Seattle Federal Criminal Defense Attorney
Seattle Federal Criminal Defense
Team Lead
Contact Nick9030 35th Avenue SW Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98126
888-680-1745
Have you been contacted by federal agents? Is your business or practice the target of a federal investigation? Have federal authorities raided your home or business? Have you been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury?
A federal investigation can disrupt all aspects of your life or business, and it can potentially lead to life-altering penalties. Federal laws ranging the Anti-Kickback Statute to the Controlled Substances Act impose substantial fines and long-term imprisonment for a host of offenses; and, in federal cases, it is not uncommon for defendants to face multiple counts of multiple charges. In order to protect yourself, you need to develop and execute a strategic defense immediately. This starts with hiring experienced legal representation.
Oberheiden, P.C. | A Team of Highly-Experienced Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers Serving Seattle, WA
At Oberheiden, P.C., our team of federal defense lawyers represents clients in Seattle, Washington and nationwide in high-stakes criminal cases. Our attorneys include nationally-recognized defense lawyers and former federal prosecutors who served substantial tenures as U.S. Attorneys and Assistant U.S. Attorneys prior to entering private practice. With the experience of handling well over 2,000 cases from both sides, our Seattle federal criminal defense attorneys offer strategic defense representation focused on terminating the government’s investigation as efficiently as possible. Meet the team.
Proven Federal Defense Lawyers for All Types of Criminal Cases
Our federal criminal lawyers practice is devoted to representing individuals and corporate clients facing serious white-collar and drug-related criminal accusations. Our individual clients include doctors, lawyers, business executives, politicians, public figures, and other professionals and business owners, and our corporate clients range from small local businesses to publicly-traded companies. We represent these clients in federal cases involving all types of charges, and we offer the same level of personal attentiveness and service regardless of the size of our client’s business or the nature of their occupation. Our practice extends to defending clients accused of:
- Attempt
- Conspiracy
- Bank Fraud
- Drug Crimes
- Healthcare Fraud (including Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, and Department of Labor (DOL) fraud)
- Insurance Fraud
- Intellectual Property Theft
- Mail Crimes (including depositing “nonmailable matter” with the USPS)
- Mail Fraud
- Money Laundering
- Mortgage Fraud
- Public Corruption and Bribery
- Securities Fraud
- Tax Evasion
- Theft of Government Property
- Wire Fraud
Experienced Defense Attorneys for All Stages of High-Stakes Federal Cases in Seattle, WA
Most federal criminal cases follow a similar trajectory, although the specific allegations and agencies involved will vary. When we are engaged as defense counsel, we tailor our representation to the current status of our client’s case, whether our client has just been contacted by federal agents or he or she has been indicted in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington located in downtown Seattle, WA.
Investigations
If you are being targeted in a federal investigation (or if your business or practice is the target of a federal investigation), our goal at this stage will be to terminate the investigation quickly, quietly, and without charges being filed. We have had substantial success at the investigative stage, and have protected numerous clients against being charged in Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and other federal agency investigations.
As the target of a federal investigation, or as the owner or executive of a business or professional practice that is being targeted, you need to be extremely careful about everything you say and do. This does not just apply when you are communicating with federal agents. You do not know who else may be dealing with the authorities – either as a target themselves or as a cooperating witness – and there is a very real possibility that anything you say could end up being used against you. Our defense attorneys can advise you at every turn, and we will communicate with federal agents and prosecutors on your behalf in order to steer your case toward a favorable pre-charge resolution.
Search Warrants and Raids
While you do not have to answer any questions you are asked, if federal agents show up at your home or office with a search warrant, you will generally have little choice but to make way for them to come through. However, this does not mean that you are helpless to defend yourself against anything they might find. If you are presented with a search warrant or federal agents raid your home or place of business, you should contact a defense lawyer immediately, and you should try to remember as many details as possible. Did you get to read the warrant? Did federal agents search an area that the warrant did not cover? In some cases, federal agents will exceed the scope of the search authorized by a warrant; and, if they do, any evidence seized illegally may be inadmissible in court.
Grand Jury Subpoenas
If you have been served with a grand jury subpoena, this means that federal prosecutors believe they can establish “probable cause” to charge you with one or more federal crimes. At this point, you need to do everything possible to try to protect yourself from being charged. Grand jury subpoenas can seek documents, testimony, or both; and, while you are entitled to legal representation throughout the grand jury process, your attorney cannot join you in the courtroom while you are being questioned in front of the grand jury (although you can request to speak with your attorney outside).
Our federal criminal defense lawyers have extensive experience representing clients during grand jury proceedings. From challenging your grand jury subpoena on constitutional grounds to limiting your disclosure obligations and preparing your testimony, we will use our experience to mitigate your risk of being indicted to the greatest extent possible. We have represented clients in federal grand jury proceedings across the country, and we can draw on the insights gained from this experience to anticipate prosecutors’ questions and execute an out-of-court defense strategy focused on preventing charges from being filed.
