If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and need a lawyer who knows how to protect you.

At Spodek Law Group, we know exactly what that means. This is probably the single most terrifying moment of your life—because federal charges aren’t like state charges. Federal prosecutors win over 97% of the time. They don’t bother filing unless they already think they’ve got you boxed in. These cases are not light police arrest situations; they're the product of massive investigations run by the FBI, DEA, IRS, and ATF. They're brought in the Northern District of Ohio or the Southern District of Ohio, by U.S. Attorneys who are highly experienced. And the sentences—look, we’re not talking about months in a county jail. We’re talking mandatory 10, 20, even 40 years in a federal prison cell. You serve nearly all of it. That’s the reality.

One mistake, one allegation, one text message taken out of context—can unravel the entire course of your life. Todd Spodek has defended clients in cases that captivated the national spotlight, you’ve probably heard of Anna Delvey (Netflix made a show about it). That’s who we are—we step into impossible cases when everyone else folds. And if you're here, odds are you already know you need a lawyer like that.

Federal Charges in Ohio: What You Need To Know

Here’s the difference—state court handles local drug possession, assaults, DUIs. Federal court in Ohio runs through two U.S. District Courts: the Northern District of Ohio (covering Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown) and the Southern District of Ohio (covering Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton). Each district has its own judges, its own prosecutors, its own enforcement patterns. Knowing the culture of each court matters—because the way a judge in Cleveland imposes enhancements isn’t always the same as what you’ll see in Columbus.

When does federal jurisdiction apply? The statutes tell you: Title 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 371 (Conspiracy), 21 U.S.C. § 841 and 846 (Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy), 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (Money Laundering), 26 U.S.C. § 7201 (Tax Evasion). Crimes that cross state lines, involve federal funds, federal property, or anything the government ties to interstate commerce end up federal. That’s why local drug cases suddenly get escalated into massive federal conspiracy indictments. That’s why a simple loan misrepresentation during the PPP program ends up an indictment in Columbus under federal fraud statutes. The pattern is real and it’s unforgiving.

The Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission tracks penalties in state cases, but once you cross into federal? It’s a different planet. Judges use the Federal Sentencing Guidelines—mathematical charts adding points for every aggravating factor. Weapons? +2. Leadership role? +4. Drug weight? Add 10, 20, 30 additional levels. That can literally take a 2-year sentence and flip it into 15. You have to fight it at every stage. If you sit back? You lose control, and with the feds—the default is prison and a long stretch of it.

Types of Federal Cases We Defend in Ohio

Drug Conspiracies & Trafficking

These are bread-and-butter cases for the Northern District of Ohio. Just last year, in Cleveland, 19 people indicted off a single wiretap operation. That’s how conspiracy law works under 21 U.S.C. § 846: you’re not only responsible for what you did—you’re suddenly liable for everything your alleged co-conspirators did. One phone call, one meeting, and suddenly the indictment says you trafficked kilos you’ve never seen. Mandatory 10-year minimums. If you have a prior felony drug conviction? It doubles. If guns were allegedly present? Add years. We’ve fought those cases. We attack wiretap affidavits, we challenge snitch testimony, we scrutinize the DEA’s work. Our job is turning their narrative upside down.

Weapons and Firearms Cases

The ATF plays a major role in Ohio. Gun trafficking, export charges, possession of firearms during drug trafficking. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922 and § 924, the penalties escalate quickly. We’ve seen cases in Cleveland where defendants were indicted for trying to send rifles overseas—20 years potential exposure. A firearm that’s otherwise legal in state court can instantly trigger a federal case if it crossed state lines at any point in its chain of sale. That’s how aggressive these prosecutions are. What looks like a local gun case becomes a federal nightmare.

White Collar & Fraud Crimes

PPP loan fraud. Wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1344. Tax crimes under Title 26. Healthcare fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1347. These are serious cases in Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati courts. The truth: the feds spend years building fraud cases—auditors, spreadsheets, email records, wire transfers. The IRS, FBI, even the Secret Service investigates financial fraud. We’ve defended executives, small business owners, doctors, entrepreneurs caught up in allegations that spiral. Todd Spodek’s representation of Anna Sorokin/Delvey is a clear example of how we handle high-stakes fraud. We know the story prosecutors try to spin—and we dismantle it piece by piece.

Other Federal Offenses in Ohio

• Cyber Crime under 18 U.S.C. § 1030 (Computer Fraud and Abuse)
• Child Exploitation offenses, some carrying 15-to-life mandatory minimums
• Immigration-related prosecutions, including illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326
• RICO indictments under 18 U.S.C. § 1962, alleging organized criminal enterprises

What you need to take from this is simple: if the USAO thinks they can federalize the case—they will. And then you’re playing in their arena, with their rules, their judges, their sentencing chart. Stakes skyrocket immediately.

