If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and you need a law firm that gets it. At Spodek Law Group – we know this isn’t just about legal codes. It’s about your life. Your kids. Your reputation. Federal cases in Albuquerque bring consequences that last decades. We are talking high-level felonies under Title 18 of the U.S. Code – statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud), § 371 (Conspiracy), § 922 (Firearms Offenses), and § 1956 (Money Laundering). The second you hear the words "federal indictment," the future looks different. The cards are stacked against you, and the weight of the FBI, DEA, ATF, and even the IRS-CI is suddenly on your back. We’re here to knock some of that weight off.

Look, our clients come to us because we’re not just paper-pushers. We’re a rock star team with over 50 years of combined experience fighting against federal prosecutors. We've handled cases splashed across national media – remember the Netflix series about Anna Delvey? Todd Spodek stood at the center of that legal firestorm. That case proves something about us: we know how to win in high-profile, high-pressure, no-way-out cases. We've handled cases that required dismantling years of government investigation, and... look, the point is we win. That’s what matters.

Albuquerque Federal Court: The Reality

Federal criminal cases in New Mexico typically proceed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, with judges seated in Albuquerque at the Pete V. Domenici U.S. Courthouse downtown. This isn’t local state court. Federal judges follow strict rules of criminal procedure. The prosecutors here come from the U.S. Attorney’s Office under Alexander M.M. Uballez, and they don’t budge unless you force them to. They bring indictments under federal conspiracy laws, drug trafficking statutes, wire fraud provisions, sometimes all at once. And when Homeland Security Investigation agents knock on doors in the South Valley, or the DEA sweeps the Westside, it’s already too late to play catch-up. If you’re in federal sights in Albuquerque, you need us before agents finish their casefile.

I’ll be straight with you – a state charge in Bernalillo County might give you room to negotiate, maybe probation, maybe diversion. Federal cases don’t play that way. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines box judges into ranges that can skyrocket with enhancements for role, firearms, leadership, even “sophisticated means.” State court might give the a second look at mercy. Federal court gives you math formulas that equal years in prison. That’s why you don’t take chances. You hire the team that’s battle-tested right here in Albuquerque’s federal court system.

Common Federal Charges in Albuquerque

• Drug Trafficking & Conspiracy – Federal prosecutors use 21 U.S.C. § 841 and § 846 constantly. You can be charged with conspiracy even if you never touched a substance – if you agreed, texted, or were simply present, decades can land on your back. Recent DOJ press releases have shown Albuquerque residents charged with fentanyl distribution rings running into Texas and Arizona. Mandatory minimums on these cases make them brutal.
• Firearms & Violent Crimes – 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) adds mandatory, consecutive sentences for using or carrying a firearm during a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime. We’ve seen cases where a simple gun in the trunk becomes 5 extra years minimum on top of other counts. No parole. Just years stacked.
• White-Collar Crimes – Wire fraud, mail fraud, tax fraud, healthcare fraud. Federal prosecutors love § 1343 and § 1341. These charges aren’t violent, but they ruin reputations. Anna Delvey’s case? National headlines. The fallout wasn’t just the sentence – it was everything after. That’s why we defend hard, not just in court, but also in how your case lives publicly.
• Immigration & Cyber Offenses – Homeland Security and ICE bring charges under 8 U.S.C. § 1326 (illegal re-entry), and lately cybercrimes involving § 1030 (Computer Fraud and Abuse Act) have been hitting Albuquerque defendants. We’ve seen people accused of hacking, crypto-scams, and harboring undocumented individuals.

Signs You Need a Federal Criminal Lawyer Right Now

If you’re even on Google searching "Albuquerque federal criminal lawyer" – the time is already here. Don’t wait. You need us from moment one:

• Target letter arrives from U.S. Attorney’s Office
• Federal agents appear at your house or work, warrant in hand
• You get indicted by a federal grand jury
• Whispers of an investigation at your job, or your bank freezes assets

Sometimes we step in and prevent charges before they file. Pre-indictment work matters more than people realize, because once a grand jury indicts you? The road gets very narrow very fast.

What We Do as Your Federal Defense Team

A real Albuquerque federal criminal lawyer doesn’t just show up for arraignment. We dismantle cases, brick by brick. That’s our approach. That’s Spodek Law Group.

