Florida treats felony crimes seriously. If convicted of one, you could find yourself dealing with penalties harsh enough to derail your life and career path. This also applies to charges involving mail fraud, which the state considers a felony.
But what are the exact penalties mail fraud convictions can net you? How do they impact you in the short and long term?
Maximum penalties for mail fraud
The Congressional Research Service looks at all aspects of mail fraud convictions, up to and including the sentencing. Depending on the type of fraud sentence you face, your penalty could differ somewhat. But most cases involve a form of incarceration and fines.
For example, the maximum punishment for mail fraud is 20 years of incarceration. On top of that, you face $250,000 in fines. For organizations, you face $500,000 in fines, but the same maximum amount of jail time.
Additional penalties
But you can end up with even heftier sentences. If the court convicts you of mail fraud involving a financial institution, you face up to 30 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $1 million. This also goes for accusations of fraud schemes that make use of natural disasters. Even after the term of imprisonment, you may not be free to go right away. A term of supervised release or a probationary period often follow.
As you can imagine, the time in jail removes you completely from the goings-on in the outside world. You could go through decades without a chance to hone your skills or gain job experience. This is a lethal combination with the massive debt you may fall into because of the fines. This is why many people struggle to get back on their feet after a time in jail.
