Conspiracy Crimes in Texas

It is a criminal offense for two or more people to conspire to commit a criminal act in the future. In addition, some action must have been carried out, in order to further the completion of the "intended" crime. However, it is not necessary for the crime itself to be completed. For example, if Mary pays Sam to murder her husband, yet Sam has a change of heart and never follows through with the murder; Mary can still be charged with conspiracy for planning her husband's murder. Paying the third party would be the so called "act" which served to further the crime, even though the murder of her husband was not carried through.

The essence of conspiracy, is the making the agreement to commit a crime, followed by an action which would further the completion of that crime. In order for the prosecution to prove conspiracy, they must prove:

• That two or more people made an agreement to commit a criminal offense
• The individual was a willing participant in the conspiracy
• That one of the conspirators knowingly committed an act which "furthered" the crime
• That the action taken towards furthering the crime was done so as planned in order to accomplish the conspiracy

Conspiracy and White Collar Crime

Although conspiracy is not limited to white collar crimes, conspiracy is often times charged in connection with white collar crimes and, conspiracy can be tacked on, in addition to the underlying crime itself. In conspiracy charges, there is no limit as to how many people can be charged or how many steps would have been necessary in order to carry out the plan to completion. This is why white collar crimes often involve multiple individuals. If you are convicted of conspiracy, regardless if the plan was carried out, you are facing jail or prison sentencing, fines, victim restitution and probation.

If you or someone you care about has been arrested for conspiracy or are currently under investigation, a Dallas criminal defense attorney from the D'Amore Law Firm can help. If you are under investigation, having a strong legal defense can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.

Contact a Dallas Conspiracy Lawyer from our firm today for a free case evaluation.