Criminal Defense
In the 2019 edition of Orlando Attorneys of the Year, Dan asked you to call him if the FBI unexpectedly showed up at your front door. And some of you did. In 2020 Dan picked up several new Orlando clients under investigation not only by the FBI, but by the DEA, IRS, Secret Service and Homeland Security. While Dan spends most of his time in federal court, he also represent clients facing state criminal charges. Most significantly, he became part of the defense team in Michigan v. B’dour Al-Yasari. Ms. Al-Yasari is a young Lansing, Michigan mother accused of murdering her husband and CourtTV will be televising the trial in its entirety in 2021.
Dan is unique in that he was not only a federal prosecutor but was a federal agent and a federal agency lawyer. He has extensive federal criminal defense, federal civil, federal asset forfeiture, whistleblower and compliance experience. Most people don’t appreciate that federal investigations, prosecutions, trials, sentencings, and forfeitures are vastly different than when local police or prosecutors are involved. If a federal agent or regulator wants to interview you, you receive a federal subpoena or target letter, your money is seized, or your bank freezes your account, Dan recommends hiring a lawyer who has spent a lot of time in federal court, no matter who that is.
After graduating from Michigan State University, Dan started his career in San Francisco as a Special Agent with the United States Customs Service. In the 1980’s “Miami Vice” era Dan investigated money laundering and drug smuggling cases. In 1990, Dan left Customs to attended Memphis State Law School. After graduating from law school, Dan was hired through the United States Department of Justice Honors Program as an Assistant Regional Counsel for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Kansas City. He handled matters involving high-profile inmates including Christopher Boyce (Falcon and the Snowman), Omar Abdel-Rahman (World Trade Center Bombing), Leonard Peltier (Killing of FBI agent at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation), Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber), Jonathan Pollard (Israeli spy), Tim McVeigh (Oklahoma City Bombing), and John Gotti (Gambino Crime Family). Dan investigated staff misconduct and various security threat groups including the Aryan Brotherhood and the Mexican Mafia. Dan was promoted to Senior Litigation Counsel and assigned to the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Central Florida. One of Dan’s cases, Lopez vs. Davis, was heard by the United States Supreme Court. The United States won the Lopez case and Dan was recognized for his litigation support to the DOJ Office of Solicitor General.
From 2002 to 2013 Dan was an Assistant United States Attorney (federal prosecutor) in the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division. Dan worked in the civil, asset forfeiture and criminal divisions during his tenure in the office. Dan’s forfeiture and money-laundering knowledge helped him successfully assist with the prosecution of Orlando fraudster Lou Pearlman and scores of others. He traveled to Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Ireland and the Netherlands to work with foreign prosecutors and agents on cases. He also handled and tried complex white collar matters including bank fraud, mortgage fraud, money laundering, tax fraud, FOREX trading, healthcare fraud, bankruptcy fraud and Ponzi/investment schemes.
Dan is licensed to practice law in Florida, Missouri, and Kansas and is willing to take federal criminal cases anywhere in the United States. Dan defended federal criminal matters in the Middle and Northern Districts of Florida, Southern District of Georgia, Northern District of Illinois, District of the Virgin Islands, Western District of Michigan, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Texas, District of Columbia, the District of Maryland, the Southern District of Iowa and in various state courts. Dan was named a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Association again in 2020 and will be there for you if you ever need his help.
200 E. Robinson St., Suite 1150 Orlando, FL 32801
P: 407-276-0500
www.daneckhartlaw.com
dan@daneckhartlaw.com
