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Seizure: $40,000 & 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
Seizure: $40,000 & 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
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Maybe a detective just called. Maybe your account is frozen, agents arrived with a seizure warrant, or a drug or fraud investigation turned into talk of “laundering.” You have urgent questions: Am I going to prison? Can they take my house, my savings, my business?
Take a breath. Being accused is not the same as being guilty, prosecutors overreach more than people realize, and you can fight for seized money and property. At Tisdell Law, Adam Tisdell defends people against money laundering charges in Potter County and federal court. Talk to a lawyer before you talk to anyone else, and call (806) 352-4844 for a free case review.
Many charges start with something that felt harmless: moving money for a friend or letting someone use your account. If prosecutors believe you knew it came from crime, that favor can become a serious federal case fast.
Money laundering is handling money you know came from crime, whether you hide it, move it, spend it, or invest it. You don’t have to be the person who committed the underlying offense; knowingly dealing with “dirty” money is enough to be charged.
Texas Penal Code § 34.02 makes it a crime to knowingly acquire, conceal, or transfer the proceeds of criminal activity. The key word is knowingly, and proving you knew the funds were tied to crime is often where a strong defense begins.
Prosecutors point to one of three patterns: placing illegal cash into the system, layering it through transactions to hide its origin, or integrating it into legitimate assets. Real life is rarely that tidy, and those assumptions can be challenged.
Your case may be filed in Potter County state court or in federal court. State charges proceed under Texas law; federal charges under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957 carry harsher penalties and are prosecuted in the Amarillo Division of the Northern District of Texas. A federal money laundering lawyer who knows both systems is essential.
Federal involvement usually signals larger dollar amounts or a tie to drug trafficking, and federal prosecutors bring deep resources. Our federal criminal defense practice is built for it.
Money laundering rarely arrives alone. It’s often stacked on drug or fraud cases, because any money that changed hands becomes a second charge used to leverage a plea. If you’re facing a drug case, our drug charge defense team knows how these add-on charges work.
Beyond imprisonment and heavy fines, Texas and federal law both let the government seize assets they claim are proceeds of the offense, so people can lose accounts, vehicles, and homes before any conviction.
In Texas, punishment scales with the amount: roughly $2,500 to under $30,000 is a state jail felony; $30,000 to under $150,000 a third-degree felony; $150,000 to under $300,000 a second-degree felony; and $300,000 or more a first-degree felony carrying up to 99 years. Federal imprisonment can reach 20 years per count.
Yes. Money laundering is always a felony in Texas, there is no misdemeanor version, so every charge deserves to be treated seriously from day one.
Often, yes. A freeze is an accusation, not a final judgment. There are procedures to challenge forfeiture and win back your money and property, and the deadlines are tight, so don’t wait to call.
Strong white collar defense starts by attacking the government’s assumptions, whether that means the money’s source, the transactions, or the evidence itself.
Because the law requires that you knew the funds came from crime, showing you didn’t, or that the state can’t prove you did, is one of the strongest defenses available. Many honest people handle money without any idea of its origin.
Financial crime cases are built on records, subpoenas, and searches, and investigators don’t always follow the rules. When evidence comes from an illegal search and seizure, it can sometimes be suppressed, gutting the case against you.
To convict, Potter County prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you handled the funds, that they were proceeds of criminal activity, and that you knew it. If they can’t prove each piece, the case should not stand.
Money laundering charges often overlap with other white collar offenses.
We defend clients against related fraud cases, including theft, embezzlement, and wire and mail fraud. Because theft and fraud allegations so often travel with laundering charges, one team handling the whole picture keeps your defense consistent. Learn more about felony charges in Texas.
The hours after you learn you’re under investigation are critical, and a few missteps can make a hard case harder.
Don’t try to explain your way out of it, consent to searches, or hand over records without advice. Agents are trained to use your words against you, so politely decline and ask for a lawyer. Know your rights during questioning.
We learn your side, then dig into the government’s evidence, the money trail, the warrants, and the knowledge element for every weakness, then build toward the best outcome, whether that’s a dismissal, reduced charges, or a strong position at trial.
If you’ve searched for top rated white collar crimes lawyers in the Panhandle, what matters is experience in the courtrooms where your case will be decided. Adam Tisdell is an Amarillo attorney who handles both Potter County and federal cases and explains the law like a smart friend, not a stranger in a suit. As a Texas anti money laundering lawyer, he brings the expert defense these charges demand.
The moment you reach out, you stop facing this alone, and we start protecting you right away.
In the first two days, we work to understand the investigation, get ahead of account freezes or interviews, and keep you from a costly mistake.
Texas generally applies a felony statute of limitations often around three years, though it can depend on the specifics and any related charges, while federal charges typically carry a five-year window. Because exceptions apply, confirm your deadline with a lawyer promptly.
Facing this alone is the scariest part, and you don’t have to. The sooner you have a defense lawyer, the more we can protect your freedom and your future.
Call (806) 352-4844 or contact us for a free case review today.
No. Many cases end in dismissals, reduced charges, or alternatives to incarceration, especially when the defense challenges the evidence early on.
They can try through forfeiture, but you have the right to fight it, and a freeze is not a final ruling.
No. Talk to a defense lawyer first; well-meaning explanations are a common way people make their cases worse.
Yes. The investigation stage is often when a lawyer can do the most good.
