Getting Permission to Travel with Pending Federal Charges in Florida

Most defendants assume that it is impossible to travel while facing federal charges in Florida. However, this is not always the case. With help from an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Naples, you can get permission to leave the county or state. This might be necessary for business, family reasons, or simply to take a break from the stress of a trial. How do you get permission to travel while facing federal charges?

 FirstEnergy Executives Allowed to Travel While Facing Federal Bribery Charges

 Not all defendants facing federal charges are prohibited from traveling. In March of 2024, a former executive facing federal bribery charges in Ohio secured permission to leave the State. The CEO of FirstEnergy then traveled to his mansion in Naples, Florida. In exchange, he agreed to forfeit his three multi-million-dollar properties if he missed a single court date. With these financial incentives in place, the court felt satisfied that the defendant would not attempt to flee.

This illustrates how defense attorneys and prosecutors can mutually agree upon deals that allow defendants to travel. Note that if the defendant was not able to put up his three homes as “collateral,” he may not have gained permission to travel. This particular CEO is facing a potential life sentence in prison for one of the most serious bribery cases in Ohio’s history.

Another FirstEnergy executive only had to pay $10,000 (10% of his bond) for permission to visit his beach house in South Carolina. After complaining that he could not secure the necessary funds within the time limit, the court took a somewhat lenient approach to his request. However, he was still forced to wear a GPS ankle monitor.

Will I Get Permission to Travel Pending Federal Charges in Florida? 

The court usually prohibits travel for defendants facing federal felony charges. Some crimes are inherently regarded as having high flight risks. You may need to convince the court that you will not attempt to flee from your potential consequences. When facing many years in prison, it may feel tempting to simply leave the country and never look back. In order to ease this concern, you may need to provide collateral or wear a GPS monitor.

If you face bribery or other “white collar crimes,” the courts may view you with a considerable degree of suspicion – particularly if you have offshore assets. In the words of the Attorney General presiding over the FirstEnergy case, the defendant is “an accused fraudster,” and “the court should not take his word for anything.”

 Fight Your Federal Charges with a Florida Criminal Defense Attorney 

It may be easier to get permission to travel with help from an experienced Fort Myers criminal defense attorney. Choose The Robert & Foley Law Firm to approach your charges with dignity and efficiency. Not only can we help you travel with pending charges, but we can also help you fight your charges and limit your consequences. Book your consultation today to get started with a defense strategy.

Sources: 

robertfoleylaw.com/fort-myers-federal-conspiracy-defense-lawyer/

aol.com/former-firstenergy-execs-allowed-travel-020027283.html