Criminal Investigations In Henrico County
If you have been accused of a criminal offense in Henrico County, the following is what you should know regarding how your case is likely to be investigated, in some cases even before an arrest is made. To learn more about the process of a typical investigation or to discuss what it could mean for you, call and schedule a consultation with a Henrico County criminal lawyer today.
Agencies Involved in Criminal Investigations
The primary agencies that handle investigating crimes in Henrico County are the Henrico County Police (including various groups within that police department), their investigators, and also the Virginia State Police. On occasion, some other agencies in other counties work in conjunction with the Henrico police as well, and then in some instances, you have federal agencies like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the FBI or the DEA getting involved in some cases.
Crimes That Tend to be Investigated Before Arrest
Crimes that are investigated before arrest are typically felony cases, larceny cases, drug distribution cases–things of that nature that require a lot more in-depth investigation. In those cases, you will typically be advised or understand when you’re being investigated. But mostly the cases that involve detailed investigation are usually distribution drug cases, molestation or sex crime cases, or grand larceny case.
Red Flag Signs You Are Being Investigated for a Crime
The biggest tell-tale sign that you’re being investigated in Henrico is that in 9 out of 10 cases, you will be notified by the police or by the investigators. The police will contact you to ask you if you would sit down and answer some questions. They will ask you about exactly what they’re investigating or who they are investigating and what you know of it, and they will often ask you to come down to the station for questioning. It’s very common for them to do this.
They’ll typically just start with a phone call or they will even come to your house. In some cases, depending on what the charge is or what they’re investigating, they can confiscate computers. They can confiscate cell phones and they can even put a freeze on a bank account if there was an issue regarding funds being involved in a crime, and they will typically need a warrant to do this.
Will The Authorities Speak to Employers? Family? Friends?
During an investigation, law enforcement will often speak to your friends and family members. They can speak to your employer. They’re going to want to speak to anybody who has any knowledge of the case or knowledge of your activities in an attempt to gauge information, but also in many cases, in an attempt to just pressure you to cooperate with them in the investigation.
Post Arrest Investigations
Authorities do continue to investigate after an arrest. Typically what this means is that there are either more charges that could come or the charges could be elevated, let’s say from a misdemeanor to a felony. An attorney can help in these sorts of situations. The attorney can speak to your investigators to determine exactly what they’re trying to obtain. The attorney can also try to negotiate a settlement or negotiate your cooperation to help resolve the matter.
Can Police Access Online Information? What About Phone Calls?
Police can access things you’ve done online, and they can access phone calls and other information. It is legal for them to do so if they obtained a warrant. They would actually have to obtain a warrant to either tap your phone and/or obtain your information via your phone provider.
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