Peter Aiken - Sarasota Criminal Defense Lawyer Reviews & Ratings

I am a fourth generation native Floridian.  My undergraduate degree is in accounting from the University of South Carolina.( a gamecock).  After graduation, I served in the United States Treasury Department as a special Agent with the Intelligence Division.  I recieved special training in Washington DC in basic law enforcement techniques including interrogation, surveillance, photography, forensics, photography, wiretapping and basic criminal investigation.  I understand how law enforcement thinks.. I recieved additional training in Income Tax Law, especially the criminal statutes.  I worked in the Miami office investigating organized crime, general tax crimes and on occasions was detailed for special security work.. While working as an agent, I obtained a law degree from the University of Miami.  I then transferred to Atlanta Georgia and worked for a year as an analyst for the Regional Commisioner of Intelligence.  I returned to South Florida in 1971 and joined the United States Attorneys Office where I prosecuted all types of Federal crimes, particuarly white collar crime and tax evasion.  I appeared before numerous grand juries and prosecuted successfully numermous federal crimes.. In 1974 I joined the law firm of Cohen and Hogan on South Beach.  It was probably one of the top criminal firms in Florida.  While there I had the occasion to meet and advise a number of high profile defendants including Jimmy Hoffa.. In 1974 I moved to Ft. Lauderdale where I continued to represent high profile clients from the labor unions including the Operating Engineers.  I defended rackateering and gambling cases many of which included tax charges.  In the late 1970's my practice included repesentation of major drug smugglers from within the United States, the Bahamas and Columbia.  As my reputation grew, my practice expanded and I traveled extensively across the United States defending complex Federal cases in Los Angeles, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.. During that time I defended literally every type of criminal case for drug conspiracies, money laundering, securities fraud, wire and mail fraud, high seas violations, wildlife crimes and bribery.  I represented many of the judges who came under investigation in Miami and my clientel has included everything from Gangsters to the Clergy.  I have seen it all.. In 2002 I expanded my practice to include the West Coast of Florida and formed a partnership with a local attorney in Ft. Myers by the name of Sean O'Halloran.  He was a former prosecutor in Lee and Charlotte County and my Federal experience and his State experience formed the perfect team.  In 2011, I moved to Sarasota where I manage the Aiken and O'Halloran Sarasota office.  My emphasis in the last three years has been in defending sex crimes, particularly Federal Internet crimes.  I have represented defendants in the television series "to Catch a Predator" as well as the last two "Operations Intercept" in Sarasota.  I now travel throughout Florida representing people charged in both State and Federal Court.