The overbreadth doctrine – commonly shortened to overbreadth – is the rule that a regulation of speech can be too broad, imposing on protected speech as well as protected speech. This is related to vagueness, which is where the rule is too vague for a person to figure...
Federal Crimes
State trooper avoids prison by entering into plea agreement
A former New York State Police trooper will perform 20 hours of community service for filing a false arrest report and lying during a pretrial hearing. The 34-year-old Long island man’s sentence was handed down on June 28. He was facing up to seven years in a state...
Broker charged in pension fund bribery scandal will get his day in court
The judge in the federal trial against a former broker accused of conspiring to bribe an official with the New York Common Retirement Fund with a luxury ski vacation has ruled in the defendant's favor, finding that questions of fact exist that must be answered at...
Former NYPD cop, four others charged with meth distribution
Federal authorities in New York have charged five people, including a former NYPD police officer, with operating a drug ring in Manhattan and the Westchester County area. Three of the defendants were taken into custody on Feb. 18, and another individual is already in...
Heavier federal charges against man accused of Hanukkah attack
A New York man accused of attacking participants at a Hanukkah celebration taking place at a rabbi's home in Rockland County is facing a number of federal criminal charges. In addition to the indictment for the alleged attack itself, the man is also facing elevated...
Former Mexican offical charged with accepting drug bribes
Federal prosecutors in New York have indicted a former senior Mexican government official on drug trafficking and conspiracy charges. The 51-year-old Florida resident is also charged with making a false statement on an application for naturalization he submitted in...
Prison guards for Jeffrey Epstein face federal charges
Two prison guards in New York are facing federal charges related to the death of Jeffrey Epstein while in custody. Allegedly, they ignored two mandatory checks per hour in the eight hours leading up to his death. Prosecutors say they browsed online and took naps...
Former DEA agent accused of helping drug traffickers
A former Drug Enforcement Administration agent has been indicted for providing information and assistance to drug traffickers in New York. The indictment, which was unsealed on Nov. 5, alleges that the former agent accepted bribes totaling more than $250,000 from...
U.S. House passes bill making animal torture a federal crime
It could soon be a federal crime for people in New York and around the country to commit acts of animal cruelty. Currently, it is only against federal law to film and distribute videos of animal abuse. On Oct. 22, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed...
New York state judge charged in MCU fraud case
Federal prosecutors have charged a New York state judge with conspiracy and obstruction of justice in connection with an investigation into fraud at the state's oldest credit union. The woman is accused of attempting to destroy evidence by deleting text messages and...