Facing Serious Federal Charges in Irvine

If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and you need a federal criminal lawyer who actually knows what to do. At Spodek Law Group, we understand exactly what's at stake. Getting arrested by Irvine PD over a bar fight is one thing, but being indicted by a federal grand jury, under Title 18 of the United States Code, is an entirely different animal. We're talking harsher sentences, mandatory minimums, no parole, and prosecutors who measure their career by how many decades of prison time they can rack up.

Irvine has become a focal point for federal enforcement, make no mistake about it. Just last year, a case in the Southern Division out of Santa Ana involved a fraud scheme tied to internet pharmacy billing—prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 1347 (health care fraud). Another defendant connected to Irvine was hit with a bank robbery indictment under 18 U.S.C. § 2113. These aren’t stories from the news you can ignore, these are real cases, happening here, involving people who lived and worked in the same neighborhoods you do.

What Makes a Case Federal?

Here’s the truth: not every crime in Irvine becomes federal. But when the feds want in, they take over. They don’t ask permission, and they don’t care that you thought this was just “local business.”

Federal jurisdiction is triggered by things like crossing state lines (even a single email can be enough for wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343), using a federally insured bank (bank fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1344), or being accused of possessing or distributing drugs under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846. Tax evasion? That’s the IRS, operating under Title 26 and Title 18. Gun charges? The ATF steps in, and suddenly you’re facing 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) allegations. Once the U.S. Attorney’s Office files, it’s federal—period. No going back.

For Irvine cases, your courtroom is the Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse in Santa Ana, officially part of the Central District of California. If you’ve never been inside, it’s intimidating. High ceilings, federal judges who know the guidelines down to the decimal point, and AUSAs (Assistant U.S. Attorneys) with binders of evidence who’ve been planning your prosecution longer than you’ve even known there was an investigation.

Types of Federal Offenses We See in Irvine

We’ve defended Irvine residents and business professionals against nearly every kind of federal prosecution imaginable:

• White Collar Crimes – securities fraud under 15 U.S.C. § 77q (SEC regulations), wire fraud schemes tied to health care billing, bank fraud cases connected to Irvine-based financial transactions.
• Drug Conspiracies & Trafficking – charges under the Controlled Substances Act, DEA-led investigations often piggybacking on Irvine PD tips, with joint task forces that suddenly upgrade your "local arrest" into a major conspiracy indictment.
• RICO & Conspiracy Allegations – 18 U.S.C. § 1962 racketeering indictments filed against alleged criminal "enterprises", sometimes using nothing more than weak connections between defendants as proof of a so-called conspiracy.
• Firearm Offenses – 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) gun charges stapled onto other counts so prosecutors can pressure you to plead, with ATF agents testifying about weapons seizures.
• Tax Crimes – understatements of income, alleged evasion schemes prosecuted by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, often paired with wire fraud or structuring counts.

Sometimes it’s violent robbery, sometimes it’s internet fraud from your own laptop. The category doesn’t matter—once they label it federal, you’re dragged into a system where the odds are stacked against you.

Federal vs State Defense Strategy

I'll be straight with you. Plenty of lawyers can handle a DUI in Orange County Superior Court. A state court shoplifting? Easy. But federal cases are not the same field. Different rules of evidence, federal sentencing guidelines that strip judges of flexibility, and prosecutors who’ve trained at DOJ to maximize indictments.

There is no parole in federal prison, you serve almost the whole time. Motion practice is stricter, discovery is often strategically delayed, and the government has spent months with FBI agents, IRS auditors, DEA agents stacking the deck. When they bring you in, they already think they’re sitting on a “slam dunk.” If your lawyer has never argued against a federal prosecutor in Santa Ana, you should be worried.

Our Edge in Federal Court

That’s why Spodek Law Group exists. We have a rock star team with 50 years combined trial experience. We’ve been there in federal jury trials, we’ve handled wiretap conspiracy evidence, we’ve torn apart financial spreadsheets the government claims were proof of fraud. We’ve gone against FBI special agents on cross examination. And we’ve won.

