule a free case review today.
See also:
Our Practice Areas
How We Can Help You?
Types of Cases We Handle
Our Recent Case Results
We Seek the Best Possible Results for Our Clients
Bank fraud
After preparing this case for a JURY TRIAL, the DA's office finally offered a reduced charge and gave my client a no-jail sentence of probation.
Domestic violence
We were able to convince the Manhattan DA's office to dismiss the case without any ACD at all. The case was dismissed and sealed immediately.
Burglary
Client rejected all plea offers. After the trial concluded, the jury needed only 2 hours to acquit client of all felony charges, and even the criminal mischief charge as well.
Federal felony
Client faced a mandatory minimum of 10 years incarceration, we were able to secure a sentence of 1 day in jail.
