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Federal Criminal Defense Attorneys

Experienced Federal Criminal Lawyers Representing Individual and Corporate Clients in White Collar Investigations and Prosecutions Nationwide

Audits & Investigations | Whistleblower Defense Strategies | Grand Jury Subpoenas & CIDs | FBI, HHS, OIG Investigations | Search Warrant Defense | Indictments | Criminal Defense & Trials | Corporate Compliance | Internal Investigations & Much More

Are you being punished for your success? You have worked very hard to build your business. You have contributed to your community, and you have helped to improve the lives of your employees and customers. You never had criminal intent. Your employees and vendors have a job because of you. You pay high taxes so that everyone else can benefit. And now comes the federal government and threatens to jeopardize everything you have accomplished? Isn’t it true that the government really wants to punish you for being more successful than others? Well, we think so. That’s why we have put together the A-Team of White Collar Federal Criminal Defense Attorneys at our law firm for you. Contact a federal defense lawyer from our federal law firm today.

  • We Don’t Surrender, We Fix.
  • Top Trial Team: No Junior Lawyers, No Paralegals.
  • Former FBI, Former DOJ Staff, Former U.S. Attorney.
  • No One Beats Our Track Record: 48 States (2,000+ Cases).

“Most white collar crimes are charged at the federal level, and they carry severe penalties, including the potential for insurmountable fines and long-term imprisonment.”

– Dr. Nick Oberheiden

At Oberheiden, P.C., our experienced federal criminal defense attorneys and trial lawyers bring centuries of combined experience to defending individual and corporate clients in high-stakes federal criminal cases and related matters. Our federal criminal defense lawyers have handled thousands of federal court cases, and we have helped the vast majority of our clients secure favorable results prior to federal criminal trials.

Federal Criminal Defense Attorneys

If you are being targeted by federal authorities, you need to figure out why, and you need to do so as soon as possible. While you may think you know why you are under investigation or facing a grand jury subpoena, right now you cannot afford to make any mistakes that could jeopardize your legal rights. When you engage a federal criminal attorney from Oberheiden, P.C. to represent you, our federal criminal defense lawyers are very familiar with the federal criminal process and will work quickly to determine the nature and scope of the allegations against you, and then we will build and execute a custom-tailored defense strategy focused on protecting you as completely as possible.

Have you received a target letter or subpoena? Have you been served with a search warrant or placed under arrest? If so, you do not have any time to waste. To speak with our federal criminal defense attorneys as soon as possible, call 888-680-1745 now.

Why have thousands of clients chosen Oberheiden P.C.?

  1. Only Sr. Attorneys– We don’t employ paralegals, Jr. Attorneys, or Secretaries. You will work directly with a Sr. Attorney who will keep you apprised on a regular basis regarding the details of your case.
  2. We Know The Government’s Playbook– Many of our attorneys previously worked for the government as federal prosecutors. Understanding the tricks, goals, and strategies of the opposing side gives us an advantage as we prepare our defense.
  3. We Have Secret Weapons– Our team of Former FBI, IRS, DEA, OIG, and Secret Service agents will use their decades of experience in espionage, business investigations, and cyber forensics to find the nuanced details that can sometimes be the difference between a win or jail time.
  4. Unrivaled Results– While we have many tools at our disposal, our greatest asset is our decades of experience fighting the government. This experience has given us the privilege of winning over 2,000 cases on behalf of our clients.

I encourage you to compare our experience, results, and team with any local or national firm.

When you’ve been defending clients for as long as we have, there’s no trick we haven’t seen, likely no tactics we haven’t countered and no strategy we haven’t circumvented many times before.

If your reputation, livelihood, freedom, or career is at stake, call us today for a free consultation.

We will help you clearly understand what your options are and the best path forward.

