Tampa Federal Criminal Lawyer

If you’re on our website, it’s because you’re facing serious federal charges – and need the best possible federal criminal defense attorney in Tampa. At Spodek Law Group, we understand that your future is at stake – and we take your case as seriously as you do. Federal charges aren’t like state allegations, the rules are different, the prosecutors are tougher, and the sentencing exposure is brutal. We fight for you – and only you. Our loyalty, always, is undivided.

Look, I’ll be straight with you: when federal agents are knocking, or when the U.S. Attorney’s Office files an indictment in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida – Tampa Division – it’s not just another criminal case. It’s everything. Your career, your family, your freedom for decades, it all comes down to what happens next. People underestimate the timeline of federal investigations. The FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF – these agencies spend years building airtight files before you even hear the word “indictment.” They’ll sit on wiretaps, bank records, surveillance, grand jury testimony, and then they hit fast and hard. The government doesn’t play. That’s why you need an attorney who has played this game at the national level. Someone like us.

We have a rock star team of attorneys with over 50 years of combined experience defending clients in federal courtrooms from coast to coast. Todd Spodek – our founding attorney – represented Anna Delvey/Anna Sorokin, the case that became a Netflix series. It wasn’t just a fraud trial, it was a cultural firestorm, prosecutors were under pressure, the media was demanding blood, yet we pushed back. We navigated federal wire fraud statutes like 18 U.S.C. §1343 (Wire Fraud), bank fraud allegations under 18 U.S.C. §1344, conspiracy (18 U.S.C. §371), and we showed exactly why our defense stands apart. That’s the caliber of strategy we bring to Tampa federal defense. We’ve handled cases that… look, the point is we win when others fold.

Understanding Federal Criminal Charges in Tampa

Let me explain the main difference. State cases are typically about local crimes – assaults, theft, things that happen in a county or city. Federal cases? They’re bigger, broader – usually across state lines, financial institutions, interstate commerce, or tied to a federal statute. When the feds step in, it’s because the activity triggered their jurisdiction. That means statutes like 18 U.S.C. §922(g) for felons in possession of firearms, 21 U.S.C. §841 for drug trafficking, health care fraud under 18 U.S.C. §1347, or tax evasion under 26 U.S.C. §7201. Each of these carries massive penalties and mandatory minimums.

In Tampa, federal prosecutions go through the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida. Judges in this division – like William F. Jung, Thomas P. Barber, and others – have reputations for being tough on sentencing. Federal sentencing guidelines dictate the numbers, but enhancements like “career offender” can change a guideline range dramatically. 5 years can become 20 with just one enhancement, and that’s not scare tactics, that’s reality.

Just check recent cases here. Martez Manning in St. Petersburg – 15 years for firearm possession as a felon. Sherron Gary in Tampa – 7 years. These weren’t drug lords or white-collar masterminds. They were locals caught by the federal machine. And once you’re in it, the rules are the government’s rules. You need someone who can disrupt that advantage, and that’s what we do.

Enforcement Trends in Tampa Federal Cases

This isn’t random. The DOJ, ATF, FBI – they target specific conduct in cycles. Right now in Tampa, there’s a federal crackdown on firearms offenses and gang-related conspiracy indictments. They push press releases of every conviction, because the federal playbook isn’t just to prosecute, it’s to send a message. It’s also not just guns. The IRS and FBI are going after PPP fraud, health care billing fraud, cryptocurrency laundering. The SEC piggybacks on securities fraud cases. And when the agencies combine forces, you’re facing a multi-agency task force with no shortage of resources to hammer you in federal court.

I’ll tell you what happens, people think “my case is small” but in Tampa federal court, even low-level actors in a conspiracy can get roped into indictments that span dozens of defendants. Conspiracy is the government’s hammer. They use 18 U.S.C. §371 or narcotics conspiracy statutes like 21 U.S.C. §846 to connect everyone, and then they treat you like you’re responsible for things you never touched directly. That’s where we come in – separating you from the allegations they try to pin on you unfairly.

Types of Federal Cases We Defend in Tampa

Firearms and Violent Crimes

In Tampa, felon-in-possession cases under §922(g) dominate dockets. Same with Hobbs Act robbery conspiracies under 18 U.S.C. §1951. Here’s the thing: most defendants walk into court thinking they’ll negotiate a quick plea and move on. Wrong. The government stacks enhancements: armed career criminal status, brandishing, discharge enhancements. Before you know it – what looked like 5 years becomes 25. If you want someone who sees the traps before they’re sprung, that’s us. We’ve been inside these guidelines so many times we know where the cracks are, and we know how to leverage them.

