If you're on our website, it's because you're facing heavy federal charges – and you already know this isn’t some minor state issue. At Spodek Law Group, we speak bluntly: federal agents don’t show up at your door unless they already have a binder of evidence. FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF – if they’re circling you, the machine is already in motion. And once that system moves, it doesn’t stop. So right now is when you need defense, not later.

Federal charges aren’t just “worse” versions of state charges. They’re a totally different beast. The penalties are longer, the prosecutors sharper, and the sentencing guidelines tighter. Once guidelines like USSG §2B1.1 or §2D1.1 come into play, exposure jumps into decades. We’ve seen careers, families, entire reputations wiped out in a moment. That’s the reality. When people tell us, “my buddy got probation in state court,” our answer is always the same: you’re not in state court anymore, you’re in federal court – Central District of California – and it runs on different rules completely.

Federal Cases Prosecuted in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is one of the hottest federal venues in America. The Central District of California covers Los Angeles County and far beyond––it’s massive, one of the biggest federal districts in the country. The U.S. Attorney’s Office here prosecutes racketeering cases, large-scale narcotics cases under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846, wire fraud matters under 18 U.S.C. §1343, healthcare fraud under 18 U.S.C. §1347, firearm offenses under 18 U.S.C. §922(g), the list is endless.

Here are just a few examples happening in this district recently:

• FBI & DEA operations: dozens of defendants in methamphetamine trafficking conspiracies, prosecuted under the federal narcotics statutes. One indictment targeted 68 individuals at once.
• IRS Criminal Investigations: white collar indictments for tax fraud, foreign bank account disclosures, and corporate officers accused of structuring payments to evade federal law.
• ATF collaboration: firearm trafficking rings in Southern California, cases that started with a simple LAPD bust but escalated when ATF and DOJ got involved.

These aren’t snap arrests. They are years of surveillance, grand jury subpoenas, sealed search warrants. By the the time an indictment hits, prosecutors have already made up their minds that you’re guilty. That’s where we come in. Our job is to break that confidence apart, to dismantle cases built on shaky informant testimony or sloppy investigative work hidden inside thousands of pages of discovery.

Inside the Los Angeles Federal Court

Most serious federal cases in Southern California land in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Let me paint it for you: that big glass building at 350 W. 1st Street in Downtown LA, known as the First Street Courthouse, or the historic Spring Street Courthouse nearby. It’s intimidating. You walk in and instantly know it’s not like Rancho Cucamonga Superior or Van Nuys state court where judges push calendars along. Federal court is slower, more methodical, and judges there, like Judge Carter, Judge Selna, Judge Wright – they impose weighty terms if they believe justice requires it.

The prosecutors are Assistant U.S. Attorneys. They carry caseloads that would seem crushing in state court, but they are laser-focused, usually driven by long-term law enforcement partnerships. They rarely accept a “sloppy” case. And the probation office reports, pre-sentence investigations, and the rigid United States Sentencing Guidelines make the whole environment harsher. Our defense lawyers have to step into that arena and fight with creativity, not just boilerplate objections.

Federal vs State – Why It Changes Everything

I’ll be straight with you, this is where we see clients most confused. They think because their friend got probation on a cocaine possession in L.A. County, their federal case will go similar. Couldn’t be more wrong. The U.S. Attorney’s Office evaluates loss amounts, drug weights, prior records, enhancements under 21 U.S.C. §851 – none of which exist in California Superior Court sentencing. One conspiracy allegation can hold you liable for kilos of narcotics you never physically touched. In federal language, it’s called “relevant conduct,” and it makes the exposure skyrocket.

Conviction rates hover north of 90%. But that doesn’t mean you roll over. It means you hire a law firm that gets it, that knows how to find leverage and poke holes in what looks like an airtight case. Look, remember Anna Delvey? Netflix made her the face of fraud. But what the media never showed is the brutal grind of federal accusations, and how every move you make—or fail to make—seals your fate. That case proved one thing: most people underestimate how unforgiving federal court really is.

FAQ – Federal Defense Questions

How much does a federal attorney cost?

Federal defense is not small money. These cases involve electronic discovery, millions of records, interviews with witnesses scattered across states, suppression motions that can run 100 pages. Costs vary, but you’re not paying for a warm body showing up in court, you’re paying to keep your life intact. Investing in elite representation means less risk of a 20, 30, even 50-year federal sentence. Yes – it gets that serious.

