IMO the best way to avoid major prison time would be to avoid crimes that fall under Federal jurisdiction. When you get into anything involving banks,government backed programs, stocks, interstate commerce,etc, you're getting into serious mandatory sentences and unlimited resources on the part of the Feds.
I guess my polite response to that would be to make a few points.
A, No risk no reward. If I was a gangster id want to make the big money, and even though it would be high risk, I think it would be less risky than pumping diesel or blow.
B, When your a legitimate tough guy in a not so tough guy world, you could more easily muscle in than would otherwise be the case in typical rackets. Obviously then leading to a lower chance of getting wacked. Also, I think peoples awareness of your reputation may serve as an impediment to flipping.
C. Your correct, you are looking at fed time in these scenarios. But I also think your more likely to get the benefit of soft time (minimum security) due to the lack of violence invovled in the crimes and the tendancy of those doing these crimes to be of more middle to upper middle class backgrounds.
But then again. I could be completely wrong.