White Collar and Fraud Cases

We’re nationally recognized for our fraud defense. Wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud – if it’s defined in Title 18, Chapter 63, we’ve handled it. The Anna Delvey case in New York was about wire fraud, conspiracy, banks, hotels, investors – all rolled into one. Tampa has similar cases right now: mortgage fraud, healthcare billing schemes, COVID relief fraud. We know the accounting tricks prosecutors use, we know the expert witnesses they put on the stand. That’s why people under indictment for fraud call us, not some lawyer who only knows local state theft cases. We navigate white collar law nationwide, and when Tampa prosecutors bring financial cases, we’re already ten steps ahead.

Drug and Conspiracy Offenses

DEA investigations in Florida are massive – especially in Tampa. Interstate trafficking cases, oxycodone pain clinic conspiracies, fentanyl distribution. We see charges under 21 U.S.C. §§841 and 846 all the time. These conspiracy statutes pull in everyone from the actual suppliers to people who barely touched distribution. Federal prosecutors love stacking weight – they inflate the quantity of drugs attributed to a defendant, then push guideline ranges sky-high. Our defense is about tearing apart that attribution, attacking lab results, exposing informants, undermining cooperator credibility. Without that? You’ll get buried in decades of prison.

The Federal Court Process in Tampa

Here’s what really happens when you’re charged. First you’ll be arrested or summoned, then taken before a magistrate judge for initial appearance in the Tampa courthouse on North Florida Ave. Bail (or “detention hearing”) is next – and federal courts lean heavy toward detaining defendants. After that, grand jury indictment or information controls the charges. Pre-trial motions, status hearings, discovery review, plea negotiations. If it goes to trial? You’re in front of an Article III judge. Judges in this division, like William Jung or Thomas Barber, do not cut corners. If your lawyer isn’t prepared on every evidentiary issue, the government steamrolls you.

The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are unforgiving. Enhancements for leadership role, use of firearms, number of victims – all pile up. Mandatory minimums for drug weights like 10 years for 5 kilos of cocaine. Career offender status under U.S.S.G. §4B1.1 can elevate you into 30-year territory. Many defendants don’t realize how serious those ranges are until it’s too late, and it’s heartbreaking to see it play out in court.

Why Choosing Your Tampa Federal Lawyer Matters

So – how do you pick the right lawyer if you’re in Tampa federal court? First, make sure they’re actually admitted to the Middle District of Florida. Second, make sure they’ve negotiated with AUSAs in this division before. Third, ask them what federal statutes they’ve defended clients against. If they can’t quote sections of Title 18 and Title 21 – that’s a problem.

At Spodek Law Group, we’ve handled federal cases nationwide – California, New York, Florida. When Todd represented Anna Sorokin, the entire world was watching because the case was about fraud, image, media pressure. We’ve taken that same energy into less publicized Tampa cases, fighting prosecutors who want to secure press releases as much as they want convictions. Federal practice is not the same as state practice. Plea deals are structured differently, trials are harder, sentencing is numbers-driven. You can’t just dabble. You have to hire a law firm that gets it.

Costs, Risks, and Value of Federal Defense

How much does a federal case cost? I’ll be blunt – it’s expensive, because it requires an insane number of hours. Reviewing thousands of discovery documents, prepping expert witnesses, filing pre-trial motions on evidence suppression or Brady disclosures, preparing cross-examinations that can run dozens of hours each. The cost reflects the risk: you’re fighting the United States Government. If you think you can cut corners, fine – but don’t expect miracles when your freedom is on the line. We’ve seen too many Tampa defendants hire cheap, inexperienced lawyers, only to regret it for 20 years behind bars.

But when you invest in real defense – in an experienced, aggressive team – you’re buying the possibility of freedom, of avoiding decades in federal prison. That’s the truth. You’re weighing money against your life. Look, we’ve handled high-profile fraud with national cameras, and we’ve handled low-profile Tampa conspiracy cases that nobody outside your family cares about. In both, our goal is the same: push back hard against the federal system. And win.

Protecting Your Future: Next Steps

If you or a loved one are being investigated in Tampa – don’t wait. Call us before indictment. Call us before agents show up at your door. The Middle District of Florida moves fast once they charge you, and by then, they already have years of evidence. We can intervene early, negotiate, sometimes even prevent charges. But not if you wait until it’s too late.

Spodek Law Group has 50+ years of combined experience, handling some of the most high-profile and pressure-filled federal cases in the country. We’ve defended people accused of drug trafficking conspiracies under 21 U.S.C. §841, securities fraud under 18 U.S.C. §1348, firearm cases under 18 U.S.C. §922(g). We’ve been in front of judges in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Tampa. And we continue to bring the same aggressive, intelligent defense strategy everywhere we go. Our clients trust us because we make one commitment: relentless loyalty to YOU, and only you.

Call us today for a confidential consultation. Don’t gamble with your life. In Tampa federal court, the stakes are too high, and the government is too strong, to go in without the best possible defense. That’s what we deliver.