Tulsa Federal Criminal Lawyer

If you’re on our website, it’s because you’re staring down serious federal charges – and you already know this isn’t state court, this isn’t just another case. It’s your life, your future, your freedom, at stake. At Spodek Law Group, we understand all of that. Federal prosecutions are brutal – the penalties alone can crush you. Our focus is one thing: protecting you – defending you – fighting for you until we’ve squeezed every possible advantage out of the system.

We bring over 50 years of combined federal defense experience to the table. Our team has handled headline-making cases, defended people in drug conspiracies packed with dozens of defendants, complex financial fraud prosecutions that took the IRS years to build, and we’ve gone toe to toe with U.S. Attorneys who thought they had clients boxed in. You’ve probably heard about Todd Spodek’s representation of Anna Delvey, also known as Anna Sorokin, which got covered everywhere including Netflix. That’s not just publicity – it proves we know how to manage the type of case everyone is watching, where every misstep is amplified. When you hire us, you hire a law firm that gets it.

Why Federal Cases in Tulsa Are A Different Beast

I’ll be straight with you. Walking into Tulsa federal court is nothing like walking into Tulsa County District Court. Federal court is colder, harsher, and the deck is stacked. Local cases are prosecuted by county prosecutors – federal cases here fall under the Northern District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney’s Office. That means your prosecutor is an Assistant U.S. Attorney like John Brasher or Stephen Flynn, and they have the entire federal government behind them. If they want to bring in the FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF – they just pick up the phone, no budget limit, no delay.

And if you’re wondering how fast something can escalate in Tulsa – trust me, we’ve seen it. A drug possession arrest can morph into a multi-defendant indictment under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846 (drug distribution & conspiracy). A few financial irregularities? Suddenly you’re looking at 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), § 1956 (money laundering), or § 371 (conspiracy). Even a firearm possession that in state court might be a slap – federally it’s 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), with years added under § 924(c). These statutes aren’t just words on a page, they’re mandatory sentences, stacked enhancements, minimums that rip options away from judges. No mercy baked in.

Look, in Tulsa, federal indictments don’t come by accident. Your case may start with local police patrol officers, but if there’s cash, quantities, or interstate connections – those agents come knocking, and they bring hundreds of pages of discovery, surveillance, and recordings. By the time you hear the words “federal indictment,” the government’s been building the file for months – sometimes years. And the judges here? They don’t have patience for excuses. They follow the guidelines, they follow the law – and unless we give them a reason to see you differently, you’re just another file in the system.

Patterns We See Every Day in Tulsa Federal Court

We’ve handled cases that… look, the point is we win, and we’ve seen patterns repeat themselves in the Northern District of Oklahoma. Most common appearances?

• Drug Conspiracies & Trafficking: Often charged under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846. We’ve had clients already serving state time, only to get indicted in federal court again for the same conduct. Imagine doing 20 years state, then facing 10 more federal – it happens, here, regularly.
• White Collar Crimes: Wire fraud, bank fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344), mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), tax fraud. Tulsa’s federal prosecutors like Flynn and Brasher aggressively charge these, especially when IRS investigations drag on for years. By the time clients even know they’re under federal scrutiny, the indictment’s already been drafted.
• Firearms Charges: ATF loves scooping up gun cases in Tulsa. Felon-in-possession under § 922(g) is a favorite. Simple state gun charges become enhanced federal felonies overnight, and sentences under § 924(c) stack consecutive years no state judge would ever impose.

We also see healthcare fraud cases – Medicare billing investigations can explode into indictments under 18 U.S.C. § 1347. Or child exploitation cases built by ICE & FBI joint task forces. Tulsa’s US Attorney’s office has made these priorities because politically they’re “easy wins.” Which makes every single person charged another notch on their tally board.

Tulsa Federal Enforcement Patterns

If you’re asking: why here, why now – the answer’s simple. Tulsa’s grand jury meets every single term without fail. September 2024? New indictments dropped under case numbers like 25-CR-351 with Brasher leading. July 2024? Stephen Flynn filed charges in 25-CR-267. These numbers aren’t random – every session, more lives change permanently. Federal agents already have the files, they’re just waiting for the calendar.

And don’t think state punishment protects you. We defended an inmate already serving nearly two decades at Oklahoma DOC, who suddenly got indicted federally on overlapping drug conspiracy counts. Double punishment is real, and it’s perfectly legal. The federal system doesn’t care if you’ve already been sentenced by state court, they just proceed, and you fight it all over again. That’s the nightmare clients never believe can happen … until it does.

Common Client Questions – And Brutal Truths

How much does a federal lawyer cost?

