If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and need the best federal criminal defense attorney in Montgomery. At Spodek Law Group, we get it. We know the stakes are higher, the sentences are longer, and the prosecutors are relentless. Our goal is to fight for you – to protect your freedom, your family, your future. Spodek Law Group owes loyalty to only YOU, not the government, not the system, not anyone but you.

The Reality of Federal Charges in Montgomery

Federal charges are not the same as your typical state case. We’re not talking about probation or a short stint in county – in the Middle District of Alabama, judges routinely hand down decades. Just last year, a Montgomery resident received 348 months (29 years) for a federal fentanyl conspiracy under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846. Another defendant got 8 years for gun and drug convictions where 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) was charged. These numbers are not hypothetical – they are real, they are happening here, in this federal courthouse, in Montgomery.

And here’s the part people don’t realize: the prosecutors don’t bluff. They have the FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS, sometimes even Homeland Security in the room with them. They walk into court already ahead. And they move for enormous sentences without batting an eye. That is the entire reason clients hire us. We walk into these cases with 50+ years of experience in federal courts nationwide, and we use that experience to attack, to cut exposure, to get the outcome that keeps you with your family instead of the BOP. That’s the difference-maker.

Understanding Federal vs. State Charges in Montgomery

So what’s the difference between state and federal charges here? State offenses – typically handled by local prosecutors or the Montgomery County DA – are often smaller. A DUI, petty theft, maybe drug possession. The penalties can be real, but manageable. Federal, though, is a different animal. Once the DEA or ATF steps into your life, you’re suddenly up against statutes like 21 U.S.C. § 841 or 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). Once the U.S. Attorney files that indictment, parole no longer exists as an option, sentencing guidelines apply, enhancements stack, and it’s not unusual to look at 20+ years. That shift – from state to federal – is when everything changes. And it’s why you can’t hire just any lawyer. You need a Montgomery federal criminal lawyer who knows this court inside-out. Because the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alabama Middle District has one agenda: convictions.

Common Federal Charges Prosecuted in Montgomery

• Drug Conspiracies & Gun Charges – Montgomery prosecutions for drug trafficking under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841/846 and firearm enhancements under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) are routine. A recent case saw a man get 8 years just from the firearm–narcotics combo charge.
• Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud, Healthcare Fraud – We're seeing more financial crimes under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1344, 1347. Auburn and Montgomery residents indicted for program fraud involving federal funds, with DOJ hammering economic crime cases here.
• RICO and Public Corruption – 18 U.S.C. § 1962 cases come up when prosecutors investigate groups accused of organized conduct. Public officials in Alabama have been targets too. The DOJ prioritizes corruption locally.
• Online/Cyber Crime – Internet-based prosecutions are rising. Computer fraud and exploitation crimes under 18 U.S.C. § 1030 have already hit the Middle District docket.
• Fentanyl & Meth Distribution Conspiracies – These carry mandatory minimums and guideline ranges so extreme you can lose your entire life. The 29-year Montgomery fentanyl sentence is proof.

So when should you call a lawyer? Immediately. When you hear whispers of an investigation, if federal agents show up, if you get a target letter. Don’t wait for an indictment. Waiting is a mistake that can cost - dearly. This can’t be stressed enough.

The Federal Court Process in Montgomery

All federal cases here go through the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. The federal courthouse, located downtown Montgomery on Church Street, isn’t just another building – it’s a whole different battlefield. The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District brings indictments before a grand jury, then you’re arraigned, motions are filed, then you either head into plea negotiations or set for trial. If you get to sentencing, the federal guidelines under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual run the show. Judges here – like Judge W. Keith Watkins and Judge Emily C. Marks – are respected for sticking closely to those guidelines, often rejecting requests for departures unless a lawyer really knows how to frame it. We’ve seen guideline calculations snowball into 25+ years. This is why you need someone who knows how to dismantle enhancements like "career offender" under U.S.S.G. §4B1.1 or gun enhancements. That can be the difference between 5 years and 25.