Call now to confidentially discuss the details of your case: 888-680-1745

Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Why Choose Oberheiden, P.C. for Federal Criminal Defense & Litigation Cases

federal criminal defense attorney Nick OberheidenCall Dr. Nick Oberheiden at 888-680-1745 if you had no intent to do anything wrong.

Federal cases can be extraordinarily complex, and there are significant differences between facing accusations in state and federal court. At Oberheiden, P.C., our federal criminal defense attorneys focus their practice exclusively on federal defense in order to ensure that we remain fully abreast of the legal issues affecting our clients. From U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) initiatives to precedential case decisions, developments happen constantly, and we make sure that we are aware of these developments so that we can address them in our representation.

Another critical aspect of our practice is that many of our defense attorneys are former prosecutors and trial lawyers with the DOJ and the United States Attorney’s Office. Several of our federal attorneys prosecuted criminal cases for decades prior to entering private practice. By relying on the insights gained from this federal criminal defense attorney experience, we are able to anticipate a prosecutor’s strategies during investigations and prosecutions, and we are able to proactively assert defenses in order to mitigate our clients’ risk of facing a conviction and sentencing at trial.

Over their lengthy careers, our federal criminal attorneys have handled thousands of federal investigations and many federal trials. When you hire a federal criminal defense attorney from Oberheiden P.C., you will be represented exclusively by senior attorneys. Our federal criminal defense attorneys will work collaboratively to build your defense, and we will strategically, methodically, and aggressively fight to protect you against unnecessary consequences.

When you choose Oberheiden, P.C. to defend you in your federal criminal case:

  • We will promptly intervene in the government’s case. Federal criminal cases can proceed quickly, and promptly intervening in the government’s investigation can be critical to presenting an effective defense. As soon as you engage our firm to represent you, your federal criminal defense attorney will begin working to protect you.
  • We will use our past DOJ experience to your advantage. With more than 70 years of prior DOJ experience, our team of defense attorneys is well-versed in the government’s investigative tactics and prosecutorial strategies. We will use this knowledge to your advantage.
  • We will quickly assess your potential exposure. Are you facing fines? Restitution? Probation? Federal imprisonment? One of the primary purposes of having your federal criminal defense lawyer promptly intervening in the government’s investigation is to determine the allegations against you and the penalties that are on the table.
  • We will build and execute a custom-tailored defense strategy. As soon as we have gathered the necessary information, your federal criminal defense lawyer will build and execute a custom-tailored defense strategy focused on overcoming the government’s allegations in light of the specific factual and legal circumstances at hand. We will utilize statutory defenses, constitutional protections, safe harbors, and all other available means to try to prevent the possibility of a conviction at trial.
  • We will be prepared at all stages of prosecution. From the investigation through trial, sentencing, and appeal, each stage of the federal prosecutorial process requires a different strategic approach. Regardless of the current status of your case, your federal criminal defense attorney will be thoroughly prepared to defend you.

Put our highly experienced team on your side

Dr. Nick Oberheiden
Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Founder

Attorney-at-Law

Lynette S. Byrd
Lynette S. Byrd

Former Department of Justice

Brian J. Kuester
Brian J. Kuester

Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA

John W. Sellers
John W. Sellers

Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice

Local Counsel

Joanne Fine DeLena
Joanne Fine DeLena

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Joe Brown
Joe Brown

Former U.S. Attorney & Former District Attorney

Local Trial & Defense Counsel

Amanda Marshall
Amanda Marshall

Former U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Aaron L. Wiley
Aaron L. Wiley

Former Federal Prosecutor

Local Counsel

Roger Bach
Roger Bach

Former Special Agent (OIG)

Michael Koslow
Michael Koslow

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Chris Quick
Chris Quick

Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)

Ray Yuen
Ray Yuen

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

More about Our Federal Criminal Defense Practice

Cases We Handle

Our experienced federal criminal defense practice consists of representing individual and corporate clients accused of fraud, financial crimes, drug crimes, and other serious white-collar offenses. Our clients include business owners and executives, board members, healthcare providers and other licensed professionals, politicians, public figures, and companies ranging from small businesses to multi-national corporations, and we handle cases involving all federal agencies and task forces. While federal criminal cases can involve a broad array of allegations under a multitude of different statutes, some of the most-common charges our federal criminal lawyers handle include:

Are you accused of a federal crime?