Should I hire a lawyer immediately?

Yes. Timing is everything in federal law. The earlier we get involved, the better chance we have at influencing charging decisions, negotiating with AUSAs (Assistant U.S. Attorneys) before indictments. Waiting is the mistake people regret forever, because once the indictment hits, leverage drops.

How is federal court in L.A. different?

The Central District of California has tough sentencing practices. Judges here see everything from international narcotics cartels to corporate execs. There's no leniency for "small player excuses." Walking in without prepared counsel is suicidal, and I don’t sugarcoat that.

What counts as a federal crime?

Any crime tied to interstate commerce, federal property, or federal law can become federal. Take internet fraud using interstate wires (18 U.S.C. §1343) – instantly federal. Conspiracy to distribute drugs across the Arizona-California border – federal. Medicare billing fraud – also federal. You see the theme: once federal statutes apply, your case belongs to them.

Recent Federal Cases in Los Angeles

Want to see it in action? Here’s what’s going on now in our own backyard:

• FBI/DEA joint case: 68 defendants charged in a sweeping fentanyl and meth trafficking ring, with controlled buys, wiretaps, and interstate shipments tied together.
• IRS prosecutions: Valley residents indicted for defrauding the CARES Act PPP loan program, facing charges under 18 U.S.C. §1343 and §1349 conspiracy counts.
• ATF gun cases: long-running firearms trafficking operations prosecuted federally for straw purchasing schemes.

The lesson is obvious. Federal indictments in Los Angeles arrive every single week, and if your name hasn’t appeared in open court yet—it can tomorrow. Clients who bring us in before their name is revealed to a grand jury are the ones who end up avoiding the spotlight, and sometimes avoiding the indictment completely.

Federal Defense Strategies We Use

Here’s what we actually do. We don’t play defense like amateurs. We challenge:

• Title III wiretap warrants, especially the minimization requirements agents often fail to follow.
• Search warrants issued without probable cause, or seizures that went beyond the scope of authority.
• Statements from cooperators who were incentivized, pressured, or flat-out unreliable in their testimony.
• Sentencing mitigation: family hardship evidence, rehabilitation documentation, expert testimony about addiction or mental illness.

We’ve worked cases with entrepreneurs, Hollywood professionals, licensed doctors, and cases that end up splattered across media outlets nationwide. We’ve handled cases that… look, the point is we win when other lawyers give up. We disrupt prosecution narratives by digging deeper than they expect we will, by flooding them with better evidence, by refusing to accept their “done deal” attitude.

Why Choose Spodek Law Group

Here’s what really matters: we’ve been tested. Our team has over 50 years of combined experience, and yes, it’s a rock star lineup of lawyers who have stood fearlessly in federal court every kind of case. When Anna Delvey (Sorokin) faced the brutal spotlight, it was Todd Spodek on her side. That’s the kind of high-pressure, no-excuses defense we bring to clients in Los Angeles federal cases. We shine when everything looks impossible.

We don’t owe loyalty to prosecutors, courts, or the press. We owe loyalty to you. Period. Our federal cases have been watched by the media, picked apart by journalists, criticized by prosecutors – and we still deliver. Why? Because we fight like it’s our own futures at stake. And sometimes it feels that way, because we take it personally when our clients are cornered by the government’s overwhelming power.

We’re on call 24 hours, not just during “business hours.” The FBI doesn’t make arrests on a schedule, and neither do we. Whether you’re accused of bank fraud, securities violations, or tied into a DEA drug sweep, we act immediately. We build, adjust, and fight nonstop until we get the result.

Take Action Now

Federal cases are relentless. Waiting is the single biggest mistake. Every agent meeting, every subpoena, every seizure of assets is designed to weaken you before trial. Don’t let that momentum crush you. Call us now. Spodek Law Group is ready to step in, defend you before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and fight back with every tool available under the law.

Your next phone call can change everything. It can mean the difference between freedom and a decades-long sentence. Don’t hesitate—reach out today.

Call Spodek Law Group: (212) 300-5196 or use our contact form – we’ll respond immediately and put you back on offense.