Bribery falls under the category of white-collar crimes. While these offenses are considered nonviolent, the state can impose serious penalties if the accused is found guilty. In addition, you can also face bribery charges for misconduct at the state or federal level.
When facing allegations, you should contact a knowledgeable Spartanburg bribery lawyer. Our experienced criminal defense attorneys have experience as both state and federal prosecutors, enabling us to better understand how situations will unfold. Call now.
One of the most common types of bribery crimes in the state involves public officials. It is illegal to offer or provide gifts or items of value in order to gain influence with a public employee, member, or official, according to South Carolina Code Annotated § 8-13-705.
A Spartanburg bribery attorney could explain who falls under the category of a public official. Specifically, the rule prohibits paying bribes that encourage the public official or employee to:
The rule also prohibits public officials from demanding or soliciting bribes for these purposes.
In addition to public officials, the statute also prohibits offering or paying gifts or items of value to influence someone’s testimony under oath at trial or other official proceedings, including the following:
It is also illegal to pay bribes that induce a witness to fail to appear at such proceedings. Additionally, witnesses or individuals giving testimony cannot demand or solicit bribes that influence their testimony under oath.
Crimes involving the bribery of a public official or employee and influencing a person’s testimony under oath are grave offenses. According to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-13-705, the crime is considered a felony that can impose the following penalties:
However, the statute leaves room for some potential exceptions or defenses. It is not illegal for the party on whose behalf the person is called to make payments as a witness fee. This includes reasonable travel costs, food, and payments to expert witnesses to compensate for their time.
The statute also does not prohibit political contributions unless conditioned on taking specific actions. Additionally, public officials can still receive gifts of affection from their loved ones and family members.
Since the crime requires that the payment was made with the purpose of influencing the public official’s decisions, a potential defense is that the defendant lacked the intent to influence or induce the official’s actions. A Spartanburg attorney could help defendants assess the best defenses to their bribery charges.
Bribery charges are not limited to offenses involving public officials. The state prohibits other types of bribery, including bribing an employee, agent, or servant to influence them to take action with respect to an employer’s business, a misdemeanor under S.C. Code Ann. § 16-17-540. Similarly, you cannot bribe an athletic official to impact or influence the outcome of a sporting event or competition, as prohibited by S.C. Code § 16-17-550.
At the federal level, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits willfully making payments or promising anything of value to a foreign official to coerce them to take certain actions in their official capacity, according to 15 U.S.C. § 78dd-3. The statute defines foreign officials as political party members, foreign political office candidates, and their representatives. A knowledgeable Spartanburg lawyer could defend clients from both state and federal bribery charges.
If you are facing bribery charges, you should contact a Spartanburg bribery lawyer immediately. We offer a personalized approach to providing legal services.
Our attorneys are honest about your situation, and we do not make promises we cannot keep. We are based in Greenville, servicing South Carolina and beyond. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
(864) 775-5775