Pre-Trial Proceedings and Criminal Trials
When representing clients who have been indicted, our focus shifts to achieving a favorable result during the pre-trial process. Unlike other lawyers, we do not resign our clients’ fate to the outcome of trial, and we pursue aggressive pre-trial defense strategies both in and out of court. As a result of this aggressive approach, we have convinced judges to dismiss our clients’ cases and convinced prosecutors to drop charges against our clients despite the issuance of an indictment, and we have negotiated plea deals on behalf of numerous clients that preserved their freedom and allowed them to continue running their business or practice.
Of course, in some cases, going to trial will be a client’s only viable option. While we emphasize securing a favorable pre-trial result whenever possible, we also know when it is time to take a client’s case to court. Working as a team, our defense lawyers meticulously prepare our clients’ cases for trial, and we develop comprehensive trial strategies that attack the government’s case from all angles in order to prevent a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Founder Attorney-at-Law Former DOJ Trial Attorney Partner Former U.S. Attorney 55th Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives (ret.) Government Consultant Of Counsel Former U.S. Secretary of State Former Senior DOJ Trial Attorney Federal Appeals Attorney Former Prosecutor Former Special Agent (DOJ) Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI) Former Supervisory Special Agent (DOD-OIG) Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)Put our highly experienced team on your side
Dr. Nick Oberheiden
Lynette S. Byrd
Brian J. Kuester
Hon. Kevin McCarthy
Mike Pompeo
John W. Sellers
Linda Julin McNamara
Nicholas B. Johnson
Roger Bach
Chris J. Quick
Michael S. Koslow
Ray Yuen
What to Expect When You Choose Oberheiden, P.C. for Your Federal Criminal Case in Seattle, WA
Here is what you can expect when you choose our team of federal criminal defense lawyers to represent you in Seattle, WA:
1. Direct and Personal Communication with Our Senior Attorneys
Throughout your case, you will work directly and in close contact with our senior attorneys. We partner with our clients to pursue favorable results in light of their unique circumstances, and we do not assign tasks to paralegals or junior associates.
2. A Detailed and Custom-Tailored Defense Strategy
We will focus on the details to execute a defense that is custom-tailored to the facts and the current posture of your case. As circumstances change, we will adapt quickly in order to continue pursuing a laser-focused defense strategy.
3. A Team Approach that Maximizes Effectiveness and Efficiency
Our attorneys work as a team in order to maximize efficiency and offer all of our clients the full benefit their remarkable experience in high-stakes federal criminal cases.
4. Prioritization of Your Needs
As our client, your case is our top priority. We will put your needs before our own, and we will make ourselves available whenever and wherever we are needed.
5. Aggressive and Relentless Pursuit of a Favorable Result
Above all, we pursue every case aggressively and with a relentless commitment to protecting our client. We are passionate about what we do, and we do not expect our clients to settle when their future is on the line.
FAQs for Washington Federal Criminal Defense
What is a target letter?
Federal prosecutors classify anyone involved in their investigation as either a witness, a subject, or a target. Witnesses are not under investigation themselves, but have information relevant to an open investigation. Subjects are those whom the federal agents believe may be involved in the commission of a crime, but are not yet the focus of an investigation. Finally, a target is someone whom federal prosecutors plan on charging. If you received a target letter, it means that you are the target of a federal criminal investigation and you should immediately reach out to an experienced Seattle, Washington federal criminal defense attorney to discuss your options and possible defenses.
Should I try to negotiate a plea agreement or take the case to trial?
Plea agreements are commonplace in federal criminal trials. Prosecutors will tell you this is because, due to the nature of the federal system, allegations are typically well-developed and factually supported. While this is true to some extent, far too many cases end in a plea agreement because defendants feel backed into a corner. Too often, Seattle federal criminal defense attorneys are eager to engage in plea negotiations because they are easier than taking a case to trial. Defendants may not know their chances at trial, and fear the severe consequences of a guilty verdict. However, entering a guilty plea may not be in your best interest and you won’t know until you contact an experienced Seattle, WA federal criminal defense attorney to dig into the government’s allegations.
What is at stake in a federal prosecution?
Federal crimes range in terms of the punishment they carry. When fashioning a sentence, federal judges are bound to some extent by the federal sentencing guidelines, which provide a sentencing range. This range is based on the seriousness of the offense. However, once the base sentencing range is determined, the judge will consider “departures” and “variances” which can either enhance or reduce a sentence. Most serious federal crimes carry the possibility of significant jail time, high fines, and potentially lifelong professional consequences. If you face federal criminal charges, it is imperative that you reach out to a skilled Seattle, Washington federal criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.
Contact Us Now for a Free and Confidential Case Assessment
If you need federal criminal defense counsel in Seattle, WA, we encourage you to contact us immediately for a free and confidential case assessment. To discuss your case with a member of our defense team as soon as possible, call 888-680-1745 or inquire online now.