If you're on our website, it's because you're staring down something few people really understand – federal charges. And if you're here, you know deep down that this isn’t a game, this isn’t some state court DUI where you hope a local lawyer talks the prosecutor into probation. This is federal. It’s different. At Spodek Law Group, we don’t pretend otherwise. Our only job here is to carry your case like it’s our own life on the line. We owe loyalty to one person: you. Not the judge, not the prosecutor, not anyone else. Just you. That’s how we built this firm, and that’s how we fight cases in Indianapolis federal courts every single week.

The Reality of Facing Federal Charges in Indianapolis

Federal charges in Indianapolis come through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. You’re not up against one assistant prosecutor juggling dozens of misdemeanors; you’re up against a staffed office with federal agents called in – FBI, DEA, IRS, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ATF – all the heavy hitters. They’ve got Title III wiretap authorization, search warrants backed by federal magistrates, and they don’t indict somebody unless they’ve been working you for months or years. Conviction rates in federal court hover around 90% because prosecutors don’t file unless they believe they’ve already won. I’ll be straight with you – it’s not hopeless, but it requires a level of defense know-how that simply doesn’t exist in your everyday Indiana state practice.

Think about this. Recent press releases from the Southern District show agents seizing hundreds of pounds of meth, entire fentanyl distribution operations across Marion County, and interstate fraud schemes out of Carmel and Greenwood involving wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343. We’re talking big cases, mandatory minimums stacked under 21 U.S.C. § 841(b), firearms enhancements under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), money laundering statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 1956. These numbers aren’t abstract – they equal decades of your life in custody if not defended properly. That courthouse on Meridian Street? That’s where dreams either end or get salvaged depending on if you hire a law firm that gets it.

Federal vs. State Charges – What You Need to Know

Look, most lawyers you’ll browse in Indianapolis might be great for a bar fight case in state court, or a local theft, or marijuana charge. But the second you cross that line into anything federal – conspiracy across state lines, wire transfers, controlled substances moved through multiple states – you’ve left state criminal defense behind. State court operates under Indiana Code. Federal prosecutions apply the U.S. Code and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Huge difference. For example, a simple possession-for-sale charge under Indiana state might net you 2-4 years. That same conduct, when over 500 grams of cocaine, triggers a 5-year mandatory minimum federally. Add a firearm? You’re talking about a stacked 5-year consecutive term under 18 U.S.C. 924(c). Nobody in state court faces those numbers.

In Indianapolis, we see joint task forces all the time. The FBI pairing with IMPD. DEA working with Indiana State Police. IRS Criminal Investigations opening up financial fraud investigations with local detectives sitting in the same task force office. So when you think you’re dealing with just “state police,” you’re actually on a radar that feeds into federal indictments. And if your lawyer doesn’t understand that interagency cooperation, doesn’t understand that one “simple” charge can balloon into a 30-page indictment for conspiracy, then I hate to tell you but you’re already playing from behind.

Federal Court Landscape in Indianapolis

The federal courthouse here is the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, smack downtown. This is where your initial appearance, your detention hearing, your arraignment, motion hearings, and ultimately your sentencing goes down if you’re convicted. The judges in the Southern District of Indiana? They run tight courtrooms, they push discovery deadlines, they expect lawyers who know local rules like Local Criminal Rule 12-1 and pretrial conferences. They rely heavily on the probation officers’ Presentence Investigation Reports (PSIR). They stick to guideline calculations unless persuasive arguments exist for downward variances. I've seen defendants walk in thinking they’ll get a “deal” – only to be shocked when the judge announces a 25 year sentence because the firearm enhancement jacked up their base offense level.

The prosecutors are career federal attorneys, not rotating deputy prosecutors chasing misdemeanors. These Assistant U.S. Attorneys focus on violent drug conspiracies, felon-in-possession cases, white collar crimes that impact banks under FDIC protection, tax fraud cases run by IRS-CI. They’re skilled. They don’t fold easy. If you walk in unprepared, thinking charm gets it done, you’re done. Period.

Common Federal Charges in Indianapolis

• Drug Trafficking & Conspiracy: We see a ton of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841/846 counts (distribution and conspiracy). These charges are built on wiretaps, pen registers, geolocation data, even cell phone extractions. Confidential informants are everywhere in Indianapolis. Controlled buys run by ATF task forces are routine. A conspiracy case can tie you to statements from people you barely know – and suddenly you’re liable for kilograms of narcotics you never personally touched.
• Fentanyl & Opioid Prosecutions: Fentanyl is the Southern District’s top priority. It carries stiff statutory minimums. You might think you had pills – but if they test as fentanyl, the guideline levels soar. Supervised release terms can be decades. And if there’s a firearm anywhere near the drugs? You’re looking at stacked time. We’ve seen sentences hit 16 years without parole, just like the Lamont Griffin case out of Indy.
• White Collar Crimes: Wire fraud, bank fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344), tax evasion, securities fraud – all prosecuted here. And don’t think these are “gentleman crimes.” They carry massive guidelines increases for “loss amounts” and “number of victims.” Indianapolis is absolutely a hotbed thanks to financial institutions. And if you want proof we know how to fight high-profile cases? Remember Netflix’s Anna Delvey case – Todd Spodek stood at the center of that national story. When you’re under a media microscope, you want a defense team that understands how federal court arguments and public narratives intersect.
• Immigration & Organized Crime: ICE-HSI and FBI working with local law enforcement have cracked down on violent organized crews, especially involving firearms. Criminal aliens face indictments plus ICE detainers. You don’t just risk prison, you risk permanent removal. These cases often overlap with firearms statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).

