If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and need the best possible federal criminal defense attorney by your side. At Spodek Law Group, we get it. We understand what's at stake when the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Durham comes after you. Your freedom, your family, your money, and honestly your entire future. And the truth is – when it comes to federal cases, you don’t get repeated shots. You get one, with everything sitting on the table, and that means you hire a law firm that gets it.

The Reality of Federal Charges in Durham

Look, I'm going to be straight with you. Durham federal court isn’t some warm and friendly place where prosecutors and judges give people second chances just because. In July 2024, a Durham man was hit with 84 months in federal prison for mortgage and loan fraud – over $2.9 million tied up in the allegations. Seven years of life – gone – with the stroke of a gavel. That’s what you’re up against when you walk into the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, Durham Division. Judges here don’t play around, the prosecutors aren’t winging it, and federal sentencing guidelines do not bend just because you had a tough break.

Federal prosecutors — Assistant U.S. Attorneys — almost never move forward unless they believe they have a slam dunk. They’ve spent months (sometimes years) gathering everything. Surveillance from the FBI, drug task force reports from the DEA, tax records from the IRS, firearms traced by the ATF. By the time you get a target letter, they already know more about you than you think. It’s not exaggerated – you’re stepping into a fight where the other side has been preparing far longer than you. That’s why waiting or hoping isn’t an option.

Why Federal Charges Are a Different World

I'll be honest here: if you think your probation officer from a state case has anything to do with how the feds work, you’re kidding yourself. State prosecutors can plead things out fast, they can make deals loosely, and sometimes you can walk away with a slap on the wrist. Federal? No. Federal law operates under statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 371 (conspiracy), 21 U.S.C. § 841 (controlled substances), and 18 U.S.C. § 922 (firearms). These laws are strict, they’re precise, and once you’re charged under them the penalties are brutal.

Here’s the difference no one tells you – in Durham Superior Court you might negotiate a reduced sentence with a sympathetic assistant district attorney. In federal court, your sentencing is dominated by the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and the judge here, sitting in the federal courthouse on Mangum Street, has very little inclination to deviate downward. Good luck convincing them otherwise unless your lawyer knows exactly what motions, downward departures, and mitigating factors to present. And appeals? They go up to the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, which is not exactly soft on criminal defendants.

Types of Federal Cases in Durham That We See Every Week

• Fraud and Financial Crimes: Bank fraud, mail fraud, PPP loan fraud, mortgage fraud, wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1341 and § 1343. Durham has seen multiple prosecutions of small business owners brought into federal court and sentenced to multiple years.
• Drug Trafficking & Firearms: Conspiracies under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846, possession of firearms by felons under 18 U.S.C. § 922. The DEA teams up with the Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force and before you know it – you’re named in an indictment with ten other people.
• Cyber and Tech Offenses: Durham, with RTP and Duke surroudning it, has seen a rise of prosecutions involving alleged hacking, computer intrusions (18 U.S.C. § 1030), health care billing fraud, and securities cases tied to startup investors.
• Conspiracy & RICO Cases: Prosecutors love using 18 U.S.C. § 1962 (RICO) because it pulls in everyone vaguely associated, even when your role was minor. The sentencing exposure – huge.

And here’s what matters: federal enforcement in Durham isn’t siloed. The FBI is working with Durham PD, the DEA coordinates with Wake County Sheriff, the IRS digs into your tax records. It's all tied in together. So when you’re charged it’s never “just local.” It’s never small.

Walking Into Durham Federal Court

Going into the federal courthouse, your first appearance is an arraignment. But then quickly after, boom – detention hearings. In federal system, unlike state court, the presumption is tilted towards keeping you locked up pretrial if they can characterize you as a risk. And the prosecutors come prepared with a Pretrial Services Report, prior history details, things they dig up to paint you as a flight risk.

