If you're on our website, it's because you're facing very serious federal charges – and you need the absolute best federal criminal defense attorney in Connecticut. At Spodek Law Group, we don’t sugarcoat. The difference between you walking free and you serving decades in a federal pen literally comes down to what lawyer you hire, and if that lawyer actually understands federal practice in Connecticut. Federal prosecutors here – backed by the resources, manpower, and technology of the United States government – will not go easy on you. If you’re even under investigation, the fact is this: the government already has a file with your name on it, they’re already working with the FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF, and sometimes Homeland Security, quietly stacking the deck. You need a defense team that can fight back with more than just talk. You need us – we fight, we fight smart, and we fight until the last breath in the courtroom.

Our firm has over 50 years of combined experience, and we’ve built a rock star team of defense lawyers who know exactly how to step into fire when everyone else runs away. Some of the most high-profile cases in America, you’ve probably read about in the papers – we’ve been there. Maybe you saw Netflix’s series on Anna Delvey (Anna Sorokin) – yes, that was Todd Spodek, defending her when everyone thought the case was unbeatable. That’s the DNA of this firm. That’s the level of energy, tenacity, and out-of-the-box thinking we inject into every single defense, federal or otherwise.

Federal Charges in Connecticut: What You’re Really Up Against

Look, I’ll be straight with you – federal charges are not just “bigger” versions of state charges. They’re entirely different. You can find tons of lawyers who are competent in Connecticut Superior Court handling DUIs, bar fights, petty theft – but when it comes to federal indictments, you don’t hire somebody "competent," you hire a law firm that gets it. We get it. We live and breathe it. Federal court isn’t about being flashy, it’s about knowing how to navigate thousands of pages of discovery, rigid federal sentencing guidelines, and prosecutors who play chess while everyone else is playing checkers. There’s no room for error here, because there’s no reset button in federal court.

And Connecticut federal prosecutors? They have been extremely aggressive. In April 2024, a New Haven man was sentenced to 3 years in a federal prison over drug conspiracy charges. Another case in Waterbury – a gang member ends up with life imprisonment after the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, the U.S. Marshals, and ATF ran a multi-year investigation. In Bridgeport, RICO prosecutions led to 40-year sentences. These aren’t hypotheticals, these are press releases that went out last week, last month. This is what’s happening in your own backyard. You could be next. And you don’t survive that alone.

Federal vs. State Charges in Connecticut

So what’s the difference between state and federal charges? Simple but important. Federal charges stem from violations of U.S. statutes – like 21 U.S.C. § 841 (narcotics distribution and conspiracy), 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1962 (RICO), or 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (money laundering). State charges, in contrast, are under Connecticut criminal statutes and get handled in Superior Court. Federal agencies like the FBI, DEA, IRS, Homeland Security, and ATF may already be on your case, sometimes working undercover with local law enforcement long before you even smell trouble. By the time you hear the words “grand jury subpoena,” they’ve already built a case. They’ve tapped phones, collected cell site data, grabbed emails off servers, got cooperating witnesses lined up. You’re walking into a fight where the other side has already landed ten punches.

Federal cases are prosecuted in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. That’s New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport. Those courthouses – judges expect precision, deadlines are strict, and federal rules of evidence are unforgiving. You miss one deadline, you don’t get to ask for a another chance like you would in state court. Federal prosecutors here have conviction rates that speak for themselves. You are either prepared, or you’re toast. It’s that simple.

Federal Cases We See Every Day

What cases are hammering Connecticut residents the most? Honestly, it varies. But here are the big ones:

• Drug Conspiracies under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846: Connecticut has been hammered with indictments around fentanyl, heroin, cocaine conspiracies – these are not one-off cases, they’re multi-defendant prosecutions with mandatory minimums baked into sentencing. The DEA and FBI are heavily integrated on these stings.
• Violent Gangs & RICO Cases (18 U.S.C. § 1962): The feds love to use RICO against gangs in Bridgeport and Waterbury. They stack conspiracy charges, gun enhancements under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), witness tampering, so sentences climb into decades, sometimes life.
• White Collar & Fraud cases (18 U.S.C. § 1341, § 1343, § 1347): Healthcare fraud, tax fraud, wire fraud, PPP fraud prosecutions – they’ve exploded since 2020. Connecticut offices of the U.S. Attorney plaster their website with fraud convictions to scare everyone. We handle these document-heavy cases, with forensic accounting, digital forensics, subpoenas for financial institutions.
• Firearm Trafficking: Cases under 18 U.S.C. §§ 922, 924 are routinely charged here, especially connected to gangs or crossing state lines. The ATF has a major presence in Hartford controlling this space.