Don’t delay. Learn about your rights.

Call Dr. Nick Oberheiden now!

(888) 680-1745

Available nights and weekends

Potential Issues in Federal Criminal Cases

Various issues have the potential to arise during the course of a federal criminal defense case, and you need the best Dallas federal criminal lawyers to handle them. When taking timely and effective action can mean the difference between avoiding allegations altogether and facing a conviction at trial in federal court, you need to make sure that you are doing everything possible to resolve your federal case as quickly and strategically as possible. Here is just a small sampling of the issues that can arise during a criminal case at the federal level:

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1. Illegally-Obtained Evidence

When conducting federal criminal investigations, federal agents and prosecutors do not have free reign. Their actions are limited by the protections afforded in the U.S. Constitution; and, when they violate suspects’ or defendants’ constitutional rights, any evidence obtained as a result of the violation may be deemed illegally-obtained.

Illegally-obtained evidence is inadmissible in federal court (subject to certain limitations). However, if you wish to keep illegally-obtained evidence out of your case, it is up to you to do so. Unfortunately, many people who lacked an experienced federal criminal lawyer have been convicted on evidence that should have been deemed inadmissible in federal court.

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2. Conspiracy Allegations

Under the federal conspiracy statute, 18 U.S.C. § 371, you do not have to commit a substantive offense in order to face substantial fines and long-term imprisonment. Various other federal statutes contain conspiracy provisions as well; and, due to the breadth of these statutes, they are among federal prosecutors’ most-potent tools in federal criminal investigations and prosecutions. If a prosecutor can argue that you were party to a formal or informal agreement to commit a federal crime and any of your alleged co-conspirators executed an “overt act” toward the commission of a federal crime, this can be enough to warrant prosecution in federal district court.

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3. Attempt Allegations

Under federal law, the targets of federal investigations can also face charges for attempt in the absence of evidence of a completed criminal offense. Often, charges for attempt carry the same penalties as charges for the allegedly-attempted federal crime. Due to the potential for attempt accusations, individuals and organizations being targeted for federal prosecution must be extremely careful to avoid relying on defense strategies that could expose them to prosecution for an “unsuccessful” federal crime.

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4. Multiple Related and Unrelated Charges

While certain federal statutes target specific substantive federal crimes (such as healthcare fraud or drug trafficking), other statutes impose severe penalties for acts taken in furtherance of – or in conjunction with – specific criminal conduct. As a result, in federal cases it is not unusual for defendants to face multiple charges for both related and unrelated federal crimes.

For example, some of the most-common accusations in federal cases are mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Under the broad language of the mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering statutes, almost any criminal conduct will have the potential to trigger prosecution under these statutes. In a healthcare fraud case, providers will often face allegations of multiple healthcare-related offenses; and, in securities fraud cases, companies will often face charges for multiple corporate crimes. Various other alleged “criminal enterprises” can trigger multiple federal accusations as well.

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5. Confidential Informant or “Co-Conspirator” Testimony

Another risk in a federal case is the risk of a federal prosecutor obtaining testimony from a confidential informant or an alleged co-conspirator. If someone else who has a vested interest in the outcome of your case testifies against you, you will need to overcome this testimony as part of your defense.

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6. Sentencing Guidelines

In most federal criminal cases, the potential sentences are outlined in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines (the “Guidelines”). While the Federal Sentencing Guidelines are not binding, prosecutors and judges will often rely on the Guidelines in determining what penalties to seek and impose in the event of a conviction at trial. However, often it will be possible to obtain a below-guideline plea deal or sentence (assuming penalties cannot be avoided entirely); and, a federal criminal defense lawyer at Oberheiden, P.C. has significant experience protecting clients against the penalties prescribed by the guidelines for federal sentencing.

