If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and need the kind of defense team that doesn’t flinch when it’s FBI agents, DEA task forces, or the IRS knocking at your door. At Spodek Law Group, we take every single case personally. When the Department of Justice decides your life story is going to be rewritten in a courtroom, the consequences aren’t academic – they’re everything. And here’s what we live by: our loyalty runs to you and only you. Not the prosecutor, not the judge, not the federal system. Only you. That’s what separates us from everyone else in New Mexico federal courtrooms, day after day, year after year.

The Reality of Facing Federal Charges in New Mexico

You’re not walking into a local municipal building where a state prosecutor juggles hundreds of cases. You are stepping into an arena where the United States Attorney’s Office brings resources that feel limitless. In New Mexico, it’s AUSAs like Maria Armijo, Randy Castellano, and others – people who prosecute under 8 U.S.C. § 1326 (illegal reentry), 21 U.S.C. § 841 (drug distribution and trafficking), and 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud). They’re armed with investigators from the FBI, DEA, IRS-CI, and ATF – and yes, they collaborate, they cross-train, they swap evidence and coordinated raids like clockwork. Most defendants never see it coming until they’re already cuffed.

Look, I’ll be straight with you. The statistics don’t lie. In 2024, new filings in U.S. District Courts surged by more than 60,000 nationwide, a 17% increase. The District of New Mexico – because of our border, because of fentanyl pipelines running straight through Las Cruces, because immigration prosecutions dominate the docket – has been right at the center of that growth. DOJ even bragged about indicting 37 people for reentry in a single week. You feel that? That’s not coincidence, that’s a deliberate and relentless prioritization of federal charges here. But numbers mean nothing if you’ve got the right lawyer fighting for your individual outcome.

Why Federal Charges in New Mexico Are Different

Don’t confuse what’s happening with state court. It’s night and day. New Mexico state charges are handled under state statutes, with state sentencing guidelines. But once you cross into federal court – everything runs by the United States Sentencing Guidelines. We’re talking offense levels, enhancements for things like firearm possession under U.S.S.G. §2D1.1(b)(1), criminal history calculations, acceptance of responsibility points. Even sophisticated lawyers get tripped up because the guidelines are constantly updated. In 2024, the U.S. Sentencing Commission re-tooled calculations for fentanyl weights under the drug equivalency tables. They raised enhancements for repeat aggravated felons in reentry prosecutions. These are technical shifts that can literally transform a 3-year exposure into the rest of your good years.

Here’s what else matters. The District of New Mexico is one single federal judicial district. Three primary courthouses: Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Santa Fe. The judges there have seen hundreds upon hundreds of immigration and drug cases, they’re deeply familiar with U.S.S.G spreadsheet logic, and they know when a defense attorney is trying to improvise arguments that have already failed 50 times before. That’s why people who don’t live and breathe federal criminal work get crushed almost immediately in front of them.

The Federal Court Landscape in New Mexico

Las Cruces is ground zero for border enforcement. CBP referrals, ICE detainers, DEA task force seizures, it flows right into that courthouse. Albuquerque has become the hotbed for white collar cases – major §1341 mail fraud, §1343 wire fraud, §1956 money laundering, and public corruption tied to government contracts. Santa Fe also sees its share of contract fraud and, occasionally, high profile corruption cases. Across them all? Judges who know patterns cold, AUSAs who have prosecuted the same defenses dozens of times. And you can’t just show up with recycled arguments and hope it works. It doesn’t.

We’ve handled cases that span drug trafficking conspiracies with ten or more defendants, complicated wiretap cases brought under Title III, immigration reentry where prior aggravated felonies doubled the guidelines, and white collar cases where U.S. Attorneys demanded restitution payments in the millions – look, the point is we win when we have clients that let us lead the fight.

Most Common Federal Charges in New Mexico

• Immigration Offenses: Prosecuted under 8 U.S.C. §1326 (illegal reentry after deportation). Sentences can get enhancements fast if you’ve got prior drug felonies, even relatively minor ones. And down in Las Cruces, these prosecutions churn constantly.
• Drug Trafficking: Fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine – flat out, the DEA and ATF make it their stated mission. Multi-defendant indictments under 21 U.S.C. §§841, 846 mean you can be dragged in by conspiracy charges even if you weren’t near the product. Do not underestimate the reach.
• White Collar Investigations: Federal prosecutors treat wire fraud and embezzlement in places like Albuquerque not just as financial crime, but as systemic betrayal. That’s why defendants charged under 18 U.S.C. §1343 or §1349 see guideline ranges in decades.

