Most people picture human trafficking as something that happens in another country, run by strangers in vans. Federal law casts a much wider net than that. And if you are convicted of human trafficking, you face a very real possibility of federal prison time.For this reason, it is highly recommended that you contact a human trafficking lawyer in Phoenix if you have been charged with harboring illegal immigrants, alien smuggling, or another immigration crime. You will need a strong and effective defense effort.Suzuki Law Offices aggressively defends people facing federal immigration charges. Our Phoenix federal crimes lawyers are led by a former Assistant U.S. Attorney. That background means we understand U.S. immigration laws, the federal court system, and how to defend the rights and freedom of our clients.
What to Do Before You Say Anything Else
Federal agents investigating trafficking cases are patient and thorough. They have time on their side, and they know how to use it. They want you talking, because almost everyone says something that hurts their own case, often without realizing it until much later.
Do not answer questions from Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, or local police without a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer present. Everything you say can be taken out of context or open up new lines of questioning. These questions are designed to trip you up. Your silence will protect you, and politeness costs nothing.
Write down what you remember while it’s fresh. Then call a Phoenix human trafficking attorney before you talk to anyone else, including friends or coworkers who might get pulled into the case.
What Federal Law Actually Calls Human Trafficking
Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, trafficking covers recruiting, harboring, transporting, or obtaining a person for labor or services, forced labor, sex trafficking, or servitude.
You don’t need to physically restrain someone to be charged. That broad definition catches people who never saw themselves as traffickers. Anyone involved, like landlords or drivers, can end up charged if prosecutors believe they knew what was happening and played a part in it.
Human trafficking incidents in Arizona often start small, a tip to Homeland Security Investigations, a traffic stop, or a multi-agency task force operation, and grow into a federal case over months of investigation.
The Two Tracks Prosecutors Use
Federal trafficking charges generally split into two categories, and the one you’re facing changes everything about your defense.
- Sex trafficking: Charges built around causing someone to engage in commercial sex through force, fraud, or coercion, or involving a minor regardless of force. Cases involving minors are often charged as child sex trafficking, which brings some of the harshest mandatory minimums in federal law.
- Labor trafficking: Charges built around forced labor or services obtained through threats, debt bondage, or other coercive means.
Some cases involve both. Prosecutors often stack additional charges on top, like money laundering or conspiracy, which raises the stakes even further. A Phoenix human trafficking lawyer can fight to get these charges reduced or dropped.
Where the Government’s Case Tends to Be Weakest
Federal trafficking prosecutions look airtight from the outside. They rarely are once someone with real experience starts pulling at the seams.
RJ Suzuki spent years deciding which trafficking cases were strong enough to bring as a federal prosecutor. He knows the weak points because he used to look for them from the other chair.
Some of what we examine first includes:
- Whether force, fraud, or coercion actually happened: Prosecutors sometimes stretch ordinary employment disputes or personal relationships into coercion claims that don’t hold up.
- The credibility of cooperating witnesses: People testifying against you in exchange for a lighter sentence have a clear incentive to shade the truth.
- How agents gathered evidence: Search warrants, wiretaps, and financial subpoenas all have rules. Broken rules can mean excluded evidence.
- Whether you actually knew what you’re accused of knowing: Knowledge is often the whole case. Proving what was in your head is harder than prosecutors like to admit.
- Whether the case belongs in federal court at all: Some human trafficking incidents get investigated locally first, sometimes involving the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, before federal prosecutors take over.
Investigators Working Your Case From Day One
We have former law enforcement investigators on staff, several of them retired from the same agencies bringing these charges. They know how the government builds a case, which means they know how to take one apart.
Once you hire us, you’re not left guessing what happens next. You get an email right after signing that lays out your points of contact, your attorney, and what to expect. A paralegal reaches out, and an investigator gets assigned if your case needs one.
Penalties for Smuggling Aliens Across the Border
If you have been accused of smuggling illegal immigrants across the border, you will be prosecuted in federal court. Human trafficking charges carry stiff penalties, including lengthy prison terms and costly fines, so it is crucial that you discuss your case with a human trafficking attorney in Phoenix as soon as you have been arrested.
There are enhanced penalties based on certain circumstances, such as:
- The number of people who were brought into the U.S.
- The manner in which the people were brought into the U.S.
- Exposing illegal aliens to the threat of injury or death
- Whether the person being smuggled is a convicted felon
Generally, a federal conviction for alien smuggling can result in a 10-year prison sentence. However, your prison sentence could be multiplied by the number of illegal aliens you were accused of smuggling across the border. If you exposed others to the risk of serious bodily injury or death, the length of your prison sentence could also be increased to 20 years.
Related Offenses for Human Trafficking
In some cases, charges of human trafficking can also be accompanied by a host of other related offenses. Associated criminal charges for human trafficking can include:
- Kidnapping
- Child pornography or other sex crimes
- Money laundering
- Alien smuggling and harboring
- Commercial sexual exploitation of a minor
Considering the severity of the charges and penalties involved, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible for immediate representation.
Call Our Phoenix Human Trafficking Lawyers Now
Being accused of human trafficking puts a person’s whole life on hold. Family, reputation, work, all of it gets thrown into question overnight. You’ll hear from real people, not a call center, and we stay on top of communication so you’re never left wondering what’s happening with your case.
Waiting rarely helps a federal case and can close off options that were available earlier. The sooner a lawyer who actually handles trafficking cases gets involved, the more room there is to work with.
The human trafficking attorneys in Phoenix at Suzuki Law Offices are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, weekends included, and the first conversation costs you nothing. Call us and let a former federal prosecutor tell you honestly what you’re facing. You need Suzuki.
Call or text (602) 682-5270 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form