Federal Sentencing in Ohio: Harsh Realities

2024 U.S. Sentencing Commission stats confirm what we already knew: Ohio federal sentences in fraud, drugs, and firearm cases remain among the highest in the Midwest. People don’t really understand how rigid the process is—there’s no parole, no good behavior release after a few months. You do nearly all of the time. Criminal history points stack against you. Enhancements pile on. Sentences balloon. We’ve literally seen enhancements for “leadership role” when the client was barely involved—it’s stacking tactics and it’s brutal.

But here’s what separates us—most lawyers treat the guidelines as mandatory. They’re not, they are advisory. Judges in Ohio can go below with the right arguments—but you need a lawyer who knows how to prepare a sentencing memorandum, how to humanize a defendant, how to present experts, mitigation evidence, family responsibilities. Do that right, and you can walk in facing 20 years, walk out with 4. It’s that real.

When Do You Need a Federal Criminal Lawyer?

People always ask—when’s the right time to hire counsel? Honestly—the answer is yesterday. The FBI, IRS, DEA, ATF—they don’t swoop in overnight. Investigations take months or years. If you’ve received a target letter, or a subpoena to testify in front of a grand jury, or agents executed a search warrant at your home—you’re already deep in it. Don’t wait for an indictment. By then, your leverage collapses. Early intervention gives us a chance to negotiate, to present exculpatory evidence, sometimes to stop charges before they ever get filed. Waiting kills your options—it’s that simple, don’t wait.

Choosing the Best Federal Defense Attorney in Ohio

I’ll be straight with you. Most lawyers dabble in federal court, and that’s not enough. Federal cases are a different beast—strict procedural rules, evidentiary rules, pretrial motion practice that can make or break a case. You need someone who has been toe-to-toe with U.S. Attorneys in the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, someone who has walked into federal courtrooms in Cleveland and Columbus and walked out with acquittals, dismissals, or drastically reduced charges. That’s Spodek Law Group. We’re national, but we know Ohio. Our **rock star team** has more than 50 years combined experience. Other attorneys call us for backup when they hit a wall. And we owe loyalty to nobody but you—not judges, not prosecutors, not the press. Only you.

Cost of a Federal Criminal Lawyer in Ohio

The reality: federal defense is expensive. These cases require experts: forensic accountants for fraud matters, investigators for conspiracy cases, sentencing consultants, trial graphics. A drug conspiracy with multiple defendants? It’s a marathon. A fraud scheme involving years of records? It’s document-heavy and grueling. Fees depend entirely on length, scope, seriousness of the case. But you should measure cost against years of your life in prison. Ten extra years behind bars is a price you don’t want to pay because the the defense was weak. We don’t cut corners. We build the defense your life deserves.

Federal vs State Outcomes: Why the Stakes Are Higher

Let’s be clear. State court in Ohio occasionally hands probation or diversion for first-time offenders. In federal court? Conviction rates are over 90%. Prosecutors have unlimited resources, access to federal agents, labs, forensic experts. There’s no probation officer stepping up to plead leniency. There’s a sentencing chart and everything in your life is about how you fit onto it. Probation in federal? Almost nonexistent. People who compare a state case to a federal case—it’s apples to dynamite. They are not remotely the same system.

Our Federal Court Presence in Ohio

We’ve been active in both U.S. District Courts across Ohio:

• Northern District of Ohio: Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown
• Southern District of Ohio: Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton

Every courthouse has its own culture. Judges in Cleveland handle sentencing one way; judges in Columbus another. Understanding the unwritten rules of each courtroom—knowing which pretrial motions certain judges expect, or how a magistrate in Cincinnati approaches detention hearings—that’s the insider knowledge we bring. It matters, it really does.

Why Clients Nationwide—and in Ohio—Trust Us

Clients come to us from Ohio and across the United States because we get results in impossible cases. We’ve defended executives accused of wire fraud, parents accused of online exploitation, foreigners accused of immigration fraud. Todd Spodek defended Anna Delvey—a case that became international media, a Netflix story. We’ve handled cases that—look, the point is we win where others give up. We don’t fold. We don’t scare. We go into federal courtrooms in Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton, and we fight until the very end. Prosecutors know it. Judges know it. Juries see it. That’s why we have the reputation we have.

Protect Your Freedom Now

If you’re under investigation or already indicted in the Northern or Southern District of Ohio—time isn’t on your side. Every hour the U.S. Attorney’s Office adds to their case file makes your fight harder. You need us in the fight now. Call us. Email us. Don’t gamble on your life. We are the Spodek Law Group—this is what we do, day in and day out. We defend where others fold. And at the end of the day—our loyalty belongs only to you. Federal charges are unforgiving. Hire a law firm that gets it.

Call Spodek Law Group now at 212-969-3833 for a confidential consultation. We answer the phone when others won’t, 24/7.