Posted on Sunday, September 8th, 2024 at 4:19 pm
When you come under criminal investigation, police and prosecutors rarely tell you that they consider you a suspect. You may not know that you’ve become a criminal suspect until the police arrest you and charge you with a crime. However, you may notice various events or incidents that may signal that you’ve become a suspect in a criminal investigation in Ohio. Recognizing the signs that the police have placed you under investigation can alert you to seek legal representation to protect your rights and interests against the consequences of a criminal investigation, arrest, or conviction. Some of the top signs you’re under police investigation in Ohio include:
Unsolicited Phone Calls and House Visits from Law Enforcement
One of the first signs you may notice that signals you have come under criminal investigation include receiving unsolicited phone calls or visits to your home or workplace by law enforcement officers. Police officers or detectives may call or visit you at home or work to ask questions or request that you come to the police station or district attorney’s office to speak with investigators.
When law enforcement calls or visits you out of the blue asking to discuss a criminal case, they may not explicitly state that they consider you a suspect. In many cases, officers may make it seem like they want to talk to you to get help with an investigation; however, if officers begin questioning by advising you of your right to remain silent and to speak to an attorney, that should signal that they want to ask you questions that may lead to you making incriminating statements because they consider you a suspect in their investigation process.
Unusual Activity on Social Media
You may also notice unusual activity with your social media accounts that are signs that you’re in a police investigation, such as receiving connection requests from people you do not know or having unknown parties view your posts. Unknown individuals may try to connect with your friends and family on social media to access your profile. This is more likely if your privacy settings are at maximum, restricting public access to your account or posts. These unknown requests could come from police investigators seeking to view your social media as part of a criminal investigation.
Execution of Search Warrants for Your Home, Vehicle, or Place of Business
This is another sign that you’re in a police investigation. Investigators executing search warrants at your home or business should provide a significant warning sign that the police suspect your involvement in a crime. Police must convince a judge that they have probable cause to believe that your home, vehicle, or place of business contains evidence of a crime. As a result, a search warrant signals that police already have some evidence to suspect you of a crime. You can request a copy of the police’s search warrant, describing the evidence and information that forms the basis for the probable cause to search your home, vehicle, or business.
You Notice People/Vehicles Following You
When you come under police investigation, you may notice individuals or vehicles following you publicly or surveilling your home or business. Police investigators sometimes surveil criminal suspects to gather evidence, such as identifying other individuals involved in the offense or to catch a suspect engaging in criminal activity. As a result, if you recognize the same people or vehicles following you, that may signal that the police have decided to surveil you as part of a criminal investigation.
You Receive a Subpoena
Sometimes, you may receive a subpoena from prosecutors to turn over documents. Depending on the documents or information sought, a subpoena might signal that you’ve become a person of interest or a suspect in a criminal investigation. You can protect your rights and interests by talking to a Cincinnati criminal defense lawyer about how to respond to a subpoena, including whether to assert your constitutional rights against self-incrimination.
Financial/Professional Warning Signs
You may also notice various financial and professional warning signs indicating you’ve become a criminal suspect. For example, investigators may subpoena banks to obtain your account records. Investigators may also contact your employer, neighbors, friends, or family to ask questions about you. The police may also ask for records from your employer, school, landlord, or other parties.
Acquaintances/Friends/Family Members Get Arrested
You may learn that the police have arrested your family members, friends, or acquaintances. However, their arrest may signal that you have or will soon become a suspect in the police’s investigation. The police may suspect you as a co-conspirator or accomplice after the fact for the crime that your family member, friend, or acquaintance got arrested for. Alternatively, your family member or friend may implicate you in criminal activity, leading police to direct their investigation toward you.
You Receive a “Target Letter”
Finally, investigators may formally notify you that you’ve become the target of a criminal investigation by sending you a “target letter.” A target letter advises an individual that they have become the subject of a criminal investigation, the crime(s) investigators believe the individual has committed, and the individual’s right to remain silent and consult an attorney. Target letters may also warn the recipient against hiding or destroying evidence, which may constitute the crime of obstruction of justice. A target letter may also invite the recipient to contact prosecutors to discuss the case.
Police and prosecutors rarely send target letters since doing so increases the risk that a suspect may flee the jurisdiction or attempt to hide or destroy evidence.
Contact a Criminal Defense Attorney Today If You Believe You’ve Become a Subject in a Police Investigation
Have you noticed signs indicating that you may have become the subject of a criminal investigation? Then, get the experienced legal advice and advocacy you need from our Cincinnati criminal investigation attorneys to protect your rights and interests. Call Moermond & Mulligan, LLC today at (513) 421-9790 for a free, confidential consultation to discuss your options and the next steps you should take when the police have begun investigating you for a crime. Our attorneys have the legal knowledge and have a proven track record of success. We can help you with your case.