Why Federal Defense Requires Specialized Counsel

I’ll be straight with you, not every lawyer who hangs a shingle is equipped for federal court. Some have never filed a suppression motion under Rule 12(b)(3). Some don’t understand Brady obligations or Jencks Act disclosures. What do we do here? We cross-examine the very agents who built the case – FBI wiretap experts, DEA chemists, IRS auditors, ATF ballistics techs. We go after the paper trail, after the surveillance, after the timelines. We make motions to suppress Title III wiretaps, to dismiss counts that don’t meet statutory requirements, to sever charges when prejudicial. It’s a different caliber of work. And we’ve done it in New York, D.C., California, and yes, Montgomery.

At Spodek Law Group – we’ve represented clients from coast to coast. We handled the Anna Delvey case, which became a Netflix series. That was a national media spotlight, millions of people watching. If we can stand tall under that scrutiny, imagine what we bring to your case in Montgomery federal court. Even when the press isn’t there, the stakes for you are every bit as high. We don’t fold under heat, we thrive in it.

High-Profile Experience – Trusted Nationwide

We have over 50 years of combined federal defense experience. And I don’t just mean years of breathing – I mean hard fought trials, sentencing hearings that saved clients decades, interstate conspiracy cases with 20 defendants where we stood tall and got favorable outcomes. We have what we honestly call a “rock star team” – lawyers who can argue sentencing guideline departures with precision, lawyers who can go toe-to-toe with federal prosecutors who’ve been trained for years at DOJ academies. We’ve handled cases in Montgomery, but also nationally – where the spotlight was crushing and the government came with everything. And we don’t just survive those cases, we win them. We’ve handled cases that… look, the point is we win. And that’s why clients who are facing federal indictments, whether it’s RICO, wire fraud, or drug conspiracy, come to us. Because they know the outcome is life-defining. And we know how to win those moments.

Cost & Value of Federal Criminal Defense

So, what’s it going to cost? People always ask. And the answer is: it depends. A single gun charge – different from a massive RICO indictment involving 12 people across multiple states. That’s apples and oranges. But here’s the simple truth, the real cost is not hiring the right defense. The real cost is 20 years in a federal penitentiary. The real cost is being labeled a felon for the rest of your life, losing your future. The real cost is sitting in a cell while your kids grow up without you. I don’t sugarcoat it. Hiring the wrong lawyer is a mistake. Hiring nobody is even worse. Hiring us is not some expense – it’s an investment in your life, your family, your freedom. And that’s how you need to see it if you want to survive in Montgomery federal court.

Choosing the Right Montgomery Federal Criminal Lawyer

So how do you choose the right lawyer? You need someone who is in federal court, who understands Montgomery’s federal judges, who has credibility with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. You want trial experience – real trial experience – because federal prosecutors respect that. You cannot afford to hire someone who is cutting- their teeth on your case. This isn’t the place for on the job practice. When you hire Spodek Law Group, you hire loyalty. Our only loyalty is to you, not the government, not the prosecutors, not the system. Just you. And that’s not advertising fluff, that’s our reality. Our clients know – we ride this thing all the way until they either get a deal they can live with or we’re fighting at trial. We don’t fold.

Take Action – Montgomery Federal Cases Move Fast

The government doesn’t wait. The prosecutors here – they’re already building their case right now. Every single day you delay, they’re adding witnesses, documents, surveillance. The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, their job is to indict, to convict, to lock people away for decades. You can’t sit on your hands. You can’t hope it will go away. That’s not how federal court works. Once you’re in the system, their machinery starts grinding. And it doesn’t stop. The only counterweight is us. You need a defense law firm that gets it – and we do.

Our defense team has over 50+ years of combined experience, national representation, and a proven record of fighting cases no one else thought were winnable. Confidentiality and discretion are absolute. Look, when everything is on the line, when you’re staring down decades, there’s no substitute for hiring a law firm that gets it. And we do.

Call Spodek Law Group now at (212) 300-5196 – your future deserves a real defense.