And don’t be fooled: white collar isn’t “soft crime.” Anna Delvey’s Manhattan case – yes, the Netflix case – had Todd Spodek right in the center. That’s the national-level spotlight. We know what it means when these prosecutions attract media cameras. And here’s a harsh truth: an Albuquerque professional accused of fraud doesn’t get a few months and probation. Federal court sees that as betrayal of trust against the system itself – and judges hammer down sentences accordingly, sometimes far beyond what you may think possible.

Understanding the Stakes: Sentencing and Real-World Consequences

Sentencing in the federal system has teeth. In border districts like New Mexico, median times served are harsher than national averages. We’ve seen illegal reentry cases, which on paper might sound simple, drag into multiple-year terms because someone had a prior §841 drug conviction. We’ve seen drug defendants get life simply by stacking conspiracy, gun, and prior felony enhancements. Under 18 U.S.C. §924(c), firearm possession in furtherance of a drug crime? That alone tacks mandatory consecutive terms. You cannot afford surprises like that.

Guidelines form the starting point, but mitigation is everything. If your lawyer doesn’t build an individualized narrative, doesn’t highlight family obligations, reentry circumstances, rehabilitation efforts – you’re invisible. Prosecutors argue you’re a number in the spreadsheet, judges in this district often agree unless we fight tooth and nail. Our role is to stop that from happening. We’ve gotten downward variances, we’ve convinced judges to depart, we use experts, psych evals, mitigation reports – all pieces that can make years of difference when you’re sentencing exposure feels hopeless.

Practical Insights: What Clients Want to Know

Should I get a lawyer for a federal case? Without question. Federal prosecutors are not interested in backroom deals and sympathy. They file indictments backed by major federal law enforcement agencies – FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF – and they lean hard on guidelines. You won’t win explaining your side of the story without strategy and leverage.

Is there such a thing as a federal attorney? Yes. And not every lawyer qualifies. Only attorneys admitted in federal court can appear before judges here. Spodek Law Group is admitted federally in New Mexico, and in districts across the country. We litigate nationwide because federal law is our battlefield. A state-only lawyer cannot walk into Albuquerque federal court, argue against an AUSA, and hope for mercy.

How much does a federal lawyer cost? It varies. A straight-forward single §1326 case costs less than a sprawling 15-defendant fentanyl conspiracy. But we’re talking about the difference between your life continuing on the outside, or vanishing into BOP custody for decades. The question isn’t whether it costs, the question is whether you value your freedom enough to fight with the best. We are transparent, no gimmicks, no hidden fees – we tell you upfront because we know the stakes.

Why Experience and Reputation Matter

Anyone can say “I’m a criminal lawyer.” Almost nobody truly owns the federal stage. Our team has over 50 years combined criminal defense experience at this level. We are called the rock star team for a reason – when Todd Spodek represented Anna Delvey, cameras were everywhere, Netflix built a show about it, and we handled it under the most intense spotlight possible. That shows you – we do not fold under pressure. Ever.

And that translates right here in New Mexico. DEA, FBI, IRS-CI, ATF don’t intimidate us. Neither do AUSAs building cases off years of investigative files. We know what it takes to dismantle guideline calculations, negotiate downward variances, and fight trial when it’s the right path. Clients here deserve that same high-profile level of work. You get it with us.

Call to Action: Protect Your Freedom

Federal cases move fast – sometimes blindingly so. Target letters, agents at your door, sealed indictments dropping without warning. If you’ve received contact from a federal agent, or you’re already scheduled for arraignment in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, or Santa Fe – hesitation is your worst enemy. The first step you take will decide whether you control the case, or whether the government does.

This is your life, your liberty, your future. Don’t bet it on lawyers who “dabble” in federal criminal defense once in a while. Hire a law firm that gets it – hire Spodek Law Group. We will fight the government’s case against you every single step of the way. And we’ll never forget, we work only for you.