If you're on our website, it's because you're facing serious federal charges – and you know you need more than just a local lawyer who occasionally walks into the federal courthouse. You need a Richmond federal criminal defense attorney who’s in this arena every single week, who knows the judges, the prosecutors, the clerks, even security, because relationships and rhythm matter when your freedom is at stake. At Spodek Law Group, we don’t play games. Federal charges aren’t like state charges, they are backed by the United States government, with agencies like the DEA, FBI, IRS, ATF, and Homeland Security pouring endless manpower and money into one thing: getting a conviction, getting years, getting headlines. Our job is — and will always be — to stand between you and them. Our loyalty is to you, not to judges, not to the prosecutors, not anyone else, just you.

The Eastern District of Virginia is unforgiving. They call it the rocket docket for a reason. Cases that would take a year in New York City? You’ll see them blow through Richmond in 3-4 months, sometimes less. Hearings in weeks, not months. Indictments drop and before you can even catch your breath, the trial calendar is moving forward. If you wait to hire us, if you sit back and assume you have time, you’re already behind — prosecutors are pounding the table while you’re still trying to google what an arraignment means.

Understanding Federal Charges in Richmond

I’ll be straight with you — federal cases are nothing like state cases. In Virginia, you might see a local prosecutor with 80 files shuffled under their arm. In federal court, especially in Richmond, the U.S. Attorney’s Office assigns entire teams to a single case. Entire teams. We’re talking agents from the FBI, the DEA, even IRS Criminal Investigations showing up with massive binders, experts, forensic accountants, analysts. They don’t bring knife-fights, they bring tanks. These are not your routine bar brawls or shoplifting cases. These are conspiracy indictments under 21 U.S.C. § 846, wire fraud allegations under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, money laundering charges under 18 U.S.C. § 1956, prosecutions involving firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Statutes designed with one thing in mind — long sentences, leverage in plea negotiations, and a stacked deck against the accused.

Richmond has become a hub. Conspiracies spanning multiple states, PPP loan fraud schemes prosecuted under federal statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 1014, RICO prosecutions under 18 U.S.C. § 1962. And yes, cyber cases. The DOJ and FBI Cyber Division are on the ground here, pursuing crypto fraud, identity theft, wire fraud, and child exploitation task forces. They have resources you can’t even imagine. And without us, you’ll walk into court and get steamrolled before you even know what evidence they’re using against you. That’s the truth.

In 2023 alone, the DEA in Richmond announced a sweep resulting in 19 indictments connected to fentanyl and meth. Multi-agency task forces, with wiretap affidavits, CI’s (confidential informants), GPS tracking, undercover buys. Look at those cases closely and you’ll see a pattern — the feds build for months before anyone realizes they're under investigation. By the time an indictment drops, they’ve got boxes of evidence. What do we do? We attack wiretap applications for Title III violations. We cross-examine snitches who are flipping to save themselves. We find the weak spots. Because if you don’t, walking into that courtroom is no better than walking into a slaughterhouse.

Richmond’s Federal Courts: Where Your Case Will Be Heard

Your federal case isn’t going to Henrico General District. It’s going straight to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division. And if you appeal, it’s landing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, also right here in Richmond. Judges here? They’re known for efficiency, precision, no tolerance for nonsense. It’s a streamlined system that pushes cases forward at breakneck speeds. That’s a problem for you, because it means less time for discovery, less time to negotiate, less time to get motions filed. But it’s not a problem if we’re in right away, because we’ve been here before, on this exact playing field, during high-stakes cases where pressure was maxed out.

We’ve seen this play out. A Richmond man sentenced for tax evasion tied to the Aspen Avenue property had his punishment vacated by the Fourth Circuit — shaving years off his sentence. That happened because of smart appellate lawyering. And look, we’ve filed suppression motions, challenged sentencing enhancements, litigated guideline cross-references — we live in this world every single day. Outcomes don’t just appear, they’re carved out through grinding, filing, arguing, preserving the record. And in Richmond federal court, you either know the terrain, or you die on it. It’s that simple.

Federal Agencies Active in Richmond

When we say the feds are watching, we mean it. These are the agencies we see in Richmond’s indictments all the time:

• DEA: spearheading conspiracy cases targeting fentanyl, heroin, meth, and opioid rings across Richmond and central Virginia.
• FBI: pushing forward fraud, corruption, cyber, public corruption matters, and complex white collar schemes.
• IRS-CI: not flashy, but deadly effective with tax crimes, business-owner audits, evasion, fraudulent returns.
• ATF: involved in firearm-related conspiracies, straw purchasing, possession of firearms in relation to drug trafficking, especially under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and 924(c).
• HSI: targeting human trafficking, money laundering tied to international wires, corporate misconduct with foreign links.

These aren’t random. The DOJ has launched Richmond-focused enforcement programs. They’re dismantling “organized enterprises” in drug, fraud, and violent crime spaces. Richmond’s location — central to I-95, access to ports, proximity to D.C. — means it’s strategic. By the time you’re served with a subpoena, the machine’s already been running for months. Assume they’re ahead. Because they are.

