"Very important question: Was your felony conviction in Federal court or state court? "
State Court, not Federal.
Interesting tho, as it seems, when I was young and "STUPID" doing that fraud business, it was still new, the laws were extremely harsh, partly due to me being arrested in a rural "Un-developed" NATZI regime governed county.
So they Hammered me.
As time marches on, that crime became almost out of control with E-commerce based business & Internet fraud, Credit Card & the like (Identity theft being the newest) exploded.
Being a business owner myself, selling retail, had knowledge of the CC Fraud and Paypal scams, I had experience if you will, So I was never a victim in the business. However Ive had cars stolen and 30+k worth of vandalism & theft from my Automotive shop over the years. Only One guy ever held accountable, I must have 30+ Police reports on file in my area.
But I have had my wallet stolen and Cards used as well, so I've been on the other side & would not justify the punishment I experienced on the criminal...
When I was a kid (18) we (white collared criminals) thought of this as a victimless crime, in essence no-one was injured, nothing experianced by the victim other than some time on the phone explaining: "wasn't me", etc...
However, the CC companies and their Insurance pass the Buck onto the consumer. I understand that as an adult.
But you can see how an impressionable young man would see little harm to Joe blow personally... No excuse either way, just explaining.
Since that time, they have modified and changed quit a bit, the laws. Some more extreme punishment, others have been reduced, and new ones created with the new technology and new crime...
Now on a Federal level, I have no experience, but I hear they have fine meals & Conjugal visits. I missed those perks
haha...