Pasco County Fraud Lawyer
King Law Group defends adults and juveniles charged with crimes across Pasco County, from West Pasco communities like New Port Richey, Hudson and Holiday to Dade City, and handles white collar cases that begin long before anyone is arrested. If you are looking for a Pasco County fraud lawyer, the first thing to know is that fraud allegations often surface as a records request, a subpoena, a call from an investigator, or a bank freeze, not a knock on the door.
Florida has no single crime called “fraud.” The label covers a family of offenses: scheming to defraud, uttering forged instruments, credit card and identity misuse, insurance and benefits fraud, worthless checks, and theft by deception. How a case is charged, and how much time is at stake, usually turns on dollar value and who the alleged victim is.
That is why early decisions matter. What you say to an investigator, what documents you hand over, and whether you try to “explain it all” can shape the case before a prosecutor has reviewed a single page.
What Fraud Charges Look Like in Pasco County Courts
Pasco’s felony and juvenile cases are heard in circuit court, while misdemeanors and criminal traffic cases go to county court. Both are part of Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, which also covers Pinellas County. Felony fraud cases from the western side of the county are generally heard at the West Pasco Judicial Center in New Port Richey, and cases from the east side are heard at the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City.
Many fraud-type charges are built on theft law. Florida’s felony theft line is $750; property valued under that is petit theft, and $750 or more is grand theft. Grand theft of $750 up to $20,000 is a third-degree felony, $20,000 up to $100,000 is a second-degree felony, and $100,000 or more is a first-degree felony. Those classifications matter because a third-degree felony carries up to 5 years, a second-degree up to 15 years, and a first-degree up to 30 years, with fines of up to $5,000, $10,000 and $10,000 respectively.
Value is often the most contestable element. Prosecutors may add up many small transactions into one large number. A good defense looks hard at what is actually included in that total, whether each item was truly obtained by deception, and whether the State can prove intent rather than a mistake, a billing dispute, or a business deal gone bad.
Why Choose King Law Group for a Pasco County Fraud Defense
King Law Group is a criminal defense firm whose practice is focused solely on criminal defense. It represents adults and juveniles throughout Pasco County, Pinellas County and the greater Tampa Bay area, and it handles cases from pre-arrest investigation through trial and record sealing. That pre-arrest piece is especially relevant to fraud, where the real work often starts when someone learns they are being looked at.
The firm was built by Cameron King, a former felony prosecutor for the Sixth Judicial Circuit. As a prosecutor, he handled thousands of cases, ranging from murder, manslaughter and armed robbery to DUI, drug possession and domestic violence. He earned both his business degree and his law degree at Florida State University, and later practiced criminal defense at a prominent litigation firm. A business background paired with years of reviewing arrests from the State’s side is useful when a case turns on records, transactions and intent.
Clients describe Cameron as honest, straightforward and tireless, and reviews on the firm’s site repeatedly mention fast callbacks, patient explanations at every step, and, in one case, charges that were ultimately dropped. The firm’s phone is answered 24/7, and the first consultation is free. Not every case is about proving innocence; sometimes the right outcome is a reduced charge, a withheld adjudication, or a diversion program that ends in dismissal, and the firm looks for whichever of those fits what you need to protect.
Fraud-Related Charges the Firm Defends in Pasco County
- Grand Theft by Deception: Obtaining money or property through false statements is prosecuted as theft under Chapter 812 when the value reaches $750, with the felony degree rising at $20,000 and again at $100,000.
- Retail and Petit Theft: Under $100 is a second-degree misdemeanor and $100 up to $750 is a first-degree misdemeanor, but a conviction can still follow you through background checks.
- White Collar Crimes and Conspiracy: Embezzlement, payroll and billing schemes, and allegations that several people coordinated a scheme, often investigated for months before charges are filed.
- Theft From a Dwelling: Taking property of $40 or more from a home or its unenclosed curtilage can be charged as third-degree grand theft even below the usual $750 line, which surprises many people.
- Multi-Victim and Multi-Dwelling Schemes: Theft from more than 20 dwellings, or any combination of them, is second-degree grand theft, and large schemes can draw first-degree charges.
- Theft of a Firearm or Motor Vehicle: Under the theft statute, these can be third-degree grand theft regardless of value, so a low-dollar item can still mean a felony.
- Probation Violations Tied to Fraud Cases: A new allegation, or even missed restitution, can trigger a violation affidavit; if probation is revoked, the judge can impose any sentence that could have been imposed originally.
What to Do If You Are Under Investigation or Charged
Stop talking about the facts. Investigators from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, local police departments or state agencies are trained to get explanations, and a well-meant explanation can become the missing piece of intent. You are entitled to decline an interview and to ask for a lawyer. Do not consent to a search of your phone, computer or business records without speaking to counsel first.
Do not delete anything. Erasing emails, texts, spreadsheets or account records after you know an investigation exists can create a separate problem and can look like consciousness of guilt. Preserve what you have, and let your lawyer decide what to produce and when.
If you are arrested, people taken into custody in Pasco are generally booked into the county jail in Land O’ Lakes, and a first appearance before a judge usually follows within about 24 hours. That hearing sets release conditions, so a lawyer present at the start can argue for lower bond or release. Bail and bond hearings can also be revisited later.
