New Jersey Criminal Defense

In order to protect the public infrastructure and the safety of ordinary people, New Jersey has made it a crime to manufacture, sell, transfer, utilize, or possess counterfeit credentials that can be used to falsely identify yourself as an employee of a public utility. Penalties for False Public Utility Employee Identification Badge (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-35) can be quite serious.

If you knowingly possess such a false credential, you can be charged with a crime of the fourth degree and face up to 18 months in prison if convicted. Knowingly displaying or utilizing such a false credential is a crime of the third degree, and you’ll be subject to a three to five year prison sentence if convicted.

The most serious consequences are reserved for those who manufacture and sell false public utility employee identification badges. This conduct is charged at the second degree level, and you’ll face a five to ten year prison sentence if convicted, plus fines of up to $150,000.

Don’t risk your future when facing charges this serious. Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9661 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney.

Protecting the public and our public infrastructure is an important priority for state government, so in New Jersey, it is a crime to sell, manufacture, display, or possess credentials that falsely show you are the employee of a public utility. Consequences can be severe, especially for those who traffic in false credentials.

Under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-35, False Public Utility Employee Identification Badge, it is a crime of the second degree to sell, transfer, or offer to sell a document or other writing that can be used to verify a person’s identify as a public utility employee. Conviction can result in a five to 10 year sentence and a fine of $150,000. Manufacturing documents or other writing that can be used as credentials is also a crime of the second degree.

Exhibiting, displaying, or otherwise using a false credential is a crime of the third degree, with a three to five year sentence possible if convicted, and a $15,000 fine. Knowingly possessing falsified credentials to pass as a public utility employee is a crime of the fourth degree, with a maximum sentence of 18 months.

If you’ve been charged under 2C:21-35, get help right away. Matthew Reisig helps clients avoid sometimes significant penalties. Call 732-625-9661 today and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.

Like most fraud and theft statutes, penalties under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34, False Contract Payment Claims, Representation; Prevailing Wage Violations, are tied to the value of the fraud or violation. The lowest grade charge under the statute is a crime of the fourth degree, and applies when the value of a contract or claim is less than $2,500. If convicted, you’ll face up to 18 months in prison and a fine of $10,000. When the contract or claim is worth $2,500 to $25,000, you’ll be charged at the third degree level. For prevailing wage violations, a contract between $2,500 and $75,000 will produce a third degree charge. Conviction at this level can result in a three to five year sentence and a fine of up to $15,000.

The most serious charge is reserved for higher value crimes. Contracts or claims valued above $25,000 land here, and for prevailing wage violations, contracts above $75,000 are penalized this way. The potential sentence is five to 10 years, and your fine can go as high as $150,000. For wage violations, you’ll also be ordered to pay restitution to the workers you defrauded.

These are serious charges that will ruin your business and can put you in prison for years. Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9661 and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.

New Jersey’s statute N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34 criminalizes several types of conduct and may carry significant penalties. If you knowingly submit a false claim for payment to the government, you can be charged with various grades of felonies based on the value of the claim. Making knowingly false material representation while negotiating a government contract or during the performance of the contract, will also result in being charged along the same graded scale, and penalties can run as long as 10 years if convicted.

For employers who work under the terms of government contracts, paying wages that are less than those mandated by statute is considered a serious crime. Not only will you face the risk of prison time if convicted, but you’ll also be required to compensate the employees for their losses. The financial penalty alone can be enough to shut you down for good.

If you’ve been charged with false representations or wage violations in government contracting, you are at substantial risk of losing your livelihood and your freedom. Get experienced legal advice right away. Matthew Reisig has defended New Jersey business owners for nearly two decades. Call 732-625-9661 today for a free consultation.

Because of the risk to people and property from improperly produced electrical work in homes and businesses, New Jersey has chosen to regulate the practice of Electrical Contracting. Performing this type of work or advertising Electrical Contracting services when you are not licensed through the State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors is a crime of the fourth degree under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-33, Electrical Contracting Without Business Permit. Conviction can lead to a sentence of up to 18 months, and a fine of $10,000. Performing electrical contracting work without a license could result in prison time and expensive fines.

In cases involving professional licensure, working with an experienced New Jersey attorney is critical to obtaining the best possible outcome. You aren’t only risking criminal sanction when state boards are involved. You’re also risking far-reaching career ramifications that can affect you profoundly for the rest of your life. If you’ve been charged under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-33, call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9661 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney.

Immigrants to the United States are considered a uniquely vulnerable population who are prone to being taken advantage of by the unscrupulous. To help protect the rights of immigrants to access the legal process of becoming resident aliens, citizens, or otherwise affect their legal status in the United States, the state of New Jersey restricts the practice of immigration law to those licensed as attorneys or counselors at law. There are several penalties possible for violating N.J.S.A. 2C:21-31, Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law.

At the fourth degree level, the statute specifies that a person who engages in immigration law without being a licensed attorney or counselor in NJ at law is in violation. Taking possession of and retaining another person’s immigration-related documents for an unreasonable period of time after they have requested those documents be returned is also a fourth degree matter. Penalties at this level include up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Holding yourself out to the public as a licensed immigration counselor when you are not, or advertising in any language that you are a licensed attorney when you are not, is a crime of the third degree. Conviction can result in a three to five year prison sentence, and a fine of $15,000. It’s vital that you work with an experienced criminal defense attorney to protect yourself from allegations this serious. Matthew Reisig defends professionals in New Jersey when they face allegations of misconduct. Call 732-625-9661 today and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.