If you're on our website, it's because you're facing federal charges that could literally change every single thing about your life – and you know you need help. Real help. Not someone who has never even filed a motion in U.S. District Court. At Spodek Law Group we get it, we’ve lived inside federal courtrooms for decades. And here’s the truth - these federal prosecutors (FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF, DOJ) they don’t play games, they’re building their case for months before you even hear your name mentioned. By the time you’re in U.S. District Court in Providence, they are already ten steps ahead. That’s why you call us before you even think about talking to them.

We’re not going to sugar coat this, because lying to you about the risks doesn’t help anybody. Federal charges are in a different universe than state charges. The system is engineered for convictions, and you need a team that knows all the loopholes, the guidelines, the pressure points. We’ve got a rock star team that’s been doing this for over 50 years combined. Our loyalty is to our client only—never to the government, never to political optics, never to what looks good on paper.

Facing Federal Charges in Rhode Island: The Real Scope

Look, I’m going to be blunt here. If you’ve been indicted in Rhode Island federal court, you’re staring down the barrel of penalties that will make state charges look like a parking ticket. Longer mandatory minimums, harsher sentencing guidelines, professional prosecutors who are graded by conviction rates. We’re in Providence, the heart of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, where every single sentencing hearing is guided by the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and where enhancements can pile up faster than you imagine. The difference between 5 years and 25 years can come down to the words we use in one sentencing memo.

We’ve seen conspiracy indictments under 21 U.S.C. § 846 (conspiracy to distribute narcotics) lead to life sentences. We’ve fought cases under 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (wire fraud and attempt/conspiracy) where the government tried to stack counts until the guidelines went through the roof. And yes, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) firearm cases in Rhode Island are a constant tool the ATF uses to put people away, even if under state law they were technically compliant. These statutes aren’t just numbers, they’re the reality that can destroy your family, your career, your freedom.

Federal Agencies You’re Going Up Against

Let’s be real—Rhode Island is small but it’s heavily watched. FBI surveillance in Providence runs joint task forces with DEA on controlled buys. IRS agents dig through financial transactions line by line until they find something to accuse you of structuring under 31 U.S.C. § 5324. ATF is constantly tagging on enhancements for firearm possession, even if you never brandished a weapon. DEA is obsessed with fentanyl conspiracies, and right now they’re making healthcare fraud one of their biggest priorities too. When the United States Attorney’s Office puts three different agencies on you, the evidence can feel suffocating, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fight it—and win.

Federal vs. State Prosecutions in Rhode Island

I’ll be straight with you, most Rhode Island lawyers do fine in state Superior Court, but federal court? That’s a different planet. State court has more room for discretion, more informal negotiations, more chances at probation. Federal court—forget it. Every document, every submission is examined. The U.S. Attorney’s Office builds iron-clad indictments. Federal judges are bound to the Sentencing Commission guidelines under 18 U.S.C. § 3553. And while yes, we argue for variances and departures, you’re not walking in with some sob story thinking it gets tossed. Doesn’t work like that here.

In Providence, your case will likely sit before a federal judge who has been on the bench for decades. The First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston is where your appeal goes. And prosecutors here—they know the guidelines word-for-word, they know which enhancements stick. One wrong word in your plea, and the government can hit you with +2, +4, even +10 level increases that make a 3-year sentence snowball into 12 years. That’s what makes this dangerous. That’s why having us—lawyers who do nothing but control the battlefield inside federal courtrooms—matters so much.

How Federal Cases Move in Providence

We’ve watched federal indictments where agents executed search warrants in Warwick and within weeks, that case is moving at full speed in Providence. Arraignment. Detention hearing under 18 U.S.C. § 3142. Discovery disclosures. Motions challenging wiretaps under Title III. It comes fast, and if you don’t have the muscle memory for these battles, you get steamrolled. And sentencing? That’s not a “let’s see what happens” type of thing. There are point systems, guideline tables, probation officer reports, and the judge follows them unless somebody like us has the guts, the knowledge, and honestly the stamina to keep battling until another outcome exists.

Recent High-Profile Federal Cases in Rhode Island

• Healthcare Fraud: A Providence-area physician convicted for accepting kickbacks—sentenced under 18 U.S.C. § 1347 for healthcare fraud schemes. Major time in prison.
• Fentanyl Seizure: Jorge Pimentel—20 years locked up for a massive fentanyl haul. 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846 used to hammer him with enhancements.
• Firearm Charges with Marijuana: ATF and DEA team-ups where Rhode Island caregivers—legal under state law—were raided and charged federally with firearms offenses. State rights didn’t matter, federal law obliterates those protections.