The press releases brag about “dismantling organizations” and “deterrence.” But if you’re indicted, deterrence is irrelevant. It’s survival mode at that point.

Federal Sentencing in Connecticut: The Harsh Truth

Federal Sentencing Guidelines are not forgiving. They’re a maze of numbers, charts, enhancements. Drug weights under 21 U.S.C. § 841, financial losses in wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, firearm enhancements under §924(c) – everything is an upward adjustment. And judges in Connecticut often lean toward deterrence and public protection. You get a judge in New Haven or Bridgeport whose docket is filled with gang violence cases, don’t expect sympathy. They see you as a headline waiting to happen. Harsh? Maybe. But you need to know what you’re stepping into.

Plea negotiations matter. Sentencing advocacy matters. Mitigation packs, letters from employers, doctors, rehab programs – these can shave off years. But if you wait until after indictment to get a real federal lawyer, you’ve already left chips on the table. The time to call? Right now. If you’ve gotten a target letter, a grand jury subpoena, or even an FBI agent knocking unannounced – that’s when we should be on speed dial.

What We Do – The Actual Work

People sometimes ask: what does a federal criminal lawyer actually do that’s different? Here’s the truth. We jump in early, during the investigation stage, speaking to federal agents only when it benefits you, otherwise shutting it all down. We analyze wiretaps, text messages from encrypted apps, GPS data, financial spreadsheets. We file motions to suppress bad searches under the 4th Amendment, or challenge defective indictments under Rule 12. We deal with grand jury subpoenas, sometimes negotiating so you never set foot in front of a grand jury. If it goes to trial, we’re in the trenches in Hartford or New Haven federal court, cross-examining FBI agents, ripping apart cooperating witnesses, and doing whatever it takes to create reasonable doubt. We’ve handled cases that… look, the point is we win. Because losing isn’t an option we accept.

And yes, high profile doesn’t scare us. Anna Delvey’s case proved that. National media glare? No problem. Terabytes of discovery? Bring it. What scares me personally? It’s not judges, not prosecutors – it’s people choosing the wrong lawyer and then calling us too late.

The Cost of Federal Defense

Everyone asks: how much? Here’s the reality – it isn’t cheap, because federal defense done right can involve months, sometimes years of work. Discovery is insane, with millions of emails, hours of wiretap audio, multiple cooperating witnesses, expert reports. We may need to hire forensic tech experts, tax specialists, private investigators. The retainers are higher than state cases, because the investment is bigger. But that’s not the number you should care about. The real cost? Decades of freedom. Missing your kids grow up. Spending 20 years inside a BOP facility. That’s the calculation you need to do, not just line items on a retainer agreement. And yes, we’ll be transparent about fees, always. But don’t confuse the cost of a lawyer, with the cost of losing your future.

Choosing the Right Connecticut Federal Lawyer

So you’re googling “best federal criminal lawyer Connecticut” – what actually matters in picking one?

• Federal courtroom experience: Real experience, in the District of Connecticut federal courthouses – Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport. Not just dabbling. Not just "federal case once in a while." Actual track record.
• Ability to go to trial: Prosecutors know who fights and who folds. If they know your lawyer won’t fight, your deal gets worse. It’s that simple.
• Demonstrated ability across the spectrum: White collar cases, violent gang cases, fraud, RICO – very few firms credibly handle both the street cases and the boardroom fraud cases. We do both.
• Loyalty: And this one doesn’t get said enough. At Spodek Law Group, our loyalty belongs to only you. Not the system, not the easy path, not the press. Just you. Period.

Federal Defense in Connecticut: Our Commitment

What sets us apart? We understand Connecticut federal courts inside and out. We know the judges, the personalities, the Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the investigators. We know which prosecutors cut deals, which ones don’t. We customize our strategy for every case. Some cases need us to file motion after motion after motion. Some cases are won by working quietly behind the scenes, avoiding the spotlight. We’re not a cookie cutter law firm. Your case isn’t a number, it’s your life. And lives don’t fit into templates.

And one more thing – we take loyalty deadly serious. Our loyalty is to you, and only you. That’s why people hire us when everything is on the line.

Don’t Wait – Call Right Now

If you’re under investigation or charged with a federal crime in Connecticut – don’t wait another minute. Every day that passes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office adds another piece of evidence, another cooperating witness, another hammer they plan to use on you. Call us, right now. We answer 24/7. We represent clients in Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven federal courts. Spodek Law Group has national reach but also local roots – and that combination is basically impossible to find. That’s why our clients trust us across the country, and that’s why you should trust us here in Connecticut.

Your life is worth the fight. Our team is ready to give it everything we’ve got. Call us today.