Long Beach Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

| by Max Soni

Last Updated on: 30th September 2025, 09:22 pm

Long Beach Federal Criminal Lawyer

If you’re on our website, it’s because you’re not dealing with a traffic ticket or a misdemeanor, you’re facing serious federal charges – and you need the absolute best federal criminal defense attorney in Long Beach. At Spodek Law Group – we understand your reality. We know what’s at stake, because we’ve been here before with clients all over the country. Federal cases aren’t just “harder state cases.” They come with mandatory minimums, iron-fisted prosecutors, wiretaps, grand juries, and penalties that can bury a person for 50+ years if one strategic mistake is made. We don’t gamble with our clients’ lives – and neither should you.

In 2023, Long Beach resident Ronnie Sutton was convicted in federal court after a fatal shooting in Channel Park Homes – it was prosecuted federally due to the nature of the weapons and the pattern of criminal activity. That’s the level of intensity in these prosecutions. And next year, in 2025, Ladell Tharpe faces federal sentencing under the Hobbs Act – that statute gives the feds power to federalize what otherwise looks like a “local robbery” just by tying it to interstate commerce. That’s how thin the line is. The dividing line between whether you spend the rest of your life in a cell or walk free comes down to whether your lawyer understands federal defense at the highest level.

We – at Spodek Law Group – handle these cases all over the nation, including right here in the Central District of California where Long Beach is located. Make no mistake: when you are indicted in federal court, you cannot hire a state-practice attorney and hope for the best. You need a law firm that gets it. Sure, any lawyer around can stand next to you for a misdemeanor DUI. But when you’re facing 21 U.S.C. § 841 drug conspiracy charges, 18 U.S.C. § 1951 Hobbs Act robbery counts, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 wire fraud indictments, or 18 U.S.C. § 1956 money laundering allegations – it’s not the same ballgame, it’s a war. And we’ve been in those trenches for decades.

Understanding Federal Charges in Long Beach

Most people don’t even know why their case is in federal court instead of L.A. County Superior Court. Here’s the truth – Long Beach falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, with judges who oversee some of the most complex criminal matters in the nation. Cases are brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, usually backed by the FBI, DEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, sometimes even the U.S. Marshals. The reason your case is federal is usually because the government claims your alleged conduct crossed state lines, impacts interstate commerce, or because the penalty structure is better (for them) under federal statutes. Federal vs state isn’t a minor distinction – it’s like comparing a knife fight to a full scale war.

Clients ask me all the time: is it better to be charged in state or federal court? And I’ll be straight with you – state court every single time. Federal prosecutors are career attorneys, many have 15-20 years of experience, and they have virtually unlimited resources. They don’t indict unless they feel rock solid. If you’ve been indicted in Long Beach in federal court, it means the government already spent months building a file on you, possibly years. You are walking into a battlefield where they’re already dug in and waiting. That’s why you can’t delay. The longer you wait, the smaller your odds of changing the narrative.

Common Federal Offenses Prosecuted in Long Beach

Drug & Fentanyl Conspiracy Cases

Long Beach has become ground zero for fentanyl prosecutions. Recently, Raul Pacheco Ramirez admitted guilt in connection with distributing 400+ grams of fentanyl disguised as legitimate pills. Under 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A), that threshold automatically triggers a mandatory minimum of 10 years – and prosecutors often argue for enhancements that raise sentences to 20 years, even life, if death or serious bodily injury results. We defend conspiracy charges filed under 21 U.S.C. § 846, where “agreement” alone is enough for the feds to drag you into court. These cases might sound routine in headlines, but behind the scenes they are life-altering. The penalties are catastrophic without someone who knows the statutory framework and sentencing guidelines inside out.

Violent Crimes & Hobbs Act Robbery

The Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951, is one of the tools the government abuses the most. A robbery of a convenience store in Long Beach suddenly becomes a “federal interference with interstate commerce.” Why? Because the store sells products that once crossed state lines. Ladell Tharpe’s case is proof – his guilty plea under this statute exposes him to massive federal sentencing time. We see over and over again: something local escalates overnight into a federal violent crime indictment. These charges carry brutal exposure because they often come with 924(c) firearms add-ons – which tack years on top of years, stacked consecutively. That’s how a 5-minute robbery turns into 40 years of sentencing exposure.

White Collar & Fraud Crimes

Fraud is a broad umbrella word – but in federal court, it’s most often tied to 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), § 1344 (bank fraud), § 1341 (mail fraud), and § 371 (conspiracy). Long Beach has seen multiple healthcare fraud, insurance fraud, and embezzlement prosecutions. The feds love these cases because numbers and emails don’t lie – or at least, that’s how they frame it. But fraud prosecutions are often about spin and narrative rather than cut-and-dry facts. Remember Anna Sorokin, aka Anna Delvey? Todd Spodek himself defended her in federal court, and that case became Netflix fodder. It shows you – fraud cases aren’t just about ledgers, they’re about making you look like a villain in front of a jury. You need someone who can cut through that story, dismantle their emotional hook, and present a defense jurors will actually believe.