Gather the paper trail early: contracts, invoices, bank statements, messages, authorizations, and anything showing who approved a transaction. In fraud cases, the documents often tell the story better than any witness. If you have received a subpoena or a letter from an agency, bring it to your consultation unopened details intact, and do not respond on your own.
Finally, keep the clock in mind. A prosecution generally must begin within 4 years for a first-degree felony, 3 years for other felonies, and 2 years for a first-degree misdemeanor, counted from the day after the offense. Those periods can be extended in limited situations, such as when a defendant is continuously absent from the state, so do not assume time has run without talking to a lawyer.
Ways a Fraud Case Gets Defended
The central question in most fraud cases is intent. The State has to show that you knowingly meant to deceive, not that something went wrong. Disputes between business partners, sloppy bookkeeping, misread authority, and genuine misunderstandings about who was owed what can all look like fraud on paper without being criminal.
Evidence challenges come next. Statements made to investigators can be examined for whether you were properly advised of your rights, and searches of records or devices can be tested through motions to suppress. Valuation can be attacked too, because moving a total from above $750 to below it changes the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.
Outcomes short of trial are common in this area. Depending on the facts, that can mean a reduced charge, a withheld adjudication, a pretrial diversion program, or restitution arrangements that satisfy the State. Because “convicted” for fine purposes includes a guilty or no contest plea even when adjudication is withheld, it matters which resolution you accept and how it will look later. If you qualify afterward, the firm helps with sealing or expunging the record; Florida generally allows only one record to be sealed or expunged, and a certificate of eligibility from FDLE comes first, so protecting that single opportunity is part of the strategy.
Pasco County Fraud Defense: Common Questions
Is fraud a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
It depends on the charge and the amount. Theft-based fraud under $750 is generally a misdemeanor, while $750 or more is a felony. Other fraud statutes carry their own classifications, so the specific charge on your paperwork controls.
How much prison time can a fraud conviction carry?
A third-degree felony can mean up to 5 years, a second-degree up to 15 years, and a first-degree up to 30 years. A first-degree misdemeanor carries up to 1 year. Maximum fines run up to $5,000 for a third-degree felony and $10,000 for first- and second-degree felonies.
Can I be investigated for fraud without being arrested?
Yes, and many cases begin that way. You may receive a subpoena, a request for records, or a call from an investigator. Contacting a lawyer at that stage can affect whether charges are ever filed.
Should I talk to an investigator to clear things up?
Usually not without counsel. Anything you say can be used to prove intent, and an incomplete explanation can do more harm than silence. You can politely decline and ask to speak with a lawyer first.
Where will my fraud case be heard in Pasco County?
Felonies go to circuit court and misdemeanors to county court, at either the West Pasco Judicial Center in New Port Richey or the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City. The firm handles cases at both.
What happens at first appearance?
A judge reviews probable cause and sets bond or other release conditions, typically within about 24 hours of arrest. A lawyer can argue for a lower bond or release without money bail.
Can I be charged for what looks like a business dispute?
It happens. When a prosecutor believes a disagreement involved deliberate deception, a civil fight can turn criminal. The defense often focuses on showing a good-faith dispute rather than intent to defraud.
Can a fraud charge be reduced because of the dollar amount?
Sometimes. Because value drives the degree of the offense, challenging how the State calculated the total can move a case below a felony threshold. The $750 line is the most important one to watch.
How long can the State wait to charge me?
Time limits vary: 4 years for first-degree felonies, 3 years for other felonies, and 2 years for first-degree misdemeanors, running from the day after the offense. Some crimes, including those resulting in a death, have no limit, and certain absences from Florida can extend the period by up to 3 years.
Will a fraud conviction affect my job or immigration status?
It can. Theft and fraud offenses may be treated as crimes of dishonesty, which affect employment, licensing and background checks. For non-citizens, certain convictions can carry removal consequences, so immigration impact is considered before any plea.
If my case is dismissed or I get a withheld adjudication, can I clear my record?
Possibly. Florida allows one arrest record to be sealed or expunged in a proceeding, after FDLE issues a certificate of eligibility. Dismissals and acquittals are generally easier to expunge, while a withheld adjudication usually means sealing first.
What if I violated probation after a fraud case?
Once an affidavit is filed and a warrant or notice to appear issues, the probation period is paused until the court rules. If the violation is proven, the judge can impose any sentence that could originally have been imposed, so respond quickly.
Serving Pasco County Fraud Clients Across the Region
King Law Group defends fraud and white collar cases throughout Pasco County, beginning in West Pasco in New Port Richey and Port Richey, and extending north through Hudson and Bayonet Point and south through Holiday and Trinity. The firm also represents people in Elfers, Jasmine Estates and Beacon Square, and in Dade City and the eastern side of the county.
Just across the county line, the same Sixth Judicial Circuit prosecutors handle cases in Pinellas County, and the firm represents clients in Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg. Wherever a fraud investigation starts across Pasco, Pinellas and the Tampa Bay area, the goal is the same: get involved early and shape the case before the State finishes building it.
Talk to a Pasco County Fraud Attorney Today
If you are under investigation, have received a subpoena, or have been arrested, a Pasco County fraud attorney can step in right away to deal with investigators, push for release at first appearance, and start building your defense. King Law Group answers the phone 24/7, and your first consultation is free. Call to talk through what happened, what the charges could mean, and what options may be available.
