If you're on our website, it's because you're staring down serious federal charges and trying to figure out who you can trust with your life. At Spodek Law Group, we aren’t here to sugarcoat it—federal court is brutal, the prosecutors don’t play games, and the rules stack the system against you. When the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas puts your name on an indictment, it’s not a bluff. You’re fighting statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 371 (conspiracy to defraud the U.S.), 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (wire fraud conspiracy), 21 U.S.C. § 841 (narcotics distribution), 18 U.S.C. § 922 (firearms offenses), or even 18 U.S.C. § 2422 (enticement of a minor). These aren’t petty charges, they’re life changing.

We’ve got over 50 years of combined experience, and we’ve taken on cases that other attorneys flat out refused. A lot of those so-called “unwinnable” cases—we overturned, or reduced to outcomes that shocked the prosecution. You probably saw Netflix’s Inventing Anna—Todd Spodek was the trial lawyer for Anna Sorokin, right in the middle of national media storm. That’s not fiction to us, that’s our real life track record. The scrutiny, the pressure, the odds stacked against us—we don’t flinch, and that’s exactly why people in Corpus Christi call us when everything is on the line.

Why Corpus Christi Federal Cases Are Different

Corpus Christi is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. That means your case could be heard at the federal courthouse downtown, in front of judges like Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos or Magistrate Judge Jason Libby. These courtrooms are not small-town state courts, they operate on strict federal rules of criminal procedure, tightly run dockets, and federal sentencing guidelines that don’t bend easily. We’re talking **no parole**, mandatory minimums, enhancements that add 5, 10, sometimes 20 years depending on drug quantity, firearm possession, criminal history categories. And yes, the DEA, FBI, IRS, and ATF all have active enforcement presence right here in Corpus—so almost every federal indictment in the area comes from one of those agencies.

Let’s be clear: state court and federal court are two different planets. In Nueces County District Court, you might see a DA offer probation or treatment programs depending on the charge. In federal court—you’re negotiating with Assistant United States Attorneys who don’t back down for political reasons, who measure their careers by conviction stats, and who start their cases with evidence collected over years with wiretaps, surveillance, bank records, and cooperating witnesses. It’s surgical, it’s methodical, and it’s deadly serious.

Federal Charges That Hit Corpus Christi Defendants

You might be wondering, what exactly do people get indicted for here? Here’s what we see most:

• Narcotics / Conspiracy: Under 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841, trafficking cocaine, meth, fentanyl—and the conspiracy charges sweep up everyone connected, not just kingpins. DEA-led investigations target transport routes through Corpus Christi constantly.
• Firearms: The ATF prosecutes felon-in-possession cases (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)), straw purchases, and weapons tied to drug trafficking. A firearm enhancement stacked on a drug case adds years automatically.
• White Collar Crimes: We see IRS-led tax fraud, bankruptcy fraud, healthcare fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1347), bank fraud, and PPP loan fraud more and more. The DOJ has made South Texas a priority for financial crime enforcement.
• Sex Crimes: Enticement, production of child pornography, online exploitation—those fall under statutes like §2422 and §2251. One Corpus police officer was taken down under those very charges, sentenced to 15+ years.
• Immigration Crimes: Because of proximity to the border, cases of illegal reentry (§1326), smuggling, document fraud—they’re prosecuted heavily here.

And the kicker is, when you have prior felony records, the sentencing guidelines trigger “career offender” enhancements under U.S.S.G. §4B1.1—that’s how someone with repeated burglaries ended up with 130 months. It’s unforgiving and the court doesn’t blink.

The Timeline: Federal Cases in Corpus Christi

Here’s what people don’t get about federal indictments—they don’t happen overnight. The DEA doesn’t wake up and decide you’re guilty, they’ve been tailing you for months if not years. Same with the FBI, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, or the ATF. They build mountains of docs, they flip co-defendants, they pull phone records, they even subpoena cloud data from providers. By the time you get a target letter, their file is a mile thick.

Then comes **the indictment**. You’ll be arraigned in the Corpus Christi division’s federal courthouse, enter a plea, and conditions of detention will be decided. Bail (technically, bond) in federal court isn’t like state. Pretrial detention is far more common. And judges use federal pretrial services reports, not gut feelings—making it harder to walk out pending trial.