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Your Experienced Federal Defense Trial Team

Potential Penalties in Federal Criminal Cases

While the Federal Sentencing Guidelines establish a range of potential fines and prison sentences for most crimes, various federal statutes impose additional penalties as well. Depending upon the specific federal criminal charges (or charge) involved, the potential penalties can be severe, which is why you need the best federal criminal lawyer to support you. The penalties in a federal criminal case may include:

  • Federal Imprisonment – Most serious federal crimes carry the potential for a minimum of several years of incarceration. Various factors can increase the potential prison sentence that is on the table; and, when prosecutors pursue multiple counts of multiple federal criminal charges, defendants can easily be at risk for being sentenced to decades behind bars.
  • Probation – If penalties cannot be avoided entirely, in many cases, the best defense strategies focus on securing probation in lieu of a term of imprisonment.
  • Fines – Statutory fines vary for individual and corporate defendants; however, in all cases, the aggregate fines imposed for federal offenses can far surpass what most people and companies can afford to pay.
  • Restitution, Recoupments, and Other Financial Penalties – Federal criminal defendants convicted of certain crimes may be sentenced to restitution, recoupments, and other financial penalties as well.
  • Other Statutory Penalties – In certain types of cases, federal criminal defendants can also face additional statutory penalties. Some examples include Medicare and Medicaid exclusion (in cases of healthcare fraud) and loss of eligibility for DEA or SEC registration (for prescription and securities-related offenses, respectively).

Q&A with the Federal Criminal Lawyers at Oberheiden, P.C.

Q: What is different about state and federal criminal cases?

Joanne Fine Delana, federal attorneyThe differences between a state and federal criminal case are almost too many to list. From the agencies involved to the penalties that are on the table, effectively defending against federal criminal charges requires a federal criminal lawyer with particular experience in all of the unique aspects involved.

At Oberheiden, P.C., we focus our practice on federal criminal matters. In addition, many of our attorneys are former federal prosecutors who spent years (and, often, decades) pursuing criminal indictments on behalf of the federal government in federal courts. As a result, we are intimately familiar with the complexities of the federal criminal process and federal cases, and we offer the insights of seeing our clients’ cases from the government’s perspective.

Q: How is facing a federal criminal charge different from facing a criminal charge in state court?

Richard Simmons, federal attorneyFederal and state criminal proceedings bear virtually no resemblance to one another. From the agencies that are involved to the laws and court rules that apply, everything is different in a federal criminal case. The procedures involved in federal criminal cases are very different from those involved in state criminal cases as well; and, generally speaking, the stakes are much higher if you have been charged with a federal crime.

Q: Which federal agencies are involved in investigating and prosecuting alleged white-collar crimes?

Wilfred Rattigan, federal criminal defense attorneyMultiple federal agencies are involved in investigating and prosecuting white-collar federal crimes. The specific agency (or agencies) involved will depend on the type (or types) of allegations at issue. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are the nation’s top law enforcement and domestic investigative agencies, respectively, but numerous other agencies are involved in investigating various types of crimes and federal offenses as well. At Oberheiden P.C., we have experience representing clients in investigations of federal charges involving:

  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
  • Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI)
  • U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
  • U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)
  • U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
  • U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
  • U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG)
  • U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
  • Other federal administrative and law enforcement agencies

Q: Should you hire a federal criminal defense lawyer to represent you during a federal criminal investigation?

David Raben, federal lawyerYes, without question. If you are aware that you are under investigation, the government already has the upper hand. Investigations often last months, and sometimes years, and federal agents and prosecutors strategically decide when to make their intentions known. You should hire a legal team immediately to intervene in the investigation and begin gathering the information needed to build a strategic defense.

