I Received A Target Letter, What Happens Now? Chris Combs and Andrew Russek, members of the leading criminal defense firm Combs Waterkotte, talk about next steps after receiving a target letter.
Interview Transcript
Scott Michael Dunn: So let’s say I received a target letter. What should I do now?
Andrew Russek: Reach out to an attorney. Because again, if you’ve – what a target letter is, is telling you you are the target of an investigation, or you have some role in an investigation. What that inherently means is this is no longer getting pulled over by a police officer that was drinking coffee and saw you speed by, then this is their first contact with you.
By the time you get that letter, they know where you live. They know who you associate with. They know your social security. They know your past. 10, 15 years of employment, they know things about you, and they have – they are zeroing in on you, the United States of America, zeroing in on you.
So, not only do you need to speak to [a lawyer] because [the investigators] already know things about you. You’re not gonna be able to talk slick your way out of it.
But also, there are certain opportunities for mitigation or for us to interfere in a way that could help you. Maybe we can avoid you being indicted by going and having a conversation with them – explore other options.
So being proactive with the target letter can help you avoid worse consequences, but you need to make sure you’re doing it right. Because again, you are now dealing with a much more serious organization than a local police officer or a local prosecutor.
Chris Combs: And I think that’s a common mistake you see with people who are being investigated by the feds, is they think “Well, you know, I don’t wanna spend the money and I don’t want to get a lawyer until I’m officially charged.”
I cannot tell you, and Andrew could speak better to this than I could, how successful we are in shutting down cases and avoiding our clients getting indicted at all if they get us involved right outta the gate.
Scott Michael Dunn: Ah, that makes a big difference.
Chris Combs: Huge.
If you’re facing federal charges and need an expert criminal defense lawyer, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a free, confidential case review. We will fight for your rights and freedom.
