If a person is arrested, the individual is most likely detained by a state police officer and charged with a crime. In some cases, however, individuals are arrested by federal law enforcement for violation of federal statutes. In other cases, a person can be charged with both federal and state violations. The applicable statute of limitations, or the time period within which a person can be charged with a crime, differs based on the crimes committed by that person. The reason for these statutes of limitations is to protect defendants against living their entire lives in fear of being prosecuted. In many cases, the penalties that individuals face for violation of federal crimes are more severe than violations of state law. This post will explain some of the important details that individuals should know about the statutes of limitations for federal crimes.

The Length of the Statutes of Limitations for Federal Crimes

In a large number of cases, the applicable statute of limitations for federal crimes is five years. For some types of crimes, however, it can be shorter or longer. Certain circumstances also have the potential for the applicable statute of limitations to increase including when a person is a fugitive or time is required to obtain evidence outside the country. Some of the crimes that result in statutes of limitations longer than five years include:

• Arson, which has a statute of limitation of 10 years.
• Bank fraud, which has a statute of limitation of 10 years.
• Embezzlement from a federal financial institution, which has a statute of limitation of 10 years.
• Falsifying bank records, which has a statute of limitation of 10 years.
• Federal crimes punishable by death, which have no statute of limitations.
• Federal tax evasion, which has a statute of limitation of six years.
• Failure to file a tax return, which has a statute of limitation of six years.
• Fraud involving $1 million or greater, which has a statute of limitation of seven years.
• Mail fraud, which has a statute of limitation of 10 years.
• Making false statements in obtaining a federal loan, which has a statute of limitation of 10 years.
• Non-violent violations of federal terrorism, which has a statute of limitation of eight years.
• Sex crimes with a minor, which have no statute of limitations.
• Terrorism crimes that result in death or serious bodily injury, which have no statute of limitations.
• Theft of major artwork, which has a statute of limitation of 20 years.
• Using fraudulent citizenship papers, which has a statute of limitation of 10 years.
• Wire fraud, which has a statute of limitation of 10 years.

Contact a Seasoned Criminal Defense Attorney

Our seasoned criminal defense attorneys have the ability to help create strong legal defenses in response to a variety of federal crimes. Our legal counsel have helped individuals navigate a variety of federal charges. Contact Federal Criminal Law Center today to obtain strong assistance in response to being charged with a federal crime.