While there are many mistakes that you need to avoid if you are facing a federal white-collar criminal investigation, the biggest mistake you need to avoid is waiting too long to engage federal defense counsel.

Erick Cruz, federal attorneyOften, it is possible to resolve federal investigations without charges being filed. However, in order to achieve this result, you must hire a law firm to intervene in the investigation and deal with the investigating agency (or agencies) on your behalf. Our firm represents individuals and corporations in federal white-collar investigations across the country, and we can take defensive action immediately if necessary.

Q: What does it mean if you have been served with a criminal complaint?

Donald Lykkebak, federal attorneyA criminal complaint is a formal pleading document filed by federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Criminal complaints set forth allegations of unlawful conduct; and, once a criminal complaint has been served, this gives federal agents lawful authority to make an arrest. Following an arrest executed pursuant to a criminal complaint, federal prosecutors have 30 days to seek a grand jury indictment.

Karen Pickett, federal lawyerWhile federal prosecutors previously reserved criminal complaints for federal cases involving allegations of violent crimes and high-risk targets, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has recently begun filing criminal complaints in white-collar instances. If you have been served with a criminal complaint, you need to engage a federal criminal defense lawyer immediately.

Q: What are some of the most common criminal charges in federal white-collar cases?

Michael Rataj, federal defense attorneyThere are numerous federal offenses that fall under the “white-collar” umbrella at the federal level, and the charges filed in any particular case will depend on the specific facts (or alleged facts) involved. However, there are a number of federal crimes that are extremely broadly defined, and this allows federal prosecutors to bring accusations for these crimes in a wide range of federal cases. In particular, it is fairly common for federal white-collar indictments to include charges for:

  • Aggravated identity theft
  • Bank fraud
  • Mail fraud
  • Money laundering
  • Tax evasion and tax fraud
  • Wire fraud

Bill Tunkey, federal attorneyThese are in addition to the specific substantive accusations underlying the government’s case. From corporate espionage and intellectual property theft to healthcare fraud and securities fraud, federal white-collar criminal cases can target a broad array of alleged criminal activities.

Q: What defenses can be used to avoid conviction in federal district court?

Kamille Dean, federal attorney The defenses that are available in any particular federal white-collar criminal case will depend on the facts at hand and the federal laws and statutes at issue. Many federal white-collar statutes require proof of multiple “elements,” and challenging the DOJ’s evidence of even a single element can be enough to avoid a conviction in federal courts. Many of these statutes contain specific exceptions and “safe harbors” as well, and affirmatively demonstrating compliance can be an advisable strategy in some instances.

In addition to defenses that are specific to the crime (or crimes) alleged, defendants in federal white-collar cases can also assert defenses under the U.S. Constitution. For example, if federal agents and federal investigators raided your home or office and seized evidence without a valid search warrant, then the evidence they obtained may be inadmissible in court.

Q: What are the possible sentences for white-collar federal crimes?

Aaron Wiley, federal attorneyIf your investigation leads to charges, the outcome of your case may depend directly on the quality of your federal criminal attorney. Being charged does not necessarily mean that you will be convicted – or even that you will face trial. In our decades of experience, our federal criminal attorneys have helped clients across the country obtain favorable resolutions for federal charges through:

  • Negotiating plea deals for probation and reduced sentencing
  • Convincing prosecutors and judges to drop charges prior to trial
  • Obtaining “not guilty” verdicts in open court

Joseph Nascimento, federal defense lawyerEven if you go to court and lose, this does not mean that your case is over. You could have any of a number of different grounds to file an appeal or seek to have your conviction set aside. While challenging a conviction is absolutely a means of last resort, when we take cases to trial, in addition to presenting a vigorous defense we also focus on preserving all potential grounds for having a potential conviction overturned.

Q: Are you safe if you did not go through with committing a contemplated white-collar crime?

