What does it mean to be "charged" with a crime?

What does it mean to be "charged" with a crime?

When you are charged with a crime it means a prosecuting agency has decided to file a criminal offense against you. A prosecuting agency at the state level can be the district attorney's office. At the local level it can be the city attorney's office that charges you with a crime. At a larger state level it could be the attorney general's office that charges you with a crime. Or at a federal level it can be something like the FBI could charge you with a crime.