Investigations & Strategy

We review every warrant. We attack probable cause. We challenge wiretaps under Title III. We review whether the agents overstepped. We know confidential informants lie… and we catch it. Chain of custody errors? We flag them. Field test kits? Unreliable. The government pretends everything that comes from FBI or DEA labs is gospel – but we know better and we make judges see it too.

Sentencing Under Federal Guidelines

Judges here use the Sentencing Guidelines like gospel. Offense level + criminal history category = years. But those numbers can change. Acceptance of responsibility? Role in offense? Firearm enhancements? Criminal history category errors? We’ve dissected these calculations in courts across New Mexico. We know how to argue downward variances under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). The difference between 121 months and 70 months might be knowledge of a small adjustment – and we live in those adjustments.

Trial & Negotiations

Most cases resolve with pleas, sure. But we negotiate from strength. We don’t beg. We show prosecutors that their case is vulnerable – and then we leverage that into better deals. If there is trial? We cross-examine agents. We expose the cracks in co-defendant testimony. We stand toe-to-toe with AUSAs in front of juries in Albuquerque. And when a case goes the distance, our clients know we didn’t fold. We fight like hell.

Reputation Management

Media coverage can ruin a person faster than sentencing. Neighbors gossip. Employers panic. Families break under pressure. We’ve lived this alongside clients. We defended Anna Delvey while every major outlet stalked her case. We understand there’s court strategy and then there’s managing how the public story unfolds. At Spodek Law, we bring both sides to the fight – protecting your freedom and your future at once.

How Much Do We Charge?

Big question. Honest answer: it depends. Complexity, investigations, number of defendants, scope of discovery dumps – all of these drive cost. A ten-person drug conspiracy across New Mexico’s I-40 corridor costs more to defend than a single one-count fraud charge with limited evidence. Trials eat resources, pleas less so. Multi-agency investigations spread discovery across FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF – each agency brings new issues to litigate. All of that factors in.

But truthfully – the bigger cost is losing. Federal prosecutors here don’t seek six month slaps. They aim for eight years, or fifteen, or more. The cost of not hiring us? It’s sitting in a federal prison wondering why you cut corners on your defense. Don’t gamble like that.

Choosing the Best Federal Defense Lawyer in Albuquerque

So how do you know which lawyer is right? Look at who’s tried cases in federal court before. Who’s battled this U.S. Attorney’s Office. Who’s earned results under judges in Albuquerque. Spodek Law Group has. We’re not intimidated. We thrive on it.

• 50+ years of combined federal defense experience
• National media recognition – Anna Delvey trial, among others
• Willingness to take cases that appear unwinnable and drag them into daylight

Here’s what really matters: our loyalty is exclusive to YOU. No judge, no prosecutor, no headline, no one else. Just you. That’s non-negotiable.

Federal vs State Charges in Albuquerque

Don’t fall for the myth that federal court is “just tougher.” It’s not about tougher – it’s about fundamentally different. Federal criminal procedure has rules you don’t see in Bernalillo County courtrooms. Discovery is tighter. Sentencing is harsher. And the resources behind an indictment are national. It’s not Rio Rancho PD. It’s DEA agents running wiretaps across multiple states. It’s FBI executing raids with hundreds of pages of affidavits. If the local DA charges you, probation is possible. If U.S. Attorney charges you? Ten years mandatory minimum could be table stakes. See the difference?

That’s why we exist. Because without a defense team that knows federal practice inside and out – you’re walking in blind. We aren’t blind. We speak the judge’s language. We’ve argued sentencing memos in front of Albuquerque’s toughest federal benches. We know the pressure AUSAs try to apply in plea negotiations. And we are ready for it all.

Protect Your Future. Act Now.

Here’s the part people forget: while you sit and think, the government builds its case. Agents are flipping co-defendants right now. They’re writing affidavits. They’re pulling surveillance video from Smith’s parking lot and wiretap transcripts off your phone. Federal prosecutors in Albuquerque don’t wait. Which is why neither can you.

If you’re facing charges tied to the FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF, or Homeland Security investigations – drugs, fraud, firearms, conspiracy, cybercrimes, corruption – call us now. This isn’t a sales pitch – it’s survival advice. At Spodek Law Group, we exist to preserve your future against the heaviest opposition in the system. Call today, set up a confidential consultation, and put us between you and the weight of the United States government. We get it. And we will fight like hell for you.