Finally, if you’re convicted or if you plead—**sentencing.** Here’s where defendants realize the federal system is merciless. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines use point systems—drug weight, prior convictions, role enhancements, obstruction of justice. It all stacks. No parole. The best we can do is fight downward departures, attack the indictment, negotiate pleas before mandatory minimums trigger, or sometimes take it to trial and aim for a not-guilty.

People Also Ask Us About Federal Charges

How much does a federal defense lawyer cost?

Federal cases aren’t like hiring a lawyer for a DWI in state court. These are complex, multi-defendant, discovery-heavy battles. We usually use retainers. Sometimes five figures. Sometimes six. Depends on the scope. But here’s what clients forget—this isn’t just about money, it’s your liberty, your future, your family. When 20 years is on the table, the the question isn’t “how much is a lawyer,” it’s “how much are my next 20 years worth.”

What triggers federal jurisdiction?

Interstate conduct. U.S. statutes. Federal agencies getting involved. If money crossed state lines, if drugs moved through multiple states, if wires or online communications were used, if guns moved through the system—all of that gives the feds jurisdiction. In Corpus, we see DEA, FBI, IRS, ATF... all working cases non-stop.

Can’t my state lawyer handle this?

Maybe they can stand next to you, but federal practice is another world. Federal judges expect filings that meet federal rules, discovery that’s handled on tight deadlines, and courtroom performances that are polished. If your lawyer spends 90% of his time in county courtrooms, he’s not gonna grasp the U.S. Guidelines or how to nuance downward variances. You need a firm that—frankly—gets it.

What sentences am I really looking at?

Depends, but I’ll be straight with you: on drug cases with mandatory 10-year minimums—it’s usually 10 years unless we fight the enhancements. Fraud cases? The loss amounts dictate outcomes. Sex charges? Minimums start at years, not months. That’s the federal system. And it’s why you need us before you even talk to an agent.

Why Federal Defense Has to Be Handled by Specialists

Look, there are plenty of good state court defense attorneys in Texas, but stepping into federal court without experience is like throwing a JV player into the NFL playoffs. It’s not fair to you. Federal sentencing guidelines, federal discovery rules, federal judges—they eat rookies alive.

What sets us apart is our **rock star team**. 50+ years combined experience. Cases from New York to California. Multi-defendant narcotics conspiracies. International fraud. Local Corpus Christi cases with DEA wiretaps. White collar work that got national attention. We’ve handled cases that... look, the point is we win. Even when it looks impossible, we find strategies that make prosecutors rethink their certainty.

And we don’t shy away from unpopular clients or messy media coverage—we’ve already been there. We don’t owe allegiance to the press, the public, or the government. Only to you.

Local Insight Into Corpus Christi Federal Enforcement

The federal spotlight in Corpus Christi is intense. DEA-led stings are ongoing in South Texas corridors. Healthcare providers are increasingly audited, with HHS-OIG and DOJ partners tearing apart billing records. IRS Criminal Investigations are hitting small business owners harder than people realize. And ATF quietly indicts firearm and straw purchase cases that most people never hear about until the sentencing. Truth is—you don’t always know when you’re on their radar until it’s too late.

Corpus Christi being a port city, and being close enough to border routes, creates constant exposure for drug conspiracy indictments. And when agents in Houston and San Antonio coordinate with Corpus offices, indictments roll in waves. That’s not paranoia, that’s the actual enforcement trend we see year after year.

Choosing Your Federal Lawyer in Corpus Christi

At Spodek Law Group, we push harder than almost anyone. We’ve earned a national reputation handling federal defense, feature cases on national media, and hard-won trials that mattered. Federal defense isn’t something you throw to the cheapest option—it really is life or death in many circumstances.

If you’re accused of federal fraud, narcotics conspiracy, sex crime investigations, or gun charges—Spodek Law Group is positioned to attack it. We know dismissals, plea bargaining strategies, downward departures, sentencing advocacy. We aim squarely at protecting your liberty.

Whether this is your first time facing accusations—or you’re looking at indictment number five—we bring relentless energy to your defense. Because once the U.S. Attorneys get momentum against you, it takes more than luck to stop them. It takes skill, creativity, connections, and experience that only true federal lawyers bring to the table.

The government isn’t here to help you. They want convictions, numbers, and press releases. We want one thing. YOU walking away with your future intact. That’s the difference, and it’s why we fight tooth and nail on every single federal case in Corpus Christi. Call us now for a confidential consultation—before prosecutors get the upperhand.