If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and need the best Hawaii federal criminal lawyer by your side. At Spodek Law Group – we understand what this moment feels like. It's terrifying. It's overwhelming. And it's absolutely life-changing. We're here to give you the best possible defense at all stages of your federal case.

Unlike state cases, where outcomes can vary widely and local prosecutors may walk into court looking for quick plea bargains, federal charges mean you're up against the entire weight of the United States Government. We're talking prosecutors with conviction rates above 90%, judges who follow the United States Sentencing Guidelines like scripture, and federal agencies like the FBI, DEA, ATF, and IRS that have been quietly investigating you for months or years. Look, I'll be straight with you – this is not a casual fight, this is your life, and you hire a law firm that gets it.

Federal vs. State Charges in Hawaii

Most people in Hawaii simply don’t realize how different state and federal cases truly are. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii—headquartered in Honolulu—prosecutes all federal matters here. So if you’re indicted federally in Maui, on Big Island, or anywhere else, you’re making that trip to Oahu because every federal criminal case gets funneled into the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. That courtroom operates under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, not local state rules, and the distinction changes everything from pretrial hearings to sentencing outcomes.

At the state level in Honolulu District Court, you may see suspended jail terms, probation, or diversion programs. In federal court—real talk—judges have limited discretion. They apply sentencing enhancements under statutes like 18 U.S.C. §924(c) (firearms in relation to drug trafficking), 21 U.S.C. §846 (conspiracy to distribute narcotics), and 18 U.S.C. §1349 (conspiracy to commit fraud). Those enhancements can double or triple your exposure. If mandatory minimums apply, like those built into narcotics statutes, your judge’s hands are tied without a defense that undermines the government case structurally, from the start.

Common Federal Cases in Hawaii

Drug Trafficking & Firearms

The DEA and ATF have a strong footprint here. DEA raids in Kalihi, coordinated ATF actions on the Big Island, and joint FBI-DEA surveillance operations on Maui. They target methamphetamine trafficking, fentanyl distribution, and firearms by prohibited persons. Under 21 U.S.C. §§841 and 846, drug conspiracy penalties can spike to life in prison. Add in a firearm under §924(c), and suddenly you’re looking at stacked mandatory terms—five years here, ten years there—that run consecutive, not concurrent. That's how people in Hawaii catch 30+ year sentences in what started as “just another drug case.”

White Collar Crimes

Honolulu has become a hotspot for PPP loan fraud, unemployment insurance fraud, wire fraud cases—post-COVID, federal auditors and IRS-CI (Criminal Investigations Division) are crawling through records. We’re seeing indictments under 18 U.S.C. §1341 (mail fraud), §1343 (wire fraud), and §1956 (money laundering). These aren’t local slap-on-the-wrist cases. We’re talking guideline ranges of 15, 20, 25 years based on “intended loss” calculations even when people didn’t personally profit that much. For context, consider Todd Spodek representing Anna Delvey in New York—yes, her Netflix case. Same statutes. Same playbook. In Hawaii, it may not grab headlines, but the sentences are just as devastating.

Racketeering & Conspiracy

Federal prosecutors love conspiracy charges because they allow liability without direct participation. Under 18 U.S.C. §1962, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), defendants can be dragged into sprawling indictments linking drugs, violence, fraud, and firearms. In Hawaii, eleven people were federally indicted in a racketeering case that involved narcotics, guns, and violent crime enhancements. The government didn’t need proof of each person touching each firearm or package—just their alleged role in the network. That’s the danger: conspiracy charges stretch liability far beyond what’s “fair.” And you need a defense team that knows how to rip that theory apart.

What Happens After a Federal Arrest in Hawaii

By the time federal agents come knocking, you can bet the investigation is mostly done. Months of FBI surveillance, IRS record reviews, secret grand jury testimony—it all gets handed to an Assistant U.S. Attorney for indictment. We’ve seen defendants like Borges, who transitioned from Hawaii state custody directly into federal jurisdiction, then hammered with a near 30-year sentence. That’s the speed and severity of federal law enforcement here.

Your first appearance? It’s in U.S. District Court, Honolulu. Bail is extremely rare compared to state charges. The Bail Reform Act almost always favors detention. Pretrial Services recommendations lean towards no release, especially in drug conspiracy or fraud over $500k cases. From your very first court date the odds are stacked against you—and every day your lawyer is not aggressively filing motions, challenging evidence, and negotiating—you're losing ground. This is not a wait-and-see situation. It’s act now or pay later.

