With federal cases and federal charges, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the Secret Service — all of those agencies have almost unlimited resources. They can put an undercover agent on a client for months and months.
So by the time the case is indicted or charged, they have a solid investigation behind their case.
A lot of people don’t understand that with federal cases, it often turns into a mitigation and sentencing memo-heavy kind of case. We take a plea and try to work it out in the best way we can, but the real work comes with the judge at sentencing.
The biggest challenge is that the investigation is so well done and so well put together that it’s difficult to find holes in it.
Being charged with a federal criminal offense is extremely stressful because the penalties associated with a federal crime are more severe & the cases are far more complex than a state felony case. This is why it’s vital to hire an attorney with experience with these types of complicated cases.
Our team at The Bennett Law Firm is ready to be your Federal criminal defense attorney. As your legal counsel, we know how important knowing what may or may not happen in your case. We set up a plan so there are no surprises, and we’re by your side from start to finish. Contact us for a free consultation at (248) 281-6991.
“Sam is smart and compassionate. Even though the circumstances of what I was dealing with were somewhat unusual and the matter was embarrassing for me, he was never condescending. He achieved a just resolution that addressed my concerns effectively and offered good advice throughout the proceedings. I felt that he was looking out for my best interests at every stage. I would recommend him to family and friends without hesitation.”
What should I look for in hiring a lawyer to defend me against federal charges?
Federal charges are quite a lot different. The system overall is similar, but the sentencing guidelines are different and the way judges react is different.
We deal with a different group of attorneys in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They are narrow-minded — meaning they focus only on one topic as a prosecutor. They’re not generalists. They usually focus on internet crimes, child pornography, crimes against children, drug crimes, or gun crimes.
It can be difficult to overcome what they have. But the relationship I have with the U.S. attorneys is usually what ends the case in a better way — being able to speak with them about the case and the factors that help, and focusing on what’s positive.
For example, I had a client who took out $300,000 in fraudulent PPP loans during COVID. The U.S. attorney and I had lots of discussions. He ended up pleading to a 20-year felony, but because of everything I taught the U.S. attorney about my client, she didn’t make a huge deal about prison at sentencing. She thought maybe she could go a little lighter.
It ended up that he received supervised release / probation rather than a long prison term — because of the rapport I was able to build with the prosecutor.
How are federal crimes different from state crimes?
Federal crimes are charged when there’s interstate transportation of items: drugs, child pornography over the internet, wire fraud, mail fraud — many things that happen online.
They’re charged differently: either through a grand jury indictment or a complaint.
It depends on how early I get involved. If I’m involved early enough — prior to indictment, after a raid or search warrant — there’s a lot more that can go into resolving the case than if someone waits until they’re indicted.
The earlier an attorney is involved, the better the outcome usually is.
We defend clients in all types of federal cases, including:
Federal criminal charges can turn your world upside down, and if you are convicted of a federal crime outlined on this page, your future would be greatly impacted. We will help you understand the charges you are facing and will work with you to build the most effective defense in your case. We are here to help you. Call us at (248) 281-6991 to receive your no-obligation consultation.