I wish I could tell you there’s a flat fee. But federal cases don’t work that way. They take months, sometimes years. Hundreds of pages of discovery. Wiretap challenges. Sentencing advocacy. Some cases take experts. Some take travel. Some, straight talk – they take our entire life for a year. That’s why fees vary so widely. But what I’ll tell you is simple: the cost of **not** having us is much higher. Because the government’s conviction rate federally is above 90%. And that’s with people hiring lawyers who don’t know federal court at all.

Do I really need a lawyer for this?

Yes – there’s no hesitation on this. I’ve seen federal defendants in Tulsa think they can “explain” their way out. They end up talked into plea agreements before even analyzing if the search was unlawful, or if the guidelines overstated the case. And AUSAs here, they’re not giving breaks. They’re measured on conviction rates. You want someone who can actually dismantle the evidence.

What is a federal lawyer even called?

Some call us “federal defense attorneys,” some say “federal criminal defense lawyer.” Doesn’t matter what label – what matters is we know how 18 U.S.C. and the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines work. Many Tulsa criminal lawyers only know state law. This is not the same playing field, and if your lawyer doesn’t live in this arena, you’re already in trouble.

Which lawyer actually wins cases?

No lawyer wins every time, don’t believe anyone who says that. But we’ve built a reputation on getting outcomes no one else expected. Sometimes winning is an acquittal. Sometimes it’s a dismissal of key counts. Sometimes it’s a §5K1.1 substantial assistance reduction, or shaving years off mandatory minimums. Our track record – from local conspiracy indictments to massive national cases like Anna Sorokin – is proof we know how to shift momentum, how to change the conversation. That’s the job.

Tulsa Federal Process: What Actually Happens

You get indicted. Suddenly you’re standing before a magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. That first day – detention hearing, bond arguments – changes everything. Judges here don’t just ask, “Will you return to court?” They ask, “Are you a danger to the community?” If the government wins detention, clients sit in custody at CCA or another federal facility the whole case, which strangles defense prep. That’s why our fight starts day one.

Then comes discovery. The government dumps massive evidence: surveillance, wiretap recordings, transcripts, DEA reports, IRS spreadsheets, ATF lab results. The volume is overwhelming by design. This is where we file suppression motions. Wiretap challenges under Title III. Motions pointing out Miranda violations. Challenges to search warrants written too broadly. If we can knock out evidence, suddenly the government’s leverage evaporates.

Trials are rare in federal court because most defendants cave. But when we go to trial, we go fully loaded – jury selection strategy, cross examination designed to shred their informants, experts lined up. And if trial isn’t the right path, then sentencing advocacy kicks in. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines feel mechanical, but we hammer for downward variances under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). We tell your story. We attack inflated drug weights, over-counted loss calculations. Some lawyers accept guideline ranges like gospel, we don’t. Sentencing is another battleground, maybe the most important one of your life.

Why Hiring Spodek in Tulsa Isn’t Optional

We’re not dabbling generalists. We live federal defense. DEA conspiracy indictments, IRS tax prosecutions, FBI computer crime charges, ATF firearm enhancements – we’ve battled them all. Our team’s 50+ years of combined experience is not a marketing line, it’s decades of trench warfare. We know the AUSAs. We know how each Tulsa judge reacts to Rule 29 motions, to § 3582(c)(2) resentencing requests, to arguments for compassionate release. That insight matters.

You’ve seen our cases on TV, in papers, in streaming documentaries. Anna Delvey wasn’t a fluke – it was proof. Proof that when the whole world is against you, we still show up, we still fight, and we still execute better than anyone else in the room. The only loyalty we have is to you. Not the prosecutors. Not the court. And certainly not to public perception. Just to you and your freedom.

And let me say this bluntly: federal cases don’t just threaten liberty. They tarnish reputations, careers, families. Even if you never serve a day in custody, you live with the scar. That’s why you don’t want someone learning federal court on your case. You want someone who’s lived it, again and again, right here in Tulsa.

Protect Yourself Now

A Tulsa federal indictment isn’t a small bump, it’s an earthquake. It shifts the ground under you. And if you wait, it only gets worse. Federal prosecutors like Brasher and Flynn are aggressive – they’re filing case after case. Every day delayed is another day you fall behind. Call us now, before the arrest, before the indictment, while there’s still time to shape the outcome.

Your future matters. Don’t gamble on it. Call our Tulsa federal defense team at 918.416.0358 today for a confidential consultation. We’ll fight for you – from indictment to trial to sentencing and beyond. We’ve done it before, we’ll do it again, and we won’t stop until every option is exhausted.