Cameron Blazer, federal attorneyNo, you are not. Under federal law, individuals charged with attempt and conspiracy can face the same penalties as individuals charged with the commission of the underlying offense. As a result, when defending against federal white-collar allegations, it is imperative that you execute an informed strategy with the advice and representation of highly-experienced federal defense counsel and federal criminal defense attorneys.

Q: Is it possible to negotiate a plea bargain in a federal white-collar case?

Peter Phillips, federal criminal defense attorneyYes, if you are charged with a white-collar offense at the federal level, it is possible to resolve your case prior to trial through the negotiation of a plea bargain. A federal prosecutor will entertain plea negotiations in most instances; and, if your risk of conviction at trial is high, it may be in your best interests to negotiate a plea. However, it is possible to have criminal charges dismissed prior to trial in some instances as well; and, again, in order to make informed decisions about your defense strategy, you need to hire an experienced federal defense attorney promptly.

Q: What makes Oberheiden P.C. different from other federal criminal defense law firms?

Terry Frank, federal lawyerAt Oberheiden P.C., our practice is devoted to representing clients in high-stakes federal matters. This distinguishes us from most other criminal defense law firms in the United States. Another distinguishing factor is our firm’s composition exclusively of senior attorneys and defense consultants, many of whom are former federal prosecutors and investigative agents with the DOJ, FBI, and other agencies.

Joseph Reinke, federal defense attorneyIf you are under investigation or facing charges for a federal white-collar crime, your choice of legal representation matters immensely. Contact us for a complimentary case assessment and learn why individuals and businesses nationwide trust Oberheiden P.C. law firm for federal white-collar criminal defense.

Q: What are some examples of Oberheiden, P.C.’s case results?

The following are three examples of our recent successes in federal criminal defense matters:

  • Daniel Smith, federal attorney , federal lawyerWe represented a client who was under investigation by the DOJ and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for alleged Medicare fraud. Over the course of several meetings with the DOJ’s attorneys, our federal criminal defense lawyers were able to close the investigation without charges being filed.
  • We represented another client in a criminal Medicare fraud investigation involving numerous federal agencies. Despite the extensive resources that the government dedicated to the investigation, we were able to successfully demonstrate that our client had not engaged in criminal conduct. We were also able to successfully disprove any civil liability, resulting in the investigation being closed without any charges or liability.
  • We represented a client who was facing long-term incarceration after being indicted for alleged involvement in a healthcare fraud conspiracy. Despite the fact that the federal sentencing guidelines called for years of incarceration, Dr. Nick Oberheiden was able to convince the federal judge presiding over the case to sentence our client to probation.

Q: What are the potential outcomes if I am charged with a federal crime?

Pascual Meyer, federal criminal defense lawyerThese results are representative of the types of outcomes we have been able to achieve for a significant number of our clients (however, results are not guaranteed). See more examples of our federal criminal case results.

Q: What steps should I take if I am being targeted by the federal government?

If you are being targeted by the federal government, or if you believe that you may be under investigation, there are several steps that you should try to take immediately. These include:

  • Ellen Comley, federal criminal defense attorneyExercising your right to remain silent and not supplying any information or records to the government except on the advice of legal counsel.
  • Avoiding discussing the case with anyone other than your federal criminal attorney, and advising your employees and anyone else familiar with the matter to only discuss the case as directed.
  • Preserving any records, hardcopy or electronic, that may be relevant to the investigation (destroying evidence can lead to additional charges with severe penalties).
  • Assessing whether you need to take any action to prevent ongoing legal violations that could lead to further prosecution.
  • Coordinating a comprehensive defense strategy with a federal criminal lawyer focused on resolving the investigation without charges being filed.

Speak with an Experienced Federal Criminal Defense Attorney in Confidence

If you need to speak with a federal defense lawyer, please contact us to schedule a free and confidential case assessment. Members of our defense team are available 24/7, so call 888-680-1745 or request an appointment online now.

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