If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and you know deep down this isn’t something a regular local defense lawyer can handle. At Spodek Law Group, we get it. When the U.S. government comes after you, it’s not just about a docket number—it’s your freedom, your family, your name. We wake up every morning knowing our job is to fight back against the biggest, most well-funded opponent you’ll ever face. And we don’t flinch.

We’ve built a reputation nationally for handling high-profile cases. Todd Spodek himself – our founder – handled the Anna Delvey (Sorokin) case, which later turned into a Netflix series. That trial showed what happens when media attention, federal prosecutors, and complex financial allegations collide. But let me be very clear: the high-profile part isn’t what mattered. What mattered was understanding wire fraud charges under 18 U.S.C. §1343, conspiracy counts under 18 U.S.C. §371, and handling the Federal Rules of Evidence mid-trial. Those are the same weapons prosecutors in Alabama bring against our clients every single week, just without the New York Times writing about it.

Here’s what we’ve seen firsthand: federal defendants in Alabama charged with mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. §1341, controlled substance conspiracies under 21 U.S.C. §§841 and 846, firearm possession by a prohibited person under 18 U.S.C. §922(g). These aren’t uncommon—these are daily filings on the dockets across Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile. And the exposure is staggering. We’ve literally had clients staring down 50+ years based on nothing but guideline calculations plus mandatory minimum statutes, before we even opened our mouths in a hearing.

Federal charges in Alabama aren’t like state court misdemeanors where a DA might cut a deal to clear their calendar. These are indictments with agents from the FBI, DEA, ATF, and IRS Criminal Investigations backing them up with wiretaps, subpoenas, and grand jury testimony. And you can trust me when I say this—once an Assistant U.S. Attorney signs that indictment, they’re not looking to dismiss. They’re looking to convict.

Understanding the Federal Criminal Process in Alabama

Alabama has three federal judicial districts: Northern (headquartered in Birmingham, with Huntsville and Tuscaloosa divisions), Middle (Montgomery), and Southern (Mobile). Each district has judges appointed for life, and each has a full U.S. Attorney’s Office running grand juries and prosecuting criminal cases. We’ve defended clients in all three. And while the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure apply everywhere—Rule 16 discovery, Rule 32 sentencing, Rule 46 bail hearings—the reality is every district has its own style. Some AUSAs are aggressive about detention hearings, some will oppose bond no matter what, others lean heavily on 5K1 departures if cooperation is involved. That insider knowledge matters like crazy here in Alabama.

The federal process is intimidating the first time you see it. Indictment. Arraignment. A pretrial detention hearing where the magistrate decides if you sit in custody or go home with conditions. Then comes motions attacking search warrants under the Fourth Amendment, suppression battles over wiretaps, and endless discovery where the government dumps terabytes of data on defense counsel. Eventually, negotiations. Then trial—or sentencing. We guide you on every step, and we make sure nothing slips through cracks, because federal deadlines are unforgiving, and one missed filing could cost years of your life.

Unlike state court, there’s no parole in federal sentences. That means if guidelines say 120 months, you’re doing almost every month of it. And when you’re facing loss amounts over $1,000,000 in a fraud case or more than 5 kilos of cocaine in a conspiracy, you’re looking at enhancements stacked on top of enhancements, and prosecutors won’t hesitate to pile them on.

Federal vs. State Charges in Alabama

Look, here’s the deal. People often underestimate federal cases. They think “I beat a state possession charge before, so I’ll beat this too.” That’s a mistake. State cases are DA-run. Maybe you get a local judge who understands community context. Federal charges—totally different. United States v. YOU, prosecuted by the Department of Justice with federal agents providing 10,000 pages of discovery, under statutes that carry mandatory minimums. It’s not an exaggeration to say federal charges are 10x the risk of state court charges. And an acquittal in federal court is rare—not impossible, but rare. That’s why you need an Alabama federal criminal lawyer who’s been there before and who knows how to reframe the case for trial, sentencing, and appeal if necessary.

FAQ: Do federal prosecutors in Alabama really go after “small” cases?Yes. IRS can indict a single doctor for unreported income under 26 U.S.C. §7201. FBI can indict a guy running a small online scam under 18 U.S.C. §1343. ATF files felon-in-possession cases constantly. There is no such thing as “too small” if a federal agency wants to make a point.

FAQ: Should I hire a local lawyer who knows the state courthouse?No. That’s a mistake. Federal court practice is literally a different world, different rules, different sentencing scheme. You need federal lawyers who do this daily—not attorneys who "dabble" in it when it falls on their desk. We focus exclusively on federal crimes, because dabbling will get you crushed.

