If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and need a law firm that gets it. At Spodek Law Group, we know what you're feeling right now: fear, confusion, anger. The stakes? They’re massive. Federal cases don’t just bring higher sentences – they bring prosecutors with unlimited resources, backed by agencies like the FBI, DEA, IRS, and ATF. And here in Georgia? Federal sentences are only getting tougher. According to the 2023 Federal Sentencing Statistics, average custody times for federal defendants in Georgia just keep going up. This isn’t some minor state-level DUI where probation is on the table. This is prison time, in years, sometimes decades.

We owe loyalty to only YOU. That means when your freedom, career, and your reputation are under attack – especially in Georgia’s federal courts like Atlanta (Northern District), Macon (Middle District), or Savannah (Southern District) – we fight harder. Our rock star team of attorneys has more than 50 years of combined experience. We’ve handled cases that other lawyers swore were “unwinnable.” We brought clients home when everyone thought they were going away for life. We've handled cases that... look, the point is we win. That’s why you’re here. You need a Georgia federal criminal lawyer who actually understands what’s on the line.

The Reality of Facing Federal Charges in Georgia

Federal law enforcement doesn’t play soft in Georgia. Just open the news – "Operation No Escape," a joint strike by FBI, U.S. Marshals, and local task forces, rounded up hundreds of fugitives across the state. The Middle District of Georgia has indicted entire gangs in Macon for drugs and firearms. Judges in the Southern District keep handing out long terms for firearm and organized crime activities tied to ports in Savannah and Brunswick. Meanwhile, Atlanta – home of the Northern District – sees waves of white collar arrests: wire fraud, health care fraud, identity theft under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A, and sex trafficking indictments under 18 U.S.C. § 1591. It’s heavy, it’s constant.

And when your neighbors or coworkers whisper about these prosecutions – those are the same prosecutors who might be drafting a case against you. This isn’t paranoia, it’s just how federal defense works: years of investigation, sealed indictments, and then they come in with all the leverage.

Federal vs State Charges in Georgia

I'll be straight with you: many people think a federal charge is “just like” a state charge. It's not. Not even close. State cases in Georgia go through county prosecutors – you might get a chance at probation, or a local plea deal. Federal cases? Those are brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, backed by the United States government, and investigated by federal agencies with bottomless budgets. The entire system is set up to crank out convictions using statutes like 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 & 846 for drug distribution conspiracies, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) for felon in possession, and endless fraud statutes under 18 U.S.C. Section 1343. The federal guidelines don’t cut you slack.

Look at Jeremiah Clinton Gray, Blue Ridge GA. Could’ve been county-level arraignment. Instead, the feds took it, used jurisdictional hooks, and he walked out with years of federal prison plus supervised release. There is no probation culture here. You underestimate that – you destroy your case.

Georgia Federal Courts: What You Should Know

Georgia is cut into three federal districts – and we handle all of them, because your case could pop up in any of them depending on jurisdictional reach.

• Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta, Gainesville, Rome, Newnan): Heavy white collar caseload, cybercrime, securities fraud (15 U.S.C. §§ 78j(b), 78ff), health care billing schemes, and multi-million-dollar wire fraud. Atlanta is the epicenter of complex fraud prosecutions here.
• Middle District of Georgia (Macon, Albany, Columbus, Valdosta): Known for narcotics prosecutions, sprawling RICO indictments under 18 U.S.C. § 1962, violent gang cases, firearms enhancements. If you’re hit here, drug conspiracy charges (841/846) are the bread and butter of the docket.
• Southern District of Georgia (Savannah, Augusta, Brunswick, Statesboro): Organized crime, firearms coupled with drug trafficking, violent crimes at the ports and highways. Sentences here are notorious for being harsher than northern counties.

The statistics confirm it – inmates convicted in these three districts face average custody terms significantly above national averages. The long-tail sentencing of drug trafficking and firearm enhancements dominates the reports. This isn’t rumor. It’s fact.

Common Federal Charges in Georgia

Here are the usual suspects we see in Georgia federal courtrooms–though don’t be fooled, prosecutors are creative and will stack countless statutes against you.

Drug Crimes

Federal drug charges almost always mean multi-year mandatory minimums. 21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846 governs distribution, conspiracy, manufacturing. And if the drug weight hits statutory thresholds (50 grams, 500 grams, 5 kilograms, etc.), the minimums explode. Five years. Ten years. Life. In Macon and Columbus, organized crime indictments routinely anchor on these minimums to secure cooperation pleas. The DEA runs long-term wiretap investigations, not the short local stings you expect in state court, and that’s why walking in without counsel is a suicide move.

White Collar Crimes

Fraud, embezzlement, wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), identity theft (18 U.S.C. § 1028A). These aren’t just abstract terms. Atlanta and the Northern District are flooded with white collar charges – banks, fintech companies, health care providers all targeted. Federal penalties? Brutal. Every additional count stacks consecutive sentencing exposure. Todd Spodek knows this world. He repped Anna Delvey (Sorokin), became part of global headlines and Netflix dramatizations, and successfully dragged a highly-publicized fraud case into the national discussion. That level of battle-tested experience is exactly how we weaponize defenses in Georgia federal white collar cases.

