adaYinthelifeofaneconoMiccriMesProsecutor
Government lawyers Section Chairs : AlexaCline — OfficeoftheStateAttorney & ChristianKatchuk — 13thJudicialCircuitCourt
Iam a lead trial attorney in the Economic Crimes Unit at the Hillsborough County State Attorney ’ s Office . My division has four attorneys , and we work closely with The Florida Department of Financial Services ( DFS ), the Hillsborough County Sheriff ’ s Office ( HCSO ), and Tampa Police Department ’ s ( TPD ) specialized divisions . I work my cases from the ground up , collaborating with my detectives as we build cases to make sure they are appropriate for criminal prosecution .
The crimes I prosecute include money laundering , organized schemes to defraud , fraudulent use of personal identification , material misrepresentations on insurance claims , and everything in between . I attend the annual Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee Conference ( FIFEC ) in Orlando to keep up-to-date on the ever-changing insurance world .
When a new case hits my desk , it is still in the investigation stage . I reach out to my detectives , and we formulate a game plan . I sign subpoenas daily for financial records . I request additional evidence if my detectives and I want to expand our theory of the case . I conduct interviews with all the witnesses and victims involved . My cases are very paperwork heavy . Once I have all the evidence I need , I file formal charges . When an information is signed , the court process begins . I provide all the discovery to defense counsel , and I participate in depositions .
Most of my cases involve a financial loss to the victim . I always conduct a balancing test between recovering the victim ’ s money as quickly as possible and determining the appropriate punishment through plea negotiations . The need for payment of restitution to the victim is a statutory mitigator , but I must determine if it
thesecasesmay seemoverwhelmingor tiresome , butatthe endoftheday , the victimsdeserve someonewhoisgoing tofightforthem . outweighs the need for a prison sentence . I make my decisions on a case-by-case basis , and I always consider mitigation provided by defense and weigh it accordingly . My goal is to have a resolution that is supported by the law and the facts .
These cases may seem overwhelming or tiresome , but at the end of the day , the victims deserve someone who is going to fight for them . Working together with law enforcement at the inception of the cases helps in achieving the best outcome for our victims . I love working for my office and being an economic crimes prosecutor . n
Author : Kevin Riley – State Attorney ’ s Office , Thirteenth Circuit
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