Federal Sentencing in Hawaii

Here’s what people underestimate: federal sentencing guidelines carry teeth. A single enhancement, like “leadership role” or “obstruction of justice,” can add years. A firearm, another several years. Drug quantities—methamphetamine measured by “ice purity levels” in Hawaii weigh even heavier under the tables. It’s brutal. No two ways about it.

According to 2024 U.S. Sentencing Commission data, Hawaii federal sentences average significantly higher than comparable state punishments. We’re talking 240 months, 300 months, life tails. Judges here rarely deviate downward because appellate review discourages variance. In state court maybe you’d get probation. In federal? Probation for a serious felony is a myth. We’ve personally seen defendants sentenced to 40+ years simply due to stacking counts across statutes. The only consistent protection is strategy, early intervention, and refusing to take the government’s version of “facts” at face value.

FAQs: People Also Ask

How much do lawyers charge for federal cases?

There’s no flat rate. These are not cookie-cutter DUI cases. Federal defense involves tens sometimes hundreds of hours of pretrial work—motions to suppress, evidentiary hearings, sentencing memorandums under §3553. Fees reflect not just the lawyer’s time, but the risk of losing decades of your life if the case isn’t fought with everything possible. You want cheap? You’ll pay the price later in lost freedom.

Who is the federal attorney for Hawaii?

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii sits in Honolulu and supervises Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecute day-to-day cases. They coordinate with federal agencies including FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI. When their office indicts—it’s because they already built enough evidence to believe a jury will convict. They don’t play small-ball, they go for heavy sentences straight away.

Should I get a lawyer for a federal case?

Yes, you absolutely should. And you should get one who lives and breathes federal practice. This is not the same as a state marijuana possession or DUI. These AUSAs are career prosecutors, they are relentless, and their conviction records prove it. At Spodek Law Group, our loyalty is exclusively to you, not to the system. We'll fight at arraignment, at detention, at trial—we stand by you every second, because the system is not designed for mercy.

Is there such a thing as a federal attorney?

Absolutely—and that’s what we are. We appear in U.S. District Courts across the country defending federal indictments. We know Federal Rule 16 discovery disputes, Brady/Giglio obligations, Sentencing Guideline calculations. Most state court lawyers do not. Federal defense is another universe entirely, with its own culture, its own rules, its own traps. And that’s why you retain someone like us.

Why Choose Spodek Law Group in Hawaii?

Because we bring national firepower with local understanding. We’re licensed to appear in federal courts around the country, but we know the nuances of the District of Hawaii—who the AUSAs are, what tendencies the federal judges here show, and what strategies work in Honolulu federal court. That combination matters. A lot.

We’ve defended Netflix-famous fraud cases like Anna Delvey’s, but also “quiet” indictments that still carried 30+ year exposures. We’ve handled drug conspiracies under 21 U.S.C. §846, firearm enhancements under §924(c), mail fraud cases under §1341. We’ve stood in front of juries when the odds looked bad and we’ve done what others thought impossible. We’re not afraid of the media. We’re not afraid of aggressive prosecutors. We are not intimidated by life-without-parole guideline ranges. We fight, period.

Here’s the truth: federal defense is an unforgiving arena. You need a team that strategizes every angle. That knows when to fight suppression, when to build mitigation, and when to lay down a trial defense that forces the jury to *see* the government holes. Some lawyers just show up to react. We show up with a playbook. And we adapt, because every single case is different and one-size-fits-all defense doesn’t cut it. We’ve handled cases that… look, the point is we win. And when the stakes are your life, your freedom, your family, you need a law firm obsessed with winning.

Protect Your Future Today

Federal criminal cases are lightning fast. One day you think an “investigation” is happening quietly, and the next you’re standing in front of a magistrate judge in Honolulu. If you wait, you lose leverage. If you assume the truth will just clear you, you’ll regret it. The federal court system is conviction-driven, and without preparation you get crushed.

Don’t gamble your life away. Don’t assume leniency will come. And don’t let the U.S. government build its case without resistance. Hire a federal criminal defense lawyer who gets it, who has been in the trenches before, and who will go as far and as hard as needed to protect you. That’s us—Spodek Law Group.

We are available 24/7. Call us now, talk to us directly. If you’re under investigation or indicted anywhere in Hawaii, we are your shield, your advocate, and your lifeline. We owe loyalty to you. Nobody else. Your freedom matters, your case matters. Contact us today and let’s fight this together.