Firearms & Violent Crimes

The U.S. Marshals and ATF don’t let gun cases go unpunished. If you’re charged under 18 U.S.C. §922(g) for being a felon in possession, or 18 U.S.C. §924(c) if a firearm was linked to drugs or violent crimes – you’re looking at mandatory consecutive terms. They don’t negotiate that away lightly. Southern Georgia, with Savannah and Brunswick, is infamous for sentencing enhancements in gang and firearm conspiracies. Operation No Escape? That was a showcase of how aggressively they pursue gun-linked fugitives, and it speaks to the reality that firearm prosecutions are not a local sheriff’s court issue, they’re a federal hammer brought down heavy.

Cyber and Financial Crimes

Cybercrime, insider trading, crypto fraud – these are on the rise under 18 U.S.C. § 1030 (Computer Fraud and Abuse Act) and securities regulations. The IRS and FBI spend years flipping cooperators, seizing accounts, tracking wallets, subpoenaing ISPs. By the time you hear a knock on the door from federal agents, they’re already sitting on terabytes of your data. And then they’ll layer charges – wire fraud, bank fraud, laundering, conspiracy – until your exposure climbs into decades. That’s the game, and it’s designed to force cooperation.

What You’re Really Up Against in Federal Court

Here’s reality. When the U.S. Attorney’s Office files charges, it’s not Day One of the case, it’s more like Year Three. They already subpoenaed your bank records, flipped one of your associates, tapped phones with full Title III warrants. And those federal sentencing guidelines? They lock judges in. Mandatory minimums, enhancements for gun possession, "sophisticated means," leadership role – it all raises your guideline score until you’re staring at 25+ years. Judges hands are tied on certain mandatory sentencing statutes. You can’t charm your way out of it.

And trying to get a lawyer only after indictment, you’re already in a defensive crouch. If you even suspect federal interest – if FBI agents knock at your door, if DEA serves a target letter, if IRS CID (Criminal Investigation Division) interviews you, if ATF shows up – you need to call us immediately. Every day you wait makes their case stronger. Time is not neutral. Delay is deadly. Period.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do federal lawyers charge?

Fees vary based on complexity, scope, district location. Federal defense requires experts, filing responses, suppression motions, forensic accountants, investigators. It’s not cheap, but remember – you’re not paying for paperwork, you’re paying for your freedom. Costs pale compared to decades in federal prison.

Should I get a lawyer for a federal case?

Absolutely. Representing yourself in federal court is catastrophic. The rules of evidence, sentencing guidelines, motions practice are nothing like what you’d expect in state court. Every move shapes cooperation strategy, sentencing ranges, and appeal rights. Federal judges expect real lawyers, not amateurs fumbling through statutes.

How much does a criminal lawyer cost in GA?

Depends. County misdemeanors vs. federal felonies – totally different scales. Federal defense is more resource-intensive. But here’s the bottom line: the cost of losing is forever. The cost of poor defense is losing your future. The fee pays to keep your life intact.

What are federal lawyers called?

Federal criminal defense attorneys. Our team at Spodek Law Group focuses on this exclusively, with cases stretching across every federal district in Georgia. This is not a sideline for us – it's our core.

Why Choose Spodek Law Group for Federal Defense in Georgia

You don't just need an attorney – you need federal attorneys who fight like hell. We aren’t just familiar with the law, we know the streets, the courthouses, the judges in the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts. We know how Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Atlanta think – we know the sentencing preferences of judges in Savannah – we know the tactical posture prosecutors in Macon like to take in drug conspiracy indictments. When you hire us, you step onto the playing field with someone the other side immediately respects, and frankly, fears.

Todd Spodek has defended nationally televised cases, like Anna Delvey’s fraud trial, making headlines and Netflix specials. But this isn’t about publicity, it’s about skill. Representing someone that under intense worldwide scrutiny means we know how to control narratives, dismantle government presentations, and walk into hostile environments undistracted. That kind of experience? It translates directly to defending you – whether on charges of bank fraud, §846 conspiracy, §922(g) firearm, or §371 wire fraud conspiracy.

Our approach is not passive. We file suppression motions targeting unlawful searches. We force the government to disclose Brady material. We attack snitch testimony credibility. We develop real mitigation strategies for sentencing, including variances and departures under federal law, showing rehabilitation potential, building a human narrative for the judge to actually see you – not just the indictment language. The objective is simple: WIN, or minimize destruction to your life.

Next Steps: Protecting Your Future

If you’re under investigation or indicted in a Georgia federal court, you can’t afford to wait. The FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF, Homeland Security – these agencies already outnumber and outspend you. The U.S. Attorney has one mission: conviction. Don’t let them line you up without fighting back.

Call Spodek Law Group today. We defend clients in the Northern District (Atlanta, Newnan, Gainesville, Rome), Middle District (Macon, Columbus, Albany, Valdosta), and Southern District (Savannah, Augusta, Brunswick). Don’t talk to agents, don’t hand over documents, don’t answer subpoenas without us on your side. We are here to fight for YOU.

Your freedom, your future, your reputation – they’re everything. We fight for them, and we fight for nothing else. Pick up the phone. Let’s start today.