If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and need the absolute best federal criminal defense lawyer who understands how to fight back. At Spodek Law Group, we know what’s at stake. We take this seriously because when the U.S. government is against you, the risks aren't just fines—they’re decades in prison, destroyed reputations, and everything you’ve built in life at risk. Federal cases in Oregon are handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, with courtrooms in Portland, Eugene, Medford, and Pendleton. These prosecutors don’t back down—they’re backed by agencies like the FBI, DEA, IRS, and ATF who have virtually unlimited resources. This isn’t a fight you can half-step into. When Netflix covered the Anna Delvey case, millions of viewers saw how exposure to 50+ years under federal statutes is not a scare tactic—it’s real, it’s devastating, and it happens. In Oregon the system operates the same way—relentless, methodical, unforgiving.

Federal vs. State Charges in Oregon: What You Need to Know

Look, I’m going to be honest with you—most people don’t understand the difference between state crimes and federal crimes. They think all charges are the same, they’re not, and that misunderstanding is deadly. State crimes are prosecuted by county DAs. Federal crimes, on the other hand, are pursued by Assistant U.S. Attorneys who walk into Portland’s Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse every day with the FBI or DEA right beside them. That’s a whole other world.

Federal jurisdiction comes into play when conduct touches interstate commerce, uses the mail system, involves wire transfers, crosses borders, or uses federally regulated systems like banks and securities. That’s why statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 371 (conspiracy), 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), 21 U.S.C. § 841 (drug trafficking), and 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (money laundering) trigger federal prosecution instead of state. Once you’re dealing with statutes like these—the sentencing possibilities are brutal. Federal judges, unlike state judges, don’t hand out second chances just because you "look remorseful".

In federal court, you’re dealing with mandatory minimums, sentencing guidelines under the United States Sentencing Commission, and enhancements for factors like leadership roles or sophisticated means. Oregon’s federal judges are known for being respectful but very tough, especially when it comes to fraud, child exploitation, and methamphetamine distribution cases. I’ll be straight with you: if you think you can walk in and wing this, you’re setting yourself up for 10 years minimum, sometimes 20, sometimes life.

Yes, probation exists. Yes, downward departures are possible. But it takes skill, strategy, and a defense lawyer who understands how to argue variances under §3553(a) factors, who knows how to challenge flawed guideline calculations, and who knows the prosecutors here personally.

Common Types of Federal Charges in Oregon

We’ve defended clients on virtually every type of federal case in Oregon. Here are some of the common ones:

• Drug Trafficking (21 U.S.C. § 841; Conspiracy under §846): The DEA in Medford, Portland, and Eugene continues tearing apart fentanyl distribution networks. One bust, hundreds of thousands of pills, and all of a sudden the the U.S. Attorney layers conspiracy counts on every defendant, stacking decades of exposure. Agents don’t stop until the chain is dismantled top to bottom.
• White Collar & Fraud Crimes: Wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), bank fraud (§ 1344), securities fraud (Rule 10b-5), even pandemic-related financial fraud—federal prosecutors in Oregon have no issue indicting professionals, company owners, or accountants. Judges here don’t shrug these cases off as “paperwork issues,” they impose hard time. Just last year, a local transportation company got hammered with convictions tied to tampering with emissions equipment under EPA statutes.
• Interstate Criminal Groups & RICO: Oregon federal grand juries regularly bring RICO conspiracy indictments (18 U.S.C. § 1962). These often connect gangs, organized theft crews, multistate marijuana trafficking, cash smuggling, and firearm movements. Suddenly a single theft becomes a massive enterprise case.
• Public Corruption, Federal Bribery, Extortion: While less common, when public officials or corporations cooperate in misconduct, cases under 18 U.S.C. § 201, Hobbs Act extortion, or honest services fraud appear. Exposure ranges from 10 years—life.

The bottom line: federal law packs a punch. Convictions can trigger serious prison time, massive fines, forfeiture of property, and even civil asset seizure before your case is over. This is precisely why you must hire a law firm that gets it.

The Federal Court Process in Oregon

If you’re facing charges in the U.S. District Court for Oregon (Portland, Eugene, Medford, Pendleton), here’s a snapshot of what happens:

• Indictment: Virtually all federal prosecutions here stem from grand jury indictments. Once sealed indictments are unsealed, arrests come fast. Don’t expect a long runway.
• Detention Hearings: Prosecutors often argue under 18 U.S.C. § 3142 that you’re either a flight risk or a danger to the community. Bail is not automatic—it’s presumptively denied in drug conspiracy cases.
• Arraignment & Discovery: You’ll be arraigned, enter a plea, then discovery begins. Here’s the problem: discovery often involves terabytes of data—cell phone dumps, social media downloads, wiretaps, and financial spreadsheets. We’ve seen cases with millions of pages dumped on us overnight, and you need a team to process it.
• Motion Phase: Suppression motions, challenges to warrants, Rule 16 requests—it all matters. If you don’t fight here, your trial chances collapse. Look, in Oregon we’ve filed dozens of motions that resulted in tossed evidence, sometimes collapsing the entire case.
• Trial or Plea: Statistically, yes, most cases resolve through plea deals. But some go to trial. This is where many lawyers panic. You need counsel that actually tries federal cases before juries, we’ve done it coast to coast. We don’t surrender just because the government piled up evidence.
• PSR & Sentencing: The pre-sentence investigation report is drafted by probation, and it can sink you if you don’t fight inaccuracies. Judges lean heavily on it. Our team spends enormous effort dissecting every single paragraph.