During discovery, it's different. The government doesn’t just hand over boxes of paperwork like in state cases. They hand over specific Brady materials, specific Jencks Act disclosures. You don’t get to go fishing around their files. So if your lawyer hasn’t done this before, you’ll end up blind-sided. And sentencing? Everyone fixates on the Guidelines table – but judges here often stick harshly to it. It’s one thing to read about this, another thing to stand in front of Judge Eagles or Judge Schroeder and feel the weight of their sentencing remarks as they explain why they’re giving you 120 months. That’s the reality.

FAQ – Durham Federal Defense Clients Ask Us

How much do lawyers charge for federal cases?

Federal cases usually demand a flat fee or hybrid structure that’s higher than state work. Why? Because federal law requires countless hours digging into Title 18 statutes, prepping sentencing charts, consulting forensic experts. It's not cheap but neither is your freedom.

Should I really hire a lawyer for a federal case?

Yes. I won't sugarcoat it. Federal conviction rate hovers at 90%+ according to DOJ statistics. You walk in without experienced defense, you’ll come out with a guilty plea and guidelines range you never wanted. Don’t risk it – not now, not ever.

What is a federal lawyer even called?

A federal criminal defense attorney. Someone like us who knows federal indictments, deals with Assistant U.S. Attorneys every single week, understands Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and can send subpoenas in District Court without blinking.

How to pick the right federal attorney in Durham?

You want battle-tested, not dabblers. Someone who knows how prosecutors here in Middle District build conspiracy cases, someone who stood toe-to-toe with the FBI and IRS experts. Our firm has represented high-profile defendants nationwide. Others may dabble; we live it. We’ve handled cases that... look, the point is we win. That’s what you need.

Why Experience Counts – Over 50 Years, Major Cases Won

We’re not theorists, we’re doers. At Spodek Law Group we bring more than 50 years of combined experience. We’re a rock star team, not afraid of media storms or complicated matters most attorneys walk away from. Just look at Todd Spodek’s representation of Anna Delvey (Anna Sorokin) – a case so unique Netflix created a series about it in 2022. We lean into those cases, we don’t run. That shows the mentality: complex accusations? Bring them here.

We’ve defended against million-dollar fraud claims, major narcotics conspiracies, RICO indictments alleging criminal enterprises. We know the statutes inside out – 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (money laundering), 21 U.S.C. § 848 (continuing criminal enterprise). This is not a guessing game for us. Our loyalty lies with our clients, with you – not the court, not the prosecutors, not the system. Period.

Durham Roots – National Reach

We know Durham, we know the courthouse style, the judges’ tendencies, the clerks’ procedures. We've sat through detention hearings in Courtroom 1 at the Mangum St. courthouse, we know how the federal marshals work here. But beyond that, we handle cases in New York, California, Florida, Texas – anywhere federal prosecutors operate. If your case crosses state lines – which many federal indictments do – we’ve already fought teams like the Organized Crime Strike Force, or joint DEA/ATF task forces operating nationwide.

Our Durham office is at 100 East Parrish St Suite 350. You can see us in person there, or if easier, we do phone consults, or Zoom late at night. Whatever it takes to help you. Not everyone can come in – we adjust.

Act Now Before It’s Done For You

Here’s what really happens: you usually find out you’re being investigated after they already talked to witnesses, subpoenaed your bank accounts, ran wiretaps, flipped co-defendants. You are behind before you even got to the first inning. If you don’t act quickly, you let the prosecutors write the entire story, line by line, without you ever speaking up.

And that isn’t acceptable. Not for your life, not for your family. You need lawyers who know the system, lawyers who’ve been across from Assistant U.S. Attorneys grilling them on cross examination, lawyers who know when to fight and when a plea controlled early could shave off decades. That’s us. That’s what we do.

Call Spodek Law Group today. Our experience, our reputation, our results – that’s what you need when the FBI knocks on your door or the DEA names you in an indictment. Don't wait. Don’t gamble. Let’s fight this together.