Questions We Hear From Clients

How much do federal criminal lawyers cost in Indianapolis?

There’s no sugarcoating this. Federal defense work involves page after page of discovery, review of wiretap transcripts, expert witnesses analyzing forensic cell phone data, long hearings and sometimes multi-week trials. Our fees reflect that intensive process. Are they expensive? Yes. But the consequence of not investing in the right defense? Losing twenty years of your life. That’s more expensive. That’s catastrophic.

I haven’t been indicted, but I know I’m under investigation. Should I get a lawyer now?

Yes, absolutely yes. By the time the FBI or IRS approaches you, they already have a file thick as a dictionary. Waiting until indictment to call your lawyer is a mistake we see too often. Early intervention allows us to communicate with prosecutors, correct government narratives, sometimes even prevent indictments. If you wait, you let prosecutors write the script. That’s not how you protect yourself.

Are all federal lawyers admitted in Indiana the same?

No. You need a lawyer admitted in the Southern District of Indiana. Some lawyers dabble in federal practice – we don’t dabble, we live here. We’ve fought trials in this courthouse. We’ve cross-examined government agents here. We’ve argued sentencing memos in front of these judges. That’s the difference between generic representation and having a defense that actually gets traction.

How do I pick the best federal lawyer here?

Look, credentials and flashy websites don’t mean a thing. What matters is documented experience fighting cases in federal court, results in plea negotiations, verdicts at trial, and downward variances in sentencing. We bring over 50 years of combined experience, a rock star team that strategizes together, not single lawyers working in isolation. That collective knowledge is your shield. That leverage changes outcomes.

The Stakes: Sentencing, Guidelines & Media

Federal guidelines are unforgiving. Drug weight tables. Role adjustments. Criminal history calculations. Safety valve eligibility. Mandatory consecutive terms under 924(c). It all adds up. One client facing 5 kilos cocaine – suddenly it’s base level 30. Add firearm possession, add leadership role, add prior felony conviction – guideline jumps to potential decades. That’s how easy it is for one case to destroy a life. Our work involves challenging PSIR reports, pushing for downward departures under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors, humanizing you when the government tries to paint you as a statistic.

And let’s not ignore the media. Some of our white collar clients, their cases break into local TV, Indy Star covers it, social media copies headlines instantly. Careers shattered not just by prison time but by reputational collapse. That’s why narrative matters. We handled Anna Delvey – yeah the Netflix global phenomenon – and we know firsthand how legal battles spill into public discourse. Federal clients in Indianapolis face the same risks, especially white collar defendants with businesses, investors, community ties. We know how to manage both court and story.

Why Choose Spodek Law Group

Here’s the truth, plain and raw. We fight federal cases nationally. Coast to coast. And we bring that national profile and credibility into Indianapolis. Prosecutors, judges, agents – they know who we are. That matters, because it proves we’re trial-ready, that we don’t roll over. When plea discussions happen, credibility matters. When trial begins, readiness matters. And that’s exactly what we live for.

Our team isn’t just one lawyer – it’s a coordinated defense. Over 50 years of combined experience, from trial counsel to mitigation specialists to former prosecutors who know how cases are built. We’ve had clients come to us after being told “you have no chance.” We turned those “hopeless” cases into victories, reductions, acquittals. We know because we’ve done it. We've handled cases that... look, the point is we win when others fold, because we don’t quit. Period.

And here’s something no website formula tells you: facing federal charges is personal. It tears families apart, it drains everything, it makes every day feel like a countdown. When you hire Spodek Law Group, you hire loyalty and relentless defense. Every call, every motion, every meeting, we carry your burden. And sometimes, yes, that means telling you hard truths, not sugarcoating outcomes, not promising miracles we can’t deliver. But it also means strategy, grind, creativity – everything it takes to claw victory from the jaws of those 90% conviction rates.

Immediate Help for Indianapolis Federal Cases

If you’ve been indicted, if you’ve received a target letter, if agents knocked on your door – do not wait. Every day matters. The prosecutors already have their narrative, trust me on that, and if you sit on your hands they’ll write your entire story before you ever step in a courtroom. The difference between clients who call us early and those who wait until after arraignment is night and day. It can change everything from bail conditions to plea ranges to trial posture.

Call Spodek Law Group right now. We’ll schedule a confidential consultation, dig into the discovery, anticipate the government’s moves, and craft the blueprint for your defense. You only get one shot at this fight – your freedom, your family, your livelihood are all on the line. Don’t take chances. Hire a law firm that gets it.

Spodek Law Group – we get it, we fight hard, and we never, ever back down.