If you're on our website, it's because you're staring down an indictment – and you need a serious federal criminal defense team by your side. At Spodek Law Group, we understand exactly how much weight is on your shoulders right now. Federal charges carry real, unforgiving consequences: long mandatory minimums, sentencing guidelines that tie judge's hands, and the endless resources of the United States Government. This isn’t state court. You cannot just "explain it away." You need to hire a law firm that gets it. That’s us.

We are nationally recognized for defending people just like you. East Coast, West Coast, Midwest. Even internationally. And yes – when Netflix made an entire worldwide series about Anna Delvey – it was our managing partner Todd Spodek standing in the courtroom. That wasn’t an accident. That was skill, strategy, loyalty, and guts. That exact same mindset is what we bring into Akron’s federal courts when your life is on the line.

The Stakes of Federal Prosecutions in Akron

Over the last decade Akron has become a hotbed for sweeping federal actions. Very recently, a massive 51-count superseding indictment charged 17 Ohio residents in what prosecutors called a “multi-state drug conspiracy.” And this isn’t rare. Defendants here are facing indictment after indictment, often tied together under the broad net of 21 U.S.C. §841 (Controlled Substances), §846 (Drug Conspiracy), and sometimes stacked with 18 U.S.C. §924(c) firearm charges. These are not misdemeanors. You’re looking at statutes that were written to hammer people.

Federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Ohio—Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, they cover it all—are intentionally making Akron a hub of enforcement. If you’re indicted here, you can expect the FBI, DEA, IRS-CI, ATF, and often Homeland Security Investigations all working in coordination. They’re running wiretaps for months, intercepting WhatsApp messages, flipping cooperators. Do not underestimate them.

Akron Cases That Show the Reality

Let’s talk about real examples, not hypotheticals:

• Twenty Defendants Taken Down: One case in Akron saw 20 defendants named in a single indictment for narcotics and firearms conspiracies. Some of them were barely connected but once you get named in a federal conspiracy indictment—you own the entire weight of the case, doesn’t matter if you were on the sidelines.
• Terrance “TNasty” McCormick: Thirty-five years in federal prison. Let that sink in. This was ordered by Judge Donald C. Nugent. You think state judges hand out 35 years like candy? No. This is federal reality.

And these prosecutions aren’t just about drugs. Fraud rings, PPP loan fraud, health care fraud under 18 U.S.C. §1347, bank fraud under §1344 – these are coming down just as heavy. We know, because we’re in those trenches regularly, dismantling U.S. Attorney strategies line by line.

Federal vs. State Charges in Akron

Look, I’ll be honest with you – if your cousin’s DUI lawyer tells you he’ll “handle” your federal case, you need to run. This isn’t even close to state law. It’s an entirely different planet. Here’s why:

• Jurisdiction: Federal crimes are tried in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. It’s not the Summit County courthouse. It’s stricter, harsher, more procedural.
• Mandatory Minimum Sentences: Controlled substance cases can hit you with 5-year, 10-year, even 20-year mandatory minimums depending on weight thresholds. Judges don’t get discretion.
• Investigations: Federal cases are built over years. Months of surveillance. Pen registers. Grand jury subpoenas for bank accounts. The IRS combing through your taxes, ATF examining every firearm sale you’ve ever been involved with. By the time you’re arrested, the the feds think they already have you boxed in.

State cases? They can feel rushed. Federal cases, they’re careful, methodical, coordinated, and you often don’t even realize you’re a target until you’re already cooked. You need a lawyer prepared to hit back immediately.

Most Common Federal Charges We See in Akron

These are very real for defendants here:

• 21 U.S.C. §841 & §846: Drug manufacturing, distribution, and conspiracy charges. Most common, and most dangerous. You don’t need to touch the drugs—they just need to claim you were “in” the conspiracy.
• 18 U.S.C. §1343 and §1349: Wire fraud and fraud conspiracy. We’ve defended dozens of individuals in complex fraud indictments involving millions of dollars.
• 18 U.S.C. §922(g): Felon in possession of a firearm. Or §924(c), which adds mandatory stacking prison time when a firearm is connected to a drug charge.
• 18 U.S.C. §1962 (RICO): Racketeering charges that lump everyone together under one “enterprise.” A prosecutor’s dream, a defendant’s nightmare.