In 2022, the entire world saw one of our high-profile cases play out when Todd Spodek defended Anna Sorokin, aka Anna Delvey. A so-called "fake heiress" prosecution became a Netflix series. That case was more than just a defense—it was about controlling the narrative, balancing courtroom battles with media storms. Look, not every case becomes international news, but the strategy is the same. You fight tooth and nail inside the courtroom while protecting the client’s life outside of it.

When you hire us, you don’t just get a lawyer going through the motions. You hire a law firm that gets it. Period.

FAQ: Irvine Federal Defense Questions

How much will my case cost?

There isn’t a flat fee, and anyone telling you otherwise is not being real with you. Complexity matters. If FBI and DEA have spent 18 months tracking you with wiretaps, the trial prep is enormous. If IRS agents dropped a grand jury subpoena, that’s countless hours of forensic review. Bottom line—federal defense is an investment in your freedom. And freedom is priceless when the alternative is 10+ years at FCI Terminal Island.

Do I really need a lawyer?

Yes, absolutely. Walking into federal court without counsel is not just naive, it’s suicide. The AUSAs don’t negotiate with you directly, they negotiate with experienced defense attorneys who know the system, who know the sentencing memorandum formats, who can challenge enhancements under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1 or 2D1.1. Without that? You’re finished.

What’s the difference between federal and state cases?

State courts deal with theft, DUIs, assaults—the stuff everyone knows. Federal cases involve interstate elements, or they’re chosen by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the government wants headlines. In federal court, the government uses grand jury indictments, not just informations. Federal judges apply guideline ranges, not county sentencing charts. And probation in federal court, it’s limited—most charges come with mandatory prison time.

Can you handle cases outside Irvine?

Yes. We are licensed nationwide in federal courts and we’ve handled cases across the country. But Irvine residents end up in Santa Ana federal courthouse most often—that’s our backyard. We know the judges, the courtroom layout, the prosecutors.

Inside the Santa Ana Federal Courthouse

Every courtroom has a different rhythm. Judge Carney insists on punctuality and written submissions, Judge Staton is known for requiring precise citations to controlling Ninth Circuit law, Judge Selna expects concise arguments. If your lawyer hasn’t stood in front of them before, good luck figuring it out on the fly. We’ve been in those rooms, with our clients lives hanging in balance. And we've delivered.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Santa Ana works hand in hand with FBI counter-fraud teams, DEA task forces, IRS-CID, and ATF when firearm allegations are present. One minute it’s Irvine PD serving you papers, the next it’s a dozen federal agents knocking on your door. By the time you know what happened, they’ve already seized documents, phones, computers, and they’re claiming you’re part of a “conspiracy.” That’s when you call us.

The Stakes: Why This Matters

A federal conviction isn’t just a “record.” It’s decades of your life gone. It’s financial ruin. It’s deportation if you’re not a U.S. citizen living in Irvine’s international community. Unlike in California state court, there’s no parole, just supervised release. If the government seizes your assets, you could lose your business, your home, even cars your family depends on. People think it’ll work out only because they’ve never been through it before. Trust us, we’ve seen families devastated, reputations destroyed, futures erased.

And the prosecutors love media attention. They release their indictments to the press, they hold conferences, they list the charges—wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy—so their names appear in the paper as “tough on crime.” We’ve been through this with Anna Delvey; the media circus becomes just as deadly as the indictment. Knowing how to battle both court and public perception is key.

Call Spodek Law Group Now

At the end of the day, the only loyalty we owe is to you. Not the prosecutor, not the press, not even some abstract idea of “public good.” Our job is singular: protect your future, protect your family, protect your life. With 50+ years of combined trial experience, real federal case victories, and licenses in multiple federal courts—we are ready.

We are currently defending clients inside the Santa Ana federal courthouse. We’re cross-examining IRS agents, fighting detention motions filed by AUSAs, and arguing sentencing departures before federal judges. We've handled cases that were supposed to be "slam dunks” for the government—look, the point is we win, because we care enough to actually fight.

Don’t wait until agents finish building their case. Don’t wait until your arraignment. Every hour that passes is one more advantage for the prosecution. Contact Spodek Law Group today. Protect yourself before the the government takes everything.

Call us now—we’re here, we get it.