Los Angeles Federal Criminal Defense Attorney
Federal Crimes
A federal crime is an offense against the United States government. Whenever a crime is committed on federal property or violates federal law, it may be charged as a federal crime. Federal crimes are typically investigated by federal agencies, such as:
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation;
- The Drug Enforcement Agency;
- The Internal Revenue Service; OR
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, among others.
If you are facing federal charges, you should know that these charges are very serious. The federal government has numerous resources, including highly skilled attorneys and investigators, as well as a variety of powerful tools that they can and will use to bring you down.
Federal agencies may spend months or even years building a case against you before any formal charges are filed. If you believe you are the subject of a federal criminal investigation, you must act quickly to hire an experienced Los Angeles federal criminal defense attorney. Given an opportunity to intervene early in the process, an effective defense lawyer can help influence how the federal government conducts its investigation. A good criminal defense attorney may even be able to prevent the filing of formal charges.
Federal Cases We Handle
The Law Offices of Adrian M. Baca has over 30 years of experience defending clients against federal criminal charges, including:
Penalties for Federal Crimes
If you are accused of a federal crime, your case may be tried in federal court. If you are tried and convicted in federal court, the penalties are usually much more severe than if you are tried in state court.
Federal court judges are subject to sentencing guidelines that use a point system to calculate the overall severity of your crime:
- Each federal crime is assigned a “base” number of points.
- The judge will then consider all the facts of your case to either add or subtract points from your total. Points are added for bad behavior or conditions that make the crime more egregious. Points are subtracted for good behavior or conditions that diminish the severity of the crime.
- Using a “sentencing table,” the judge will determine your sentence by matching your total number of points to a recommended prison sentence.
These federal sentencing guidelines are supposed to make sentences for federal crimes fairer and more consistent nationwide (although this is not always the case in practice). As a result, most federal judges rely on them. However, these sentencing guidelines are not mandatory. A knowledgeable and experienced Los Angeles federal criminal defense attorney can argue effectively for a sentence that is lower than the guideline range.
Why Should I Hire a Los Angeles Federal Criminal Defense Attorney?
The Law Offices of Adrian M. Baca focuses exclusively on complex, high-stakes cases and is well-situated to defend you against serious federal charges. We understand federal laws, regulations, and court procedures, and we are licensed to practice in federal court. We can level the playing field, even against the mighty resources of the United States government.
If you think you may be the subject of a federal investigation, do not wait to hire a Los Angeles federal criminal defense attorney. It may make the difference between spending years in federal prison and avoiding charges altogether. Contact us today for a free evaluation of your case.