Target Letter, Grand Jury Subpoena, or Knock on the Door? Federal Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

You can find out that you are the target of a federal investigation in a variety of different ways. While the way in which you find out about the government’s inquiry can provide important insight into the status of the investigation, your most immediate concern after finding out about an investigation should be engaging an experienced Shreveport federal criminal defense lawyer. Facing a federal investigation is a high-stakes scenario in any set of circumstances, and, at this stage, you will need to defend yourself effectively to avoid unnecessary consequences.

3 Ways the Federal Government Gathers Evidence in Support of Criminal Charges

In most cases, targets of federal investigations learn that they are facing scrutiny in one of three ways. They either receive a target letter, are served with a federal grand jury subpoena, or have federal agents show up at their door with a search warrant. While these reflect different circumstances, they ultimately present similar risks—and need to be treated accordingly.

Here is an introduction to what you need to know about each of these federal warning signs you shouldn’t ignore:

1. Federal Target Letters

A target letter is a communication from a U.S. Attorney’s Office that informs an individual or business that it is the target of a federal investigation. The term “target” is significant—and being a target is different from being a “subject.”

When you are the target of a federal investigation, this means that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is in the process of pursuing charges. While receiving a target letter does not mean that you are being charged with a federal crime, it does mean that facing charges is a very real—and potentially near-term—possibility.  

In many cases, a target letter will “invite” the target to communicate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office regarding its investigation. Target letters frequently include warnings about deleting or destroying potential evidence. In all cases, upon receiving a target letter, it is imperative to promptly engage experienced federal defense counsel to ensure that your response does not do more harm than good.

2. Federal Grand Jury Subpoenas

In the federal criminal justice system, the empanelment of a grand jury is a precursor to the U.S. Attorney’s Office pursuing criminal charges at trial. If federal prosecutors believe they have sufficient evidence to establish “probable cause” to file charges, they will empanel a grand jury and seek an indictment.

A federal grand jury subpoena compels the recipient to appear in federal district court to provide testimony or documents (or both). U.S. Attorneys can send grand jury subpoenas to targets, subjects, and witnesses; and, while grand jury subpoenas can be extremely broad, there are limits to the Justice Department’s authority to compel disclosure. Along with asserting the attorney-client privilege and any other applicable protections, recipients of federal grand jury subpoenas can also, when warranted, work with their defense counsel to challenge the scope of the subpoenas in court.

With that said, recipients of grand jury subpoenas should not rely on their subpoenas being quashed. To the contrary, they should immediately begin working with their defense counsel to respond appropriately. What is appropriate in any particular case depends on the specific circumstances, and it is vital for subpoena recipients to rely on their defense counsel’s advice to make informed, strategic decisions.

3. Federal Search Warrants

If federal agents show up at your door with a search warrant, you may have little practical choice but to let them in. Ideally, you will contact your defense counsel immediately and oversee the search (to the extent possible), documenting everything federal agents review or seize.

Of course, in the moment, it can be difficult to do anything but stand there in shock as federal agents ransack your home or office. In the aftermath of a federal search, it is important to document the scene as thoroughly as possible, and you should have your defense counsel review the warrant as soon as possible. If the warrant is subject to challenge on constitutional or other grounds, or if federal agents exceeded the scope of the warrant during their search, this could prove critical for your defense.

What To Do if You Have Been Contacted By a U.S. Attorney or Federal Agents in Shreveport

With all of this in mind, what should you do if you received a target letter or grand jury subpoena, or if federal agents raided your home or office in Shreveport? In this situation, it is imperative that you:

• Carefully Review the Target Letter, Subpoena, or Warrant – You should carefully review the document you received from the federal government. Pay particular attention to any deadlines and any requests for records or information. Make note of any questions you need to ask your defense lawyer.
• Preserve Any and All Relevant Documentation – If you have any relevant documents (or any potentially relevant documents) in your possession, you should keep them. For business owners, this includes ensuring that potentially relevant records don’t get destroyed in the ordinary course of business. Destroying evidence, even inadvertently, can have serious consequences in federal cases.
• Contact a Shreveport Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer Promptly – Whether you received a target letter, grand jury subpoena, or search warrant, you need experienced legal representation. To ensure that you are making informed and strategic decisions about your next steps, you should contact an experienced Shreveport federal criminal defense lawyer promptly.

Contact Shreveport Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer Lee Harville

Have you received a federal target letter or grand jury subpoena? Have federal agents raided your home or office with a search warrant? If so, we can help, but it is important that you contact us right away. To speak with experienced Shreveport federal criminal defense lawyer Lee Harville about your situation in confidence as soon as possible, call 318-222-1700 or tell us how we can reach you online now.