When it comes to the government pursuing charges for federal crimes, every crime has specific “elements” that the prosecution must prove in order for the defendant to be convicted. For instance, in order to get a conviction for federal drug manufacturing, each of the following elements must be present:

• The defendant manufactured, distributed or dispensed, or possessed with the intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense, a controlled substance; or
• The defendant created, distributed or dispensed, or possessed with the intent to distribute or dispense, a counterfeit substance; and
• The defendant did one or more of these things knowingly or intentionally.