Federal Agencies You’ll See in Oregon

Don’t underestimate the alphabet soup. The FBI is targeting fraud, cybercrime, and organized operations. The DEA is chasing fentanyl and meth with local task forces. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division focuses on tax fraud, payroll schemes, and money laundering. The ATF locks in federal firearms violations. And often, these agencies collaborate, which means you’re not defending yourself against one agency—you’re facing joint operations with pooled evidence and endless manpower.

Enforcement Patterns and Recent Oregon Cases

Federal enforcement in Oregon is deliberate and strategic. Here’s the pattern we see:

• Corporate Accountability: EPA and DOJ working hand-in-hand have targeted environmental emissions and safety fraud across Oregon. Companies in Fairview, Salem, and Bend have been investigated. Don’t assume your business is beneath their radar—it’s not.
• Drug Prosecutions: Recently in Medford, DEA and state police busted a fentanyl conspiracy that stretched into California. Hundreds of thousands of pills, firearms, and vaults of cash seized. Those cases end in 20-year mandatory minimums unless fought.
• White Collar Focus: We’ve seen accountants and mid-size business owners charged for bank fraud, SBA loan fraud, and wire fraud. And unlike some states that allow probation, Oregon’s federal judges impose prison—two, three, sometimes seven years even for first-time offenders.

Here’s what really happens: prosecutors carefully select the cases they want, they indict, and then they win the conviction rate in federal court is about 90%+. That means you absolutely cannot roll the dice without battle-tested defense counsel.

FAQs: Oregon Federal Criminal Cases

How much do lawyers charge for federal cases?

Fees vary, but federal defense is never cheap. Retainers often begin in the five figure range because the amount of work involved dwarfs state court. Cases can last 18 months, 2 years, sometimes longer. You’re not hiring “someone to show up in court.” You’re hiring a strategist, an investigator, and a trial lawyer in one.

Should I hire counsel for a federal case?

Yes, without question. You’re up against the entire United States of America. The FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF—they play to win. Without defense counsel, you have no chance. Federal statutes are technical, the penalties unforgiving. The wrong move, or worse—silence—can cost you decades. Don’t risk it.

What is the cost for criminal lawyers in Oregon federal court?

Local state criminal cases might cost a few thousand. Federal court—it’s different, far more intense. Trials can run six figures. That’s because experts, paralegals, forensic accountants, technical consultants—all are often needed. It’s not “legal fees,” it’s an investment in your freedom, your business, your future.

What is a federal criminal lawyer?

A federal criminal lawyer is someone admitted in federal court, in this case the District of Oregon, and with knowledge of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Federal Sentencing Guidelines, and the personalities of local AUSAs and judges. Many local lawyers are barred only in state court—they cannot walk into federal court tomorrow and competently defend you. That difference is life-changing.

Why Hire Spodek Law Group

Spodek Law Group is not some local shop figuring it out as we go. We’re a premier national federal criminal defense firm. We’ve handled high profile matters in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and right here in Oregon. We know federal law. We know how prosecutors think, we know how to dismantle their cases. When Netflix aired Todd Spodek’s representation of Anna Delvey, it showed our work, it showed the human element—jury persuasion, courtroom presence—and how a lawyer’s skill can completely recalibrate the battlefield.

We’ve built a rock star team with more than 50 years of combined experience. We’ve defended tech entrepreneurs accused of securities fraud, truck drivers charged in massive narcotics rings, business owners fighting wire fraud allegations. We’ve handled cases that—look, the point is we win. Our loyalty is 100% to clients, not government, not headlines. We fight inside the courtroom and prep for every battle outside it.

And unlike dabblers—lawyers who “try” the occasional federal case—we live in federal court. It’s our daily work. Trial strategies, plea negotiations, §3553(a) presentations at sentencing, downward departures, Rule 35 motions—we do them all. The difference is we don’t dabble, we dominate.

Protect Your Future Today

The system doesn’t wait. Federal prosecutors already have the evidence. They’ve got cooperating witnesses, proffers, CI’s, wiretaps, search warrants. By the time you learn there’s an indictment—they’ve been working on your case for months, sometimes years. Every hour you delay hiring a qualified team reduces your odds.

We’re available to represent clients across Oregon—Portland, Eugene, Medford, Pendleton. Call us, email us, reach out for a confidential consultation. Don’t wait. Your future deserves bold, aggressive defense. And Spodek Law Group is built exactly for this fight.

If you’re staring down the federal government, don’t settle for excuses. Don’t settle for “I’ll try.” You need a law firm that gets it. That law firm is Spodek Law Group.