And don’t forget tax crimes, healthcare billing fraud, PPP fraud. Whatever the scheme, if there’s money involved that crossed state lines or triggered a federal statute, the IRS and DOJ Tax Division will get involved.

People Also Ask: Akron Federal Defense

How much does a federal lawyer cost?

I’ll be straight with you—federal criminal defense doesn’t come cheap, because it shouldn’t. These aren’t $1,500 retainer cases. These are cases where your life is at stake. Six-figure retainers aren’t uncommon, and anyone telling you they’ll handle your federal case for 5 grand isn’t being real. We scale our fees to the case complexity, we’re transparent about it, but cheap lawyers could literally cost you decades of liberty.

Do I actually need a lawyer in federal court?

Yes. Always. Don’t fool yourself. Federal prosecutors are career specialists, and they know every move in this book. Do not go email them, do not go speak to them, do not try to explain it away. That will bury you. Period. We know because we’ve seen countless clients come to us too late.

Who prosecutes federal charges in Akron?

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. Usually based out of Cleveland, but they handle Akron defendants daily. They’ve got Assistant U.S. Attorneys who only handle narcotics, others only handling fraud and financial crimes. They live for this.

What makes the best federal lawyer?

Trial readiness matters. Recognition in handling profile federal cases matters. We’ve literally been showcased globally (Anna Delvey case). But more importantly, it’s about building leverage. Knowing case agents. Understanding the local judges – Judge Nugent, Judge Adams, Judge Gaughan – and how they actually sentence. Those are things you can’t fake and you can’t learn overnight. And that’s why people pick us.

Inside Akron’s Federal System

Your case will be in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. If you’re unlucky enough to be arraigned before Judge Donald C. Nugent, you’ll see quickly: he runs a tight courtroom. Serious, formal, no tolerance for sloppy preparation. Other judges—same energy. You’re not getting sympathy points here.

Here’s reality:

• No parole. The best you’ll get is a little good-time credit, but you’re serving nearly all of the sentence you get.
• Detention hearings are extremely tough. Prosecutors argue “danger to the community” almost every time. And if you’re accused under a drug conspiracy or firearm charge tied to 924(c), bail becomes uphill.
• Sentencing Guidelines. You don’t realize how brutal they are until you see small enhancements (like firearm possession, or “leadership role”) add years and years to what you’re looking at.

It’s a machine. That’s the truth. Designed for convictions. And your lawyer has one responsibility: throw sand in the gears until we find leverage. Because if you just walk quietly along, you’re done.

The Spodek Law Group Advantage

We’re not interested in being middle-of-the-road counsel. We are a trial firm that’s been recognized nationwide. We’ve built a reputation for taking "no-win" cases and grinding results out of them. That’s because our rock star team of attorneys has over 50 years combined experience across every corner of federal defense: drug conspiracies, securities fraud, healthcare fraud, firearm indictments, tax evasion—you name it.

When Netflix showcased Todd Spodek’s defense of Anna Delvey, a lot of people thought it was “Hollywood.” What those viewers don’t realize though is that those strategies had to survive real cross-examination, a real judge, real prosecutors. That pressure? It’s the same exact type of pressure you feel when you’re facing the Department of Justice. We thrive in it.

We’ve handled cases that pivoted on one informant’s testimony, or where electronic wiretaps were the government’s main weapon—look, the point is we win when other lawyers fold. We don’t scare easy, and we know how to dismantle an indictment from every angle. That’s the difference between us and the local defense lawyer trying their first federal case.

Take Action—Don’t Wait

If you’ve even heard a rumor you’re under investigation by FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, or Homeland Security – stop whatever you’re doing and call us now. Do not answer questions, do not sit for interviews, do not walk into the U.S. Attorney’s Office without counsel. Every single thing you say will be used to fit you deeper into the conspiracy puzzle.

Silence and hesitation are dangerous. You need to act the second you know. Our firm is available 24/7 for that reason—we intercept investigations, we negotiate before indictments are unsealed, we file motions to suppress unlawful searches. Time is leverage. And leverage is everything.

Spodek Law Group owes loyalty to no one but you. Call us, and let us protect your freedom in Akron's federal courts.