These are not scare tactics, these are documented cases right out of Providence federal court. If you’re thinking “it won’t happen to me,” that’s the exact kind of thinking US Attorneys hope you rely on, so you won’t prepare a defense until it’s too late.

Common Questions – Honest Answers

How much do federal cases cost?

I always tell people—stop thinking about this in terms of dollars and cents. Lawyers who charge you like state cases (a flat few grand) are either lying to you or don’t understand what’s involved. When we get thousands of pages of discovery in a white-collar fraud indictment, or controlled buy tapes, or Title III wiretap evidence, the hours required to fight are massive. You’re not buying a service, you’re investing in the only shot you’ve got at your future. Cutting corners could cost you 15+ years of your life.

Can I handle this myself?

If you think you can walk into U.S. District Court in Providence and go toe to toe with a federal prosecutor who has FBI agents lined up to testify and hundreds of exhibits, then you don’t understand how dangerous this is. I don’t say this to insult you, I say it because self-representation in federal court is almost a guaranteed conviction. Judges literally warn you about it when you try. Hire someone who knows this terrain inside-out.

What is a federal defense attorney anyway?

We are lawyers trained and experienced in handling 18 U.S.C. and 21 U.S.C. cases, Title 26 tax conspiracies, Title 31 money laundering, you name it. We negotiate directly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we argue guideline departures, we challenge illegal search warrants, and we cross-examine federal agents in front of juries. That’s what federal criminal defense looks like in the real world.

Why Rhode Island Federal Cases Feel Even Tougher

Here’s something not everyone will tell you—because Rhode Island is so small, prosecutors and investigators over-focus on it. They want big press releases. They want The Providence Journal writing about their latest “major bust.” They stack charges under multiple statutes, career offender enhancements, firearm enhancements under § 924(c), and before you know it, you’re looking at 40 years. Fraud indictments get splashed across news sites, narcotics conspiracies become headlines, and your family is reading about you online before you even process what’s happening. It’s brutal, it’s public, and it doesn’t go away.

When my case with Anna Delvey (Netflix did an entire series) exploded nationwide, it was the perfect example of how fast a federal proceeding can become bigger than it should be. The stakes in Rhode Island are the same. Small-town case today, national spotlight tomorrow. And suddenly, every decision you make matters in the most public way possible.

Why Hire Spodek Law Group

We don’t dabble. We dominate federal defense. Spodek Law Group is known nationwide for tackling complex federal cases and pulling out wins where no one thought possible. We’ve handled multi-defendant narcotics indictments. We’ve taken on white collar fraud that spanned years worth of IRS and FBI investigations. We’ve fought gun charges, bribery cases, wire fraud, honest services fraud, everything the United States Attorney throws out of their office in Providence, we’ve been there battling it. We’ve handled cases that… look, the point is we win. We don’t back down because the government flashed some intimidating stack of evidence. We attack it from every angle possible.

Federal lawyers in Rhode Island? There are a handful. But most criminal defense lawyers here live in state court. That’s not federal defense. If you’re facing 21 U.S.C. narcotics conspiracies or 18 U.S.C. white collar charges, you need a law firm that gets it. That really gets it. That knows which AUSAs play hardball, which ones might negotiate, which judges tend to follow guidelines strictly, and which ones are open to creative arguments. This isn’t knowledge you read in a book or on some website, it’s knowledge we’ve lived in dozens and dozens of real courtroom battles.

We live by the rule: loyalty only to you. Not to judges, not to prosecutors, not to our own reputation in the press. If the right move is to fight, we fight. If it means negotiating a plea to avoid a life sentence, we’ll push for the absolute lowest possible numbers under the guidelines and precedents. And if it’s trial time—we try the case. Simple. Our entire focus is the outcome you need to survive.

Next Steps: Protect Yourself Now

If you’ve had federal agents knock on your door, leave a business card, or “ask to talk” – stop. Don’t call them back, don’t talk to your neighbor about it. Call us. Every hour you wait, you’re falling further behind, because trust me when I tell you those agencies (FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF, take your pick) have been stacking evidence against you for months or even years before they showed up. That’s how federal prosecutions work. You are already in danger, you just may not realize how deep yet.

I’m asking you—don’t gamble your life with a local attorney who has never argued a guideline departure. Don’t gamble with hope. Call us. Hire a law firm that gets it. Hire lawyers who know this system, know this court, and know exactly how to tilt the balance in your favor. You deserve the best chance, and at Spodek Law Group—we create that chance.

Call today for a consultation. Federal prison is nothing to experiment with. Protect your future now, not after it’s too late.