Federal Enforcement Patterns in Los Angeles & Long Beach

I’ll be totally candid with you – by the time you’re charged, the DEA or FBI has had you in their crosshairs for months, sometimes years. They use Title III wiretaps under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2522, they run FISA warrants if international contacts exist, and they flip informants left and right. In Long Beach, cases like Jesse Lopez-Martinez – a known figure allegedly connected to organized narcotics rings – are textbook examples. Large conspiracy indictments never pop up overnight, they are months of pen registers, phone taps, GPS trackers, and controlled buys. The DEA is focusing nonstop on fentanyl and meth, the FBI zeroes in on violent crime and gang-related RICO conspiracies, and the IRS runs down financial flows that tie into laundering charges. The ATF meanwhile is constantly running operations related to firearms trafficking. Look, once you hear knock on the door from agents, the bones of the case are already in place – you need us immediately if you want any chance of changing the storyline.

The Federal Court Process in the Central District of California

If you’ve never been in federal court, let me walk you through it, because it’s completely foreign compared to state court. It starts with a sealed indictment, presented by prosecutors to a federal grand jury. Once the grand jury returns a true bill, you’re arrested. Here’s the roadmap:

• Indictment – returned by grand jury, often months after sealed investigations started.
• Initial Appearance & Arraignment – charges are formally read, conditions of release/bail argued, and you enter a plea.
• Pre-Trial Motions – this is where we file suppression motions under Fourth Amendment, challenge wiretap minimization failures, argue Miranda violations. Battles over discovery happen here too.
• Trial – handled by experienced federal prosecutors, but this is also where we disassemble their narrative, destroy unreliable snitch testimony, expose sloppy investigation. Jury trials in federal court are brutal but we fight strategically.
• Sentencing – United States Sentencing Guidelines (U.S.S.G.) drive the numbers. Mandatory minimums, criminal history categories, enhancements for role, obstruction, or firearms can balloon exposure, unless we mitigate.

Sometimes clients ask me: what are lawyers like us technically called? The answer is: we are federal criminal defense attorneys. But every day you wait without one, you’re playing catch up. Some defendants stick with panel lawyers appointed by the court, but let’s be honest – when your livelihood, your kids, and your freedom is in the balance, do you gamble or do you bring in the rockstar team?

Why You Need a Long Beach Federal Criminal Lawyer

Should you get a lawyer for a federal case? Without hesitation – yes. Federal court is not a place to DIY. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles is staffed with some of the best-prepared, most relentless prosecutors anywhere. They don’t bluff. They prepare. And every word you say – to agents, to investigators, even to “friends” who may be wired – is a landmine. The worst mistake defendants make is thinking they can explain themselves out of trouble during an FBI knock-and-talk. Do not make that mistake. Don’t say a word, call us first.

We’ve got over 50 years of combined experience. Our rock star team works nationally, and in Long Beach, defending clients against drug conspiracies, frauds, racketeering, gun cases, everything. And to be clear – our loyalty is only to you. Spodek Law Group doesn’t play games with your life. We create strategies unique to your case, not cookie-cutter solutions. Discovery battles, evidentiary hearings, bail detention arguments, plea negotiations, jury trials – we know the playbook inside and out. We’ve stood with clients against cases you’d think were unwinnable – look, the point is we win. That’s why high-profile clients keep choosing Spodek when the chips are down.

Costs and Risks: Investing in Freedom

I know what you’re thinking – how much does this cost? Honestly, it depends. There is no flat answer. A single-defendant plea negotiation might be a flat fee. A multi-defendant, multi-count RICO or drug conspiracy trial with wiretap hearings is high six-figures in billable hours over months. But here’s reality – this isn’t about buying a car or shopping for an iPhone. This is about freedom. It’s about whether you get 3 years, 30 years, or life.

Going cheap on a federal lawyer, in Long Beach or anywhere, is the mistake we see over and over. The problem is that once sentenced in federal court, second chances are rare. Appellate relief is slim, post-conviction remedies limited. Paying for the very best defense can mean suppression of key evidence, dismissal of counts, substantial assistance motions filed that reduce decades. It’s not an expense, it’s the most important investment of your life. If price shopping is your top priority, somebody else will take your case, but we fight for clients who want to win – not just take a plea to get it over with.

Call Spodek Law Today – Elite Long Beach Federal Criminal Lawyers

You don’t have time to waste. Federal charges don’t slow down for anyone. If you or someone you love is under investigation or already indicted in Long Beach, call us right now. 24/7. We’ve represented celebrities, professionals, business owners, everyday people – there’s no “type” of defendant when it comes to federal prosecution. We’ve handled cases plastered on the news like Anna Delvey, but also countless life-saving results nobody ever hears about. And that’s fine, because we don’t fight for headlines, we fight for your freedom.

Look, this isn’t a sales pitch. It’s the truth. Your job, your career, your family – everything disappears if you mishandle this moment. Trust your defense only to a federal criminal lawyer who knows the Central District, who understands the nuances of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, who has sparred against AUSAs across the country. That’s us. That’s Spodek Law Group. When we’re in your corner, our loyalty is to you alone, we fight like hell until every angle has been covered and every realistic chance at freedom has been pursued.

Call Spodek Law Group today – speak directly with a Long Beach federal criminal lawyer who knows what you’re up against and knows how to fight it. We don’t delay, we don’t sugarcoat, we don’t quit on you. We fight until the very last bell.