Common Federal Charges in Alabama

• Fraud, Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud: We’re seeing tons of 18 U.S.C. §1344 bank fraud prosecutions, typically PPP loan scams or unemployment fraud. It sounds like paperwork—until prosecutors allege millions in intended loss.
• Drug Conspiracies: Multi-layered indictments under 21 U.S.C. §§841, 846 are the bread and butter of Northern District in Birmingham. Wiretaps, CI testimony, controlled buys—and mandatory 10-to-life exposure if weight thresholds are crossed.
• Guns + Drugs: The classic combo. 18 U.S.C. §924(c) charges add consecutive mandatory years if a firearm is used in furtherance of a drug conspiracy. These stack ruthlessly.
• Tax Crimes: Just last year the Middle District prosecuted small-business owners for 26 U.S.C. §7206(1) false returns. IRS loves paper trails, and Alabama defendants are getting hammered with financial forensic evidence.
• Public Corruption: Anytime federal grant funds are misused? Expect 18 U.S.C. §666 program fraud charges. We’ve seen it against city officials, nonprofit administrators, and contractors.

Recent Enforcement Trends

From 2023 into 2024, Alabama has been a hotbed for DOJ enforcement. Here’s what we’re noticing:

• COVID-Fraud prosecutions keep rolling. PPP loans in Montgomery and Huntsville have led to dozens of indictments. The DOJ’s COVID Task Force has no chill—they’re clawing back every dollar.
• The DEA and FBI working with Jefferson County drug task forces keep wiring phones and rolling up entire networks at once. These "hub and spoke" indictments often have 15-20 co-defendants, and the pressure to cooperate is massive. We defend against that daily.
• The ATF continues aggressively filing §922(g) felon-in-possession charges across Birmingham and Mobile. Pair those with §924(c) firearm-in-furtherance counts, and exposure skyrockets.
• We’ve also seen IRS-CI working with prosecutors in Mobile for major tax crimes tied to offshore accounts and unreported business income—it’s high stakes and extremely detailed forensic accounting.

Why Federal Sentencing Hurts More

I’ll be straight with you—federal sentencing is merciless. Judges rely on the Sentencing Guidelines, which are like a spreadsheet of your life. Drug weight, loss amount, role in the offense, enhancements for leadership, obstruction, firearms—every line adds years. We’ve had clients facing guideline ranges of 360 months to life, before we attacked enhancements or filed 3553(a) mitigation arguments. And don’t forget—there’s no parole. You serve what you get, minus maybe 15% for “good time.” That’s it.

Look at Anna Delvey’s sentence in New York. She was prosecuted under the same fraud statutes that AUSAs in Birmingham or Montgomery are filing today. Her name was in lights—but guidelines don’t care about fame. Guidelines care about dollars and deception. Alabama fraud defendants are staring down the same numbers.

How to Choose the Right Federal Lawyer in Alabama

You can’t risk trial lawyers who only know state court. Federal practice needs mastery of guidelines, plea negotiations under Rule 11(c), sentencing memos under 18 U.S.C. §3553(a), and cross-examining federal agents like FBI case agents or IRS forensic accountants. That’s what we do.

FAQ: How much do you cost?It depends. A single-defendant fraud case with $200,000 exposure is one thing, a 15-defendant conspiracy indicting 200 kilos of cocaine is something else. We do flat fees sometimes, hourly billing other times. But the truth is this—federal cases are marathon battles, not quick sprints, and the investment reflects that.

FAQ: What makes Spodek Law Group different?We actually try cases. We actually win motions that cut guidelines. We’re admitted in all three Alabama federal districts. And we bring the same intensity we had in New York, Los Angeles, Miami—to Montgomery and Birmingham. A lot of lawyers make promises, but we’ve got real-life national experience.

Why Spodek Law Group is Different

We don’t take orders from prosecutors, we don’t play nice to keep working relationships. Our loyalty is to clients only. Period. We’ve got a rock star defense team with 50+ years of combined experience in federal trials, plea negotiations, sentencing, and appeals. And we’ve stood toe-to-toe with AUSAs across the country in cases other attorneys wouldn’t touch. We’ve handled cases that were called “unwinnable”—look, the point is we fight and we win when others quit. That’s the edge we give you.

We know the judges in Montgomery. We know the sentencing tendencies in Birmingham. We know which Mobile prosecutors are more likely to stack firearm charges, and which ones use cooperation leverage. That’s information you can’t google. That’s experience you only get by being in federal court day after day. And that’s why we’re different.

We live and breathe federal law. Nothing else. This isn’t a side practice. It’s all we do. That’s why we understand how to file suppression motions based on defective Title III wiretaps, or attack the way the IRS calculated alleged loss, or negotiate 5K1 motions that cut years off sentencing. Every tool is on the table—and we use all of them.

Call to Action

If you or someone you love is being investigated by the FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF—or already indicted in Alabama federal court—you can’t afford to wait. Every hour lost is a chance for the government to strengthen its case. Contact Spodek Law Group now. Don’t gamble with your freedom. We’ll give you a no-BS consultation, walk you through the risks, and show you exactly how we plan to dismantle the government’s claims. We fight smart, we fight hard, and we fight for you—because in the end, the only thing that matters is protecting your future.