Las Vegas Federal Criminal Defense Attorneys

Veteran Criminal Defense Lawyers Aggressively Represent Clients Facing Federal Accusations

Our experienced federal criminal defense attorneys aggressively represent clients throughout Clark County. If you are under investigation, have been served with a grand jury subpoena, or are currently facing federal charges, give Oberheiden, P.C. a call at 702-213-9490 to schedule your free and confidential consultation.

The federal government has broad authority to prosecute all types of criminal offenses under federal law. While many allegedly illegal actions implicate both state and federal court jurisdiction, as a matter of course, federal prosecutors allow their state counterparts to handle most of these cases. However, when a case presents especially high stakes or involves a matter of national import, the federal government may decide to bring the case in federal court. Generally, federal cases are much more serious than criminal cases in state courts and, even if you’ve never been arrested before, you could face significant penalties, including a decades-long jail sentence. If you recently learned that you are under investigation for a federal crime, contact a Las Vegas federal criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.

We also bring a unique perspective because many of our attorneys and local counsel formerly prosecuted federal crimes on behalf of the federal government. If you are under investigation by the FBI, DEA, IRS or OIG, you need an attorney who is ready to jump to your defense at a moment’s notice. You need the federal defense attorneys at Oberheiden, P.C. in your corner.

Why You Need a Respected Federal Criminal Defense Attorney

Facing federal criminal charges can be overwhelming, regardless of whether this is your first involvement with the criminal justice system or if you’ve been through the process before. Federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office are among the most experienced and skilled in the country and are highly experienced in handling complex and high-stakes cases. While there are many Las Vegas federal criminal defense attorneys who are equipped to competently handle your claim, when your future is on the line, mere competence is not enough. You need a lawyer who excels at their craft and can effectively guide you through every stage of the process. At Oberheiden, P.C., we have unrivaled experience and knowledge when it comes to federal crimes.

This is the experience that we offer our clients:

We have over 70 years of Department of Justice experience
We regularly secure dismissals of federal indictments
We have a staff consisting of many former federal prosecutors
We have experience handling more than 2,000 federal cases
We have handled more than 2,000 grand jury subpoenas

Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Founder

Attorney-at-Law

Lynette S. Byrd

Former Department of Justice

Brian J. Kuester

Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA

John W. Sellers

Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice

Local Counsel

Joanne Fine DeLena

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Joe Brown

Former U.S. Attorney & Former District Attorney

Local Trial & Defense Counsel

Amanda Marshall

Former U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Aaron L. Wiley

Former Federal Prosecutor

Local Counsel

Roger Bach

Former Special Agent (OIG)

Michael Koslow

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Chris Quick

Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)

Ray Yuen

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

The Types of Federal Criminal Cases Oberheiden, P.C. Handles

At Oberheiden, P.C., we represent clients facing all types of federal criminal charges in the District of Nevada, including, but not limited to the following:

Attempt offenses
Bank fraud
Bribery
Conspiracy charges
Drug manufacture and distribution
Embezzlement
Healthcare fraud
Identity theft
Insider trading
Insurance fraud
Intellectual property theft
Mail and wire fraud
Money laundering
Mortgage fraud
Public corruption
Securities fraud
Tax evasion
Theft of government property
Whistleblower claims
White collar crime

Regardless of the nature of the federal government’s allegations, the skilled federal criminal defense lawyers at Oberheiden, P.C. can help. We will immediately get to work investigating the government case and developing a custom-tailored and comprehensive defense strategy.

Las Vegas Federal Criminal Defense Attorney

What to Do When You Learn You Are Under Investigation for a Federal Offense

From the moment you realize the federal government is considering pursuing criminal charges against you, there are critical steps you must take to protect your interests. Unlike state court prosecutions, federal prosecutors fully investigate and prepare a case before filing formal charges. This means that by the time you learn you are under investigation, federal prosecutors have already made up their minds regarding your involvement. Not only that, but in many cases, prosecutors will have also presented their case to a grand jury, which found that there was probable cause to believe you committed the crimes in question.

Given this landscape, time is of the essence. Below is a list of a few things you need to keep in mind when you learn you are under investigation for a federal crime.

Do Not Speak to Federal Prosecutors or Investigators

In most federal criminal cases, federal agents will keep their investigations secret. Thus, you may not learn that you are being considered for federal charges until they’ve been formally filed. However, in some situations, federal investigators will approach a subject during the investigative stage. They usually do this when they do not have enough evidence to obtain a grand jury indictment. Thus, if federal investigators approach you asking about an open investigation, there is likely nothing you can say to them that will eliminate you as a suspect. In fact, in speaking to investigators, you only run the risk of providing them with the evidence they are looking for. And once you make a statement to investigators or voluntarily provide them with evidence, you’re stuck with the consequences. Rather than take your chances discussing a pending investigation with FBI agents, reach out to a dedicated federal criminal defense lawyer.

Respond Strategically to Any Grand Jury Subpoenas

When the federal government is investigating a possible crime, it uses grand jury subpoenas to obtain evidence. Grand jury subpoenas come in two forms. The first requires you to produce the evidence named in the subpoena for the government’s inspection. For example, a prosecutor may subpoena bank records, business records, internal company policies, emails or other communications. Receiving a subpoena demanding the production of evidence puts you in a difficult spot. One on hand, you are legally required to comply with a valid grand jury subpoena, and your failure to do so can result in the court holding you in contempt. Further, an inadequate response to a grand jury subpoena may raise the suspicions of federal prosecutors. However, responding to a subpoena without carefully scrutinizing the breadth of the request can result in you providing the government with additional, potentially incriminating, evidence that could later be used against you.

The second type of grand jury subpoena requires you to appear to testify in front of the grand jury. If you are called to testify in front of a grand jury, you are not entitled to have an attorney present. This is the equivalent of walking into the room blindfolded. To protect your interests, you must consult with a Las Vegas federal criminal defense attorney beforehand, so you can know what to expect and how to effectively respond to the questions that the federal prosecutor will likely ask you.

Don’t Rush to the Negotiation Table

One of the most common mistakes that defendants in Las Vegas federal criminal cases make is to approach prosecutors expressing an interest in pleading guilty in exchange for a negotiated sentence. Certainly, in some cases, a negotiated guilty plea is a viable option; however, there is nothing to be gained by rushing to the negotiation table.

When you express interest in a guilty plea early on in a federal criminal case, you give all the bargaining power to the federal prosecutors. You are essentially telling them that you want to plead guilty to avoid a trial. The natural inference prosecutors will make is that you are, in fact, guilty. This leaves them with no incentive to critically examine their own case.

Instead, the better option is to discuss your case with an experienced Las Vegas federal criminal defense attorney. Your attorney can perform a full investigation, looking for any weaknesses in the government’s case. Perhaps they discover another potentially responsible party who played a larger role or uncover evidence that refutes the prosecution’s theory of the case. Remember, the burden in a federal criminal trial rests with the prosecution, and you are innocent until proven guilty. You cannot know what evidence federal prosecutors have, and you should not assume they have any more evidence than they’ve told you they have.

At Oberheiden, P.C., we recognize that facing federal charges is incredibly stressful and that you may not know what to expect throughout the process. We believe that certainty is one of the most important things we bring to the table. We’ve handled thousands of federal cases and have handled many trials, giving us a deep understanding of how prosecutors think and how these cases proceed through the system. When you bring Oberheiden, P.C. onto your team, we will sit down with you to discuss every option, every contingency plan, and we will leave no stone unturned.