Government agencies are very keen on getting individuals who they believe are committing serious crimes or who pose a threat to national security, off the streets and into a prison cell. But in their zealousness to pursue their view of justice, they can sometimes overstep their legal boundaries.
For example, it is one thing if an investigation uncovers evidence indicating that a person committed illegal acts of his or her own choosing, but it is quite another thing for government agents to coerce someone into participating in illegal activities.
Entrapment occurs when a government agent in some way induces someone to commit an illegal act that he or she would not have committed otherwise. Often the agents are working undercover in sting operations involving such things as drug distribution, sex offenses, and bribery.
As you may be aware, government agencies tend to only try to prosecute suspects after amassing substantial evidence. So if you are facing charges and wish to claim entrapment, you will have to prove at least one of two things. First, that a government agent motivated you to commit a crime by putting you in a risky situation that motivated your actions. Or, that you were persuaded to commit the act due to fraud or undue persuasion on behalf of the agent.
If you believe that entrapment played a role in your being arrested for an illegal act, you could greatly benefit from having a savvy criminal defense attorney champion your cause. Entrapment can be very difficult to prove, but an experienced attorney may be able to help demonstrate to the court that your actions were unduly provoked by an agent or agents of the government.