Charges We Defend Against in Richmond Federal Court

We’ve defended everything you can imagine in Richmond federal court. From DEA-led multi-defendant conspiracy indictments under Title 21, to complex tax cases where the IRS alleges fraudulent returns across multiple LLCs. Some of the most frequent charges include:

• Drug Trafficking & Conspiracy: Under 21 U.S.C. § 841 and § 846 — serious mandatory sentences, sometimes life enhancements for prior convictions.
• Fraud & White Collar: Wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), Bank fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344), Securities fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1348), PPP/EIDL loan fraud, Health care fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1347).
• Tax Crimes: Tax evasion under 26 U.S.C. § 7201, filing false returns § 7206, structuring and laundering charges attached.
• Firearms & Violent Crime: Firearm possession in furtherance of drug trafficking (18 U.S.C. § 924(c)), RICO gang cases under 18 U.S.C. § 1962.
• Internet & Cyber Cases: Crypto frauds, darknet market prosecutions, aggravated identity theft under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A.

Our role is to take these codes off the page and show the jury — or show the judge — that the government’s case isn’t bulletproof. They love pushing enhancements, they love stacking counts. But guidelines aren’t destiny. We’ve cut proposed sentences from decades down to months or probation. That happens because we don’t just react, we go on offense.

Federal vs. State Court: Why It Matters

Look, here’s what really happens. State court and federal court are two different universes. In state court, the docket is clogged, cases get delayed, sometimes deals get cut quick just to move a file. In Richmond federal court? Forget it. There’s no parole. You serve almost the entire sentence you get. The federal sentencing guidelines — they’re brutal. Complicated point systems that add years for enhancements like “sophisticated means” or “leadership role.” Prosecutors love them. Judges pretend they’re advisory, but in reality, they follow them closely.

Mandatory minimums are real. Five years, ten years, twenty years. If you’re charged under § 924(c) gun enhancements, you can be looking at stacked consecutive sentences. And here’s the truth: the U.S. Attorney’s Office comes loaded. It’s not one prosecutor with a hundred files. It’s teams — AUSAs, federal agents, paralegals, experts, specialists. And they want one thing: to notch another conviction. If you walk in with a lawyer who doesn’t know federal court procedure, you’re toast. We’ve filed suppression motions under Rule 12, challenged expert designations under Daubert, argued sentencing variance under § 3553(a). This is survival. That’s why you hire a law firm that gets it.

Federal Defense FAQs

How much do federal lawyers charge?

No flat answer, no cookie cutter fees. Federal defense is expensive because the stakes are your life. Five, ten, fifty years — that’s the reality. We’ve structured fees transparently, and yes we understand clients aren’t made of money. The truth is, you don’t hire us because we’re the cheapest, you hire us because you cannot afford to bet your freedom on discount representation. Simple as that.

Should I get a lawyer for a federal case?

100%. Absolutely. You’d be out of your mind not to. Federal prosecutors have unlimited resources, they assume they will win. Walking into Richmond federal court without representation is like showing up to a gunfight with a plastic spoon. Hire a law firm that gets it. Hire one that has handled massive conspiracies, major fraud investigations, and walked out standing. That’s Spodek Law Group.

What is a federal lawyer called?

A federal criminal defense lawyer. But not every criminal lawyer can walk in here. Federal procedure, Federal Rules of Evidence, Sentencing Guidelines — these are alien to local general practitioners. We’re licensed nationwide, we’ve argued in multiple Circuits, and more importantly, we’ve gone head-to-head with US Attorney offices that don’t blink. The answer is: not every lawyer qualifies. And you deserve one who actually does.

Which lawyer wins most cases?

No one wins “most” cases. That’s fantasy. Winning depends on the facts, the judge, the jury, the motions, the record. But experience? That changes everything. Todd Spodek has been in cases the entire country was watching — remember Netflix’s Anna Delvey? That was us. We don’t scare, we don’t run. We’ve handled cases that other firms refused — look, the point is we win when winning seems impossible. Results matter, not promises.

Why Choose Spodek Law Group in Richmond

We’re not some local law office “dabbling” in federal defense. Spodek Law Group is a national firm, known coast-to-coast, quoted by NBC, the New York Times, and seen on Netflix. Our lawyers aren’t rookies — we’re a rock star team with more than 50 years of combined experience. We’ve dismantled indictments across the country, negotiated reduced charges for clients accused of billion-dollar frauds, and taken cases to trial when the stakes were nothing short of life. And we’re not intimidated by the rocket docket. We thrive in it.

What sets us apart here in Richmond isn’t just reputation, it’s institutional knowledge. We know how judges run their calendars. Which AUSAs will negotiate creatively and which ones won’t budge an inch. When to push trial, when to hammer back with suppression motions. We’ve filed Rule 29 motions for judgment of acquittal in the middle of trial, forced discovery disputes under Rule 16, challenged everything from the sufficiency of indictments to illegal search warrants. Some attorneys wait for the government to make a move, we attack. Always. That’s how we survive in this district, that’s how we help you win here too.

Call to Action: Protect Your Future Right Now

If you’re sitting at your computer wondering if you should call us, the answer is yes. You don’t have time. Every day you wait, prosecutors get stronger, judges set more dates, discovery timelines shrink. In Richmond’s rocket docket, waiting is losing. Spodek Law Group is here, right now, ready to defend you. Call us — confidential, immediate, no nonsense. We don’t judge you, we protect you. And the earlier you bring us in, the better shot we have. Don’t gamble with your life. Let us fight. Every damn second counts.