Blog
Columbus Federal Criminal Lawyers
Columbus Federal Criminal Lawyers
Getting charged with a federal crime can be really scary. The federal government has like, so many resources they can use against you. And federal crimes often have really long prison sentences. Like 20, 30 years or even life in prison. That’s no joke.
So if you get charged with a federal crime in Columbus, Ohio, you gotta get yourself a good federal criminal defense lawyer, pronto. Your life could literally depend on it.
There’s a bunch of really good federal criminal defense attorneys in Columbus who know how to handle these kinds of cases. They understand all the complex federal laws and sentencing guidelines so they can help try to get your charges reduced or even dismissed.
Types of Federal Crimes
There’s all kinds of federal crimes you can be charged with. Some of the most common ones include:
- Drug crimes like trafficking or distribution
- White collar crimes like wire fraud, tax evasion, embezzlement
- Violent crimes like kidnapping, bank robbery, carjacking
- Gun crimes
- Sex crimes
- Cyber crimes like computer hacking
- Terrorism
So if the feds think you did any of those, you could be looking at serious prison time. Don’t wait to call a lawyer. The feds don’t mess around. They will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.
Working with Federal Agents
When you’re charged with a federal crime, you’re going to have to deal with federal agents like the FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS, ICE. These agents are no joke. They are highly trained and have tons of resources to build a case against you.
You do NOT want to try talking to these agents without your lawyer present. Anything you say can be used against you. Your lawyer will handle all communication with the agents and prosecutors.
Understanding Federal Sentencing Guidelines
The federal sentencing guidelines are really complex. They take into account things like your criminal history, role in the crime, if a weapon was used, the drug quantity if it’s a drug crime, etc. Even small differences can have a huge impact on how much time you’re facing.[1]
Your attorney will analyze the sentencing guidelines to figure out your exposure and build the strongest case for the lowest sentence possible. This takes expertise and experience fighting federal cases.
Mounting a Strong Federal Defense
There’s a ton of ways experienced federal defense lawyers can defend you:
- File motions to suppress evidence because of unconstitutional searches
- Challenge the credibility of informants/witnesses
- Argue you had diminished mental capacity
- Claim self-defense or duress if it was a violent crime
- Negotiate a plea deal for lesser charges
- Go to trial and argue reasonable doubt on guilt
A skilled federal lawyer will aggressively pursue every avenue to fight the charges and get you the best possible outcome.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
When facing federal charges, here’s some big mistakes to avoid:
- Talking to police or federal agents without an attorney
- Posting about your case on social media
- Destroying evidence that could be useful for your defense
- Waiting too long to get a lawyer who understands federal law
- Taking your case to trial without experienced counsel
Making any of these mistakes can really hurt your chances of getting charges dropped or reduced. So don’t delay in finding an experienced Columbus federal defense lawyer.
Why Hire a Columbus Federal Criminal Lawyer?
There’s lots of good reasons to hire a federal defense lawyer from Columbus instead of a lawyer outside the area:
- They have experience with the federal prosecutors and judges in Columbus
- They understand the local federal court procedures and rules
- They can meet with you in person at their Columbus office
- They know how similar cases have been handled in Columbus
- They have good working relationships with federal agents there
This inside knowledge of the federal court system in Columbus can really help them mount the strongest defense for your particular case.
Finding the Right Federal Criminal Lawyer in Columbus
Not all federal defense attorneys are created equal. When picking the right one, you’ll want to ask:
- How much experience do you have with federal cases similar to mine?
- Will you be the actual lawyer handling my case?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of my case?
- What are possible defense strategies you would use?
- What are the best and worst case scenarios for sentencing?
Go with a federal lawyer who inspires confidence they can provide the strongest defense. This is not the time to cut corners financially.